A beautiful
film of concern
Here
is one documentary that deserves a multiplex release, although
sadly it may be limited to the art-house. Some docos really made
for TV creep into the cinema by the back door, and they don’t
always present well out of their comfort zone and are often filled
with talking heads. But Earth is a great film of our
times, magnificently photographed by exceptional cameramen who
bring you face to face with nature in a way seldom seen on the
big cinema screen. (Be thankful there’s no talking heads).
It’s capital entertainment for the whole family,
but with an underlying message about the way we’re treating
the planet; especially how our indifference is killing off creatures
with whom we share the Earth. The film highlights particularly
the plight of polar bears, which at the rate of melting ice, may
be extinct by 2030. That’s a sobering thought, especially
after you watch the wonderful sequences featuring a mother polar
bear and her two cubs.
After breathtaking shots of the Earth, we see the
polar bears awake from hibernation, the mother and cubs scrambling
out of their snow cave. Perfect images on the screen, supported
by a fine orchestra score played by the Berlin Philharmonic, which
serves throughout to heighten the drama and tranquility where
required. Other memorable sequences include a lynx in a tigers’
forest, wolves hunting a caribou, elephants trudging through desert
to find water attacked by lions at night, and likewise antelope
death by leopard. There are also highly amusing dancing birds-of-paradise,
humpback whales’ perilous 6,000 km journey, monstrous great
white sharks, and a walrus colony versus a starving polar bear.
We
see the effects of the ice caps melting, and the tropical forests
drying up as the Earth steadily heats. Technically the film is
astonishing, making exceptional use of time-lapse photography,
slow motion, and extreme intimate close shots of the animals,
all with loving care. One super close shot of a leopard’s
face might haunt you. Here are the thrills, drama, and amusement
with the kind of heart-stirring moments that the best movies provide.
Panoramic shots show huge numbers of birds, fishes,
or animals in movement, providing awe inspiring images –
the sailfish and their prey for example. The judges will have
to be blinkered not to give this a gong for cinematography at
the Academy Awards. In fact, the use of latest photographic equipment
is in evidence – the slow motion photography only possible
through use of digital ultra hi-speed cameras. This HD digital
picture quality is up with the best.
Earth was produced with no expense spared
by the BBC Natural History Unit, which has been well-trained in
this medium by the likes of David Attenborough – indeed,
forty specialist cinematographers were employed on the project.
But while the BBC NHU has contributed greatly to television, their
work rarely reaches the cinema. They’ve certainly come up
to the challenge. Written and directed by Alastair Fothergill
and Mark Linfield, and narrated with quiet authority by Patrick
Stewart of Star Trek fame, Earth by no means delivers
a hard sell. Rather, there’s a much more subtle yet powerful
message behind the stunning visuals, encouraging us to feel compelled
to do something to preserve our fragile beautiful planet and it’s
animal life. It should be on the viewing list for all schools.
The sheer scope of this project is mind-blowing
– five years in production, filmed in 200 locations and
26 countries with 40 specialist crews working a record of 4,500
days in the field. The result is thousands of hours of footage
(there were 250 days of aerial photography alone). Was all that
worth it? The answer’s a resounding Yes! – highly
commended. Just take the family, and be enchanted.
John Bale
