Orca (1977)

A hunter squares off against a killer whale seeking vengeance for the death of its mate.

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Luciano Vincenzoni (story and screenplay), Sergio Donati

Stars:

Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Harris	...	Captain Nolan
Charlotte Rampling	...	Rachel Bedford
Will Sampson	...	Umilak
Bo Derek	...	Annie
Keenan Wynn	...	Novak
Robert Carradine	...	Ken
Scott Walker	...	Al Swain
Peter Hooten	...	Paul
Wayne Heffley	...	Priest
Vincent Gentile	...	Gas Station Attendant
Don 'Red' Barry	...	Dock Worker

Storyline

After witnessing his mate and child's death from Nolan's hands, Orca, the killer whale, goes on a rampage in the fishermen's harbor. Under the villagers' pressure, Nolan, Rachel and an Indian sail after the great beast, who will bring them on his own turf.

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Plot Keywords:

creature feature | grindhouse film | drive in classic | murder | blood | 

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Taglines:

Terror just beneath the surface

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA Netherlands Italy UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 July 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Killer Whale

Filming Locations:

Malta

Box Office

Gross USA:

$14,717,854

Company Credits

Production Co:

Famous Films (II),Dino De Laurentiis Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Source novelist Arthur Herzog III was not credited for his source "Orca" novel story.

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Goofs

The sounds played and recorded through the hydrophone are recordings of humpback whale calls, not orca calls.

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Quotes

Captain Nolan: He loved his family... more than I loved mine.

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Alternate Versions

Network TV version had at least one additional scene where Nolan (Richard Harris) visits Annie (Bo Derek) at the hospital, after her leg was bitten off.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Mighty Jack (1991)

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Soundtracks

My Love, We Are One
Performed by Carol Connors
Music by Ennio Morricone
Lyrics by Carol Connors

User Reviews

MUCH MORE REALISTIC THAN "JAWS".

First off, i saw this film over a decade ago, so don't expect a full autopsy on how 70's the film was, or the plot holes. Looking back at these reviews, i must say that my memory of the plot is pretty good. Personally, when i saw this film I thought it to be pretty intense. The plot was not entirely bad. Sure it was inplausible that richard harris picked on the one genius killer whale in the whole atlantic. But am i to believe that non-human animals don't have emotions that include vengeance? No, i don't believe that at all. We hairless primates should learn not to ascribe any moderately complex emotion solely under the category "human".

To me, the real strength of this film was its allegory to the destruction of nature. I don't think it entirely inplausible that the writer wanted to symbolize the strife between man's greed, and the annhilation of this planet's animals and ecosystems. The point could have been, that our own planet at some critical point might strike out at us.

And come on you guys, after watching "JAWS" you want killer animal flicks that conform to modern day science? You're telling me that great whites do, in fact, stalk tourist filled beaches as if they were seal colonies? Now look who's living in the 70's.....

peace.