Customer Reviews
An epic undertaking - By: Bob Salter, 25 Sep 2008 
This is a fascinating film written & directed by Michael Powell. The story is based around the real island of St Kilda which was abandoned by the inhabitants in the early 1930s. St Kilda is an extremely remote island out in the Atlantic West of the Hebrides. Its remoteness lends it a romantic mystique. But for those inhabitants at that time life on the edge of the world was extremely tough. Famine was a reality. If storms kept them from the sea they often went hungry. Life was often as short as it was hard. The great director Flaherty had already explored this life in his landmark documentary "Man of Aran". Powell had actuallly watched Flaherty wrestle with the raw material for 3 years for this film. Well that is the brief background.
If you watch this film I would thoroughly recommend you read Powells magnificent book "200,000 feet on Foula". I usuallly find books on the cinema to be tedious but this one is not. The book is alll about Powells preparation for & the making of " Edge of the World". In my humble opinion the best book ever about the industry. It is an epic story in itself & is an insight into the great man. The film was shot on location on the Isle of Foula in the Shetlands some way north of the Scottish mainland & every bit as remote as St Kilda itself. Foula is remote even among the Shetland group. Foula has the feel of Ultima Thule which is from the ancient Greek & refers to the place at the end of the world. As you can imagine the logistics of filming here in the thirties must have seemed daunting. Which indeed it proved to be. But the location is everything for this film. It lends it an impressive sweep & air of authenticity. Foula has dramatic cliffs & seascapes just as St Kilda does. It also has atrocious changeable weather conditions which made filming hard. Powell went to similar lenths as Kurosawa did to bring in "Dersu Uzala", battling heroicallly with the elements for the sake of art. Does he pull it off. A resounding yes on every level. Pause to bear in mind when this film was made in 1938. Powell shows his vision early in his illustrious career.
The casting was perfect. The great Scottish actors Hugh Lawrie & Finlay Currie being the best known amongst a modest cast of actors & actresses. The locals of Foula were also used. Nothing bigger happened at Foula before or since. Powell shows how the locals lived with surprising accurracy. The gathering of sea birds eggs from vertiginous cliff faces being the most memorable.
But there is more to this film than historical accurracy. Look out for Powells brilliant fade outs & double exposures which enhance this film. Thank goodness for the National Film Archives wonderful & deserving restoration. It also contains the very welcome little documentary return to Foula which unlike so many extras is actuallly very worthwhile. I heartily recommend you immerse yourself in this lovely film. If you have a true heart for the joy of cinema you will love this.
Peter Manson Gone Over - By: B. Chandler, 30 Jan 2006 
It has been 10 years since The Shadow of Death fell on the outer isles of Scotland. This is the tale of Peter Manson, his family & the last days of inhabitance on the island callled “Ultima Thule” The Edge of the World. You will come to identify with the inhabitance & their plight. But with alll the triumphs & tragedies the worst for me was when they let the cats fend for themselves & the dogs (due to economics) drowned.
The filming was spectacular & there is a social statement. Many facets go into making this a first class movie. The film was shot by Michael Powell on the island of Foula in the North Sea. Michael Powell is the visiting yachtsman that hears the story.
