A LEOPARD COMES OF AGE IN DISCOVERY'S 1ST FEATURE.

Byline: Todd Camp Fort Worth Star-Telegram 

Anyone who has ever spent a late night channel-surfing only to end up staring spellbound till 4 in the morning, enraptured by the mating habits of the Mexican kangaroo rat, is probably familiar with the Discovery Channel.

Known for its enchanting nature documentaries, the Discovery Channel graduates to the big screen with its first feature film, ``The Leopard Son.'' Shooting for more than two years on the arid plains of the African Serengeti, veteran wildlife cinematographer Hugo van Lawick follows a young leopard cub's journey through life.

Sir John Gielgud provides the voice of van Lawick as he recounts the leopard son's progress, likening it to his own son's path to maturity. From the cub's first lessons of hunting through playing with his mother's tail up to his ultimate test of survival, his first kill, ``The Leopard Son'' offers an unprecedented examination of the habits, behavior and personalities of one of the big cats we know the least about.

Breathtaking scenery and an atmospheric score from composer and former Police drummer Stewart Copeland serve as lush backgrounds to startling footage of life among the leopards, with audiences witnessing behavior as yet unseen by anyone in wildlife study.

Having left his mother's territory to strike out on his own, the leopard son - now a young adult - surprisingly returns to the tree he knows as home after roaming the Serengeti for more than a year. There he discovers that his mother has given birth to two more cubs. The cat's behavior around his half-siblings as well as with other neighbors on the plains is something animal scientists have never seen before, making the footage as educationally stimulating as it is entertaining. And his tragic reunion with his mother is something most audiences are unlikely to forget.

As in most nature documentaries, the pace can be a little slow. Filmmakers often spent days watching the cats sleep in the hot sun before getting anything useful on film. Kids could get a little fidgety, especially if they come expecting ``The Lion King.''

But audiences of all ages should enjoy this fascinating portrait of one of the wild kingdom's most beautiful and mysterious animals. Folks eager to keep such treasures coming to theaters should catch this cat while they can.

THE FACTS

The film: ``The Leopard Son'' (G; mild animal violence, scary wildlife business).

The stars: Narrated by Sir John Gielgud.

Behind the scenes: Produced by Hugo van Lawick and Tim Cowling. Cinematography by Hugo van Lawick. Music by Stewart Copeland. Released by Discovery Channel Pictures.

Running time: One hour, 24 minutes.

Playing: Selected theaters.

Our rating: Four Stars.

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Photo

Photo: A leopard cub's mother scares away an intruding hyen a in Discovery Channel Pictures' first theatrical release, ``The Leopard Son.''