[Dean's World] Dean: March of the Penguins

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Posted by Dean:
March of the Penguins
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1170624119.shtml


   [1]march of the penguins So I finally got around to seeing [2]March of
   the Penguins this weekend. This is a documentary on the reproductive
   cycle of Emperor Penguins.

   I wasn't in a huge rush to see it because I grew up watching so many
   nature programs, and watch them often enough now on television, that I
   couldn't imagine wanting to make a special trip just to see one on
   penguins. But with all the critical and audience raves it got, I knew
   I needed to check it out sooner or later.

   It was certainly a beautiful film, well written and directed.
   Scientifically I found it a little frustrating because they left some
   of the most important and obvious questions unanswered. I for example
   am amazed that they got through the entire film without once
   explaining how the males and females tell each other apart; they're
   not sexually bimorphous in any obvious way, not even on size. So how
   the heck do you tell, and how do they tell? Presumably they must be
   able to but I was mystified.

   I also have no idea what it is they're feeding their hatchlings. I
   find it impossible to believe that the females hold months worth of
   fermented fish in their bellies, so, what is it? Some sort of penguin
   milk expressed from the mouth?

   I suppose some might find such questions "too technical" or something,
   since it's supposed to be a popular film not a scientific one. But
   given that they clearly showed all sorts of other unpleasant aspects
   of penguin life--being killed by carnivores, freezing to death,
   etc.--you'd think somewhere in an hour and a half they could make sure
   the really basic questions are answered.

   Still it was quite lovely, and yes it should be family-safe viewing
   for just about anyone. The sad parts are sad, but they're a reality of
   nature.

   I must also say that after seeing it, I was even more impressed with
   the non-documentary cartoon [3]Happy Feet that came out about a year
   after March of the Penguins. Not that Happy Feet was a masterpiece--it
   was not--but it was a fun film, and brilliant on a technical level.
   Now that I've seen the gorgeous real-life footage of Emperor Penguins
   and their hatchlings, I'm even more impressed with the cartoon, which
   was obviously at least in part inspired by the documentary.

   It's worth a rental. Heck, they both are.

References

   1. http://www.amazon.com/March-Penguins-Widescreen-Charles-Berling/dp/B000BI5KV0/sr=1-1/qid=1170623337/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-1553019-7391814?ie=UTF8&s=dvd/deansworld01-20
   2. http://www.amazon.com/March-Penguins-Widescreen-Charles-Berling/dp/B000BI5KV0/sr=1-1/qid=1170623337/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-1553019-7391814?ie=UTF8&s=dvd/deansworld01-20
   3. http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Feet/dp/B00005JPCD/sr=1-1/qid=1170623733/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-1553019-7391814?ie=UTF8&s=dvd/deansworld01-20