Blackfish (2013)

A documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.

Director:

Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Writers:

Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Eli B. Despres (as Eli Despres)

Stars:

Tilikum, Dave Duffus, Samantha Berg

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 6 wins & 38 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tilikum	...	Self (archive footage)
John Hargrove	...	Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
Samantha Berg	...	Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
Mark Simmons	...	Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
Kim Ashdown	...	Self
Dean Gomersall	...	Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
James Earl Jones	...	Self (archive footage)
Shamu	...	Self (archive footage)
Carol Ray	...	Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
John Jett	...	Self - Fomer SeaWorld Trainer
Dawn Brancheau	...	Self - SeaWorld Trainer (archive footage)
Jeffrey Ventre	...	Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
Thomas Tobin	...	Self
Dave Duffus	...	Self - OSHA Expert Witness, Whale Researcher
Jim Payne	...	Self (archive footage)

Storyline

Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.

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Plot Keywords:

marine park | mother child separation | amusement park | public aquarium | captivity | 

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Taglines:

Never capture what you can't control.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements including disturbing and violent images

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jurassic World (2015) director Colin Trevorrow told Empire Magazine that Blackfish (2013) was a big influence on the movie. The behavior of the captive Indominus Rex, was based on Tilikum's behavior in captivity.

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Quotes

Christopher Porter - Former Trainer, Sealand: When you know the animal and have a relationship with it. You know, that he's not killing, because he's a savage. He's not killing, because he's crazy or because he doesn't know what he's doing. He's killing, because he's frustrated and has aggrevation. And when he's... He has no outlet for it.

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Connections

Referenced in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: My First Thanksgiving with Josh! (2015)

User Reviews

The human inhumanity

Let's go to the theme park to see the Orcas. Playful, interacting with their trainers who swim with them carefree it is a guaranteed spectacle and fun time.

Do we ever consider, that these intelligent creatures spent a lifetime enclosed in a large bathtub so that we can be entertained? Imagine going to see a show of children ballerinas knowing that those children spent their entire lives locked up in a room when not performing. Would anyone stand for this? Surely not, I would hope.

This riveting and didactic documentary explores the owner's attitudes when occasionally those animals flip out and act in an aggressive way. It is always the trainers fault, or the bad manners of the animals. In fact, it appears that those who run those theme parks have gone out of their way to hide the truth which is those who work with killer whales are in great risk.

The death of a long-time and renowned trainer brought the issue to the surface where enquiries had to be made.

We might be better informed about the risks involved but the rather lax legislature regarding animal rights allows these companies to still operate and oppress animals in an inhuman way.

Well made and runs high on emotion, it will make the viewer contemplate on the scale of human tyrannism.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

26 July 2013 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Blackfish

Filming Locations:

Sea World, San Diego, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$75,962, 21 July 2013

Gross USA:

$2,073,582

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,303,417

Company Credits

Production Co:

CNN Films, Manny O Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1