The Last Lions

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

There was a time, for some some time, when “Eternal Enemies” was the undisputed best documentary on Lions. “The Last Lions” now is the King, or perhaps in this instance; “Queen” is the more accurate description. A Lioness loses her mate to an invading Pride, and in crippling a giant Lioness of the invading Pride, creates a terrible arch-enemy. She retreats to an island with her two cubs, to try to raise them while hunting among Hyena, Crocodile and the islands dominant creatures, a huge pack of Bulls in an area that is as much water as land. She slowly adapts to the new landscape while rearing a new enemy, the King of the Bulls; “Scar”. As they square off on this island time and again, she becomes a deadly hunter, desperate to feed her young, but here comes the twist of fate; her old nemesis and the invading Pride of Lionesses are coming!
I would have named this brutal documentary “Fate”, because it is the best example of nature and it’s cruel laws that I have ever seen. “The Last Lions” is the elite documentary on Lions, and is narrated to perfection by the always magnificent, Jeremy Irons.
This is it, this is the one.-D. Seeve

I didn’t think I would ever see a nature video equal to the Joubert’s groundbreaking “Lions and Hyenas- Eternal Enemies”. “The Last Lions” has proved me wrong! What an unbelievable movie!!
The cinematography is superb. Over and over again, we are treated to beautifully framed nature shots. The cloud cover alone is breathtaking. Wide angle distant views (including aerial shots) would make any set designer envious. Top talent all around including “lighting by God”! This is true art at its best.
The storytelling may be the most compelling draw. The best scriptwriters in Hollywood could not have done better. Your emotions will go to all extremes-you will rejoice, you will feel sadness, and you will cheer for certain players- but never because of misleading copy or cheesy special effects. The words ring true throughout. The film editors do use occasional effects- The sepia filter is beyond gorgeous! Even here, it is not used as a gimmick for it never detracts from the stunning real life visuals. (Lions look great in Sepia- especially HD)
The last 15 minutes are beyond belief! This is the story of one lion in particular- “The Mother of Lions”. Her journey through life, and how she rises to power (despite great loss) is the stuff of legends. WOW!
The narration by Jeremy Lyons is, once again, perfect.
The musical score is excellent, and perfectly supports the triumph and tragedy of each scene. Near the end, the use of a single woman’s vocals will give you chill bumps. You may well cry- the scene plays out with joy at first, then chilling remorse and a deep heart-felt sorrow.
I have not seen an ending to a movie that blew me away like this since “The Sixth Sense”. (No- lions don’t see dead people- just dead water buffalo!)
It just couldn’t get any better than this- and then it does! The Joubert’s have devoted their lives to the study and filming of big cats, but The King of the Beasts is in trouble. The statistics are frightening- the lion population in Africa has dropped by over 90% in 50 years. This film is not just to entertain- it is a tool to encourage us to do everything we can to preserve these “Last Lions” Through this movie, this masterpiece, you will will develop a deeper love for these amazing creatures, and then hopefully you will cherish and protect what you love. Please visit “Make a Roar .com” and help the Jouberts in this worthy cause.- Storyteller Studios

I had the good fortune to see this documentary during its too short run on the big screen. It’s one of the very best and memorable (heartbreaking at times) depictions of lions I’ve ever seen (and I own virtually every documentary on lions ever made). I’ve also been privileged to personally visit the location of this film, Duba Plains, and watch these extraordinary lions hunt buffalo. This film haunted me for weeks afterwards and is so much better than the happy-go-lucky approach of Disneynature’s African Cats. I’m very pleased to now own the DVD of The Last Lions.

Since last January, National Geographic has donated 10 cents every time the official trailer for this film is watched on YouTube (up to a million views; $100,000). In a year, less than 350,000 have viewed the trailer so only a third of the possible money has been designated. In a day when silly videos go viral and quickly get millions of views, it is tragic and an indictment on the human race that so few people care enough to save these magnificent creatures to spend a couple of minutes watching the trailer. Do your part and watch it at least once daily until the goal of one million views is reached – […]-Telcontar

DVD Wholesale Main Features:

Actors: Jeremy Irons, Dereck Joubert, Beverly Joubert
Directors: Dereck Joubert
Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Virgil Films and Entertainment
DVD Release Date: January 3, 2012
Run Time: 88 minutes