"Water Birds" came out one year before the Disney company started making feature-length True-Life documentaries, and it is one of their most artistically accomplished efforts in this field. The first 25 minutes contain some remarkable footage of strange and/or wonderful creatures, but it's the last 5 minutes, a narration-free audiovisual rhapsody, that really makes this one special. *** out of 4.
7 Reviews
Soft place in memory
reisen555 October 2016
There is something so charming and old-fashioned about the Disney live product and this is the finest. It is worth nothing for the historian that 20,000 leagues started out as a true life documentary. But here we have a 28 minute visit to a somewhat real, sometimes fictitious world of birds who are water-oriented. My grandfather (this is the memory part) had a battered 16mm film copy which we shown to my elementary school classes when I was a wee-lad. Over the years, it was shown to my daughter's class and sold off. She was devastated so I fond an E-Bay 16mm print that was BETTER than his print. Still on my shelf though 16mm is a passing media for watching. BETTER is a DVD media which I obtained so this one goes way back.
Watch and remember a time when our world was a lot more innocent than it is today.
Watch and remember a time when our world was a lot more innocent than it is today.
Bird is the word
CuriosityKilledShawn7 February 2015
This colorful, old-timey documentary is found in HD resolution on the Rescuers Blu-ray, to tie in with their preferred mode of travel, and is a treat for those of you who prefer their documentaries shot on film with footage of, what was then, very exotic locations and animals. It might appear mundane to folks now who have the world at their fingertips online, but for enthusiasts of cinematography it is also a visual treat.
Sometimes the music gets a bit overbearing, and the narrator struggles to present a "story" at times, but it's seeing all the different species in their beautiful, unspoiled habitat.
Sometimes the music gets a bit overbearing, and the narrator struggles to present a "story" at times, but it's seeing all the different species in their beautiful, unspoiled habitat.
Splendid Oscar-Winning Disney Nature Documentary
Ron Oliver2 July 2000
A Walt Disney TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURE Short Subject.
Through the use of beautiful photography, this Academy Award-winning film looks at the strange & colorful lives of the WATER BIRDS. Several species are examined and the ways in which they have habituated themselves to seashore, lake or stream are noted. Highlight: the rhapsodic finale.
`This is one of a series of TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURES presenting strange facts about the world we live in. In the making of these films, nature is the dramatist. There are no fictitious situations or characters.' Winston Hibler is the narrator.
Through the use of beautiful photography, this Academy Award-winning film looks at the strange & colorful lives of the WATER BIRDS. Several species are examined and the ways in which they have habituated themselves to seashore, lake or stream are noted. Highlight: the rhapsodic finale.
`This is one of a series of TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURES presenting strange facts about the world we live in. In the making of these films, nature is the dramatist. There are no fictitious situations or characters.' Winston Hibler is the narrator.
Soars absolutely beautifully
TheLittleSongbird14 February 2022
Between 1948 and 1960, Disney made fourteen nature documentary films, seven of them short subjects and seven of them full length and all narrated by Winston Hibler. Starting with 'Seal Island' and ending with 'Jungle Cat'. This series was called True Life Adventures, seen as a big fan of Disney and nature documentaries and after wanting to see some older nature documentaries. The True Life Adventures series is a more than worthwhile one and of consistently high quality (especially the short subjects) and do prefer all of them over most of the recent years DisneyNature films.
There have been many fine documentaries on types of birds overtime, one of the best and most comprehensive being one of the best True Life Adventures short films 'Water Birds'. One would be hard pressed to find a better documentary on solely water birds anywhere. Namely because of the beautiful visuals and the perfect marriage of visuals and music, as well as being truly informative and making a lot interesting out of a subject matter that could be explored more in documentaries.
'Water Birds' is beautifully shot in vivid colour and the scenery is completely natural and is gorgeous and unyielding in equal measure, plus the birds are photographed in all their glory. Personally think it is one of the best looking documentaries in the True Life Adventures series, especially the last five minutes. The music also works wonderfully, personally didn't think it was overbearing at all and it is not used too much or too quirky or too dark. 'Water Birds' actually contains one of the best examples of a perfect marriage of visuals and music, as far as the short films in the series goes this aspect was bettered only by 'Nature's Half Acre'.
Furthermore, 'Water Birds' is highly informative and did find myself learning a huge amount, actually it is one of the more illuminating True Life Adventures documentaries). It is also very engaging and investable and there is plenty for those that are familiar with the subject but want to see something fresh and plenty for those not so familiar. The various species look absolutely amazing and are wonderfully varied in size, emotions and whether prey or predator. The life cycles, their strengths and their adversities were fascinating to learn about, was handled seriously but not too much so (the target audience is clear here) and also emotionally investable.
Narration writing is thoughtful and good natured, never sounding juvenile or over complicated. Winston Hibler's narration delivery has always divided those that have watched the True Life Adventures films, personally had no problem with it in all but one. Here it is good natured and even the more deadpan delivery doesn't come over as that monotone.
Concluding, absolutely wonderful. 10/10.
There have been many fine documentaries on types of birds overtime, one of the best and most comprehensive being one of the best True Life Adventures short films 'Water Birds'. One would be hard pressed to find a better documentary on solely water birds anywhere. Namely because of the beautiful visuals and the perfect marriage of visuals and music, as well as being truly informative and making a lot interesting out of a subject matter that could be explored more in documentaries.
'Water Birds' is beautifully shot in vivid colour and the scenery is completely natural and is gorgeous and unyielding in equal measure, plus the birds are photographed in all their glory. Personally think it is one of the best looking documentaries in the True Life Adventures series, especially the last five minutes. The music also works wonderfully, personally didn't think it was overbearing at all and it is not used too much or too quirky or too dark. 'Water Birds' actually contains one of the best examples of a perfect marriage of visuals and music, as far as the short films in the series goes this aspect was bettered only by 'Nature's Half Acre'.
Furthermore, 'Water Birds' is highly informative and did find myself learning a huge amount, actually it is one of the more illuminating True Life Adventures documentaries). It is also very engaging and investable and there is plenty for those that are familiar with the subject but want to see something fresh and plenty for those not so familiar. The various species look absolutely amazing and are wonderfully varied in size, emotions and whether prey or predator. The life cycles, their strengths and their adversities were fascinating to learn about, was handled seriously but not too much so (the target audience is clear here) and also emotionally investable.
Narration writing is thoughtful and good natured, never sounding juvenile or over complicated. Winston Hibler's narration delivery has always divided those that have watched the True Life Adventures films, personally had no problem with it in all but one. Here it is good natured and even the more deadpan delivery doesn't come over as that monotone.
Concluding, absolutely wonderful. 10/10.
Interesting documentary
Atreyu_II24 February 2008
"Water Birds" is considered a True Life Adventure by Disney. It is a documentary about water birds, like its name suggests. It is included as an extra on "The Rescuers" DVD. But is there any connection between this and "The Rescuers"? At my point of view, only on a very small point: because this documentary is about albatrosses. Other than that, I don't see how can they possibly be related.
"Water Birds" is not the most exciting thing to watch, but it's interesting for those who have a certain admiration towards birds (or water birds, in this case). Besides, it isn't longer than 30 minutes, which is the ideal runtime: not too short and not too long.
"Water Birds" looks dated, but ironically that can be a good thing too, because this means that it takes us to long gone times. Besides, despite being dated, it still shows us some of the beauties of nature and our planet. Too bad about its poor picture quality of this nature documentary - this is a point which it desperately needs to be restored, to disguise its numerous imperfections.
"Water Birds" is not the most exciting thing to watch, but it's interesting for those who have a certain admiration towards birds (or water birds, in this case). Besides, it isn't longer than 30 minutes, which is the ideal runtime: not too short and not too long.
"Water Birds" looks dated, but ironically that can be a good thing too, because this means that it takes us to long gone times. Besides, despite being dated, it still shows us some of the beauties of nature and our planet. Too bad about its poor picture quality of this nature documentary - this is a point which it desperately needs to be restored, to disguise its numerous imperfections.
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