Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale

A pair of deteriorating boats keeps deteriorating and then one catches fire and burns. Drama queen sold popcorn on the boat in high school and somehow becomes the restoration partner. Arabic doctor buys the boat for cheap and has health problems. Doesn't seem to give a s*^# about boat or the movie. Black people denied a seat 75 years ago. Big news. Psychic talks to boat for no apparent reason and then she dies. Did I miss anything? This was indeed one sad attempt at making a documentary - nothing much for old footage of the boat or the island. I wanted to be taken down memory lane. I was taken for $12 instead.

Honestly, I was very spectacle about seeing this documentary on the Boblo Boats. And now, I am a better person because of it. This film explored so many fond memories of my childhood, and I am very excited to step aboard the SS Ste Claire again.

The Producer and Director of this documentary did an amazing job, and I am looking forward to seeing more films in their future!!

If you haven't gone out and seen this movie yet, you definitely should. You don't even need to be a Detroit native to fully understand and enjoy this film. It is 100 percent worth your time. And there is also a website you can pre-order the DVD from, very cool!!

I want my money back.

It is a Waste of Time.

You go expecting scenes of the past glories; about progress on restoration. Nope, not even.

I did not walk out, only because the person I was with thought it might get better. I got an apology at the end.

What this movie is really about: 1 Owner that has neither the funds nor knowledge for the enormous restoration and costs and 2 amateurs somehow becoming the center of attention (with one of them made manager of the works under whose leadership those works destroyed an historical boat).

That 'Manager' then goes into mental shut down needing safe spaces and cuddles.

The two key figures have emotional problems displayed on screen and in not flattering ways (for the movie goer to witness).

This is just a pitch for money and reminds me of the definition: 'Boat - a hole in the water filled with money'..

The only reason it gets one star is the narrator. Good job!

Please put it in a dry dock and sell it to a professional..

There is a lot packed into this full-length documentary--enough to be enjoyed by all ages! Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale is an absolutely wonderful movie that takes the viewer on a nostalgic ride back decades when two huge steamboats ferried people of all ages to Boblo Island amusement park. The filmmaker easily captures this summer fun by incorporating series of home movie clips from passengers as well as reminisces of devote local Boblo fans. Not just fun, though, there is real drama and suspense in this movie as you are introduced to the quirky group of people dedicated to reconstructing the Boblo Boats, despite formidable obstacles.

The photography is state of the art and at times breathtaking! And Martha Reeves's narration of the movie was spot on with her melodic and engaging voice. We learn an important history lesson with this movie, too-that there was "another Rosa Parks," a young woman named Sarah Elizabeth Ray, whose Supreme Court ruling set the stage for momentous civil rights legislation. It is no wonder that this documentary has won at least three awards in film festivals!

Boblo Boats is not just a historical documentary that recounts the history of the popular boats used to go to and from Boblo Island. It captures the hearts and souls of the people who loved and continue to love both the boat and the island amusement park. The photography is excellent, but it is the telling of the story by the boat itself that truly brings the story alive and changes the film from just a documentary to a film that almost magically pulls the viewer into the story of the boats, the island, and the people who loved them.

Even for those who did not grow up with the park and boats, the film triggers childhood memories of old amusement parks and similar childhood experiences. It is a wonderful and heartwarming film!