Winged Migration really has some breathtaking photography of the actual flight of migratory birds. The close-ups are so vivid in motion that initially I thought that one of the birds in each group was carrying a camera attached to its body. Turns out, that is not the case and gliders were used. If you are accustomed to the documentaries on National Geographic or Discovery Channel, this film would seem to lack in certain respects. In both of those channels there is almost always a very descriptive narrative throughout nature based documentaries, whether it features birds, animals or insects. I do not hold that against Winged Migration. I feel that this film, in certain respects, establishes a sort of different genre of nature-documentary films. Human intervention has been left to the very bare minimum and the viewer is left to spin his own story around the visual. The narrative is occasionally used, but more often the name of the bird in a subtitle suffices. The sound, though, is different from the visual aspect. The intrusion of music is clear and very well defined. The choice of music too fits well with the sensibilities of the subject matter (and the particular scene). The end result is that the viewer feels he or she is actually on a flight alongside these dozens of different migratory birds flying across land and sea.Interesting Trivia - Check the fascinating Arctic Fern which flies some 12,500 miles twice each year, from the Arctic to Antarctic!Sandy, NY.x------------------------------------------xhttp://thetruthoath.blogspot.com/2008/05/idea-of-flight.html

In 2001 Jacques Perrin "Winged Migration" became an award-winning documentary. It came as no surprise. For me it was a 'wide-eyed' 99 minutes of unique cinematography of migrating bird species from around the world. With minimal narrative and absolutely no special effects, the film focuses in on birds and nature in all its power and glory. Filmed over three years,the exquisite cinematography of migrating birds coupled with spectacular winged formations filmed from the Artic Circle,the flight over vast oceans, to the industrial areas of Eastern Europe. Here we see different environmental factors concerning industrial pollution. We also see the dangers faced by hunters whose gunfire brings sudden death as well as a bird with a broken wing who is attacked and devoured by crabs. These few unpleasant parts set to remind us of the human condition along with unseen dangers faced by birds on their quest to survive.Highly recommended.

Stunning as this movie is, there are many questions to be answered:* A bird may migrate 2000 miles, but how many halts does it make? * What kind of energy is expended by the bird during the migration? * what are the longest migrations ( Arctic Tern is THE longest, I believe). * How do the birds do it, even assuming instinct? Stars? Landmarks? Weather patterns? * What are the hazards? Hunters, oil sludge and such are shown in the movie but there are many natural hazards. * What are the ratio of birds starting vs completing the migration? * Why do birds migrate? Why many birds do not migrate? * Why migrate such long distances?I recommend a awe-inspiring informal companion book:Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere With Migratory Birds by Scott Weidensaul

Winged Migration is a gorgeous film. I felt as if I were flying along with the birds. I was entranced by the beauty of the birds and their behavior during migration. The way the film was shot added to it's interest and I found it to be very informative. This was well worth the time to watch. You won't be disappointed! The only reason I didn't give this movie a 10 rating is because I didn't think the few minutes of narration added to the film. I felt very distracted by it, especially that the quality of the voice-over was so poor, and the speaker's voice was flat and boring and difficult to understand. There were times when I thought he was speaking through a tube, there was a definite echo in his voice-over. Also, the music was not all that great, I think the film would have been excellent if there was an all-instrument soundtrack. Some of the songs sounded like the choir from the French movie "The Chorus." Overall, it was a beautiful movie, and my criticisms are just my opinion. Please don't be put off by them. The movie is worth seeing.