Project Comments:

A number of people have previewed the recently completed film and here are a few of their comments:

Dr. Alan Feduccia, Emeritus Professor of Biology & Department Chair, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC – author of Catesby’s Birds of Colonial America:

"The film is a treasure, extraordinarily scripted, artistically beautiful and well narrated.  It will be a lasting tribute to Catesby and his Natural History"
 

Dr. Nancy Gwinn, Director Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Washington DC:

"The show is perfectly lovely.  I think the photography is fantastic, and the way that the animals fade into the book images and vice versa is quite wonderful.  I like the narrator—great voice and excellent casual style".
 

Alan Howell: Natural History Officer, Guernsey Museums & Galleries, British Channel Islands:

"Just finished watching it - it looked stunning on the large screen. Very moving in places and if that doesn't raise awareness of Catesby when it is released, nothing will!"
 

Dr. Suzanne Linder Hurley, Davidson, North Carolina: educator & author on South Carolina history:

"Congratulations on your magnificent accomplishment. The film is a work of art and a treasure of information. Jack and I were most impressed. It has been a long road I know, but it appears to be more than worth what it took ­although probably none of us will ever know all you did to make it come together."
 

Dr. Linda Lear: research professor of environmental history, George Washington University; author of Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature (2007) and Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature (1997):

"A superb cinematic biography of North America's first surveying naturalist. Mark Catesby's observation and accounting in art and narrative of the New World's wealth of flora and fauna deserves the first-class treatment that Marsh Elder Productions gives in 'The Curious Mister Catesby.' A stunningly beautiful, historically accurate, and long overdue exploration of a singularly important scientific and artistic genius."
 

Dr. Amy Meyers: Director: Yale Collection of British Art, New Haven, CT  - co-author of Mark Catesby’s Natural History of America and of Empire’s Nature – Mark Catesby’s New World Vision: 

"The program is wonderful—I’m so delighted to have had the chance to preview the DVD."
 

Christopher Mills:  Head of Library and Archives, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:

"I took a look at the film a couple of days ago.  I thought it was really good.  Congratulations.  A suitable result for all the hard work."
 

Anonymous Professional Newspaper Film Critic;

"What an engrossing documentary. Of course, I'm keenly interested in the subject of naturalists, pioneering and otherwise, so I may be predisposed to like it. But by any measure this is a very polished piece of work: thorough, succinct, informative, textured and well mounted. Well edited, too. I'm much impressed."