Meerkats - The Movie
If you missed out on The Meerkats in the cinema this August, do not despair. You can catch these cute creatures again as Meerkats - The Movie and Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins are both out on DVD on 2nd November 2009 courtesy of Momentum Pictures.
Following on from successful documentaries such as March of the Penguins and Arctic Tale, Meerkats - The Movie and Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins each provide a revealing and entertaining look at a family of meerkats and their struggle for survival in the harshest environment on earth; the Kalahari Desert.
What makes these natives of the African plains, even more remarkable is a family dynamic which bears an uncanny resemblance to our own. Whether they are going through the routines of daily life, or locked in a very real battle to stay alive, Meerkats - The Movie and Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins take an inspiring look at how one family's connection to each other and their surroundings, stands as a model of resilience and fortitude for us all.
Meerkats - The Movie is narrated by the late Paul Newman (in his last role), and directed by award-winning filmmaker James Honeyborne. Produced by BBC Films and The Weinstein Company, it was shot using ground-breaking techniques and filmed over six months in the Kalahari Desert by the award-winning BBC Natural History Unit.
Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and is a prequel to the hugely successful Animal Planet series Meerkat Manor which follows Flower, the leader of a meerkat group called Whiskers tribe.
Produced by Animal Planet, the film was shot over the span of two years and is based on research notes on the Kalahari Meerkat Project, a long term research project focused on studying the evolutionary causes and ecological consequences of cooperative behaviors in meerkats.
Both films are perfect stocking fillers for all the family this Christmas and are fun, engaging and educational for both children and adults. After watching you could be 'comparing your meerkats' and why not as who could resist getting up close and personal to these adorable mammals?