"Winged
Migration"
Reviewed By: Danny Gilbert
As evolution has taken its course throughout this
Planet’s existence, why is that birds eventually
gained the ability to fly from their reptilian
ancestors, but we humans did not? The simple answer is
that evolution happens as the result of any given
species' basic need for survival. And it is the
subject of survival that is the focus of the French
production of "Winged Migration," having nature
become
the greatest stage possible for drama. In nature,
drama is real because
nothing is artificial.
This stunning documentary captures
the drama of
birds from different species, making their seasonal
migrations from all over the world in a never-ending
search for food. The film displays jaw dropping
cinematography that can leave any filmgoer envious of
these winged creatures' ability to fly. Besides
human-piloted gliders and helicopters, other special
aircrafts such as remote-controlled gliders and
helicopters, as well as an ultra light motorized
aircraft were used for filming. Taking advantage of
this equipment, director Jacques Perrin has created a
work of art that had a time span of three years to
complete. In that amount of time, a crew of more than
450 people were utilized, including 17 pilots and 14
cinematographers. There were also no special effects of
any kind used.
Aside from directing and co-producing,
Perrin also
narrates "Winged Migration", utilizing his powerful
voice for full effect. In the film's early stages,
Perrin explains, "the story of migrating birds is
the story of promise, the promise to return." As to
prove this point, a young man in the English
countryside puts a blue-plastic wrapper around the leg
of a Barnacle Goose, to which this goose is followed
during his entire migratory route. This act appears to
be cruel, as we see the flying creature struggle to
remove the wrapper from his webbed-foot half way
through the journey. Intentionally, or
unintentionally, Perrin seems to have chosen this
goose as his main character.
Perrin is a familiar face to
French cinema, being
both an actor ("The Brotherhood of the World") and
producer ("Z"), but it is his obvious passion for
nature that has been the focus of his career lately.
Having been associated with other big screen nature
documentaries that studied such topics as monkeys ("Le
Peuple Singe"), mountain ranges ("Himalaya")
and
insects ("Microcosmos"), Perrin has outdone himself
with "Winged Migration" and created a masterpiece.
Whereas nature made the decision
for human-beings
to lack wings, Perrin philosophically ponders the
thought.” What if borders did not exist, the earth a
one and only space? What if we learned to be free as
birds?" What if? Indeed!
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