Episode 129 – Barbet Schroeder’s Koko: A Talking Gorilla

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This time on the podcast, Ryan, James, and Travis are joined by Moises Chiullan to discuss Barbet Schroeder’s 1978 film, Koko: A Talking Gorilla.

About the film:

In 1977, acclaimed director Barbet Schroeder and cinematographer Nestor Almendros entered the universe of the world’s most famous primate to create the captivating documentary Koko: A Talking Gorilla. The film introduces us to Koko soon after she was brought from the San Francisco Zoo to Stanford University by Dr. Penny Patterson for a controversial experiment’”she would be taught the basics of human communication through American Sign Language. An entertaining, troubling, and still relevant documentary, Koko: A Talking Gorilla sheds light on the ongoing ethical and philosophical debates over the individual rights of animals and brings us face-to-face with an amazing gorilla caught in the middle.

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Episode Links

• Koko: A Talking Gorilla (1978) – The Criterion Collection
• Barbet and Koko: An Equivocal Love Affair – From the Current – The Criterion Collection
• Amazon.com: Koko: A Talking Gorilla (The Criterion Collection)
• Koko: A Talking Gorilla | Film Review | Slant Magazine

Episode Credits

• Ryan Gallagher (Twitter / Website)
• James McCormick (Twitter / cineAWESOME / Hopeful Romantics)
• Travis George (Twitter)
• Moises Chiullan (Twitter / ArthouseCowboy)

Next time on the podcast: Chris Marker’s La Jetee / Sans Soleil

Music for the show is from Fatboy Roberts’ Geek Remixed project.