Monday, August 5, 2013

Tuesday's Overlooked Film: Blue Water, White Death


As I'm sure Discovery Channel has let you know, this week is Shark Week, their annual week-long marathon of shark-related programs. As a big fan of sharks myself, I have no qualms about riding the shark zeitgeist. Therefore, Tuesday's Overlooked Film is the 1971 documentary Blue Water, White Death.

The film tracks the efforts of underwater photographers Peter Gimbel and the legendary Ron and Valerie Taylor to film the great white shark, one of the first attempts to do so. Audiences were amazed at the sight of these creatues up close, making stars of the Taylors. They would later go on to film the live action footage for Jaws and other films. Even with all the seemingly thousands of shark films available today, Blue Water, White Death remains a landmark of nature filmmaking.

You can enjoy the film in its entirety here. Thanks!


3 comments:

Todd Mason said...

Thank you, Brian. I loves THE UNDERSEA WORLD OF JACQUES COUSTEAU in the 1970s, and dug JAWS when it was new, but I've never been much of a Shark Weeker...and this is certainly the progenitor of all Shark Weeking (though I don't think we can blame it for SHARKNADO).

Todd Mason said...

I loved, that is. I loves in the past tense. Serling's narration didn't hurt...

Phillyradiogeek said...

What, you didn't like the crew member's guitar playing? :)