Elsewhere in the forest there is a rival group of chimps whose numbers have grown larger and larger over the years. So large in fact the food sources in their territory are quickly becoming too inefficient to sustain their growing population. This group is led by Scar and Scar wants Freddy’s territory and will stop at nothing to get it. 

 

Freddy and Oscar’s group eventually come to a head which leaves casualties, one of which may or may not have been Oscars mother. Alone and without a friend in the group, Oscar must either find a way to take care of himself, find someone to take care of him, or perish in the harsh nature of the jungle. When all seems lost Oscar finds rescue from the most unlikely of places. 

 

Disney does a rather remarkable job in capturing Oscars world deep in the African rainforest. The natural colors and mysteries of the forest come to life in beautiful clarity and definition. What’s even more fantastic about this amazing clarity of picture is that the cameramen manage to capture some of the most beautiful shots of nature you may ever see. Lightning stretching across the sky like the erratic line creation on an etch-a-sketch, the impact of raindrops on strange vegetation exploding into the air in slow motion, plant and insect life zooming by in fast forward in remarkable formations. The picture is absolutely beautiful and manages to give you a naked eye perspective as if your right there. 

 

Are there moments where the picture dips into less then perfect territory? Sure. There are a couple of aerial shots of the dense forest canopy that become overpowered by the color saturated vegetation. The leaves are so bright with color it all seems to blend together. There are only a few soft shots that open the picture to grain, but they are so quick and minuscule you will take notice of them but not find that they ruin the experience in any profound way. There is one moment in the film where aliasing occurs on some of the chimps body hair. Other then that, unless your really looking for a reason, you’re going to find Chimpanzee to be a feast for the eyes as well as the heart. 

 

~DVD Copy

~On Location: The Making of Chimpanzee: Technically I thought all of the featurettes for the film, save the music video and behind the scenes for the music video, were fantastic. Still, this is the one to watch.

~Rise Music Video by The McClain Sisters: More of the same pop radio drivel infecting the airwaves.

~Behind the Scenes of Rise

~Chimpanzee - Save The Chimpanzees

~Disney’s Friends For Change

~Disney’s Conservation Legacy