Larry Karaszewski on DAY OF THE DOLPHIN

1973’s The Day of the Dolphin was based on a French sci-fi thriller about talking dolphins involved in a plot to assassinate the president. Its Greenpeace Meets James Bond storyline managed to attract directors as disparate as Roman Polanski and Franklin Schaffner but the task eventually fell to Mike Nichols who enlisted his Graduate scribe Buck Henry to tap out the screenplay. Starring George C. Scott as a kind of water-logged Dr. Doolittle, Nichols described the Bahamas-set shoot as his “toughest” ever. Georges Delerue’s achingly lovely score was nominated for an Academy Award.
As always, you can find more commentary, more reviews, more podcasts, and more deep-dives into the films you don't know you love yet over on the Trailers From Hell mothership:
www.trailersfro...
On our podcast THE MOVIES THAT MADE ME, join Oscar-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson and TFH Fearless Leader Joe Dante in conversation with filmmakers, comedians, and all-around interesting people about the movies that made them who they are. Check it out now, and please subscribe wherever podcasts can be found.
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple...
Spotify: spotify.trailer...
Libsyn: podcast.trailer...
Google Play: googleplay.trai...

[@Nostromo-hz1ud]

I would love to make a sequel to this film.

[@JaceDanielFilms]

*does hilarious Dolphin voice* it sounds silly but I'm tearing up. That made it infinity funnier

[@therugburnz]

I was only ten when our family saw it in the theater. We all really liked it. We all liked differnt scenes but over all we we entertained. I remember talking about it on the way home. My older sister and I would play "talkin' dolphins" for fun on road trips to Nanny & Papa's many times.

[@grantdervishi8186]

my parents introduced my sister and I to this movie in the early 90s

[@michaelp.9921]

Thank you, Mr. Karaszewski, for making and posting this informational review of "Day of the Dolphin". I also liked the film in the way it depicted dolphins in a more mature, realistic way than, say, "Flipper" (aside from the ability to speak). Having studied Cinema in college, this film is, I suppose more accurately to me what Siskel & Ebert termed a "guilty pleasure". I've loved learning about and watching dolphins since childhood and I just appreciated a more serious film in which dolphins took a more or less central role. There hasn't really been any other attempt to make anything like this before or since. I've read so many negative reviews of this film that it is great to hear your positive and sympathetic take on it!

[@kcd9900]

Flipper was Gay

[@carlaeskelsen]

Thank you for this. I've wanted for years to see it again, but no one ever seems to have it. 😢

[@paulamiles9559]

I was devastated and scared by the vulnerability of the dolphins in this movie.( I was 19). Did the dolphins know they were acting, what did they think was happening to them? Were they frightened? I have never been able to watch it again. One really interesting thing- Buck Henry supplied the dolphin voices for Fa and Bea.

[@ajdc88]

it's silly how few views this channel gets

[@jaredsanford490]

Thanks, Larry! My Mom took me to see this picture when I was around 8 years old and it blew my mind that Gen. Patton wanted to communicate with dolphins.

[@phillipleconte3715]

terrific commentary Larry....been enjoying your pic picks

[@crabnebula1914]

Best tagline in the history of all taglines.

[@barneyronnie]

Thanks, Larry. Spoken like a true beatnik!!

[@flmlvr]

I was also near the same age when I first saw the film - I was 13. But like Larry, I remember really liking it. I saw it again on Tribeca Shortlist and guess what? I STILL liked it. I agree with Larry on every point and the biggest one being that they treated the subject with utmost seriousness. As many times as "Oh shit" has been muttered in a movie, it was never to such great effect as it was in this film. Yes, I think it's very watchable - and maybe it should be given a second look.

[@lamecasuelas2]

Sounds like Phase IV but for dolphins.....and that Is fucking awesome!!

[@shaunmason3243]

I've aways loved this movie as well. I am the same age as Larry.

[@flyboy2880]

The best music score ever.

[@JohnInTheShelter]

As a kid I burst out laughing when Paul Sorvino yells, "Everybody loves everybody, now for Christ's sake let's get the hell out of here."

[@atthebeach709]

great commentary and info on this obscure film, but where is the actual trailer for it?

[@videosuperhighway7655]

Found this because I ran across an ad looking at a 1974 NYT Newspaper.

[@LannieLord]

Production Designer Richard Sylbert was the brilliant guy who made you really believe Rosemarys Baby was filmed inside a New York City apartment building and not a Hollywood set!

[@lylegorch5956]

I remember the novel, too. Both were very entertaining.

[@hartranft66]

i love this movie!!

[@MAMoreno]

This movie is aching for a remake that throws in some more John Lilly/ Margaret Howe references.

[@Taranau]

What makes this movie all the more unnerving, is that it is known that The Soviet Union/Russia has trained Pilot Whales and Beluga Whales, to do the things the Dolphins in this movie were trained to do... And, if Russia has done this, then, so have other countries...

[@vampireducks1622]

Apparently the Scott character is based on the remarkable scientist John C. Lilly.

[@williamcrowe2576]

It could've been worse, I suppose. I mean, the last words they would've heard from Fa before getting killed may have been "So long, and thanks for all the fish".

[@jlastre]

Saw this when it came out when I was 9. Had the same sort effect on me

[@major600]

Jeez, you give away the whole freakin' movie! Buck Henry supplied Fa's voice, btw.

[@janineballian6200]

Hello is it possible to watch the full movie ,I cannot find it thank you

[@MichaelThomasMarion]

I love THE FORTUNE.

[@sergioadrianalvarez]

I must see this film!

[@tubewacha]

The critics were full of crap. Audiences loved it. One of George C Scott's anti-government movies.

[@sfighter0085]

I don't think I've ever heard of this movie. But it looks interesting.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

I feel like the only one who likes THE FORTUNE.

[@claremalone64]

Oppeldeldoc1

[@philmfan]

Heavily advertised on television, as I recall. The fact that talking dolphins were involved sort of doomed it, I think; that sort of thing wasn't taken seriously at the time, would have brought up thoughts of Disney movies, Flipper, and Mr. Ed. Too high concept, perhaps, too much of a stretch for average audiences because any animal at all that figured too heavily in a film marked it as "not serious." That's why it was treated so seriously, Scott looking directly at the camera providing didactic information to get people up to speed on the science; too steep of a learning curve. Similar dolphin material was used in a Derek Flint spy spoof, but it was Coburn speaking dolphin. I prefer Nichols's pre-Silkwood movies, actually. Seems to be a case where slow audiences retarded his artistic growth. I think Catch 22 is great as well as The Fortune and this film.

[@DevilMaskMedia]

Is that Bernice Fish at 1:08 ?

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

Yes, it is.

[@JOECANDELA22]

I was 11 when I saw this film and I loved it. Another example of Hollywood in the 1970's treating sci-fi in a serious big budget way rather than the low budget way it was treated in the 50's/early 60's. It didn't surprise me when I found out Franklin Schaffner was connected with this film early on. He directed a famous film about talking apes (Planet of the Apes). If you get the chance, watch this film. You will like it. Performances by the incredible cast alone makes it worthwhile.

[@carlaeskelsen]

I never see it shown anywhere, sadly.

[@OneWayJesus777-x2n]

the time of the murder of sharon tate roman was at london filming this movie why did it come out in 1973

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

It was played straight, but the issue was the ridiculous story. What Buck should have done was just thrown out the novel (in which the dolphins actually speak English fluently) and written a new story that isn't so ridiculous. Yes, it's watchable, but campy, and a step down for Nichols and Scott.

[@ChunkyChest]

I love this era cause of the illogical approach

[@savedfaves]

I just watched this film, and boy, is it terrible. It starts interesting and has some interesting scenes and moody music and not half bad acting, but the dialogue then is shoehorned to funnel into the silly plot. As someone suggested already in one review, they didn’t need to be taught English to carry a item on their back. Also, how the people on the island figured out what the dolphins are going to be used for is utterly ludicrous (they are stolen away from them during the night). Paul Sorvino’s character wakes up on the beach after a nap and immediately knows the rest of the plot and exactly what they dolphins are being used for and who they’re going to be used to kill. It’s just the stupidest leap in logic I’ve seen a script make in a white. It makes absolutely no sense at all. The movie could have been good as I had no idea where it was going but it becomes obvious the script is fifteen rewrites away from being finished, even within the confines of its own ludicrous plot

[@steamfans]

FA find VEE

[@josephkearny5874]

An expensive and rather tedious Saturday Kiddie Matinee feature. It's not good and this expensive film was deservedly criticized and unpopular. And Mike Nichols was generally over rated.

[@grimlyfiendish5579]

This looks like the stupidest film the 70's ever produced...and that's really saying something! haha Also from one of my favorite years in film 1973. Sad.

[@debgibsonfan]

...but how do you know, if you haven't seen it???

[@tubewacha]

See for yourself. It is a good film. Very underrated

[@kevinrhea7332]

There’s no way it’s the stupidest, but interesting how the life of John C. Lily inspired both this and altered states, nice damned reference, check out atrocity guides documini on mr. lily and it makes both movies make more sense

[@josephkearny5874]

Ludicrous film. The most expensive Rin Tin Tin film ever made...It's preposterously ill-conceived-Pauline Kael