Winged Migration being repeated (1 Viewer)

[Alex_sk]

...on BBC4 on the 20th June:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/storyville/winged-migration.shtml

 

[markpie]

I watched this on BBC4 last night. I thought it was stunning, one of the best wildlife films I've seen in a long time. Wish I'd seen it on the big screen!

 

[Bubbs]

And if anyone would like the DVD of the above, I have one for sale in new condition for £6.00 inc postage.

John.

 

[CarolineT]

Winged Migration

Before I saw this film, I had heard it criticised as having an uninformative commentary and dreary music, but I thought it was absolutely fantastic. There are images that will stay with me for a long time - bar-headed geese in the Himalayas; dancing cranes; literally "bird's eye" level footage of a gannet hovering over the sea and many, many more.... Yes the commentary was poetic rather than informative, but I kept my Collins and Sibley at hand and paused the recording when I couldn't recognise a bird so I could look it up, and I probably learnt more that way.

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Its one of those films you can watch over and over again without getting bored.

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Its worth getting the dvd because they show you how the film was made....really fascinating.

 

[graeme782]

Each to their own. I'd hoped to learn something about migration but was subjected to the aforementioned 'dreary music' and 'uninformative commentary'. Yes, the photography was well done but it seemed to consist of five minutes of Mallard in flight followed by five minutes of Canada Goose in flight, then right back to Mallard etc, etc. I managed about half an hour and then lost interest. I know Springwatch isn't everyones cup of tea but i'd take it over this any day of the week.

Incidentaly, the previous nights offering on BBC4 about Audubon, i thought, was excellent. Isn't David Attenborough looking good these days.

 

[Alex_sk]

Incidentaly, the previous nights offering on BBC4 about Audubon, i thought, was excellent. Isn't David Attenborough looking good these days.

Yeah, he looks over twenty years younger these days....

P.S. For those that didn't see it, the programme was from 1985!

 

[Alan G]

Each to their own. I'd hoped to learn something about migration but was subjected to the aforementioned 'dreary music' and 'uninformative commentary'. Yes, the photography was well done but it seemed to consist of five minutes of Mallard in flight followed by five minutes of Canada Goose in flight, then right back to Mallard etc, etc. I managed about half an hour and then lost interest. I know Springwatch isn't everyones cup of tea but i'd take it over this any day of the week.

Excellent photography but found the commentary so pointless that it would have been better if it werent there at all.........some bloke mumbling randomly about stuff that bordered on being inaudible.......silliness really?

 

[PumaMan]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread . . .

but I just wanted to say how much my wife and I enjoyed this movie. I just purchased the DVD and it is breathtaking. It's not really a documentary and the director states that - something like a "wildlife adventure film". I understand the criticism of some who were looking for more about the "hard science" of bird migration but I thought this film was just beautiful. I loved the music so much I had to get the music CD. The "making of" that is packaged with the DVD explains how they were able to get those marvelous images of the flying birds - mostly ducks and geese.

 

[KC Foggin]

It really was wonderful and I have watched it many times.

 

[Farnboro John]

I'm sorry but I watched this all the way through hoping I would get to the good bit. I didn't. A load of old tat, far too many imprinted birds following vehicles, quite a bit of clumsy superimposition of birds on backgrounds and neither an informative commentary on migration nor a close narration of the stories of individual species.

This might have impressed in the 1950s but even World About Us had moved on further, and now we have had Attenborough's Life of Birds and a mass of single species masterpieces.

One for the bin, not the bins.

John

 

[Fozzybear]

Don't hold back John... open up and say what you really feel. ||

Haven't watched this one, but my Life of Birds DVDs are definitely overdue for a rewatch. :t:

 

[PumaMan]

This might have impressed in the 1950s . . .

Insult noted.

 

[Himalaya]

I thought it was amazing and original. i loved it. I thought it was very innovative.
A number of scenes stick in my head:-

1. the cranes in eastern europe stopping at the farm being fed by the lady, i think one time they did nt stop or just flew off.

2. the injured wader being over-run by crabs

3. the geese flying peacefully and then suddenly shots fired and we lose some. that really made me hate hunters for a while.

4. the bird flying then being snapped down by a skua

5. the goose being stuck in the netherlands?

 

[PumaMan]

2. the injured wader being over-run by crabs

5. the goose being stuck in the netherlands?

According to the extras on the DVD, these birds were rescued and did not die.

 

[PumaMan]

I'm sorry but I watched this all the way through hoping I would get to the good bit. I didn't. A load of old tat, far too many imprinted birds following vehicles, quite a bit of clumsy superimposition of birds on backgrounds and neither an informative commentary on migration nor a close narration of the stories of individual species.

This might have impressed in the 1950s but even World About Us had moved on further, and now we have had Attenborough's Life of Birds and a mass of single species masterpieces.

One for the bin, not the bins.

John

This is a false argument: It is either (1) comparing apples with oranges or (2) a straw-man argument. Take your pick.

The straw-man you create is that Winged Migration is a documentary about bird migration. It isn't. But, of course, after you've created your straw-man it is easy to compare it to real documentaries and thus you are able to tear it down quite easily. Winged Migration is, as the director stated, a nature adventure story. You might as well compare a travelogue to a documentary - same type of false argument.

Now, if you just stated that you didn't like the movie, that couldn't be argued with.

This movie has touched many people, making them think more about the hardships of migrating birds. Being a bird lover I would think you would appreciate that aspect of this flick.

BTW, I have Attenborough's Life of Birds and it is a very fine documentary.

 

[Farnboro John]

This is a false argument: It is either (1) comparing apples with oranges or (2) a straw-man argument. Take your pick.

The straw-man you create is that Winged Migration is a documentary about bird migration. It isn't. But, of course, after you've created your straw-man it is easy to compare it to real documentaries and thus you are able to tear it down quite easily. Winged Migration is, as the director stated, a nature adventure story. You might as well compare a travelogue to a documentary - same type of false argument.

Now, if you just stated that you didn't like the movie, that couldn't be argued with.

This movie has touched many people, making them think more about the hardships of migrating birds. Being a bird lover I would think you would appreciate that aspect of this flick.

BTW, I have Attenborough's Life of Birds and it is a very fine documentary.

No, I'm sorry, I don't get this at all. Same with March of the Penguins trying to fit nature into Middle American mores. Their presentation is a deliberate attempt to mislead, in a way that Free Willy (what a great title that is) and Jaws are not. Deep Blue is a nature adventure story and apart from ditching Sir David's impeccable narration for some actor bloke, faultless.

But if you want an opinion on the movie aspects, I've already said the blue screen effects were shabby and in this day and age that is unforgivable.

John

 

[markpie]

i'm backing this movie up again :t:

i thought the fact that it wasn't an informative documentary or a close look at individual species was quite refreshing. we have all that on all the wildlife documentaries being shown on tv. this was just something to show the beauty of nature at ease, and to give an overview of migration, not a closely analysed documentary which would never make a good film lasting almost 100 minutes.

 

[PumaMan]

Thanks mini-colster.

Every film I see does not have to be a purely educational experience. Not every film/documentary I view has to have Attenborough or his narration. I am still enchanted by nature and Winged Migration is an enchanting movie about nature, despite the fact that it is not up to the "standards" of some "birders". And I'm not sure I want to be a "birder" if I can't be affected (in a good way) by movies like this one and March of the Penguins.