Blue Water, White Death

Horrorphile

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Blue Water, White Death

March 6th 2009 01:40

Sharks are a very bitey subject at the moment in New South Wales. I reviewed Jaws (1975) last week, this week I tackle the real thing. Blue Water, White Death (1971) is the landmark documentary that inspired Peter Benchley to write the novel Jaws. It is the also the documentary that Australian shark experts Ron and Valerie Taylor worked on that lead to them being hired to shoot the real shark photography for Steven Speilberg’s blockbuster. Without that genuine shark footage Jaws would’ve been dead in the water (well, probably not, but it certainly wouldn’t have been as scary).

Directors Peter Gimbel and James Lipscomb were the first documentary filmmakers to launch an expedition specifically to film Carcharodon carcharias, the Great White shark, or as it was often referred to: White Death. They headed to Durban, South Africa, then to Sri Lanka, and islands in the Indian Ocean, and finally to Dangerous Reef, South Australia, where they rendezvoused with diving coordinator Rodney Fox, the man who famously survived a savage attack from a Great White and has the horrendous scars to prove it (it is his account of the attack that gave me the most nightmarish chills).

Director and underwater photographer Peter Gimbel

Underwater photographer Peter Gimbel was a man on a mission, and his documentary is proof of his conviction and dedication. The 35mm footage they get of the Great White is truly awesome, and would’ve been down right terrifying to see back in 1971 when no one had witnessed this awesome creature, arguably the most fearsome predator on earth, in its natural habitat.

The documentary itself however is a very leisurely affair. For the most part it comes across like a quaint Jacques Cousteau flick being shot for National Geographic, and is very much a document of its time, especially with the onboard folk singer/guitarist (who also acted as an assistant cameraman) Tom Chapin. His dainty tunes composed for the expedition seem to work in contrast to the somewhat ominous nature of the documentary, especially considering the movie's sensational title.

Well, it wouldn't be a 1971 doco without a folk singer

Most disturbing however is the footage the crew captures of a whaling ship and the subsequent harpooning of a whale. They’ve been slip-streaming the whalers in order to hopefully film a Great White which should, theoretically, be attracted to all the blood in the water from the whale killing, but the Great Whites never come. Lots of other sharks do however, and Valerie and Ron get into the special shark cage and descend into the deep blue to film them in a feeding frenzy.

Having a little play between sharks

They’re one hundred miles out at sea with the ocean bed 6000ft below them. The colour of the water once they’re submerged is a tranquil translucent blue, stunningly beautiful. The various sharks swim around them, occasionally bumping the large cumbersome cameras in order to test resistance, it’s a little unnerving, but none of these sharks are anywhere near as large or as ferocious in appearance as the one they’re most keen to film.

Having fun with the fish

It’s not until the film’s last fifteen minutes once they’re in the Dangerous Reef waters of South Australia and have rigged up a fake whale carcass (animal meat drenched in whale oil) to the side of the ship that two Great Whites are finally attracted by the smell of blood in the water. Great Whites can detect the scent of one drop of blood from up to 5km away! Although it’s taken almost the entire length of the documentary to finally see the eponymous beast it’s been worth the wait. The doco has become almost like a slow-burn thriller, lulling the audience into a false sense of security with the crew’s on-deck discussions over whether or not they’ll actually get to see a Great White at all, and then their pit-stops to film islanders, turtles, and other distracting subject matter.

Finally, the main attraction

Two cages are lowered into the sea near the expedition ship and Peter Gimbel, Stan Waterman, and Ron Taylor brave themselves in the shark cages to film the enormous two Great Whites, both about 16ft in length. The sharks are aggressive and chomp down on the cages, much to the delight of the crew on-deck. Ron even gets out of the top of the cage in order to film without the cage obscuring his view. The image of the Great White’s conical head approaching is scary stuff.

The crew watch in awe

The film’s only genuinely scary moment is when one of the two sharks refuses to give up, his jaws locked onto the bait attached to the cage, his body thrashing, the cage being tossed back and forth, until the cameraman inside the cage manages to cut the line to the bait and the shark wrenches away with it. Whew!

Back on deck and shedding his scuba gear Peter Gimbel is overwhelmed, the experience has left him in total awe of the shark, he is unable to properly explain just how extraordinary the close encounter was. He admits one point he thought he was a goner, but the sense of satisfaction for him - and the footage to later add weight to his experience – is very apparent. His job is done. But his fascination has been intensified. Blue Water, White Death meanders a fair bit, but ultimately it's a superb Great White document.

I couldn't find a trailer, but here's one of the crew talking and footage of Ron and Valerie swimming surrounded by sharks:

Additionally, here's a pic I found of a Great White shark caught in a set-net in Seven Star Lake, Hualien County, Taiwan, on May 14, 1997. Total length is estimated at 6.7-7.0m (22 ft). Possibly the largest great white shark ever recorded. Now this is scary!

Blue Water, White Death DVD is courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment, many thanks!

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

4 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

March 6th 2009 03:59

Rod and Val are Awesome.

I think I saw this doco some years back.

I used to be a kid and as a kids I loved sharks and dinosaurs.

Sharks are cool.

Comment by Bryn

March 6th 2009 04:21

Horrorphile

Damo, thought you'd like this one. Can you imagine watching this back in '71? No one had seen a Great White before, unless you were a deep sea fisherman ... All other sharks pale in comparison to the Great White Pointer.

Comment by Waysouth

March 7th 2009 15:56

Given To Gaming
Waysouth
Spanish Honduras

Excellent post, great background information on Jaws. I was a big fan of Jaws (I'm a seventies kid for sure), until I went to California to Universal Studios. I was about 6 by then, and on the ride where Jaws comes up to the side of the visitor's trolley to scare the guests, I got so scared I was sobbing and hysterical. Other smaller children were trying to calm me down.

Comment by Bryn

March 8th 2009 01:24

Horrorphile

Waysouth, thanks mate. I didn't get to go to Universal Studios, only Disneyland when I was a lad. But I know the ride you're talking about very well. I'm a 70s kid through and through (born at the end of the 60s), they don't make 'em like they used to!

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[ Next - WILLIAM FRIEDKIN's thirteen MUST-SEE horror movies ]