John James Audubon: Drawn from Nature

Originally airing on the celebrated PBS series American Masters, the award-winning John James Audubon: Drawn from Nature beautifully relates Audubon's rags-to-riches tale, while also underscoring the vital importance of his contributions to the study of nature. Audubon is best known, of course, for his lavishly illustrated volume Birds of America (in its original form, the largest book published in the 19th century), but his achievements extended far beyond the contents of that one important book. In actuality, Audubon saw more of the North American continent than any other person of his era, and the fruit of his exceptional travels led to a revolutionary increase in human knowledge. In addition to being a premiere ornithologist and peerless illustrator of birds, Audubon was also a grandly colorful figure, prone to tall tales and even taller real-life adventures (the film doesn't flinch from the less admirable and paradoxical qualities of his personality, while still documenting that Audubon was a tireless and passionate champion of science and nature). Adroitly piercing some of the myths that elevated Audubon to iconic status among naturalists (Audubon's claim that he never drew from stuffed specimens is a half-truth, since he in fact killed thousands of birds to create his magnificent illustrations), the film is also a visual feast, combining exquisite nature footage with a graceful appreciation of Audubon's artwork. DVD extras include a trio of featurettes. An exceptional film about an exceptional man, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)