Customer Reviews

Blue Water, White Death

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 1969 Peter Gimbel set off on the First ever Expedition to Film The Great White Shark. His Team included other World famous underwater Photographers: Stan Waterman, Ron & Valerie Taylor, and also Shark Attack Survivor Rodney Fox.

Their search for the Great White lasted for 9 months and it took them from South Africa to South Australia. The tension, the drama, the setbacks... of a long journey, plus the first ever awesome underwater photography make this documentary an all time classic and a living tribute both to the team and the sharks.

A lot of the footage that was Filmed had never been seen before. Some highlights like the dives with the feeding Oceanic Whitetips, and the final encounter with the Great White Shark are simply awesome.

Peter Gimbel and his team were the first to introduce me to SHARKS with this Documentary when I first saw it in 1971 and Since then, my life has never been the same again.

A True Masterpiece!!

I first have seen this movie when I was a teenager. And never since this time. I watch out for the DVD and now here it is ! Don't miss this movie. This is not JAWS but a very impressive shark movie one of the very real first ! It is an historical account not only about the history of scubadiving Captain Cousteau or Hans Hass began years ago (as reported in HDS last issue) but also about the way we considered Mother Nature in the 70's.

I remember seeing this when it first came out and have waited years to see it again. I have been a diver for 20 years. This is one of those movies that started it all. The stars of the movie, Stan Waterman, Peter Gimbel, and the Taylor's are icons in the diving and underwater film making business. This is the first movie of Great White sharks and the lengths to which these people went to film them are astounding. These adventurers went out in the middle of the Indian Ocean, parked themselves next to a sperm whale carcass, and got up close and personal with large oceanic sharks at feeding time. They also went to the Hermes wreck at 180 feet and off the coast of Dangerous Reef in the Sourthern Ocean.

- no dive computers, no DAN to evac you out, and never quite knowing what to expect. This is a true life adventure caught on tape when diving really was by the seat of your pants. If you are a diver or adventurer you must see this film. If you like the film buy the book that documents the adventure - Blue Meridian - The Search for the Great White Shark by Peter Matthiessen

I just watched this movie for the first time and I must say i was amazed!This documentary by Peter Gimbel follows his crew to exotic locations including South Africa, Madagascar, Ceylon and Australia looking to be the first to film the Great White shark in its own world. The footage is fantastic with some of the most harrowing moments ever shot on film. Truly the moment where one by one the divers exit the safety of their cages to film dozens of feeding oceanic whitetips is unprecedented and unlikely to be repeated again. I couldn't believe my eyes as the Taylors(Ron & Valerie) and Peter Gimbel continuously prodded away the inquisitive sharks while Stan Waterman filmed the breathless action. When the crew travels to Dangerous Reef,Australia and meets the Great White, the results are spectacular. Never before had a Great White been filmed in its own environment and the pulse-pounding work of these underwater pioneers is priceless. A great purchase for all shark enthusiasts or action fans this DVD comes with several extra features including a reunion of the crew members who reminisce fondly of their great adventures beneath the waves. A MUST HAVE!

I'd been waiting to see BWWD since 1971. Tried to get a VHS copy but failed. Now the DVD is out and a copy appeared in my mailbox, having pre-ordered several months ago. The movie itself is every bit as exciting as I remembered it. My wife, who is a also a diehard scuba diver and hadn't seen it before, agreed it's top notch. The real bonus is the high quality of the digital transfer. Every bit as clear as the original, with stunning colors and lighting to match. What a pleasure to watch. There is also a bonus feature on a get-together with some of the divers, including the Taylors and Stan Waterman.

Blue Water, White Death is a wonderful blend of action, suspense and historical underwater cinematography.
The shark encounters might seem a bit tame by today's standards, especially if you are used to watching leaping Great Whites on NG's Shark Week and other wild-life shows. But the movie was shot in the innocent pre-Jaws early 70's, when few people knew much about sharks or shark behavior.
Watching the divers fend off schools of circling Oceanic White-tip sharks off South Africa is intense as it gets. Later, in Australian waters, you feel the adrenelin pumping as the divers film from inside cages while Great Whites rake their razor-sharp, serrated incisors along the bars.
A special treat is watching legends Stan Waterman, Valerie and Ron Taylor, Rodney Fox, and the late Peter Gimbel, diving in their prime, and then seeing them today and listening to them reprise their exciting experience.
The movie is unique and belongs in every ocean lover's collection.

Having waited a long time for this DVD to come out, I was knocked out by the quality of the transfer, fantastic, all the scenes came flooding back from the first time that I had seen it, it is very informative for its time, as only one person at the time had filmed great whites, Rodney Fox, the voyage to find them, from south Africa to South Australia, the Taylors really show there understanding for these creatures, even getting out of the cage to swim with them, the extras are great, showing the young Taylors and Fox, then more recent footage, how they have aged over the years, see the movie that inspired Jaws, get an understanding of these sea creatures, no change in 300 million years, still perfect.

"It is adventure, pure and simple, laced with excitement and danger."- NY Times. From a Blue Water White Death fan, this review summed up the movie perfectly.

This is a great documentary. The underwater photography and action are incredible. Also, the movie is worth watching just for the cast of characters - be sure to watch the reunion of the cast in the special features part. I am so glad that this movie is available again for everyone to see. GET IT!

Outstanding DVD, I have been told about this movie for years and finally being able to see it is just great. A little dated, but this was when sharks were to be killed on sight, not swim with. Great to see how they treated a bend and the stand they all took about diving afterwards - we can learn a lot from that today. Highlights: lost diver, bend and the sharks woo hoo!