Hal Bartlett co-wrote and directed this film curiosity, based on Richard Bach's best-selling fable, featuring an overbearing music score by Neil Diamond. The story begins as a flock of seagulls are pecking at the garbage left by a boat that has dumped a bunch of fish heads in the surf. One of the seagulls, Jonathan (voice of James Franciscus), would rather leave his life of garbage-picking and fly high in the sky to see other parts of the earth. Jonathan leaves the flock and flies around the
world. He travels so far that he reaches an aviary heaven, where he meets Maureen Seagull (voice of Juliet Mills). Maureen introduces Jonathan to new experiences, and Jonathan returns to the flock to tell them the news. The other seagulls scorn him, but then they take notice when he heals a seagull that has died. Then the entire flock greets him as "the Son of the Great Gull." ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
The cinematic equivalent of that girl you might have met circa 1973 who insisted that the dog that just evacuated his bowels on your sidewalk was 'expressing his creativity.'
Bartlett's background as a documentary film-maker is an advantage for a film that doesn't require any actors but a liability when it comes to adapting Bach's fiction
If you can tolerate the touchy-feely foundation of (Richard) Bach's backwards belief system, and then Zen hit maker Neil Diamond's sonic take on same, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a stunning experience.
Richard Bach's best-selling parable for freshmen becomes on screen a very spelled-out allegory, complete with flat voice-overs and pretentious Neil Diamond soundtrack.
Hall Bartlett's attempt to bring this beloved novel to the big screen misses the mark. I fully expect Pixar to take a stab at this someday, hopefully with much better results.
May 20, 2009
Randy Tippy
Super Reviewer
I love the book but I couldn't see how they could make it into a film so I had to check it out, but I couldn't even finish it. It's not utterly worthless, but it just didn't do anything for me.
No quotes approved yet for Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
