Olivia Holt, performer of BEARS anthem “Carry On” and Star of Disney Channel’s “I Didn’t Do It,” hosted a special showing of Disneynature’s BEARS on the Walt Disney Studios lot and yours truly was there this morning for the family screening.
There was a raffle and giveaway for those who brought a new stuffed bear to donate to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and our tickets, which also doubled as bookmarks, were eco-friendly to be planted later. The logo even reminded me of Disney’s animated BROTHER BEAR.
Check out these photos from this morning’s screening.
In an epic story of breathtaking scale set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, Disneynature’s 2014 big-screen adventure BEARS follows a bear family as impressionable young cubs are taught life’s most important lessons.
Some quick reactions to directors Alastair Fothergill’s and Keith Scholey’s, as well as co-director Adam Chapman’s, latest film. This cute movie was right on par with their other wonderful features, AFRICAN CATS and CHIMPANZEE.
BEARS captures the fast-moving action and suspense of life in one of the planet’s last great wildernesses – Alaska. “Bears are a symbol of North America,” says director Alastair Fothergill. “We want to take audiences to one of the most beautiful places in the world – an area people hope to visit, but never do. Now they can see Alaska through the eyes of a mother bear and her cubs.”
“The brown bear is strong and intelligent, gentle and incredibly social,” adds director Keith Scholey. “And unlike any other animal, they hold a special place in our hearts—we all had a teddy bear growing up. Bears are perfect for storytelling.”
John C. Reilly (WRECK-IT RALPH) was spot on serving not only as narrator, but the sometimes voice of the bear cubs Amber & Scout. “With these bears,” he says, “it almost looks like there’s a person inside – the way that they move, relax, play and eat. They enjoy themselves. They take big naps after Thanksgiving dinner like my whole family does.”
Choosing the best place to film BEARS was imperative. “While Alaska is the classic place to see brown bears, it’s remarkably vast,” says co-director Adam Chapman.
The Alaskan peninsula offered ample opportunity for the filmmakers, who spent much of their shoot in Katmai National Park and Preserve. One bay in particular seemed to feature a jackpot for hungry bears. “There’s a fantastic meadow system where bears will flock early in the season to eat sedges,” says Chapman. “Then there are the mud flats at the coastline, which are riddled with clams when the tide goes out. A bootleg nearby lets moms with spring cubs get up high where they can see potential threats. And the final elements that made filming so special were the creek and river that have extraordinary runs of salmon every summer – pretty much like clockwork – creating a fishing bonanza with bears feeding alongside wolves.
“We spent a lot of time filming along that coastline,” continues Chapman. “It’s so remote – just getting there is an adventure. The area is untouched; the bears don’t have any negative experiences with people, so they were able to relax and behave like bears normally behave.”
Filmmakers hope to show moviegoers the true dynamic of the brown bear. Says Scholey, “A lot of people think that we’re crazy to film bears on location in such a remote area. But these animals don’t deserve the reputation they have. They are not out to hurt people. They are big, powerful animals with a remarkably gentle nature. We never felt threatened by the bears.”
“We were able to capture incredible footage of this mother’s plight to feed her cubs,” says Fothergill. “It’s a terrible dilemma she faces—wherever there’s food, there’s danger. And when she’s able to find refuge, there’s not much food. Every parent can relate to her struggle in a way. We all face tough choices every day and sometimes just have to hope we’re doing what’s best.”
Narrator John C. Reilly agrees. “I remember going to New York City for the first time with little kids. It might as well have been bears on the street. I can absolutely relate to the protective feelings a mother bear gets when looking after little ones.”
You won’t want to miss Disneynature’s BEARS when it’s released on Earth Day 2014 – April 18th.
BEARS is the fifth theatrical release for Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in more than 60 years. The label was launched in April 2008 to bring the world’s top nature filmmakers together to capture a variety of wildlife subjects and stories.
The first four releases under the Disneynature label – EARTH, OCEANS, AFRICAN CATS and CHIMPANZEE – are among the top five highest grossing feature-length nature films of all time.
Walt Disney was a pioneer in wildlife documentary filmmaking, producing 13 True Life Adventure motion pictures between 1948 and 1960, including “Seal Island” (1948), “Beaver Valley” (1950), “The Living Desert” (1953) and “Jungle Cat” (1958). The films earned eight Academy Awards
Website and Mobile Site: Disney.com/Bears
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