"Winged Migration"
In 1996 French filmmaker Jacques Perrin produced the technically marvelous look at the insect world in the meadows and ponds of Aveyron, France in "Microcosmos." Now, Perrin, with five camera teams and as many as 14 cinematographers, travels the earth following the migratory paths of a vast array of fowl and give us a genuine bird's eye view of the world in "Winged Migration."
Perrin and his crew have succeeded in giving us a real, often astounding, up close and personal view of all kinds of migratory birds and the obstacles they face every spring and fall as they traverse vast distances just to survive. The list of birds that we, literally, fly with is lengthy with such marvelous species as Whooper Swans, Red-crowned Cranes, Snow Geese, Puffins and the Artic Terns (which migrate an astounding 12,500 miles from Antarctica to the Arctic, twice a year).
Between the film's narration, charmingly and articulately provided by Perrin, and the titles that tell us the name of each kind of bird being followed and how far they travel in their journeys of survival and procreation, we get an 85-minute lesson in ornithology. The tutorial is sweetened by the incredible feats in flying with the sometimes vast migratory flocks and photographing them as they traverse oceans, mountains, canyons, glaciers, cities, oasis and desert in driving rain, blizzards and relentless sun in their search for food and nesting grounds.
The film is proudly titled, in the beginning, that no special effects were used in the production of "Winged Migration," which makes the project all the more astounding. At first, Perrin's cameramen put themselves in gliders, balloons and specially equipped helicopters. But, the three-year production allowed the filmmakers to utilize new technology and some of the most spectacular footage is shot from video cameras mounted on remote-controlled gliders and helicopters and a specially designed aircraft called the Ultra Light Motorized craft that gives a 360-degree perspective.
"Winged Migration" is not just made up of majestic photography as the camera gives us the birds' view of the earth. It also shows the trials and harsh conditions these creatures face as they make their compass-perfect journeys of thousands of miles. We are also observers in the mating and feeding rituals - a wonderfully amusing water dance by a group of Clarke's Grebes is, alone, nearly worth the price of admission. We also see the creatures' heartbreak when mating pair of penguins unsuccessfully try to protect their baby from a couple of persistent scavenging gulls. But, the violence of Mother Nature is kept subdued, making "Winged Migration" true family entertainment.
Music is used, with various degrees of success, to give the film an auditory flow. The lofty sounds of a large chorale are used to lend certain sequences a majestic quality, but the accompanying music works best when it uses an organic beat that fits the moment, like the subtle percussion over the images of the dancing Grebes.
I couldn't help reminiscing, while watching Perrin's work, about the well made, educating feature documentaries that Walt Disney Pictures used to make in the 50's and 60's like "White Wilderness" and "The Vanishing Prairie." "Winged Migration" is a superb addition to that pantheon of nature documentaries and deserves acclaim for the stunning cinematography, artistry and technical achievement. I give it an A-.
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