La Reine de la Montagne

Wow, I'm stunned, after watching this incredible outstanding Film. 1st- I'd like to thank the good people who braved 9 mos of grueling filming, in the harshest of conditions, "on top of the world".

Never have I read, or seen film, pictures, let alone Video of this Quality, and overall amount of actual continued footage of not one, or 2 Snow Leopard's, but included Cubs also. Wow. Words fall short of the emotions one receives in seeing this very special and rare footage. Rare as many dozens of expeditions have climbed atop the world in the Himalayas to document, photograph or TRY to film these elusive gorgeous creatures.

I've had some experiences with Snow Leopards, that have been bred in Captivity, at the nearby Endangered Feline Breeding Complex in Rosamond, Ca. Of all the big or small non-domestic cats, I've always felt the Snow Leopards have a look unlike any Feline I've yet to meet. Of course there is nothing much more special than playing with a Bengal or Siberian Cub, (bred in captivity), 'tho the Snow Leopards look deep into one's Soul, unlike any Feline. If I didn't know better, I'd swear these heavenly elusive creatures are all reincarnated Tibetan Lama's, Rinpoche's, great Masters of Life.

Can't praise enough those film crew members, who supported and filmed with pure brevity; to carry on, endure these elements high altitude elements of extreme cold, winds, and high thin air altitudes; to obtain this footage. I more than admire their approach to not trying to get that elusive close up picture, for fear of losing the Leopards trust, of which they seemed to obtain. A feat very uncharacteristic of any snow leopard, IE trust in humans, especially when the cats know humans are nearby let alone in plain sight.

However one aspect of production, and narrative of this movie, deeply disturbed me, which IMHO, downgrades the perfect 10 score I gave this. I almost downgraded this films experience and rating, based on hearing how these gorgeous animals were in the "Chinese" Himalayan's. With not a brief mention, that this IS/WAS Tibet proper, and has been since the Chinese bloody occupation of Tibet and hostile take over of 1957. A simple brief admission would of been nice, instead of a failure to mention Tibet as once home of the largest quantities of these special creatures.

To this day Tibet exists in those persons hearts who have not forgot this bloody time in History. The Snow Leopards diminished greatly over the time of China's military invasion.

and of course Tibet was not the only home of the Snow Leopard, IE these nations have or had snow leopards since mankind first met them: Tibet, Afghanistan, Bhutan, China's Mongolian Plains, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Great work Disneyture, and outstanding work and kudos (hats off) to those who made this possible, IE those who physically ensured this film made it to the studio.... Bravo!!!

10/9/17. Was Antoine Fuqua involved with this documentary? I am really surprised because I really like his work. When they did catch a glimpse of the snow leopard family, the cinematography was great. But, since the photogs were not that successful all the time, this documentary was filled with uninteresting back stories that didn't add much to the film.

This wasn't that interesting of a documentary, but I get why they made it. Filming the snow leopards for Born in China was so incredibly difficult and grueling! Perhaps filming the others were too, but give they made a documentary about this particular film crew makes me think their job was the toughest. If you like Disneynature and if you liked Born in China, give this one a watch just to appreciate what went into making that other feature documentary.

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.

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