My Halcyon River (Natural World 25 years)

[Dan Salter]

Wow .....wow.....and wow.

As some of you may know, the BBC is currently celebrating 25 years of their Natural World tv series....as well as a new episode which aired this week on BBC about the Gorillas in the mountains....they are also showing vintage and more recent re runs on BBC4 in the evenings...

Well....tonight am i glad i recorded them!....the first (i havent watched) is an older 'natural world' i think about Elephants with Sir David....but the second one tonight was and is an absolute Gem.

I now realise this is the program people were asking about in my 'Natural World DVD's' thread.

This stunning film tonight was shot and directed by wildlife cameraman/production couple Charlie Hamilton James and Phillipa Forrester.

'My Halcyon River'....about a british river that passes their cottage brimming with kingfishers, mink and otters....and i can safely say it was and is the most amazing and most beautiful 45 minutes of wildlife film i have ever watched! (and i have watched lots!)

Everything from the breathtaking cinematography...the spellbinding and perfectly fitting soundtrack and the stories running throughout the film with real heart stopping moments involving Kingfishers, Mink, Otters and Ducklings..

I have just done a little online research and am heartened to find out the film walked away with many top film and wildlife doc awards!...

If anyone missed this, i strongly advise you watch for re runs or try and hunt it down....it may well be on i player im not sure?

Actually....25 years would be a perfect time for the BBC to release a 'complete 25 years of Natural World' dvd boxset....rather than the odd bits here and there in compilation form and singular of only the recent programs...

i know i would buy it!...especially when it will contain films of the quality of My Halcyon River or Earth Pilgrim etc.

Dan

[Brian Phipps]

Hi Dan,
I first watched it a good few years ago now and didn`t relise where it was filmed, but one day working for the Company I do we were asked to help remove a car that had been washed down the River Boyd just outside of Bristol, and was stuck on a weir in someones garden.

We met the owners on arrival, which was Charlie and Phillipa! all I could do was talk to him about his filming, he said all the Halycon footage was shot on the river around his house, my workmates thankfully left me alone to chat while they did the work!

He is Kingfisher and Otter mad!

I`m with you its the best NH video I`ve ever seen.

Cheers
Brian

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Wow .....wow.....and wow.

As some of you may know, the BBC is currently celebrating 25 years of their Natural World tv series....as well as a new episode which aired this week on BBC about the Gorillas in the mountains....they are also showing vintage and more recent re runs on BBC4 in the evenings...

Well....tonight am i glad i recorded them!....the first (i havent watched) is an older 'natural world' i think about Elephants with Sir David....but the second one tonight was and is an absolute Gem.

I now realise this is the program people were asking about in my 'Natural World DVD's' thread.

This stunning film tonight was shot and directed by wildlife cameraman/production couple Charlie Hamilton James and Phillipa Forrester.

'My Halcyon River'....about a british river that passes their cottage brimming with kingfishers, mink and otters....and i can safely say it was and is the most amazing and most beautiful 45 minutes of wildlife film i have ever watched! (and i have watched lots!)

Everything from the breathtaking cinematography...the spellbinding and perfectly fitting soundtrack and the stories running throughout the film with real heart stopping moments involving Kingfishers, Mink, Otters and Ducklings..

I have just done a little online research and am heartened to find out the film walked away with many top film and wildlife doc awards!...

If anyone missed this, i strongly advise you watch for re runs or try and hunt it down....it may well be on i player im not sure?

Actually....25 years would be a perfect time for the BBC to release a 'complete 25 years of Natural World' dvd boxset....rather than the odd bits here and there in compilation form and singular of only the recent programs...

i know i would buy it!...especially when it will contain films of the quality of My Halcyon River or Earth Pilgrim etc.

Dan

Dan, can I recommend to you a book called 'The River' by Philippa Forester 2004, published by Orion ISBN 0752856855.

Its kind of about the making of this film and it is a wonderful book very well written by one of my all time fav presenters.
I have to warn you though its a tough read because the jealously of their life becomes almost unbearable at times.

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by Brian Phipps

Hi Dan,
I first watched it a good few years ago now and didn`t relise where it was filmed, but one day working for the Company I do we were asked to help remove a car that had been washed down the River Boyd just outside of Bristol, and was stuck on a weir in someones garden.

We met the owners on arrival, which was Charlie and Phillipa! all I could do was talk to him about his filming, he said all the Halycon footage was shot on the river around his house, my workmates thankfully left me alone to chat while they did the work!

He is Kingfisher and Otter mad!

I`m with you its the best NH video I`ve ever seen.

Cheers
Brian

Oh thats awesome Brian! so it was a repeat of the car that got stuck in the weir in the film then?

And cheers Gill...ill hunt out the book!

[deer boy]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

i can safely say it was and is the most amazing and most beautiful 45 minutes of wildlife film i have ever watched! (and i have watched lots!)

Everything from the breathtaking cinematography...the spellbinding and perfectly fitting soundtrack and the stories running throughout the film with real heart stopping moments involving Kingfishers, Mink, Otters and Ducklings..

I have just done a little online research and am heartened to find out the film walked away with many top film and wildlife doc awards!...

Originally Posted by Brian Phipps

I`m with you its the best NH video I`ve ever seen.

Amazing footage, fantastically narrated & brilliant music this is one of the best wildlife programmes i've watched.

For those that haven't seen it yet, watch it BBC iPlayer - Natural World: My Halcyon River

[ellen h]

Have to say too it was one of the best wildlife films I have seen.Amazing footage and captivating!!
ellen

[Dan Salter]

Im glad you all agree! i made my mother sit through it today while we ate our roast and she nearly threw her dinner accross the room when the mink 'pounced'....priceless.

Cheers and nice one on the i player link Deer Boy...now others can check it out too!

[wildmanofthewoods]

I too remember seeing it and was in awe at the dramatic footage of the Kingfishers fighting, for one of them suddenly to be ambushed by a hidden Mink. It is probably the most surprising moment on a natural history film i have ever seen.

Phillipa's narrative on the film was brilliant, why isn't she doin more ??????

[JeffH]

It's one of my favourite wildlife films too and this latest re-showing is long overdue.

For anyone interested in Kingfishers Charlie's website is also well worth a look - Charlie Hamilton James, kingfishers

Jeff

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by wildmanofthewoods

I too remember seeing it and was in awe at the dramatic footage of the Kingfishers fighting, for one of them suddenly to be ambushed by a hidden Mink. It is probably the most surprising moment on a natural history film i have ever seen.

Phillipa's narrative on the film was brilliant, why isn't she doin more ??????

I agree, and why does that moment never feature in those 50 best wildlife moments documentaries????

But...i fear you are confusing more than one of the 4 films charlie/phillipa have made about rivers/wildlife...because unless she was suffering with severe bronchitis, My Halcyon River is narrated by a man (not charlie) although phillipa did write the script.
The one i have seen that she narrates is the River Wye film and she possibly narrates the other Otter one.