Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale

There is a lot packed into this full-length documentary--enough to be enjoyed by all ages! Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale is an absolutely wonderful movie that takes the viewer on a nostalgic ride back decades when two huge steamboats ferried people of all ages to Boblo Island amusement park. The filmmaker easily captures this summer fun by incorporating series of home movie clips from passengers as well as reminisces of devote local Boblo fans. Not just fun, though, there is real drama and suspense in this movie as you are introduced to the quirky group of people dedicated to reconstructing the Boblo Boats, despite formidable obstacles.

The photography is state of the art and at times breathtaking! And Martha Reeves's narration of the movie was spot on with her melodic and engaging voice. We learn an important history lesson with this movie, too-that there was "another Rosa Parks," a young woman named Sarah Elizabeth Ray, whose Supreme Court ruling set the stage for momentous civil rights legislation. It is no wonder that this documentary has won at least three awards in film festivals!

Honestly, I was very spectacle about seeing this documentary on the Boblo Boats. And now, I am a better person because of it. This film explored so many fond memories of my childhood, and I am very excited to step aboard the SS Ste Claire again.

The Producer and Director of this documentary did an amazing job, and I am looking forward to seeing more films in their future!!

If you haven't gone out and seen this movie yet, you definitely should. You don't even need to be a Detroit native to fully understand and enjoy this film. It is 100 percent worth your time. And there is also a website you can pre-order the DVD from, very cool!!

I wanted to see more historical photos or film on the boats and the island and it's rides and attractions. A timeline would've been nice. The lack of this is supplemented by strange characters, some bickering about the barnacle barges and dealing with their own personal issues. One comment in the film rang true, she wished the money being spent on those boats could be used more appropriately, help out some homes in Detroit. I don't buy the story that Boblo closed due to the owner's accident. It was on its last legs in the early 90s, tensions in the city and all over America lead to it's demise, if a park didn't have money it was going to close.

This documentary film has the rare magical ability to transport you through time. Many cities had a local amusement park, and Detroit's was special!

To get to Boblo Island, you had to take a ride on an old steam boat. These boats were the highlight of the trip for many people. It was a safe place to be yourself.

This is the only documentary film about that special island. It uses the "voice" of a steamboat to tell the story, narrated by Motown legend Martha Reeves. It finds people who remember the island and all it's glory.

What makes this movie so interesting is the depth it goes into the history of what happened to the boats afterwards. It follows the restoration of one for over 7 years and it's incredible journey.

From also touches on the left glorious aspects of History. The boats actually caused a supreme court civil rights case that's all but lost to time.

It's a wonderful film I will send you down a path of nostalgia and fascinating history.

Boblo Boats is not just a historical documentary that recounts the history of the popular boats used to go to and from Boblo Island. It captures the hearts and souls of the people who loved and continue to love both the boat and the island amusement park. The photography is excellent, but it is the telling of the story by the boat itself that truly brings the story alive and changes the film from just a documentary to a film that almost magically pulls the viewer into the story of the boats, the island, and the people who loved them.

Even for those who did not grow up with the park and boats, the film triggers childhood memories of old amusement parks and similar childhood experiences. It is a wonderful and heartwarming film!