National Geographic's Tigers of the Snow
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DVD Cover Information
Brand: Warner BrothersDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 57 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-02-15
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: National Geographic Video
Movie Reviews of National Geographic's Tigers of the Snow
Movie Review: "Hope Is The Last To Die."
Summary: 5 Stars
I have always had an interest in the big cats, and have had a particular interest in the Siberian tiger since reading the compelling book "Tigers in the Snow" by Peter Matthiessen and Maurice Hornocker, which I also recommend. These beautiful cats have been hunted to near extinction since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and are now extremely endangered by the twin perils of poaching and industrial deforestation.
This documentary is an absolute must see for anyone who cares about the potential extinction of these magnificent creatures: it is brilliantly made and photographed, well written and narrated, and emotionally compelling. The film documents the Siberian tiger, the biggest cat on earth (males are up to ten feet long and weight up to 660 pounds) and the perils it faces. Unfortunately the single biggest peril it faces is poaching. The pelt alone can bring over $10,000 on the black market, and various other parts are used in medical quackery. I was nearly moved to tears in the introduction as video of a poaching operation was shown. The fear on the cat's face is haunting, and while I wouldn't show it to a child, I think it's important to see the senseless violence for what it is. Sadly, the Russian agents must destroy the pelts and other items of contraband made from the tigers when they catch the poachers to ensure they never get to market and support further demand for tiger products. Watching the agents burn tiger pelts was one of the saddest things I have ever seen.
The bulk of the film follows Russian and American researchers working in tandem to track, study, and save these beautiful creatures. Their love for the animals is clear in the risks they take in their studies: rappelling from a helicopter into the forest with a partially sedated tiger, tagging the ear of a cub in his den while his mother hunts, giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to an adult male tiger with labored breathing, etc.: we can all be glad that they take these risks in the effort to conserve the Siberian tigers, and unravel the mysteries of their lives.
Also on the DVD are several bonus features including still photos and a very interesting documentary, "Tiger's Eye," about photographing tigers in India. I enjoyed all the extras immensely.
The Russians have an old proverb "Hope is the last to die." These researchers and filmmakers are doing everything in their power to keep hope alive for the Siberian tigers, and I wish them the best for us and all the future generations who deserve to know these beautiful, majestic, and endangered creatures.
Summary of National Geographic's Tigers of the Snow
Tigers of the Snow presents the beautiful one-hour program on these endangered animals from award-winning wildlife filmmaker Mark Stouffer; plus the bonus never-before-released half-hour program entitled Tiger's Eye; Siberian Tiger facts; an assortment of tiger photographs in the Photo Gallery; a map of the tigers' range in Siberia; a Siberian Tigers interactive trivia quiz; and trailers of other related National Geographic programs.Blake's words "Tyger, tyger burning bright" come alive in this lush documentary from National Geographic. Tigers of the Snow spotlights the Siberian Tiger, which once roamed over the wide ranges of northern Asia but now is limited to a tiny region on the Sea of Japan. Footage of their active muscles, their piercing eyes, their regal pelt, all attest to the beauty of a dying breed. Russian and American scientists have banded together to study the 300 remaining not-so-gentle giants in an effort to save them from extinction. You'll see these men and women track tigers from helicopters, brave a mother's fury to tag her young, and strive to breed them in captivity. The effort is Herculean, given the massive logging and rampant poaching which cuts down the population and the tigers' territory, but there is hope that we can educate the next generation to protect these beautiful animals and their environment while there's still time. After all, a planet without tigers would be a much poorer place, and Tigers of the Snow shows exactly what we'd miss. --Rob Lightner
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