Earth Captivates on Film
by Cedric Streeter
Issue date: 5/4/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
They bought you the "True Life Adventure Series" in 1948, "The March of the Penguins" in 2004 and now Walt Disney is introducing Disneynature and its first documentary film "Earth."
Legendary actor James Earl Jones, who has appeared in numerous films such as "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins" and provided voice-over for the character Darth Vader in "Star Wars," narrates the film which provides glimpse into the fascinating world of animals and their means of survival in the wild. The narration gives an in-depth description of the lives of humpback whales migrating to a warmer climate, a herd of African elephants roaming through arid land in search of water, and a family of polar bears hunting for food. This documentary about the Earth and the toll it is taking due to Global Warming shows how many animals are facing extinction or are being endangered, which amounts to a planet in peril.
Filming in exotic locations such as Papua New Guinea, Africa and the polar ice caps, the camera crew shot the animals in their natural habitats and chronicled their lives for the four seasons out of a year.. From African elephants defending their young from lions, Polar bear cubs learning how to hunt for food and the Great White Shark taking a bite,these intriguing moments were captured in intimate details for the audience's viewing pleasure.
The cinematographers were able to capture footage of monkeys traveling through water, baby ducks taking their first flight and about three million migratory birds. Shot in High Definition, Disneynature collaborated with BBC, Greenlight Media and the Discovery Channel to illustrate how nature works, activities that are seldom seen by the audience.
"Earth" and next year's documentary film "Oceans" are films that can be used to educate students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning about animals, nature and our planet. As the first film in a series focused on nature, "Earth" helps Disney to branch out of the realm of entertaining to now also educate their audiences. The best part about the film is that it received a Motion Picture Association of America rating, which designates a film fit for the entire family to watch.
For more information, visit Disney.go.com
Legendary actor James Earl Jones, who has appeared in numerous films such as "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins" and provided voice-over for the character Darth Vader in "Star Wars," narrates the film which provides glimpse into the fascinating world of animals and their means of survival in the wild. The narration gives an in-depth description of the lives of humpback whales migrating to a warmer climate, a herd of African elephants roaming through arid land in search of water, and a family of polar bears hunting for food. This documentary about the Earth and the toll it is taking due to Global Warming shows how many animals are facing extinction or are being endangered, which amounts to a planet in peril.
Filming in exotic locations such as Papua New Guinea, Africa and the polar ice caps, the camera crew shot the animals in their natural habitats and chronicled their lives for the four seasons out of a year.. From African elephants defending their young from lions, Polar bear cubs learning how to hunt for food and the Great White Shark taking a bite,these intriguing moments were captured in intimate details for the audience's viewing pleasure.
The cinematographers were able to capture footage of monkeys traveling through water, baby ducks taking their first flight and about three million migratory birds. Shot in High Definition, Disneynature collaborated with BBC, Greenlight Media and the Discovery Channel to illustrate how nature works, activities that are seldom seen by the audience.
"Earth" and next year's documentary film "Oceans" are films that can be used to educate students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning about animals, nature and our planet. As the first film in a series focused on nature, "Earth" helps Disney to branch out of the realm of entertaining to now also educate their audiences. The best part about the film is that it received a Motion Picture Association of America rating, which designates a film fit for the entire family to watch.
For more information, visit Disney.go.com
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