African Cats (2011)

Popularity:

Down 43% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Directors:

Alastair Fothergill
Keith Scholey

Writers:

Keith Scholey (written by) &
John Truby (written by)

Release Date:

19 April 2012 (Germany)

Genre:

Documentary | Adventure

Plot:

A nature documentary centered on two cat families and how they teach their cubs the ways of the wild. |

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Maasai Mara National Reserve Kenya | Extreme Closeup | Giraffe | Swimming Animal

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Narrator (voice: USA version)
Patrick Stewart	...	Narrator (voice: UK version)

Directed by
Alastair Fothergill
Keith Scholey

Writing credits
Keith Scholey		(written by) &
John Truby		(written by)

Produced by
Don Hahn	....	executive producer: Disneynature
Jane Hamlin	....	associate producer
Connie Nartonis Thompson	....	associate producer
Keith Scholey	....	producer
Alix Tidmarsh	....	producer

Original Music by
Nicholas Hooper

Cinematography by
Sophie Darlington
Simon Werry

Film Editing by
Martin Elsbury

Production Management
Emma Zee	....	post-production supervisor

Sound Department
Julie Altus	....	adr recordist
Jonny Crew	....	sound assistant
James Glenton	....	sound mix technician
Matthew Gough	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kate Hopkins	....	sound editor
Philip Jenkins	....	foley editor
Tim Owens	....	sound editor
Johnathan Rush	....	sound mix technician
David Turner	....	sound studio manager
Tijn van de Wetering	....	dubbing mixer: Dutch version
Andrew Wilson	....	foley artist
Andrew Wilson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pedro Jimenez	....	trailer re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Robert Karlsson	....	dolby sound consultant (uncredited)
Dan Scott	....	dialogue recordist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Donald Dowd	....	compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Simon Werry	....	aerial cinematographer

Editorial Department
Dan Clamp	....	technical manager
David Johnston	....	digital intermediate editor
George Papuashvili	....	additional post-production services
Mathieu Reid	....	color timer

Music Department
Darrell Alexander	....	music producer
Peter Cobbin	....	score mixer
Peter Cobbin	....	score recordist
Greg Hooper	....	orchestrator
Lewis Jones	....	pro tools recordist
Alastair King	....	conductor
Alastair King	....	orchestrator
Steve Mair	....	musician: double bass
Charles Sladdin	....	musician
Kirsty Whalley	....	music editor
Monica Zierhut	....	vp, music production

Other crew
Maggie Gisel	....	production support
Rachel James	....	production accountant
Rebecca Murden	....	di assistant
Lauren Rondou	....	production assistant (2011)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Studios

Distributors

• Disneynature (2011) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Ecuador) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Peru) (theatrical)
• Disneynature (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Venezuela) (theatrical)
• Forum Hungary (2011) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2013) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2013) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Benchmark Sound Services  trailer post-production sound services
• Klass Security and Investigations  anti-piracy security

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:89 min | Argentina:89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:G | South Korea:All | UK:U | USA:G (certificate #46633)

Filming Locations:

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Company:

Walt Disney Studios

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.15" (2011)

Soundtrack:

The World I Knew

Its hard to hate on some cute cats

¨The hunters became the hunted.¨ It's hard not to like a movie with lion and cheetah cubs running around in their natural habitat, and learning alongside their loving mothers how to survive in the dangerous environment of the Kenyan savanna. Disney Nature brings us a new wildlife documentary after the successful Earth which debuted in 2007. Alastair Fothergill is the director once again although this time he has a collaborator: Keith Scholey and the focus is primarily set on the wild cats. The film is beautifully shot and each scene is breathtaking. For those of us who can't afford a safari to Africa, this is as close as we will get to these wild animals running around freely without bars to hold them back. It was fascinating and animal lovers will especially enjoy this, but it wasn't anything I couldn't watch on the National Geographic channel. Experiencing these majestic kings on the big screen is a plus however and I enjoyed my 80 minute safari across the African savanna. It would be too harsh and mean spirited to give this film a negative review because the cubs are just really cute.

Samuel L. Jackson is on board as the narrator of the film as he tells us the story of two separate families of cats and their struggle for survival. These animals are even given names and the shots are edited in order to create a story. On one hand we have a mother lioness that is protecting her cub, Mara, from a pride of lions from the North. Fang is the pride leader in the South, but he is being threatened by the leader on the other side who wants to expand his kingdom along with his now adult sons. A river infested with crocodiles divides the savanna so crossing from one side to the other is no easy task, however the risk is eminent. At the same time we have an interchanging parallel story as we follow Sita, a single mother of five cheetah cubs. She also is teaching her cubs how to survive in the wild, while at the same time protecting them from hyenas and other wild animals.

The story does feel forced at some points, but at least it adds a little dramatic effect to the picture. We get to experience a lot of hunts and chases, but the death scenes are cut off right away. The film is worth a watch due to the incredible footage as we get to experience the adventures of wildlife. I wouldn't sit through this film a second time and I probably would have found something similar on the National Geographic, Animal Planet or Discovery channels, but I just can't give this documentary a negative review.

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