Tarka the Otter

source: Tarka the Otter

Depressing G Rated Movie. Ratings weren't perfect back then, neither are they now. This is more of a PG rated movie for sure. It might be the most depressing G rated movie I've ever seen from start to finish. Now that doesn't make it bad, but it does have a reason to not be liked by people. If I was younger, I would wish I never saw that, when I am older however, I am satisfied with my experience. For an old G rated movie, it holds up extremely well and doesn't seem corny at all. It feels realistic and nothing is over the top. I never thought a G rated movie that is 4 decades old would have an effect on me as hard as it did. I think kids will not be bored with this movie at all, even though the dog chasing scene at the end does go a little too long.

I see many reviews commenting about whether this film is suitable for children.... I saw this when I was 10. I'm now in my 50's. I remember this being a beautiful heartwarming delightful story. Right up until the otter is brutally and deliberately murdered! I love animals and I didn't realize at the time, but this film actually traumatized me. Seriously. Now as an adult, if there is a hint that the animal star of the show might come to a sad end, I have to get my husband to check the spoilers to see if it dies. If it does; I can't watch it. So, for those saying it's perfectly fine for kids, and for those saying it isn't.... I would say it very much depends on the temperament of the child, whether they are at an impressionable age, and how much empathy and compassion they already have for animals. If you watch it and aren't affected, then you must be quite cold and unemotional. I gave it a 3 because of the traumatic impact it had on my life, but I do remember it being beautiful up until that point. It's probably dated now, but I suspect the contrast of the love and beauty in the film is what made the death even more horrific. I would recommend parents make the judgement call for themselves. Watch it first before you let your child watch it if you're unsure. Maybe just let them watch the beauty of the otters and then stop the film before the horror? That would be my personal opinion based on my own experience. I hope it may help someone. Thank you.

First of all, let's be clear: No one can say this movie is harmless to children. That depends entirely on the child and the circumstances surrounding the viewing of the movie. Secondly, Bambi's mom getting shot or any of the other staple losing- your-parent(s) tragedies in mentioned animated Disney movies is not comparable to this movie for two big reasons: the live action, and when it occurs. The others don't appear to be showing a real living creature you've grown attached to during an entire movie being finally massacred by dogs in a river. Dramatized animation with an unnamed parental figure at an early point in a movie doesn't have this impact. My mother sat my brother and I down to watch this movie when I was around 5, thinking it would be a nice Disney flick for us to get lost in. We rooted for the otter and couldn't wait to see him get away in an exciting ending. Then, we were shocked senseless at the unexpected brutality, and held our mother accountable for setting us up for such heartache. She felt betrayed by Disney and that would be the last time my mother would show us anything from them without researching it a great deal. Further, it turned us both off of Disney for most of our lives. Yes, children need to see that things don't work out perfectly. But, many children (and their mothers) might see this movie expecting a very different payout from a Disney flick. The main hero doesn't make sacrifices and lose loved ones only to emerge a bigger person in the end; he's just flat out torn to pieces. So, if you're thinking of showing this to your kids, at the very least, let them know what's in store. And in all cases, remember it helps to look at things from more than one side.

But only if your family likes to spend it's time murdering otters.

This British animal film details the life of an otter called Tarka and his daily obstacles to survive. His main dangers come from human beings perhaps unsurprisingly, in the form of poachers and, mostly, huntsmen and their pack of hounds. The influence of the previous year's Watership Down (1978) seems quite pronounced here, with its story focusing on the trials of animals from the British countryside and the grim reality of the horrors they encounter. Both movies share a peculiar unsentimental approach to their material, and both are hard hitting for family movies. The biggest single difference of course is that Tarka is based squarely on reality, with no talking animals or animation. As such, it utilises a lot of nature style photography, which are edited together into a narrative, the result is something of a hybrid of fiction and documentary. The nice narration from Peter Ustinov helps expand upon the story elements but this is a film which almost exclusively gets by without dialogue. The English countryside provides a lovely backdrop and is very well photographed here. There is an unmistakeable anti-hunting message, which remains absolutely pertinent to this day. The idea that grown adults get their kicks out of terrorizing a little wild animal minding its business in the countryside, is perplexing indeed. But even without the message, this remains a great little movie, with the real star being the gorgeous little otter itself. This is definitely a film which remains compelling and is one which should continue to be passed down to future generations of children.

Although I really wanted to love TARKA THE OTTER - I'm a massive wildlife buff, spend my spare time watching the likes of SPRINGWATCH, and adore RING OF BRIGHT WATER and the books that spawned it - I feel that it doesn't really work as a film. An ostensible adaptation of the Henry Williamson novel, it charts the life and misadventures of a precocious young otter cub called Tarka. My enjoyment of the production came from the absolute ton of nature footage included here. Grey herons and barn owls figure predominantly, and there's all of the footage of otters playing, frolicking, hunting, and fighting that you could wish for. The production suffers from being a little overlong and repetitive in the mid section, but Peter Ustoniv's narration, although aimed at children, just about holds things together. No, what it didn't like was the darkness of the story. I'm all for darkness in children's material and I have no problems with stories showing the viciousness of nature, like WATERSHIP DOWN. What I didn't like here is that most of the running time is preoccupied with Tarka being chased by a pack of brutal dogs. There's no happy outcome here; either he'll manage to escape until the next time, or he'll be torn to shred. It makes for an aggressive, upsetting production, one that I found ultimately depressing rather than exciting. I hate seeing the cruelty to animals done by humans and there's just simply too much of that here.

Long story short: unnecessarily long hunt of an otter with both dog and otter being sacrificed for the hunters humour. The whole story is a big waste of time and the final tension is dragged out pointlessly. 3/10 is generous. Only idiots would think there's some life lesson for kids here.

Tarka the Otter is a perhaps dark and bleak film, but I also think it is a poignant one too. And above all in my opinion, it is wonderful. Tarka the Otter is a beautifully filmed movie, the cinematography is lovely and the scenery is gorgeous, and it is appropriately scored too with some very pretty and haunting themes. The narration is both droll and literate and the story is touching. Tarka is adorable and Peter Ustinov is absolutely brilliant in this film with his distinctive voice serving him well. Oh and the ending has me bawling, even after countless times of seeing the film. The film may be a little overlong perhaps, but it is a wonderful movie all the same and well worth catching. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Many people think that "Tarka the Otter" isn't a suitable film for children because of its content, yet they would allow their children to watch the beauty of Watership Down or Disney films such as Bambi, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, the Jungle Book etc. They all have upsetting things that happen in them, but just because it's a cartoon, therefore less realistic, parents tend to think that it is suitable for children, as they won't get as upset compared to it being filmed as a non cartoon film. I have to disagree with this. Tarka the Otter is a beautiful film and very artistic, and while yes, it is a sad ending, the last words have stuck with me. The scenery shots are also as beautiful as the film and I was so surprised to find that I hated a dog so much, Boatman did very well, I love all animals and it is very hard for animals to make me dislike them.