Shark film playing at Imax shot by local guys
BARRY COURTER: Lisa, I know you think of me as this big tough macho guy who is not afraid of anything, but I have to admit that crawling into a cage and being lowered into shark-infested waters is not on my list of things to do before I die.
LISA DENTON: That’s pretty low on my bucket list too — though it’s still higher than watching one of SyFy’s “Sharknado” movies.
BARRY: Both require a stiff spine and a strong stomach.
LISA: We’re up to No. 5 on those, by the way. “Sharknado: Global Swarming” premieres Sunday. The tagline is “Make America Bait Again,” and Fabio stars as the Pope. I’m not making that up.
Actually, I don’t remember putting any shark-related goals on my bucket list. I think somebody has been adding stuff at the bottom as a prank.
BARRY: It is a big bucket list item for some people. For people who aren’t likely to travel to Australia for the chance to swim with sharks, Sharkfest is returning to the Tennessee Aquarium and the
Imax 3D Theater.
You can see sand tiger and coral cat sharks at the aquarium and then go next door to watch “Shark Clans,” a film shot and produced by Nature Films Network. That’s actually a local outfit run by Brent Mills, Rob Hall and Michael Love, not the Beach Boy. They do stuff for National Geographic and the Discovery Channel, and they shot “Shark Clans” off South Australia’s Neptune Islands.
LISA: OK, so “Shark Clans” sounds way more legitimate than “Global Swarming.”
BARRY: The news release doesn’t say who plays the pope in “Shark Clans.” I kid; it’s a serious film made by serious documentary filmmakers.
LISA: The cool thing about “Shark Clans” is that it follows a guy named Rodney Fox who was attacked by a great white shark but has since devoted his life to understanding the fish that nearly killed him. And not just understand them, but save them. He says this has proven difficult because, and I quote:
“Sharks aren’t very high on people’s list of love affairs. Sometimes I wish I was bitten by a koala. It would have been a much easier life: ‘Save the koalas.’ Everybody loves koalas. The sharks have been a difficult, difficult job.” No doubt.
BARRY: Now, I would crawl into a cage surrounded by koala bears. ‘Cause I’m tough like that.
LISA: And don’t forget the big musical news of the week: ’80s pop star Tiffany is coming to Hamilton Place on Saturday for the mall’s 30th anniversary celebration. I was going to sub out a picture of me from the 1980s for my column mug today, but my hair wouldn’t fit.
BARRY: That’s really a near pitch-perfect way to celebrate a mall anniversary, isn’t it. Tiffany at the mall is soooo 1980s. I am so sure.
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www. ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.