The Chasers of Tornado Alley: Touching the Sky

A documentary about tornadoes in the United States and the people who study them.

Through the experiences and knowledge of storm spotters, this gripping film reveals the dangerous and fascinating world of tornadoes in the U.S., concentrating particularly on the Tornado Alley, an area that affects several states at the centre of the country, including Nebraska, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma and is the area where tornadoes are most likely to occur. Storm spotters are volunteers who were trained by the National Weather Service in order to understand where and when massive storms are about to take place and take the necessary steps to help worn the public.

Separated into chapters and narrated by Rich Summers, the documentary contains interviews from a variety of individuals who have a great deal of knowledge and experience regarding this weather phenomenons. Some of the interviewees include Meteorologist Robert Prentice, Severe Storm Researcher Chuck Doswell, Veteran Storm Chaser and Spotter Carson Eads and Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jennifer Dunn. Having these experts share their experiences and knowledge and having all the information in one documentary makes quite a fascinating experience.

Since this is a film about tornadoes, it should come as no surprise that there is plenty of footage of these vortexes moving across fields or causing destruction in inhabited areas. Martin Lisius (who is also one of the interviewees) creates many terrific shots of landscapes and the sky, which are edited by himself with great expertise and occasionally include fast motion. It should be mentioned that Lisius is also a storm chaser (a person who studies storms for a number of reasons including amusement or research) and it is quite evident that this documentary was made by someone who has a great deal of enthusiasm for tornadoes, due to the immense filmmaking creativity that is clear throughout.

What is learned by viewing this film? First of all, a lot about tornadoes, how they form, what types of tornadoes exist, how they move and more dramatically, what they are capable of. Another lesson are the vital actions that must be followed if one is unfortunate enough to find themself in the middle of a vortex. Speaking of safety, the Above Ground Shelters manufactured by the Debris Impact Facility are rather intriguing. Arguably, what stands out the most is seeing the tornadoes themselves, how big they are and how destructive they can be and the documentary reveals three significant tornado occurrences that took place over the course of three consecutive days. And of course, the viewer will also gain an insight regarding how storm chasers operate and the equipment that they utilise.

Visually the film has plenty to look at and the soundtrack is rich, containing several wonderful pieces including Wondrous Love by Arr. B. Bertaux, Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, Enchanted Kingdoms by Joel S and Rise of a Hero by David Harold Steiner.

This is an informative, shocking and fascinating short documentary about tornadoes. Viewers will gain an understanding regarding what tornadoes are and how to be safe from them and they will learn about the individuals who are dedicated to the study of them.