Otters; Talbot: Dolphins & Orcas

Two new nature music videos set images of sea creatures to new age music. The better of the two, Otters, features the stunning cinematography of Peter Roberts (whose Mountain was reviewed in our November 1991 issue, and Eagles and Loons in our April 1990 issue). Shot on the central California coast, Otters captures the playful creatures in a wide variety of settings and activities, from using seaweed as a blanket in order to tether themselves, to their fascinating utilitarian use of rocks on their bellies to pound sea anemones against. In addition to otters, the program includes sea lions, pelicans, seals, dowitchers, sandpipers, and more. Seven pages of liner notes affixed to the inside cover of the video offer commentary on what the viewer is seeing keyed to a time index. To top it off, the music of Van Manakas and Scott Cossu offer a perfect audio complement to the natural sounds of the sea and animals. A superb tape.Talbot: Dolphins & Orcas, on the other hand, while often lovely to look at, is a lot more perfunctory in its approach. Although photographer Bob Talbot is a premier marine photographer, his cinematographic style is comparatively primitive. Broken down into five music videos featuring spotted dolphins, pilot whales, and orcas, the footage is fairly standard stuff, with the notable exception of the "Orcas" sequence which goes beyond the point and shoot mode characteristic of the earlier segments. The music of Mannheim Steamroller and Ray Lynch offer a pleasant musical backdrop.Not in a class with the Peter Roberts' productions or the stylish Miramar efforts, Talbot: Dolphins & Orcas is still nice, has high name recognition, and will surely be popular. Recommended. Otters, a simply dynamite experience, is highly recommended and an Editor's Choice. (See CONVERSATION WITH MAGIC for availability of Otters) (Talbot: Dolphins & Orcas is available from: Talbot Northwest, 11070 SW Hall Blvd., Portland, OR 97223; (800) 647-5713.)