MICROCOSMOS [1996 / 2009] [Special Edition] [Blu-ray] [UK Release]
Beyond Anything We Can Imagine!
A French meadow on a summer's day is the setting for this incredible, highly-acclaimed film that takes its microscopic cameras into the heart of the insect world.
In this miniature environment where a single raindrop can cause havoc, we are treated to an array of jaw-dropping moments: an underwater spider makes a home out of an air bubble, a colony of ants face a massacre when a pheasant attacks; a determined beetle struggles to relocate his ball of dung.
There's drama, comedy, action and even a little love in this astonishing film that invites us to share the trials and tribulations of its wonderful cast. The film features English narration, and the bonus features including a French narration with English subtitles. The film was screened out of competition at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: 1996 Camerimage: Nominated: Golden Frog Award for Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou. 1996 Cannes Film Festival: Win: Technical Grand Prize for Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou. 1996 Ghent International Film Festival: Win: Georges Delerue Prize for Bruno Coulais. 1997 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Nominated: Critics Choice Award for Best Documentary. 1997 César Awards, France: Win: César Award for Best Music (Meilleure musique) for Bruno Coulais. Win: César Award for Best Cinematography (Meilleure photographie) for Claude Nuridsany, Hugues Ryffel, Marie Pérennou and Thierry Machado. Win: César Award for Best Sound (Meilleur son) for Bernard Le Roux and Philippe Barbeau. Win: César Award for Best Editing (Meilleur montage) for Florence Ricard and Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte. Win: César Award for Best Producer (Meilleur producteur) for Jacques Perrin. Nominated: César Award for Best Film (Meilleur film) for Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou. Nominated: César Award for Best First Work (Meilleure première oeuvre) for Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou. Nominated: César Award for Best Sound (Meilleur son) for Laurent Quaglio. 2017 20/20 Awards: Nominated: Felix Awards for Best Documentary for André Lazare, Christophe Barratier, Jacques Perrin, Michel Fauré, Patrick Lancelot, Phillippe Gautier and Yvette Mallet.
Voice Cast: Jacques Perrin (Narrators voice) (French version) and Kristin Scott Thomas (Narrators voice) (English version)
Directors: Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou
Producers: André Lazare, Christophe Barratier, Jacques Perrin, Jean-Marc Henchoz, Michel Fauré, Patrick Lancelot, Philippe Gautier and Yvette Mallet
Screenplay: Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou
Composer: Bruno Coulais
Cinematography: Thierry Machado (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 (Anamorphic)
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Surround Sound
5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio
Subtitles: None
Running Time: 75 minutes + Bonus Features: 97 minutes
Region: Region B/2
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Galatée Films [France] / Second Sight Films UK
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: Second Sight Films UK has released a heart-warming nature documentary about myriad species of animals nurturing their young, along with a well-known stunning awesome insect film. ‘MICROCOSMOS’ focuses on a community of insects going about their short existence, as told from the point of view of millions of colourful bugs living in a peaceful meadow in the French countryside.
Wildlife documentaries are popular for giving the viewer an intimate view into the world of animals, reptiles, insects and so forth, allowing us to see things we normally wouldn’t get to see due to both the dangers, and geographical logistics involved. While there have been many documentary segments done on various insects around the globe, none have gotten as astonishingly close-up to these living organisms during such pivotal moments in their existence as ‘MICROCOSMOS’ does.
It took fifteen years of research, and three years of shooting on cameras that took two years to create just for this film in order to complete this documentary, and if that’s not dedication to something you love, I’m not sure what is. Luckily for Claude Nuridsany and Marie Perennou, who co-wrote and co-directed the film together, their labour of love paid off, as ‘MICROCOSMOS’ is definitely a rare experience to be had.
There are a great many moments during the film’s 75-minute runtime that are just shocking to see so close. While the hatching of a butterfly from a cocoon is wonderful to watch in its own right, it was the birth of a bee, though it could have been a wasp, from its larva state all the way to it building its own cocoon, to it breaking free as a full grown bee (or wasp). It’s really amazing to see such a thing so close, as there is no privacy to be had for these insects in this documentary. There are multiple moments where mating is shown, and who knew that the biggest exhibitionist would be the snail? But they are, and as the two go at it, albeit in an affectionate looking way their “romance” is met with an orchestrated score that just screams, “These two snails are in love, now watch nature in all its glory.”
Another shocking sequence is watching a rainfall up close and how it affects this world of insects. Whenever there’s a quick shower, or a day of rain, it’s a pain for us because we get a little wet while running to the car, or we can’t have a Barbecue. Well, in the world of insects that exists right below our feet, a small shower can mean the difference between life and death, and a few hours of heavy rain is the equivalent of a flash flood for us. Anthills are destroyed and caved in, while other insects are stranded as the waters rage around them. Once the storm subsides, it’s back to work, as the ants rebuild their home, and those insects lucky enough to not get caught up in the flood regain their footing and move forward. It’s these up close encounters that one never really thinks about that really make ‘MICROCOSMOS’ an interesting watch.
Of course, not all of the footage was captured in the wild, as Claude Nuridsany and Marie Perennou rebuilt certain sections of the habitat in order to capture the truly up close shots that they desired to match what they had laid out in pre-production. It’s also crazy to learn that certain shots they wanted. such as the dragonflies laying their eggs, which only happened once a year, and if their schedule for that particular insect overlapped with another, they would have had to wait another full year to get the footage of that particular shot. ‘MICROCOSMOS’ is a very interesting look into the world of insects, and it still stands strong today, even though it was filmed back in 1996. It’s definitely worth seeking out, and it will make you think twice next time before you swat a spider or a fly. You’ll likely still swat it because, well, it’s a bug; but you’ll very likely think twice about it beforehand.
‘MICROCOSMOS’ is a really excellent film. Its feel is fundamentally different to the other films, and some people find it more difficult to watch. But after just a short time most people become entranced. The images you view in ‘MICROCOSMOS’ are very well chosen and took ages to film. Some of the scenes have been used in advertisements, promos and trailers. For example the classic shot of the dung beetle struggling with his precious sphere as it becomes lodged on a stray root. The brief passage of narration at the start of the film sets the scene, and is the only narration you get to hear throughout the documentary. ‘MICROCOSMOS’ is an excellent film, and it is definitely different to any other documentary you have seen before, but it is as refreshing as it is different. But to sum up, ‘MICROCOSMOS’ is a fascinating, eerie, and almost literally unbelievable film; it puts most recent special-effects extravaganzas to shame.
Blu-ray Image Quality – Second Sight Films UK presents us with this awesome stunning 1080p image of the documentary is very sharp and crisp, and filled with vibrant colours, and solid darks. Presented in an enhanced 1.66:1 (Anamorphic) aspect ratio and ‘MICROCOSMOS’ looks really excellent for the most part, but some scenes did have a little bit of dust on them, but mainly the time-lapse shots, but everything else was so crisp and clear that individual hairs on a bee’s thorax were visible at all times. Colours were deep and very true to life, especially noticeable after the rainstorm when the lighting conditions change slightly. So overall this is a brilliant presentation. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Second Sight Films UK brings you this 5.1 DTS-HD Surround Sound Audio experience for this amazing film that that you will also experience beautiful amazing sounds, and with the orchestrated film music score coming through loud and clear, especially crisp at all times. The various sounds of the insects throughout are also perfectly heard, helping to bring the entire world of insects to life. The sounds pack a punch when it needs to, like during close ups of newly hatched wasps drying their wings, or when the beak of the pheasant was pounding the ground while devouring ants. But most impressive is when a fly zooms all around your back speakers to great effect. This gets from me a five star rating.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: The World of MICROCOSMOS: An Interview with the Director [1996] [1080p] [1.78:1] [40:00] This feature sees Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou talk about their love of nature, and everything that went into the building of the film. They are French, so the feature is presented with subtitles, yet their passion for the topic helps make it all the more interesting.
Special Feature: The Making of ‘MICROCOSMOS’ [1996] [1080p] [1.78:1] [13:00] This special feature is basically a behind-the-scenes look at how the filmmakers went out into the fields around their studio in order to find some of the principle “cast” for the documentary. We get to see the cameras they built for the filming, as well as the homemade set they used to get a number of the close-up shots.
Special Feature: The Story of Five Césars [1996] [1080p] [1.78:1] [48:00] This special feature gives you an in-depth look at the composed film music side of the film, as well as the editing and sound aspects. It’s filled with interviews that are also subtitled, but it really shows you how much time and effort went into putting together this amazing documentary.
Finally, ‘MICROCOSMOS’ is something that everyone should see at least once, as it gives an unbelievable perspective into a world that literally functions right below our feet. Not all sequences in the film are as interesting as others, but more often than not, the scenes caught on film are things you won’t find anywhere else. When something as well as this is put together for ‘MICROCOSMOS’ it is only right to recommend this awesome fantastic Blu-ray disc, as popping this stunning Blu-ray disc in the player gave me such a thrill, in fact I've watched it loads of times since receiving it and just to marvel at how well it is put together. I think the fact that there is no human voice or scenes with humans in it is a blessing, because you can become fully immersed into this tiny world and enjoy all it has to offer without any distractions. I would imagine that children would be even more fascinated by this film than adults would be, and based on my desire to watch it repeatedly, I could see the replay value of this to be extremely high. Ever since I purchased this in 1996 via a French PAL LaserDisc, I have loved this brilliant French Documentary film ever since and I never get tired of watching it, especially in the aesome 5.1 DTS-HD Surround Sound really fires up the Homes Cinema surround sound and really gets you up close and personal to all the fascinating creatures you get to view and as mentioned above, and it has won numerous Awards and it deservedly so, especially how long it took to make and the people behind the scene certainly had some very amazing patience in getting the fantastic images, and how it shows, especially in High Definition, but I am personally disappointed that it could not have been produced in 3D, especially with the latest technology in turning a 2D film, into 3D images. Still despite that, it is still a stunning Blu-ray disc and will give you endless hours of pleasure, as well impress all your friends and family, especially if they are heavily into nature, as each time you view this Blu-ray disc, you will see something totally new. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
