Welcome to Portia's Secret Garden in USA-Pixnet

為了紀念這部影片的上映和迪士尼自然品牌的誕生，也為了號召大家為全世界的環保事業盡一份力，迪士尼公司近日決定他們將在《地球》首映時展開“綠色行動”！
迪士尼主席Dick Cook表示“《地球》是一部偉大的影片，我們認為這次植樹行動是慶祝這部偉大作品誕生和世界地球日到來最好的方法。”迪士尼將會首先在巴西大西洋雨在展開他們的植樹行動，因為這裡已經是世界最接近消亡的雨林之一，據估計現在該雨林的面積隻有原來的7%了。迪士尼公司將全程跟蹤在這裡的植樹計劃。
　　該片由Alastair Fothergill 和Mark Linfield指導，2人之前曾拍攝了備受贊譽的艾美獎獲獎電視紀錄片《地球無限》（Planet Earth)，這是2人首次把他們的“地球故事”搬上大熒幕，《地球》以紀錄片的形式講述了3個動物家庭以及我們共同的家園——地球的故事，獵豹在大草原上追殺獵物的動作快到肉眼來不及看，但是在慢動之下，野生獵豹全身的肌肉運動完美呈現，迪士尼新片【地球】要讓觀眾見識從來沒看過的自然界的力與美。 為了忠實呈現大自然的生態之美，製作團隊派出最新的攝影直升機，連山谷裡的彩虹也能清楚捕捉到，大批海豚集體遷徙的畫面也震撼人心。 劇組耐心等待果然不負眾望，拍到了小鳥學步和大象獅子共喝一池水的珍貴畫面，透過銀幕帶給現代人最原始的感動！
這真的是一部非常值得推薦給大家闔家觀賞的片子，很有教育性質，由其現在環保意識抬頭，正需要努力推廣大家保護地球永續經營的觀念，從這些影片中，人們的狂妄自大，違反大自然的生存原則，破壞既有生態，希望藉由觀賞這部影片，可以感動大家多盡自己的一些心力來保護地球。一個人不嫌少，希望環保觀念像蠟燭般傳播下去。
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The breathtaking visuals of "Earth" are more than enough for me to recommend it. Through a combination of hot-air balloons, helicopters, and even satellites hundreds of miles above, directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield have captured aerial footage the likes of which I've rarely seen. The footage shot on ground level isn't too bad, either, revealing a marvelous display of animal activity that so few have been able to see. What isn't quite as breathtaking is the way the film is turned into a pseudo-narrative, one that chronicles the lives of various animal species as they struggle to survive one year; in true Disney fashion, most notably in wilderness films like "The Jungle Book" and "The Lion King," almost every animal we see is personalized, made to seem like a character instead of a study subject. It's not altogether unsuccessful, but on the whole, I would have preferred to not identify with the animals.

With a very intentional release date of April 22--Earth Day--"Earth" has generated renewed interest in Walt Disney's "True Life Adventures," short documentaries filmed between 1948 and 1960 that focused on the animal kingdom. I haven't seen any of them, although I find it fascinating and admirable that Disney saw fit to capture real animals on camera and not just portray them in cartoons. The film itself is compiled from the BBC and Discovery Channel eleven-part miniseries "Planet Earth," which I also haven't seen. This may account for why "Earth" often feels like it's covering too much material in such a short length of time; so much natural beauty is shown and so many animals are studied that watching it all can occasionally be overwhelming. Then again, narrowing the focus would defeat the purpose of the title. And goodness knows no one would be able to tolerate a 660-hour-long documentary.

Many stories are woven throughout one another, but the main focus is on three animal families and the harsh realities of surviving on Earth. The first one centers on a mother polar bear and her two cubs; they awaken from hibernation in the Arctic Circle and begin a dangerous journey towards the sea to look for food. The father bear, who began hunting before his family awoke, faces starvation after falling through thin ice and getting lost. It's probably the most heart-wrenching sequence in the entire film, especially since we know that global warming contributed to the problem. Still, one wonders: How did the filmmakers know that this bear was the father of the two cubs? Is it at all possible that was made up just for the sake of creating drama?

The second story centers on a mother elephant and her calf as they trek across the deserts of Africa in search of water. A vicious sandstorm separates them from the rest of the herd, putting them at risk for dehydration and exposure to predators. Lions, for example, have been known to prey on calves. We see them make an attempt when the elephants camp for the night at a watering hole.

The third story centers on a mother humpback whale. She swims 3,000 miles with her calf to the waters off Antarctica, where krill will be abundant by summertime. Their journey isn't without some danger; Great White sharks are some of the biggest marine predators around, and when it's time to feed, they will not show any mercy. If you want proof, just wait until you see a slow motion shot of a surfacing shark swallowing a sea lion.

Some minor stories work their way into the film. In an unbelievably cute sequence, a group of ducklings emerge from a tree and attempt to fly for the first time. They only fall to the ground, but hey, that's how you learn. In another sequence, a flock of storks fly majestically over the Himalayas, battling wind and fog. We also see birds that inhabit the rainforests, specifically exotic birds of paradise. The males sure know how to strut their stuff when they're in search of a mate. One astonishing slow motion shot shows a lone leopard chasing a springbok across an African plain. It's a sobering reminder of the Circle of Life.

All these events are narrated by James Earl Jones (replacing an original narration by Patrick Stewart). His distinctively deep voice serves the material well, especially when the film pauses to focus on plant life and geographic formations. At one point, time-lapse photography documents the progress of various flowers and fungi. Later on, we're treated to awe-inspiring camera passes over towering waterfalls, many with rainbows hovering playfully in the mist. These shots alone make "Earth" worthy of a trip to the theater. The concept may be a little too big for a ninety-minute documentary, but its visuals are top notch. On the whole, this is a pleasant and informative film, at times fun, at times frightening, always giving the audience something to think about.

by Chris Pandolfi