Universum (TV Series) Die Gorillas meines Großvaters (2004) User Reviews

Tenative Relationship Between Man and Gorilla

[LuthienGranger · 10/10 · 30 November 2005]

It has been common practice that Gorilla documentaries focus on the amazing capacities of the Gorillas--which is egotistical that the film implies that man is the mold from which all other beings should be compared. This documentary notes the similarities but focuses firstly on the early relationship between man and mountain Gorilla (specifically from Rwanda). The film follows Andreas Von Beringei whose grandfather, German explorer Oscar Von Beringei, caught sight of the Rwandan gorillas while climbing a mountain in 1902. Fascinated Oscar shot down one of the gorillas and thus introduced gorillas to the world. Soon droves of hunters/poachers traveled to Rwanda to hunt not for sport alone but to take home trophies. These first few scenes are unsettling but it would be unfair to the gorillas to turn away from this film simply because the content can become a little sad. The graphic focus on the hunting (which is not as extensive as some TV or Hollywood fodder) enables the viewer to feel outraged. The film turns the focus onto the first attempts to study these wild gorillas. The observations which might at first seems merit less (to the world let alone the Rwandan community) benefit the species, since they can easily be protected during these times of study but also can heal the war torn Rwandans who can see how Rwandan massacre of the 90's had affected the gorillas. This film is capable of not only inciting outrage but also inspires its audience to protect the gorillas--who find themselves vulnerable as man encroaches on their territory. But the film provides an atmosphere that does not accuse man of destroying the species, there is evidence of friction as man first hunts-studies-protects these gentle primates. The film is beautifully filmed--if I were to make a single complaint it would be that during narration the narrator and the voice of Adreas Von Beringei can become confused with one another.

Humans unbounded (exponential) proliferation causes nature and animals to disappear exponentially (into extinction)

[youAreCrazyDude · 10/10 · 17 March 2011]

The Vanishing World. We depend on nature and animals to survive. Pollution, eating species into extinction and massacre of environment happens on global scale: sacred and very needed by life on Earth trees are being massacred by human predator. Gold mining, illegal tree cutting, illegal ranching in Amazon already destroyed a lot of sacred trees. Animals' habitat is disappearing with exponential (unbounded) rate. Films: "AMAZON with Bruce Perry", "The End of the Line (2009)". Most vicious predator (human) must learn to stop destroying its own environment. (Aside: the human is most vicious predator because it kills for sports.) While most vicious predator propagates with exponential (unbounded) rate, the nature and animals disappear with exponential rate at the hand of most vicious predator. Most vicious predator must stop unbounded (exponential) reproduction: it leaves no space for healthy environment for most vicious predator and leaves no space for animals. CONSUMPTION is not "cool" anymore. Echo-systems sustain the economies. Economies do not sustain the echo-systems. Bottom-lines and corporations only destroy the nature, environment and animals. In the past, we hoped that our technology would help us to live better lives, but as of today, our technology (better traps, binoculars, nets, better sonars to track our prey, better guns, etc) only leads us to the SIXTH EXTINCTION of all life on the planet, at the hand of the human. If you cannot farm it - do not kill it. If you are religious: "go forth (be fruitful) and multiply" was repealed by Jesus in the new testament just like many such Old Testament "orders/commandments" were repealed by him in new testament (eye for an eye, etc). Even Jesus showed to you that the truths (commandments) must be changed with changing times.