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Nature's Half Acre

Explore the strange and wondrous world that lies beneath our feet—under leaves, logs, and rocks—teeming with millions of weird and fascinating creatures. Released theatrically alongside Alice in Wonderland.

Director(s)

James Algar

Cast & Crew

James Algar

James Algar

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Winston Hibler

Winston Hibler

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Details

GenresDocumentary
Runtime33 mins
Released on28 Jul 1951
Languageen
Produced InUnited States of America

Reviews

CinemaSerf

6/10

This might have been better for me had they scaled back on the jolly score and left us with some actual sounds of the nature we are watching. Instead, we get a surfeit of different musical styles and tempos accompanying Winston Hibbler's commentary of life in an half acre of ground upon which mankind has yet to make his presence felt. There is some innovative time-lapse photography and clearly time was spent collating and editing this fascinating look at just how diverse the range of critters are, trying to make a life (and avoid being eaten) in this wilderness. Some are astonishingly adaptable, hungry, beautiful, hungry, violent, hungry and even amorous and again the imagery captures quite a bit of that as well as the comical and the eat or be eaten mentality that not only nourishes those further up the food chain, but protects the plant life from their insatiable appetites. (Did I mention these things are hungry?). It's fun watching newly hatched chicks trying to digest worms that are quite possibly heavier than them and though maybe this could have been shortened a little, it's an entertainingly scripted foray into the world of natural history that mixes some elementary science into a film that still bears watching.

Part of the Series

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The Vanishing Prairie

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Bear Country

Bear Country

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Perri

Perri

1957EN
Secrets of Life

Secrets of Life

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White Wilderness

White Wilderness

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Water Birds

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The Olympic Elk

The Olympic Elk

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Prowlers of the Everglades

Prowlers of the Everglades

1953DE, EN
The Living Desert

The Living Desert

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The African Lion

The African Lion

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Jungle Cat

Jungle Cat

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Seal Island

Seal Island

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Beaver Valley

Beaver Valley

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