In The Blood (1989)

In spite of the discussions of their love for animals and their philosophical discussions on the pros and cons of hunting, dozens of animals were brutally killed in the making of In The Blood. Dozens of birds were shot, many falling to the ground still alive. Many water buffalo were killed—not always quickly. Throughout the re-creation of Roosevelt’s safari, the young people in the group were being taught how to hunt.

In the closing scene, the director’s son, Tyssen Butler, did his first big kill. He shot a water buffalo three times. In an attempt to escape, the buffalo ran as long as it could with the hunting party chasing it, until it became so tired that it could not walk anymore. As the animal stood in total exhaustion, Butler shot it two more times and it dropped dead. Upon approaching this magnificent animal, the young man shed a few tears, at which point the men who were teaching Butler how to kill praised him for having done a great thing. They then slit the buffalo’s throat, put their hands in its blood and covered Butler’s face with it. In the end, they convinced the young man that he had done a wonderful thing. He proclaimed he would continue to hunt and that he would teach his children to hunt also.

This is a film that will totally disgust anyone who cares about sentient creatures. The American Humane Association is opposed to the hunting of any living creature for fun, a trophy, or for simple sport. Because this was a documentary, American Humane Association was not involved during the filming.