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Indix flix
By PHILIP BOOTH, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 14, 2002
The depths of daring
OceanMen: Extreme Dive (G) (45 min.)
As the daredevil free divers of OceanMen: Extreme Dive descend into the murky depths, onscreen charts and graphs detail the radical, dangerous effects on their bodies. A dive as deep as those undertaken by Pipin Ferreras (531 feet) and Umberto Pelizzari (492 feet) reduces the heart rate to 10 to 12 beats a minute. Lungs are squeezed to the size of oranges, and the heart shifts in place. So why do they do it?
OceanMen, a compelling documentary making its U.S. premiere Friday at the Channelside IMAX Theater, doesn't really delve too deeply into the motivations of Cuban-born Ferreras, now living in Miami, and Pelizzari, from Italy. The champion divers risk their lives to find out just how far below the ocean's surface a human might survive on one breath of air. Why are they so obsessed? Their stated reasons, mostly centered on a shared lifelong love for the sea, aren't completely satisfying.
How they achieve their respective feats, though, makes for a compelling story, and acclaimed photographer-cinematographer Bob Talbot uses the large-screen format to show off dazzling images from underwater and terra firma, including spectacular vistas of Italian cliffs and Miami cityscapes.
Ferreras uses a weighted "sled" to jet to his destination, while Pelizzari prefers the "constant weight" approach, abetted only by fins. Their stories, alternated artfully, make for suspenseful viewing. B+
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