One Life

TBA • NR • Series • Catalog pick

A story of connection between disparate continents, habitats, and species, One Life is an exploration of the journey of life, of every creature's instinctual urge to survive, procreate, and raise and protect young to ensure future generations. Filmed in virtually every habitat in every corner of the world over a span of 3,000 days, One Life is a marvel of technology and beauty. Ultra-high-speed cameras capture moments that the naked eye cannot see, like the Madagascar praying mantis's capture of a cricket, and time-lapse photography speeds up slower actions, such as the life cycle of a Venus flytrap in North Carolina. The mating rituals of the humpback whale, rarely seen because they occur so far out to sea in the South Pacific, are captured from a multitude of viewpoints, including from the sea, aboard boats, and overhead in helicopters. Each shot is gorgeously clear, and the emotional intensity of every moment is heightened by Daniel Craig's skillful narration and George Fenton's powerful musical score. But the film's highest achievement is its emphasis on the connection between humans and every living animal on the planet. Through many serious moments, and the occasionally comical one, the filmmakers showcase the commonality of life's journey: humans and animals are absolutely united in their common goals of living and fostering new life. What differs is how that instinct manifests itself: from a male silverback gorilla fending off a rival tribe in the Congo, to a brown tufted capuchin monkey teaching its offspring to open a palm nut in Brazil or a Jesus Christ lizard walking on water in Belize as a part of its mating process. Bonus features are plentiful and include a full-length director commentary; a 10-minute interview with writer-director Michael Gunton on some of the technical aspects of the photography; and a making-of segment (Blu-ray only) featuring interviews with codirectors Martha Holmes and Gunton, executive producer Neil Nightingale, and composer Fenton. Additional extras comprise a music recording segment; behind-the-scenes looks at the strawberry poison arrow frog, ibex, gorillas, and the komodo dragon; bonus shots with tropic birds, capuchins, snow monkeys, and lammergeier; and interview segments with four separate camera operators and six of the filmmakers. --Tami Horiuchi Only the best buy direct from GRUV