Bear Country

This documentary short won an Oscar for Two-reel short and was well-deserving of the honor. Everything about this is excellent-cinematography, locations, even the narration, which can be a problem with Disney live-action efforts, is excellent! It's ashame that The Mouse doesn't have this available to the public. I used to run occasionally on Vault Disney, but hasn't shown in quite a while, which is a shame. Worth the effort to locate. Most recommended.

A Walt Disney TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURE Short Subject.

This excellent nature documentary examines a year in the life of the residents of BEAR COUNTRY. While we see that most of the creatures must work hard to find food and avoid being eaten, it is shown that the lordly bear has a wild bounty spread before him. The relationship between mother bears & their cubs is also examined. Highlight: bears & their itches.

`This is one of a series of TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURES presenting strange facts about the world we live in. In the making of these films, nature is the dramatist. There are no fictitious situations or characters.' Winston Hibler is the narrator.

The True Life Adventures series is well worth watching. Almost all the feature length films are near-musts, with the only disappointment of the seven and of the whole series being 'White Wilderness' and even that was above average despite the controversial scene. There is a preference though for the short subjects, which were more tonally focused, more consistent in quality (not a dud of the seven, perhaps a little more educational and more compact.

One of the best is the penultimate short film in the True Life Adventures series 'Bear Country'. The best since 'In Beaver Valley' and doing for bears what 'Seal Island' did for seals and what 'In Beaver Valley' did for beavers. It has all the good things of those two and also has all the good things that the series consistently had, the best aspects being brilliant. As far as documentaries on bears go, look no further than 'Bear Country' and it is a shame that despite being one of the higher regarded True Life Adventures short films that it is so underseen and overlooked.

'Bear Country' for one thing is very high when it comes to the production values. . It's beautifully shot in vivid colour and the scenery is completely natural and is gorgeous and unyielding in equal measure. The music is not used too much, fits well tonally and doesn't over-bear in terms of sound. Personally didn't detect any awkwardness.

From start to finish, 'Bear Country' is highly educational and found myself learning a lot about the bears, despite the fact that they are such familiar animals. It is also accessible for all ages, with it being one of the most light-hearted of the series without being dumbed down. As well as cute without being too much so. Anybody that already loved bears will not find themselves thinking differently. Those that don't know much about them but learned a lot, like me, are very likely to endear to them. Also liked that familiar material was given a fresh slant and that we saw different sides to the bears.

Will say that 'Bear Country' is not all comedy and cuteness. There is a little danger that shows that they do have obstacles, but it is never too dark or disturbing. Did feel that almost all the feature films in the True Life Adventures series had moments where the jokiness was overdone and that parts were a little too cute. That to me was not the case with the short films, which were more focused tonally and were more sure of their target audience. It, and all the other short films, are more serious than the feature films generally in the series, but not overly so, there are moments also of adorable playfulness. The footage is fantastic at its best and it doesn't look manipulative or staged. It is always wonderful to see a mother's love quality for any animal, demonstrated quite a few times in the series and beautifully, that was handled sensitively and relatably and saw a caring side to animals that can be portrayed as dangerous.

Moreover, Winston Hibler's narration delivery has always divided those that have watched the True Life Adventures films, personally had no problem with it in all but one. Here it is good natured and even the more deadpan delivery doesn't come over as that monotone. Actually thought that it was some of the series' most involved and empathetic narration.

Overall, wonderful. 10/10.

Taking from us one very chilly North American winter through to another, we follow the antics of a mother bear and her two curious cubs as they emerge from their snug den out into the melting snow and explore their surroundings. Whilst the youngsters find fun in just about everything, especially climbing trees and playing with baby mountain lions, their mother must engage in more productive activities like feeding them, teaching them, and keeping them safe from predators - chief of whom is actually another male black bear who will merrily slaughter the cubs if he gets a chance. This is one of Winston Hibbler's more personable commentaries, I found, with some charm and light-heartedness guiding our exposé to the adventures of these giant animals atop the food chain amidst the trees and beauty of this untamed wilderness. I can't help but wonder if they don't have the right idea, these critters: sleep through the bitter cold of winter; wake up; eat, drink and be merry then go back to sleep for another five months!

Bear Country, together with Beaver Valley and Seal Island, started the True Life Adventures craze at cinemas all over the world. The Disney Company ought to put them out on DVD as a box set with all the nature movies put together.

These adventures started people's interest for nature, and set a standard for that category. All those pictures DESERVE TO BE PUBLIC AGAIN. In Norway, during the fifties and early sixties the True Life Adventures series topped the box office in Norway. And when Norway got a state run television i 1960, the Disneyland shows caught the most viewers. So, they really deserve to get place on DVD.

All fans and collectors. All The True Life Adventures will be released under the title, Walt Disney's Legacy Collection, in four dbl volumes on dec.5 2006. Jørn Back, Norway