[Originally posted to rec.music.celtic.]
THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH
A film review by Brian Nelson
Copyright 1995 Brian Nelson
I highly recommend the new film release THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH.
This Irish production is the story of a young girl and her family as they struggle with moving from the simple life of an island fishing village interlaced with superstition and old tails of the families involvement with selkies. The selkies are mythical creatures who are humans and seals in one. The story is at once simple and complex and all the while enthralling.
Visually the film carries the rugged and often bleak look of the Irish coast. What one reviewer called "moody ... and hard to warm up to," I found it reflective of the hard lives of people in a hard land. While the film may be slow and lack action and color by American film-going standard, it is a wonderfully crafted tail well worth seeing.
By far the most striking feature of the film to me and my wife was the music. That is why I am posting a film review here in rec.music.celtic. The film is filled with the most masterful and yet subtle Celtic music. The gentle background of whistle, flute, strings and bodhran, along with other instruments may melt into a mood for the average viewer, but the virtuoso performances will be breathtaking to the those of us familiar with the genera. Of particular note is the bodhran playing throughout. Take time to stay for the final credits and be rewarded with a percussion composition featuring two sets of bones and one or several bodhrans, not to be missed.
The credits listed a number of individual musicians whose name, I am sorry to say, I did not catch. No performing group was noted outside of the Irish Film Orchestra. I saw no notice of a soundtrack album, but I will be searching to find one if it exists. If anyone has information on such an album please notify me by e-mail.
This is a fine Irish film all will enjoy, particularly those of us with a Celtic tilt of mind.
-- Brian Nelson BNelson@BNelson.Seanet.com Tacoma, WA
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