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The Bridge

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Director: Eric Steel
Studio: Koch Lorber Films
Category: DVD

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Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

57 reviews
Sales Rank: 8769

Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 94
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

MPN: KCHDKLF3122D
UPC: 741952312291
EAN: 0741952312291
ASIN: B000O76PXK

Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Release Date: June 12, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new and factory sealed. Order from our huge inventory and we ship directly from our warehouse to you within 24 hours. Buy from us with 100% confidence.

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Capturing the intensity of life in relation to death director eric steel & his crew spent an entire year looking at the golden gate bridge. Running cameras for almost every daylight minute he documented nearly two dozen fatal moments as well as others where suicide was avoided & life preserved. Studio: Koch International Release Date: 06/12/2007 Run time: 94 minutes

Amazon.com
Director Eric Steel has succeeded in making one of the most morbid documentaries ever, The Bridge. Starring several deceased Golden Gate Bridge jumpers, The Bridge is a eulogy comprised of interviews with their loved ones and friends who reminisce about those who succeeded in committing suicide in the San Francisco Bay. Spliced between interview footage are shots of the bridge in all its majesty, surrounded by fog, and being enjoyed by tourists. Meant to represent The Bridge as a rounded character, one of beauty punctuated by tragedy, this film is assuredly touching for the affected families. It's an important step in the grieving process, but feels random viewed by one who didn't know these mentally disturbed citizens. As a conceptual investigation into suicidal motivations, the documentary succeeds, though midway through viewing one begins to feel like an interloper at various funerals. We hear of one woman's battle with schizophrenia, another man's death obsession, and several retellings of those who witnessed the horrendous events. Like Grey Gardens, The Bridge captivates by triggering one's love of sensationalism, but fortunately the film's sincerity undercuts any inkling of gossip column crime reporting. This tribute to suicide victims serves as an oblique tribute to The Bridge, as an honest portrayal of its history, gritty though important to remember. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews: Read 52 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Haunting, but a rare look into the side of life that most people turn away from. October 18, 2008
A friend of mine told me about this documentary after he watched it on IFC. He said I would like it and that it was interesting. I work in the drug and alcohol addiction field and I am a graduate of psychology and criminology and I am more desensitized that the average person when it comes to human behavior. But, I watched this one night after work and I was speechless. It brings the common movie goer into the eye-witness setting of mental illness and people attempting to cope with a "not-so-good" existence. Haunting, but I was unable to look away. I would show this film to any college-level psychology class as a teaching/learning tool.

1 out of 5 stars

Most Boring Documentary I've ever Seen. Don't waste your money. September 24, 2008
0 out of 4 found this review helpful

This has to be the most boring documentary in the history of the world. The Director obviously doesn't have the balls to show what the documentary was supposed to be about, people throwing themselves off the Golden Gate Bridge. What he gives us instead is 90 plus minutes of friends and family talking about these people and you get about 2 minutes if that showing only around 4 people jumping. The grand finale is someone jumping and they film him all the way down till he hit's the water and disappears.Yes, I wanted some background on who these people were and why they decided to go out like that but this is a total rip off. To top it all off the jerk has got the nerve to list all the people that have jumped off the bridge in a 1 year period, around 24 I think. If I ever see his name on another anything I will run the other way. Don't waste your money.

An Important Film About Understanding More Perspectives About Suicide, Depression, and Mental Illnesses September 2, 2008
Usually, when I give a film 5 out of 5 stars, it is because I not only think highly of the film, but I also want more people to see it.

In this case, I'm not necessarily encouraging more people to see this film. But at the same time, this is an exceptionally informative film that was created with a great deal of care, patience, and sensitivity.

This is a multiple viewpoint film with dialogues from people closely involved with friends or relatives who killed themselves by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. The discussions are informed, but not necessarily expert. The opinions are earnest and well-meaning, but not necessarily good advice. But observing and questioning the narratives could be a valuable exercise for some who have ever struggled with the related issues.

I want to personally thank all the filmmakers involved who worked so hard to create this film.

5 out of 5 stars

An education.....hopefully you can give someone hope and help! August 26, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful

When I decided to view this documentary, I was in belief that only a portion of the story would be about the suicides. I had believed that you would see the majestic, technical and mechanical elements of the San Francisco bridge. It is not about that, it is all about the use of the bridge as a tool to end your life. You will see and feel the desperation and anguish that leads someone to take advantage of the bridge - to end their life here, and to use this bridge as the means just because it is there!

Come to grips with the end
This lengthy 2004 documentary is a study of the people who come to grips that this is the method to accomplish that. Pay close attention to the stories of family and friends of the dead. You may get confused about the people the interviewees speak of. Heartbreaking stories of family and friends interweave with footage of people on the bridge.

Graphic
In the yearlong study, photographers captured the people on the bridge. You will see actual jumps! Some footage is plentiful, while other jumps are not as graphic. And, that is one of the most painful things to watch, the leap from that bridge, the leap that is the end. You will hear how a young man changed his mind and lived to tell about it.

Not exploitive
Some might feel that this graphic view of suicide jumps is exploitive, but the film allows the viewer to FEEL for the person jumping. The healthy minded person can't imagine climbing that rail knowing the horrendous outcome. But to the mentally ill or depressed person, it comes without much thought. It is an educational insight for anyone who may recognize the signs of desperation.

Special Features
The extra feature here is the role photographers play in recording daily the people, watching out for the loner and their telltale signs. You will see some people get pulled away, and at times you can only believe they wanted to be stopped.

Fortunately, I have not had an experience with someone who attempted or mastered suicide. This is an education, read the signs, give someone hope......Rizzo

5 out of 5 stars

Simply Poignant August 11, 2008
I had never heard of this film until I caught it on tv. I was at once spellbound. The subject is people who jump from the Golden Gate Bridge. It is a very poignant documentary about people who commit suicide off this grand structure and the effect their deaths have on the ones left behind. Be forewarned. This film documents 23 of the known 24 suicides in year 2004. Some one called this a snuff film and I admit it has the shocking effect of a snuff film but I am convinced beyond a doubt that it was not Eric Steel's intention to create a snuff film when he made this movie. With camera's strategically placed, Eric and his staff documented suicides in progress. Some successful, some rescued. His staff often intervened to try and rescue the jumpers before they jumped.

It is a disturbing film and it is also heart wrenching. There are in depth interviews with some of the friends and family left behind. Those left behind are always so stunned. Even if they had an inkling of the suicide's intention, they are always shocked, stunned, full of guilt. A co-worker of mine committed suicide in 2000 and I remember feeling all those emotions. Those emotions rocked me to the core and her suicide haunted me for years. I was left wondering, why didn't she say something? She was always smiling! Then last year my ex-husband's favorite brother committed suicide and again I felt those over-powering emotions of shock and surprise.

Seeing this movie literally horrified me that people can be so severely depressed and insomnia-ridden that they choose to die rather than live. It's like they don't realize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

I cannot understand why this bridge does not have a suicide barrier. Yes the politician's arguments may seem valid, but when people are easily climbing over a bridge's 4 foot barrier and jumping to their deaths, it's obvious something HAS to be done.

I would recommend this movie if for it's educational purpose alone. No one can watch this documentary and not be moved.

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