The desert is alive
Movie | |
---|---|
German title | The desert is alive |
Original title | The Living Desert |
Country of production | United States |
Publishing year | 1953 |
length | 67 minutes |
Age rating | FSK 6 |
Rod | |
Director | James Algar |
script |
Winston Hibler James Algar Ted Sears |
production | Walt Disney |
music | Paul J. Smith |
camera |
NP Kenworthy Jr. Robert H. Grandall |
cut | Norman Palmer |
The desert is alive (original title: The Living Desert ) is a 1953 documentary film by James Algar about the desert areas east of the Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada (USA) and their flora and fauna.
history
The film was the first long documentary film to be made by the Walt Disney Studios and was a multi-award-winning worldwide success. The film drew a number of other animal and nature documentaries, some of which were also entertaining. In 2000 it was included in the National Film Registry of US films that are particularly worth preserving.
The speakers for the German version were Wilhelm Borchert and Joachim Cadenbach .
content
The film shows the creatures of the desert region . In their habitat there is unbearable heat during the day and freezing cold at night. This requires a high degree of adaptability from animals and plants. The development and the special features of the desert areas shown are also explained.
After long weeks of drought, tropical downpours follow, which "revive" the desert within hours. Little by little the different plant and animal species awaken to new life and enjoy the rain that sets in.
reception
Accompanied by music and sound effects and accompanied by funny comments, the film goes beyond the characteristics of a pure documentary film . He shows the animals with human characteristics, so to speak, so that the viewer can empathize with them. The entertainment claim cannot be overlooked compared to a scientific claim.
At the German premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in 1954, the film was enthusiastically received by the audience.
Awards
- 1953: Award in the International Film category and special award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1954 .
- 1954: Oscar for Best Documentary of 1953.
- 1954: Golden Globe Award (special prize).
- 1954: Large gold plaque at the 1954 Berlinale .
- 2000: Inclusion in the National Film Registry for US films that are particularly worth preserving
See also
literature
- Walt Disney : The desert is alive. Described after the film by Manfred Hausmann . Voyages of discovery in the realm of nature. Blüchert, Stuttgart 1956.
- Leonard Maltin : The Disney Films. 4th edition. Hyperion, New York 2000, ISBN 0-7868-8527-0 .
- Nicolaus Schröder : Film. The most important works in film history. Gerstenberg visual - 50 classics. Gerstenberg, Hildesheim 2000, ISBN 3-8067-2509-8 .
Web links
- The Living Desert in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Film clip Dance of the Scorpions - on YouTube.com