Ring of Bright Water is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.
Modern advances in wildlife photography (Planet Earth etc.) cannot compare to the simple and powerful camera work by Wolfgang Suschitzky (Get Carter) who captures the antics of Mij, the otter, with an obvious passion and humour for a deeply lovable creature.
Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna (both married to each other at the time)are fantastic. They seem as a part of the stunning scenery as Mij himself and I was hooked at watching two actors NOT perform, but just let the camera capture their devotion and delight at all things wild and natural.
For those of us living the city life, the unspoilt scenery of the west coast of Scotland is nothing short of breathtaking and it's very easy indeed to relate to Bill Travers's character as he questions his quality of life, before he quits London to live a more fulfilling life. More interestingly, the film is far more relevant today than it was then as our hi tech digital world makes the London of its day seem almost antique and charming.
The film surprised me most because my taste in film veers towards more radical fare and it was only to please my girlfriend that I sat down and watched; within twenty minutes I was totally hooked -and by the end I have to admit that I was crying as much as she was.
A must see for any animal lover or city dweller who even remotely appreciates the simple and unrivalled beauty of nature.
Modern advances in wildlife photography (Planet Earth etc.) cannot compare to the simple and powerful camera work by Wolfgang Suschitzky (Get Carter) who captures the antics of Mij, the otter, with an obvious passion and humour for a deeply lovable creature.
Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna (both married to each other at the time)are fantastic. They seem as a part of the stunning scenery as Mij himself and I was hooked at watching two actors NOT perform, but just let the camera capture their devotion and delight at all things wild and natural.
For those of us living the city life, the unspoilt scenery of the west coast of Scotland is nothing short of breathtaking and it's very easy indeed to relate to Bill Travers's character as he questions his quality of life, before he quits London to live a more fulfilling life. More interestingly, the film is far more relevant today than it was then as our hi tech digital world makes the London of its day seem almost antique and charming.
The film surprised me most because my taste in film veers towards more radical fare and it was only to please my girlfriend that I sat down and watched; within twenty minutes I was totally hooked -and by the end I have to admit that I was crying as much as she was.
A must see for any animal lover or city dweller who even remotely appreciates the simple and unrivalled beauty of nature.