IMAX "Ocean Men" Review

[Spectre]

I'm not quite sure the best place to post this, but this is probably as good a place as any.

First a warning, some of what I'm going to say below would be considered spoilers by some people, so read accordingly.

Last night I attended a preview screening of "Ocean Men" at the Simons IMAX theatre at the New England Aquarium. The New England Aquarium Dive Club had extended invitations to a few of the local dive clubs for this screening.

To be honest, I originally was going for less than honorable reasons. I like IMAX films, I wanted to get out of the house, and it was free. While I admire free diving, I think they are all basically nuts. Ocean Men is the story of Pipin Ferreras and Umberto Pelizzari who have become free diving rivals much like Mayol and Molinari had been [if you don't know their story, I recommend you check out "The Big Blue" with Rosanna Arquette, released back in 1988].

The film was actually quite incredible. From Pelizzari freediving caves, to Ferraras freediving a shipwreck off of Miami [I believe]. The images were absolutely incredible, and almost unbelieveable at times. For example, there was a scene where Pelizzari came though a coral swim-through to join with two dolphins who swam around him. I watched and watched, thinking the dolphins appeared to be computer added, however seeing the changes as he bumped the dolphins every so often, you definately knew the scene was real!

The overall story was about the two, who swapped back and forth world records for the constant weight discipline of free diving [nothing but you and your fins]. They separated to two different disciplines with Ferraras focusing on No Limits diving [weighted sled down, and lift bag ascents] and Pelizzari (as I stated) continuing to focus on Constant Weight. With both of them attempting world records in their specific discipline.

For those with no interest in the story, the images are so amazing it will blow your mind... with visibility as far as the eye can see. The cave diving scene were absolutely surreal and the wreck diving scene left me basically speechless [which if you know me, is a difficult thing!]. Since I dive to give myself a sense of peace and relaxation, I watched in awe as Pelizzari laid on his back at the bottom of what appeared to be a zero-gravity field [it was so clear] I found myself drawn to free-diving just to be able to experience that calm and tranquility. Although throughout the whole film a little voice in the back of my head constantly screamed "BREATHE YOU FOOL!".

So if you get the opportunity to check this film out at your local IMAX theatre, I strongly recommend it. For those in the New England area, I hear that Pipin Ferraras is in town [he wasn't there last night, but he attended the private premire the night before] and will be freediving the giant ocean tank at the Aquarium.

I know there was at least a couple of other Scubaboard members there, so I'd be interested in hearing everyone elses views!

oh... check out http://www.oceanmen.com/ for more info about the film.

 

[King Kong Matt]

I just recently joined the NEADC (New England Aquarium Dive Club) so this was my first meeting...I wish I knew you were going to be there...woulda bought you a beer.

The review is right on...I was also going for less than honorable reasons...I like IMAX movies AND free popcorn and soda (we say soda around here...anyone who calls it pop is a chowda-head).

The film was really amazing...a real piece of art...the scenery was absolutely beautiful, the camera work was outstanding...wow. Above everything else, I thought the story of these two individuals and their radically different styles and approaches to what they do was really interesting and was brought out well throughout the movie.

It's a great film and everyone should definitely check it out if you have the chance.

This all having been said, freedivers are nuts...I'm going to stick with a reg

 

[King Kong Matt]

Not to detract from the main point of this thread, but...

I will be doing some shore diving with the NEADC this weekend on both Sat and Sun at Sandwich Town Beach and Folly Cove, so hopefully by Sunday night I will have some interesting trip reports for NE divers.

 

[MSilvia]

I couldn't believe what those guys do... 3 to 8 minute breath holds, dives to over 160 meters, and amazing kick technique.

As Pelizarri said before attempting a record breaking 80 meter free dive under his own power, "Every move I make, even the thoughts I think, use up valuable oxygen." It's worth it just to see how efficiently he moves.

It's also worth seeing to learn about the "diving reflex". What happens to the human body under that kind of pressure on a breath-hold dive. I forget the exact number, but Ferreras' heart rate slowed to something like 14 bpm on some of those dives, and they have a cool (computer generated) tour of his innards, showing the changes that occur.

I had a great time, and while I can't make it to the NEAQ on tuesday to see Pipin dive, I'll be watching him on the Giant Ocean Tank cam:

http://www.neaq.org/vtour/webcam.g.html

I also ripped the cam address out of their page so you can view it on realplayer:

http://www.neaq.org/vtour/d-got.ram

 

[rcohn]

I really enjoyed the movie last night, the images were beautiful and their freediving skills were most incredible.

Having said that, as a freediver, I always cringe when I see these competitive apnea records and competitions.. This is the lunatic fringe of freediving and these record setting dives have nothing to do with what 99.9% of freediving is all about. There are deaths every year, many from training accidents where inadequate safety precautions were used. One with the Danish freediving team had what were considered adequate safety precautions and the diver still died. I visit several scuba boards regularly, none has, or apparently needs a memorial page. The freedive list maintains a still growing memorial page.

This film will directly lead to more teenagers (and twenty somethings) being found dead on the bottom of swimming pools, bathtubs, or at the each. No real discussion of safety, little indication of what normal freediving is all about. Remember parents can easily prevent kids from attempting most high-risk sports, don't buy them a motorcycle, or let them go sky diving, etc. It's hared to prevent a kid from holding his breath in a swimming pool or at the beach.

Ralph

 

[Dee]

Originally posted by MSilvia
....I had a great time, and while I can't make it to the NEAQ on tuesday to see Pipin dive, I'll be watching him on the Giant Ocean Tank cam:

http://www.neaq.org/vtour/webcam.g.html

I also ripped the cam address out of their page so you can view it on realplayer:

http://www.neaq.org/vtour/d-got.ram

That web cam shows the fattest sea turtle I've ever seen!

 

[MSilvia]

I used to hold my breath in the bottom of a pool all the time when I was a kid. Once, I made it a minute and a half. That doesn't mean that I was going to rush out and try to swim down to 80 meters, and I don't think an IMAX movie would have changed that.

I don't believe media is responsible for people trying things they see people do on the screen, the people themselves are. Even if that were not the case, the film is about people who train rigorously for months, meditate, and do yoga to prepare for a single dive, and then have a team of safety divers on hand when they do it. If you watch it and then attempt a similar dive without any training, experience, or preparation, you are not doing what you saw in the movie... you're just being stupid.

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by rcohn
This is the lunatic fringe of freediving

BS Ralph. Cutting edge would be a much better way to describe it. Would you legislate away their right to do it? How about auto racing? That also has nothing to do with 99% of driving.....

Tom

 

[large_diver]

Dee,

That is Myrtle the turtle -- and yes, she is HUGE. She is 45 years old and has been at the New England Aquarium since 1970 (I have this practically memorized from all the questions my kids ask the aquarium folks when we are there). She is my kids' favorite, as she often follows the aquarium divers all around the tank when they are in there during feedings. They often have to push her away because she is so persistent.

-LD

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by WreckWriter


BS Ralph. Cutting edge would be a much better way to describe it.

I don't agree with a lot of what Ralph had to say in his post, as anyone paying attention to the film would have picked up on all the training involved. However I also don't see how "lunatic fringe" isn't appropriate. We've all made statements in this thread about how they are crazy. Generally in high-risk sports "Cutting edge" and "Lunatic fringe" are synonymous terms. I actually would prefer to be considered on the lunatic fringe than the cutting edge, because the term fits my personality better [not that I'm anywhere close to any edge! ].

I don't think Ralph had any intention of implying that it shouldn't be done, he was just voicing a concern that freediving accidents can increase as a result of this film.

Now my response to Ralph is....

I don't feel it's any different than anything else. People do stupid things, they always have, they always will. Natural Selection is going to happen regardless of what is presented. I don't feel any documentary should be supressed, or painted in a different light, just to prevent or encourage people from doing something. It's not the creators responsibility to explain risks if they aren't specifically instructing you to go out and do something.

The more I think specifically about the film, the more I remember about the safety and risk messages. Don't forget the footage of Pipin's first failed attempt at the record. That definately put the risks in my mind. Safety? How many scenes did you see the safety divers involved. Plenty. And how important were those safety divers? Well, Umberto appreciated them enough to make sure to bring the celebration down to them as they were doing their deco...