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 In this entire place, nowhere is more beautiful than the White Mountain, Kilimanjaro. It stands sentinel over the grasslands of the Amboseli National Park, a place of refuge and safety. Large groups of elephants move purposefully across the plains. One comes closer. He is massive, his weathered, craggy hide testament to the almost 60 years he has spent on earth. He is the Old Bull, the storyteller, and it is through his eyes that the IMAX® film Africa's Elephant Kingdom unfolds. Old Bull describes the layers of connection within elephant society. Babies to mothers, mothers to families, families to clans. Old Bull introduces his clan, who are welcoming their newest member, a baby female named Keekay. All elephants, says Old Bull, learn everything they need to know from their families. Heading each family is the matriarch, the leader, the Keeper of Memory. The matriarch of Old Bull's family is his cousin, Torn Ear, a wise and cunning female who is 57 years old. The matriarch is their ultimate protector. When the family is threatened, especially by humans, she will charge to protect them. When the first rains are late, Torn Ear leads her family across vast stretches of land in search of dwindling sources of food and water. The matriarch must keep them moving, knowing that only the rains can save them. Then, in one glorious moment, the sky darkens and the rains arrive. An extraordinary time lapse shows the clouds gathering over the mountains and rolling down onto the plains, showering them in endless rain. The rivers flood and fresh grasses, shrubs and flowers spurt up. The elephants wallow in great gobs of mud and Torn Ear rejoices with her family. She has won and her family has survived. The new season rings with new life. A baby conceived long ago arrives to the elephant family, taking her first stumbling steps as the rest of the family surrounds and comforts her. Then, from the highlands to the rivers, the clans gather under Kilimanjaro. It is a time for Old Bull to reflect upon the circle of this life, this kingdom. He faces the camera then walks slowly away leaving the kingdom for others, perhaps Little Bull or Keekay, to claim. This is their land. Africa's Elephant Kingdom will be showing at the Denver Museum of Natural History's IMAX® Theater from October 9 to February 11. Visit Africa's Elephant Kingdom Web site at www.elephant.discovery.com |
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WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING: "One of the best IMAX films ever made, ‘Africa’s Elephant Kingdom’ is the perfect mix of technique and
technology. … There are so many striking visual moments … that this is a film you’ll want to see more than once." |
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