The Elephant in the Living Room (2010)

The Elephant in the Living Room takes viewers on a journey deep inside the controversial American subculture of raising the most dangerous animals in the world, as common household pets. ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Webber

Stars:

Tim Harrison, Terry Brumfield, Russ Clear

2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Tim Harrison	...	Himself
Terry Brumfield	...	Himself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Russ Clear	...	Himself
Casey Craig	...	Himself
Pat Craig	...	Himself
Zuzana Kukol	...	Herself
Raymond Little	...	Himself
Scott Shoemaker	...	Himself
Bill Stiffler	...	Himself

Storyline

The Elephant in the Living Room takes viewers on a journey deep inside the controversial American subculture of raising the most dangerous animals in the world, as common household pets. Set against the backdrop of a heated national debate, director Michael Webber chronicles the extraordinary story of two men at the heart of the issue - Tim Harrison, an Ohio police officer whose friend was killed by an exotic pet; and Terry Brumfield, a big-hearted man who struggles to raise two African lions that he loves like his own family. In the first of many unexpected twists, the lives of these two men collide when Terry's male lion escapes its pen and is found attacking cars on a nearby highway. Winner of 5 Best Documentary Awards, the film courageously exposes the shocking reality behind the multi-billion dollar exotic pet industry with stunning photography, inspiring storytelling and unprecedented access into a world rarely seen, right in our own backyard.

---

Plot Keywords:

pet | exotic pet | lion | ohio | poisonous snake | 

---

Taglines:

A movie too big to ignore.

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic material including some disturbing situations, mild language and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

MainSail Production Services, NightFly Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Trains"
Written by Kirk McLeod
Performed by Seven Nations
Courtesy of Moriath Records

User Reviews

Incredible, eye-opening film!

This is a must-see for anyone concerned about animal welfare or the welfare of their community (which includes almost everyone!). We see exotic animal incidents from all over the country and closely follow a heart-breaking story of a man and his lions. Most people (including me until I saw this film) have no idea how easy it is to purchase exotic animals and simply keep them in your home as if they were no different from a dog or a cat. How is it possible that you need a license to keep a dog, but not an elephant? This film shows why it shouldn't be possible, and blows the lid off an industry that turns a blind eye to human and animal suffering.