My Take On "Blackfish"
I have been waiting for almost a year for this movie to play somewhere around me. I could not wait to see it. I finally saw it tonight at the 6:30 showing in Maitland Fl. I have to admit when all was said and done I left a little disappointed. I had high hopes something in the movie would truly stand out, or even better yet something that I myself had never heard about before. I was hoping to see some type of lost tape, or some story or incident I had never heard of. Something, anything to say "Wow this was amazing and so glad it came out and showed the world this". Unfortunately that was not the case.
When I say I was hoping to see something I had not seen before, I'm not just someone who first has found out about SeaWorld and it's unethical treatment, it may have been a different feeling if I had not known anything about what the movie depicts. I have been involved with many people who have tried to do something about this industry, something to make the industry change one way or another. Like my good friend Russ Rector who starred in "A Fall From Freedom" said to me yesterday on the phone
"We are preaching to the Choir." He had even told me I would be wasting my time seeing it as what I will see we all already know. I told him I thought it was still a good idea and that I needed to see it just to see how it was done and what exactly was in it.
After seeing it I now have to agree with what he said full heartedly, but at least now I can write about it. Many of the people who have seen this movie or who will see it, are all people that know something about this issue and what SeaWorld does. It has yet to reach a big audience as it is currently playing on a very small scale and not reaching who it needs to reach. Maybe I would feel a little different if it actually reached who it needed to, and those people would actually change or understand why Orca's in captivity is a disgrace. Changing one or two people will not make a dent in the industry, but changing millions may.
SeaWorld makes a lot of money and their wallets are actually rising with much of what has gone on in the last few years. Their ticket sales and their revenue has gone up tremendously, last year and the year Dawn died was one of the best years they had money wise in revenue. Why you may ask? When something big happens, or when people bring a company into the middle of a dispute whether good or bad, you bring them attention and bring them in more customers. We are based off a society that goes to see car races just to hope that they see that one big crash, people who like to watch sports to see who can knock out the other opponent faster, or people who go to Orca shows just to hope they catch that one big mistake made. Unfortunately bad publicity can also bring in good publicity and good money. Those who supported SeaWorld, many still do and do stronger then ever now. Those that didn't know much about SeaWorld or had never been are flocking there, and its all because of the publicity, good or bad you will be helping them. Many may disagree, but just look at their revenue in the last few years you will see for yourself.
While waiting in line, I turned to my neighbor who went with me and I quoted Russ again after looking at all the people in line. I also mentioned I felt that not much will ever be done, and that I do not feel as if this will make much of an impact on anything. A lady turns around and says "I would have to agree with you, but history has proven we have evolved." She went on to mention about zoos and how they have changed from the tiny little cages etc. I had to disagree with her on the fact SeaWorld would ever willingly change. If we were to be able to do anything to change it, it would have to be forced upon them. I also went on to mention how SeaWorld has now gotten the upper hand in the case against them with OSHA and how I now feel as if it truly will never change. Article I wrote on the new ruling is here . I spoke to others there as well and it just proves everyone going knew something about what is being depicted in the movie and were already on the side of "Do not go to SeaWorld."
After seeing it I now have to agree with what he said full heartedly, but at least now I can write about it. Many of the people who have seen this movie or who will see it, are all people that know something about this issue and what SeaWorld does. It has yet to reach a big audience as it is currently playing on a very small scale and not reaching who it needs to reach. Maybe I would feel a little different if it actually reached who it needed to, and those people would actually change or understand why Orca's in captivity is a disgrace. Changing one or two people will not make a dent in the industry, but changing millions may.
SeaWorld makes a lot of money and their wallets are actually rising with much of what has gone on in the last few years. Their ticket sales and their revenue has gone up tremendously, last year and the year Dawn died was one of the best years they had money wise in revenue. Why you may ask? When something big happens, or when people bring a company into the middle of a dispute whether good or bad, you bring them attention and bring them in more customers. We are based off a society that goes to see car races just to hope that they see that one big crash, people who like to watch sports to see who can knock out the other opponent faster, or people who go to Orca shows just to hope they catch that one big mistake made. Unfortunately bad publicity can also bring in good publicity and good money. Those who supported SeaWorld, many still do and do stronger then ever now. Those that didn't know much about SeaWorld or had never been are flocking there, and its all because of the publicity, good or bad you will be helping them. Many may disagree, but just look at their revenue in the last few years you will see for yourself.
While waiting in line, I turned to my neighbor who went with me and I quoted Russ again after looking at all the people in line. I also mentioned I felt that not much will ever be done, and that I do not feel as if this will make much of an impact on anything. A lady turns around and says "I would have to agree with you, but history has proven we have evolved." She went on to mention about zoos and how they have changed from the tiny little cages etc. I had to disagree with her on the fact SeaWorld would ever willingly change. If we were to be able to do anything to change it, it would have to be forced upon them. I also went on to mention how SeaWorld has now gotten the upper hand in the case against them with OSHA and how I now feel as if it truly will never change. Article I wrote on the new ruling is here . I spoke to others there as well and it just proves everyone going knew something about what is being depicted in the movie and were already on the side of "Do not go to SeaWorld."
One thing many of us held onto that have been involved in this fight, we had hope now with the new ruling of no water works with the Orcas at SeaWorld back in 2012, we had hope it would hurt their wallet. I remember standing up and jumping for joy when I heard the ruling. I couldn't help but to think it maybe a big change in SeaWorld. Much of what they do is based off their Orca shows, which all include interacting and getting in the water with them. I felt as if now we had a chance. That society has finally grown up and seen that maybe this is just not the right place for Orca's to be. Now that it may change and again SeaWorld maybe able to start back up waterworks, the hope it may hurt the industry has now vanquished because of this new ruling.
The Judge in the case has stated SeaWorld "Has made a Good Faith Effort", the same week blackfish came out in Maitland. He has now told SeaWorld if they can show that their tactics and safeguards are just as good as what the OSHA abatements are they can implement their own safeguards. SeaWorld wants to make money and to be able to put on the water work shows, they will never adhere to staying out of the water. The next step will be showing that they have now made it SAFE and they will soon be able to start back their unethical treatments and exploitation of these Orca's by once again swimming with them and jumping off their noses. Making them do tricks daily and scolding them by not feeding them, SeaWorld will once again do as they always have without a care in the world.
Maybe with everything that has happened and the new ruling, I just held onto high hopes that "Blackfish" may actually help our cause to change this industry. Maybe I'm being too critical, but what I do know is I left that theater disappointed. I felt many more issues could have or should have been brought up. More on how SeaWorld gets its Orca's, more graphic footage, more facts about what actually happens behind closed doors, when they mentioned how the lady lied in court they should have mentioned something about Morgan Orca too and how SeaWorld actually owns her, how they conned their way into that one as well. Where is the info about all the meds they give these Orca's daily, the fact they drill their teeth, the fact Tili is a transient Orca, the fact many of these Orca's have family still in the wild? Not enough was put into the movie, it was all the same stuff over and over again. I understand it was mainly about Tili but even in the movie they mentioned "Blackfish" explaining the Orca's.
The movie should have been more about these "Blackfish" as that is what they named the movie, not just Tili. While still telling Tili's story if that is what they wanted to get across, they should have had more of these "Blackfish" and more about the industry. Their title alone is contradicting. If its about "Blackfish" let it be about "Blackfish". They could still leave the title and have it about only Tili if thats what they wanted to depict, but they switched from Orca to Orca, story to story, and did not just stay on the topic of Tili as they had said they wanted it to be about his story. I just did not get it in that aspect either, was it or was it not about Tili? Was it supposed to depict these "BlackFish"? I just do not know, and which ever it was they clearly did not make it a point.
They did not put much even though they tried, about the emotional and physical changes these whales go through in captivity. The hours and hours these whales swim around doing nothing, mainly hanging at the top of the water, without shade. How they constantly bite the walls, and have repetative behaviors. I could go on and on about some of the things I feel should have been talked about. We mainly have one chance, and one chance only to truly get out exactly what it was we wanted to get out, I feel this did not cut it. They never even mentioned how someone could help, how they could get involved, what they could do on their part to help the cause they were trying to relay. Not once did they mention do not buy a ticket, nor did they mention anything about what many are trying to do to change the industry.
Overall, they had a few good points in the movie. They did an ok job with what they did have, but again it was just not enough. It was pretty much all over the place putting in facts and doing it the way they did just did not make it flow the right way. There is no going back now, the one movie I thought would truly help may not actually do anything. It won't reach enough people, and it won't hurt the industry by the people it has reached. The scale is not large enough. We cannot rewrite history only learn from it, we cannot redo what has been done. We had one chance to make a powerful impact and to truly show everything, in what could have been an amazing tool to change the industry, will now become a movie that is forgotten a year down the road. Trying to redo what they just did, or making another movie will do nothing. We had the big chance, we had many waiting to see it, we had the media involved and many talking about it. It was just not enough and it has now lost its momentum in my opinion.
The only chance we will have for it to make a possible impact is if we can get a bigger industry to pick up the movie, a bigger theater. Get it on the big screens and then maybe it will help. As it sits right now it will do nothing other then make the people who know all about it disappointed, but if people who do not know about these issues see it, they may not be disappointed.
The Judge in the case has stated SeaWorld "Has made a Good Faith Effort", the same week blackfish came out in Maitland. He has now told SeaWorld if they can show that their tactics and safeguards are just as good as what the OSHA abatements are they can implement their own safeguards. SeaWorld wants to make money and to be able to put on the water work shows, they will never adhere to staying out of the water. The next step will be showing that they have now made it SAFE and they will soon be able to start back their unethical treatments and exploitation of these Orca's by once again swimming with them and jumping off their noses. Making them do tricks daily and scolding them by not feeding them, SeaWorld will once again do as they always have without a care in the world.
Maybe with everything that has happened and the new ruling, I just held onto high hopes that "Blackfish" may actually help our cause to change this industry. Maybe I'm being too critical, but what I do know is I left that theater disappointed. I felt many more issues could have or should have been brought up. More on how SeaWorld gets its Orca's, more graphic footage, more facts about what actually happens behind closed doors, when they mentioned how the lady lied in court they should have mentioned something about Morgan Orca too and how SeaWorld actually owns her, how they conned their way into that one as well. Where is the info about all the meds they give these Orca's daily, the fact they drill their teeth, the fact Tili is a transient Orca, the fact many of these Orca's have family still in the wild? Not enough was put into the movie, it was all the same stuff over and over again. I understand it was mainly about Tili but even in the movie they mentioned "Blackfish" explaining the Orca's.
The movie should have been more about these "Blackfish" as that is what they named the movie, not just Tili. While still telling Tili's story if that is what they wanted to get across, they should have had more of these "Blackfish" and more about the industry. Their title alone is contradicting. If its about "Blackfish" let it be about "Blackfish". They could still leave the title and have it about only Tili if thats what they wanted to depict, but they switched from Orca to Orca, story to story, and did not just stay on the topic of Tili as they had said they wanted it to be about his story. I just did not get it in that aspect either, was it or was it not about Tili? Was it supposed to depict these "BlackFish"? I just do not know, and which ever it was they clearly did not make it a point.
They did not put much even though they tried, about the emotional and physical changes these whales go through in captivity. The hours and hours these whales swim around doing nothing, mainly hanging at the top of the water, without shade. How they constantly bite the walls, and have repetative behaviors. I could go on and on about some of the things I feel should have been talked about. We mainly have one chance, and one chance only to truly get out exactly what it was we wanted to get out, I feel this did not cut it. They never even mentioned how someone could help, how they could get involved, what they could do on their part to help the cause they were trying to relay. Not once did they mention do not buy a ticket, nor did they mention anything about what many are trying to do to change the industry.
Overall, they had a few good points in the movie. They did an ok job with what they did have, but again it was just not enough. It was pretty much all over the place putting in facts and doing it the way they did just did not make it flow the right way. There is no going back now, the one movie I thought would truly help may not actually do anything. It won't reach enough people, and it won't hurt the industry by the people it has reached. The scale is not large enough. We cannot rewrite history only learn from it, we cannot redo what has been done. We had one chance to make a powerful impact and to truly show everything, in what could have been an amazing tool to change the industry, will now become a movie that is forgotten a year down the road. Trying to redo what they just did, or making another movie will do nothing. We had the big chance, we had many waiting to see it, we had the media involved and many talking about it. It was just not enough and it has now lost its momentum in my opinion.
The only chance we will have for it to make a possible impact is if we can get a bigger industry to pick up the movie, a bigger theater. Get it on the big screens and then maybe it will help. As it sits right now it will do nothing other then make the people who know all about it disappointed, but if people who do not know about these issues see it, they may not be disappointed.
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