VIDEOS
The videos on this page are our favorite ones for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, we consider these videos to be outstanding films for their cinematography, accurate biological information, and educational value. Under each video we give a review. These are our own opinions.
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Filmmaker Hugo Van Lawick brings to us a story of a leopard growing up and becoming independent in a beautifully filmed expose'. But it is more than a film about a leopard coming of age, it is Van Lawick's own story of his 30 plus years in the Serengeti. The film follows the leopard as it discovers and experiences the world of the Serengeti. Through the leopard's eyes and Van Lawick's story we are treated to the vast array of wildlife, their individual behaviors, and their habitats. The cinematography is so outstanding that each scene is a piece of artwork. The musical score carries the film to an epic proportion as wildlife and nature films go. To add to this, the film is superbly narrated by the late Sir John Gielgud. This is truly a beautiful film and one we like to watch several times a year.
National Geographic Eternal Enemies: Lions and Hyenas
This film is unique in its ability to communicate the power and viciousness of lions and hyenas in their ongoing competition for food. The stories of the social interactions of a pride of lions and a neighboring hyena clan set the stage for the conflicts between the two species. The film follows the trials of an individual lioness that gives birth to litter of cubs and a female hyena that is heir apparent to her clan. The nighttime filming brings to us a view of lions and hyenas that few ever see. The musical score helps bring out the great emotion of the behavior of the animals involved. This is undoubtedly one of the better lion films made to date.
National Geographic Season of the Cheetah
In our opinion this is one of the better cheetah films every produced. It is the classic work of Hugo Van Lawick, a world renowned Serengeti filmmaker. The main theme revolves around two young cheetahs, a brother and sister, soon after they become independent from their mother. The story involves the tales of several other groups of cheetahs that made the Gol Kopjes, in the Serengeti National Park, their home for one season. The antagonists in the film are three cheetah brothers (Blood Brothers) that Van Lawick portrays as bandits of the Serengeti, causing mischief for all the other cheetahs. The interactions between the cheetahs are what make this film. For those that don't like watching a lot of gazelles being killed by cheetahs, this is the film for you. The interactions between the cheetahs gives them individuality, a key goal that Van Lawick has succeeded in achieving. This film was originally released by Partridge Films, in Britain, as Cheetah: The Blood Brothers, in 1989. The main difference between the two versions is the narration. The world class actor, Sir Ian Holm, did a superb narration for Blood Brothers. The National Geographic version is adequately narrated and essentially everything else remains the same. Unfortunately, it is unlikely we will see the Ian Holm narration version in the United States. We ordered a copy of Blood Brothers directly from Partridge Films at a great cost so that we could enjoy the Ian Holm narration.
This is possibly the best available film that gives an ecosystem view of the Serengeti-Masai Mara grasslands of Tanzania and Kenya. This film was originally an IMAX super-large screen film. But the video version is still outstanding. The main theme centers on the seasonal migration of grazing animals, such as wildebeest and zebra, as they move from the short grass plains of the Serengeti to the tall grass plains of the Masai Mara. The cinematography is amazing, particularly the use of wide angle aerial views. The film is narrated by the engaging voice of James Earl Jones. The story includes a very good lesson on wildlife ecology of the grazing animals and the predators that depend on the large (over a million migrating wildebeest) herds of grazing animals for their survival. The video side trip to the Ngorongoro Crater does not really fit into the main theme, but the filming is still great.
National Geographic Beauty & The Beasts, A Leopard's Story
If you like leopards you will love this video. The filming is excellent as is the story which follows a single female leopard through her day-to-day activities and trials of survival. There is a juxtaposition with another animal, a female wart hog. Both leopard and wart hog experience the trials and threats of life in the African savannah. This video includes the best leopard attack on a mature impala that we have seen.
National Geographic Lions of Darkness
Review forthcoming.