Customer Reviews

National Geographic's Last Feast of the Crocodiles [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't think this film is as violent as some suggest. Although there are several shots of crocodiles lunging onto land an striking out at prey, most of the killing is implied. The interaction between animals in this documentary is fascinating, particularly the hippo-croc relationship. At one point in the film, a mother hippo nudges her baby into a feeding frenzy of writhing crocs. Of course the crocodiles wouldn't dare harm the offspring of a two ton parent. And although we see some violence in the animals, we also see a lighter side with a croc and her babies, and two determined birds doing their best to protect their young. The confrontation between baboon and crocodile mentioned above is not so heart-wrenching when you consider that the baboons are also predators. One scene with a fawn comes to mind. Overall, Last Feast of the Crocodiles is an intriguing look at wildlife during harsh times, and the strength of survivors.

This was a brilliantly made documentary about the relationships between different animals on the brink of survival. Definitely one of the best documentaries I have ever seen.

A remarkable video which looks at how crocodiles, since their evolution, have adapted so well in harsh and drought stricken climates where survival is the name of the game. As the river dries up because of the scorching sun, the wildlife (lions, wilderbeast, monkeys etc.) meet their fate from the jaws of the crocodiles. Some are a little smart and sense the crocodiles lurking in the muddy waters waiting to catch their prey, so they dig watering holes by the river banks. But still, even out of desperation, they are willing to take the chance of drinking water at the rivers edge and sometimes they are unluckly. Water, for all wildlife, is the only means of survival in this harsh and barren environment.

What is so fascinating is that the crocodiles fear the hippos. The hippos seem to dominate their territory and they bathe in the same waters of the river as the crocs. We see hippos in the middle of a crocodile feeding freenzy, a baby hippo surrounded by crocs, and a troop of hysterical monkeys going biserk trying to fight with a croc to release a baby monkey that is caught between its huge jaws.

This is a well narrated video with excellent photography.

This is one of the best documentaries that I've seen as it shows nature at it's most raw, just a continuation of life. This just shows what a documentary can be like, full of things that don't make you want to sleep after 5 minutes of viewing.

The croc kill footage here is for the most part not the best I've ever seen and not the reason to buy this video. What it's really about is how the animals of Africa react to a particularly bad drought, and it's one of the best of it's kind. This is also for hippo fans, showing some pretty bizzare behavior on their part that another NG special will hopefully someday be able to explain.

This is a remarkable video, they truly don't make them like this any more. Narrated by the great Richard Kiley, the silence is as valuable an asset to the film as the narration. This video is the story of a drying pool of water in the Luvuvhu River in Africa. The film makers park in one spot and just let the drama unfold.

Planet Earth, Life etc. are great and have much higher audio/video quality, but most of the modern nature videos jump all over the place and are broad surveys of earth. That is not what you will get with "Last Feast of the Crocodiles" and frankly I wish BBC would incorporate this type of documentary into their lineup. In the meantime NG should at least make this available in DVD format, Bluray would be even better.

This is a gem, if you like nature videos it is a must have. You migh also like "Afica's Stolen River" if you like this one.

Having grown up with the older National Geographic documentaries I was delighted when I found this gem. If you liked Crocodiles: Here be Dragons, or Realm of the Alligator then you will love Last Feast of the Crocodiles. I might add though that this film is a bit intense and graphic in some scenes and that if you are buying this with the intention of showing this film to children that you watch it ahead of time.

Fantastic film though, has several animal behaviors (croc and otherwise) that I had never read about or seen before.

If anyone finds themselves spending a nice night in over an enjoyable glass of vodka and coke with a friend and feels like something is missing, it is this DVD.
The narration is superb, interesting and exciting. Unlike other National Geographical DVD's i have watched, The Last Feast also comes with a 'Touch of Comedy' in its storyline. With scenes such as 'Croc with feathers in mouth' and 'Wild Gazelle Panic' which bring the DVD's educational levels up even higher. Other viewers may not appreciate some features of this DVD which interested me so much, such as random bird noises to emphasise the amazing reality the DVD captures of Jungle Life, but this DVD definelty has aspects that even my friend's parents were extremely interested in watching together. Highly reccomended to be viewed in Dolby surround sound 5.1 to capture the true potential of the Aquatic noises of the river and 'Croc Pools'. Surround sound also makes the innovative use of Hippo & Warthog Noises extremely realistic, 'Violently Arriving' from many angles of the room.
If all that wasnt enough, The Last Feast comes with built in photo gallery, with pictures of Gazelles, Crocs (obv), Baboons and other Aromatic animals featured in the Amazing Array of life with Crocs, made even more enjoyable by the musical masterpiece that is the soundtrack to: THE LAST FEAST OF THE CROCODILES.

An excellent Purchase.

This one has always captivated me, although I find some of it quite hilarious for some reason. The story is entralling, and you get so caught up in the suspense of it all. It never fails to amaze me how I always end up enjoying this over and over again. Lots of it is very sad, however. We all just have to remember that it IS nature, and this is the way that things are supposed to happen. It's all about survival of the fittest, and this video just goes to prove it! This is most definitely a favorite for my grandfather and I, and I must recommend it to everyone!

I do not find this documentary to be so much about crocodiles as the struggle to survive. As the pool shrinks animals are forced into ever more brutal circumstances fighting for a small drink of water in what is ultimately a futile battle. This documentary is well shot and beautifully written and I applaud the filmmakers. Sometimes everything comes together in a film and this is one of those wonderful occasions. And, as in all great films, this one manages to say far more than just what it is showing on the screen.