Jonathan Livingston Seagull

[Graham Ritchie]

Tonight it was all about sitting back and listening to the feature length Audio Commentary by Adam Zanzie, and his extensive and most interesting research into this film.

Thanks Adam for doing this, you have done a fantastic job, glad to hear that the birds were not harmed as shown in the film. This could have been a sticky point to the films success when it first came out.

I sometimes think that back 1973, it might not have been the right time for this film. It would be interesting to try it out once again on a cinema 2020-21 audience, and see how they react. However I think it would be a good idea, to include something in during the opening credits, along the lines that the birds were not intentionally harmed.

Thanks again.

PS "Ring Of Bright Water" is also a old time favorite of mine stunning photography, pity about the story ending though.

[Adam Zanzie]

Tonight it was all about sitting back and listening to the feature length Audio Commentary by Adam Zanzie, and his extensive and most interesting research into this film.

Thanks Adam for doing this, you have done a fantastic job, glad to hear that the birds were not harmed as shown in the film. This could have been a sticky point to the films success when it first came out.

I sometimes think that back 1973, it might not have been the right time for this film. It would be interesting to try it out once again on a cinema 2020-21 audience, and see how they react. However I think it would be a good idea, to include something in during the opening credits, along the lines that the birds were not intentionally harmed.

Thanks again.

PS "Ring Of Bright Water" is also a old time favorite of mine stunning photography, pity about the story ending though.

You're welcome, Graham, and I am so glad that you enjoyed it! Yes, I always get defensive when the term "animal cruelty" is lobbied at this film, because it was clearly made by people who love animals, and as Gary Gero stated to me with the upmost confidence, "Nothing was ever done to intentionally harm the animals."

Jack Couffer even told me that he thought my video essay lingered too much on the violent scenes in the film, and seeing as how he's now in his mid-to-late 90's and doesn't remember much about the production, it's telling that he at least remembers the experience as pleasant and challenging. You've seen Ring of Bright Water so you know that he knows how to make animals look great on camera.

Leslie Parrish did indicate to me that she did not approved of Ray Berwick's methods, and that she even had to get assurance from Gary that the birds flew away after filming ended, but I didn't feel the need to interrogate her or the rest of the crew about it.

This being 1972 when production took place, it would not surprise me if accidents happened with the birds. Hall Bartlett confirmed that two or three of them died of natural causes. He denied Jack Anderson's allegations of mass deaths and whatnot. The only part of Anderson's article that gave me pause was his suggestion that some of the birds went blind, because their wings had been bleached white so that they could look good on-camera. I'm sure that if bleach gets into a bird's eyes, that would not be a good situation... but I somehow doubt that a mass ton of the birds went blind, because otherwise, that would leak out everywhere, wouldn't it? And more people would come forward about it half a century later? Hard to keep that kind of conspiracy a secret. Leslie told me that she and her hairdresser personally bleached some of the seagulls' wings and that they had a fun time doing it. It's not like people were sadistically blinding seagulls on purpose! But again, this being the early 70's... accidents might have happened. It was a stressful production in a lot of ways. I just vigorously reject the term "animal cruelty" in this situation because it's such an oversimplification.

A theatrical re-release of this film would be amazing, especially in IMAX, once the pandemic dwindled down of course. One problem, though, is that Hall Bartlett's estate still owns a chunk of the rights and if anybody wanted to release the film, they'd probably have to go not just through Paramount, but Bartlett's estate and any other copyright owners (I'm not sure how many copyright holders there are!). I tried so hard to get in touch with Bartlett's estate. I was told that one of the executors was keen on speaking to me. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of contacting the other executor, who I'd already been warned was not someone I'd want to talk to... and that was advice which I really should have heeded, because not only did that executor ultimately decline to speak with me (after keeping me waiting literally for months on the matter), but they also proceeded to get to the first executor and so the first one declined as well. No matter how many times I tried to tell them how much I loved this film and I wanted to rescue it from falling into obscurity. No luck. Like talking to a wall with them.

So I had little to show for my efforts until I made my video essay, before then being given an opportunity to get this commentary out there.

[Graham Ritchie]

Its a shame that some of these people like Neil Diamond were not keen to give you a bit of there time for a interview, you would think that they would be only to happy, finding someone like yourself that's interested in the music and the film.

[Adam Zanzie]

Yes, that would've been nice, wouldn't it, to have spoken with Diamond. It's been suggested that Diamond might be embarrassed about what went on in those days.

His publicist always politely declined my interview requests. First because she said Diamond was on tour. And then for no given reason. Recently, though, when I messaged her that the Blu-Ray is out now, she thanked me, and said she would forward it to him.

[Graham Ritchie]

Another enjoyable night screening this particular blu-ray using the Epson VP, once again.

I would add, that if you are interested is this particular title, and it is certainly worth getting, do get it soon while the blu-ray is still available.

[Osi Osgood]

I would HATE to have had to clean that hotel room that the seagulls were corralled in!

[Graham Ritchie]

Walking into that room would be like a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock's film "The Birds"

[Graham Ritchie]

When I was out and about last week, I called into my regular record store, this time they had a lot of new stock, of old records. Once again I came across many second hand LP copies of the soundtrack for sale of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" This really does show how popular Neil Diamond music was at the time.

Anyway, this prompted me to once again watch the blu-ray tonight I am certainly pleased to have made the effort to buy it while its available. It might not be a film for everyone, but for me, its the kind of thing I like .