Earth: a wonderful way of acknowledging Earth Day
Disneynature tribute to the Earth Day, April 22 is a documentary film directed and written by Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill and it’s named as Earth. Earlier in the period between 1948 and 1960 Walt Disney made several short-length documentary pictures. Amongst them, there were films like True Life Adventure that won three Oscars in the category of documentary pictures and several other honorable titles.
Documentary: Earth
Writer: Alastair Fothergill
Director: Mark Linfield
Narrator: Jmaes Earl Jones
Rating: 4/5
But, since then, Disney’s foray into documentary films was shelved for reasons unknown but then returned back now with Earth.
Again, Disney has announced a program along with the release of the film. The program is Buy a Ticket, Plant a Tree. It says that during the first 5-day opening phase of the film, for one ticket purchased, a tree will be planted. This film will be loved and enjoyed by the younger generation and no wonder that in its advance booking phase, the film has already pledged for 5,00,000 trees to be planted.
This film Earth is a wonderful compilation from the series Planet Earth of BBC and discovery channel, and it is narrated by James Earl Jones. The film evokes thought and concerns for our planet earth. As the documentary unfolds, the narrator provides identities to the animals that have been shown.
The film is a feast for the eyes as a big screen reflects ethereal beauty with scenes of Storks flying over the Himalayas, Polar bear cubs plummeting towards sea, whales swimming to their feeding grounds, some 3000 miles away off the coast of Antarctica, Ducklings learning to fly out from the nest and herds of elephant getting exhausted as they cross a bone-dry desert. All together reflects a learning experience for these animals.
However, in this documentary, the most touching scene was when one particular polar bear got lost at sea and in its search was struggling to get on to his ice home in these days of global warming. He finally came ashore exhausted and starved. In the effort to hunt for his prey, he attacked a flock of walruses but he failed and finally died on the shores. The walruses nearby were unperturbed and indifferent. The documentary unfolded with a scene of a mother polar bear with her two cubs. The one who died was the father polar bear.
The other favorite Disney movies of my childhood days are The vanishing Prairie and The Living Desert. The film Earth reveals some unexpected facts as well such as baby whales need to be taught as to how to breathe and even fir trees circle the globe and supplies oxygen more than the rain forests. However no mammals and birds stay in the fir tree forest that begins from the northern circle because they are considered inedible.
The film Earth is simply beautiful and its worth watching. Consciously, it kind of evokes sentiments for the Earth and the hapless animals that strive for their habitats in these days of global warming. The pre-opening release of this film was co-sponsored by Lincoln Park Zoo and they handed over to each audience a sapling to plant and save the Earth. What a way to acknowledge The Earth Day! Aint?
