Storm Boy

I found this film on youtube after seeing a few clips on BBC2's 'Coast Australia'. I have just been to Australia and to the Coorong in particular, so was delighted to find the film, for all sorts of reasons.

The cinematography was very atmospheric, making the best of the scenery and the weather. The young boy - Mike or Storm Boy - a name given to him by Fingerbone, an Aboriginal man he befriends, was excellent in the part. By the way it has been wrongly stated in other reviews that this was David Gulpilil's film debut - it was not - he played the young aboriginal boy in "Walkabout" some years earlier. Gulpilil is always a fine actor.

The pelicans were a delight - I had no idea they could be trained like that and watching them and the interaction with Storm Boy was extraordinary. It might be classed as a film for children, but many adults would enjoy it - I certainly did.

This is such a classic. I saw it first as a child and then the other night as an adult and I just thought it was magnificent. The way the aboriginal is portrayed remains modern even after a few decades. It is brilliant stuff.

A very moving and personal film, set on the windswept coast of South Australia. In many respects it could be anywhere in the world - as the cold and the wind and isolation are far from the public image of Australia. I first saw this film when I was seven with school at the cinema - and bawled my eyes out. The alienation from his father than Storm Boy feels is ameliorated by the connection to the land and the the animals via a local Aboriginal man Fingerbone - thereby making it a very spiritual film for many. I've since showed it to my own son who enjoyed it but then...inconsolable - said "why did you show this to me?!" Think Ring of Bright Water, or Old Yeller by way of animals bringing out the best in us...

STORM BOY was a major cinem success in Australia and some other countries in the mid 70s and deserves to be an enduring hit anytime it is shown. Sensitive and heartfelt, this glorious film about a 12 year old boy and his Pelican sea bird reflects those Belgian - French - camargue films of the 60s but in a very Australian way. Filmed on the windswept desolate beaches of South Australia in full wild force of Summer Antactric winds and with a true young Actor, STORM BOY nowdays should be a staple of any family movie channel and dvd outlet. The Aboriginal teen in the film is David Gulpilil, one of Australia's most celebrated Actors, recently seen in Rolfe Heer's awesome film THE TRACKER.

This timeless classic Australian masterpiece did not disappoint in the slightest. The cinematography is brilliant, the acting is great (remember this was 1976 Australia) - especially from child actor Greg Rowe (who is now all grown up and living with his wife and two kids in Canada). David Gulpilil also provides a wandering Aboriginal man mysticism to the film and he looks quite younger than in Australia but it's like he is playing the same character. A character well suited to him. The area in which it is set is just beautiful and while Storm Boy battles with his needs to see the greater world and gain an education - all I wanted to do when watching was to swap places with him. The film supplies a lot of themes about nurturing, growing, the circle of life (thankyou Lion King), isolation, friendship and the morality of right and wrong. The battle between life in general and the life the rest of the population says we should be living.

The film is funny at times, touching, sad and inspiring and will make you want a pet pelican!!!

Try and get to see this one - I know Target has them for $7- and you can probably pick up at most places for same price - or rent it. One disappointing thing about it - the DVD is a straight copy of an older print - it is not remastered, but somehow to me this added to it's age and quality - like a fine port on film.