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Blue Water, White Death

Released 1971
Runtime 99
Category Documentary, Family
Language English
Director Peter Gimbel
Actors N/A

What it’s about

For nine months, aquatic explorer Peter Gimbel trolled the seas of the world, hoping to catch a glimpse of the fearsome great white shark in its natural environs. With cameras in tow, Gimbel rides along with South African whalers, dives down to a shipwreck in Sri Lanka, and patrols other favored spots of the shark. Finally, in Australian waters, he comes to face to face with his monstrous prey…

Why we love it

Get up close and personal with legendary great whites in this nervy, gorgeously photographed underwater documentary, trailing a roving team of (brave? foolhardy?) skin divers on a quest to find and observe the massive marine creatures who’ve given grizzled seamen nightmares for centuries. From Mozambique to Ceylon, Gimbel and his associates have free-swimming encounters with a variety of hungry sharks, but it’s the climactic bump-in with whites off the coast of Australia that gives this documentary its teeth. Jacques Cousteau this is not, and the kids should love it.

N/A Peter Gimbel

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