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Topic: Sacred Planet (Large Format)

Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 04-23-2004 08:48 PM

Disney got this one right.

This cross between the classic CHRONOS and MAN BELONGS TO THE EARTH is a beautiful film (one of the best looking 15/70 films I've ever seen), delivering a soft and pleasant ecologic message.

Much time-lapse photography here...some of it very subtle. It has the traditional nature film shots, but they are never cliche. There is an astonishing shot of a tiger walking. I can't imagine how they got that close to it. I especially liked the shots of icebergs that almost seemed to glow from within.

The message is clear, and not heavy handed. Robert Redford narrates, but he stays out of the way of native speakers.

I highly recommend this film. It is only playing in 17 or 18 theatres right now (I get conflicting numbers on this) but I would hope to see it spread.

This film would do especially well in non-commercial theatres affiliated with Science Museums. It could play there for a LONG time.

I place this in the top tier of 15/70 films. It's not up to the level of TO FLY, HAIL COLUMBIA, or those classics, but it is certainly FAR better than YOUNG BLACK STALLION , HAUNTED CASTLE or the sleep-inducing EXTREME.

Music is also very well chosen. It is pleasant without being boring. I enjoyed listening to it.

This is worth seeking out. This is one I could take my wife to see and know she would enjoy it. It's just a beautiful and very peaceful picture.

Typical outstanding job by the Marcus Imax team. Previous show started 15-minutes late for some reason, but they turned it around very quickly and my show was on time.

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 04-24-2004 08:54 PM

Yes, it's mostly a beautiful film, visually. I love the use of time-lapse sequences; always very effective in IMAX. That was definitely one thing I was impressed by. There's a shot with two layers of clouds going different directions, and plenty with stars rotating around. Neat, neat visuals.

And there's one particular one with simply a single tree in a savannah, beautiful sky, clouds, sunset colors. Well done.

Although I have yet to actually see it in the auditorium, I must say I found the film very slow-paced. The first time I ran it through, the guy screening it basically walked out, bored. It may not suffer because of it, but you can't go into it with an "okay, get to the point already" attitude. It just takes its time. It very much takes after the IMAX documentary format, and I guess this is just Disney trying to keep some of their IMAX audience since their large format Aladdin fell through, and very few venues picked up Young Black Stallion.

I understand that this was a whole Earth Day thing, but the whole "the most sacred thing we have is choice; it all begins from there" ending came across a little over-the-top for me ... but then, I'm a cynical bastard with no heart. [Big Grin]

This movie is advertised as IMAX "and large format cinemas", so I was wondering if it is being shown in 8/70 some places. In 15/70, it is, once again, indeed, gorgeous. I don't think that we'll get crowds fully appreciating it, though; not in the commercial venue we've got ... at least, not while we've still got the loud, fast, and ultra-cool NASCAR 3D playing! [Roll Eyes]

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Dominique Replogle
Film Handler

Posts: 61
From: Highland Utah
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 04-24-2004 10:04 PM

Thanks for the reviews guys. We are planning on running the movie here in our museum starting June 1st. I have already seen the clips on Big Movie Zone. They looked great and we should be getting a screener in a day or so.

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