The documentary introduces us
to several specialists in the field, people who may not quite fit the image we
have of a taxidermist. For example, we meet Allis Markham, a young and stylish
woman with a passion for birds and her own company, Prey Taxidermy. And Travis
De Villiers, who studies nature and informs us that taxidermy is a “combination of being an artist and being a
naturalist.” And that is one thing that is striking about this film and the
subject: these people love animals. We also meet Ferry Van Tongeren and Jaap
Sinke, who create unusual and stunning artwork through taxidermy. These folks
and others provide different takes on the craft, having different goals and
passions. Some of the goals are even noble, as George Dante explains: “Taxidermy is a wonderful tool for archiving
a species that no longer exists.”
As you might expect, there is
material on the importance of taxidermy in the work of natural history museums.
And the documentary contains footage showing the process, which is not really
at all what I’d imagined. The film also touches a bit on the history of
taxidermy, with particular attention paid to the contributions of people like Carl
Akeley, an interesting character to be sure. We also get a glimpse of taxidermy
competitions and seminars, and some of the work is surprisingly beautiful. Also
interesting is the information on the so-called “rogue taxidermy,” art pieces
using taxidermy without the usual attempt for verisimilitude. What is not
addressed in the film are the people who decide to have their pets preserved.
The film sticks with those who engage in taxidermy, and does not interview those who purchase or commission their work.
The taxidermists do talk about
the various impressions people have of them, and, yes, one of them mentions Psycho. And, yes, some of these folks
are a bit on the nutty side. Allis Markham tells us: “You have to be a special kind of obsessive-compulsive, mixed with an
artist’s sensibility. That’s where you get the idea of the tortured artist, you
know. Maybe you do end up like Van Gogh and cut off your ear or whatever. But,
to be fair, a taxidermist, if we cut off our ear, at least we’d make something
out of it.”
Special Features
The DVD contains a commentary
track by director Erin Derham and cinematographer Jan Balster. They talk about
the locations where they shot, and give more information on the taxidermists
who took part in the film. One shot that was difficult for me to watch was the
skinning of an animal early in the film, and Erin and Jan talk about how it was
difficult for them to watch as well, particularly for Erin who is a vegan.
The special features also
include The Making Of Stuffed, a
behind-the-scenes look at the documentary, with interviews with key crew
members. Director Erin Derham says: “I
had no idea that I was going to make a movie about taxidermy. I wanted to make
a movie about conservation and about animal lovers, because I love animals.”
Interestingly, that is a big part of what the film is about. I particularly
love the footage of the organization Conservation Ambassadors. The crew members
talk about their own misconceptions about what taxidermists do, and about the
filming of certain segments. There is also a bit of footage from the film’s
premiere. This featurette is approximately sixteen minutes.
There are also two photo
galleries, the first focusing on taxidermy pieces, the second on the film’s
promotion. The documentary’s trailer is also included.
Stuffed was directed by Erin Derham, and was released on DVD on
March 10, 2020 through Music Box Films.
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