Review of Animal Love (1996) by Patricia C — 16 Feb 2014

Disturbing, creepy and uncomfortable to watch at times "Animal Love" is not for the squeamish. The subjects in the film are ugly weirdos, pathetic in their yearning for love. One man is a panhandler who uses a bunny to get money from strangers. Another man takes his vicious dog to obedience classes; it is clear the dog is vicious and should be put down, especially after he attacks another dog on the street by clamping its throat in its jaws but the man insists on trying to train the animal. Two young men romp and cavort with their dog in bed. Another man french kisses his dog and treats it like a female lover.

None of the subjects are particularly attractive; physically they are nothing to look at and their lives are pathetic and barren. Two male roommates bicker over everything; none of the subjects know how to care for a dog. They leave the animals outside tied to things--grocery carts, cages, tires. The animals cry because they are lonely; they feel abandoned and want to be let indoors. It's interesting that the humans are lonely, too, but why subject the animal to the very thing that is tormenting them? The viewer feels more for the animal than they do for the people in the film. The subjects do not gain the viewer's sympathy at all and after about 45 minutes of watching these tragic freaks torment those poor animals with their grotesque acts of what they call love you want all of them to get attacked.

These are people who have no real place in society, as they are unable to relate to other humans in natural, normal and loving ways. The reasons for their loneliness is made obvious by Seidl and the viewer inevitably is repulsed and disgusted by these people.

"Animal Love" walks a very fine line between animal porn and documentary. The viewer must decide which one it is that they are watching and what it is that the film is saying.