Paramount Home Video presents

Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973)

"The only true law is that which sets us free. "- Jonathan Livingston Seagull (James Franciscus)

Stars: James Franciscus, Juliet Mills, Hal Holbrook
Other Stars: Philip Ahn, Richard Crenna, David Ladd, Dorothy McGuire, Kelly Harmon
Director: Hall Bartlett

MPAA Rating: G for (some disturbing imagery)
Release Date: 2007-10-02
Genre: adventure

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
A+	A+	A-	B+	D

 

DVD Review

Lost
on a painted sky
where the clouds are hung
for the poet's eye

In the society of the flock, the rules for survival are simple—a gull must fight for their food, whether picking through the scraps of a fishing trawler or the spoils at the garbage dump. They do as other gulls do, there is no room for individuality. If you are unwilling to conform, you are banished.

Jonathan (voiced by James Franciscus) is not content with the plight of his fellow gulls or the boundaries they live within. He believes that a gull is meant to fly, and sets out to prove that he can fly higher and faster than anyone thinks possible. Setting himself apart from the crowd, he begins to experiment, having to overcome his fear and learn from his often near-fatal mistakes. Despite warning from the Elders that he should abandon his aspirations and adhere to the laws of the flock, Jonathan persists, only to find himself an outcast. He sets out to explore all there is to see in his world, embarking on a journey that will eventually lead him to a place of higher existence where he meets like-minded gulls who share his vision, and whose guidance will help him reach his potential.

Based on the bestselling novel by Richard Bach, and set against Neil Diamond's majestic and award winning score, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is one of that group of films that I first discovered through its soundtrack decades before viewing, and if nothing else, it is a unique and beautiful piece of film making. Created long before the advent of CGI, the film conveys its allegory of the search for individualistic expression and spiritual enlightenment through the combination of Jack Couffer's stunning footage of live birds and the brilliant editing Frank P. Keller and James Galloway (all of whom received Oscar nods for their contributions). The result is an avian society, which without any explanation of the mechanics or special effects involved, creates a magical parallel to the human condition.

The production was met with mixed reviews and generally panned by critics, and was also plagued by lawsuits, including Richard Bach for changes to his storyline, and Neil Diamond for revisions to his score. Although the concept of talking birds may seem aimed at a younger audience, some of the sequences, particularly Jonathan's failed attempts which land him listless and semi conscious beneath the ocean, or Fletcher's lifeless plummet after crashing into the cliffs during an exhibition are fairly disturbing, both in their imagery and how they may have been produced. Still, these scenes underscore the risks and consequences of choosing to challenge boundaries, and are true to the novel's titular inspiration from barn storming legend of the 1930s and '40s. While some may be turned off by the underlying themes and "new age" approach to spiritual enlightenment, Jonathan Livingston Seagull still holds up as an inspirational film for those who dare to dream.

Rating for Style: A+
Rating for Substance: A+

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	2.35:1 - Widescreen
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	yes

Image Transfer Review: After only being available in severely cropped, pan and scan transfers for decades, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is finally presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, offering the for the first time on home video the full breadth of Jack Couffer's stunning cinematography. The transfer is wonderfully clean, with very few instances of debris, with vibrant color and solid black levels.

Image Transfer Grade: A-
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
Mono	English, French	yes

Audio Transfer Grade: B+ 

Disc Extras

Full Motion menu
Scene Access with 0 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English with remote access
Packaging: Keep Case
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extras Review: Sadly, there are no extras to be found which would shed more light on this unique production. The packaging is bare bones without even an insert card.

Extras Grade: D
 

Final Comments

With its spectacular nature photography, and inspirational message, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Jeff Ulmer 2007-09-22