Movie Background
Movie Poster

Seal Island

Seal Island, released in 1948, is an American documentary directed by James Algar. The film earned the 1949 Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Two-Reel).

Director(s)

James Algar

Cast & Crew

James Algar

James Algar

-

Winston Hibler

Winston Hibler

-

Details

GenresDocumentary
Runtime27 mins
Released on21 Dec 1948
Languageen
Produced InUnited States of America

Reviews

CinemaSerf

6/10

A look at the life of the fur seals on Seal Island (in the Aleutians) which co-inhabit the island with reindeer and scrawny looking foxes, lupins, lichens and other colourful plants that also thrive here in the lighter months. Bull seals (weighing almost as much as an horse... big horse, little horse?) arrive. Apparently seals have a common ancestor with a bear? Seals are polygamous and may have 100 wives... Yes, you get the drift. The narrative is very fact-based but despite trying to give some of the creatures human names and traits ("Mrs" etc.) is actually rather dry. The photography is quite innovative though, especially with the puffins and other seabirds. Then the female seals arrive and the bulls start to get a bit broody - the month of June, and hormones go a-raging. The score is quite jolly and carries the Hibler narration along for an entertaining half hour and the nimbler cows create quite a sense of fun on land and sea. Worth a watch, I think.

Part of the Series

The Vanishing Prairie

The Vanishing Prairie

1954EN
Bear Country

Bear Country

1953EN
Secrets of Life

Secrets of Life

1956EN
Perri

Perri

1957EN
White Wilderness

White Wilderness

1958EN
Prowlers of the Everglades

Prowlers of the Everglades

1953DE, EN
Beaver Valley

Beaver Valley

1950EN
Nature's Half Acre

Nature's Half Acre

1951EN
The Living Desert

The Living Desert

1953DE, NL, FR, EN
The African Lion

The African Lion

1955EN
Jungle Cat

Jungle Cat

1960EN, NL
The Olympic Elk

The Olympic Elk

1952EN
Water Birds

Water Birds

1952EN