PETA defends Lars Von Trier's 'realistic' baby duck mutilation scene

Telegraph Reporters
Updated
Lars Von Trier at a screening of his film The House That Jack Built, which contains the controversial scene - AFP
Lars Von Trier at a screening of his film The House That Jack Built, which contains the controversial scene - AFP

Lars Von Trier's new serial killer film The House That Jack Built prompted mass walkouts at the Cannes Film Festival this week, and one particularly gruesome moment left cinemagoers reeling: a scene in which a young boy is shown cutting off a live duckling's leg.

The torture scene prompted fears that a real animal may have been used. Indiewire's senior film critic David Erlich said he would "never forgive Von Trier" if a real duck was harmed, while others expressed concerns on social media.

Now People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has cleared up the dispute. In an statement issued yesterday, the charity said: 

"Following numerous calls about a scene in Lars von Trier’s film The House That Jack Built in which a young child uses a pair of pliers to cut a duckling’s leg off, PETA has confirmed that the 'leg' was created using movie magic and silicone parts.

"While depictions of gratuitous violence like this may leave viewers sickened, it’s true that serial killers, like the character in the film, often get their start by first torturing animals, making the scene all the more realistic and disturbing.

Matt Dillon plays a serial killer in The House That Jack Built
Matt Dillon plays a serial killer in The House That Jack Built

"PETA is also happy to report that the images of tigers in the movie were from stock footage, yet again proving that there’s no need to use live wild animals in productions, thanks to the many humane alternatives being embraced by filmmakers today."

The House That Jack Built includes several other simulated scenes of violence, including the defilement of a child's corpse. The film has divided critics. The Independent's critic gave the film four stars, saying that the Danish provocateur was "back to doing what he does best", while The Telegraph's Robbie Collin dismissed the film as "two and a half hours of self-reflexive torture porn" in a two-star review.

Von Trier has said he is "very relaxed" about the film's reception. In an interview with Cineuropa, he said: “It’s quite important not to be loved by everybody, because then you’ve failed. I’m not sure if they hated it enough, though. If it gets too popular, I’ll have a problem. But the reception seemed just about right, I think.”