Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 2, 1990 TAG: 9006300395
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By TRACIE FELLERS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The half-hour film, produced by the Science Museum of Minnesota, gives viewers an unaccustomed close look at the changing face of nature through spring, summer, fall and winter. For example, sharp time-lapse photography shows growth - a hallmark of spring - in all its glory.
Shoots emerge from the earth and leaves form as plants push their way through the soil. Delicate dogwood blossoms, lush purple pansies and other flowers bloom. And in one of the film's many striking scenes, enlarged seeds float on a black background.
Macrophotography allows an equally intriguing view of animals and insects.
Caterpillars sitting lazily on a leaf are enlarged and shown in detail impossible to see with the naked eye. A later scene shows a beaver, rabbit and squirrel foraging for and eating food to prepare for winter. With the help of William Shatner's eloquent narration, these and other sights in "Seasons" bring information found in textbook science lessons to life.
Shatner uses well-written phrases that please the ear as well as the intellect while the film flows through the four seasons. For instance, during a segment portraying varied summer scenes, Shatner says: "Life basks and flourishes in summer's embrace." And as the 360-degree screen shows a summer day turn to night, his voice comes over the planetarium amplifiers with these worthy words: "The warm evenings reverberate with a million languages of life."
The squawking of a blinking, bright-eyed owl that then appeared on the screen brought chuckles from the audience watching the film's planetarium debut Friday.
Touches of whimsy in "Seasons," used primarily to show how people adapt to seasonal change, also went over well with the audience. One such scene shows accelerated pictures of people building a massive sand castle on a beach.
"Seasons" also presents images of another all-American summer destination - fairgrounds. Not surprisingly, the neon lights of carnival rides shown against a night sky drew murmurs of appreciation from younger viewers.
The audience also seemed amused by a wintry scene, in which children wearing old-fashioned snowshoes merrily plodded and stumbled through a thick blanket of snow.
During the course of the film, Shatner also traces the human quest for understanding about the seasons from ancient times to today - when we've created ways to conquer the difficulties they can present.
"Seasons" illustrates past beliefs by showing hieroglyphics scientists of yesteryear used to keep track of changes in time. Computer-generated graphics of the earth and sun make the film's explanation of why seasons occur direct, easy to understand and visually interesting.
Music from Vivaldi's well-known composition "The Four Seasons," performed by the St. Paul (Minn.) Chamber Orchestra, was the perfect musical backdrop for the film.
"Seasons" will be shown daily at the Science Museum's Hopkins Planetarium through September 1st. Call 344-3007 for a prerecorded message on show times.
by CNB