The Living Sea

The Living Sea is a 70mm American documentary film exploring marine locales intended to show the importance of protecting the ocean, released to IMAX theaters in 1995. It is narrated by actress Meryl Streep, with music by Sting, produced by Science World, a Vancouver-based science education center, and underwater imagery directed by filmmaker Greg MacGillivray.

The film is a survey of the world's oceans, emphasizing that it is a single interconnected ocean and the dependence of all life on the planet. The film shows researchers tracking whales, a Coast Guard rough-weather rescue squad, a deep-ocean research team, and the Palau Islands, which contain an unusual jellyfish habitat.

The film is directed by Academy Award-nominated IMAX director and cinematographer Greg MacGillivray, who also directed similar water-conservation themed documentaries such as Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. Highly recommended

As a documentary 'The Living Sea' is sort of a mess, throwing as much in forty minutes as it can, but it contains images of rare beauty, some useful information and a great soundtrack.

Narrated by Meryl Streep we learn some things about the sea under the surface and about the sea above the surface. Although these things both have their influence on each other the film rushes so much we never really learn why. We see some jelly fish, some surfers, some whales, the islands of Hawaii, the islands of Palau with its own narrator, a research center in Maine, some other creatures, a rescue boat.

Yes, I have to admit that every small episode is entertaining or at least beautiful to look at, but from a documentary, even a forty minute IMAX production, you expect a little bit more. The soundtrack from Sting is a nice bonus that makes 'The Living Sea' both easy on the eyes as on the ears.

The Living Sea is a movie that can make you understand how we fit with the ocean ecosystem. I like the underwater scenery the best, because it almost feel you are swimming with the fishes. I saw this movie in Hawaii in 1997 at Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. It was a nice companion piece to my travel on the island.

I am an avid fan of the IMAX format, but rarely have I ever been a fan of any IMAX film. This is the one IMAX film that I feel has used the advantages of the format in nearly every shot, and besides that, it is an elegantly produced little film. Extremely beautiful, with many highlights. It is a must-see for all those who've never been exactly impressed by anything at an IMAX show (although the 'industry' is working overtime in amping up this cinema-sideshow - they promise it will be the 'next big thing' in movies). DON'T WATCH IT AT HOME.

I picked this up at our library because it looked slightly interesting, and we're going on a beach vacation soon. ...WOW! It is so good!! I've watched it three times now, and took it to a get-together for other family members to watch it, and they all really enjoyed it as well, especially "The Making Of" segment. Our 2-yo was mesmerized, and we all appreciated the very unique, entertaining, beautiful footage. It was originally shot for IMAX theaters, which must have been perfect! I recommend watching it on the biggest screen possible, with the lights out.

Our favorite parts...

Time-lapsed footage of 30-foot tides in Canada: watch the harbor drain until the big boats are sitting on mud, then it fills back up again!

Sped-up footage of boats zipping across the water, people on the beach: humorous.

Surfers and huge waves in Hawaii: really captures the feeling of surfing, and their passion for the ocean.

Coast Guard boat jumping and crashing through enormous waves at Cape Disappointment.

The music by Sting, with tweaked instrumentals, really fits!

Islander Dad with his two kids in a speed boat, cruising at high speeds under rock formations, and skimming the beautiful shores.

The fact that there were no actors, just real people like the dad, and a woman's first time snorkeling with jellyfish and descending into poisonous depths of a salt-water lake.

THE MAKING OF... where the producers talk about difficulties they had with different shots, dangers they faced in several scenes, cost of production, orchestrating the soundtrack, and reason for making this film.

Their reason for making this film, for putting their heart and soul into it, was in the hopes that people who watch it will fall in love with the sea, and therefore want to protect it. As they said, "there is only one ocean," and it encompasses such a majority of the earth that no matter where we live, "we are all islanders."