Posted: April 22, 2009, 3 a.m. EDT
 Lions wait for dark to fall before attempting to hunt elephants in the Kalahari Desert in a scene from "Earth." Photo courtesy Disneynature. |
Cat enthusiasts looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day can turn to a new film released today by Walt Disney Studios: “Earth.”
Featuring rare imagery of wildlife such as
lions,
cheetahs on the hunt, elephants and polar bears, the 90-minute documentary marks the debut from the Disneynature label, which plans to release one feature-length nature film a year.
For every movie ticket sold for "Earth" during opening week, the studio has pledged to plant a tree.
The tree plantings are set to target the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is considered the most endangered rain forest of all, according to a company news release.
The film is directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, the creative team behind the Emmy-winning documentary "Planet Earth," which aired on The Discovery Channel. Fothergill says his team "literally filmed from pole to pole."
James Earl Jones narrates the G-rated movie.