Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

jellopuke This was WAY better than I was expecting and much better than it had any right to be. Rather than just another crazed animal kills people movie, it was more mythic in its scope, almost like moby Dick in the way it portrayed man vs whale. It had excellent use of stock footage and trained animals and hid the puppets away with such short shots that it worked quite well. While there were some hokey parts, overall it was a nice, more thoughtful change of pace from the usual blood in the water movies.

Julian R. White This film was made during a time when Orca whales were not too well studied and known about. That being said, it puts a whole different sense of fear into the one watching the film. I'll call this the "boat scene" when a key point in the movie occurs, which is one of the most disturbing scenes in any film I have ever seen. It leaves you with a feeling of sorrow and pity for the antagonist (or protagonist?) and can only imagine the pain he must be feeling. The movie is so complex in its situations that it leaves the viewer with mixed feelings on who the overall winner should be. It remains one of the best marine horror movies in my book. I definitely recommend it.

Uriah43 Although warned about the dangers of hunting a killer whale a fisherman by the name of "Captain Nolan" (Richard Harris) disregards the warning and sets off with a small crew to capture one alive. Unfortunately, things don't turn out as planned and he ends up accidentally killing a pregnant female killer whale and its unborn offspring as well. Having witnessed their deaths, the male killer whale now wants vengeance. So he follows the boat back to its port and attempts to create enough havoc offshore to force Captain Nolan to come back to sea and settle the score once and for all. Now, while I certainly have no doubt that killer whales are quite intelligent, I have to admit that this particular movie went more than a bit overboard with this entire scenario. To that end, I thought that the talents of Charlotte Rampling (as "Rachel Bedford"), Bo Derek ("Annie") and the aforementioned Richard Harris were completely wasted by this ridiculous plot. I have rated the film accordingly.

Wuchak RELEASED IN 1977 and directed by Michael Anderson, "Orca" stars Richard Harris as a Newfoundland fisherman trying to make some big money by capturing a killer whale for a marine park. Unfortunately he ends up horribly botching the job, which incurs the vengeful wrath of the father killer whale.Coming out two years after the blockbuster "Jaws," this is sort of a knockoff, but it's too different in story/tone to be cheap imitation, although there are obvious similarities: The last third of the film involves a boat crew sailing out to sea to take on the oceanic antagonist; and another scene where an individual slides down a leaning platform toward the marine creature. In any case, "Orca" may not be technically as good as "Jaws" but it certainly has its unique attractions.The story is a maritime tragedy and utterly serious in tone with no lightness to be seen, like in "Piranha" (1978). The melodramatic plot basically inverts Melville's "Moby Dick" wherein in the whale takes the place of bitter Ahab. The score by Ennio Morricone (e.g. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly") is equal-parts beautiful, touching and haunting. Also, the casting is great: Harris is perfect as the aging sea salt, Charlotte Rampling is super sharp & intellectual as the cetacean biologist, Will Sampson ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") is great (and clichéd) as the Indian sage with his wise, foreboding words and Bo Derek is, well, you know.In addition, the Newfoundland locations are fabulous and, at about an hour and a half, the film is short and sweet; so there's not much filler. That said, people suffering ADHD might complain that the pace is a little slow at times.A couple of notable scenes come to mind: The unsettling sequence where Orca's mate aborts her calf while strung up on the vessel; and the one where Orca causes mass destruction in the village at night whereupon Nolan (Harris) gazes at the havoc while the whale jumps in and out of the water in elation.Let me close by emphasizing that "Orca" is NOT a Grade B creature-on-the-loose flick (e.g. 2000's "Crocodile"); it's a serious and moving tragedy.THE FILM RUNS 92 minutes. WRITERS: Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Donati and Robert Towne, based on Arthur Herzog's novel.GRADE: B+