The Ghosts in Our Machine

Gr 9 Up—Photographer Jo-Anne McArthur has a mission: to expose the cruel treatment of animals, whether for human adornment, entertainment, or consumption. This film by Liz Marshall makes no effort to disguise a bias towards vegan, non-animal product lifestyles, and is an undeniably moving portrayal of animals in "the machine of the modern world." A film crew follows McArthur down a rutted road and over a fence as she sneaks into a fur farm. Her voiceover details the grisly conditions and large numbers (upwards of 100,000 in some cases) of mink, fox, and raccoon held in pitiful cages at fur farms worldwide. McArthur and other activists also document and display conditions at theme parks, zoos, rodeos, large farms and feedlots, and the plight of some research animals. The 92-minute version contains commentary from Temple Grandin (professor of animal science, Colorado State University), which adds a small amount of balance. Dr. Grandin speaks of raising animals for food and making their lives decent, even if they are short. The longer version contains a few minutes of slaughterhouse footage that some students may find unwatchable. McArthur recharges herself with visits to a farm sanctuary in New York, and both versions close on positive scenes of well-treated animals. McArthur's drive and perseverance in publishing a book of her photographs is a strong secondary theme in the 60-minute classroom version. Both versions offer closed captions and would spark discussion in ethics and animal welfare issues.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX