Milo And Otis

[dantiri]

They used 128 Milos and 109 Otises during the 4 years of filming. RIP

[Skittywolf]

Notice how it doesn't say "No animals were harmed in the making of this film.". I was just watching this for the first time in years and realized how terrible this is. It was my favorite movie too. :c

[nikkipout]

Has it actually been proven that there was animal cruelty? I can't seem to find any hard evindence of it. There have been allegations but i can't seem to find a simple yes or no answer.

[Skittywolf]

@nikkipout There's rumors that 27 cats died in the making of the film but no proof.

[chronDiggity]

@Skittywolf

if you watch the movie, you can tell the same cat isnt' used the entire time. Where did the cats go? Where did the duplicates come from?

That alone is proof to me these yellow Jap bastards killed cats for a movie.

It breaks my heart to see animals abused.

[Skittywolf]

@chronDiggity I never said that the rumors weren't true, just saying no one can do anything about it. :c

[ChrisMagoo99]

@chronDiggity this isn't really proof of anything. This is just proof that they needed different cats for different things. Maybe some cats were good at climbing, maybe some were good at swimming, maybe some had cuter faces. You're racism and ill logic go rather well together.

[chronDiggity]

@ChrisMagoo99

It's well documented that animal abuse was rampant. After posting these comments I did further research. The studio didn't hide it because it wasn't illegal, and the mindset is much different. They view animals like cats as a nuisance, like rats. That's why it took people from another country to make a stink about it.

As far as being racist goes, I think you're over sensitive. Japanese people have yellow undertones, this is not a fabrication or stereotype.

[ChrisMagoo99]

@chronDiggity I would like to see this evidence

[chronDiggity]

@ChrisMagoo99

I'd show you, but google is a privileged service very few have access to.

[ChrisMagoo99]

@chronDiggity I would love to see you cite google.com as a source on a research assignment, lol

[chronDiggity]

@ChrisMagoo99

I'm surprised you know what the word research means.

You see, the words "No animals were harmed" were never used in the closing credits. This has been boilerplate language for as long as anyone can remember. Instead they said "the animals used were filmed under strict supervision with the utmost care for their safety and well-being."

The American Human Society didn't include the movie in its “Current index of film ratings index”.

All signs point to animal abuse

[ChrisMagoo99]

@chronDiggity That's not evidence. This is the kind of stuff that starts rumors, but it doesn't qualify as evidence of animal abuse. As of now it's merely conjecture.

I'm not saying it didn't happen. I'm saying innocent until proven guilty.

[huckster699]

Was it mean to throw the cat off the cliff... yess but i wouldn't call it cruel

[xlegionx]

Homeward Bound was much better anyway.

[dudemang]

i love this movie, favorite movie as a kid! nostalgia!

[shippo388]

So did anyone else notice that the waves in this scene are not moving until the cat hits the water. they most likely used a green screen and inserted the background later. Even though special effects sucked back then camera angles and tricks do amazing things

[ellicappelli]

@shippo388

the waves aren't moving because it's slow motion and it speeds up to normal when he hits the water.

[littlmisskell]

There has been a lot of investigation on this movie to date. One of the major reasons this film became so glorified was due to the fact there no editing, apart from clips and downsizing the footage, was done to the movie. It is considered a masterpiece because of the simplicity of the filming and the results that incurred. The movie producer is a children's book writer and therefore, recieves much praise for this production involving a private filming of these animals that were actually his.

[porolita22]

This is horrendous. Stupid people and what they do for the sake of a movie >:(

[adamzanzie]

This could have very well been a special effect. If technology at the time could produce the lightsabers of "Star Wars", the Hebrew spirits of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", the ghosts of "Ghostbusters" and the CGI knight in "Young Sherlock Holmes", then director Masanori Hata could easily have inserted a fake image into this sequence.

And even if it was a real cat, it *does* manage to survive the fall, as evidenced in the scene.

[optimistickitty]

This is an extremely contreversual topic. Nobody can prove or disprove the use of animal cruelty in this movie. My opinion remains neutral

[kcdude7]

I doubt they really did throw the cat off the cliff, but if they did...at least he lived :)

[HipHop2036]

i loved this movie when I was a kid. I recently bought the DVD and watched it and realized that there had to have been some sort of animal abuse in it. But, when was I was a kid I obviously didn't know any better....like how badly was that cat hurt when it hit those rocks? what about the part where a crab is attacking it's face? what about the part where the cat goes over a waterfall? what about the part where the cat is fighting a bear? the list goes on and on... I believe there was some abuse.

[Balthazar765]

They didn't throw a cat off a cliff.

They took a stage, and tossed Milo which was probably about 3 foot drop, then they took a model and tossed it into a the ocean. Also, why are you bothering with a movie that is about 30 years old that has more evidence that animals weren't harmed then they were?

Clap clap clap, people.

[Balthazar765]

Also, an edit, you guys are spending your time concerned about a 30 year old movie rather then caring about starving kids in Africa or people living in the streets at this moment?

YOU should be sick at YOURSELVES.

[HipHop2036]

Well... MAYBE that is what happened here... but, what about the part where a crab is attacking it's face? what about the part where the cat goes over a waterfall? what about the part where the cat is fighting a bear? Explain those!!!

[Balthazar765]

Okay, first, thumbs downing hurts me -efeelings.

1) So fucking what? Cats get stung by bees in the wild, get pinched by crabs and such, THAT'S HOW THEY LEARN. Also, did you see any blood drawn? It didn't even cause a wound, it was just uncomfortable.

2) Oh yes a 1 foot waterfall with no rocks at the bottom and a whole film crew next to it? Yes that poor cat must've been mauled!

3) The cat didn't even fight the bear, it was the dog, and the dog didn't fight the bear, he just barked at it.

Bravo

[Oplunu2]

Why is this not acceptable, but purchasing from (and therefore supporting) the agribusiness industry?

Google factory farms, sow stalls, battery farms, broiler chickens, veal industry and the dairy industry and then tell me who the cruel ones are.

Just like cats and dogs, farm animals feel pain too. It's just as unacceptable to be thrown off a cliff as it is to be confined to a sow stall - never, ever being able to move, turn around or lie down.

[tetsuyaofdeath]

A lot of people have the same story as me. Used to love this movie when I was like 6... My girl and I watched it for the first time since, and we were HORRIFIED at what we saw, we couldn't even finish it. It's perfectly obvious to anyone with half a brain that a LOT of animals were harmed in the filming of this movie. It's sad to think that nobody had the sense to stand up to this when it was being made back then. It makes my blood boil, the film is absolutely sick.

[nerdcunt69]

It really isn't. I am quite big on animal rights but I honestly think you are looking for things that aren't there. Focus on problems that are here now, not a 30 year old movie that has no evidence of abusing animals.

[TheDuvtons]

No evidence? So the cat jumped of the cliff of it's own free will? I'm sure it was having a lovely time as it plummeted into the water. That's cruelty ya fuckhead!!!

[nerdcunt69]

You've obviously never heard of movie 'cuts' have you. Honestly, actually watch the video, do you see the cat going off the cliff? No you didn't, it starts half-way down. They could have even used a model for the part where Milo falls. Notice it is also slowed down, which makes it look like a bigger distance than it is. Also there are things called 'camera angles' which make it look bigger than it as. Same way they did the hobbits in Lord of The Rings.

[TheDuvtons]

Oh I see...So what you're saying is that it's o.k to throw a cat off a cliff half way down. And that is clearly not a model as it's a seamless transition between plummeting and seeing the poor fucking thing desperately emerge from the water.  There is absolutely no cut there and anyone with the slightest knowledge of editing would agree.

[nerdcunt69]

Also, seeing as how there have been numerous animal cruelty claims, with full investigations against the movie and none of them have been proved, I daresay there is no cruelty. Those people probably have a little more experience in looking for real cruelty in movies rather than your pointless speculation.

[TheDuvtons]

It is hardly pointless speculation seeing as it's all up there on the screen. You seem to have a very warped idea on what's cruel and what isn't to an animal. To thrust an animal into stressful situations is cruel. It doesn't matter what height you chuck a cat or how incidentally it's attacked by a crab. To stand around and film these animals as they are clearly in distress is cruel.

[Balthazar765]

Okay, okay okay, wait.

So.

Feral cats get stung by bees and clawed by crayfish all the time. It is a natural thing, the cat is curious and gets too close and gets a tiny little scratch.

Now on Animal Planet when they film a cheetah taking down a gazelle nobody gasps and says how wrong it is. Why? BECAUSE ITS A PART OF FUCKING NATURE. If you record an animal doing something that would normally happen, its not cruel. Your crab argument fails. And they didn't "chuck" Milo.

[TheDuvtons]

To observe nature with a camera is one thing. To shove a cat in front of crab, out of it's natural environment, let it attack and not intervene is another. I'm not saying the crab scene is the biggest deal in the world, but for people to say it's not cruel in any way is moronic.

And of course they didn't chuck Milo...they "placed it" off the side of a cliff.

[Balthazar765]

If you look up in Wikipedia, this film took so long because the creator had just a shitload of animals on an island on a farm and he'd just record how the cat and dog react to things in the beginning and made a story out of it. He didn't place the cat in front of the crab, also my cats go outside and they run into freshwater crabs and crayfish all the time.

[nerdcunt69]

I'm sorry, I really can't be bothered with this anymore. Arguments on the internet are absolutely pointless and in cases like this a waste of my time.

[TheDuvtons]

In cases like this...is it because you are wrong?

[nerdcunt69]

If that's what you feel like thinking, then sure. I really don't care anymore.

[gianna25Nicole]

You must be out of your mind. The seagulls are pecking the cat in the face and the cat either jumps off the cliff or was thrown off the cliff....look at his body posture when he is falling, he is clearly not too happy....There is no way you are an Animal Rights Activist if you don't see this as clear cruelty. They clearly placed the cat in that position and you can tell that he is afraid.

[tahadithetiger]

i heard rumours that about 30 cats were killed in the making of this movie

[nerdcunt69]

That's exactly what you heard. Rumors. I heard that the world is run by Reptillians. It doesn't mean it is true does it.

Still, I can't even be bothered having an argument about it as there is no evidence to prove animals were killed or injured, just a well shot movie with clever cuts.

[tahadithetiger]

i know . i mean how high did that cat fall ?

[lynxvosmia]

I make some of the bloodiest underground movies in the US, But this absolutely SICKENS me! There is no excuse for this or any animal cruelty in film! I despise the makers of this movie and wish them great harm. How the hell did Disney think it was ok the release this movie when they saw the finished product?

This enrages me!

[fairybread27]

I was just thinking about how I used to love this movie... now my opinion of it has completely changed. It's horrible to think animals were harmed and lots of cats killed to make this film, whether there is uncertainty about rumours those clips are real for sure. Seriously it took 4 years to make it, if they had special effects it would have taken less time to film. It's disgusting, they also let a kitten get attcked by a crab and send a terrified cat down a waterfall in a box....

[sweetie4pie]

I agree with you! I feel sick that I used to love this movie so much when I was little.

[nerdcunt69]

Have you ever had a pet cat? They love playing with things. That shot was actually completely unintentional. They were filming the cat on the dock and along came a crab. Cats are inquisitive creatures, it hardly would have hurt it.

Also the fact that it took them 4 years to make counters they arguments by people that cats were killed (they saw different cats). Obviously since it was filmed with a kitten it would have grown by the time they finished.

[degeneratehalo]

whether animals were killed or not in this film its clear from the scenes that they were under great stress. throwing a cat from such a great distance into the water is clearly abuse. it's very sad, this is one of my favorite childhood movies.

[daisyice123]

God. How can these movie makers live with themselves? That poor cat! That's outright animal abuse whether that cat LIVED or not!!!

[porkyminch01]

they are jappanese

[Balthazar765]

Your an idiot. If you have nothing better to do then point fingers at a film made 30 years ago you REALLY need new hobby.

[nargus87]

why does everyone keep saying that there were no special effects that could make it look like an animal was falling off a cliff when they're actually not in 1986? I have a movie called Jack the Giant Killer, made in 1961, that's pretty special effects laden.

[leptoceratops]

If animal injuries and deaths occurred during the making of this film, I doubt the filmmakers would have kept records. All we have to go on is the obvious.

[NoodlezXOX]

and all the argument about cruelty is centered around the actual filming but most of the deaths occured afterwards because of exaustion, shock, disease and starvation due to the terrible conditions the animals were 'probably' kept in! and if u think about it! the main dog in it was a pug(extremely easy to find near-identical matches)instead of another breed that could be harder to find so many similar puppies!and male ginger cats are also extremely common

[vunzya]

i know cats...you can see he or her is really scared in that seagull scene. even if they werent killed, its still wrong to make cats deathly scared for a stupid movie

[siskavard]

Those are the best parts

[lmbym69]

The sad thing is that there is no actual PROOF as to whether or not the animals were mistreated in this film.

It certainly looks like this poor little cat is dropped from a large distance into the water, but there WERE still special effects in those days even though they were nowhere near as advanced as they are today.

I have sent an e-mail to the American Humane Society questioning this movie - I shall post their response here when I receive one.

It'll be nice to hear the truth.

[volraithe]

tell us what they said

[leilupo]

The only thing that causes my questioning about this movie was that Milo and Otis was released in 1987, way before the special effects that make animals look like they're falling off cliffs when they're actually not was invented.

[WheatenGirl]

OMG you people are crazy. I doubt any animals where hurt at all. Hello when super dog jumps off a building he's fine? It's called acting.

[187snowman187]

is it jsut me or was that cliff super high? dont humans get messed up at that height? i wonder wut milo felt :(

used to love this movie back in the day but now i see it different

[jarrad888]

This has been a childhood movie that i grew up with..now that im an adult and looking back at this movie im heartbroken to know the movie i loved contained so much cruelty. In the film its so cutesy and everything. Now everytime I watch it I realise the pain. I wish I never knew so I can love this movie once more. Now all I do is cry when I see this part..

[javoman13]

nice movie.

[DMBpeace41]

yeah,they definitely threw him off the cliff.

[askinner621]

They would have supervised it they wouldn't do anything that will threaten the life of the animal.

[bankypunk]

It's rumored that 1/3 of the 30 cats that played Milo died in the making of the movie.

Keep in mind that the movie was released and filmed by a Japanese company and then imported to the US. The Japanese had different standards of animal treatment.

[evolume]

I love how the only evidence anyone has for the accuracy of these rumors is racism and xenophobia.

[bankypunk]

Thats absurb. Ask the American Human Society about it. The AHS estimates about 27 cats were killed.

Just watch the original Japanese version and you can tell animals were being abused, whether they were killed or not. For Christ's sake they have a pug fighting a BEAR.

And don't blame it on xenophobia or racism, that has nothing to do with it. Animal abuse is wrong no matter what race the people are or how lacking the country's animal abuse laws are.

[evolume]

There is no information on the hsus website about Milo and Otis. If you can find some actual proof instead of rumor and hearsay, post a link.

I don't deny that animals were put in precarious positions to film this movie. But to say that 30 cats were killed and then follow it with statements like "The Japanese had different standards of animal treatment." is just plain ignorance. That would be like saying blacks are bad dog owners because of what Michael Vick did.

[bankypunk]

You seem to be misunderstand my use of the word "Japanese". I'm referring to the people and government of Japan, not their race.

The FACT is that Japanese law has a much different position on animal cruelty than we do in the US. Remember this a country that still practices hunting whales for sport.

The FACT is that Japanese law considers animals to be property, and as property, the owner is allowed to do ANYTHING to or with that animal.

[evolume]

The FACT is that neither of your "facts" proves that any animals were killed in the making of this film.

[bankypunk]

That's fine, I imagine its hard to find such facts about movies that are over 20 years old and made halfway across the world. I'll give you that.

But to accuse me of racism and xenophobia because of certain facts about the Japanese legal system is ridiculous, unfounded, and insulting.

[bankypunk]

Check out ALIVE, Japan's largest animal rights advocacy group. If you explore their site and do a little research you might actually know what your talking about, instead of ignorantly accusing people of racism (especially people who are Japanese Studies majors).

I wasn't alluding that people of Japanese ancestry were prone to animal cruelty, I was merely speaking on the Japanese laws regarding animal abuse. Therefor you little Micheal Vick analogy is complete crap.

[penniroyel]

Also, in the 80's, when this film was made, the computer technology was not around to make a fake cat look real. When you see Milo go over a waterfall, or terrified in the bottom of a pit... that's a real cat. Possibly even one who was killed during filming. It hurts to think that kids are told it's fake, just to spare their feelings. Surely the truth, and the subsequent change in behaviour of film-makers, would be a better way to go about it?

[Guyverman01]

Why couldn't have they just tossed a stuffed cat off a cliff?

[penniroyel]

These scenes are always washed over as "that's fake" but you can see that they are real, and that real torture is involved. It made me cry all over again to see this, but I'm so glad you're bringing attention to it. There were a lot of animals killed and tormented for this movie, the disclaimer says the animals were "supervised", not that they weren't harmed. Being made in Japan, the laws are a far cry from the ones most Westerners are familiar with.

[wikkid2]

Prove that "there were a lot of animals killed."

Also the AHA's "No animals were harmed" seal of approval became the standard in 1996.

not denying that some of the sequences are troubling, especially considering the politically-correct nature of the times now, but the people that are advocating that animals were killed while making this movie are talking out of their collective ass. There is not a shred of evidence to support that accusation.

The standard of proof should be more than nothing.

[NoodlezXOX]

if you look at the credits it never actually says that 'no animals were harmed in the making of this film' anywhere but rephrases it into 'the greatest of care is put into these animals' or sumthing like that! but it is true that hundreds of ginger kittens and pug puppies were left to starve and die of exhaustion in this film because of the lack of animal abuse laws in japan!

[wikkid2]

that's not proof. and as I said above, the "no animals were harmed" proclamation didn't become the standard until 10 years later, so lack of that exact wording doesn't necessarily mean anything.

[NaruhinaXSasusaku]

...Doesn't look like a real cat...Yet it does..*chokes* ...He wasn't hurt...Yay!

[shadowknowsjo]

that part actaully wasn't done with a real cat, the falling off a cliff part. There was some removed that was even worse originally.

[fingelman]

Thats what I originally thought, but how did they get the fake cat to swim after it hit the water? It looks too seamless for the technology that was available at the time for it to be fake.

[matthiasofgondor]

yur right! Ahh man I love this movie so much but it makes me so sad!

[elagentfoxmulder]

Yeah, you're right. I used to love this movie when I was a kid, but now, with more of ten years of experience in cats I can tell you: all are real cats and all are in real pain.

[elagentfoxmulder]

Another thing, this is scene where most cats were killed. In Mexico the movie were less censored and is actually, after the kitty fall in the water (salad, very bad for cat's hair), he tried to climb the cliff, a few intents for be safe, in every intent he falls and hit in the rocks (about 3 meters each).

Don't let the kids see this movie.

[wikkid2]

prove it

[caperlion]

omg, I never thought about that... always adored the movie! hmm, what to do now?