I imagine that a lot of viewers today, young or old, will wonder why "The Vanishing Prairie" was so popular at the time, and why it won an Academy Award. In many ways it doesn't seem very different from the countless nature documentary shows seen on television nowadays. But one has to remember that this was new stuff to audiences back in 1954. And while its approach may be familiar, the documentary still manages to entertain today. Certainly, sharp-eyed viewers will manage to point out with confidence segments that were obvious manipulated (or down right faked) in the editing room or on location. But the documentary does contain more often than not footage that is genuine (like the famous birth of a baby bison sequence) and manages to educate as well as entertain. If you're in the mood for a nature documentary and your expectations aren't extremely high, you'll likely find this to be worth your time.
