Did the film Marley & Me leave you emotionally scarred? Are you afraid to watch movies with doggie actors for fear they might face an untimely demise?
You are not alone! On the website, DoesTheDogDie.com, viewers just like you crowd-source “emotional spoilers” for movies, TV, books, video games, and more.
The website’s database currently has more than 4000 films and roughly 838 television series. Simply type in the title of the movie you plan to watch, and a list of comments from users will appear.
For example, if you search the latest Quentin Tarantino hit, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, you’ll discover it contains a violent scene involving a dog.
“The dog attacks two people, one person hits the dog back, but the dog shrugs off everything like nothing happened,” one user writes.
Others point out that the film features horses being ridden and shows a rat in a trap, but no animals die on screen.
If you are wondering whether the 2015 movie, Goosebumps is appropriate for your dog-loving child, a quick search reveals that it features a scene with a “vampire poodle.” A user writes:
“A brief scene depicts a vampire-poodle, implying that at some point said poodle was killed to make it a vampire in the first place. Probably. Maybe. This is R.L. Stine we’re talking. Said poodle is, at the very least, established to be completely immortal, like all the other monsters.”
In addition to dogs and other animals being harmed or killed, the site will also inform you of potentially triggering scenes that feature sexual assault, graphic violence, car crashes, and much more.
Here’s how it works:
Under each movie (or TV show, book, etc.) the site lists nearly 60 potential triggers with either YES or NO highlighted. By default, “Does the dog die?” is the first question for each feature. Sometimes users disagree on the more subjective questions such as “Are there jump scares?” but this is fairly rare.
Users can further explain the potentially troubling content with their comments such as those listed above for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Goosebumps.
Since the site is completely run by its users, data may not always be available for brand new or obscure films. Luckily, it’s easy to use. If you have info on a piece of content, simply create an account and help your fellow viewers decide which film to watch.
The downside is that DoesTheDogDie.com is full of spoilers, but for many folks that’s a small price to pay to avoid Hollywood’s most disturbing scenes.
Would you use this site before watching a potentially-triggering film? Are there any particularly upsetting dog scenes you wish you’d known about before tuning in to the movie or show?
Toledo, United States.
