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WSR Detailed DVD Review
March Of The Penguins
Genre: Documentary

Reviewed In Issue 104 (Jan 2006) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Thousands of noble emperor penguins, and Narrated By Morgan Freeman

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 3.5
DD Sound Rating: 3.5
DTS Sound Rating: NR
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 4
Internet Links
www.marchofthepenguins.com

Special Features
Includes a 54-minute featurette, "Of Penguins And Men," which chronicles the year-long filming process; a 24-minute "Crittercam" segment where these birds that have wings but don't fly are outfitted with cameras and microphones for an up-close and personal look at their daily activities; a seven-minute animated short 8 Ball Bunny; and the theatrical trailer.


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
(Catalog Number): 73657
(MPAA Rating): G
(Rating Reason):

NA
(Retail Price): $28.98
(DVD Type): Single Side, Dual Layer (DVD9)
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 80
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 2005
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 11/29/05
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Luc Jacquet
(Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
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  DVD Picture Information

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  DVD Sound Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
For those of you who thought running a marathon was quite a feat, you are simply mistaken. Try walking 70 plus miles on stubby legs across the barren, wind-swept, too-many-degrees-below-freezing-to-count Antarctic icescape...and then doing it three more times. You will marvel at this yearly March Of The Penguins as they migrate to thicker ice to mate, incubate, hatch, and raise their young against seemingly insurmountable odds. You will smile and laugh, and be saddened and amazed as Morgan Freeman narrates this year-long look into the life of these emperor penguins. Based upon the screenplay by Luc Jacquet & Michel Fessler, and the story by Luc Jacquet. (Jack Kelley)

DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78:1 documentary exhibits image quality that varies from slightly soft and blurry to adequate in delivering the fascinating visuals. The close-up shots of the penguins are astounding. Viewing in a completely blackened room is recommended, as there is no artificial light found on the icy tundra. Some sequences are quite grainy in appearance. Edge halos are occasionally noticed. (Suzanne Hodges)

Soundtrack:
While fitting for its genre, the Dolby