Alastair Fothergill Movies
World Chimpanzee Foundation head Christophe Boesch joins filmmakers Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield for this documentary offering an intimate look into the world of chimpanzees. The chimpanzee is an exceptionally intelligent species of anthropoid ape, and by spending over three years in the tropical jungles of Uganda and the Ivory Coast, filmmakers and experts offer viewers a unique opportunity to better understand their distinct role in our global ecosystem. The story in Chimpanzee centers on Oscar, a young simian born into a large family of 35 others, and eager to learn the ways of life in the jungle. As Oscar's mother Isha teaches her newborn how to find food and avoid dangerous predators, the leader of their family, Freddy, vigilantly defends their territory from his rival Scar. Scar and his clan covet the nut grove at the center of Freddy's domain, and it's only a matter of time before they attempt to take the precious resource by force. When tragedy strikes and Isha perishes, Oscar struggles to survive without a parent to feed and protect him. But just as it begins to appear as if all hope for Oscar is lost, something miraculous happens - Freddy adopts the orphaned youngster, and provides the support he so desperately needs to survive. But it may come at a devastating price, because somewhere out in the trees, Scar has noticed that Freddy has ceased defending the perimeters of his territory, providing the perfect opportunity for him and his clan to take the coveted nut grove by force. Narrated by Tim Allen. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Nature filmmakers Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill team to co-direct this documentary released as part of Walt Disney Studios' Disneynature banner and following three mothers -- a lioness, a leopard, and a cheetah -- as they prowl the plains of Africa on a mission to protect their cubs and teach them the ways of the world. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Samuel L. Jackson
- 2009
- G
In celebration of Earth Day 2009, Walt Disney Studios' new Disneynature banner makes its official debut with this feature-length nature documentary from award-winning British producer/director Alastair Fothergill (Planet Earth and The Blue Planet). Acclaimed actor James Earl Jones narrates a breathtaking documentary that draws the world's top cinematographers together in order to offer a breathtaking look at the world we live in. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
As co-directed by Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill, the nature documentary Earth represents an edited-down version of the 12-hour small-screen miniseries Planet Earth, reslated for cinematic release. The program provides a sweeping 99-minute tour of our home planet's biosphere -- spanning every level of gaze, from the epic (crystal-clear shots of the Earth hovering in space) to the hyper-specific (a mother polar bear and her cubs waking from a lengthy period of hibernation). The film almost exclusively emphasizes the behavior of the animal populations that inhabit the Earth, yet carefully omits shots that depict the more gory predatory behavior of species, rendering it family-friendly. It also employs a chronological approach -- beginning in January in the Arctic wilderness, and moving progressively through the four seasons and 12 months comprising a single year, until it hits late December -- contrasting various geographic regions of the Earth as shot in various seasons. Above all else, a cautionary message underscores this footage; as in An Inconvenient Truth, the filmmakers continually remind their audience that despite the grandiloquence present onscreen, all may be lost if humankind is not careful. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Earl Jones
- 2006
The creators of Blue Planet: Seas of Life reunite to celebrate our remarkable planet as never before thought possible with a stunning trip into the wilderness shot on revolutionary high-definition cameras over the course of five years, and utilizing 40 cameramen in 200 locations. These are the scenes that simply were not possible with older filmmaking technology, and from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest river floors, Planet Earth sets out to capture on camera the most elusive creatures every known to humankind. Acclaimed actor David Attenborough narrates as the filmmakers of Planet Earth take viewers on a journey that is truly out of this world. The version of this series that aired on the Discovery Channel for American audiences featured alternate narration by actress Sigourney Weaver. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Attenborough, Sigourney Weaver, (more)
Alastair Fothergill's nature documentary Deep Blue consists of 90 minutes of footage of undersea creatures -- living, surviving, fighting, and dying. Similar to like-minded documentaries such as Winged Migration and MicroCosmos, Deep Blue features footage from locations throughout the world. The great British actor Michael Gambon provides the narration, which favors involving the viewer emotionally over providing enlightening factual information on the creatures. The 22 segments of the film conclude with footage of how man has affected life under the sea. This film was originally produced for the British television series The Blue Planet. According to the filmmakers, some of the creatures seen here have never been previously recorded on film. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Gambon
- 2001
Five years in the making, the elaborate British-American documentary series Blue Planet: Seas of Life was created for the purpose of revealing "the complete natural history of our planet." At least those were the words of the series' narrator, the renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough. By focusing on the world's oceans, the series charted such concepts as evolution, the food chain, survival of the fittest, and the future of that omnipresent non-sea creature known as Man. Many of the underwater images qualified as "firsts," boldly going where no photographer had gone before. Even when the narrative portions of the program lagged, the slack was taken up by the brilliant visuals. Originally lasting eight 50-minute episodes and boasting a budget of ten million dollars, Blue Planet: Seas of Life debuted in England over the BBC on September 12, 2001, then was broadcast in America over the Discovery Channel beginning January 28, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Attenborough
- 2001
The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is an eight-part nature documentary series originally produced by the BBC and broadcast in the U.S. on the Discovery Channel. The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, Vol. 2 contains the episodes "The Deep" and "Open Ocean." David Attenborough narrates this wildlife program that explores the aquatic animals and other creatures living in the sea. For home video and educational use. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- 2001
David Attenborough hosts this series on the oceans of the world and their inhabitants with some incredible photography of never-before-seen, groundbreaking animal behaviors. Part one of the series, Blue Planet: Seas of Life, Pt. 1 -- Ocean World, looks at the oceans' dominating influence on the world's weather systems and profiles several animal species who depend on oceans for survival. ~ Elizabeth Smith, Rovi
- 1990
This video is one in a series produced by the BBC that investigates the often secret lives of wild animals. The presentation is hosted by television personality and naturalist David Attenborough, who guides the viewer through the mysterious world of animal behavior. In this episode, the focus is on animal communication. First rate photography and audio recording captures the complex and fascinating languages of animals, from dolphins to ducks. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, Rovi
- 1982
This visually lyrical documentary explores geology, the changing seasons, a variety of landscapes, and daily living on our planet to great effect, yet not all viewers would agree on its success, even though the Italian Film Critics Association gave it an award in 1983, as did UNESCO in the same year. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
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