My Side Of The Mountain
Picture:
C+ Sound: C Extras: D Film: B-
Yes,
there was a time when Hollywood made good quality films for kids
that were not visual effects driven, and driven to sell tie-ins. My
Side Of The Mountain (1968) was shot widescreen and takes its time telling
the story of a young man (Teddy Eccles as “Sam”) leaving (or is that running
away from) home to rough it in the wild.
Today, this would seem unwise and for all the ugly news items we see
(likely to deter anyone from leaving their TV set), be a dead body item on the
evening news.
In a
piece more like real life (almost), Sam Gribley is only 13 years old (and we
are talking about a more innocent time here) is more well read than a vast
majority of adults today (could also be all those episodes of Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom” shown
endlessly at the time) or we would not have a film. It even reminds us of a time when kids were
more active and were far more encouraged to explore nature and science. This is the kind of film that could rekindle
that.
The
always charming and sometimes funny Ted Sherdeman/Jane Klove/Joanna Crawford
screenplay adapts Jean George’s novel in a way that is even and
consistent. Theodore Bikel is an adult
journeyman in the wilderness that offers an interesting early encounter, then
disappears for the most part, but this is about Sam’s journey and Eccles does a
fine job of carrying the film. Older
actors who have been in some bad films lately could learn a few things from
this film; thinking of it as a sort of break from the monotony of bad
filmmaking. It is far better than just
about any live action film for children we’ve seen today, and does this with
nature, and without any digital effects.
The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 x 1 image is from a clean print that is color
consistent, but not necessarily exemplary of a dye-transfer Technicolor print
that the film was issued in at the time.
Cinematographer Denys Coop, B.S.C., is a legendary British cameraman who
had already shown his abilities with Panavision on the Yul Brynner thriller The Double Man a year before and also
shot John Schlesinger’s Billy Liar
(1963, the Criterion DVD is reviewed elsewhere on this site). The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is a bit smaller
than we would have liked, but is passable, but there are no extras. The good score was composed by Wilfred
Josephs and conducted by the legendary Muir Mathieson. Bikel actually wrote his song for the film
and Henry Mancini’s Baby Elephant Walk
is used. Too bad this was not in stereo. I would have at least liked a trailer, but
the film is here in good shape and My
Side Of The Mountain is a very worthy addition to any Children’s DVD
library.
- Nicholas Sheffo
