According to Webster Dictionary, color is a phenomenon of light or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects. Colors can be perceived as tools to the animal kingdom to determine a species status, find a mate, or be used as a warning to other species. Furthermore the new Netflix show, “Life in Color”, gives the audience a better understanding of how color is used in the animal world.
On April 22, 2021, Life in Color with David Attenborough, was put onto Netflix and captured the audience with its vivid colors and calm narration of David Attenborough.
This documentary series shows the importance of color on animals and what it might signify in the animal kingdom. For example, the documentary explains that Mandrill monkeys, a type of baboon, use their bright colors on their face and rear end to signify their status in the Mandrill clan. Other animals in the documentary series that use their given color to represent their status, are the flamingos and the peacocks. Both of these colorful birds use their brightly colored feathers to attract mates.
These three species use their color as something more than a pretty thing to look at and the documentary series does an exceptional job at showing the importance of colors on various species.
Attenborough, the narrator, has narrated over one hundred documentaries, including many nature documentaries, displaying the beauty of nature with his calm yet charismatic voice. At 95 years old, Attenborough has been narrating documentaries for over 60 years and this very successful career is very well deserved. That being said, his work on Life in Color with David Attenborugh is no exception and one of the many examples where his voice and presence is felt throughout the series. His voice invites you in and even on some dull moments in the film, his voice carries through those moments with excitement and information.
When looking at the title, at least for me, it’s not that appealing, and at first glance, you would think it’s about photography and only entertaining to a specific set of people. But actually the idea of creating a documentary on the color in the animal kingdom was genius.
Based on the fact that many people don’t see color as an incredibly important aspect in nature, diving deep into the importance of color is a great way to inform the audience on a topic that isn’t very well-known.
As a teenager, I’m not someone that would sit down and watch a documentary willingly if it wasn’t for school. However, the documentary was honestly very entertaining and gravitated towards learning even more about the animals discussed in the film. Not only would I recommend this documentary to anybody, but anyone that isn’t usually drawn to films like this one to give it a try and maybe find a new interest.
Kofi Kessey, Staff Reporter
