Jacques Coustean

Jacques Coustean

The country of France has contributed many brilliant cultural figures over their nation’s history. There is a long and complicated history of rulers, musicians, artists, and philosophers. But what name was the first to come to mind when I began to search for an artist from my ancestor’s country of origin? None other than Jacques Cousteau, the red-knit-cap-wearing, fishy-loving filmmaker who pioneered underwater photography. Through the use of documentary, Cousteau brought up from the deep whole new worlds unseen by the public until he entered the scene.

Jacques-Yves Cousteau had a life-long affinity for water, even since childhood. Born on 1910, young Jacques always enjoyed swimming, and when he decided to go into the French armed forces at the age of 20, the Navy was the obvious choice (Cousteau Society). Great artists and scientists alike often speak of a moment of inspiration, one specific instance where an idea strikes the brain with such force that it must be carried out. Cousteau speaks of how fortunate he was to have just such a moment, as a young naval officer. He was swimming in the Mediterranean using goggles, when he became mesmerized by his new found ability to look with equal ease at the structures both above and below the water’s surface (Tebbe). If he could combine his love of the aquatic with his affinity for film, he could provide the whole world with goggles to view the sea.

Eight years later, Jacques Cousteau made his first underwater film, “10 Fathoms Down.” Incredibly, the movie was shot entirely with breath-hold diving. Naturally, this greatly limited the scope of the project. Because of his desire to explore the depths with more ease and for longer periods of time, Cousteau and Emile Gagnan developed the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, or scuba, as it is commonly known (Cousteau Society). This invention revolutionized sea research and exploration, and opened up a world of possibilities in the realm of underwater filming/photography that Cousteau would come to master.

Over the course of his lifetime, Jacques Cousteau was instrumental in the creation of 144 theatrical and television films and authored 50 books. The pivotal film that launched Cousteau into the public sphere and first introduced an international audience to the wonders of the deep was “The Silent World.” Based on the critically acclaimed book Cousteau had written three years earlier, the film was released in 1956. It was the first color film using underwater footage, and the global response was tremendous.