Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
2016•U•58m•7.2•Released
DocumentaryTV Movie
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.
Director
Jonathan Taylor
Studio
BBC
Cast
Bertie Carvel
Narrator (voice)
Koko
Self
Penny Patterson
Self
Dale Djerassi
Self
Lisa Schuster
Self
Ann Southcombe
Self
Mitzi Phillips
Self
Robin Williams
Self (archive footage)
Leonardo DiCaprio
Self (archive footage)
Peter Gabriel
Self (archive footage)
Isabella Rossellini
Self (archive footage)
William Shatner
Self (archive footage)
Sting
Self (archive footage)
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