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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Sea World: How Brazen Capitalist Liars Use Deception To Justify Abuse And Murder

"Blackfish" is also a movie that unregulated Cowboy Capitalism doesn't want you to see.

The eye-popping deception revealed by "Blackfish" is emblematic of the perpetual falsification perpetrated by The Military-Industrial Complex. 
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/08/why-we-fight-documentary-film-about.html

Misinformation and disinformation make suckers of most Americans who, curiously, are eager to be deceived.

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"Politics and Economics: The 101 Courses You Wish You Had"

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"Blackfish" is currently streamable on Netflix. 

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Blackfish (Documentary Film)
Directed by
 Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Produced by
 Manuel V. Oteyza
Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Written by
 Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Eli Despres
Tim Zimmermann
Music by
 Jeff Beal
Cinematography
 Jonathan Ingalls
Christopher Towey
Editing by
 Eli Despres
Studio
 CNN Films
Manny O. Productions
Distributed by
 Magnolia Pictures
Release dates
  • 19 January 2013(Sundance)
  • 19 July 2013 (United States)
Running time
 83 minutes
Country
 United States
Language
 English
Box office
 $2,073,582[1]
Blackfish is a 2013 documentary film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2013, and was picked up by Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films for wider release.[2]
Blackfish focuses on Tilikum, an orca held by SeaWorld, and the dangers of keeping the species in captivity.[3]

Synopsis

The documentary focuses on the captivity of Tilikum, a killer whale involved in the deaths of three individuals, and the consequences of keeping killer whales in captivity. The coverage of Tilikum includes his capture in 1983 off the coast of Iceland, purported harassment by fellow captive whales at Sealand of the Pacific, incidents that Cowperthwaite argues contributed to the whale's aggression and includes testimonial from Lori Marino, Director of Science with Nonhuman Rights Project. Cowperthwaite also focuses on SeaWorld's claims that lifespans of whales in captivity are comparable to those in the wild,[4] typically 30 years for males and 50 years for females,[5] a claim the film argues is false.[3] Interview subjects also include former SeaWorld trainers, such as John Hargrove.

Development

Cowperthwaite began work on the film after the death of Tilikum's trainer Dawn Brancheau and in response to the claim that the whale had targeted the trainer because she had worn her hair in a ponytail.[6] Cowperthwaite argued that this claim had been conjecture and that "there had to be more to this story".[6]

Reception

The review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes said 98% of 94 critics gave the film a positive review, with the site's consensus stating, "Blackfish is an aggressive, impassioned documentary that will change the way you look at performance killer whales."[7] The Deseret News called it "a gripping example of documentary filmmaking at its finest".[8] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 83 based on 33 reviews.[9]

 After the film's release, former SeaWorld trainer Bridgette Pirtle said that the final film was "a complete ‘180’ from what was originally presented to me."[10] Mark Simmons, one of Tilikum's first trainers, believed few of his interview comments were used "[b]ecause the things I said flew in the face of the movie’s clear agenda. What I contributed did not support Gabriela or Tim Zimmerman’s intent with the film.”[11]

 SeaWorld Entertainment refused to take part in the production of Blackfish, and later claimed the film was inaccurate,[12] saying in a statement:
Blackfish ... is inaccurate and misleading and, regrettably, exploits a tragedy .... [T]he film paints a distorted picture that withholds ...key facts about SeaWorld—among them...that SeaWorld rescues, rehabilitates and returns to the wild hundreds of wild animals every year, and that SeaWorld commits millions of dollars annually to conservation and scientific research.[13]
SeaWorld responded further with an open letter rebutting the claims.[4]
In January 2014, the family of the late trainer Dawn Brancheau said that neither they nor the foundation named after her were affiliated with the film, and that they did not believe it accurately reflected Brancheau or her experiences.[14]


Impact

The ending to the upcoming animated film Finding Dory was revised after Pixar's John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton saw the film and spoke with director Gabriela Cowperthwaite. The depiction of a marine park in the film was altered.[15]

 Reaction to the documentary prompted the bands and singers Heart, Barenaked Ladies, Willie Nelson, Martina McBride, .38 Special, Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, The Beach Boys, Trace Adkins and Trisha Yearwoodto cancel their concerts at the "Bands, Brew & BBQ" event at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa in 2014.[16][17][18][19][20]


Home media

Blackfish was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on August 26, 2013 in the UK (Region 2, PAL).[citation needed] Its US release was on November 12, 2013.[citation needed]
The documentary was broadcast on CNN on October 24, 2013.[15] After the broadcast, CNN aired an Anderson Cooper special with Jack Hanna, Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Naomi Rose and Jack Hurley. This was followed by a special edition of Crossfire with Blackfish associate producer Tim Zimmerman debating Grey Stafford, a conservationist, zoologist, and member of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association.

 The documentary aired on BBC Four in the UK on November 21, 2013 as part of the Storyville documentary series.[21]


See also

References[edit]

  1. Jump up^ "Blackfish (2013)". Box Office Mojo. October 24, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  2. Jump up^ Kaufman, Amy (February 1, 2013). "‘Blackfish’ has SeaWorld in hot water". Jacksonville Daily News. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b "'Blackfish' has SeaWorld in hot water". Los Angeles Times. January 25, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  5. Jump up^ "Killer Whale (Orcinus orca)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Protected Fisheries. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  7. Jump up^ "Blackfish". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  8. Jump up^ Peterson, Jeff (January 24, 2013). "Sundance review: 'Blackfish' is an alarming film". Deseret News. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  10. Jump up^ Davis, Eric (January 9, 2014). "Blackfish Exposed by Former SeaWorld Trainer". MiceChat.com. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  11. Jump up^ Davis, Eric (January 13, 2014). "More Blackfish Backlash – Tilikum’s Trainer Dives In". MiceChat.com. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  12. Jump up^ Pat Saperstein (July 18, 2013). "SeaWorld: Killer Whale Doc ‘Blackfish’ Is ‘Inaccurate’". Variety. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  14. Jump up^ Garcia, Jason (January 21, 2014). "Family of Dawn Brancheau chastises 'Blackfish'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  15. ^ Jump up to:a b Kaufman, Amy (August 9, 2013). "'Blackfish' gives Pixar second thoughts on 'Finding Dory' plot". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  16. Jump up^ Ahmed, Saeed. "Heart cancels SeaWorld show amid 'Blackfish' controversy". Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  19. Jump up^ Gibson, Megan (December 11, 2013). "The Documentary Blackfish Is Still Creating Waves at SeaWorld". Time.
  20. Jump up^ Gibson, Megan (December 11, 2013). "The Documentary Blackfish Is Still Creating Waves at SeaWorld". Time.
  21. Jump up^ "Storyville: Blackfish - The Whale That Killed". BBC. November 21, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013. "The story of a killer whale who has taken the lives of several people while in captivity"

External links[edit]


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