Snowflake Bentley

Born in Jericho, Vermont on February 9, 1865, Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley “loved snow more than anything else”--a lifelong love that ultimately led to his pioneering microphotography work revealing the extraordinarily beautiful structure of snowflakes. Based on the 1998 picture book written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Mary Azarian, Snowflake Bentley, narrated by Sean Astin (the hobbit Sam in the Lord of the Rings trilogy) mixes brief live action and animation to limn a solid portrait of “The Snowflake Man,” who would rise from humble beginnings to become the world's foremost authority on snowflakes, but never grow rich (although his landmark 1931 book Snow Crystals is still in print today). A lovely and engaging look at both one man's singular dedication and the beautiful objects of his study, the 13-minute animated main program is accompanied by a four-minute featurette, “Snowflake Bentley: His Legacy,” which includes photos of Bentley and his work. Recommended. Aud: E, I, P. (R. Pitman)