The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (DVD)

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The cinematography and special effects are also very good, and the filmmakers do a fine job of blending that ancient Celtic legend with the more modern, sensational one that has sprung up surrounding the Loch Ness Monster. On one of the bonus features, naturalist Adrian Shine talks about how the "Jurassic Park" version of the beast first got "legs" in the spring of 1933, when a woman claimed to have spotted a monster and the local newspaper printed a story. That famous photo of Nessie? Faked, Shine says, and proceeds to tell us the story of the locals who tried to have a bit of fun with the world and create a tourist boom in the process. To Russell's credit, he manages to weave in some of that local lore so subtly that it doesn't intrude at all on the coming-of-age story, the boy-and-his-pet story, the two-suitors-for-one-woman story--or even the "Whale Rider" moments that come when the boy who's afraid of water faces his fears, or the "Free Willy" moments that arise when those big guns start firing.

LAST PARAGRAPH SPOILER:
Younger children may need to huddle close by an adult during those moments of peril, but parents should know that this is not a sad or traumatic film. Letting your children watch this isn't a Bambi's mother or Old Yeller experience. It's more uplifting than that.

Video:
Viewers can choose between the 1.33:1 pan-and-scan version or the 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen of the original theatrical presentation. I watched in widescreen, and though the print is dark in many places, it's never so murky that you can't see what's going on. I can't report that the colors are brilliant and vibrant, because it's actually a drab palette that's more befitting a wartime film and one shot in the moody atmosphere of Loch Ness. There's really not that much grain, though, and nice edge delineation. "The Water Horse" is mastered in High Definition.

Audio:
The featured audio is an English Dolby Digital 5.1, with an optional audio in French Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround. When the cannons kick in, the speakers really jump. There may not be a really wide spread across the front speakers, but neither does it seem as if the sounds hover close by their sources and never fill the air. There's also a nice balance of bass and treble, and between the FX and dialogue.

Extras:
There are some really nice extras here. Though the eight deleted scenes aren't much (just seven minutes, total), six behind-the-scenes featurettes are really well done. Russell acts like a tour guide, popping up in each one, but you'll also meet plenty of other interesting characters, among them Shine and a fellow named Steve Feltham, who lives in a trailer and has staked out Loch Ness for the past 15 years, trying to get a picture of the fabled monster. There are still plenty of believers, though it's interesting to learn that practically no one believes now that the creature will have the long neck of a Plesiosaur. It might even look like a big catfish, Feltham says. The features are broken up into Myths & Legends, The Story, The Characters, Setting the Scene, Water Works, Creating the Water Horse, and Creating Crusoe. For fans of behind-the-scenes footage, there's plenty here that shows you how the "magic" was created--lots of blue screen and models to see.

Bottom Line:
"The Water Horse" is a warm-hearted, rousing period film that gives us the best boy-and-his-secret pairing since "E.T." The special effects and WWII atmosphere are memorable, and as rare as we're told Water Horses are, it's almost as rare for a film like this to come along which will appeal to all members of the family--even teens, 'tweens, and adults.