Man vs. Beast in the Movies
Humans are the dominant species on the planet, and given we've only been around a short while in the scheme of things, our achievements demonstrate how evolved, intelligent and sophisticated we are. Although we like to think we own this planet and have a firm hold on every corner of it, we still share it with an unfathomable amount of animals, that come in all shapes and sizes. We live alongside them, harvest them for food and other uses, and admire them behind glass windows at zoos. But despite our strong presence on the planet, it doesn't belong just to us alone. We share it with them, and some of them animals don't always co-operate. Every now and then, they will remind us why they're here, and where we should be, instead of trying to control every piece of this world, especially when some of them have been here much longer than us. The movies love animals, and in this special review, I bring you ten of the most well known and prolific movies about Man vs. Beast. Choose your side...
Movies (and Bests) Review...
Life of Pi (Man vs. Tiger)
The Birds (Man vs. Bird)
Cujo (Man vs. Dog)
The Grey (Man vs. Wolf)
Anaconda (Man vs. Snake)
The Ghost and the Darkness (Man vs. Lion)
The Edge (Man vs. Bear)
Lake Placid (Man vs. Crocodile)
Jaws (Man vs. Shark)
Man vs. Tiger
Life of Pi
- The Setting – A young Indian boy, en route to Canada with his family, is lost at sea after a storm sinks their cargo ship. Clinging to a life boat he is not alone, as some of the animals from his family's zoo, who were being shipped overseas with them, join him on board. Young Pi finds himself joined by a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker, who tries in every way to make the boy his next meal. But Pi is resourceful and determined to survive, and what begins as man vs tiger, becomes a special friendship as boy and beast help each other to survive.
- The Mythology of the Beast – Bound to the jungles of Asia, tigers have always fascinated us. Essentially, they’re just large cats, prowling along silently, stalking their prey and lounging around in trees. Nothing scares them, and they will stop at nothing to get their meal of the day. Fast, ferocious and determined, tigers set their sights on their target and will not give up until they have it. Despite their aggressive tendencies and scare tactics, they are still animals, and all animals have a heart.
- The Weakness of the Man vs. the Strength of the Beast – Pi is a young boy, alone, hungry and scared for his life. He drifts across the vast ocean, without another boat or hint of land in sight. As his hope and food run low, he isn’t sure if he can survive starvation and time, let alone a tiger trying to eat him. The tiger is not in his domain, but dominates it quickly none the less. With three other animals on board for him to feast on, he can also swim and catch fish that fly out of the water. In this story, the tiger owns the boat (to begin with).
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – Pi must overcome his fear in order to survive, and thanks to a small survival handbook he finds in the life boat, learns how to live with the tiger. He sets up his own life raft joined to the boat, rations his food and water and attempts other things like marking his territory and training the tiger to obey his commands. Not sure how long he will be lost at sea, Pi makes the most of a dire situation, and along the way, forms a special friendship with the animal.
Man vs. Bird
The Birds
- The Setting – The small town of Bodega Bay in Northern California is the setting for Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller about nature fighting back. We meet young Melanie, who decides to hand deliver two love birds as pets to a man who lives in this town. Keen on getting to know the man and make a good impression, she strolls into town confident in her own little mission to hand-deliver the birds herself. But in this town, where birds of all kinds roam the skies and trees, she is not welcome, and slowly but surely, they start to attack; the woman, anyone and everyone, and in ever increasing numbers.
- The Mythology of the Beast – It’s hard to determine just how long birds have been around. The most popular theory of their origins and evolution links the dawn of birds to the dinosaurs. There are over ten thousand different species of birds in the world, from those we see in our own backyard, to the large and mighty eagles, soaring high in the mountains. Birds appear to co-exist with their own kind and are quite oblivious to humans. They navigate the globe in their own way, flying thousands of kilometres to migrate but for some reason, like to walk right in front of cars across busy roads. Go figure!
- The Weakness of the Man vs the Strength of the Beast – Birds have never been a threat to humans, so why should we fear them? It’s this oblivion that catches the residents of the town of Bodega Bay off guard, as every single bird in town joins forces and launches a wave of attacks. One bird alone is nothing to fear, but hundreds, or thousands? And when they are sparked, with that fierce determination and uninhibited sense of purpose in their beady little eyes, they will break through windows and doors, and cause people to run, hide and lose control, which spills out to cause more damage than one bird alone could achieve – and that is their advantage over man in “The Birds”
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – In this story, there is no real explanation given for why the birds started to attack the people of this little coastal town. Was it just a random act of nature? Or because Melanie brought the two little love birds in their cage into town, disrupting the pecking order? Hitchcock never made things so simple in his movies and quite often, he would let his villain succeed. In this case, the main characters realise there is no stopping the birds, so like the rest of the towns people, they sneak out and never come back, leaving the town and it’s mountains, trees and sky to them, as it was in the beginning, before people came along. Man accepts his losses as birds had been there long before him, and will remain there long after he is gone.
Man vs. Dog
Cujo
- The setting – Based on a novel by Stephen King, this story takes place almost entirely within a car, as a woman and her young son are trapped in their vehicle by a rabid dog. This dog is no ordinary pooch, as he has stalked and attacked a number of people that crossed his path, until the woman and her child are left alone, scared and running out of time with a dog that will not give up.
- The Mythology of the Beast – Man’s Best Friend is what he’s also known as. The dog has become the most domesticated animal in the world, joining man as pet, colleague and saviour. Most of us grew up with a dog in the house, we see them work with police and airport staff to sniff out crime and assist people with sight or mobility issues. They are loyal, loving and beautiful animals, coming in all shapes and sizes, colours and collars. They are more than just animals; they are friends, companions and members of our family. But some breeds are vicious, and unless they are contained and controlled can do serious damage. Cujo, a large St. Bernard, is a dog that cannot be trained and he obeys no one. He has one purpose only – to Kill.
- The Weakness of the Woman vs. the Strength of the Beast – The fact the woman is trapped in her car, with her seven year old son, and the dog is large and wild, means the animal has all the advantages in this story. This was a time before mobile phones, so she can’t call for help. She is restricted in her ability to move, go for help or see what is going on around her. There are plenty of places for the dog to hide, and his target is located in the middle of an area he knows well and has full control over.
- What the Woman Becomes to Defeat the Beast – Waiting things out and hoping help will come can only be relied on for so long. With a son who is hungry and thirsty, and time not on their side, the woman has to step outside of the car, and her own fear, and confront the beast. She might get barked at, scratched and bitten to the point of being mauled to death, but if she wants to survive and save her sons life, she must withstand the pain and pure terror of a dog that cannot be tamed.
Man vs. Wolf
The Grey
- The Setting – Alaska. On the site of an oil rigging company, men work in the coldest and harshest of conditions. They are flown in and flow out for their shifts. On one such flight, bad weather brings down a small plane carrying about twenty men. The survivors climb out of the wreckage, and remain close to the crashed plane for heat and safety. But in the white wilderness, they are not alone. Out of the darkness and blinding blizzards, glowing green eyes and the unmistakable sounds of howling and growling appear. A pack of wolves have discovered the men, and will hunt them all – one by one. The group of men is led by John Ottway (Liam Neeson) who knows more about the wolves than he should.
- The Mythology of the Beast – As scary as a rabid dog like Cujo can be, wolves are the next level of canine fear. Completely wild and driven, they can be seen travelling lone but usually move in packs, working together to stalk their prey. Living in cold conditions and moving across tough terrain, wolves are true survivors and symbolic in many ways. They represent bravery, power and a fierce determination that is envied by some but feared by most.
- The Weakness of the Man vs. the Strength of the Beast – Although the men in this story are strong, resourceful and driven to survive, they are not in their domain. Battling the cold and dark woods, miles from the comforts of their homes and workplaces, they also battle their own demons, which surface in their interactions with another, while they are being picked off one by one. The wolves are in their element, as a crop of food has landed in their territory. The wolves are fast and adaptive to their conditions, and pursue their prey relentlessly, until only one of them remains.
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – In this situation, it is a matter of kill or be killed. Ottway is the beacon of hope for the men, pushing them beyond their limits in order to survive. Only the strong will make it out alive, and even in the wolves den – The Belly of the Beast – Ottway will abandon his own demons, overcome his fear and forget the man he was. Unleashing his own inner beast, he will have to show no remorse and no hesitation, in order to face the wolves head on and defeat them.
Man vs. Snake
Anaconda
- The Setting – In the Amazon, a documentary crew travel down river and into the heart of the jungle to film the existence of a reclusive tribe. The further they go, the more nature states it’s claim. And when an obsessive snake hunter called Serone takes control of their boat to hunt and kill a giant anaconda, things get worse. When the reptile does show up, it’s bigger than any snake known to man, and as the humans float further down river, they enter the snakes domain, which slithers and slimes its way around to pick them off one by one.
- The Mythology of the Beast – We all know snakes are dangerous, with one bite being enough to make us seriously sick, paralysed or dead in some cases, But when it comes to actually being eaten by a snake, the chances of this happening are few and far between. But not in the Amazon! The king of this jungle is the terrifying anaconda snake, relentless in its pursuit to attack anything that moves, wrapping it’s long body around it’s prey, crushing their bones and suffocating them. Able to open its mouth widely, it slowly but surely digests its prey.
- The Weakness of the Man vs. the Strength of the Beast – At first, our cast of humans don’t believe any snake could eat a human. But when the dangerous and cunning Serone takes command of their vessel and shows them just how deadly the anaconda can be, they are out of their depth and out of chances to escape, as they travel deep into the heart of the world’s most dangerous jungle. The snake has all the right moves, able to slither down from trees, swim underwater and sneak up on its unsuspecting prey in a flash, weakening them with its tight grip and making them lunch!
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – Only the snake hunter proves to be resourceful enough to outwit the anaconda at each turn, but even he isn’t quick enough to outrun it. It comes down to two of the documentary crew (Jennifer Lopez and Ice Cube naturally) to use the resources around them and fight for their own lives, whilst also trying to avoid the plans of the snake hunter, who wants to use them as bait to catch the snake for himself. It’s all a bit silly, as we know anacondas can’t really be this big. Or can they...?
Man vs. Lion
- The Setting – Kenya, the 1890’s. A long railway is being built in the Eastern African nation to connect Uganda with Mombasa. Hundreds of workers are on the job, but do so in fear of their lives as two lions stalk and kill them. Delaying construction on the railway, an Irish military engineer is hired to kill the two lions. But his attempts fail, so he calls in the famous Charles Remington, who has hunted and killed lions before. But these are no ordinary lions, named by the locals as “The Ghost” and “The Darkness” due to their coordinated attacks that are planned and manipulative and end with the lions killing many men and escaping before they can be stopped.
- The Mythology of the Beast – The King of Jungle, and sitting proudly at Number One in the The Big Five (also including the elephant, rhinoceros, leopard and buffalo), the lion is the ultimate hunter of the animal kingdom. Not as sleek and cunning as its cousin the tiger, the lion comes from a breed of big cat that has its own hierarchy and ranks of power. The lionesses do the hunting, while the lions sleep for twenty hours a day. Although they look lazy from a distance, these predators rule their domain. Every other animal on the African continent knows it, respects it and fears it. Having no natural predators itself, the lion strides through the long grass of the savannah and sits perched atop its rock, surveying his land with confidence and courage.
- The Weakness of the Man vs the Strength of the Beast – Given the setting of this story was the late 19th century, man didn’t know as much about the lion as he does today. In a rare true story, these two lions actually did pro-actively and proficiently stalk and skill dozens of rail road workers during their reign of terror. The first solution to the problem in the arrival of John Patterson (Val Kilmer) didn’t work, and even the expertise of the experienced lion killer Remington (Michael Douglas) couldn’t stop them. The locals believed these two lions came straight from hell, and didn’t stalk other animals to feed on; they specifically targeted humans, and did so to send a powerful message about the construction of the rail-road – stop and leave or be killed!
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – As they discover that their weapons and military tactics won’t work in the heart of Africa, the men must venture away from the safety of their own construction site and wander into the lion’s den. As the story is told about “The Ghost” and “The Darkness” our hunters must think and act like their enemies; relying on deceit, darkness and daring tricks to trap the beasts and kill them. Even when it comes down to just one man face to face with one lion, it will be a fight for survival to determine who will hold the position of power in Africa; man or lion.
Man vs. Bear
The Edge
- The Setting – The Alaskan wilderness. Three men fly across the state, and are brought down by a flock of birds that fly right into their small passenger plane. Two of these men have some tension already brewing between them; Charles (Anthony Hopkins) believes his beautiful young wife Mickey (Elle Macpherson) is having an affair with a younger, schmoozier man called Bob (Alec Baldwin). As they begin the long hike back to civilisation, sorting out their accusations of adultery along the way, a Grizzly bear stalks them at every point. Turns out that Charles is not just a billionaire businessman but a savvy survivalist who knows how to defeat the beast, if only he can survive the other man trying to kill him first.
- The Mythology of the Beast – Traditionally bears have been viewed as kind, gentle giants, especially in literature and on screen. As friendly as they might appear, bears are not your friend. Get between them and their food, or more importantly their cubs, then you will become their food. And don't bother running, because they can run as fast as horses. Don’t' climb a tree either as they can scale one like a monkey. And especially don't try to be extra clever and dive into a lake or river to avoid attack, because they can also swim like a fish. Yes, bears have it all. Rarely seen in the wild, they hibernate for long periods of time and don't venture far from their area – so stay out of their area, and don't run, walk or swim and you should be fine. Tap it on the nose then run away maybe? That's what I've heard.
- The Weakness of the Man vs the Strength of the Beast – Our two men in this story come from a world of wealth and privilege. They have it all in their respective world; power, control, comfort and pleasure. They're so used to that in fact, that once they're flung out into the wilderness, miles from the nearest five star hotel with hot showers and room service, their true colours emerge. The bear reigns supreme in the vast, open woods of Alaska, and this particular bear is a hunter. It sits at the top of the food chain, and to give it even more variety, some well-to-do men have just jumped on the menu.
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – Firstly, the men must overcome their own battles, internally and with each other. Even if one of them is shacking up with the others wife and they come from a world where money talks, now they're on The Edge of the known world, where fear walks. Becoming primitive, uninhibited and wild themselves, the men must use the natural resources around them, harness weapons from wood and become one with the wild to defeat this bear before it disposes of them.
Man vs. Crocodile
Lake Placid
- The Setting – In the quiet state of Maine, in the tranquil New England region of America, small towns and picturesque lakes are everywhere you look. Log cabins and tall pine trees line the edges of self-contained lakes, where the only activity on the surface of the water is a duck washing it's beak. Never the place you would expect a thirty foot crocodile to make it's home. But it is, and as an assortment of individuals disappear in the water, only to resurface missing a leg, or a head, the local authorities and a crocodile expert are called in to determine the cause of the attacks.
- The Mythology of the Beast – Perhaps no other creature on the planet is as elusive and unchanged as the crocodile. As old as the planet itself, they could be considered the last living dinosaurs. Part of the reptile family, they can live in fresh or salt water, swim undetected just inches under the surface and take their oblivious prey from right under their nose. Over millions of years of evolution, this perfect predator does not single out anything, or anyone it chooses to eat – if you’re in it's territory you're in it's way, and the only way it gets you out of the way is to end your day, in the blink of an eye.
- The Weakness of the Man vs the Strength of the Beast - It's unprecedented that a large crocodile could be swimming in the still waters of a Maine lake, and as long as the local authorities and crocodile experts disagree and bicker, the stronger the crocodile gets, as it's attacks start moving out of the water and onto land. The crocodile has come from a long line of ancestors that have mastered the art of hunting deceptively and adapting to their environment. Given the lake is connected to the ocean only a mile away, it's most likely the thing swum in there and decided to stick around. Too bad for the fisherman and water skiers who think they own the lake.
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – Given the size of this particular croc, the only way to defeat it as our characters discover, is to outsmart it. Even though it's taken many lives and poses a risk to many more, the animal experts want to capture it for scientific purposes, so must try to do that cleverly while avoid being snapped up by the scaly beast. And how hard could it be? It's just a croc after all...
Man vs. Shark
Jaws
- The Setting – Amity Island, off the coast of New England, America. A small beach town that's quiet all year round, but welcomes a barrage of tourists from the main land each summer, who lie on it's white sand and swim in its warm, blue waters. Thinking they've found their own slice of paradise, nature comes along to remind them who was there first. After a body of a young girl washes up on shore, the local sheriff determines a shark is the culprit. If only he knew just how big and cunning this shark was, he probably would have packed up and left town earlier.
- The Mythology of the Beast – No other predator on the planet is as sophisticated, well-evolved, feared and misunderstood as the shark. Like the lion rules the jungle, the shark rules the ocean. Constantly swimming, eating, swimming and eating, it never stops and knows no fear. At the end of the day, it's just a big fish, but a fish with a big appetite, and big sharp teeth to go with it. It's safe to say this film put the raw, white fear of sharks into people that wasn't as strong beforehand, and still scares the crap out of us today forty years later. As silently and gracefully as they glide through the water, sharks look calm and placid on the surface, but once they spring into action, you better hope they don't see you, or swim the other way, as once you're in their playground, the odds of surviving are not on your side.
- The Weakness of the Man vs the Strength of the Beast – This small town is full of people who have bathed and dipped in their quiet beaches for a long time, so naturally they are completely caught off guard and unprepared for the arrival of a twenty-five foot Great White Shark. The local sheriff is afraid of water and way out of his depth as he deals with more attacks on his fellow towns folk. He won't have to go it alone, as a Marine Biologist and rough-neck fisherman join him to hunt down the hunter and kill it. But this is no ordinary shark. It has never been challenged before, and gives these would be heroes a run for their money out at sea. All the tricks of the fisherman, the knowledge of the marine biologist and the common sense of the sheriff won't be enough to thwart it's undying determination to swim wherever it wants and eat who ever it wants.
- What the Man Becomes to Defeat the Beast – As is common with most stories about Man vs. Beast, our hero must travel into the monsters lair and get outside his own fear if he wants to destroy it, and get out alive. In the case of Jaws, our three heroes take a small boat out to sea to challenge the shark on it's own turf. Even if their vessel steams strongly along the surface, that only pushes the shark to swim faster and harder, until it's the ultimate showdown between the water-weary sheriff and the shark that knows no fear. Even if you've seen this film a hundred times, it is safe to go back in the water, but just be smart where you go and how you go there. Sharks belong in the water, we don't. So respect that fact and respect these incredible animals.
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