Cousteau’s follow-up to The Silent World was also a worthy Oscar winner, and this time submerges us further into the aquatic unknown. Living up to its title, we never rise above the water’s surface; instead, we are invited to share the experience of Cousteau’s crew in living in their underwater base. While this provides greater scope for his dry humour (eating tinned sardines while living in the depths of the ocean, as well as the jarring juxtaposition of a parakeet living underwater), it in no way detracts from the marvels on display. The film is at least as jaw-droppingly stunning as its predecessor, and once again Cousteau’s infectious enthusiasm serves only to emphasise the incredible beauty of the world on display, as well as that of its denizens.