Koko, a six-year-old gorilla, is the subject of a controversial Stanford University research project conducted by Penny Patterson. A perceptive simian who communicates with humans via sign language, Koko knows more than 300 signs and can combine them to make new hybrid descriptions. Director Schroeder and cinematographer Almendros present a visual argument exposing the contradictions that arise when scientific experiments are used to graph human behavior onto animals.

DVD ; Dolby digital mono.

Features: Koko, Penny Patterson, Carl Pribram, Saul Kitchener, Roger Fouts.

Director, Barbet Schroeder ; executive producers, Dale Djerassi and Barbet Schroeder ; camera, Nestor Almendros with additional footage by Ned Burgess ; editors, Denise de Casabianca, Dominique Auvray ; production, Margaret Menegoz ; production assistant, George Csicsery.

Originally produced in 1977 by Les Films Losange as a French film entitled: Koko, le gorille qui parle.

Special features: new, restored digital transfer; 2006 video interview with Schroeder; essay by critic Gary Indiana; a homage to Koko from Marguerite Duras.