Visions of the Sea

Life on Earth would be impossible without water, which covers over two-thirds of the planet's surface. Although life itself began in the sea more than three-and-a-half-billion years ago, the ocean's depths remain a little-understood environment. In Visions of the Sea, filmmaker Al Giddings takes viewers on an underwater tour, revealing a world not only of great beauty but also of fascinating diversity and contrasts. For example, the blue whale is the world's largest animal—with a heart the size of an automobile—yet it depends on the tiny krill for its survival. The documentary covers the origins of sea life, examining the chambered nautilus (unchanged for more than 400 million years), jellyfish, snails, rays, sharks, crabs, and lobsters, as well as spectacular plant life. Although the film obviously can't fully cover the world's 27,000 species of fish, it does illustrate some exotic varieties sporting fanciful names, such as the clownfish and the trumpetfish. Other topics include how sea creatures use camouflage to maximize chances of species survival, and similarities and differences compared to life on land (viewers will learn, for instance, that fish really do sleep). Featuring attractive photography and intelligent, informed commentary (which is somewhat undercut by intrusive background music), Visions of the Sea also explains the negative effects of global warming on ocean (and, ultimately, human) life. DVD extras include an hour of additional footage. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)