Cinema Society

ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT

Average
Rating

2.3

Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Reading Cinemas Town Square 14 Theatre

TUESDAY, APRIL 12

4:30pm or 7:30pm (You Pick!)

ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT Auditoriums 14 & 8

Discussion will follow screening in Auditorium 14

Reading Cinemas Town Square 14 Theatre

A Ten Thousand Pound Love Story

ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT

ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT begins with circus producer David Balding’s realization that Flora, the orphaned African elephant he adopted and made the star of his circus, is tired of performing.

What unfolds is a nine-year odyssey to find Flora a good home. Caught between the human and animal world, Flora epitomizes the harsh reality elephants face in our expanding man-made world. Through Flora and David’s story, the film raises questions about our complex relationships with animals, for which there are no easy answers. One thing is certain: after watching this film, you will never look at an elephant in a zoo or a circus in the same way again.

RUNNING TIME: 81 MINUTES / Not Rated

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21-Apr-11: Mroe - Rating: 3

Maybe had we not seen Last Lions this season (or so recently) I wouldn't feel compelled to compare the two films, however I am only human and that is what I have done and the outcome being that Last Lions was a far superior film with a much clearer message. One Lucky Elephant did leave me sad for both Flora and David but confused as to the real message of the film. Iunderstand Documentaries can be a fickle genre to make as there is no real script and one has to“go with flow, however as we have seen on many occasions that despite challenges the filmmaker may experience, with a keen eye, good editing and maybe a little luck, the final outcome is an amazing piece of film. It seems no one in this film had any real“luck.

17-Apr-11: LG - Rating: 4

I thought the movie was delightful and heartwarming. I am not a fan of wild animals in captivity and appreciated the development of David's discovery that owning an elephant wasn't such a good idea. The movie has something that I can't quite describe, more than a love story between a human and an animal. Maybe I enjoyed the combination of seeing a part of our country that I had no idea still existed (with a local circus), the behind the scenes view of caring for wild animals that have been removed from their natural habitat, and the interesting personalities of all of the "experts." It worked for me!

16-Apr-11: Jim - Rating: 3

While peppered with good intentions, the relationship between Carol Buckley and the psychologist, and the resulting prescription for Flora, I believe is suspect To separate Flora from the best supporter she had through the "traumas" of her life, was disappointing. Imperfect as Flora's life might be without experiencing the true African life, is she better off without connecting to the only roots she had? If Flora had stayed in Africa, would she even be alive today? I was so surprised that no one seemed to question the extent of PTSD experienced by Flora. So clearly anthropomorphic. But, given the shortcomings of 'humanizing', can you imagine being adopted, being so young that you are probably not able to comprehend the 'trauma' of separation from parents at an early age, then bonding with David, at the same time having to be 'stable' (poddy) trained, and then learning how to socialize with other animals and humans. After 'growing up' with a nurturing family, Flora had to experience at the end of her teenage years that the only parent(s) she knew now moves you out but also seems to emotionally and physically abandon you. The adoption 'agency' says, 'you can no longer see your child' now that she's grown up. I'd be a little upset too. Sure we all hope teenagers grow up and learn to live on their own and that's something good to hope for and expect. Would Flora have been better off being "culled" along with her parent(s)? I think David's angst over the separation and feeling periodic visits would help Flora but also himself makes sense. It's more noble than Carol's naive idea she knows what's best for Flora. Actually, it smacks too closely to our current political environment. I think the director and writer of the film have done a good, if lengthy, job of documenting the life of Flora and David's efforts to find a better place. David grew much as Flora did and it comes through in the film. David tried to do the right thing. Whether Flora is "One Lucky Elephant" remains to be determined. I wish Flora well, that the sanctuary gets a better shrink, and, as well, I wish that David gets to see her. But if so, he better be careful as Flora may be angry about his absence.

15-Apr-11: BD - Rating: 3

The film was well-made. What makes it uncomfortable for some viewers, including me, is that it attempts to sympathize with a circus owner who cared for, and became attached to, a wild animal, but if you take the general position that people should not be putting wild animals in circuses or zoos, then it is hard to sympathize with the main character in this film. He obviously means well, but still, that's not enough for me to see this story as anything but one example of a much bigger tragedy, repeated in circuses and zoos all over the world.

15-Apr-11: jh - Rating: 1

I came away from ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT not understanding it. Every time David decided to do something new with Flora, I thought “this is when she becomes lucky”. So, I was waiting for a happy ending. Little did I know that the title was ironic and that Flora was one “unlucky” elephant. I like the film a lot more now.

14-Apr-11: Margaret - Rating: 2

Long, dreary, kind of pointless - What was Oprah thinking?

13-Apr-11: Georgi - Rating: 2

Too bad this was so long...they could have ridden the coatails of Water For Elephants which is sure to be better even if it isn't as good as we all hope. I felt like one Lucky Elephant myself when the credits came up. And then to find out it was only 80 minutes long? No wonder Elephants never forget, they have a distorted sense of time. On a good note, Cuciana Italiana is a rare Italian Restaurant. Course we don't eat 450 lbs. of food a day like Flora. Maybe I am just jaded since Barbar is still my favorite Pachyderm.

12-Apr-11: RichG - Rating: 1

At the end of this ponderous movie my only question was "WHY?" Why was this thing made in the first place? Why wasn't it a segment on 60 Minutes? Why should anyone care about David and his anthropormorphic lust for Flora? Why did the filmmakers spend ten years of their lives on this? As for the reviewer who "cried" What movie did she see? Certainly not the one we did.

12-Apr-11: judy s - Rating: 2

Take a traumatized elephant whose mother was slaughtered in front of her, retraumatize her with submission training, use her as a meal ticket until her performance skills wane, look for alternative lodging and become a hero for doing so.

I fail to see David as a hero. Just thinking about the training tools for Flora et alia gives me the chills.

Thank the heavens for those countries that recognize these animal atrocities and have taken steps to avoid such blasphemy in the future.