Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2023 January 25

= January 25 =

Transporting an elephant
A the start of the film Babylon, Manny Torres is shown trying to transport an elephant uphill by a car trailer. Now I am aware this is part of the film's plot, but in the case of the real world, couldn't the elephant simply have walked the length of the hill, making the uphill transport easier? J I P &#124; Talk 12:56, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * It probably could have, but maybe nobody asked the elephant. The film is a comedy: comedy (and drama generally) often arises from stupid people doing stupid things. If everybody in a film were portrayed as doing the most sensible thing at all times – which rarely happens even in real life – the film wouldn't be funny, dramatic or interesting. In a good deal of drama and fiction, the suspension of disbelief is required. It's a little like a game you and the writer(s) agree to play – you agree not to question the logic of their story in minute detail, and they agree to entertain you while you're watching: it all falls apart if you insist on perfect accuracy, perfect logic and perfect decision making in post hoc analyses. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.212.208.82 (talk) 13:14, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Which kind of elephant? From memory, African elephants are not tameable, but Asian elephants are. --Error (talk) 14:20, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * If it's the elephant seen here in a flash, it is an Asian one – African elephants have much larger ears. --Lambiam 15:33, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Yes, that's the elephant. The film does not feature any other elephants. J I P  &#124; Talk 15:59, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * If that is the case, then yes 1) Asian elephants can walk up hills and 2) Asian elephants can be trained to follow human commands. Captive elephants has some information.  In places where trained elephants are kept, their trainers are known as Mahouts.  So, could a person get a sufficiently well-trained Asian elephant to walk up a hill?  Yes.  -- Jayron 32 16:27, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Even African elephants can get over hills. Matt Deres (talk) 13:46, 26 January 2023 (UTC)
 * What did Jane say when she saw a herd of elephants coming over the hill? "Here come a herd of plums!".  She was color-blind. --Trovatore (talk) 06:50, 27 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Surely the elephant was being transported farther than just up said hill. The trailer would have been necessary for the longer distance. Even over a short distance, a trailler would protect the animal from its surroundings (and vice versa). This would ensure the safe arrival of the animal to the site, where a trained handler coulld take over.--User:Khajidha (talk) (contributions) 11:34, 26 January 2023 (UTC)
 * I haven't seen the film, but I think the destination is the mansion of studio executive Don Wallach, perched atop the hill, and all Manny cares for is getting the elephant there. The elephant actually offered to push the trailer uphill, but the director wouldn't hear of it because it wouldn't look funny on screen. --Lambiam 18:38, 26 January 2023 (UTC)