Flight of the Albatross

 Flight of the Albatross still


Flight of the Albatross - 1996



Top Shelf/Fritz Wagner co-production - 89 min.
UPC #9415394705263

Cast: Julia Brendler, Taungaroa Emile, Suzanne von Brosody, Diana Ngaromotu-Heka, Jack Thompson, Pete Smith.
Screenplay: Riwia Brown, based upon the book by Deborah Savage; Director of Photography: Martin Gressmann; Editor: Mike Horton; Music: Jan Preston with orchestration by John Charles.; Producer: Udo Heiland, Rita Wagner, Susanne Wagner; Director: Werner Meyer.
Sarah, a teenage German, travels to New Zealand to visit her ornithologist mother, working on Great Barrier Island. She meets Mako, an angry Maori recently released from prison, and they slowly become friends. Trouble begins when they visit a cursed mountain. Sarah falls down a mine shaft, but is rescued by Mako. Through the efforts of both, the curse is lifted. Great photography and music, but performances are a bit weak, however it is still worth a view.

Censor Rating: G - Review rating: C

AVAILABILITY OF VHS OR DVD COPIES

No known source for new PAL or NTSC VHS copies.
An R0 PAL DVD release is available from New Zealand sources with a retail price of about $30nz. It is a rather bare bones issue, with one exception - it is the first feature film on dvd with separate spoken English and Maori language tracks. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles in either language. It is hoped that omission is corrected with any future re-issue. It is presented in its original 1.33:1 format with 2.0 dolby digital sound. The transfer is a definate improvement over the limited vhs offerings of the past.


SOUNDTRACK ON AUDIO CD

No known soundtrack CDs of this title.

Link to soundtrack sample download


REVIEWS

Review by Reina Whaitiri University of Auckland - 2003

TVNZ Review

New Zealand Film Archive Info and Reviews

Four Word Film Review

From Europe, Great Kauri Island sounded exotic, and Sarah was looking forward to visiting her mother there. But summer in the South Pacific turns out to be winter, her mother is busy in her lab, and Sarah's only consolation is her flute.
Until, that is, she meets school dropout Mako and rescues an injured albatross. Sarah's and Mako's mutual suspicion gives way to a deep bond as they nurse the bird back to health under the mystical guidance of Mako's Aunt Hattie -- a bond with the power, perhaps, to reconcile their two very different cultures.
-- From the HarperCollins book of the same name --

OFF LINE REVIEW SOURCES

New Zealand Herald - July 12, 1996


TRAILER & AWARDS

Promotional Film Clip

1996 - New Zealand Television and Film Awards - Best Supporting Actor: Pete Smith

1997 - Berlin Children's Film Festival: Best Feature Film

1997 - Jury Award - Giffoni Film Festival


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