Foxhunting

Anthony Adams is a British huntsman, who owns over a hundred hounds, each of which he knows by name. Four days a week, during the months of April through November, he leads members of the local English countryside on a foxhunt. As Adams explains, the fox population needs to be controlled. One could either set traps or take potshots at the foxes (who have been known to decimate a herd of sheep in a season), or one could carry on the tradition of one of England's most glorious sports: the foxhunt. This film takes viewers on fox and hare hunts in the English countryside and on the fells, and across the hills of Wales. In addition to several "behind the scenes" looks at the day-to-day operations of a kennel, the film also covers the history of foxhunting (which originated in the 16th century), interviews local businessmen and farmers (who are compensated for the fence damage which invariably occurs during a foxhunt on their property), and features some mesmerizing aerial footage of a foxhunt. Although there are two brief scenes which might disturb some viewers (a fox is shot underground, which is off-camera; and the hounds are fed the carcasses of old horses), this is a consistently fascinating documentary that goes beyond the simple detailing of the sport to investigate the larger questions of tradition and ethics. Highly recommended. (See THE EQUESTRIANS for availability.)