Alaska: Spirit of the Wild

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Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Studio: Razor
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Description Not Available

Alaska
If you have never seen Alaska, see this DVD - We had the opportunity to visit Alaska last year and this is what it is really like!

Great Documentary
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
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
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
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.