La marche de l'empereur
I had been wanting to watch this documentary ever since I saw the trailer. Unfortunately, although they were showing the docu-movie here, it was in the original french version - La marche de l'empereur. My three semesters of beginner french did not help me at all! And the subtitles were in japanese.
However, since I already know the gist of the story so to speak, I could follow the movie. But the visuals, the cinematography was absolutley STUNNING! Yup, I was stunned. The penguins themselves were worthy of the Oscars. That alone was worth watching for.
Can you imagine marching through the brutal landscape to find your mating place? They were a sight, marching in single file through the frozen ground, a line of black against the stark white landscape. Then after mating, to care for your eggs through freezing blizzards and months without food? That was the duty for the papas, while the mamas went back to the ocean to hunt and would later return in spring in time to see their newborns hatch. Then, it would be the mamas turn to care for the babies.
There would be many times that you would go *awww* at the sight of the furry little baby penguins, but since it is a documentary and not a fairytale, reality creeps in. The harsh climate is deadly to the young ones and the sight of frozen eggs and dead hatchlings are enough to make you grab your heart and go "NO!". The thought that some of the penguins after having endured la marche and months of caring for their eggs and young only to loose them to the cold is heartbreaking. Then there will be predators lurking about, babies would loose their mothers and mothers would loose their babies.
If you get a chance, don't miss this one. I wish I could understand french since the narratives complimented the documentary instead of distracting or spoiling it. There were three narrators in the french version. Morgan Freeman is the narrator for the english version.
I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed La marche de l'empereur. It was definately more fun than War of the Worlds.
However, since I already know the gist of the story so to speak, I could follow the movie. But the visuals, the cinematography was absolutley STUNNING! Yup, I was stunned. The penguins themselves were worthy of the Oscars. That alone was worth watching for.
Can you imagine marching through the brutal landscape to find your mating place? They were a sight, marching in single file through the frozen ground, a line of black against the stark white landscape. Then after mating, to care for your eggs through freezing blizzards and months without food? That was the duty for the papas, while the mamas went back to the ocean to hunt and would later return in spring in time to see their newborns hatch. Then, it would be the mamas turn to care for the babies.
There would be many times that you would go *awww* at the sight of the furry little baby penguins, but since it is a documentary and not a fairytale, reality creeps in. The harsh climate is deadly to the young ones and the sight of frozen eggs and dead hatchlings are enough to make you grab your heart and go "NO!". The thought that some of the penguins after having endured la marche and months of caring for their eggs and young only to loose them to the cold is heartbreaking. Then there will be predators lurking about, babies would loose their mothers and mothers would loose their babies.
If you get a chance, don't miss this one. I wish I could understand french since the narratives complimented the documentary instead of distracting or spoiling it. There were three narrators in the french version. Morgan Freeman is the narrator for the english version.
I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed La marche de l'empereur. It was definately more fun than War of the Worlds.
posted by AL LEE at 3:14 PM
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