South Seas Adventure

This was the fifth and last of the original 3 strip Cinerama travelogue films and remarkable in its showing of 'bungee' jumping long before it became known in the west! As with the first four films it is an excellent demonstration of the Cinerama process, only at its best in 3 strip. I hope a copy of this film will be found and shown at the National Museum Of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford, UK, the home of the world's only Cinerama installation with regular performances. 'South Seas Adventure' is the only original title not to have been shown at Bradford where 'This Is Cinerama' is shown on the first Saturday of each month at 1.30pm. Other titles are shown during the annual Bradford Film Festival held in March.

I see a reviewer in 2005 questioned a missing print and lamented that this hasn't been shown at Pictureville in Bradford, UK. Well, I'm delighted to report that I saw a digital Cinerama print at Pictureville today, so I guess lots of people have worked hard to achieve this in the meantime. An enjoyable film but not up there with some of the others - seven wonders of the world springs to mind, and the one with USA and Swiss couples on exchange visits... One thing that seemed odd and striking.... the Australian segment had no aboriginal people shown. Everyone in Australia in 1958 seems to be white!

Thing is, you are amazed by the special effects of Cinerama, yes yes, but is it worth viewing it without them?? No; without the effects it contains nothing of its original values but some boring travelogue... and that, my friends, is sad.

The film is like a tourist brochure. It has all the nice pictures, glamorous girls, practical information and anything just to attract any tourist to this area, and as such it is terribly superficial. Of course, there are advantages, there is nothing wrong with all the pretty girls, and you would have liked to have more of them, but the finest asset of the film is actually the music by Alex North, adding a special spice of enchanting irresistibility. Apart from this, the whole panoramic film is utterly boring, almost childish in its inanity and just a speculation. There is a story, but if you expect this to be a cliffhanger, waiting for the girl in the beginning to accept or not accept her suitor's proposal, it's not very efficient as such. There is no action at all, and when it comes to Australia with instructions of how to shear sheep, showing how doctors and schools work out in the wilderness and other totally mundane matters of no universal interest at all, the best thing you can do is to go to sleep. The risks for doing so are numerous in this film. As a critic said, when it was new: "The title of the film promises some adventure, but there is not much of an adventure in this film." Indeed, none at all. It's just a glossy travel propspect, including all the desert backlands of Australia, which no one would visit willingly.

South Seas Adventure, is a multifaceted adventure, that has us travelling across the various lands that make up the Pacific Islands, starting in Hawaii, and ending in Australia.

We begin the journey on a cruise ship that carries tourists from the US mainland, to the majestic wonderland that is Hawaii.

Where we take in all that this island nation has to offer, from the perspective of a young woman and her male suitor.

Next, we follow a young French painter, as he hops aboard a trade ship, so as to earn himself passage to Tahiti.

He wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Paul Gaugin, and gets initiated into the world of a sailor along the way.

From Tahiti, we continue along with the trade ship to Fiji, where we tag along with the Captain, as he collects his cargo, and takes in the wonderful sounds of the islanders' voices.

And from Fiji, we continue on to the Hebrides, with a package in tow, for the local preacher (a religious text in Pigeon English).

Here he is greeted with the magical, ceremonial drink, Kava, after which he takes in one of the most wildest local traditions known to man.

A tribe on one of the outer islands, partakes in a folk tradition, where they build a tower 100 feet tall...tie vines to their ankles...and jump off, like some sort of bungee jump, less the elasticity of the cord.

Just watching this hurts...I can only imagine the pain these men endure to prove they are stronger than the women.

As, the story goes, a jealous husband accused his wife of adultery. But she claimed innocence, climbed to the top of a tree and said, "let us both jump, and have the Gods decide who is innocent".

Thus, she tied vines to her feet and survived the jump; while her husband jumped off without such a harness, and fell to his death.

Now, the men believe, if a woman has done it...so must they, in order to prove their equality, rather than their superiority, necessarily.

After the intermission, we skip forward to New Zealand and Australia, in the second half of the film.

Flying through the Southern Alps- former stomping ground of Sir Edmund Hilary- and over the twin island nation's 3 largest cities, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.

Visiting the Maori on the way.

We conclude the whole adventure in Australia, beginning with Sydney, and ending in the outback, as we take in the rural culture of these southern cowboys, and their open air school- the largest school in the world.

As usual, we are spoiled with a plethora of magnificent aerial shots, and Cinerama's typical way of taking in culture.

For those of us who haven't had the privilege of exploring the Southern Seas for ourselves...this is certainly the next best thing.

With the film, not only taking us on this journey, but also acting as a time capsule, and trip to the past.

Another wonderful Cinerama adventure.

8 out of 10.