Elephant Journey

In Disney's Elephant Journey, when a herd of elephants living in the protected Etosha National Park in Namibia are threatened with starvation during a drought, they take the risk of crossing the park boundary into the desolate Kaokoveld on a desperate quest for food and water in the distant mountains. Told through the point of view of the smallest elephant calf, the elephant's journey introduces viewers to southwest African wildlife in all its glory--lions, springbok, baboons, etc.--as they learn about elephant biology and behavior, and witness the unforgiving drama of death. While the narration is at times a bit overly dramatic ("shackled by drought," "emotions are raised to high pitch!"), the incredibly spectacular footage, combined with the overall tone of sophisticated drama generally works well, resulting in a lot of educational information being artfully presented in the context of a gripping narrative. A companion volume, Alaska: Dances of the Caribou, is also available (series price: $139). Enthusiastically recommended. Aud: I, J, P. (E. Gieschen)