The Cove Documentary

Introduction –
Multimodal texts often represent a changing world and invites debate or discussion. This is true within the documentary, ‘The Cove’, directed by Louie Psihoyos, which initiated a discussion and debate towards the issue of whaling. ‘The Cove’ follows an activist, Ric O’ Barry, who joins forces with Psihoyos and the ‘Ocean Preservation Society’ to expose the brutal cetacean hunting methods and commercial whaling within Taiji, Japan. The crew exposed the horrific treatment and inhumane killing methods of animals by the Japanese fishermen in Taiji. The documentary showed Japan’s arrogance and selfishness through the actions of Japan’s representative in the International Whaling Commission and Japanese fishermen. The multimodal text explored how private enterprises can be exploitative …show more content…
Psihoyos presents this issue through the use of planned interview and raw footage. Psihoyos juxtaposed the retelling of Mindy-Rae Cruickshank’s story with the cetacean slaughter in Taiji. The use of juxtaposition between the planned interview and raw footage reinforces the message of the detrimental horrific abuse and exploitation imposed on the cetacean species. Therefore, this juxtaposition encouages the viewers to respond sympathetically to the mistreatment of dolphins. Furthermore, the director used raw footage, displaying Japanese fishermen slaughtering the dolphins within the cove. The raw footage makes his argument against coastal whaling credible and shows that the inhumane hunting methods of cetaceans are barbaric and unnecessary. Psihoyos debated that the cruel whaling methods developed by humans are cruel and unnecessary, this is shown through the use of planned interview and raw footage. The viewers are positioned to feel sympathetic and disappointed of the barbaric whaling operations developed by humans which deemed to be exploitative, abusive and