Pbenjay's Blog

The Cove - A Must See

I’m sorry that the headline for this blog is so graphic BUT I had to get your attention! Usually I try to write blogs that are tongue in cheek, satirical and amusing, but not always and this is one those- NOT FUNNY!  Two nights ago,  I watched and wrote about Inglourious Basterds. What I didn’t reveal was that I also watched The Cove.  This excellent film is essentially a documentary but done in a feature presentation style with a bit of a thriller aspect too.   The Cove won the Audience Award at the 2009 Sundance FilmFestival. It has been shown on NPR networks.  AND it has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Documentary Feature category.  I think it will win!   I couldn’t comment on the movie then and am not so sure I’ll really be able to articulate all that NEEDS to be said, shouted actually! So I’m shouting!!!!!!!

The Cove is one of the most disturbing, emotional, graphic, horrific, tearful, heartbreaking and heart wrenching,  frustrating, and angering, shocking, brave, upsetting, dismaying, sorrowful, maddening and really really difficult movie to sit through. So why should you see it?  BECAUSE….This is MURDER, it is happening NOW and once you know about it, you can’t just shrug your shoulders and say “oh well”.  Knowledge is powerful, however it comes with a responsibility to respond.  The truth must and will out. And once you know it, well each one of us has to decide how, when and what we can do.  I can’t do this powerful movie justice, so please read what some other people have to say about The Cove:

23,000 Dolphins are slaughtered each year in a hidden cove in Taiji, Japan. The Japanese government covers it up. No one could get in. (PlanetSave)

The Cove exposes an atrocity of unimaginable brutality. The dolphin slaughter depicted here is committed yearly and without knowledge of the general Japanese public, even though they could be buying highly-toxic mercury-laden dolphin meat disguised as fish from their local supermarkets. (PlanetSave).

What’s most unusual about this documentary is the undercover tactics filmmakers were forced to use to make the film. As soon as the documentary begins, you become aware that there’s resistance to the filmmakers’ presence in Taiji, and that the crew are not only being monitored, but are actually under threat of arrest which, under Japanese law, can last for many months, even years, without a hearing or trial. (About.com)

Be prepared: the film is as brutal and heartbreaking as the most alarming news footage you’ve ever seen of human natural disasters and tragedies such as hurricanes, earthquakes and terrorist attacks. (About.com)

And lastly, these are not my words but I am thankful that I can print here because I feel the same way.

That’s it! I’m putting my foot down! I am so sick of people saying “The Cove, oh no I can’t see that film, it’s about dolphin killing.” You stupid person, you’re wrong and I’m not listening to you anyone. I’m saying this as simply as possible. You are a bad person if you do not see this film. Everyone, EVERYONE needs to see The Cove. Not because you all need to go out and save Flipper but because it will inspire you to do something (not necessarily with dolphins) good in your life and leave you feeling empowered. You can make a difference in whatever way you want just like the people in this film are doing.

So stop your bitching and get out and see this movie. (Screencrave).

Here’s the link to the YouTube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bE3KAuWaz8 – sorry I couldn’t figure out how to make it live, please copy and paste to your browser.