Octopuses are often referred to as being akin to space aliens. With three hearts, nine brains, and blue blood, they are so different from us that they could be from another planet. They are also highly intelligent. While other intelligent creatures, from humans to orca whales, tend to be long-lived and to live in communities of others of their kind, the octopus has a relatively short life span and is not particularly social. They are indeed mysterious and otherworldly.
This is an overly long introduction to a fascinating new documentary, My Octopus Teacher, on Netflix about a filmmaker and free diver, who developed a relationship with an octopus living in a kelp forest off Cape Town, South Africa. Craig Foster spent a year following and developing a bond with the octopus, observing the octopus for most of its life. The remarkable thing is that once the octopus determines that the man with a mask and snorkel is not a threat, the octopus becomes almost as curious about Foster as Foster is about the cephalopod.
In the film, Foster swims every day in the kelp forest, observing and being observed by the octopus. In the process, he records some amazing behaviors that suggest just how smart and how adept at problem-solving the octopus indeed is.
The documentary begins with Foster finding this strange amalgamation of shells pilled on top of each other that the octopus is using as defense or a perhaps a hiding place. The documentary follows the octopus as it uses camouflage, motion, and its wits to capture food, while at the same time mostly avoiding the kelp forest predators, including pyjama sharks.
The documentary is a wonderful glimpse into the life of the octopus. It succeeds less well when it tries to add a human dimension. When Foster, as narrator, describes what the octopus has taught him and how it has changed the way he relates to other human beings, it is more distracting than revelatory.
To its credit, the documentary avoids most anthropomorphism (with a few notable lapses) yet this attempt to represent the octopus as “teacher” may be the worst example. Rather than communicating what an octopus can teach us, the documentary provides an amazing window into the mysterious world of that most remarkable creature, the octopus. And that is more than enough.
My Octopus Teacher is fascinating and well worth watching. Highly recommended.
I heard a story of a chap who had a pet octopus in a tank at home. His wife gave him an ultimatum: either it goes or I do. She left and the octopus got a march larger tank.
I am not a fan of “pets” and far prefer the relationship going on here.
Thanks for the balanced review of this film. Octopuses are fascinating, for sure. I always appreciate your reviews of films and books.