We begin with The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005). This film refers often to humanity and what is considered “humane”. However, I would like to pose a question: what exactly is humane in this movie?
“Anti-Pesto: Safe, Secure, Humane”, Wallace (Peter Sallis) and Gromit’s business, disposes of pests “humanely”. However, it does not seem like the townsfolk know this. One of the ladies in the town “hope[s] they give them pests what’s coming to them”. She means violence, but the next scenes shows Gromit feeding the rabbits, not killing them.
Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes) wants to kill the “vermin”. He wants to sick his attack dog, Phillip, and shot gun on the poor rabbits. However, Lady Campanula Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter) wanted “no more thoughtless killing”.
Victor wants to know how Anti-Pesto plans to kill the rabbits: “crush em, liquidize em”. He is all about violence and killing.
Reverend Clement Hedges (Nicholas Smith) prays for his garden when it appears he is praying for people. He focuses on the harvest competition instead of thinking of his community. He makes “a harvest offering to bind the deal” with the higher power. Prayer and bribery is his way of winning.
“We've created a monster” is the culminating statement indicating Wallace and Gromit did not follow their humane ethics. They changed the animal makeup so much, it is now a monster (Wallace I mean, not Hutch (Peter Sallis)).
Also, instead of actually “shar[ing] in [Totty’s] moment of sorrow”, they begin to celebrate thinking the were-rabbit is dead. What a humane community that rejoices at the death of one and life of their vegetables.
However, the beast is not dead and returns to the festival. A vendor eventually hands out “mob supplies”. They react violently with pitchforks and weapons to the were-rabbit.
The people are the actual inhumane ones in this movie. Gromit and the were-rabbit care about the welfare of everyone, including the crops. Being human has nothing to do with being humane.
Not a lot on the internet about this movie, but there are always tropes and idioms.
Thanks for reading everyone!