The Living Sea

A fascinating look at how the oceans of the world impact the Earth. Facts like "70% of the Earth's oxygen comes from ocean plants." Great soundtrack from sting that compliments the film and each story. While not as impressive watching it at home as it is in an IMAX theater, it is still well worth a look at.

The Living Sea is a movie that can make you understand how we fit with the ocean ecosystem. I like the underwater scenery the best, because it almost feel you are swimming with the fishes. I saw this movie in Hawaii in 1997 at Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. It was a nice companion piece to my travel on the island.

The Living Sea is a 70mm American documentary film exploring marine locales intended to show the importance of protecting the ocean, released to IMAX theaters in 1995. It is narrated by actress Meryl Streep, with music by Sting, produced by Science World, a Vancouver-based science education center, and underwater imagery directed by filmmaker Greg MacGillivray.

The film is a survey of the world's oceans, emphasizing that it is a single interconnected ocean and the dependence of all life on the planet. The film shows researchers tracking whales, a Coast Guard rough-weather rescue squad, a deep-ocean research team, and the Palau Islands, which contain an unusual jellyfish habitat.

The film is directed by Academy Award-nominated IMAX director and cinematographer Greg MacGillivray, who also directed similar water-conservation themed documentaries such as Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. Highly recommended

This IMAX film is a breathtaking look at the workings of the world's oceans and its inhabitants. Magnificent cinematography makes this film an awesome sight on the giant screen. The magic is lost on video, however. But it is nevertheless an informative and beautifully filmed documentary. Also check out the great soft jazz/new age/pop soundtrack by Sting.

I've only ever seen 3 IMAX films and this is one of them. I was totally blown away by the incredible sound and photography. I had to study every shot because there is so much in it.

It's not actually a movie like other IMAX films (such as Across the Sea of Time and T-Rex) but more of a documentary about how we are all islanders and how we live because the sea lives. It was surprisingly effective in this sense. My fave part was the discovery of the new underwater fish and the fish that had, what looked like, thousands of little lights flashing on and off.

A scene with a boat fighting waves and crashing back down onto the sea was better than anything in The Perfect Storm. The sound in this particular scene is IN-CRED-IBLE.

Whenever you pass by an IMAX check to see whether or not they are showing this masterpiece. You'll love it.