The Cove

     Dolphins are one of the most intelligent creatures in the world.  They migrate throughout the world every year including Japan.  However, for most dolphins that migrate here, their journey ends drastically.  It is in a city named Taiji where thousands and thousands of dolphins are slaughtered every year.  The Cove (2009), directed by Louie Psihoyos, is a documentary that shows the horrible secret of the cove in the city of Taiji.  In the beginning of the movie, they show the city as what seems to be a whale and dolphin loving community, but the city has a secret that not even the citizens know about.  They are the main suppliers of performing dolphins and dolphin meat that are shipped throughout the world.  Though the director does show both sides of the story, he fails to go into more detail with the opposing side.

     

     First, the documentary shows that Richard O’Barry, the trainer for Flipper from the popular 1960s television series, has a personal experience that changed his views on captive dolphins.  After Flipper committed suicide in his arms, he has been fighting for the freedom of dolphins throughout the world.  His eyes were on one specific location to help dolphins: Taiji, Japan.   Though he does interview the people that are involved with “the cove,” he never gets the full story behind “the cove.”  The livelihoods of the Japanese workers come from “the cove.”  Without “the cove,” the entire city would be low in money and almost be unable to sustain itself.  Though it is very cruel and inhumane how the dolphins are killed, it is how the workers live their life.

     Second, the people that knew and were involved with “the cove” that were interviewed did not give the entire truth.  Even while being filmed, they were hiding something.  Also, when showed the video that they obtained from “the cove” that showed the slaughtering of the dolphins, one asked where they obtained the video.  Even though the videos showed what happened on the outside of “the cove,” they never were able to show what was happening on the inside.

         

     Though the movie does show amazing and life changing scenes of massacre and death of so many dolphins.  Probably the most life changing scene was when the underwater camera captured the transition of the water from clear to bloody after the dolphins were slaughtered.  This film has changed the views of many people.  However, though I do support animal rights, I believe that we should not interfere with what the Japanese are doing with dolphins.  If you think about it, it’s like the United States with cows and other livestock, but no other counties are interfering with our jobs.

Koyaanisqatsi

In the movie Koyaanisqatsi (1982), directed by Godfrey Reggio, doesn’t tell a story, but rather shows a story.  Unlike most movies, this movie has no words and no action that draws the viewers away from the scenery.  This technique allows the audience to appreciate the beauty of the real world without the distraction of explosions and other special effects.  The way this film transitions from nature and technology allows the viewer to compare them and see the true beauty that is everywhere.

Not many people actually stop to look at the true beauty of the city life.  For example, in the scene where the city life was being filmed, one may view it as just the city in its natural beauty and another may compare it to something else like, as Luke said, a microchip.  The fast motion of the cars represents the data that flows and sends information across the computer that is the city.  The way the Moonlight reflects against a skyscraper shows the beauty of the night in the city.

At first glance the sea and clouds look nothing alike.  The sea is flowing and can be calm or ravenous at times, and clouds are slow moving and seem less flowing.   However, when the film of the clouds fast forwards, it actually shows that clouds and the sea are actually alike.  The way the sea and clouds flow also compares to the cars on the highway: how it creates the illusion of an elegant river.

Beauty can also be hidden within the most horrifying events.  For example, in the film, it showed a scene of the tragedy of the space shuttle The Challenger from lift off to the explosion.  It was beautiful watching how the graceful the lift off was thinking nothing could go wrong, until the entire shuttle combusts into a burst of flames.  After the explosion, the camera keeps its view on a single piece of the remaining shuttle in free fall.  Though many people died because of this horrible event, beauty can still be seen among the sadness.

It is amazing how technology has changed throughout the course of history.  The way we show beauty in the world has changed as well.  It all started with cave paintings and has evolved and become hidden within the simplest objects.  Instead of being told what to think, this film actually gives the audience a chance to think for themselves and allows them to see the true beauty in nature and technology.