Louis Psihoyo’s The Cove (2009) is an exposé documentary foregrounding the issue of dolphin slaughtering in Taiji, Japan. Psihoyos’s captures and probes into the Japanese tradition of hunting, and the present issue of dolphins selling to aquariums around the world. The documentarian features leading activist for the cause Rick O’Barry who fundamentally created the dolphin trade through the 1960’s TV show franchise “Flipper”. The documentarian is biased and outlines the negative portrayal upon the Japanese fishermen, personally, I believe Psihoyo’s enabled me to reflect and form a reasoned opinion on an inhumane issue I was astoundingly unaware of. O’Barry disclosed and unveiled to me the small cove in Taiji is “a little town with a big secret.”
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I had never thought a town that appears to promote itself on dolphins and whales for tourism would be able to commit slaughtering practices upon these idolised mammals. The documentary was shocking on a cultural level as it captures an insight for the western society into Japanese corruption amidst organisations; exposing lengths they are going to in order to cover up Taiji’s dolphin slaughtering cove and mercury issue. This documentary convinced me furthermore through the explicit images and interviews with officials of the organisations, making them look foolish, for they are living in an environment filled with exploitation and corruption. It has been stated by the Japanese that the killings for dolphin meat are based on culture, yet Japanese residents claim they have no intention eating the meat. Another case is the meeting O’Barry had with the International Whaling Commission representative about the mercury levels in whale meat that it was cheap dolphin meat. The representative dismissed these accusations, although later the representative himself was tested positive for mercury poisoning due to consumption of dolphin meat. O’Barry went on to say, “here in Taiji you can go to the whale museum and watch a dolphin show and eat dolphin meat at the same time.” The irony is hard to consider across all situations, as the documentarian has made the Japanese look foolish. After examining the documentary, I was embarrassed for the Japanese, as they are more worried about the dolphin trade and the monetary income it brings than their own personal welfare that has involved poisoning themselves and their community with
I had never thought a town that appears to promote itself on dolphins and whales for tourism would be able to commit slaughtering practices upon these idolised mammals. The documentary was shocking on a cultural level as it captures an insight for the western society into Japanese corruption amidst organisations; exposing lengths they are going to in order to cover up Taiji’s dolphin slaughtering cove and mercury issue. This documentary convinced me furthermore through the explicit images and interviews with officials of the organisations, making them look foolish, for they are living in an environment filled with exploitation and corruption. It has been stated by the Japanese that the killings for dolphin meat are based on culture, yet Japanese residents claim they have no intention eating the meat. Another case is the meeting O’Barry had with the International Whaling Commission representative about the mercury levels in whale meat that it was cheap dolphin meat. The representative dismissed these accusations, although later the representative himself was tested positive for mercury poisoning due to consumption of dolphin meat. O’Barry went on to say, “here in Taiji you can go to the whale museum and watch a dolphin show and eat dolphin meat at the same time.” The irony is hard to consider across all situations, as the documentarian has made the Japanese look foolish. After examining the documentary, I was embarrassed for the Japanese, as they are more worried about the dolphin trade and the monetary income it brings than their own personal welfare that has involved poisoning themselves and their community with