An unnamed horse that fails to appear when summoned is important in one highly regarded film! ‘ A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!’ is Richard III’s cry when he desperately needs a horse to escape from those who would kill him on Bosworth Field.The horses in these movies are, however, a far cry from Shakespeare’s evil Richard and the horse - any horse - he so desperately needed. The sheer expendibility of both man and horse in Richard III’s time would have certainly made modern inventions like horse insurance beyond the financial reach even of the highest nobility!
The Black Stallion
This award winning film was produced in 1979 - some 400 years after Shakespeare.It tells the story of the relationship between Alec and a spirited Arabian stallion. It includes a shipwreck, the rescue of the drowning Alec by the horse, and a period of slowly developing mutual trust on a desert island. They become inseparable as they develop this total trust. It’s a wonderful portrayal of the deep bonds that can exist between man (well,’boy’) and horse. I’ll refrain from telling you what happens because maybe you haven’t seen it yet. It’s sufficient to record one critic’s opinion, that it was perhaps ‘the greatest children’s movie ever made’.It’s not necessary, however, to be a child to enjoy it.
Black Beauty
Does a horse have to be black?. Would you be excited at the title ‘Piebald Beauty’?. Anyway, it’s through Black Beauty’s eyes and voice that the plot in this 1994 film develops. The obviously human nature and attitude of this voice is a serious defect. This isn’t to say that it doesn’t make the sort of horsey sounds that would rapidly empty any cinema. No, it’s what the horse says and how it’s said that grates. And, unfortunately, it voices the opinions of a rather naive and sanctimonious human. However hard you try, you cannot fail to find Black Beauty’s human attitudes and voice clumsy and ineffective. If you can ignore what a critic called ’soppiness’, you can certainly enjoy the great scenes of Montana and of Black Beauty’s athleticism.
The Horse Whisperer
This film was issued 4 years later, in 1998. Following a cruel accident, Grace and her beloved horse, Pilgrim, are seen slowly but surely regaining their confidence and health. Following this accident, Grace’s mother, Annie, takes daughter and horse to the wide open spaces of Montana to seek the help of a man, Tom, who’s renowned for his ability to empathize with troubled horses. His ability to get emotionally close is not, however, confined to horses; it extends to troubled females. Pilgrim and Annie are soon committed admirers. The film is not, though, only about the recovery of Grace and Pilgrim and the love that dawns between Annie and Tom; it’s also about the differences between city life (Annie came from a hectic metropolitan life in Manhattan) and country life. Annie must choose between her high-flying sophisticated lawyer husband and the more down-to-earth and homely horse whisperer. Guess which choice she makes!
These horse movies will provide you with plenty of moving horses - trotting, cantering and galloping, as well as moving moments. Though you may consider some of the ‘moving’ moments mawkish and laughable, you will find many of the purely visual scenes to be extremely delightful. It is not only a rider that these horses carry; they are also the vehicle for a message. You will have to make up your mind as to what this message is and whether or not its conveyance is a burden to the horse. Order three DVD’s from your local store and you can decide for yourself!
This article has been published for the millions of horse enthusiasts all over the world by Animal Friends Equine Insurance - the UK’s only not-for-profit horse insurance provider. You can buy horse rider insurance today online or by phone, and all net profits go towards helping animals in crisis around the globe. You can read more about the many charities helped by Animal Friends on the charity support pages of their ethical pet insurance website.
Mail this postPopularity: 3% [?]