THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611050034
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: 52 lines
``THE LEOPARD SON'' is a rare find a nature film that actually tells a compelling, frightening and ultimately fascinating story.
As the first theatrical feature released by the Discovery Channel, it is something of a triumph in photography and, most of all, in storytelling.
Photographer Hugo van Lawick, former husband of primatologist Jane Goodall, spent two years observing the life of a leopard cub on the Serengeti Plain.
The leopard son, as beautiful a beast as has ever been photographed, grows through a somewhat isolated early life, limited mainly to mother and son. When mom leaves him, with just a recent kill as a snack, he learns that he must learn to kill - or starve.
As in the current hit ``The Ghost and the Darkness,'' the lion is the villain here - a threat who kills not for meat but merely to eliminate predatory competition. Released the same week as the TV network debut of ``The Lion King,'' ``The Leopard Son'' may well leave children confused as to just which cat is the cool cat.
It may also leave them frightened. Scenes of the hunt, and the kill, are realistic, gory stuff. While perhaps not for the smallest ones, children are likely to be fascinated at the same time they are frightened. This is an engrossing lesson in wildlife nature, but not a film you should leave children alone to see.
The overly nice, mincing narration by Sir John Gielgud is something of a minus. Having the real Van Lawick speak for himself would have had more the ring of truth.
The musical score is composed by Stewart Copeland, founder and drummer for the rock group The Police, who has tried operas and symphonies in the past 12 years. His score is serviceable, but not soaring - an opportunity missed. We almost want to hear that marvelous score from ``Born Free.''
But the African photography is magnificent and the life of the leopard son is both compelling and involving. This breakthrough in wildlife photography compares favorably with those classic Disney ``Truelife Adventures'' that once played well in theaters. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Discovery Channel Pictures
An elephant stands her ground as a lioness eyes her calf.
Graphic
Movie Review
["Leonard Son"]
[Rated G]
[Mal's rating: three stars] by CNB