The Zoo

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The Zoo (1961)

01/01/1961 (NL) Documentary 10m

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Overview

A perfect, fast and hilarious montage. Using images from Artis (Amsterdam Zoo), Bert Haanstra shows that a couple of similarities can be discovered between human and animal. Particularly the manner in which human and ape are confronted with each other, is significant. The images speak for themselves, human voices or commentary is absent. The ironic music of Pim Jacobs does add an extra dimension to the whole. With regards to human and animal Haanstra limits himself for the time being to this short film, recorded with a hidden camera. Later on, in several big films, he would return to this subject.

Bert Haanstra

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A review by CinemaSerf

70%

Written by CinemaSerf on February 18, 2024

There's a great jazz soundtrack to this observational documentary set in a zoo. People milling around watching the animals that are in turn watching them. People knit, they draw, they chat - as do the parrots. Monkeys, penguins, zebras etc. are just as unaware of the camera as the children with the expressive faces and their parents. How alike they sometimes are! I'm not so sure I'd get so near these birds though - they could attack from either end! A tabby cat gets perilously close to the tiger enclosure and a crowd quickly gather round... Phew! The day moves along and the humans start to yawn... read the rest.

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