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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 9053
Released: September 14, 2004 |
| Our Price: $7.50 |
| Used Price: $7.58 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
ORCA: THE KILLER WHALE stars Richard Harris and Bo Derek in her screen debut in an epic struggle between a strong and determined fisherman and an equally determined whale. When the whale's pregnant mate is killed, it goes on a rampage, seeking revenge on the man by smashing boats, collapsing buildings and causing extreme destruction by fire.
Orca - The Killer Whale Reviews:
One of the greats 
2009-09-10 - Now here is one of the ultimate stories of revenge. This film was created in 1977 and especially with that in mind still holds some of the better cinematograpghy as well as editing. The writing for this film is also done on a very professional level. I remember seeing this as a little kid and the orca took on a scarier form than even that of the shark, talking about "Jaws" here. This is a must see for any film lover.
ok in a fun type of way 
2009-08-10 - Maybe its because i didnt go into expecting cinematic greatness a la jaws, but this movie isn't terrible. the acting is not really that cheesy at all....its more the premise of the film, and the effects behind it. the minatures look like minatures, and for some reason 'orca' likes to jump playfully amidst the trouble he causes in a sort of 'ha ha i got you!' type fashion, which obviously detracts from the drama the filmakers were trying to acheive.
ennio marricone's (spelled wrong probably) score is great, slightly repetative as much of his music is, but fantastic nonetheless.
i rather enjoyed richard harris' performance. though the killer whale expert lady is annoying, as she lectures him the entire movie on the whale and what it can do and what its thinking...only to claim she cant help him and has no idea what the whale is capable of when the time comes to go out and get it.
i would say dont compare it to jaws...but seeing has how there are constant stabs against great white sharks and one is killed in a rather silly (and unlikely) way in the begging, its funny to think the filmakers considered this a viable alternative. still enjoyable though. and good for a laugh or two.
*the miscariage scene is particularly bizzare and frightening, as is the way the mom decides to commit suicide against the boats fins. def pushes the PG envelope in the same vein that the captain quint death scene did in jaws.
Orca movie review 
2009-05-29 - I received this movie promptly after I ordered it and it came in great shape as it was brand new. The movie uitself has to be a classic I really enjoyed it and I thought it wasn't that bad for a 70's movie.
Underrated, actually quite good - definitely not for the faint of heart
2009-04-21 - 'Orca: The Killer Whale' is the story of a headstrong sea captain named Nolan (Richard Harris) versus an equally headstrong adversary: a male killer whale. When Nolan fatally wounds the giant killer whale's pregnant mate & she dies the next day, the angry male orca seeks revenge against Nolan after grieving his lost mate & offspring. The male orca follows Nolan to a small Newfoundland fishing village, where he sinks the boats, knocks houses into the ocean, kills 1 of Nolan's crew, and destroys a gas cannister that causes a major fire. The message is clear: the killer whale is drawing Nolan & Rachel Bedford (Charlotte Rampling) to a final confrontation in an ice field - on HIS terms. The enraged male orca eventually gets his revenge; he kills Captain Nolan on the sea but leaves Rachel alone - as if he knows she never tried to harm his mate. After killing Nolan, the male orca quietly swims away into the Atlantic, his mission accomplished.
The acting is decent throughout; Harris & Rampling put in solid performances as Nolan & Bedford. So does Will Sampson as Umulak, a native who had seen a similar instance involving native whale hunters. The hunters supposedly met a grim fate at the hands of a different killer whale, and Umulak warns Nolan about the whale's intelligence & memory - which may include a desire for vengeance. What holds the story together is Ennio Morricone's amazing score; a very sad melody that reflects the whale's grieving for its lost mate & offspring, as well as shrill string cues punctuating the whale's attacks against the boats - and Nolan.
The only reason this DVD doesn't get 5 stars is its lack of features. I would have appreciated even seeing the theatrical trailer on here.
What You'd Call BIG-Time Revenge
2009-03-31 - Well, here's an interesting twist: in this revenge film, it's not a human but a whale wreaking havoc after a seaman killed its mate and unborn baby. "Orca" goes after those responsible.
Yes, it's a bit far-fetched making a whale almost human-like but most revenge films are satisfying so the filmmakers figured, what the heck, let's cash in on the popular theme. It's also the decade of "Jaws," so I guess man-eating sea creatures were "in." This movie is nowhere near the caliber of Jaws, but it is still attention-grabbing.
Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling star, but a young Bo Derek is here, too, in a supporting role. Now, that's attention-getting!
