Paddle to the Sea (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

Film from the 1960s. Saw it in elementary school.

I don't think you found this page by accident. Bill Mason made several beautiful films about canoes and no collection is complete without this film. The story is simple it follows a toy canoe as it journeys from the Canadian wilderness down through the Great Lakes and finally out to sea. If you have never read the book that this movie is based off of that comes highly recommended as well.

Having loved this short film as a youngster, I was delighted to find it available on DVD as an adult. And as it turned out, it's just as enjoyable decades later, perhaps even more so. Such a simple premise, it made the translation from beloved children's book to beloved children's film beautifully. Viewers of every age will be carried along on the long & perilous journey undertaken by the hand-carved canoe & its stoic passenger. It gives a vivid sense of vast distances, encounters with dangers & wonders along the way, and leaves the viewer with a new perspective — at least it did for this viewer!I thought it was wonderful that Criterion release this children's film, as we;; as THE RED BALLOON & WHITE MANE, a few years ago. I'm still hoping they'll release more classic short films for children, either individually or in a boxed set. Until & if that happens, though, PADDLE TO THE SEA will remain a journey that never gets old or two familiar — most highly recommended!

I remember seeing this a few times in school. It would be a hot late spring in the valley, and the teacher would check out a projector and show us a couple of films, this being one of them.It's a film about a boy's creation and message sent out to explore the world. You might call it a native American version of a Pioneer or Voyager spacecraft, but without any means to tell its creator what it had seen nor what it had experienced.A really delightful film for all ages. Whether you're young or old this is really a kind of heart warming tale.Check it out.

This is a classic short film I remember seeing in elementary school in the late 1970s. It presents the simple adventure story of a carved indian raft's journey to the sea with subtle (mostly) moral and environmental overtones. Kids will thoroughly enjoy this, especially if they're remotely into the outdoors.My caveat is that the actual disc release is completely unexceptional. Image quality: claimed to be a newly restored high-definition master is sorely lacking. It exhibits poor image contrast and sharpness, with lots of inconsistent film grain and even some hairs occasionally clogging the frame. In 2008, correcting those sorts of technical flaws is something you can now easily do with a home computer. So I expected a lot more from the Criterion Collection.Extras: none. I'd love to know a tiny bit more about the film and the filmmakers but there's nothing here other than the short and chapter stops. Love this movie, just wish it had gotten the first class treatment it deserves.

It had been 45+ years since I last saw this film and I remembered loving it in grade school. My brother told me he had purchased a copy so I did the same. WELL WORTH IT! It's a great story done so well. Amazing filming considering special effects didn't apply. My wife saw it for the first time and Loved it too. A simpler time, a great story. We don't have children but if you do, this is a MUST HAVE!

I remembered this short film from nearly 50 years ago when my 4th grade teacher showed it in the classroom. Based on the classic children's book, I can see why it had been so memorable for so many years: simple, but powerful imagery, historical aspects, the film inspired empathy based on creativity, danger, humor, humanity, and hope. I was astounded by the actual footage of pollution being dumped into Lake Superior all those years ago! Surprisingy, my young grandsons were not as enthralled by the movie as I had hoped, at 5 and 7 years, they may be just a tad bit young yet.

A true classic from my childhood memories. Growing up around the Great Lakes in southern Ontario, Canada and spending much time vacationing in Northern Ontario around Lake Huron and later Lake Superior, this movie and the book absolutely fascinated me and piqued my interest in physical geography and the interrelationships of land and water where I lived. I now live in the dry US west in Utah but have a romantic and spiritual connection to the waters of the Great Lakes. I bought this movie and the book so that my young sons in 2nd and 5th grades can be exposed to something I valued as a child.

I remember this from the school holidays and have been looking for it everywhere.A lovely film that relaxes you as you watch it from what is now a bygone age it seems and it's only a few decades ago.It is short at about 26 mins I think but when I showed this to my 8 year old son telling him that I watched this on TV at his age he immediately wanted to carve a wooden canoe like the one in "Paddle".A lovely narrated story of how Paddle is carved by a native American boy in Lake Nipigon,Canada and placed in the snow waiting for the spring thaw.We then follow Paddles journey from the snowy mountain through beautiful scenery and assorted dangers to see if he makes it to the open ocean.Films like this can transport you back to more innocent times.Based on the 1941 childrens book by Holling C. Holling, this film short was made in 1966 by the national film board of canada and was nominated for an oscar!

I remember watching this film in the mid 1970's in Little Current Public School in Manitoulin Island (Lake Huron, Georgian Bay). As a child I dreamed of making a similar journey although some of "Paddle's" detours seemed a little frightening. I now dream of commissioning a carving of the little traveller for my office. Highly short recommended film - an excellent film depiction of a classic Canadian story. I also purchased the beautifully illustrated novel.

One of the best NFB productions, used the VHS copy many times in my classroom, a Classic. I even have the book. A carver one winter's day starts carving and painting Paddle to the Sea and underneath the canoe puts "Put Me Back" it travels over a year downstream to the sea, the scenery is spectacular. After many adventures including a trip over the Niagara Falls and through the lock system it eventually gets to it's destination. Very recommended! A pleasure to see.

The director, Bill Mason, has become my favourite film maker of all time. Waterwalker, The Voyageurs, Pukaskwa, Song of the Paddle, Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes, Wolfpack, Cry of the Wild and Path of the Paddle are all incredible and worth finding.Paddle to the Sea is based on the classic book by the same name and is amazing work on its own. A small wooden canoe is depicted floating from high ground above Lake Superior all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Highly reccomended!!

Bought it for my granddaughter, along with the wonderful Bill Mason movie. My wife, an American had not read or seen it --loved it.