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 Winged Migration (2001)Rated: G for General Audiences. Runtime: 98 mins. Director: Jacques Perrin Writer: Stéphane Durand; Jacques Perrin Tagline: An Incredible Vision of nature From a new Perspective. Cast: JacquesPerrin....complete cast Genre: Documentary/Family Most memorable quote: The Arctic Tern flies 12,500 miles from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
Awards: 2003 Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary.
Filmmaker Jacques Perrin mentions in the opening credits of Winged Migration that no special effects were used in filming this movie. While that is true, he fails to mention that the birds used in the filming of this picture are in effect trained actors, and that many of the film's scenes were staged for dramatic impact. I guess that means Winged Migration is not a documentary, but whatever it is, its majesty and ornithological significance can't be denied. What points it loses for its contrivances and staged scenes, it more than makes up for with its scientific relevance. I now retain a healthy respect for the fragility of nature. Through the process of imprinting, Perrin was able to embed his more than 450 associates - from cinematographers to student veterinarians - into the migratory formations of several species of birds as they made their semi-annual trek of hundreds or even thousands of miles across the globe. Imprinting is the process by which a newborn or very young bird establishes a behavior pattern of recognition and attraction to a human that is identified as the parent. Perrin's team filmed the birds using boats, ultra-light aircraft, powered-parachutes and robotic camera arms. What results is stunning footage of birds flying alongside the Eiffel Tower; high over the Great Wall of China; above a falling glacier wall; and down the Hudson River with the Manhattan skyline in the background. Especially moving was seeing the twin towers of the World Trade Center still intact. The segment was shot in 1999. As the film progresses we begin to feel a deep and personal affection for the winged creatures. We recognize the characteristics of individual birds and we genuinely cringe at the loss of several birds to hunters' shotgun blasts, factory oil spills and attacks by predators. As staged as these scenes are, the fact remains that these are real-life perils faced by our flighted friends on a daily basis. Despite its sweeping drama, several problems plague the film throughout. The continuity of the project seems to be very disjointed. While the film is broken down into cinematic chapters of sorts, the flow doesn't feel natural. Each "chapter" features a different species of bird, but we jump around the world in such dramatic leaps that I found myself wanting to stay in a particular region of the world a bit longer. Just when I was getting interested in watching the rock-hopper penguins of Antarctica, we jump to a hyacinth macaw in the rain forest of the Amazon. I might have been more impressed if Perrin and Crew had somehow been able to film "wild" birds at such close quarters rather than imprinted "pets". And perhaps I wouldn't have experienced a bit of a letdown if the most emotionally effective scenes weren't staged. But the film's message can't be denied. Bird migration is a powerful and life-assuring inspiration that somehow belittles that fact that my car wouldn't start this morning. What we humans perceive as cute and a thing of beauty, a bird sees as a means of survival. Frank Wilkins  Read or post comments about this film on the Screen formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1 Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi; Closed CaptionedLanguage and Sound: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; making-of featurette; director's commentary; music featurette; photo gallery (with commentary); filmmaker interviews; trailers.
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