It is difficult to find someone who would not be attracted and bewitched by the troubled waters of the oceans. The variety of life forms, its brightness and beauty - all this surprises and attracts. In the age of modern technology it is not at all necessary to go on a dangerous journey, you can immerse yourself in this mysterious atmosphere while at home. We offer you a selection of the most rated and interesting documentary projects.
When talking about "The Best Films about the Underwater World", the first name that will come to mind the majority will be Jacques-Yves Cousteau. This is not surprising, a good half of our compatriots literally grew up on his films. A naturalist and researcher, director and photographer, inventor and author of books are all about him. It was he who, together with Emil Ganyan, invented in 1943, and then experienced scuba gear.
The World of Silence (1956)
Documentary films about the underwater world, in contrast to the art ones, do not lose their relevance or credibility in connection with the advent of new and more advanced equipment. Cousteau has over 60 years of age. However, you have the opportunity to see another underwater world, to look into its past.
Filming continued for two years. All this time, the Cousteau team plowed the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean on their famous ship Calypso. The creators of scuba gear and other unique equipment explore not only marine inhabitants, but also sunken ships, mysterious caves, making incredible discoveries, revealing the secrets of the world of silence.
Few documentaries about the underwater world can boast as many awards as this one: the Oscars, the Golden Palm Branch at the Cannes Film Festival, BAFTA, and the United States National Film Critics Award. The paradox is that the opinions of critics about the project were radically divided and were very mixed. Cousteau was attacked for being too natural and cruel. The writer C. Bruyneel called him the most disgusting and stupid documentary film that has ever been shot.
According to the popular movie portal, In the World of Silence, it has a rating of 7.9 points.
The World Without the Sun (1964)
Films about the underwater world of J. I. Cousteau can be considered documentary classics of the genre. His project "World without the sun" in 1965 was also awarded the Oscar.
This time, the crew of the famous navigator plunges to a depth of 300 feet for a whole month. Laboratory "Starfish" is becoming in this period, not only the place of their work, but also home. What is it like to live in a world without the sun, they will feel on themselves. The film is essentially a chronicle or diary of the expedition.
Unlike the previous project, he received more favorable reviews and a high rating of 8.25 points. However, it was not without criticism either. The director was accused of the implausibility of some episodes, attributing fiction and fake. Bosley Crowther (a journalist from The New York Times) questioned the footage in which people from the bathyscaphe entered the atmospheric bubble in a deep-sea cave, because, as a rule, in such places the gas environment is not suitable for human breathing.
Atlantis (1991)
Did you know that Luke Besson, the director of such legendary films as “Leon”, “The Fifth Element” and “Taxi”, is selflessly in love with the sea. As a child, he dreamed of following in the footsteps of his parents and becoming a scuba diver, but it did not work out. But, having become a well-known director, he very originally realized his childhood dream and made a film about the underwater world, unlike any other project. Artistic or documentary - it's up to you. Besson reveals to the audience the beauty of the underwater world, comparing it with an opera or theater, where the main roles are whales, dolphins and other marine life. Of particular note is the great musical accompaniment from composer Eric Serre.
The film was favorably received by critics and fell in love with the audience, especially fans of Besson's work. The project rating is 7.5 points.
BBC: The Blue Planet (2001)
The mini-series is ready to compete with any of the films listed here on the duration and beauty of the shoot. An incredible project from the BBC will open before you all the charm of the ocean, striking with the diversity of its inhabitants.
The series comprehensively and most fully explores life under water. The latest technologies and unique equipment for deep sea filming are used. Leading the project - the famous actor Pierce Brosnan and the equally famous naturalist David Attenborough. The series includes the following films about the underwater world lasting 50 minutes: "Blue Planet", "Open Ocean", "Abyss", "Frozen Seas", "Seasonal Seas", "Coral Seas", "Tidal Seas", "Coast" .
The rating of the film is 8.6 points.
“The most dangerous animals. Sea depths "(2008)
The surface of the oceans is much larger than the land area, in addition, it is much more unknown and mysterious. A person cannot solve the secrets of the seas, even with modern equipment. National Geographic Channel invites viewers to learn about the twelve most dangerous predators of the ocean. Get ready for the fact that you have never heard of some of them before.
The film is quite easy to understand, therefore it is interesting not only for adults, but also for children. The project is not overloaded with scientific data and information, its main goal is to amaze and delight the viewer.
The rating of the film is 6.7 points.
“A great journey deep into the oceans 3D” (2009)
“A great journey into the depths of the oceans 3D” is a three-dimensional stereoscopic documentary by director Jean-Jacques Mantello, which reveals the diversity of life in the ocean to your eyes. In it you will see California forests of brown algae, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, a shark island off the coast of Mexico, etc.
This is the first documentary project in history, which was shot entirely in Digital 3D. Modern technology literally erases the boundaries between the screen and the audience, making the image as realistic and voluminous as possible. Critics and viewers unanimously agreed that such films about the underwater world can cause interest, love for nature, and craving for travel. Fiction is to see him as he really is, to touch his beauty, while remaining in the comfort zone of his apartment.
The project rating is quite high and amounts to 7.2 points.
“A Great Journey Into the Oceans 3D: The Return” (2009)
Staying on the wave of success from the first film, director Nick Stringer decides to shoot a sequel. However, now the "Big journey deep into the oceans 3D: Return" is a project that is more likely aimed at a children's audience. In the center of the plot is a sea turtle. She calls the audience on a big journey through the vast expanses of water and is ready to become a guide in the stormy waves of the oceans. Colorful coral reefs, rare inhabitants of deep water, with the participation of which it is quite possible to make horror films about the underwater world, tropical fish dazzling with colors and the frightening cold of Antarctic ice - you have to learn about all this.
At the box office, the project was less successful compared to the first part. Critics and viewers noted the imperfection of the technical side. The film does not fully comply, in their opinion, with the declared 3D format, but otherwise impeccable. The project rating is 7.2 points.
Oceans (2009)
We live on a planet where almost three quarters of the surface is covered with water. The author of the project, Jacques Perrin, gives the viewer a glimpse into the magical underwater world of the oceans, which for the most part still remains a mystery to humans.
Films about the underwater world have never been so massive. Filming of the project lasting about 3.5 years took place in 50 different corners of our planet, while 15 cameramen were involved and more than 500 hours of film were spent. The budget of the film was 80 million euros. Absolutely incredible camera work, innovative technologies and ingenuity of the authors of the project allow you to see amazing footage from the life of the oceans. Critics reacted very favorably to the film, noting its acute social background. No matter how severe and cruel the underwater world is, the greatest danger to him is man.
The rating of the film based on the reviews of critics and audience reviews is 8.2 points.
3D Marine Dinosaurs: Journey into the Prehistoric World (2010)
Want to know how it all began? Then go along with the brave team of the film 200 million years ago on an exciting and dangerous adventure. In it you will meet the rulers of the oceans of the Jurassic - huge sea dinosaurs. Amazing discoveries will connect the life of modern and ancient fauna, tell about the world, the existence of which you had not suspected before.
Of course, documentaries about the underwater world of a similar format should be taken as a historical chronicle in which gaps are filled with assumptions and guesses of scientists. They are based primarily on archaeological finds, and modern digital technology allows you to recreate the appearance of dinosaurs and other inhabitants of the ancient ocean from the remains.
The rating of the film is 6.9 points.
Challenge to the Abyss (2014)
Similar documentaries about the underwater world are fantastic, in terms of how they managed to make it. They have no analogues and will impress even the most inveterate skeptics.
There are several places on our planet that the history of human development has not touched. In complete silence and darkness, they, like a thousand years ago, keep the greatest secrets of the Earth. One such place is the Mariana Trench. It is in its depths that a passionate explorer of the ocean, the famous director James Cameron, sets off with his team. A historical immersion that will lead the viewer into awe and delight, because all that he sees is not space, but our planet.
The rating of the project, according to the opinions of the audience, is 7.2 points.
Whether it is feature films, science fiction about the underwater world or horrors, their creators always draw inspiration from documentary projects. In order to come up with an interesting and believable story or create something that excites the imagination, one should turn to the sources. All fantastic creatures have real prototypes, and often differ from them only in size or character. So why not start by looking at the real underwater world. Believe me, it will surprise you even without artistic fiction.