African Cats (2011)

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

Directors:

Keith Scholey, Alastair Fothergill (co-director)

Writers:

Keith Scholey (narration written by), John Truby (narration written by)

Stars:

Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Stewart, Mara

3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Narrator (voice)
Patrick Stewart	...	Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mara	...	Herself

Storyline

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

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Plot Keywords:

cat | maasai mara national reserve kenya | extreme closeup | giraffe | swimming animal | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Adventure

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 April 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Felinos de África

Filming Locations:

Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,003,200, 24 April 2011, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$15,415,270, 10 July 2011

Company Credits

Production Co:

Disneynature,Fothergill / Scholey Productions,Walt Disney Studios

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This wildlife documentary features lions, cheetahs, Cape buffalo herds, Nile crocodiles, hyenas, African bush elephants, giraffes, hippopotami, wildebeest herds, rhinos, Thompson's gazelles, warthogs, ostriches, jackals, and zebras.

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Crazy Credits

The end credits show various wildlife credited with crew functions, a giraffe as crane operator, for example.

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Alternate Versions

In the U.S. version narrates while narrates the U.K. version.

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Connections

Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.14 (2011)

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Soundtracks

The World I Knew
Written by Josiah Dean and Ryan Tedder
Performed by Jordin Sparks

User Reviews

Visually excellent

I'm not a Disneyphobe (nor am I a Disneyphile) but this needed its very fine cinematography to lift its rating and keep me watching. Undoubtedly, the script and narration will go down well with followers of the genre, as will the genteel treatment of the cruel realities of life and death in the wild, such as an absence of gore. This is not a criticism, just an observation. It is Disney, after all, and that's all. As a many-times observer in the flesh of real-life African wildlife action, I was glued to this only by its visuals. Apart from the unreal lack of blood, they were among the best I've seen in documentaries depicting the lives of big cats, and it was a relief not to have a narrator putting his face in front of the camera at every opportunity. Oh, and I have no problem with anthropomorphic descriptions of wild animals. I've seen big cats in the wild showing the same basic emotions as humans...affection between relatives and allies, anger and fear towards enemies, and so on: a lioness staring with what can only be described as great anger; fear in a lion's face before it turned and fled from humans on foot it had detected in the distance; pain in the eyes of an injured lion, beaten in a fight.