Koko: A Talking Gorilla
{{Infobox film
| name = Koko: A Talking Gorilla
| image = KokoPoster.jpg
| caption = DVD cover art
| director = Barbet Schroeder
| producer = Margaret Ménégoz
| writer =
| starring = Koko
Francine Patterson
| music =
| cinematography = Néstor Almendros
| editing = Denise De Casabianca
Dominique Auvray
| distributor = Les Films du Losange
The Criterion Collection
| released = {{Film date|1978|10}}
| runtime = 80 minutes
| country = France
| language = English
French
| budget =
}}
Koko: A Talking Gorilla ({{langx|fr|Koko, le gorille qui parle}}) is a 1978 French documentary film directed by Barbet Schroeder that focuses on Francine Patterson and her work with Koko, the gorilla. Patterson claims to have taught Koko to communicate with humans using symbols taken from American Sign Language. The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/1997/year/1978.html|title=Festival de Cannes: Koko: A Talking Gorilla|website=festival-cannes.com|publisher=Festival de Cannes|access-date=23 May 2009}}{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/koko-celebrity-gorilla-mastered-sign-language-dies/story?id=56055237|title=Koko the gorilla dies: 'She taught me so much,' trainer says|last=Hutchinson|first=Bill|date=21 June 2018|publisher=ABC News|access-date=29 April 2020}}
Synopsis
The film introduces Koko soon after she was brought from the San Francisco Zoo to Stanford University by Francine Patterson for a controversial experiment. She would be taught American Sign Language. Director Schroeder dove into the widely discussed debate about animal rights, and whether they should be treated as individuals.
Reception
Janet Maslin of The New York Times called the film "handsomely photographed", and wrote: "Koko does present some fascinating insights into matters of behavior and education. And Mr. Schroeder has assembled this funny, provocative documentary with gratifying intelligence and care."{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/04/archives/film-koko-tale-of-a-talking-gorillafascinating-insights.html |title=Film: 'Koko,' Tale of a Talking Gorilla: Fascinating Insights |last=Maslin |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Maslin |date=4 December 1979 |work=The New York Times |access-date=29 April 2020 }}
Home media
Koko: A Talking Gorilla was released on VHS.{{cite book|editor-last=Bleiler|editor-first=David|year=2001|title=TLA Film, Video, and DVD Guide 2002–2003: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide|publisher=St. Martin's Press|page=323|isbn=978-0312282097}} In 2010, the film was released on DVD by the Criterion Collection.{{cite web|url=https://www.criterion.com/films/782-koko-a-talking-gorilla|title=Koko: A Talking Gorilla (1978)|publisher=The Criterion Collection|access-date=29 April 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Koko-Talking-Gorilla-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000FILVNW/ |title=Koko: A Talking Gorilla (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]|website=Amazon.com|access-date=29 April 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0076097}}
- [https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/430-barbet-and-koko-an-equivocal-love-affair Barbet and Koko: An Equivocal Love Affair] an essay by Gary Indiana at the Criterion Collection
{{Barbet Schroeder}}
{{Great ape language}}
Category:American Sign Language films
Category:Documentary films about mammals
Category:Documentary films about words and language
Category:1970s French-language films
Category:French documentary films
Category:Films directed by Barbet Schroeder
Category:1978 documentary films
Category:Films produced by Barbet Schroeder
Category:Films produced by Margaret Ménégoz
Category:1970s English-language films
Category:1978 multilingual films
Category:English-language documentary films
Category:Les Films du Losange films
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