TV-PG | 3 episodes | Documentary, Nature | 2024
Earth Day 2024 sees the release of “Secrets of the Octopus,” a three-part, two-hour-plus long docuseries produced by National Geographic Films (NGF) and Oscar-winning director James Cameron.
Employing the same blueprint of similar NGF productions about whales and elephants, “Octopus” is a fascinating and mesmerizing affair. It combines brains, brawn, body, heart, soul, humor, and some of the most exquisite and breathtaking underwater (and aerial) photography I have ever seen. Although designed for the small screen, it practically begs for a full-tilt IMAX presentation.
Golf Ball to School Bus
With adults of the order ranging in size from a golf ball to a school bus, all octopuses begin their short lives (3 years max) no bigger than a grain of rice. Males die shortly after the fertilization of a mother’s eggs, and the female dies from starvation not long after releasing up to 100,000 hatchlings into the wild.According to what is presented here, octopuses are older than dinosaurs and are among the most intelligent beings on the planet. They have three times more brain capacity than humans! They have REM sleep, indicating that they dream. They can shift shapes to such a degree that they can pass through spaces as small as their own eyeballs. Octopuses can also completely change color in less than a fifth of a second, often assuming the texture and complexion of inanimate objects such as coral and rock formations. This is particularly impressive as octopuses are color blind and “see” with their skin.
Scarlett the Day
Among the half-dozen or so specialists appearing on screen is Dr. Alex Schnell, an Australian marine biologist who has spent 15 years studying octopuses. She spends most of the time onscreen bonding with a day species (or big blue) octopus she nicknamed “Scarlett.”
Almost instantly, Dr. Schnell and Scarlett connect via eye contact and physical touch. The latter leads the former on a “tour” of her hunting grounds. The pair shows up again in the second and third episodes.
Profiled next is the Southern blue-ringed octopus, a genus that wards off potential enemies by “brightening” its skin, a sign indicating that they are prepared to do battle but would rather not. If pushed, they can attack with a venom called tetrodotoxin that is 1,000 times more lethal than cyanide.
Taking the chameleon talent a step further is the mimic octopus that hails from the Indo-Pacific region. It can not only change shape and color, but can also imitate or impersonate other marine animals—something that confounds its two premier predators, the damselfish and lionfish.
Cameron and Water
Not usually known for brevity, Mr. Cameron exhibits a great deal of it here. As one of the executive producers and the uncredited director, Mr. Cameron was the ideal choice to spearhead this project. Some of his previous features (“Piranha II,” “The Abyss,” “Titanic,” and, to a great degree, the ongoing “Avatar” franchise) are set in, on, or near the water, and his knowledge of marine life is extensive. The final portion of the third installment spent alongside Dr. Schnell proves this point in spades.As impressive as the visuals and wealth of information presented are, perhaps Mr. Cameron’s biggest coup here was in drafting actor Paul Rudd to provide narration. Wisely playing it straight and delivering in a lower-register near-whisper voice most of the time, Mr. Rudd slips in the occasional comedic one-liner or rejoinder at the most unexpected time, which goes far in keeping the production grounded, family friendly, and not too serious or “sciency.”
Apart from some minor repetition of material, “Octopus” is a riveting watch from start to finish and should not be missed.
