In 1984, George Belcher, a Mexican art specialist and underwater explorer from San Francisco, was asked by the Mexican government to search its coastal areas for historic shipwrecks. Focusing on the infamous brig, the Somers, which sank off the coast of Veracruz, he made an unsuccessful attempt to locate the site of the wreck. Turning to the U.S. National Archives, he was able to pinpoint the spot, and return for a successful diving expedition which resulted in unprecedented cooperation between the United States and Mexico, both of which had vested interests in the project. Along the way, he uncovered a dramatic seafaring tale which became a personal obsession. Immortalized by Herman Melville as the classic tale Billy Budd, it was the story of an alleged mutiny which resulted in the hanging of three men without benefit of trial. The subsequent court martial of the captain became a cause célèbre and fallout from the scandal resulted in a revampment of naval training and the founding of the U.S. Naval Academy. The story of the modern expedition and the legend of the Somers are skillfully intertwined, showing how the discovery revived a story that has maritime, literary and social significance. Action shots, underwater photography, archival photographs and prints, period music and interviews with archeologists and historians are blended well in this outstanding documentary and entertaining sea saga. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Reed)
The Curse of the Somers: Billy Budd's Ghost Ship
(1995) 55 min. $69.95 (manual included). Somers Educational Film. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 11, Issue 6
The Curse of the Somers: Billy Budd's Ghost Ship
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