Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey
Narrated by: Patrick Stewart
Running time: 89 minutes
Certificate: U
Extras: Disney & Nature, Savannah, Music Video: Jordin Sparks “The World I Knew”
Nature is a glorious thing and David Attenborough is the undoubted master: PLANET EARTH, THE BLUE PLANET, and FROZEN PLANET are unequaled in their field. Each of these BBC productions not only has Attenborough’s sultry tones guiding you on the journey, they’re also produced by Alastair Fothergill, who co-directs DISNEY’S AFRICAN CATS, the third production by DisneyNature initially released in 2011 now re-released on Blu-ray.
Disney is a family studio, the move into nature documentaries is a risk given the barbaric nature © 2012 Disney of the hunt and full frontal nudity that comes with the territory. AFRICAN CATS unsurprisingly has both. Narrated by Patrick Stewart, AFRICAN CATS follows two rival prides of lions in the African savannah: one is a lovely family with a bigamist father, Fang, his five lionesses, and countless cubs. On the other side of the river is Kali and his four sons who are determined to rule the land – a bit like a Lion Alexander The Great. Also along for the ride is a Cheetah, Sita, and her five cubs, who basically everyone wants to eat.
The directors have cleverly chosen to focus AFRICAN CATS on the eldest lioness Layla and her cub Mara; they are the true heroes of the piece, and provide the ‘Disney soft-centre’ you’d expect. There are also antagonists aplenty with some hyenas, crocodiles, and the weather for Fang’s pride to contend with, so there’s no doubt who we should root for.
Watching AFRICAN CATS it’s impossible not to admire, and be a little astounded by the footage. Kenya is an incredible country captured in all its beauty – particularly with the new Blu-ray transfer – and the footage of the animals hunting, sprinting, and fighting is extraordinary. The trouble is David Attenborough and Fothergill have done this better. There is an episodic feel to the Lion’s journey which doesn’t sit right when watching, there is a lot of manipulation – viewers are told who is good, who is bad – this works for film but as a documentary the audience should be free to choose who they want to cheer and boo. DisneyNature have undoubtedly done a great job producing AFRICAN CATS, however its problem is its morality. Let nature be natural and inform the public without fear.
AFRICAN CATS will be released on Disney Blu-ray(tm) & DVD On 3rd September 2012
