Rime of the Ancient Mariner

After seeing this piece, I couldn't feel anything but pity for Coleridge. His poem, a true classic, is truly mishandled in this bumbling attempt to glorify an epic that doesn't need the favor. The rhythm is off, the drawings are rather ugly and confusing, and the live-action shots are stupid (and often misplaced). The feel of the poem is lost and muddled.

The blend of biography with poetry and live action with animation makes this a true work of art. The narration by Sir Michael Redgrave is moving. The length of the work makes it easily accessible for class room exposure or TV/Video time slots.

28 years ago, I had the opportunity to view the film, fresh off the presses, so to speak. This visualization of the timeless classic, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, produced by writer-director, Raúl daSilva, was actually completed in 1975, and is a first-of-its kind film. The director once lived here, in Rochester, NY. When he produced it, he was the executive producer for Eastman Kodak's industrial ad agency. Rochester is one of the three cities where it was created. The others are London and New York City. Some seascapes were taken as far south as the Cayman Islands. The original reason he created this reading of the timeless epic poem was to help students better understand it. The Coleridge work heralded in the Romantic movement in English literature.

In my view, shared by Library Journal, NPR, PBS and other critical reviews, Raul daSilva greatly succeeded. The film received a rave review from the Democrat & Chronicle when it premiered here at the Eastman House Dryden Theater. The reviewer noted that the director also wanted to celebrate the efforts of past illustrators to bring life to the great poem.

Among those illustrators is the historically significant 19th Century engraver, Gustave Doré, whose illustrations brought visual power to this and other poems and stories. By incorporating Doré's illustrations, the film succeeds on two levels: one, in bringing to the screen the immortal poem itself; and two, in letting viewers enjoy the work of a great illustrator.

This Samuel Taylor Coleridge work speaks to the sanctity of all life on Earth. Although written in 1798, the world still struggles to get its message.

The Ancient Mariner is a truly classic piece of work, as the original poem was/is. The context/setting with the old mariner himself is fine, clear, and without pretense. The artistic work that accompanies the reading of the poem fits perfectly the time/period of the setting and of the work itself, carrying the audience into the period with a still, yet moving accompaniment, using excellent still-movement strategies only well conquered by the pre-MTV era producers and much less apparent in more current works. (MTV brought to television and video a static movement that races through, often irrelevant cuts, from theme to theme without forward movement and without clear relationships to theme or storyline.) The voice, intonation and vitality of Redgrave's reading brings this touching poem to life with all its fear, strife and pain. In addition, the smooth movement of the video emphasizes the cadence and occasional monotone (in this case a positive mood under the theme of the story itself)of the author's rendition of the ancient mariner's sad and spooky tale. This is a must for any love of classic poetry, the sea, a tall tale, that almost rings true, and a story that has left a lasting impact on our world and culture. Who does not understand the meaning of an "albatross"? or the concept of "water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink?" A truly fine experience. Thank you Mr. DaSilva for bringing this to life for us, never to be forgotten.

Years ago in my Junior High School we did in an amateurish way what Raul DaSilva did here with the Rime Of The Ancient Mariner. The art class was encouraged to draw Halloween style pictures of ghosts and goblins and all things that go bump in the night. The drawings were then used in a film to Danse Macabre. My own insignificant efforts were part of it.

What DaSilva did here is exactly what we did, but in a most professional and entertaining manner. Using illustrations and some sea cinematography he fashioned a short film based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's celebrated poem. Topping it all off is the narration by Michael Redgrave which gave life and meaning to Coleridge's occasionally obscure references.

This project was the farewell performance even though it is only auditory of Michael Redgrave. He lived another ten years before the ravages of Parkinson's Disease claimed him. It was a fitting if not traditional role to go out on. Certainly Redgrave knew he could not do any more after this, even the disease might well have betrayed his voice.

I've got to dedicate this review to Robert Seiden music teacher and Philip Tritt art teacher. In a profession that attracts at times some time serving slugs and I had my share of them, these two really took the job seriously. If you're still around I hope you get to read this review and I hope you're big fans of Michael Redgrave.