History Film / OrcaTheKillerWhale

** The Orca wants revenge on Nolan and co for killing it's mate.

* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: The reason the Orca is going on the warpath: Nolan accidentally killed his mate and unborn child. [[spoiler:Notably, after it kills Nolan, it spares Bedford.]]

** Rachel, a marine biologist with a [=PhD=] who has written at least one book on cetaceans, repeatedly refers to the orca as ''Orca orcinus''. Even a standard Sea World trainer with an associate degree knows it's the other way around.

** While the script keeps referring to the titular orca as a male, close-ups of its underside reveal that it's clearly female.
*** Which would actually make more sense than the alternative, as orca males are promiscuous and have nothing to do with their mates after copulation. But a ''sister or daughter'' will fight to protect an endangered pod member, and might plausibly carry a grudge.

* UngratefulBastard: Sort of: the Orca rescuing one of Nolan's crew from certain death only prompts Nolan to try to capture it instead -- although it was Rachel's student assistant who got rescued and he wasn't one of Nolan's crew until halfway through the film. [[SuddenDeath Shortest career-change ever, too.]]

** Rachel, a marine biologist with a PhD who has written at least one book on cetaceans, repeatedly refers to the orca as ''Orca orcinus''. Even a standard Sea World trainer with an associate degree knows it's the other way around.

* NotSoDifferent: Nolan's wife and child were said to have been killed by a drunk driver. At one point he compares the orca's situation to his own experience.

** While the script keeps referring to the titular orca as a male, close-ups reveal that it's clearly female.

** Bo Derek's character loses a leg, and it's several minutes later before help arrives. She should have bled out from severing the femoral artery. This may be due to a script rewrite, however, as the actual attack scene has her motionless afterward (with Nolan looking away, then leaving her side to threaten the orca). It's only later that Nolan mentions she's crippled, not killed.

* UngratefulBastard: The Orca rescuing one of Nolan's crew from certain death only prompts Nolan to try to capture it instead.
** Subverted- it was Rachel's student assistant who got rescued and he wasn't one of Nolan's crew until halfway through the film. [[SuddenDeath Shortest career-change ever, too.]]

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-->-- '''Dino de Laurentiis''' to the producer Luciano Vincenzoni after seeing ''Film/{{Jaws}}''

''Orca: The Killer Whale'' is a 1977 horror film starring Creator/RichardHarris, Creator/CharlotteRampling, Creator/BoDerek, Creator/KeenanWynn, and Creator/RobertCarradine, produced by Dino De Laurentiis and released by Creator/{{Paramount}} Pictures during the "When Animals Attack" phase set in motion due to the release of ''Film/{{Jaws}}''.

''Orca: The Killer Whale'' is a 1977 horror film starring Creator/RichardHarris, Creator/BoDerek, Creator/KeenanWynn, and Creator/RobertCarradine, produced by Dino De Laurentiis and released by Creator/{{Paramount}} Pictures during the "When Animals Attack" phase set in motion due to the release of ''Film/{{Jaws}}''.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Nolan suffers this and a not so HeroicBSOD when [[spoiler:the female orca miscarries her calf]].

* AwardBaitSong: "We Are One" by Carol Connors hasn't held up well over the years.
** As oversung as it was, it ''was'' by Music/EnnioMorricone, and it still qualifies as a guilty pleasure to some.
** The actual song itself might leave something to be desired, but the instrumental is another story.
** Carol Connors herself has stated that adding lyrics to Morricone's end titles track ruined a perfectly good piece.

** Subverted- it was Rachel's student assistant who got rescued and he wasn't one of Nolan's crew until halfway through the film. [[SuprisinglySuddenDeath Shortest career-change ever, too.]]

* PetTheDog: [[spoiler:After killing Nolan, the Orca spares Bedford and lets her leave in peace.]]

* SpiritualPredecessor: To the much, much LighterAndSofter ''Film/FreeWilly 3'', which also dealt with a family of orcas endangered by a profit-seeking whaler.

** On the other hand, killer whales are known to avoid areas with large concentrations of great whites, presumably since the sharks represent a danger to their young.

*** Played straight in the edited televised releases.
* HellIsThatNoise: The Orca's screeches, which unnerve and scare Nolan for sounding similar to human screams.

''Orca: The Killer Whale'' is a 1977 horror film starring Creator/RichardHarris and Creator/BoDerek, produced by Dino De Laurentiis and released by Creator/{{Paramount}} Pictures during the "When Animals Attack" phase set in motion due to the release of ''Film/{{Jaws}}''.

* ShoutOut: To ''{{Literature/Moby Dick}}'', obviously.