In this blog post, I will discuss my thoughts and analysis of ‘The Cove: The Truth About the Sad Dolphins’.

 

Reasons for Choosing the Film and First Impressions

I originally planned to introduce the documentary ‘The Old Rickshaw’, but I changed my mind halfway through. While stories about an individual’s daily life are nice, I’m drawn to works that raise social issues or expose hidden truths. The course guidelines influenced my choice to some extent, but above all, I prefer stories with social commentary, so after looking through various options, I chose this film.
At first, I started the movie without any prior knowledge. So, from the moment I saw the opening scene, a sense of unease washed over me. The tension was intense from the very start, and I had a premonition that this was not a subject that would be treated in a positive light. My heart ached throughout the entire viewing, and I found myself reflecting deeply on human cruelty and the indifference of our society.
The most shocking scene was when fishermen in Taiji, Japan, indiscriminately stabbed and killed dolphins with harpoons. The sea turning red, the dolphins writhing in agony, and the sight of them gasping for breath in their final struggles before dying was excruciatingly painful and shocking. It was sickening to see the fishermen laughing or smoking cigarettes even while witnessing such a scene. I deeply resonated with a moment in the interview where someone said, “As soon as I started watching the footage, the horror became palpable. It was beyond imagination.”
My fundamental motivation for choosing this film is simple: a desperate sense of duty to inform the world about the “death and slaughter of dolphins.” In other words, I believe the message of this film is to stop the dolphin slaughter taking place in Taiji and to reveal the truth to the international community.

 

Sequence Summary

1. The film begins by introducing the streets of Taiji, Japan, and a landscape filled with images of whales and dolphins. It conveys the fact that hundreds of thousands of dolphins are killed in Taiji. Rick O’Barry states that he must film exactly what is happening to reveal the truth.
2. The film explains that the dolphin industry grew due to the influence of the TV series “Flipper.” After “Flipper” aired, dolphins became familiar to people, and the dolphin show industry generated enormous commercial value. Rick O’Barry became a world-famous dolphin trainer following his appearance on “Flipper” and realized that dolphins possess self-awareness.
3. The narration continues by explaining that dolphins confined in tanks are sensitive to noise and often die from stress. When hundreds of dolphins are driven ashore by Taiji fishermen, trainers take specific individuals—such as young females—to aquariums.
4. The turning point for Rick O’Barry was the suicide of a dolphin named Kathy, who had appeared in the “Flipper” show. He resolved to release all captive dolphins, an act for which he was arrested. He reflects that while it took him 10 years to build the dolphin show industry, he has been fighting for 35 years to dismantle it.
5. The discussion turns to the International Whaling Commission (IWC), pointing out why small dolphins are not widely popular and highlighting the reality that some whaling nations treat dolphins as food. The interview also claims that Japan is attempting to legalize dolphin hunting despite international opposition.
6. The issue of mercury contamination is addressed. Since dolphins are at the top of the food chain, their meat has high mercury levels that can pose a risk to human health. It points out that the government is aware of this fact but conceals it, drawing parallels to past cases such as Minamata disease and the reality that dolphin meat is sold on the market.
7. The production team hides a camera inside a specially constructed rock model to film the scene. Although there was a risk of being discovered several times, they ultimately succeed in filming.
8. What the hidden camera captured were horrific scenes of fishermen slaughtering dolphins with harpoons. A scene from an interview is shown again, in which one person says, “As soon as I started watching the footage, the horror just solidified. It was beyond imagination.”
9. Rick O’Barry plans to screen these slaughter scenes at the IWC to bring the issue to the attention of the international community. He says urgently, “We have to see this end. As long as the slaughter continues, it’s concentrated in one region. If we can’t stop it, there is no hope.”

 

Character: Rick O’Barry

Rick O’Barry was a dolphin trainer who gained worldwide fame following the 1964 broadcast of “Flipper.” After the death of “Flipper’s” dolphin, Kathy, he dedicated himself to freeing captive dolphins, a cause for which he was arrested on multiple occasions.
O’Barry works to expose the reality of the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, continuing to raise awareness through on-site filming and screenings on the international stage. His words and actions form the central axis of this documentary.

 

Formal Analysis and Theme

Reading the flow of images vertically reveals the following sequence: The deaths of Flipper and Cassie on TV, the fake smiles seen at aquariums like SeaWorld, dolphins being driven ashore by Taiji fishermen, scenes of them fleeing while bleeding, dolphin meat being sold at the fish market, and finally, the indiscriminate slaughter. These images serve both to evoke an emotional response and to present facts.
Interviews appear frequently in this film. We hear the voices of people who either support Rick O’Barry’s claims or testify to the situation. I believe that without these interviews, the audience’s understanding would have been diminished, and there would have been significant limitations in explaining the causal relationships of the events. At the same time, while interviews are an important means of recording the truth, if used improperly, they risk distorting the truth or unilaterally casting a specific group as villains; therefore, care must be taken in filming and editing.
Overall, this documentary follows the format of an explanatory documentary. It aids the audience’s understanding through narration and interviews, while also employing evidence-based editing that presents facts by compiling archival materials and footage. While this approach is effective in revealing the gravity of the incident, one must always bear in mind that the producer’s perspective may be involved.
The process of analyzing this work was rewarding, but not easy. Since this was my first time analyzing a documentary, it felt unfamiliar and daunting. However, by watching the footage repeatedly and organizing my thoughts step by step, I was able to develop my own perspective. My initial anxiety subsided, and the analysis itself became interesting.
I would also like to add one practical issue. Although this film was released in 2009, the practices of capture and culling in Taiji have not been easily resolved even after its release. Reports of the seasonally recurring capture practices and the resulting slaughter have continued to surface, and the fight led by activists like Rick O’Barry continues to this day. These facts demonstrate that the film’s message remains as relevant as ever.
Finally, I hope that through this film, more people will become aware of the cruelty taking place in Taiji. We must not forget that dolphins are more than just a spectacle; they are living beings who want to be with us.