Channel 4 (UK) Documentaries

All Creatures Great and Stuffed (2014x44)

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Taxidermy is undergoing a global revival. With high-street shops popping up, night classes selling out and demand outstripping supply, why are deceased beasts so popular? Bafta Award-nominated director Matt Rudge encounters some of the world's most jaw-dropping modern examples of the craft. In Holland, Dutch artist Bart did something unexpected when his cat Orville was killed by a passing car. With the help of local engineer Arjen, he created the Orvillecopter: the world's first radio-controlled flying cat. In the US, Arkansas businessman Daniel Ross runs a specialist taxidermy service where patrons can have their dead pets freeze-dried. Blackburn taxidermist Nicola uses roadkill to make her creations. While her handiwork may sell out online, what will the locals make of her new high-street boutique? In Essex, shot-girl Jayne is putting down the tequila bottle and turning her hand to the preservation of dead animals. With the topic of death never far away, Matt discovers how this resurgence might be a coping mechanism for some, but a way of avoiding grief for others.