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| We Bought a Zoo (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The films that I'll be listing in my April postings may not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming. The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.
I'll bet you thought I would have picked Zombie Movies for 'Z'. That is a favorite genre, but it's too obvious. So I decided to go with a tough one. I couldn't think of many zoo movies and actually most of these just have zoo scenes. Maybe you can think of a few others.
This is what I've got:
20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)--This is one of my favorites from childhood. An exploratory spacecraft to Venus returns to Earth with a special treat. The cute little Venusian visitor turns into a big monster. The dinosaur-like creature is subdued and taken to the zoo in Rome to be studied. The creature is not happy and creates havoc at the zoo before terrorizing the city of Rome. Great stop motion animation by the legendary Ray Harryhausen.
The Graduate (1967)-- To call this a zoo film is a stretch, but there is a brief funny scene at a zoo.
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)--In this third entry of the original Planet of the Apes series, advanced apes from the future travel back in time to Earth in 1973. They are captured by the humans and incarcerated in the Los Angeles Zoo.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)--There is a very funny zoo scene where the wolf turns back into naked man at the zoo. This is one of the best werewolf films ever.
Batman Returns (1992)--The Penguin was raised by penguins at the Gotham City Zoo. By the time he has become an adult, this Batman nemesis is still using the now abandoned zoo as part of his base of operations.
We Bought a Zoo (2011)--Now we're getting to a true zoo film. This is a heart-warming story about a widower who buys a zoo and moves there with his kids. It's based on a true story.
Life of Pi (2012)--Without the zoo and the animals this story would not be. While moving from India to Canada, zoo owning family perishes during a storm at sea with only survivors being one son and a tiger named Richard Parker. An incredible film that is thoughtful and beautiful to behold.
Can you think of another zoo movie? Did I miss any animated films about zoos? What are your favorite animals to watch at the zoo?
