The attraction, which turns 80 in June, is returning to its roots as a movie production location that began in 1938 when it opened as Marine Studios.
Gary Inks isn’t a Hollywood mogul or a film industry veteran but the vice president and general manager of Marineland Dolphin Adventure can be excused if he seems a little star struck.
The venerable marine attraction, located in northern Flagler County just south of the St. Johns County line, is celebrating its 80th anniversary and in some ways is returning to its roots as a movie location that began in 1938 when it was opened as Marine Studios.
Over the years, scenes for several Hollywood movies have been shot at the iconic location on the Atlantic Ocean, including “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and the sequel, “Revenge of the Creature.” That legacy was renewed earlier this year when producers of the upcoming film “Bernie the Dolphin” chose Marineland as a location.
The Hollywood connection will be a central part of planned anniversary festivities that will kick off Thursday, May 31, with the reopening of the iconic arch at the front entrance to the attraction.
Every Saturday in June, visitors will be able to watch a different movie produced at Marineland Dolphin Adventure and some of the cast and crew of the films will be on hand to talk about their experiences.
Inks said the film features will kick off this Saturday with “Bernie night” at the attraction.
“For the first time we’re going to be able to show about two minutes of the movie and we’re going to be able to do something unique,” Inks said. “The trainers are going to come out and talk to our guests about how they had to prepare the dolphins for all the roles they had to play in the movie. And we’re actually going to re-enact some of the scenes of the movie.”
Inks said he believes Marineland is poised to recapture its filmmaking legacy and with the success of “Bernie the Dolphin” the attraction can be a prime location for future movie production.
“I think it is valuable because it sends a message out to the country, to the world, about the beauty that is here in Marineland,” Inks said. “We’re trying to capture that in some of these movies and we’ve been told that ‘Bernie 2,’ the sequel, is now in development. They haven’t even released ‘Bernie 1’ but it’s taken off so well they’ve already met with us on the storyline for ‘Bernie 2.’”
Lasting value
While the attraction became famous as the world's first oceanarium, the inspiration for its creation came not from the sea, but a movie set in Siam.
During filming of the movie "Chang" in the remote jungles of what is now Thailand, movie producer Merian C. Cooper devised a corral system to keep all of the wild animals used in the film from escaping while not revealing the fences that contained them.
The idea intrigued W. Douglas Burden, who would become the first president of Marine Studios and a friend of Cooper's. With partners Ilia Tolstoy, grandson of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, who shared an interest in natural history and filmmaking, the trio applied Cooper's concept to studying and filming marine life.
Construction on the attraction began in May 1937 and in November that year, Burden explained the vision for Marine Studios in a story published in the Flagler Tribune.
"Our aim is to build something which is sound and of lasting value, of value to the public, of value to the community in which we are located and of value to ourselves," Burden said in the article. "The dream that Marine Studios hopes to realize is to give the spectator a dramatic, vivid and fascinating cross-section of life in the sea where the struggle for existence takes place in even more violent form than on land."
Inks said he expects more movie producers to at least take a look at Marineland as a possible movie location and representatives from film commissions will be part of the Saturday night movie events.
“We have invited film commissioners from all over the region and they will come in and talk about the movie we’re going to show that night and answer questions and they’ll get to watch one of the movies that were made here,” Inks said.
Scientific synergy
While the attraction is famous for dolphin shows and underwater tanks that gave visitors a chance to see marine life up close, Marineland has become more than just a vacation destination. As part of the Georgia Aquarium since 2011, the attraction also serves as a place where scientists study sea life and work on conservation efforts.
"We just had a new shark arrive last week, a sand tiger shark, as well as about seven scientists from all over the world come to look at Marineland's research on the (shark) breeding technology that is taking place here," Inks said. "We don't know much about them and that is some of the magic that takes place here as we're trying to find ways to breed sand tiger sharks so we can understand their whole environment and, hopefully, keep a healthy environment in the ocean for these animals."
The conservation and research elements at Marineland Dolphin Adventure have led to a closer relationship with the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience right across the street.
"In the last year or two, we have really tried to work more closely with those guys," said Whitney Lab director Mark Martindale. "More recently, they have been trying to focus on an educational mission, which I think is a terrific thing."
For Flagler County Historical Society archivist Sisco Deen, Marineland holds a lot of memories. Deen said he recalls when the attraction reopened after World War II, it was a big deal for local children to visit.
"First of all, you could look through the glass and see the underwater creatures," he said. "Then, you would see a diver in there and then you went topside and the diver would take off his helmet and talk to you, so it was pretty cool."
Deen said his first visit to the attraction was not what he expected.
"My dad and uncles were all in the military and when my aunt told me we were going to Marineland, I thought I would see U.S. Marines marching and everything," he said. "But I was not disappointed."
Festivities planned
When the attraction opened on June 23, 1938, a crowd estimated at 25,000 to 30,000 people drove the 14 miles north of Flagler Beach for the festivities.
While he is not expecting a throng that size for the 80th anniversary, Inks understands why the fledgling studio attracted so many onlookers.
"Marineland is one of the few locations in the country where the natural environment and pristine waters have been left relatively untouched, so this is a very special location," he said. "For those folks who are concerned about the environment and conservation of our oceans, they find a lot of that kind of experience right here. You don't find that inland."
To celebrate the milestone anniversary, Inks said a slew of special events are planned over the next six weeks. The festivities kick off Thursday, May 31 with the reopening of the iconic arch at the front entrance to the attraction on State Road A1A. The arch has been fenced off for several years and Inks said reopening it was an easy decision to make as part of the anniversary year.
"I look at it from a marketing perspective," he said. "As guests would drive by, they would come in the lobby and say they thought we were closed. So when the guests tell you it looks like you're closed, you better listen."
Inks said the "historic relevance" of the arch "means so much to hundreds of thousands of people who had their photos taken of their families." Some might want to relive that experience when they bring their grandchildren to Marineland, he said.
As part of the month-long celebration, hours of operation will be extended on Saturdays. Normally, the park is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but for the movie nights, the attraction will reopen from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Inks said the attraction’s longevity is a result of adapting to change and keeping the oceanarium relevant.
“Amazingly, Marine Studios was opened for filming,” he said. “It wasn’t the intent to have huge crowds of interest, but they were so blown away by the enthusiasm for Marine Studios, it kept evolving into what we see today. Not a showplace, but an interactive, educational, fun learning experience.”