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Spearo / freedive theme movie on Film 4 this week: Alamar

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Mr. X

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I saw an interesting film, Alamar (2009), on Film 4 (freeview digital) last weekend. It was set in Mexico and in Spanish but subtitled in English - and there wasn't a great deal of dialogue so that was no burden.

Here are some reviews:


For left-wingers:
Film review: Alamar | Film | The Guardian


For right-wingers:
Father, Son and Egret in the Banco Chinchorro of Mexico - NYTimes.com



It featured some spearfishing but perhaps more crayfishing. Essentially about a Mexican father diving with his young son, who will be leaving for Italy to live with his mother.

This is definitely not a fast paced Hollywood blockbuster nor a predictable formula film, nor is it an Italian spearo tutorial. So kick back with a brewski and chill.
 
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Reactions: spaghetti and apneaboy
Amazing movie. Great, sensitive film making about interesting people/situation makes for compelling viewing. Not to mention the allure of a brief escapade into an idyllic spartan paradise. Too brief if anything. Many thanks for the heads up on this one, Mr X!

Know any other freediving/spearfishing/this sort of thing movies? I've seen a number of them (The Big Blue, Ocean Men, Shark Water, The Cove), but am always on the look out for more. Haven't seen a Greater Meaning of Water yet.

Thanks again!
 
Reactions: Mr. X
This is a must see, Tony. I'll check Alamar, sure I'll enjoy it. Nice find. :inlove

I could be wrong, but as far as I know, the first spearfishing movie ever made should be "Cacciatori Sottomarini" ("Underwater hunters"), directed in 1946 by the Sicilian nobleman Francesco Alliata, Prince of Villafranca and Duke of Salaparuta.

It was all shot on breath hold, and the cameras were ballasted or anchored to the bottom, so to keep them in place when the cameraman had to surface for air.

The film was selected for the Cannes Festival in 1947. Here some shots of the film and some "behind the scenes" pictures.
 

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Reactions: Mr. X and AJB8
Man, I have to see this. Tell me someone's got a bootleg somewhere.
 
I saw it on tv very late at night (everything with a value is broadcast very late on tv), and missed the chance to tape it. It seems unavailable on Dvd. Copies of the movie are in museums.

Now, this: a classic of italian comedy, "Travolti da un insolito destino". A rich lady and a poor sailor lost on a desert island. Social roles are subverted: for he can spear fish, he becomes the Lord and Master, while the rich Lady becomes the servant.
Some spearing from minute 2'45": [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPwiW8M4fx8&feature=related]Travolti Da Un Insolito Destino Nell'Azzurro Mare d'Agosto - YouTube[/ame]

An english director made a remake of it, "Swept Away", with Madonna starring.
 
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Seems I'm gonna have to learn Italian. All I got was angry man with stick beats up on pouty looking fashionista.

I've tried that spearing technique though. Pretty damn difficult. I'd bow down to the guy too I think.
 
Reactions: spaghetti
AJB8 said:
I've tried that spearing technique though. Pretty damn difficult. I'd bow down to the guy too I think.
Click to expand...

That movie scene exactly came to my mind when I got my polespear: so primitive, so manly.....
 
Waving at my Ancestors with Misumu. Has that come out yet? Available anywhere?

And once again, Mr X, great movie (Alamar). Do you know about the title? Was it someone's name, the place they were in? Didn't pick up on it.
 
Hi AJB8,
I'm afraid I only caught sections of the movie (but I hope it's on again soon -- once movies get shown here, they tend to get repeated, many, many times ) and I don't know the origin of the name (wiki just says; "Alamar is a district in east part of the city of La Habana in Cuba. This district is constituted with prefabrication construction in the sovietic architectural style." - but I suspect that is not the origin of the film's name).
 
Mr X

Yeah, I can't make any kind of connection with that wiki article and the movie either.

I tried buying a copy without much luck, then just downloaded it instead. Let me know if you'd like a link.
 
Alamar can be found on BTjunky as a torrent.

Nice to watch this culture and how Child, dad, grandpa live, learn, grow.
I liked the interaction they have with their world, the bird, the crocodile etc. Especially funny because of how people here would look at a crocodile so close to their child.

Also seeing true to life colours of such tropical environments, being used to those extra vivid/contrast postcard like pictures.

Thanks for the freediving movie hints!

Kars
 
AJB8 said:
Man, I have to see this. Tell me someone's got a bootleg somewhere.
Click to expand...

Concerning Cacciatori Sottomarini, don't know about downloads, but if you can make it to the CinemaAmbiente film festival in Milano May 31, they're going to be showing it there! Obviously, prints of the film are still available, but I haven't been able to find a place to buy a DVD.

Watched Alamar. What a delightful movie! Just a poignant slice of life for some special people.
 
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. . . and speaking of films made in Mexico with spearfiishing, ya hafta watch La Mujer Murcielago (= Bat Woman in English) from 1968.

BatWoman is every Mexican's heroine, because she's the best spearo (speara?) and wrestler in the land!

Five minutes into the film, there is a beautifully shot sequence where Maura Monti's stunt double goes spearfishing. Later on BatWoman uses her freediving skills to save the day when the evil doctor tries to create the ultimate sea mutant: combining fish genes with the pineal secretions of champion wrestlers!

Mexicans have a different view of what constitutes ultimate evil, I guess, but this movie is great fun, and the magnificant Maura Monti blows away those wimpy Gringa BatWomen from Hollywood.

The film is available on DVD from Amazon, and can also be watched on YouTube [ame="http://youtu.be/SRgigHFYsk8"]La Mujer Murcielago (1968) Eng subs - YouTube[/ame]
 
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Not sure I'll make it this year, unfortunately. Will see if anyone's going that way though and maybe ask them to do the unspeakable (iphone film it ).

And that Batwoman...looks like a must see for sure.
 
AJB8 said:
And that Batwoman...looks like a must see for sure.
Click to expand...

Well, Batwoman is one of the few superheroes with enough common sense to put on a bikini when she goes freediving. Then she is definitely a must-see

 
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