Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
4
Documentary
TV Movie
2016
58 min
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Documentary telling the extraordinary story of Koko, the only 'talking' gorilla in the world, and her lifelong relationship with Penny Patterson. Project Koko started as a PhD project to teach sign language to a baby gorilla, but as Koko began to communicate with Penny, an intense bond formed between them. Penny has now been with Koko for over 40 years and claims Koko can reveal fresh insights into the workings of an animal's mind. Koko's unique life with Penny has been filmed every step of the way. Over 2,000 hours of footage chart the most dramatic moments - Penny's battle to keep Koko from being taken back to the zoo in which she was born, Penny's clash with academic critics who doubted her claims and the image of Koko mourning the death of her kitten.
Starring:
Documentary
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Community ReviewsSee all
"I have always been fascinated by Koko the gorilla and have countless books about her & other gorillas who have learned ASL. This is a good documentary that I used to introduce my daughter to her after we read “Koko’s Kitten.” For adults I recommend reading Roger Fouts’ “Next of Kin” to learn about Chimpanzees & Gorillas & history of what they are capable of & what is being done to save them. Jane Goodall writes the intro if I’m not mistaken. Amazing book. "
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Melissa Craver
"The movie is eh, boring formulaic PBS/BBC, but the story worth learning."
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Sam chapnick
