149.🐋Free Willy (1993)

Dan, Manny, & Billy put the 1993 action/drama Free Willy to the ultimate test--THE NOSTALGIA TEST!

“[They abused a whale] to make a movie about whale awareness [...] You fucking basically murdered [a whale] in the making of [Free Willy].” -Billy

Okay everyone, this was a weird journey back for us because no one knew what to expect from Free Willy. We didn’t remember it was two hours long. We didn’t remember about Jesse’s friend Perry. We sure didn’t remember Mykelti Williamson being saddled with another clueless white person? And that’s just the tip of this nostalgic iceberg because we go on a Metalocalypse tangent, how Orcas were attacking sailboats, adopting a manatee in elementary school, and we expose the unfortunate story behind Kiko, the Orca in Free Willy.  

Email us ([e-mail]) your thoughts, opinions, and questions about this episode or anything else nostalgic on your mind and we'll read it for next time on the pod!

 

APPROXIMATE RUN OF SHOW:

00:00 Introduction to the Nostalgia Test Podcast

00:18 Iconic Quotes and Characters from Free Willy

01:03 Reflecting on 90s Movie Culture

01:38 Free Willy: The Plot and Performances

02:54 The Cast and Their Other Works

05:28 Memories of Watching Free Willy as Kids

07:01 The Harsh Realities of Captivity

10:49 The Bond Between Jesse and Willy

16:20 The Climax: Freeing Willy

34:00 The Ethics of Animal Training and Captivity

38:13 Critique of the Characters' Jobs and Skills

38:28 The Absurdity of Recording Dolphins and Whales

39:13 Plot Holes and Lack of Security

40:25 The Plan to Free Willie

43:03 The Ridiculous Escape Plan

54:46 The Fate of Kiko, the Real-Life Willie

01:05:21 Final Thoughts and Nostalgia Test

 

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LET'S GET NOSTALGIC!  

 

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