fertilecelluloid Review of Anima Mundi

Anima Mundi (1991)

Sombre, sublime celebration of our planet's diversity

[9/10 · 14 February 2006]

Godfrey Reggio directed "Koyaanisqatsi" and its two sequels, but this is a more sombre affair. Editing existing wildlife footage with freshly exposed material, he has created a beautiful, haunting piece that celebrates diversity. And though he does sound a familiar warning bell about our appalling treatment of the environment, the focus remains on the incredible beauty and variety of animals our planet has produced. Philip Glass's minimalist score turns the spectacular into the sublime, and no sequence is a greater example of this than the underwater one where various forms of alien life slither through the murky depths. The photography of the big cats is amazing, too, their regal beauty artfully captured by the many documentarians associated with the production. The film's final image humbles us all. A product of love and appreciation that, at thirty minutes, is perfectly measured.