Storm Boy

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...

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 touching, very human movie that is a great story. The natural Austarlian coastline locales are stunning. It seems to be usually not very sunny which adds to the mood (and the visual beauty of the place as well; I think the weather is a necessary ingredient in making this such an excellent film.) This is the most real movie (maybe) I've ever seen. A ten-year-old boy lives with his father in a shack-y, though cozy, small hand-built house located right near the beach. Father has a very small fishing boat. We don't see him actually fishing, but on the dock preparing to go out, or coming back in. He puts food on the table and seems to do a good job caring for his son, who loves him. The boy is not in school and this becomes an issue as the story progresses. The boy meets a young Aborigine man (in his early 20s) one day when he is out on his own, as he tends to be, sailing on his tiny homemade raft, and after encountering each other a second time they become friends. While they are together, they find three baby orphan pelicans, which Storm Boy adopts. (Storm Boy being the nickname given to him by his Aborigine friend.) I don't want to tell anymore so as not to ruin it. Let it suffice to say that drama ensues, in various ways, as the story goes on, and it is all moving, and as I said, very human. It will definitely touch your emotions. I think this is a story everyone could relate to.

There are so few opportunities these days for children to feel connected to their natural surroundings. The magically natural setting for "Storm Boy" lifts the soul and heightens the emotional responses to the issues of growing up, connecting, letting go. This film is an absolute treasure chest of discovery for children and former children alike.

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.