Product Description: Environmental documentary 11th HOUR resides at the polar opposite of escapist summer fare its mission to firmly confront viewers about the indelible human footprint that humans have left on this planet and the catastrophic effects of environmental neglect and abuse. Produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio and ably directed by Nadia Conners and Leila Conners Peterson the documentary doesn't get much fancier than talking heads news footage and the occasional animated illustration but its message is potent and delivered effectively.The first hour of the film is essentially a horror story recounting the myriad sins perpetrated against the environment (pollution deforestation over-mining resources) the reasons behind it (corporate greed faulty public policy bad leadership ignorance) and what it means for the human race. Thankfully the last third of the movie tilts the mood upward with a spirited discussion of solutions offered by a crack team of scientists designers and thinkers. Stirring visions of alternate energy sources diversified transportation enlightened governmental agendas sustainable homes and cities and most importantly more conscious consumer choices leave viewers with the palpable feeling that change is both necessary and possible. If the "eleventh hour" for our planet is drawing near this admirable film points confidently towards a new dawn.System Requirements:Running Time: 124 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/NATURE & WILDLIFE Rating: PG UPC: 085391183518 Manufacturer No: 118351
Amazon.com: Comparisons to Al Gore's Oscar-winning slide show will be inevitable, but there's a key difference between the two documentaries. An Inconvenient Truth was aimed at the PBS set, while Leonardo DiCaprio's The 11th Hour combines a traditional structure with a more MTV-friendly pace. Of course, neither was made by these public figures. Davis Guggenheim directed the former, while Nadia Conners and Leila Conners Petersen are behind the latter. DiCaprio serves as producer, co-writer, and narrator (the three previously worked on the short films Global Warming and Water Planet). Their first feature combines a diverse array of interviews with a dizzying variety of images, both soothing and alarming (droughts and hurricanes vs. serene sunsets and playful polar bears). Speakers include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking, and progressive CEO Ray Anderson, hero of The Corporation. Granted, there's no obvious youth appeal in these subjects, but the presence of the Titanic heartthrob-turned-Scorsese star, who keeps his on-screen narration to a tasteful minimum, plus atmospheric tracks from Sigur Rós, Coldplay and Mogwai seems likely to attract a younger crowd. And that seems to be the point, since The 11th Hour is, at heart, a call to arms. It begins by taking a look at the causes of global warming before exploring solutions, from eating organic to building with solar power. There isn't a ton of new information for environmental experts, but DiCaprio and his team have assembled a thought-provoking primer for neophytes and potential activists. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
The 11th Hour review I've purchased and watched three different videos on global warming: "An Inconvenient Truth", "The Great Warming" and "The 11th Hour". There are advantages and disadvantages to each. "An Inconvenient Truth" does a great job of presenting the science behind GW but is not well received by some due to the political image of the narrator. "The Great Warming" a Canadian documentary film, is a very comprehensive and well scripted presentation on GW suitable for all audiences. They have two versions tailored for churches, one for wildlife organizations and a general version. "The 11th Hour" is a hard hitting video. The first 2/3rds left me believing we are all screwed. The last segment demonstrated a lot of technological remedies to reduce GHGs but I wasn't left feeling hopeful. Everyone should see at least one of these. Maybe then we can convince our elected officials to take some action.
More comprehensive and balanced than Gore's "AIT" Much better and less biased than Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. First, in a wise decision, Di Caprio appearances in the documentary are limited as opposed to Gores's egocentric presentation, thus providing more neutrality for Trojans and Athenians audiences. Instead, the experts on each field are the ones presenting the issues and concerns. Second, and more important, Di Caprio went beyond the global warming domain, as the scope of the documentary also touches on several key issues regarding pollution and the environment that have been overshadowed during the last few years by the bombardment on man-made global warming. A nice touch was the brief presentation of the world famous scientist Stephen Hawking supporting the man-made theory of global warming, given more credibility to the cause.
WAKE UP Lets do something for our home. Yes our home! Great follow up to "An Inconvenient Truth"
Thank you for the gift Please watch and act, we don't have much time left. It is very exciting to learn about new and old technologies that are available to save this beautiful planet. This DVD is a wake-up call without the doom mentality yet it creates urgency to act!
Provocative Very good documentary - challanges our current way of thinking and the future of this planet...
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