Seasons Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Seasons Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 18, 2017

It always surprises me when people tell me they have no patience for so-called “nature” documentaries, often telling me that while the footage may be enjoyable enough, the lack of a story just doesn’t engage them. I tend to be regularly gobsmacked by nature documentaries, though, if only to wonder “how did they get that shot?” at fairly regular intervals. Those who do prefer something at least approaching a story in their nature docs may have already discovered Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, the pair responsible for two at least somewhat “narrative” based efforts, Winged Migration and Oceans. Perrin and Cluzaud follow a same at least somewhat story based approach in Seasons, a film which kind of cheekily reinvents its title to actually be dealing with huge historical epochs like the Ice Age and arrival of various species, both plant and animal. That said, anyone who is as regularly amazed as I am by the sheer technical virtuosity on display in being able to photograph the animals in rather remarkable behaviors will most likely also find this documentary engaging and maybe even astounding.

While the documentary seeks to develop a kinda sorta narrative devoted to huge spans of time and various animal behaviors, it's actually in the depictions of those behaviors that Seasons finds some of its most amazing moments. In sequences that some may accuse of seeming overly staged, there are all sorts of interesting interactions between animals, including everything from a deer giving birth to wolves fighting over carrion to birds plopping out of a nest to take their first flight (after falling precariously to the ground). As with the previous documentaries by this pair, the views of all of this are mind boggling at times, though squeamish sorts should be forewarned there are a couple of passingly gruesome moments of animals meeting their fates at the hands (teeth?) of predators.

Seasons Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Seasons is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Music Box Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. The IMDb lists the Sony CineAlta as the camera utilized, with a 4K source format, but no data listed on what the DI was finished at. My hunch is this may in fact have a 4K DI because detail levels are superb throughout this presentation. Everything from depth of field in the vistas of mountain valleys to up close and personal looks at virtually every bristly hair on a bison's head is presented with precision and often immaculate clarity. There are a couple of quasi-Impressionistic moments, including a kind of weird gambol by a bunch of wild horses who just take off running for no apparent reason, and in these sequences a bit of softness intrudes only because the camera is so peripatetic. The palette is fresh and vivid and natural looking, and this should certainly satisfy any nature documentary lover's desire for reference quality video.

Seasons Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Seasons offers two DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks, one with (occasional) French narration and the other one devoid of any speaking and featuring only the score and all the environmental effects. I personally opted for that second choice, leaving the subtitles on so that I "got" the narration anyway, at least in a printed form. The track is amazingly immersive almost all of the time, with a glut of environmental sounds scattered throughout the surrounds and Bruno Coulais' appealing score residing comfortably in the side and rear channels as well. Fidelity is excellent and there are no problems of any kind to report.

Seasons Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Through the Seasons: Behind the Scenes (1080p; 53:04) is a nice making of documentary that has good interviews and shows how some of this astounding footage was captured.


• Filmmaker Panel Discussion from LA Premiere (1080p; 16:26)


• The Orchestra of Seasons (1080p; 8:47) profiles composer Bruno Coulais and the recording of the score.


• Production Featurettes (1080p; 6:04) gathers five brief pieces which are really kind of like glorified trailers.


• Animated Image Gallery (1080p; 5:20)


• Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 1:57)

Seasons Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Seasons is another fascinating and frequently gorgeous offering from Perrin and Cluzaud, one that seeks to develop a story of sorts, but which really frankly needn't have bothered, since the imagery and audio are so involving anyway. If you liked or loved Winged Migration and Oceans, I can virtually guarantee you'll have the same reaction to Seasons. Technical merits are first rate, and Seasons comes Highly recommended.