The Greatest Places (Large Format)
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Features
• AC-3
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Dolby
• Widescreen
• NTSC
In Theaters : 01 January, 1999
DVD Release : 11 May, 1999 |
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The Greatest Places (Large Format) Customer Reviews
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♥♥♥♥♥ |
Abbreviated IMAX Format at Odds with the Ambitious Scope of the Subject
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I have enjoyed IMAX films in the past, in particular, "Everest", but this 1998 release directed by Mal Wolfe is comparatively disappointing. The primary problem is one of scope. In the span of forty minutes, we are taken to seven diverse locations around the globe - Madagascar, the Amazon basin, Iguazu Falls between Brazil and Argentina, the Tibetan plateau, the Namib Desert in southwestern Africa, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and Greenland - each of which warrants its own IMAX film. While each segment offers visual treats worth savoring, the consequence of the ambitious scope is that the film feels cursory and the perspective unbalanced. Each locale certainly lends a certain exoticism, but ultimately, the choice of places feels somewhat arbitrary, as one could count off other areas that hold as much intrigue, for example, the Galapagos Islands, Patagonia, the Serengeti, the Australian outback, the Mariana Trenches, etc.
In the film, some areas like Madagascar and Greenland get relatively more time, while coverage of other areas like Iguazu Falls is hardly more than a series of panoramic snapshots. Granted Chuck Davis's cinematography is razor-sharp and often breathtaking, the vertical depth of IMAX films seems particularly cut-off in this film's translation to the TV screen, which at times makes one wonder what is going on below the screen. Compounding the problem is the pretentious script by Pamela Stacey, full of high-minded descriptions that come off rather condescending and remedial as actor Avery Brooks (the Captain on the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" TV series) tries his best to mimic the stentorian vigor of James Earl Jones in his narration. As a result, the film feels targeted toward middle school students taking geography rather than interested armchair global travelers like myself. It's obvious that the film took a lot of effort, apparently three years of effort to complete, but sadly, I have to say it's more an eye-pleasing series of movable postcards that lend minimal insight into the eco-history of these areas. |
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The Greatest Places (Large Format) dvd movie.