User:Gerald Waldo Luis/sandbox 5
| Man Belongs to the Earth | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Graeme Ferguson |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | Chief Dan George |
| Narrated by | James Whitmore |
| Cinematography | Graeme Ferguson |
| Music by | Don Ellis |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | United States Pavilion |
Release date |
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Running time | 22 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Man Belongs to the Earth is a 1974 short documentary film directed by Graeme Ferguson and narrated by James Whitmore. Chief Dan George guides the film's narrative of giving an environmentalist message, exploring the rural and urban areas of the United States to explore the causes and effects of climate change. It premiered at a now-defunct IMAX theater in Spokane, Washington as part of Expo '74, though it continued to screen afterwards. It received positive reviews for its cinematography and thematic execution.
Summary
[edit]Man Belongs to the Earth has a running time of 22 minutes. After opening with an aerial voyage of the Grand Canyon, Chief Dan George reminisces about how he as a child used to grab fishes from the river, play with it, then throw it back. His father scolded him, saying that to harm living things is a betrayal to the Great Spirit.
The film then depicts the presence of smog in the San Bernardino National Forest, where dying trees have to be relocated; a farm in Orange County, California, where a farmer fears unemployment dyue to failing crops; and the metropolis of Denver, Colorado, where the air quality drops. They are all caused by smog, which is exacerbated by human activity. Meanwhile, the surface mining of coal has proved to be controversial among the rural locals, many of whom strive in the preservation of nature. Plans of land reclamation to expand the coal industry in in Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming is deemed by some as audacious and damaging.
Climate change also affects wildlife. Threatened by several human activities, bald eagles have mostly migrated to Alaska. Sea otters were once considered a threat by humans but they were saved by conservation efforts, though their compulsive consumption of abalone has deeply affected the industry. George says that every part of nature is precious and worth saving.
The film then depicts the extinguishing of an oil well fire. A firefighter talks about how, despite all the helpful machinery, humans determine everything. By dusk, after over 17 days and nights, the fires are stopped. Meanwhile, a mined land is reclaimed. The narration says: "We're the problem, but if we put our minds to it, we can also be the solution. We've just got to the decide the kind of world we really want." After a scene where a group of kids jovially explore a beach, George recites a Halkomelem prayer his father used to say as a form of gratitude to the Great Spirit, which translates to:
Thank you, Sun
Thank you for Your light
Come again tomorrow
Have mercy on us human beings
Reception
[edit]New Washington Herald calls Man Belongs to the Earth "a moving account of man's fragile relationship with the environment. [...] The film graphically contrasts scenes of breathtaking natural beauty with scenes of waste, pollution, and destruction." He also says that every single location depicted are explored with great vividness, effectively using the IMAX format. The format and the film's subject matter is said to blend together well, giving it a heartful splendor.
In the Cedar Point Cinema, the film was among the most popular films exhibited. Audiences reportedly gasped as the vertiginous opening shot plays, and as it stably skims through the river, distinct sighs of relief can be heard.
Themes
[edit]Man Belongs to the Earth has an environmentalist theme, exploring the different ways humanity does to help preserve Earth's nature.