Remarkably Bright Creatures: A touching tale of octopus intelligence
The New York Times bestselling book Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt has now been adapted into film and released as a Netflix movie starring Sally Fields. This intriguing story focuses on the interaction between Fields’ character Tova Sullivan, a 70-year-old widow, Cameron Cassmore (played by Lewis Pullman)—a young man searching for his family/identity, and an intelligent octopus named Marcellus who lives in an aquarium.
Set in the fictional Pacific Northwest town of Sowell Bay, the characters come to respect and cherish the wily Marcellus. His presence seems to help the humans who interact with him. They pour out their hearts to him revealing their inner secrets while cleaning his tank or returning him there after his numerous escapes. Marcellus doesn’t answer them directly but speaks to the viewer, bringing a fresh perspective with his unbiased views of humans and their strange ways. The therapeutic nature of their interaction with the wise octopus endears them to him while also helping them understand themselves.
Our resident movie expert Susan says, “Sally Fields captured Tova’s personality beautifully as she worked in the aquarium and shared her life secrets with Marcellus. I was most curious to see how the movie would portray this intelligent, caring sea creature—it did not disappoint.”
If you are interested in octopuses or just want to experience a heartwarming story that showcases how humans and other intelligent creatures can interact for the greater good, Remarkably Intelligent Creatures is a wonderful book and now movie that will make you think both about humanity and about what kinds of interesting life lurks beneath the waves.
Octopus encounters in the wild
Giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) are real creatures and can be found throughout the North Pacific, and Salish Sea. Scuba divers often encounter these sometimes gentle but still formidable multi-armed giants. I even once had a strange encounter with an octopus. On a boat trip to the San Juan Islands aboard our Cutwater 26 Rover my husband and I were in the Speiden Channel when we came across a bunch of seagulls circling around in a frenzy. As we approached the birds, we discovered what the ruckus was all about. We couldn’t believe our eyes. We were witnessing an octopus and a sea lion seemingly fighting each other. We watched for a few minutes in awe of what appeared to be a struggle between this large mammal and a massive octopus who was wrapped around the sea lions face. Unfortunately, we were on a tight timeline to get safely to the dock before dark and moved on without taking any photos. That was in 2014 and we have never come across anything like that since. It was an epic encounter that I wish I had captured an image or video of!
Octopus Facts
Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus, the largest octopus species in the world. Adults can average 50 to 100 pounds (22.7 to 45 kg) and can have an arm span of 12 to 14 feet (3.6 to 4.3 m). The large suckers on the tentacles of some giant octopus measure 2.5” (6.4cm) across and can support 35 lbs (16kg ) of weight each. According to the Smithsonian the largest individual giant Pacific octopus ever recorded weighed 600 pounds (272 kg) and had an arm span of nearly 30 feet (9 m).
While Remarkably Bright Creatures is a work of fiction, octopuses are incredibly intelligent marine mollusks. They are known for their boneless, highly flexible bodies that despite their size can squeeze through very small areas. As the smartest invertebrates on Earth, they boast a central brain plus mini-brains in each of their eight arms. Other amazing octopus adaptations include:
Three Hearts. Eight arms can provide challenges for the circulatory system. Octopuses solve this by having three hearts. Two hearts pump blood to their gills for breathing and the third circulates blood throughout their body to keep all those arms and tentacles active.
Blue Blood. Octopus blood appears blue because it contains a copper-rich protein called hemocyanin, which helps them survive at ocean depths.
Decentralized Intelligence. A typical octopus has hundreds of millions of neurons, most of which are located in their arms not their central brain. These neuron bundles or mini brains allow their arms to taste, touch, and act semi-independently when exploring for food.
Chameleons of the sea. Octopus skin features specialized cells called chromatophores that allow them to change color, pattern, and texture very quickly. This helps them escape from predators by hiding in plain sight and is thought to also aid in communication.
Venomous Beak. The pacific octopus has a venomous beak that contains cephalotoxin which is used to immobilize hard-shelled prey like crabs and clams. Their bite is painful to humans, heals slowly, and often causes swelling but is not fatal.
Problem-Solving Skills. Captive octopuses like Marcellus have shown remarkable capabilities. They can navigate through complex maze-like labyrinths, use tools like shells or coconuts to cover themselves, solve puzzles to get food, and as shown in the movie, escape enclosures.
Jet Propulsion. While octopus movements can be slow and deliberate, they are also remarkably fast. They suck water into their mantle cavity and then force it out through a muscular tube called a siphon, which propels them like a jet rapidly across the water.
Inky Protection. If an octopus feels threatened, they can release a dark inklike cloud. This acts as a smokescreen so their pursuers can’t see when the octopus jets away and contains chemicals that irritate a predator’s eyes and confuses their sense of smell.
Short Lifespans. As depicted in the movie, octopus have a relatively short lifespan that ranges between one and four years. Reproduction spells the end for both sexes. Males typically die shortly after mating. Females refuse to eat and focus on guarding and aerating their clutch of eggs. Once the eggs hatch the mothers perish too.
Want to meet Marcellus in Person?
The film Remarkably Bright Creatures was partially filmed at the Vancouver Aquarium in Vancouver, BC, Canada and the octopus who played Marcellus can be seen there. There was some use of CGI (computer-generated imagery) in the film, but it was done in a creative realistic way that allows the viewer, like the characters in the movie, to interact even more closely with this wonderful octopus. Other aquariums like the one in the movie can also allow you to see a giant pacific octopus in person and provide information about these fascinating and remarkable bright creatures. The Seattle Aquarium, Monterey Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium (Chicago), and New England Aquarium (Boston) amongst many others all have giant Pacific octopus on display.
Another Great Octopus Movie
If after watching Remarkably Bright Creatures you want to further understand octopuses, I also recommend My Octopus Teacher (2020). This intriguing feature length Oscar winning documentary is about a filmmaker in a South African kelp forest who befriends a wild octopus. This movie is also currently available on Netflix.
Remarkably Bright Creatures Movie: https://www.netflix.com/title/81911351
Remarkably Bright Creatures Book
My Octopus Teacher: https://www.netflix.com/title/81045007
