The polar bear’s primary source of food is seal, especially the ringed seal. Global warming threatens the polar bear because it threatens its hunting grounds, which is the ice around the arctic. The polar bear tracks the seals above the ice, while they travel from breathing hole to breathing hole under the ice. The polar bear also hunts for seal dens, holes dug up into the snow and ice from the water side where the cute baby seals live. Unfortunately the polar bear sees these as little snack pockets.
Penguins At the Oscars
The actual penguins weren’t there but some stuffed ones accompanied the directors of La Marche de l’empereur (March of the Penguins) as they received their Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.
“[Whistles] It means, thank you in penguins. I’d like to dedicate this statuette to all the children in the world who saw that movie. In 2041, they will decide to ruin you or not, the treaty that protects Antarctica. I will, maybe, the “March of the Penguins” will inspire them. Sorry for my English.” — Luc Jacquet
“Looking out on these tuxedos tonight, it’s like seeing the movie again. Thank you for this homage. Thank you very much. Goodbye. Thank you. Thank you.” — Yves Darondeau
Apparently the original French version and other non-US versions of the film had a different soundtrack that they didn’t think would work in the US film. Also they had up to three narrators rather than just one. And finally the US version had three minutes cut out of it, it was of the bird (I believe it was of a petrel species) actually killing one of the chicks rather than leaving you wondering a bit. It would be interesting to watch the original French version with subtitles.
New Wallpaper
I almost forgot. I made up some new wallpaper from Wally’s dream in last Friday’s strip. Wally & the Magic Rainbow as an advertisement to an old video game.
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It’s SO my wallpaper now. Thanks!
It would be mine as well if you made them 1600 x 1200 =)
Unfortunately, the French version doesn’t come with English subtitles… it’s pretty much an entirely different movie using the same footage. The “narrators” weren’t voice-of-God narrators like Morgan Freeman, but actually acted as the voice of the penguins (ex. When the first penguin of the film leaps out of the water, looking around, you hear “Ou sont les autres?” (where are the others?) It’s not nearly as weird as it sounds, though!)
The soundtrack was done by Emilie Simon… so if you can imagine, it’s lighthearded, pop music, with sounds like bjork and emilana torrini, obviously not the dramatic score the US version received. The Emilie Simon songs however were, interestingly, all in english.
If I remember, the french film was cut slightly different, also. Some of the scenes were much longer in the french version (such as the scene where Morgan Freeman talks about penguins who are late or fall behind, and that lone penguin goes behind a chunk of ice and “disappears”..that scene is much longer)
Jacquet was not happy with the toned down English version, with its overly humanized message and strange parallels that conservatives made to Penguins forwarding the homocentric family agenda, but I’m happy that it won nevertheless.
zatara has said pretty much everything I was about to say! I have both French and U.S. versions on DVD and as you say it’s more than just a cut – I’d describe it more as a re-edit with some scenes being made shorter.
I’m pretty sure some scenes are in a slightly different order. One of the most noticeable cuts for me actually appears in the menu sequence of the French version. The US version cuts just before two penguins walk into the foreground obviously intreagued by the cameras and looking straight to camera. The one behind does a little stretch with its wings. Cute – and I was suprised it was removed from the U.S. cut.
I like both versions – though I tend to watch the French version with the sound switched to music and special effects only, not because I don’t understand French but I feel it over anthropomorphises the penguins.
The music fits each version. The poppy Bjork like music works along with the dialogue of the french and the majestic orchestral music works beautifully with the tones of Morgan Freeman.
Why do I have both on DVD? Well, at the time, the French DVD was the only way of seeing the movie as it didn’t get released in the UK until 6 months after I bought it.
Even now, I had to import the U.S. DVD as it doesn’t get released here in the UK until May.
I Really Have’nt Seen March Of The Penguins yet, havent got a chance T_T, ne way on 2 happier thing like 2days comic and the new Wally-Paper.
@Tyler : Pretty Cool Strip 2day Tyler i luv Osbournes New Outfit kinda reminds me of the coach in the Rocky Movies. I really dunno how u come up with this stuff and Wallys Smile in the last pnnel looks real cute(thats frm me and my girl friend who just started reading OTR) one more thing…ummm will wally ever wear boxing gloves and a karate outfit that look cool Wally-Jutsu the ancient art of making your opponent die of laughter 😛 and thx 4 the new Wally-paper
Yeez, March of the Penguins in the Swedish version sucked pretty hard. As Zatara said, they’d put in a voice of the penguins, like in the French version, but they’d done it so poorly you’d really just like to mute the crap and watch the footage.
In the scene, in the beginning, where the penguin jumps out of the water, they say something that can nearly be translated as “Is everyone with us?”, like some sort of community hike… They’ve tried to translate all the French ways of describing, y’know with all these flowering descriptions… just doesn’t work in any other language.
’nuff said, good strip, and good strips overall. Never seen a webcomic with such good update rate and such good quality. Keep up the good work, you workaholic!
Hehe, cute. Have you noticed the last panel has a question mark and a period?.
funny, will wally’s training involve the “showdown on ice” that you posted in the forum? I liked MOTP to, never seen it in french though.
seal is way too cute to eat! lol I love the wallpapers! thanks!
Thanks for the info on the other versions or March of the Penguins guys. Yeah, I guess that would kind of lose the point for me watching the French version if it didn’t have English subtitles. Other than to see the cuts and hear it with the alternate music (I like Emiliana Torrini..if it’s similar). Could be a somewhat abstract experience.
It’s actually interesting the way they decided to go with the US version, sounds more epic and dramatic. It could have used some lighthearted moments. Multiple narrators could have made it a bit more of a shared experience than so lone and solem.
If anything I would have imagined the US version to be the one having silly voiceovers, superimposed moving mouths on the penguins and at least one song by Smash Mouth. 😉
Maybe there will be a director’s cut of the French version for English release, heh. The “making of” on the DVD was also entertaining, those guys really put a lot of work and dedication into it. They’re hardcore.
I guess the director is working on a movie with foxes now, but this time mixing it with a fictional story.
awwww, seals are so cute when they are babies……i want a pet seal….I would love him and hug him and keep him safe from polar bears
I want a stuff penguin! I thought watching those penguins “march” across the stage was one of the best things about the Oscars.
@Julie:
http://www.free-penguin.org/
Mine:
http://torrentit.org/mirrors/tux.htm
Where’s my daily dose of OTR?!
I thought maybe nobody noticed. Yeah, to skip a day could be unhealthy, I’ll post it in couple minutes…
this is the best wall paper (so far).
They are to cute
seal is gross i should know
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😈 ➡ 😕 😎 👿 😀 😳 😛 😉 😥 😮 😆 😡 ❗ ❓ neutral: heloo and elo
helo whtareyou oig o do t sve ou nvir ent. 🙂