Ghost of the Mountains

I love animal docs. This was well edited and put together. I cried.

Some viewers complained that there was no mention of Tibet. I am sure that that was a stipulation from the Chinese faction, otherwise you know they would have included the information. You can't just go into China and do whatever you want. There is protocol.

Another complaint people have is that there was minimal footage of the snow leopards. Not surprising! There's a rare leopard somewhere that people have spent decades trying to film, and were ecstatic when they got a couple of still photos at night. And yet, this crew, spending months in extreme conditions, managed to get a good bit of hi-res film of a mother snow leopard and her cubs, basking and playing.

It's not a lot of footage compared to what you'd get if you went to film flamingos in Florida, or monkeys in the rainforest. But for tracking a rare and elusive animal to the ends of the earth, and waiting months to film it, this is quite a coup! I didn't mind that most of the film centered on the crew and the elements; I enjoy people stories. Every moment of being able to see the snow leopards in the wild though ... that was priceless!

This was a very enjoyable documentary for me.. the human experience, the spectacular scenery, and close up views of snow leopards.. I got what I came for!

The first glimpse of snow leopards is 24mins into the movie. You'd expect to see snow leopards hunting or running but no it's a bunch of people just talking and talking and it's becoming annoying after a few minutes..... overall they don't show lots of footages of snow leopards. I rather watch national geographic 10 mins clip of snow leopards, as they have done much better quality documentary and shows throughout the past.

To be fair, you titled the snow leopards as your documentary but instead you presents a bunch of people. It's not interesting, the journey to see snow leopards can be challenging but you do NOT need to talk about that ALL THE TIME. WE GET IT. MOVE THE F ON. At this point it's more like a travel reality show....

Saw 'Ghost of the Mountains' as a fan of documentaries and of Disney, as well as somebody who has enjoyed (though with reservations) most of the DisneyNature documentaries. Was very interested in seeing a rare chance of seeing snow leopards on film and also to see the human aspect as one sees how the cruel conditions the crew have to work in and the sight of the animals affect them. The latter not something usually see in the DisneyNature documentaries.

'Ghost of the Mountains' is not a perfect documentary, but it more than serves its purpose of giving the viewer a chance to see snow leopards in a way that one is not going to find to this extent anywhere else. Although it is one of the lowest rated DisneyNature documentaries, and probably because viewers felt that there was too much emphasis on the crew and not enough of the snow leopards, to me actually 'Ghost of the Mountains' was one of the better ones.

Do think that there definitely could have been more of the snow leopards, though they do captivate when they're on screen.

The failure to mention Tibet once in the documentary, when it was one of the more prolific homes for the snow leopards, was disappointing and somewhat sloppy.

However, what is seen of the snow leopards, shown in their full nuanced glory, is really quite astonishing. Very tense, moving and how they, ruthlessness and methods of survival managed to be filmed is something of a miracle. The photography as always for DisneyNature is quite breath-taking and the scenery is both beautiful and unforgiving. Really loved the compassionate portrayal of the crew and what they courageously undergo to get this footage, one roots for them just as much as the snow leopards. 'Ghost of the Mountains' has charm but it is also suitably uncompromising, appropriate as the methods of survival should not be sugar-coated, and harrowingly so. While also done tactfully and with enough to make one think long and hard afterwards.

Of the DisneyNature documentaries, 'Ghost of the Mountains' is by far one of the best narrated. The writing of the narration itself is sincere and doesn't have any over-sentimentality or corny and out of place attempts at humour that the writing in some of the other DisneyNature documentaries did. The tone is serious without being gravely so or spelling out too much about feelings or what's going on on screen. The delivery of the narration is just right, it's the right type of voice and it shows an engagement with the material without being over-eager or too jokey. The music is also one of the better ones, tonally it's well suited and the placement isn't too much. It has presence but it doesn't try to be too sweepingly epic or be too cinematic.

All in all, very good. 8/10

Disneynature's international team of filmmakers travel to the mountains of China to find and film the elusive snow leopard on the highest plateau on Earth, while enduring brutal weather and unsettled terrain.

Facing brutal weather and highly unstable terrain, documentary filmmakers head into the mountains of China to find and film the elusive snow leopard on the highest plateau on Earth.

I really like the narrated documentaries, with the stories already ready, however I think those that show the backstage, behind the scenes, the tireless search, the hope and the joy in obtaining success in the images are very valid, it's beautiful, it's cute, it's important, it's exhausting... Without intervening, without disturbing or destroying nature, with the help of the local community, and it was sweet of them helping to capture a baby Yak, beautiful beautiful... The Snow Leopard is beautiful... I didn't know... .S2.