Alaska: Spirit of the Wild

Customer Reviews:

Great Documentary.......2007-06-16

I thought this one was great. Disregard what old "Barbra" said. She cites Wikipedia as her official source for information. I won't even go there. She is obviously confused and probably in her senior years. This is a great fact filled documentary and I highly recommend it.

Packed with Facts -- MADE-UP FACTS.......2007-04-02

If you want to fill your kids with with misinformation about Alaska, this is the movie for you. The scriptwriter apparently flew by the seat of his pants, making stuff up as he went along.

The script says that the famous Iditarod dogsled race originated to commemorate the Gold Rush. Wrong. The Iditarod commemorates a desperate dogsled race against time to transport smallpox vaccine from Anchorage to Nome, where children where dying of the disease.

In another error-filled scene, the script refers to the fiercesome black bear. Clips are shown of wolves, foxes and even elk cowering and running for cover because of a black bear. They were probably running from the camera crew. Wikipedia describes black bears as omnivores whose diet relies most heavily on grasses, herbs, fruits, and mast. They also feed on carrion and insects such as carpenter ants, yellow jackets, bees, and termites, and raid bees nests for honey. They sometimes kill and eat small rodents. They seldom attack other animals unless cornered, threatened, or wounded.

People believe the stuff in these documentaries, especially children. Parents, beware of scriptwriters such as the one who wrote the narration for this film. He was intoxicated with his purple prose and made up his own drama when the real facts weren't conveniently at hand. This guy should be writing soaps, not nature documentaries.

A pox on this movie. Smallpox, if you like.

Don't miss this rare gem.......2006-07-15

This fine IMAX production really captures the spirit of the Alaska region, though focusing upon the animals and geological features, not the people. Not that people are not interesting (I would not mind seeing a documentary on innupiat), but it is not every day I see a polar bear for instance, so give me a break.

I have seen dumb IMAX movies before. This is not one of those duds. This is the best IMAX production I have ever seen bar none. There was one other IMAX movie about Alaskan explorers, or mountain climbers, something along those lines. It stunk. I don't even remember the title. I had paid the price of two tickets to see it. That was the last IMAX movie I ever paid to watch in the cinema.

The problem with cinema is they want to charge $5, $10, then hit you hard for snacks and drinks of lousy quality. Fine. Then the movie better be awesome. Yet ninety-five percent of movies stink. So I never go to the cinema, and hardly anyone I know ever goes to the cinema. If you are a cinema owner, this is why you are looking at bankruptcy down the road.

In a sea of dumb documentaries, this shines like a lighthouse, showing the way for all those wannabe producers struggling to navigate through the waters of film-making. Very hard-to-get footage. I am not sure how the camera crew got so near to wild predators like wolves and bears. You tell me.

gorgeous and safe for kids.......2006-04-06

This is wonderful for the family. Super shots of scenery and animals (the latter with good humor as well). Charleton Heston's narration is apt and not overdone (though the volume is a bit low as compared with the otherwise excellent music soundtrack that is Aaron Copeland-esque). A very nice intro to the glories of Alaska, it even includes a bit of history on the Gold Rush.

Average customer rating:

"a place shaped by ice and solitude"
Alaska: Spirit of the Wild
This is as true as possible
Breathtaking!
Great family movie!

Alaska: Spirit of the Wild
Starring: Charlton Heston
Director: George Casey
ProductGroup: Theatrical Release
Binding: Theatrical Release

Amazon.com

The majestic beauty of Alaska is displayed masterfully in this film, which was originally presented in IMAX theaters and received an Academy Award(r) nomination for Best Documentary in 1998. The landscape of Alaska is shown in magnificent aerial shots, and "white thunder," the spectacular sight when enormous icebergs break off from glaciers, is shown in exquisitely sharp footage. As might be expected, much of the film is devoted to Alaska's abundant wildlife, including moose, bears, seals, wolves, caribou, musk oxen, and whales. The narration, delivered by actor Charlton Heston, provides informative background on the animals, but the star of the film is always the stunning camera work. An underwater shot taken in the midst of dozens of diving seals is particularly memorable, and scenes of humpback whales breaching on the surface are simply spectacular. Bears fight each other over the best fishing spots, and even their prey, the salmon swimming upstream, are featured in an underwater montage showing their life cycle. Animals that actually welcome the Alaskan winter, polar bears, are shown as they search the snowy landscape for prey. And a traditional whale hunt by an Inuit tribe is shown. This film is intelligently produced, and the astounding quality of the photography makes it a true treat for the eyes. --Robert J. McNamara

Description

Embark on a journey through a land of Arctic ice. Soar over the snowmantled paks of Mt. McKinley; follow salmon on their 10,000 mile sojourn across the Pacific Ocean, glide with bald eagles; dodge calving glaciers and race on the hooves of caribou. Alaska: Spirit of the Wild weaves a visual tapestry of seasonal survival, migration and adaptation, the wonders of the Aurora Borealis and the Gold Rush of 1897

Customer Reviews:

"a place shaped by ice and solitude".......2005-06-15

The spectacular scenery and fascinating wildlife of Alaska are seen at their most intriguing in this film, which was nominated for a Best Documentary Academy Award. The history of the land from the height of the last great ice age 18,000 years ago is also explained, showing in some well made graphics how man and beast were able to cross into Alaska on the Bering Strait from Asia. With marvelous aerial photography, as well as some underneath a stampeding caribou herd, and underwater for the hatching of the salmon and swimming seals. Other animals seen hunting and at play are the brown, black and polar bear, bison, musk ox, eagle and red fox. Beavers building their homes, whales in unison making bubble circles to catch herring, sea lions, and their predators, the Inupiat (Eskimo), who survive their year around existence in the harsh environment eating seal and whale meat.

It follows this great "land of extremes" from spring to spring, a land that took the lives of hundreds of men seeking wealth during the gold rush, as well as their pack horses, shown here in some historic still photographs.
Directed by George Casey, and written by Mose Richards with clarity as well as an almost poetic grace, it is narrated by Charlton Heston, who is gifted with a voice that is always a pleasure to listen to.
Educational as well as glorious to look at, this is an excellent documentary on America's least explored state.
Total running time is 40 minutes.

Alaska: Spirit of the Wild.......2003-12-07

I wasn't sure what to expect when I purchased this and now, having watched it, I'm so glad that I did. A:SotW is entertaining and enlightening... with breaktaking scenery and unexpected humor, courtesy of the Alaskan wildlife. (there's a scene with a black bear that's absolutely hilarious.) Charlton Heston's narration doesn't annoy or interfere with the scenes as some narrators do... I highly recommend this DVD become part of your collection, if only for the sheer beauty of the Alaskan landscape that is shown.

This is as true as possible.......2003-11-05

I am an aerial/landscape photographer living in Alaska and some aerial scenes in this movie remind me of my photoshoots and fights through steep valleys. In IMAX format, it's almost spellbounding! With the size of Alaska as large as 1/2 of the contiguous 48 lower states, it's hard to document everything 'wild' about Alaska in a short 40+ minute film. However I will give the film-makers credit for doing a fantastic job of showing the audiences the differences of seasons while integrating the wildlife aspect of this great state. This film will do wonders for the eco-tourism of Alaska. The aerial scenes taken from Denali National Park via K2 Aviation (the red small aircraft) are especially inspiring. Come on up and visit us in Alaska everyone and get ready to be inspired like you've never been inspired.

Breathtaking!.......2003-07-11

I was attracted to the movie by my wife who is a big polar bear memorabillia collector. Though it's only an hour in length, it's scenic beauty will blow you away. Can you imagine what it looks like on an IMAX movie screen? WOW!

Great family movie!.......2002-12-24

We watched this with our young family and it is a real treat! The movie is informative, breath-takingly beautiful, entertaining, and even humorous from time to time! What a wonderful family program! My daughter adds, "it shows many animals and sometimes they're funnier than little kids!"

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