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In 1960, primatologist Jane Goodall, the twenty six-year-old secretary of paleontologist Louis Leakey, was chosen to conduct research in Africa for his study of the influence of apes on primitive man. Though she was not a scientist and never attended university, her open mind, love of animals, and the strong support she received from her mother (who accompanied her to Africa) influenced his choice, one that turned out to be a very wise one. Reconstructed from over one hundred hours of footage shot by nature photographer Hugo van Lavick, Jane Goodall's life is brought to the screen in the riveting documentary simply called Jane.

Directed by Brett Morgen("Cobain: Montage of Heck"), the film, which combines recent interviews with Jane, now 83, with the archival footage only discovered in 2014, transports us to the Gombe Stream National Park in Northwestern Tanzania, shortly before the country gained its independence from Britain in 1961. As narrated by Goodall from an audio recording of her 1999 book "Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey," we witness Jane's groundbreaking research into the behavior of chimpanzees in their natural environment, research that was initially questioned by the entrenched scientific community who said that her findings could not be taken seriously because she was a woman and lacked adequate training.

The first person to observe chimpanzees in the wild, Jane was forced to keep her distance until the animals could accept the presence of the "white ape." Supported by the magnificent cinematography of Ellen Kraus and a moving score by Philip Glass, we see a silent Jane searching for observation points in the immaculate solitude of the mountains she grew to love. It was a process that required patience and fearlessness, which Jane tells us came from the fact that she did not know enough to be afraid. Her first important breakthrough occurred when she observed Greybeard, the oldest male chimp, using a twig tool to dig out termites from a brush. The discovery was contrary to the consensus opinion that only humans could use tools and was met with resistance, especially by religious groups. Though we now know that chimpanzees are among the most intelligent primates and that there is 99% identical DNA between human beings and chimpanzees, the media reported the story of Jane's accomplishments with the usual skepticism. Citing the fact that she gave the animals names instead of numbers, they asserted that it showed her tendency to anthropomorphize them and to over identify with the subjects she was researching. In spite of the critics, Jane received a grant from the National Geographic to continue her work and, though she was initially resistant to the idea, they also sent her a Dutch filmmaker, Hugo van Lavick, to record her work on film.

Developing a relationship with Hugo, they eventually married and gave birth to a son they named Grub. It was Jane's observation of the bond between Flo, an older female, and her baby Flint that provided her with some lessons in child rearing, though the bond between Flo and Flint did not end happily. In one troubling incident, after the chimpanzees began to steal bananas from their tent, Jane and Hugo began to supply them to the chimps, hoping this would prevent a more aggressive intrusion. It was a decision that had to be rethought, however, when the animals invaded their tent and stole everything they could get their hands on.

Even more distressing was an outbreak of polio among the community and the civil war that broke out between two factions of chimpanzees after the death of one of their maternal leaders, lending irony to Jane's assertion that, "The more I learned the more I realized how much like us they were." Unfortunately, Jane and Hugo began to drift apart when he lost the funding for his work in Gombe and left to photograph wild animals on the Serengeti Plain in Northern Tanzania, one of the natural wonders of the world.

Now designated as an engendered species, chimpanzees have already disappeared from four African countries, and are nearing extinction in many others. Millions of chimpanzees used to live throughout equatorial Africa but today there are only 220,000 left in the world, a sad reminder of the increasing degradation of our planet. Thanks to The Jane Goodall Institute, an organization she founded that is dedicated to conservation, she has become an activist, traveling around the world talking about the need to protect endangered species, climate change, and the environment, attempting to build, in Werner Erhard's phrase, "a world that works for everyone."

"Jane" is a pretty good doco; indeed, among the best I have seen. Unlike many nowadays, including some other National Geographic product, it maintains a high standard in all respects. This includes its overall construction, the near-impeccable score, the absence of hysterical and breathless dialogue and commentary, and most of all, the editing and fine mixing of archival and new moving and still imagery. The story, of course, stands on its own two feet.

So I have no quibbles. Any complaints about some fuzzy pictures ignore such realities as the quality of films made in difficult circumstances with the equipment of the day decades ago, even by professionals, and the few home movie clips which this production employs judiciously. Critics of fairly frequent footage of Goodall carrying and using binoculars, and staring into the jungled distance are a humorous reminder of my eight visits to Africa. I found many tourists (especially but not exclusively American) with such a low attention span that they complain if they don't see an amazing critter around every bush and have no patience for searching. I don't mind "Jane" reminding us that binoculars are among the most used and more important tools of wildlife watchers and photographers. Goodall's need for binoculars sits side by side with her discovery that chimpanzees, just like humans, make and use tools.

"Jane" (2017 release; 90 min.) is a documentary about the life and times of Jane Goodall. As the movie opens, we are reminded that in 2014 hundreds of hours of 1960s film footage was unearthed at the National Geographic archives relating to Jane Goodall. From there we go back in time, and we get to know Jane, then 26, as she is chosen by Dr. Leakey to observe and mingle with the wild chimps in Gombe, Tanzania, even though she has no training or science degree (yet). It was important to Dr. Leakey that someone with an open mind without preconceptions would do the observing. Jane can't believe her good fortune as this is a dream come true for her. She throws herself into her work. At this point we are less than 10 min. into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from documentary maker Brett Morgen, who previously brought us the excellent "Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck", Chicago 10" and "The Kid Stay in the Picture", among others. Here he sifts through mountains of rarely or never seen footage shot over half a century ago, showing us how a 26 year old single white woman decides to do whatever it takes to integrate herself into a community of wild chimps. Along the way we also learn a thing or two about Jane's personal life.But the primary reason to watch this is the 1960s footage of the bush and what life was like back then. There are some extraordinary scenes, and some frightening ones as well. But it always kept my attention. last, but certainly not least, Morgen was able to convince the legendary Philip Glass to write a brand new score for this movie, and that score is classic Glass, just gorgeous (available here on Amazon on CD and as a download). You can bet I will check that out shortly.

"Jane" opened to positive acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival last Fall. I was quite surprised that it didn't score a Best Documentary Oscar nomination, but that doesn't diminish the movie's quality or its appeal. This recently opened for a one week run at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The screening where I caught it at (on the very last day of that one week run) was attended quite nicely actually (probably other people who, like me, wanted to catch it before the end of its run). If you like nature/animal documentaries, or are simply curious to learn more about the life of this extraordinary lady, you cannot go wrong with this. "Jane" is a WINNER.

Jane is not just a wildlife documentary about chimpanzees. It's about life, relationship, persistence, success, failure, love, death and nearly every aspects of life in most beautiful way you can imagine.

A very impressive, effective and soulful movie which no one should miss.

Respect Ms Jane Goodall.

What an amazing true story, makes you smile form ear to ear.

JANE

Although I've watched shows and news coverage about Jane Goodall through the years, I found this documentary to be a fresh take on the beloved subject, Jane. The narrative follows Jane's personal development on a parallel track with a close chronicle of her work. I learned a lot about Jane that I didn't know, and I want to learn more. I appreciated that the film is simple, quiet, and narrated in Jane's own calming voice. I find her physical presence to be lovely and uplifting and the footage that was just found in the past few years is fascinating and beautiful.

Relying heavily upon previously unseen footage from the film vaults of National Geographic, this release will be of interest to people who have followed Dr. Goodall's groundbreaking work. To the same audience, however, much of the narrative will already be familiar. To my mind, it is best seen as an appendix to the fine work that has already been done in documenting the now legendary story of Jane Goodall rather than as a definitive synopsis of her career. Given that much of the visuals are over half a century old, younger audiences especially might have difficulty reconciling the production values of mid-twentieth century field location footage with the high expectations engendered by the modern cinema experience. Where this film shines, and the reason I would encourage people to see this film in a cinema, is the sound. The score (by the inimitable and immediately recognizable Phillip Glass) is itself compelling, and appropriately mirrors the emotional cadence of the visual narrative. The sound design and editing, apart from the music, however, is truly brilliant. The theater erupts in a chorus of chimpanzee cries, among other jungle soundscapes, in many parts of the movie, and I almost felt the need to turn around to see what might be behind me at some points. Glass also cleverly weaves chimp calls into the score in a syncopated "cat's cradle" of rhythm at one point, which brought a smile on my face by mere virtue of its compositional ingenuity; this film is "ear candy." That being said, despite the many out of focus and grainy shots, there are some truly breathtaking visuals in the movie provided by Hugo van Lawick, Dr. Goodall's original videographer and eventual (ex)husband. The most breathtaking stuff comes from the Serengeti, and is therefore ancillary to Dr. Goodall's work the Gombe Reserve, but is still important in the personal narrative of her life. You will not see a more intimate portrayal of Dr. Goodall's journey elsewhere however, despite the miles of celluloid devoted to her. Anyone who reads her books will already be familiar with the story disclosed in the story line itself, including the incalculable value of the influence of Dr. Goodall's mother, but the footage of "Mum" in camp at Gombe will be a treat for those who have hitherto only known her as a character mentioned in prose, passing dialogue in a previous documentary, or mention in one of Dr. Goodall's innumerous public appearances. While much of the visual media of this film is novel, and the narrative itself mostly familiar, the presentation is likely to entertain, if not inform, almost any viewer. Modern audiences are cautioned to understand that this is not a film that relies upon computer- generated special effects, explosions, and a vast post-production budget beyond restoring and improving half- century old celluloid reels. It will very likely succeed in evoking an emotional response, which is, after all, the aim of any artistic work. That Dr. Goodall's entire career succeeds in the same vein is a powerful argument for the assertion that her life itself must be viewed as a contribution to art as much as to science.

Now don't expect this documentary to give you a solution on the question that might haunt some of us. Are we related to apes? Now there are other places to find answers to that. If they comforting or even final is another story. This story right here, concerns a woman who lives with and amongst apes.

The structure is really good and the movie builds up. Now this is something that really happened and the footage shows us a lot of things. For some it may feel a bit boring, but it's the small things that really elevate this. Be it how step by step she comes closer to the monkeys (no pun intended). Interviews and other things, and of course life itself intervene or at least throw obstacles in her way. Really interesting and intriguing at the same time

Positives: Seeing & hearing about her early life s a teen and younger was interesting especially as it related to her naturalist motivations. Seeing how she observed and interacted with the African landscape also interesting. A taste of her observational methodologies that she felt comfortable developing including the interactions with the chimps interesting as well although some criticize as not scientifically rigorous. Negatives: The major negative, and which Nat Geo should be ashamed, is the lack of subtitling to help some viewers as well as to compensate for at times poor audio. Yes, Nat Geo, dialogue is important. Minor, almost neutral, is the Glass background music which may be excessive to some viewers, and a lot of footage for ambience such as caterpillars crawling on a branch. Would have liked a bit more on her later life, and what research is currently finding at her chimp center.

Jane Goodall is a pioneer of primatologist. Her work was controversial at the time for many reasons. In this documentary, Jane does the narration with occasional questions from the interviewer. She goes into detail about her life and thoughts.

Jane was a remarkable and fearless woman and has been my idol since childhood. This is a beautiful look into her life. Some say the found footage is posed... of course it is. It's cut pieces of various National Geographic documentaries about her work. It was used to help bring them funding by focusing on a brave, beautiful young woman facing the hardships alone. There are naturally some posed shots. Also some personal home movie type shots. And some of the iconic footage at the end that are so well known.

British Chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall is the subject of this American documentary which includes footage of her early research in Gombe, Tanzania in the 1950s and 1960s plus current interviews and narration made specifically for this film.

The highest praise must go to the film footage preservationists who have maintained perfect prints of the colourful adventures in what was very high risk in unknown territory six decades ago. The superb footage is enhanced with Goodall's clear narration and a pleasurable score by Philip Glass.

The first half is thrilling as it includes very surprising information of how Goodall was chosen for this mission especially regarding her background. The second half is still engaging but it has less novelty than the beginning. It still provides a lot of fascinating history though, including Goodall's personal life and the evolution of the chimp community with which she bonds.

As the film evolves, it is easy to see that Goodall's patience must have been one of the reasons she was selected for the task. Even when the animals stay close to her, she knows to avoid touching them until the right moment.

An unfulfilled curiosity is the lives and personalities of local Tanzanians who assist the mission. But the star attraction and the fabulous footage make this viewing worthwhile. What is most amazing is how Jane Goodall looks really very similar to how she did sixty years ago despite the inevitable effects of aging. Waiter, I'll have what she's having. - dbamateurcritic.

The story itself is quite good. Is a story worth telling absolutely. I also found the shots, the cinematography in general, very pleasing too. What it was a bit unfitting is the music and sometimes these editing sequences which gave me the feeling I was watching a trailer that lasts for an hour and a half. The music, which was the same rhythm over and over again, was many times overwhelming and too much. I think it didn't serve the image well enough and so did the editing sometimes. It was sometimes fast without a reason, just shots over another shots. It was if the pace of the film was unstable and it was weird because you don't expect that from these kind of documentaries. I truly believe if the music was more appropriate and the editing more careful the movie would've been even more beautiful.

'JANE': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A documentary biopic about the life and work of Jane Goodall. Goodall is a world famous primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, vegetarian and animal rights activist, who challenged the male dominated science of her time, to revolutionize the world's understanding of humans relations to non-human animals, and nature, through her groundbreaking chimpanzee research. The film was written and directed by Brett Morgen, and it's received nearly unanimous positive reviews from critics, as well as some prestigious awards recognition too. Being a huge animal lover, the film was really interesting and inspiring to me.

The film takes place primarily in the 60s, when Goodall traveled to Gombe Stream National Park, in Tanzania, to study chimpanzees in the wild, and their social interactions with each other. Her findings revolutionized the way we view chimpanzees, other primates, and animals in general. They also challenged the male dominated studies on the subject of that time too. The story is told through old footage, that just became public, and through interviews with Goodall now herself.

Being an animal lover, and vegan, it is incredibly inspiring to see how positive Goodall was in the animal rights movement. She also (obviously) helped advance women's efforts and work in science. So the film is definitely inspiring in those ways too, and it's also just really interesting to watch. The footage of chimpanzees in the wild is always fascinating to view as well. It's a little slow-paced at times, when the primates aren't onscreen, but it's mostly a very interesting and educational documentary.

One of the best documentaries. Flows and moves like an actual movie, with a narrative that moves so effortlessly with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Brett Morgen should really be applauded for giving this such a rich pathos and a clear thematic focus; it feels so cinematic, and has a real sense of progression.

To see such parallels between Goodall's duties as both a wife and mother when compared to her animal subjects is so endearing, especially knowing that this is real footage being used; in that light, this is one of the year's best edited films.

In 1957, Dr. Louis Leakey hires 26 year old secretary Jane Goodall to join his chimpanzee study. She had no experience or scientific degree. She travels to Gombe with her mother into the jungle. After many fruitless months, Jane is finally accepted into a chimpanzee group. Her discovery of tool making by the chimps would create an uproar and a change in the definition of mankind. National Geographic sends Hugo Van Lawick to film her exploits. They would marry and have son Grub.

It's a National Geographic doc about one of their own luminaries. Some people are famous for nothing. Some people have toiled in obscurity for something important. Jane Goodall has become famous for her persistent work with chimps and other creatures. She has made a difference in the world. This is a wonderful journey. It doesn't hurt that the young soft-spoken Jane contains the heart of a lion and the face of an angel. She is a role model for millions especially little girls. She is somebody who has lived a life. This is good standard documentary. The nature filming is impeccable. The early footage is amazing. It is compelling work.

If I could use the best quality of words in English and any other spoken language ever existed, to make sure that everyone should begin their lives or at least stop everything for one and a half hours to watch this, I absolutely assure you I would! No words I may say can describe the tears in my eyes! Jane! A human being that makes me proud for our species and I can't thank the Universe and any God you may believe in for her existence.

Hopes and prayers out there, in your hearts and minds and God's mind and whatever, to have more people who really love animals and take care of them, without taking in consideration that they are somehow lower in the pyramid.

Her words: "Sorry. I didn't care what anybody said.. I couldn't watch an animal suffering anymore than I could watch a human suffering and not help if I could. I see no difference between helping a human and helping an animal".

For me this is God. This is faith, equality and love. Thankful to the creators of this documentary and of course Jane and Louis and Hugo and.. and.. and everyone following her message! Thank you!

It's always a nice feeling when you come out of a movie with a "Now that was GOOD!!"

I remember Jane Goodall from those National Geographic documentaries and reading articles about her in the same magazine - years and years ago. But I never knew much about her. This film fills in those gaps - about who she is as an individual. And you learn about Chimpanzees too. I was surprised that she had absolutely no university training and background. She was a nature and animal lover - and brought a fresh perspective.

The only quibble I have was that she states a few times that "she was on her own and alone". There were photographers with her and she had a base camp. Also the musical accompaniment was overdone.

This is really a wonderful documentary on a now legendary and marvelous person.

Someone found a box of unused film clips that Jane Goodall's husband, cinematographer Hugo van Lawick, had left in a box and decided to piece them together into another Jane Goodall documentary. You'll see why van Lawick left them in a box because they are posed shots of Jane looking through binoculars, climbing trees, washing her hair, looking through binoculars, walking through the jungle, looking through binoculars, playing with a chimp, looking through binoculars, and looking through binoculars. Only reason to watch this is an attempt to induce an aneurysm.

This is the straight up origin story of Jane, and if you haven't seen a full documentary on her, this is actually the best one to start with. If you've seen many documentaries on Jane, the camera work by Hugo and others is breathtaking and worth it just for that.

Because of its storytelling style, this is perfect for kids to watch. But adults will enjoy how beautifully this is made, and quandaries and complexity of the life she chose. Almost perfect family viewing, and a lot to talk about with your kids.

Some life lesson ***SPOILERS!!!***

So many life lessons are talked about here: Dream, dream big, read for imagination, follow your dreams, Dreams only happen if you work really hard. Understand that there will be terrible setbacks so be ready for them. Take advantage of your breaks, no matter what they are. But do it in the right way, so you have integrity and feel good about your choices.

Also big mistakes Jane made like not writing down goals in life before she got married, and touching her research animals are pretty open here.

The ease of the movie, while enjoying the incredible photography and filming, and Jane herself, makes this a wonderful movie to watch.

Absolutely beautiful! Stunning footage (especially shots of Serengeti) with marvelous music of Philip Glass got me literally crying. Oh what a fascinating life it was! And still is! I wish more people were as open-minded as Doctor Goodall. I never knew she was not a scientist nor she attended university! What an inspiring brave woman!

The story of a human who knew what planet she was on and found her place in it.

Note to Philip Glass: Using more notes does not make it more interesting or less intrusive.