Search for the Great Sharks (Large Format)

Starring:Dr. Don Nelson, Craig Lynn, Eugenie Clark, Rodney Fox, Mandy Komlosy, Joseph Campanella
Director: Mal Wolfe
Studio: CAV Distribution
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Entertaining
Get this cheaper at Target
Nothing special. Imax deserves something better.
Okay documentary, nothing spectacular though!
Nice Visuals but you shouldn't ask non-actors to act.

Search for the Great Sharks (Large Format)
Starring: Dr. Don Nelson , Craig Lynn , Eugenie Clark , Rodney Fox , and Mandy Komlosy
Director: Mal Wolfe
Manufacturer: CAV Distribution
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Killer Instincts: Sharks and Killer Whales
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Sharks
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Coral Reef Adventure (IMAX) (2-Disc WMVHD Edition)

ASIN: 6305462992
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining.......2003-11-01

If you're a bit younger or have children and want to find out more about the ocean -- check out Captain Jon Explores the Ocean (also available on Amazon).

Get this cheaper at Target.......2002-07-23

It is a decent shark presentation, but I've seen some of this stuff before on a National Geographic video. That guy Rodney Fox has been filmed so much that he ends up doing the same thing on several different videos. Anyway, buy this at Target for 9.99 like I did.

Nothing special. Imax deserves something better........2000-07-13

This documentary needs badly a better direction and focus. There's nothing here we have not seen in the Discovery Channel. Furthermore the pace is slow, the story bland and repetitive (how many times must we show wonder for a senior cientist?)and the resources such as Imax film are wasted. If you want to watch something spectacular, try Ray Macgillivray's The Living Seas, Imax-Alaska or Africa-The Serengeti. Buy this only if you want to complete your Imax Dvd Library.

Okay documentary, nothing spectacular though!.......2000-04-26

I consider myself a documentary, "Discovery Channel" freak, and of the many topics and themes which interest me the most, sharks in general rank among the top 10.

So my review of this DVD may be viewed as biased from the start, hence a high 4 or 5-star rating may be expected. Unfortunately, I've seen the disc and am somewhat disappointed. For one, how can you call a disc "Search For The Great Sharks" when you essentially featured just two species (the whale shark and the ever crowd-pleasing great white)? Nothing about hammerheads? Makos? Tiger sharks?

Nevertheless, I give it 3 stars if only for the overall audio and video quality (expect nothing less from IMAX - I own a couple others myself). Also interesting trivia which would probably please an audience of all ages. The film, unfortunately, is only 46 mins long (how come all IMAXes are this short? grrr!), with nine chapters as follows: 1. Domain of the Shark; 2. Behavior; 3. Steel Cage; 4. Western Australia; 5. Spotted Whale Shark; 6. Great White Shark; 7. Ancient Survivors; 8. Credits; 9. "Making Of".

I intend to order the Operation: Shark Attack 5-disc set soon, hopefully there'll me something more there. For shark freaks out there I'd also recommend getting a copy of the Discovery Channel Great White video (on VHS or VCD) or even the DVD of "Deep Blue Sea" with its interesting featurette(s).

Nice Visuals but you shouldn't ask non-actors to act........2000-01-31

This DVD, (the Slingshot edition 9836), comes with 7 language tracks, english subtitles, Dolby 5.1 sound and a music and ambiance track option, plus a short 7 minute making of featurette that discusses some of the problems of making an Imax film at sea. The film was made in 1993. This is a GOOD documentary, but sadly not a GREAT documentary. Some of the underwater sequences are very good, one or two shots are muddie and appear to have a lucky we got it quality to them. Personally I would have preferred a straight documentary about the Great Sharks. This particular film trys to be a bit action adventure a bit serious documentary and it just doesn't work. While Rodney Fox and Eugenie Clark try their best, they are not actors and shouldn't have been asked to act. Some of the sequences don't work simply because you can see whats coming a mile away. The looking over the side of the boat for sharks sequence comes very much to mind. Suddenly a shark appears. Surprise! And everyone reels back in fake horror. Some sequences have obviously been staged after the event to get close ups. The seal sequence where the Imax camera twists and turns through a seaweed forest is obviously designed to make you feel sick when watching in an Imax cinema. It goes on a little too long and is one use of the Imax format I wish some film makers would get away from. Dispite these criticisms it is a quiet enjoyable film. Worth getting? I bought a copy and have enjoyed watching it a number of times, corny acting and all. Try using the music and ambience track option if the narration gets a bit much. Theres no real point to the Search except to show some rather good underwater footage. Considering the extreme difficulty of making this kind documentary I think its a fine job. With a bit of luck it might have been as good as the exceptionally excellent Whales: An Unforgetable Journey.

Average customer rating:

Too much above water filming

Search for the Great Sharks
Starring: Joseph Campanella
Director: Mal Wolfe
Manufacturer: Vista Point Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

IMAX | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000BLI5VE
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Description

SEARCH FOR GREAT SHARKS

Digitally mastered from the original 70mm IMAX print with all of the stunning clarity and visual sweep that the IMAX presentation can deliver.

Narrated by Joseph Campanella, SEARCH FOR GREAT SHARKS takes you on a round the Globe expedition to reveal some of the worlds largest sharks and witness them at close range.

From the coasts of California to the remote raches of south and western Australia. The film pursues Blue Sharks, Whale Sharks and he most notorious of all, the Great White.

Venture underwater with divers as they glide through the ocean with Whale Sharks, the gentle giants of the ocean. Join divers a they come face to face with ravenous Great Whites while testing the latest shark proof dive suits and repellents.

EXTRAS The Making Of Sharks Music and Ambiance

Customer Reviews:

Too much above water filming.......2006-02-07

Although the shark footage is great. I was hoping that there would be more actual footage of sharks. Much of the movie seamed to focus upon the researchers looking for the sharks, instead of the sharks themselves.

At Sea Collection (Whales, Search for Great Sharks & Great Barrier Reef)

Average customer rating:

At Sea Collection (Whales, Search for Great Sharks & Great Barrier Reef)
Starring: At Sea
Manufacturer: E-Realbiz
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Large Format Wilds of the Ocean - The Search for the Great Sharks / Whales An Unforgettable Journey

Average customer rating:

more stupid film editing
Great footage
Made for the huge IMAX screen, not your DVD player
Suitable ocean scenes.
Whale of a Tale

Large Format Wilds of the Ocean - The Search for the Great Sharks / Whales An Unforgettable Journey
Starring: Patrick Stewart
Director: Roger Payne , David Clark (III) , and Al Giddings
Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00004WC77
Release Date: 2000-09-27

Customer Reviews:

more stupid film editing .......2007-03-27

When the songs of whales were given, there were times when music was played by musicians, and that shouldn't happen. If you are letting us hear a whale, then be silent.

Great footage.......2006-12-07

My son has loved whales, dolphins, orcas, etc. since he was a toddler. I bought this video for him and it is so beautiful. The narration is fairly simple with interesting facts that are not too scientific. This video continually shows animal footage without interviews, etc. that are common in more traditional "documentaries," which is great for kids. There is a lot of underwater footage which I haven't always found in whale videos. I only wish I could watch it in an IMAX theater.

Made for the huge IMAX screen, not your DVD player.......2006-07-15

Seen on a small screen, this video will entertain you for a half hour, and then start to lose you. I can just imagine how much more involving it would be on a huge IMAX screen. It is just over 40 minutes long, so you will be bored for about 10 minutes.

When plankton and krill are being discussed, I really wanted to see one. Couldn't they show us what a krill looks like? When the songs of whales were given, there were times when music was played by musicians, and that shouldn't happen. If you are letting us hear a whale, then be silent.

One of the whale songs sounds a lot like I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry.

I wish they didn't hire Captain Jean Luc Picard to do the narration. That is distracting. I know what they're going for. They are going for the status of having a famous actor in their video. But the subject is whales. The subject is not famous actors. Focus on the whales. If that isn't enough of a show for you, don't make the video.

And don't hire one of these perfect speech, perfect pronunciation people either, people who don't dentalize their T's and who pronounce every word perfectly. That is very annoying. I don't want to hear someone who speaks beautifully. That's nonsense. I want someone who communicates. IMAX tends to hire speakers who are much too polished, who represent IMAX to the world, and that is extremely annoying and statusy. It is just way too effing proper. Just communicate, and stop being so damn proper. The story is the words, not the way they are spoken. This world is way too image-conscious. Hearing these perfect speakers is as annoying as seeing just how picture perfect every soap opera actor looks, or every model. Stuff it.

I can't say this is a great nature film. It isn't. It isn't creative or absorbing enough. It's okay.

Suitable ocean scenes........2004-07-07

This film on whales, originally shown in Imax, has excellent footage on whales and chronicles of their annual migration. It is narrated by an actor who starred in many films.
There are a suitable number of underwater scenes to make this an all around good presentation, but don't expect footage in quantity to equal it to "The Blue Planet", or "Secrets of the Ocean Realm" films. There are underwater clips to marvel at here. One of these is when the camera swims over a rocky ground, which contains killer whale skeletons. The best ocean scene of all. However, it is an excellent comparison and an essential film to own.
The VHS film quality is fine. The digital transfer is all right, nothing significant. The music looks good, playing as if recorded immediately after the Imax premiere. Your best buy, however, would be the newly mastered DVD.

Whale of a Tale.......2003-02-27

Great family show! We saw this movie as an IMAX (Virginia Beach Marine Science Museum) film with our 3 & 5 year old boys. Now they love whales. Especially my 5 year old. He keeps amazing me with the facts that he remembers from the film. Breathtaking footage,especially the humpbacks feeding. This is a movie I won't mind watching again and again.

Large Format at Sea - Whales An Unforgettable Journey / The Search for the Great Sharks / The Great Barrier Reef

Average customer rating:

Large Format at Sea - Whales An Unforgettable Journey / The Search for the Great Sharks / The Great Barrier Reef

Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Documentary | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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