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.
