Audio from “Marriage Story” Used to Deter Wolves in the U.S.

In “Marriage Story,” a compelling drama by Noah Baumbach, Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver portray a couple embroiled in a tumultuous divorce and custody battle. The film has received widespread acclaim and numerous accolades, including six Oscar nominations and a win for Laura Dern’s impressive performance as an attorney.

Recently, the Wall Street Journal revealed an unexpected twist: recordings of the couple’s heated arguments from the film are now being used to scare off wolves in the U.S. Livestock. A district supervisor from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Oregon mentioned, “I need the wolves to understand that humans can be threatening.” To accomplish this, his team utilizes drones equipped with thermal cameras to identify lurking predators. Once spotted, wolves are subjected to a loudspeaker that blasts various sounds, including the intense exchanges from the film, as well as fireworks and gunshots.

This method, known as “wolf hazing,” is preferred over culling since grey wolves are listed as endangered species. Interestingly, the performances of Driver and Johansson have proven just as effective at deterring wolves as they are at impacting human audiences.

According to the WSJ, drones were launched in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon after 11 cows were killed by wolves over a 20-day span. During the subsequent 85 days of drone surveillance, only two more cows were lost.

Among the film’s standout moments, Driver’s emotional rendition of Steven Sondheim’s “Being Alive” and Dern’s fierce monologue addressing the biased perceptions of parents gained significant recognition. However, there’s no indication that these powerful scenes are being used in the wolf prevention efforts.

“Marriage Story” debuted at the Venice Film Festival in 2019 and was featured on numerous year-end best lists, securing the second spot in The Guardian’s roundup.

In his five-star review, Peter Bradshaw highlighted the film’s “central rage-filled confrontation,” noting its theatrical yet intelligent execution.