A Time To Die

Format: 16mm

Description: Created by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, "A Time To Die" teaches an age-old lesson about how alcohol and boating don't mix, and can have catastrophic consequences. The film begins with two male friends, heading out to water ski on a sunny summer day. The pair consume high amounts of Budweiser beer throughout the day. At the end of the film an accident takes place costing the life of one of the boys. This film was created with the intention of showing viewers the dangers of operating machinery while under the influence, especially vehicles and boats. It is relevant to note some of the footage is considerably graphic. The film has no credit sequence per se, but seems likely to have been created by students at the University of Nebraska's Speech and Dramatic Arts Dept. One of the boys walks from the front door of his home (:21) as his friend arrives with a car trailering a boat (:43). The boys drink and crinkle beer cans as they prepare for their water ski adventure (1:00). The blonde male prepares to water ski nearly forgetting to put on his life vest which his friend offers to him (1:51). The boat pushes off from the harbor (2:48). During the first go, the blonde male loses control and flips into the water (4:53). The second attempt ends in the same manner (5:27) as their inhibitions and hand eye coordination has been relaxed from the alcohol. While driving the speed boat, the driver drops a can of beer and seeks to fish it out from the floor of the boat (5:38). The blonde male is still in the water at this point and due to the distracted driving of his friend, the boats propeller strikes the blonde male in the neck (5:50). Footage follows of the body floating in a pool of it’s own blood (5:56). The friend frantically waves down the coast guard (6:14) as a police officer on scene radios in for assistance (6:14). Ambulance sirens wail as a stretcher is wheeled out (7:01). A close shot follows of the neck wound left from the propeller (7:21). The film then artfully switches from the friend of the killed boy mourning while standing in his boat and images from throughout the day as they had initially met up and drank throughout the adventure (8:12). He then provides a statement to the officer (8:31). The film ends with a special thanks to the Eastern Ambulance of London (8:46).

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