Free Willy was more E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial than Flipper, as a boy and a whale united in seeking escape, freedom, and love through the story of a lonely, damaged, and angry foster child and an equally lonely performing whale.
By the mid-1970s, the international Save The Whale campaign had begun to make its voice heard in advocating for the abolition of the whaling industry, and by the early 1980s, the International Whaling Commission had proposed a moratorium on commercial whaling. This transition in public thinking was also reflected in films, from A Whale for the Killing (1981) to Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986).
However, while this campaign marked a considerable step forward in protection, discussions about the cruelty inflicted on performing whales, dolphins, and sea lions remained largely silent. The business of SeaWorld and others thrived on a model that was becoming uncomfortable, much like a circus. By the 1990s, the tide was slowly turning on using whales and dolphins as entertainment, and one film was about to turn that wave into a tsunami.
Free Willy was more E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial than Flipper, as a boy and a whale united in seeking escape, freedom, and love through the story of a lonely, damaged, and angry foster child and an equally lonely performing whale.
Bathed in the beautiful cinematography of Robbie Greenberg and brought to life by the outstanding score of Basil Poledouris, and the brilliiant lead performance of a young Jason James Richter, Free Willy would combine stunning animatronic work with a real Killer Whale, Keiko, held in captivity. It would challenge the commercial footprint of organisations such as SeaWorld and spark a renewed call to set these animals free. Keiko the Whale, like Willy, found his freedom in 2002 but died shortly after. However, his role in redefining our views on captivity and entertainment will live on.
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