Review of The Seafarers

Ever got that sinking feeling? I felt it with this documentary about the Seafarers International Union's benefits. It seem like the captain abandoned this ship, here. Stanley Kubrick didn't do a good job with this documentary. First off, this documentary is more like a promotional film than a documentary. Second off, it's really boring as times. The music is little bit off-key music. The background and text when put together on the screen is hard to read. Then, there is the overused of the word 'Seafarers'. I hope, they do know that, there are other words, they can use like Mariners, Sailors, or Seamen. It really gets annoying as hell to hear the same things all the time. While, Stanley Kubrick is a great director who typically works really hard in adapting novels or short stories to the big screen. It's seem like he doesn't have the same passion for documentary films. It's like he got tired of it, after 1950's Day of the Fight & 1951's Flying Padre. He really put some work into those. In Day of the Fight he use a reverse tracking shot to film a scene in which the brothers walk towards the camera, a device later to become one of Kubrick's characteristic camera trademark. In Flying Padre, several of the views from and of the plane are later echoed in his later films like 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey. In my opinion, I think, he kinda half- ass, the Seafarers. Besides the glaring nudity boobs shots, & the long, sideways-shooting dolly shot to establish the life of the seafarer's community. It rarely looks like his work. He half-ass this one. Day of the Fight, Flying Padre and The Seafarers constitute Kubrick's only surviving documentary works, although some historians believe he made others. This movie was long thought lost, due to mishandling of the Seafarers International Union, but the film was rediscovered in 1973 by film scholar and filmmaker Frank P. Tomasulo, who arranged for a 16mm print of the documentary to be deposited in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress' Motion Picture Division. Seafarers is noted to be the first film of Stanley Kubrick, to be in color. Too bad, the film is so desaturated due to aged, that scenes like the cafeteria serving food to the sailors; looks like they're serving some ugly crappy food, than something delightful. Narrated by CBS reporter Don Hollenbeck, the film details the different activities a member can do while visiting the Union Halls that are spread around the country's coasts, as well as the many services they offer. From barbershops, museum, bars to restaurants, the film talks about the establishments that offer good discounts to those who join the Union. It also explores other important benefits, such as scholarships, health care, and vacation paid for seafarers. Finally, it also explains some of the rights and obligations of every member, as well as how is the Union organized and how their democratic processes work. While, this half hour documentary made for the Seafarers International Union is interesting. It's no way seem like a normal modern day documentary. We rarely see the day by day labor of this sailors on their large ship. We don't see their struggles or the history of the Union. They don't even mention, why their union is better than their rivals union, National Maritime Union (NMU). There is little to no Cinéma vérité in these shots. It's just urging sailors to join the union & extolling the benefits, etc etc. Where is the dramatic? Where is the action? It felt like voice-over brochure. Written by Union member, Will Chasen, the movie is just one big informative commercial. Still, in the end of this, I wanted to sign a Union Card and join The Seafarers International Union. Don Hollenbeck's narration makes it seem like a good place to work, despite that the movie not mentioning how dangerous the work is, how the Union has mob ties like Hal C. Banks, and how the Union also has age discrimination. These were all issues, that 1951 sailors had to dealt with; and there was no mention of that. I guess, Stanley Kubrick was in such dire need of money from shooting other things he needed to be shot. He basically took this uncreative job and followed orders just to make ends meet. He had no personal interest or creative thought about this little documentary, and really didn't care if the Sailors got the right information. Too bad, the modern Union doesn't do much of this anymore. The only time, they come to the ship is when they want to collect dues. The Seafarers was released on DVD in 2008 with audio commentary from directors Roger Avary and Keith Gordon, as well as an interview with one of Kubrick's daughters, if anybody cares. The short is also available as an extra on the 2012 release of Kubrick's first full-length film Fear and Desire. The movie is so dated, you can probably find it on Youtube for free. Overall: I don't recommend viewing this, if you're a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick. If you do find it, you'll find yourself, really disappointed. There is a reason why Kubrick never wanted his fans to see this, and I see why. This movie sunk a new low.