Blue Water White Death (DVD)
Before Jaws by Peter Gimbel
In the 37 years since this documentary film was made, our knowledge of shark behaviour has vastly increased, but when Blue Water White Death was released, the idea of travelling 12,000 miles in an expedition vessel to dive with great white sharks must have seemed insane. To a large extent, it was.
The stars are real lady and gentlemen divers of the old school, great names like Stan Waterman, Ron & Valerie Taylor and the late Peter Gimbel, who produced and directed. Australian shark survivor Rodney Fox also has a fin-on part.
This, the first cinematic presentation of the great white four years before its rubber surrogate shook audiences in Jaws, was shot
in Technicolor, but exciting as the underwater footage is, a lot of it is as blue as the film'stitle suggests, including reef dives as well as open water.
The film, which has been digitally remastered, is slow-moving by modern standards, though this provides much of its charm. There is no 'bigging-up' Pacific Abyss-type voiceover, everything is shot in a cinema verité style combined with pieces to camera, and the incidental music is gentle acoustic folk provided by assistant cameraman Tom Chapin.
The idea is that you'll feel like one of the team by the time you reach the climax of the voyage on Dangerous Reef. Perhaps you will.
Extras not included on our review copy include audio commentary from the underwater crew, and a 'featurette'.
Steve Weinman
Revolver Entertainment
www.revolvergroup.com
99min + extras, £15.99
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