Stormbringer
Contributor
As an ex-serviceman myself I certainly would never demean the memory of any service man's sacrifice. But there is no way one can equate what happened to the crew of the USS Indianapolis as a typical example of shark attack...it was extremely unusual, tragic and no doubt horrific experience for all involved. Not a typical example of shark attack. But the reference many use of the incident is that its characteristic of shark attacks and that is not only wrong but misleading. Yes many were attacked in the water by sharks...after 5 days I am really surprised by how many were not attacked by sharks. If they were truely the man eaters that many suggest I doubt we would have had a single unattacked survivor, especially with all the wounded and dieing in the water. There were 877 who died and 317 who survived that tragic, horrific experience. But it was not a typical scenerio and shouldn't be used as an example of how sharks are after man in the water to prove a point about the use of sharks and shark attacks in the film "Open Water." That demeans the sacrifice of those crewmen of the Indianapolis.
I do marine research and have studied sharks up close in the water for years and know many experts in the field who also study sharks. Absolutely sharks are wild animals and as such and there are conditions where they will attack and sometimes even feed opportunistically on the sick, injured and wounded, especially the pelagic (open ocean) sharks that attacked the crew of the Indianapolis. No one is disputing that...merely pointing out the overly zealous attempt by Hollywood to perpetuate and captialize on the somewhat irrational fear of sharks held by many and depicted in the film "Open Water" suposedly based on "True Events." In ending with the two divers eaten by sharks "Open Water" went for the cheap thrill and all the advertising of the film perpetuates that fear of sharks mentality. They couldn't just have them drift out sea to some unknown fate. "Open Water" is another typical example of Hollywood's and media's atempt to further scare the public of sharks in the water.
I do marine research and have studied sharks up close in the water for years and know many experts in the field who also study sharks. Absolutely sharks are wild animals and as such and there are conditions where they will attack and sometimes even feed opportunistically on the sick, injured and wounded, especially the pelagic (open ocean) sharks that attacked the crew of the Indianapolis. No one is disputing that...merely pointing out the overly zealous attempt by Hollywood to perpetuate and captialize on the somewhat irrational fear of sharks held by many and depicted in the film "Open Water" suposedly based on "True Events." In ending with the two divers eaten by sharks "Open Water" went for the cheap thrill and all the advertising of the film perpetuates that fear of sharks mentality. They couldn't just have them drift out sea to some unknown fate. "Open Water" is another typical example of Hollywood's and media's atempt to further scare the public of sharks in the water.
BIGG_BUDD:Bro, I love sharks but you gotta be kidding. You are taking the biggest screw-up in the history of the Navy and treating it was a clerical error. Do more than google some quick information before you make a statement like that...read the book "In Harm's Way", watch a documentary on the tragedy, and you will change your mind about the role the shark played in that event. Listen to a crewman who, after 60 years, cannot go into the water and still wakes up screaming from fear of the sharks. Do the math, 570 men did not make it out of the water. That's not insignificant, my man.
I agree with you that Hollywood is responsible for continuously blowing the shark's reputation out of proportion. But let's not forget that these are wild animals who have/do/will attack humans. And let's not disrespect the memory of the men of the Indy by slighting the tragedy that ended their lives.