Now, I havent seen War Horse but...

mfin
mfin Posts: 6,729
edited February 2012 in The bottom bracket
I haven't seen War Horse....

I don't want to, I know very little about it, but this is my reason in my mind...

Its supposed to be very 'moving' right? Spielberg and all that, but the horse is the main character isnt it? and being set in the first World War (I think its that one) then I assume that the emotions of personal strife, heartbreak, loss, and fear are conveyed from the horse and the horses eyes in the film?

See, Ive got a problem with that, cos a horse seems to sh!t itself the second a bike or car comes near it moving at walking pace, and maybe that's a car with a smiling, 'horse loving lady' driving it. So, if it sh!ts itself at something so 'nonthreatening' as that, then how the hell am I supposed to think a horse has really taken in anything around it in a war setting and emotionally reacted proportionately to the experience?? If it had it would be stuck doing 3 manic 500ft high jump-abouts per second like it was on some 'supercharged bouncey f**kin castle', but it wont will it.

I dont think I'll go watch it, it'll wind me up.

If I want to see the absolute fear in a horse's eye that only comes from experiencing the atrocities of war, I think I'll just look at one the next time I cycle past one pleasantly saying hello, it'll be the same 'look', same fear.

Definitely dont think I'll go see it now Ive thought about it.
«1

Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,213
    mfin wrote:
    I haven't seen War Horse....

    I don't want to, I know very little about it, but this is my reason in my mind...

    Its supposed to be very 'moving' right? Spielberg and all that, but the horse is the main character isnt it? and being set in the first World War (I think its that one) then I assume that the emotions of personal strife, heartbreak, loss, and fear are conveyed from the horse and the horses eyes in the film?

    See, Ive got a problem with that, cos a horse seems to sh!t itself the second a bike or car comes near it moving at walking pace, and maybe that's a car with a smiling, 'horse loving lady' driving it. So, if it sh!ts itself at something so 'nonthreatening' as that, then how the hell am I supposed to think a horse has really taken in anything around it in a war setting and emotionally reacted proportionately to the experience?? If it had it would be stuck doing 3 manic 500ft high jump-abouts per second like it was on some 'supercharged bouncey f**kin castle', but it wont will it.

    I dont think I'll go watch it, it'll wind me up.

    If I want to see the absolute fear in a horse's eye that only comes from experiencing the atrocities of war, I think I'll just look at one the next time I cycle past one pleasantly saying hello, it'll be the same 'look', same fear.

    Definitely dont think I'll go see it now Ive thought about it.

    Have you been drinking already?
  • Ginjafro
    Ginjafro Posts: 572
    Mifn, perhaps if you understood the burden we placed on horses in the Great War you may not be so judgemental. My Great Grandfather entered the War with the Army Veternary Corps (AVC) until he was gassed in 1916. He was a highly respected horse experts and no doubt played a big part in looking after them in some truly awful conditions. The following may help others to understand a little bit more.

    "The light draught horse and mule, however, went on to prove their worth time and again. Indeed, their numbers with the BEF in France rose from 25,000 to over 475,000 by the autumn of 1918. On all fronts and theatres a staggering 1 million plus horses and mules were listed in service with British and Commonwealth forces by the close of war.

    On the Western Front over 256,000 horses and mules had died. The figures could have been worse were it not for the sterling work of the Veterinary Corps (in 1918 they were given the 'Royal' prefix in recognition of their efforts)."
    Giant XTC Pro-Carbon
    Cove Hustler
    Planet X Pro-Carbon
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    You're no Mark Kermode.
  • kev77
    kev77 Posts: 433
    Ginjafro wrote:
    Mifn, perhaps if you understood the burden we placed on horses in the Great War you may not be so judgemental. My Great Grandfather entered the War with the Army Veternary Corps (AVC) until he was gassed in 1916. He was a highly respected horse experts and no doubt played a big part in looking after them in some truly awful conditions. The following may help others to understand a little bit more.

    "The light draught horse and mule, however, went on to prove their worth time and again. Indeed, their numbers with the BEF in France rose from 25,000 to over 475,000 by the autumn of 1918. On all fronts and theatres a staggering 1 million plus horses and mules were listed in service with British and Commonwealth forces by the close of war.

    On the Western Front over 256,000 horses and mules had died. The figures could have been worse were it not for the sterling work of the Veterinary Corps (in 1918 they were given the 'Royal' prefix in recognition of their efforts)."

    well put my friend
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    The reason why some horses get skittery when cyclist/cars pass them is they're 'flight' animals as in fight or flight, they run from what they percieve as danger. Through breeding some horses are not as nervous as others whereas some will dance all over the road. We're brighter than the horses and we have to take that into account and a pleasant hello means a totally different thing to a horse than to passing a pedestrian. Whether we like it or not it's up to us to pass with care as being trodden on by half a ton of beast could put you out of cycling for a while. My motto is think like a horse give as much warning from as far back as possible and pass with care, end result everybody safe to continue their hobby :)
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    having said that to get back on thread I wouldn't see it cos i'd cry :cry:
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    edited February 2012
    I saw it. It was pretty rubbish with some terrible plot flaws and the most awful lighting I've ever seen in a film. There was 1 good bit, but overall it was crap.

    I haven't read the book but I doubt the book was as crap as the film otherwise it wouldn't have been made into a film.

    Just in case there is any confusion, I thought it was CRAP.
  • Mccaria
    Mccaria Posts: 869
    Have you seen Black Beauty ?

    If so, don't bother going to see War Horse.

    Man as boy befriends horse. Horse is beautiful and full of life. Man as boy and horse are separated. Some people are nice to horse, some people are not nice to horse. Horse has special horse friend. Special horse friend dies. Horse is not beautiful and down in the dumps. In the end man and horse...... Well if you've seen black beauty you'll know how it ends.
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    Mccaria wrote:
    Have you seen Black Beauty ?

    If so, don't bother going to see War Horse.

    Man as boy befriends horse. Horse is beautiful and full of life. Man as boy and horse are separated. Some people are nice to horse, some people are not nice to horse. Horse has special horse friend. Special horse friend dies. Horse is not beautiful and down in the dumps. In the end man and horse...... Well if you've seen black beauty you'll know how it ends.

    I thought the bit where he won the Grand National was a bit far-fetched. Especially as he only had 3 legs by that stage of the film. And I didn't find the alien abduction sequence believable either. I mean, why would aliens take a 3 legged horse with an alcohol dependancy to the Venus Horse Trials ? I'm pretty sure that wasn't in the book or the play.
  • Mccaria
    Mccaria Posts: 869
    GM,

    I think your are confusing it with National VelvET
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    And the bit where he made the transmitter so he could 'phone home'. Utter tosh.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,228
    mfin wrote:
    I haven't seen War Horse....

    I don't want to, I know very little about it, but this is my reason in my mind...

    Its supposed to be very 'moving' right? Spielberg and all that, but the horse is the main character isnt it? and being set in the first World War (I think its that one) then I assume that the emotions of personal strife, heartbreak, loss, and fear are conveyed from the horse and the horses eyes in the film?

    See, Ive got a problem with that, cos a horse seems to sh!t itself the second a bike or car comes near it moving at walking pace, and maybe that's a car with a smiling, 'horse loving lady' driving it. So, if it sh!ts itself at something so 'nonthreatening' as that, then how the hell am I supposed to think a horse has really taken in anything around it in a war setting and emotionally reacted proportionately to the experience?? If it had it would be stuck doing 3 manic 500ft high jump-abouts per second like it was on some 'supercharged bouncey f**kin castle', but it wont will it.

    I dont think I'll go watch it, it'll wind me up.

    If I want to see the absolute fear in a horse's eye that only comes from experiencing the atrocities of war, I think I'll just look at one the next time I cycle past one pleasantly saying hello, it'll be the same 'look', same fear.

    Definitely dont think I'll go see it now Ive thought about it.

    Hero.

    I said more or less the same to my GF when I saw the advert.

    How can a horse function in the middle of a war when they sh!t the bed the second I turn up on a bike going over 3mph.
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    Hero.

    I said more or less the same to my GF when I saw the advert.

    How can a horse function in the middle of a war when they sh!t the bed the second I turn up on a bike going over 3mph.

    It must be that 'lady horse' outfit and 'sexy horse feromones' combo you wear.
  • mfin wrote:
    I haven't seen War Horse....

    I don't want to, I know very little about it, but this is my reason in my mind...

    Its supposed to be very 'moving' right? Spielberg and all that, but the horse is the main character isnt it? and being set in the first World War (I think its that one) then I assume that the emotions of personal strife, heartbreak, loss, and fear are conveyed from the horse and the horses eyes in the film?

    See, Ive got a problem with that, cos a horse seems to sh!t itself the second a bike or car comes near it moving at walking pace, and maybe that's a car with a smiling, 'horse loving lady' driving it. So, if it sh!ts itself at something so 'nonthreatening' as that, then how the hell am I supposed to think a horse has really taken in anything around it in a war setting and emotionally reacted proportionately to the experience?? If it had it would be stuck doing 3 manic 500ft high jump-abouts per second like it was on some 'supercharged bouncey f**kin castle', but it wont will it.

    I dont think I'll go watch it, it'll wind me up.

    If I want to see the absolute fear in a horse's eye that only comes from experiencing the atrocities of war, I think I'll just look at one the next time I cycle past one pleasantly saying hello, it'll be the same 'look', same fear.

    Definitely dont think I'll go see it now Ive thought about it.

    Hero.

    I said more or less the same to my GF when I saw the advert.

    How can a horse function in the middle of a war when they sh!t the bed the second I turn up on a bike going over 3mph.

    Must have been made of tougher stuff back then. More animals served that people, more animals died than people. I bought a 'purple' poppy last year fro rememberence day, which goes to causes for serving animals (think its done by the PDSA). Anyway, weapons are still tested on animals (including dogs), and dolphins and seals are used to detect and explode underwater mines. (this sounds unimaginable, but according to the PDSA, the navy have been doing this for years). Without horses, the war would never have been won.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,228

    Hero.

    I said more or less the same to my GF when I saw the advert.

    How can a horse function in the middle of a war when they sh!t the bed the second I turn up on a bike going over 3mph.

    Must have been made of tougher stuff back then. More animals died than people. Without horses, the war would never have been won.
    Probably because they kept sh!tting the bed.

    Pretty sure there were horses on both sides. So the 2nd point is a little moot.

    On a tangent, Germans were still largely horse drawn in WW2. Most of their infantry was not motorised > rather like the Brits.
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    Yes it's true many animals have fought and died alongside man, but lest we forget...

    War Bike


    sa-railway-bike.jpg
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Leaving Warhorse/War horses out of this, I know what they did in WW1, and the book is supposed to be fantastic, the film rubbish but whatever...

    I can't help but make the comparison of Dutch Horses to English Horses. I ve flown past Dutch horses in groups of 20-30 roders all going hell for leather (which is nt very fast for us but...) and the horse and rider barely bat an eyelid. In one case I got a ticking off for slowing down on the front because I was trying not to scare the horse.

    Contrast to English horses where I ve had to cross to the otherside of the road/path, stop, in one case even get off and leave the bike for the horse to stop panic...

    Now, this is a debate similar to "do I need an ultrashift Di2 Specialized Dogma Maclaren 50 billion" to ride fast but I suspect that many people buy horses that are way more highly strung than is neccessary for a potter about the paddock/lanes with Cynthia from the other estate because they think they need a potential Grand National/Horse of the Year/Super Hunter Fox Killer horse - hence they have to try (and fail) to control a horse that can't handle seeing another person/bike/plastic bag without panicking. The Dutch (in that very dutch way), do not seem to do this.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    Perhaps they stop at the coffee shop and mix something with their feed!
  • Wasn't cocaine put back into Coca Cola in WW1? - Now that would be good cycling fuel...
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,213
    It's all about training isn't it? Strangely a warhorse was trained for what it was going to face just like police horses are trained to stay calm in riots. It takes a huge amount of time and effort to do this. In earlier wars horses were trained to fight along with their riders so would bite their opponents or their horses or even rear up to kick at them. If a rider was killed in a cavalry charge the horse would continue to take its place in the line for the next charge.

    The reason why horses get flighty is if something unexpected happens - look at a horses ears and they swivel about, if they are not pointing in your direction they probably won't have heard you so when a flash of bright lycra shoots past they aren't expecting it, likewise a bag flapping in a hedge or a car horn being blasted. If you think about it we are the same as humans, I'm sure you've all jumped at something unexpected appearing on screen in a horror film or when you are on your bike and your concentration has wavered and you suddenly become aware of a car passing within a few feet of you? Warhorses were trained to expect loud bangs and flames so they didn't surprise them.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Pross wrote:
    If you think about it we are the same as humans
    I've seen a few of your posts about horses, but I didn't realise you are actually a horse
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    bompington wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    If you think about it we are the same as humans
    I've seen a few of your posts about horses, but I didn't realise you are actually a horse

    It's all beginning to make sense though :)
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,213
    bompington wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    If you think about it we are the same as humans
    I've seen a few of your posts about horses, but I didn't realise you are actually a horse


    In some respects only :wink:


    I have big teeth
  • Attend a top flight football match and you will realise that Police Horses are not scared easily, or at all.
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    Attend a top flight football match and you will realise that Police Horses are not scared easily, or at all.

    To be fair, war zones are probably a bit easier than policing the Tottenham area!
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    Pross wrote:
    bompington wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    If you think about it we are the same as humans
    I've seen a few of your posts about horses, but I didn't realise you are actually a horse


    In some respects only :wink:


    I have big teeth


    Neeeeeeeeeeigh, neeeeeeeeeeeigh and thrice neeeeeeeeeeeigh!
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • Never mind horses we are apparently 1/3 daffodil - although there are some on here who are 2/3's pansy - hehe.
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    Never mind horses we are apparently 1/3 daffodil - although there are some on here who are 2/3's pansy - hehe.

    Evolved from monkeys and 1/3 daffodil? I've done quite well considering my parentage.
  • How about a film of a doctor who joined B C and save the Olympic Squad from a deadly equine virus? They could call it National Velovet :)




    I'll fetch my coat.
    The older I get the faster I was
  • Pross wrote:
    If you think about it we are the same as humans,

    You are Shergar and I claim my five pounds.
    You've no won the Big Cup since 1902!