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Harrison Hayes Hogan

English 1101

Professor Justin Barbaree

October 30, 2022

My Octopus Teacher: An “Oct”ular Review

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live with an octopus for almost an

entire year? Most would probably say they have not; I certainly never have. But Craig Foster, a

South African filmmaker and founder of the Sea Change Project, used this question as the basis

for his marine wildlife documentary The Octopus Teacher. While Craig was freediving off the

coast of South Africa, he started to develop a special bond with a common octopus. This made

him wonder what it would be like to spend a whole year with the octopus – or in a broader sense,

nature. He believes that if one partakes in this immersive experience with nature as a guide, then

that person could gain significant benefits when it comes to connecting with his family, society,

and the ecosystem. I believe that the beautiful aesthetics in the documentary – such as the

intimate and well-planned cinematography, the successful pairing of the music and the scenes,

and the gorgeous setting in which it all took place – were able to convincingly win the audience

to Craig’s argument, in spite of his peculiar “infatuation” with an octopus.

The purpose of this documentary was to share Craig Foster’s enlightening journey of

living a year in a kelp forest with a common octopus for a guide. More specifically, it was meant

to reveal how our connecting with nature’s constant cycles, its miraculous yet everyday

happenings, and overall balance can reveal even more about how we function. But how or, more

exactly, where was this point made? The setting for this journey is in a mysterious kelp forest
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just off of a coast near Cape Town, South Africa. Craig Foster decided to document this journey

with the help of cinematographer Roger Horrock, who along with Craig captured all of the

unique angles of the lush, kelp forests, the vivacious wildlife, and the leading lady, the octopus

herself. By the cinematography, the powerful storytelling music created by Kevin Smuts, and the

picturesque setting, Craig Foster was able to convey his impressionable story with incredible

success.

For my review, I would first like to delve deeper into what I believe to be the most

persuading factor of the film: the cinematography. Within the first minute of the documentary,

the audience sees the octopus from angles foreign to most of the audience’s experience. The

unusual perspective from which the octopus is first seen, paired with Craig’s first words in the

whole documentary, “A lot of people say the octopus is like an alien,” creates a strange feeling

within the viewer. The audience asks themselves, “Should I be here?” or “Is it right to be this

close to an octopus?” However, the next shots begin to resolve this uneasiness. It intimately

films both the octopus and Craig touching and embracing one another. Observing these shots, the

viewer not only accepts the strange relationship that Craig is embarking on, but also forms a

bond with the octopus herself. Throughout Craig’s adventure in the kelp forest, he and Roger

meticulously and artistically recorded the octopus’s daily habits – her horrible fights with sharks,

her intriguing ways of capturing food, and her learning to cope with new threats and challenges –

from conceptually impossible camera angles. With as much eye candy as is in this documentary,

it would be difficult for most viewers to pry themselves from the story and, consequentially,

Craig’s main point.

The next aspect to review would be the mesmerizing soundtrack that followed our

protagonists through thick-and-thin. Not much (if anything) is said concerning the music of the
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documentary or the composer, Kevin Smuts. But that does not mean that the music is not just as

effective for conveying Craig’s argument as the other elements are. The music consistently

follows the mood of the scene, readily changing in dynamic. Craig discourses, “My childhood

memories are completely dominated by the rocky shore, the intertidal, and the kelp forest…. the

ocean used to smash the doors (of Craig’s house) down and fill up the bottom of the house.”

While he is describing the powerful influence that the ocean had over his early life, the music

swells and forces a dramatic air onto the situation. However, Craig transitions from the power of

the ocean, and expresses, “Most of my childhood was spent in the rock pools, diving in the

shallow kelp forest. That’s what I loved most to do.” In response to this sweet reminiscence, the

music likewise transitions from its boisterous, lording tone to a softer, more sentimental tone. In

that instance, the accompaniment helps the viewer to attach to the emotions and sensations of

Craig’s childhood, preparing the viewer to fully understand the issues that arise later in his life

and embrace the proposed remedy to his plight.

The last element that I will comment on for this review may be the most commonly

underrated: the gorgeous setting for this documentary. The location of the kelp forest in South

Africa was chosen by Craig in an inspirational epiphany and not in a stroke of strategic planning.

However, the soft kelp forests, the abundance of unique and beautiful wildlife, and the crystal-

clear waters of that region make it the optimal spot for convincing people to observe and learn

from nature. As Craig is beginning to understand the benefits of investigating how the ecosystem

works, he comments on how the tight, interlocking behavior of the kelp forest’s community acts

as one, all-encompassing system. Craig relays, “I could really feel it. That big creature. It was

thousands of times more awake and intelligent than I am…. And it just keeps everything in

balance.” Poetically described by Craig in the previous quote, this unique ecosystem gorgeously
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showcases wildlife living in harmony, and ultimately entices the viewers to explore and connect

with nature. The area surrounding the kelp forest is also filled with crystal-clear water, which

illuminates the scenes and makes the documentary as photogenic as it is effective. I believe that

Craig, although by mere coincidence, chose the perfect place to make his argument: in the dense,

multilateral ecosystem of the South African kelp forests.

In conclusion, the documentary not only made a wonderful point about embracing and

conserving nature, but also skillfully played to the viewer’s sensory response to impressive

cinematography, fitting ambiances, and the perfect setting to help prove that point. This

documentary may not be for all audiences, but those who do give The Octopus Teacher a shot

will not regret spending eighty-five minutes of their lives watching a man form a bond with a

cephalopod. Who knows? This somewhat unassuming documentary may significantly change the

course of some person’s life!