What is it about a trained, talking monkey that’s so thoroughly entertaining?
Not “talking” in the traditional sense mind you, but rather through
the use of sign language. Does the pleasure stem from the stunning visual similarity
between their learned actions and our own? Or perhaps it’s the fact that
they actually appear to be fully aware of who they are, who we are and what’s
going on around them. Whatever the case, the spectacle of a real-life talking
monkey, specifically a talking gorilla, is at the heart of director Barbet Schroeder’s
Koko: A Talking Gorilla, the latest entry from The Criterion
Collection.
THE MOVIE Koko: A Talking Gorilla, oddly enough, focuses on a gorilla
named Koko with an English-language vocabulary of over 200 words. She communicates
through sign language – gorilla vocal chords are ill-equipped for true
speech – though portions of the movie in which we watch her at a computer
and in “conversation” with her handler, Penny Patterson show that
Koko is doing more than simply reproducing hand movements that she’s learned.
Impressive is her apparent awareness of the elements that make up her world;
when presented with a new yellow sweater to replace an old red one, Koko signs
“red” to Patterson. Patterson, at first confused, corrects Koko
and tells her that the sweater is yellow. When Koko insists, Patterson realizes
that the gorilla is actually asking for her old red sweater. Also impressive
is Koko’s ability to describe objects that she doesn’t necessarily
know a formal sign for; a stale pastry, for example, becomes a “cake rock.”
The cinema verité footage of Patterson working with Koko in and out of
a lab environment is broken up by various talking head interviews – mostly
with Patterson and her colleagues about the ethical implications of a non-human
animal that has shown itself to be self-aware – but the only one you’ll
really want to see is Koko. The gorilla is a marvel to behold; a living, breathing
example of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution at work. With an 80-minute running
time, the documentary may feel on the short side for some, but any time we get
with a talking gorilla is quality time.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
The transfer of this film to DVD is as good as it gets, technically speaking,
when you consider the fact that most of it was shot in-the-moment on a handheld
or small, mounted camera. The picture, presented with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio,
is clean and the mono English-language soundtrack is a clear, functional mix.
Billed among the special features, there is also an alternate French-language
audio track with optional English subtitles.
PACKAGING AND LAYOUT
The whole package comes in a standard black, plastic snapcase with poster art
on the cover (complete with translated “signing hand” images for
each letter) and the usual synopsis/bonus content listing/crew info/technical
specifications on the back. The DVD menus are simple and functional, with footage
from the film playing unobtrusively behind the main menu.
SPECIAL FEATURES
This is a bare-bones Criterion release. Don’t even think about a second
disc; it’s probable that the first one isn’t even filled. There’s
no commentary, no deleted footage, no documentary. What you get is a newly recorded
11-minute interview with Schroeder in which he discusses the early origins of
the film. Apparently, he saw the idea of a talking monkey as a great plot element
for a fictive work. The footage of Koko was originally captured for use in a
background documentary on a fiction film that got as far as securing a top-line
producer (Saul Zaentz) and screenwriter (Sam Shepard). Ultimately, Schroeder’s
fictional talking monkey project sank and he realized that the film he was supposed
to be making was a straight documentary on Koko. That’s all for bonus
content other than a pair of essays included in the insert; a new one from critic
Gary Indiana and an older one (written in 1978) from writer Marguerite Duras.
It’s too bad there’s so little bonus material, especially since
Schroeder alludes to the existence of plenty more footage in his interview,
but c’est la vie. Enjoy what you get; whether or not it’s enough,
it’s still great material.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Despite the barebones production, The Criterion Collection has turned
in another winner with Koko: A Talking Gorilla. After you’ve
devoured the entire DVD, a process which shouldn’t take longer than two
hours (assuming you don’t watch the film twice, once each in English and
French), you may be left wanting more. Enjoy what you’ve got and rely
on the Internet for the rest. Even a cursory glance at Koko-related websites
will reveal that the gorilla is indeed still around and her vocabulary has surpassed
1,000 English words (thanks to Wikipedia.org
for that information). The feather-light helping of bonus material is a disappointment
to be sure, but the film is good enough to overlook that fact (not to mention
the atypical low price tag of around $20). See this at your leisure, but unless
you’ve got real issues with evolution (this isn’t likely to get
a White House screening anytime soon), this is one film that a really good fit
for anyone.
DVD Film Score: A
DVD Audio/Video Score: B
DVD Packaging and Layout Score: B+
DVD Special Features Score: C Overall Score: B+
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