The Cove

Louie Psihoyos 2009

Shuto Yada Tomoki Higashine

2012/05/25

Index
Points which are shown in this movie Problems with this movie itself

Questions
Watch one scene from the movie and answer the following questions.
1. What was the name of the dolphin that OBarry had in his house? 2. In the wild, how far do dolphins travel per a day? 3. Why did dolphins in the National Aquarium in Baltimore die?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eknshN_uhM#t=11m3s

Answers
1. What was the name of the dolphin that OBarry had in his house?
It was Cathy.

2. In the wild, how far do dolphins travel per a day?

They travel 40 miles a day.

3. Why did dolphins in the National Aquarium in Baltimore die?

Because the filtration system was making a lot of noise.

Agenda
Culture Intelligence Political Issues Q. What do you think about these points in the movie, or whole dolphin catching? Mercury Fishery

Culture
People who are positive to dolphin fishing would say Its their culture. The movie asks Is it still a culture even if most Japanese people dont know?

This matter is related to general cultural problem e.g.) Dog eating, Cannibalism

Chinese Human Flesh Capsules

Since August, Korean authorities have discovered nearly 17,500 of the human flesh capsules in the luggage of tourists and in international mail, the state-run Korea Customs service said in a statement Monday. Wall Street Journal The Korea Customs Service said Monday it had seized capsules made in northeastern China from babies whose bodies were chopped into small pieces and dried on stoves before being turned into powder. Some people believe the pills can cure disease. USA Today

Mercury
They argue dolphin as highly toxic. (2,000 ppm) Children and pregnant women are advised to care about mercury contamination in marine animal by health care authorities. (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. WHO)

Accuracy of Data
Wakayama Pref. comments: This concentration, however, is very far from the actual figures.

Other Problems in This Scene

How about other fishes? Why dont they argue not to eat them? The researcher in this scene claims the meat analyzed in this scene is whale liver from elsewhere.

Intelligence
Dolphins have...
helped drowning people cooperated with human in fishing in Brazil Been used in the U.S. Navy for rescue and sea mine detection.

However...
Should we stop hunting a kind of animal because they are intelligent/self-aware? Is it OK to kill less intelligent animals? Which animal is intelligent and which is not?

Top 10 Reasons Not to Eat Turkeys

1. They're Begging Your Pardon
Turkeys are smart animals with personality and character, and keen awareness of their surroundings, Oregon State University poultry scientist Tom Savage says. Turkeys are social, playful birds who enjoy the company of others. They relish having their feathers stroked and like to chirp, cluck, and gobble along to their favorite tunes. Anyone who spends time with them at farm sanctuaries quickly learns that turkeys are as varied in personality as dogs and cats. The president pardons a turkey every yearcan't you pardon one too? - http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/top-10reasons-not-to-eat-turkeys.aspx

Dolphins and Marine Product Industries Argument in the film: It is human who is lowering the fish catch.
Is this the only damage by dolphins?

Dolphins also destroys fishnet causing fishers a huge loss of money and time.

Political Issues
Japan gives aid to small Caribbean countries for affirmative votes. No relation between the aid and attitude of the Caribbean representatives is clearly shown in the film nor explained by anyone.

True or False?
At least, Kiribati representatives denies they took bribe from Japan when they entered IWC.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-06-17/japan-pacific-nations-denywhaling-bribery-claims/871194

Australia gathers proof on Japan's whaling bribes.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/australia-gathers-proof-onjapans-whaling-bribes/2008/03/08/1204780131619.html

Now Please Discuss

Culture Intelligence Political Issues Mercury Fishery

Q. What do you think about points above in the movie, or whole dolphin catching?

Problems with The Cove

The way to film this movie
(violation of a rule, or maybe illegal?)

Expression in this movie

(too emotional?)

The way to film The Cove

Staffs entered to the restricted area
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eknshN_uhM#t=29m25s

They hid cameras in the rocks and sneaked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eknshN_uhM#t=32m10s

By Mary Pols (TIME, August 10, 2009)

Psihoyos refers to the team he recruits, which includes a moldmaker from Industrial Light & Magic and a pair of champion deep-sea free divers, as being like Ocean's Eleven. The Cove is slick and smart and, in its real-life urgency, puts Hollywood capers like Mission: Impossible to shame.

Jeannette Catsoulis (The New York Times, July 30, 2009)

The Cove is much more than just a record of that adventure. Like the directors cover story, the movie is a Trojan horse: an exceptionally well-made documentary that unfolds like a spy thriller,

Consequently, anyone straying too close to the kill zonea secluded lagoon protected by steep cliffs, manned tunnels and razor-wire gatesis violently harassed by videocam-wielding fishermen hoping to record an imprisonable offense.

Over-sentimental(?) expression
The motive to save dolphins is often sympathy for cute and poor dolphins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eknshN_uhM#t=35m7s

Shocking scene is used intentionally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eknshN_uhM#t=1h18m

he also gives us a hero with a broken heart OBarrys big, wet eyes haunt you even longer than that ocean of blood (the guardian)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eknshN_uhM#t=17m17s

Discussion Questions
Discuss the points shown in this movie. Do you agree, or disagree? In this movie, staffs sometimes used illegal way to film it. What is your opinion about this? Some of the scenes in this movie are intended to appeal strongly to your emotion. How do you feel about this?