Orca (1977)

"The Romans called him Orca Orcinus. Latin for the Bringer of Death." - Rachael

A fisherman battles a killer whale that wants revenge.
Starring: Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson

Link to IMDB

Okay, so it's not a shark, but the premise is the same and this turned out to be a winner.

Captain Nolan and his crew are hunting for a shark off the coast of Newfoundland, and there he meets Dr. Rachael Bedford who is studying the local orcas. When a crewman falls overboard and almost gets chomped by a shark, they witness an orca rush in and attack the shark, effectively killing it and saving the man!
Now that's how you start a movie! Whales bodyslamming sharks!

Rachael is a marine biologist professor, and has made it her life's work to learn the secrets of the orcas. Now that Nolan has witnessed their power firsthand, he's eager to learn everything about orcas, in hopes of catching one to sell to a zoo. Rachael warns him that he's only going to get himself killed, and that he should leave the whales alone.

Rachael

Being an expert fisherman, it's not long before Nolan's got a female whale harpooned, but the catch does not go as planned. The frightened whale violently commits suicide against the boat, and once pulled aboard a fetus plops from the whale and lands at Nolan's feet! Sweet buttery Jesus, this is insane!
The dead whale's mate begins attacking the ship and kills one of the crew. Cpt. Nolan is terrified as he realizes he's to blame for all this violence and blood on his hands.
Back in his small fishing town, Nolan tries to put the events behind him and cope with his guilt, but Rachael and a local wise man, Umilak, warn him that whales never forget and he best stay off the water to avoid the whale. Nolan isn't superstitious but he's also in no hurry to get back on his boat, so the whale comes to him...

Nolan: "Can you commit a sin against an animal?"

Reverend: "Sins are really against yourself."

Umilak

The orca begins sinking boats and wrecking every piece of the town it can get its fins on, causing mayhem and fear in the community. The people rally against Nolan, urging him to kill the whale before it destroys their livelihood. Pressured by the townsfolk and the turmoil in his heart, Nolan eventually heads out to confront his nemesis on the icy northern waters.

Orca has a little B-movie flair to it, but it's actually a very well made film and an effective thriller that had me gripped the whole time. The action sequences are quite intense, and this orca knows how to get some serious killing done! All of that creates a nice balance between the more somber themes of morality and obsession.


This attempt to make a dramatic movie that is so much more than a Jaws ripoff works out better than expected. The conflict of man vs. himself brings some thoughtfulness to the old "killer animal" premise. With some inspiration from Moby Dick, Nolan becomes connected to the whale and is also haunted by his past, giving the character complexities that drive him. The script is even smart enough to hint at metaphors, but hey, the concept of a vengeful killer orca deserves some nuance, right?

Be sure not to miss:
- Science proves that whales consider us "land retards."
- Keenan Wynn has a small role. He was featured here previously. Unwavering proof that this truly was filmed in Canada.
- The haunting score is from the great Ennio Morricone.
- The fake whales look so realistic that PETA was outraged before learning no animals were harmed.

Internet review:
"Forget comparisons and judge this remarkable film on its own merits." - Alan

Should I watch it?
Yes, it's a very solid movie and a crazy time.

Where can I find it?
Viable links here.

Orca gets...