 "Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series" | 2008-10-07 |
| - Reviewed By marie_anders1 |
Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]
We are really enjoying this program. Everytime we watch it we see new things that we hadn't seen before. David Attenborough, whose voice is spectacular, narrates this beautiflly filmed program. We are very satisfied and we look forward to more programs like this. |
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| "Near perfect collective look at Planet Earth" | 2008-10-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2I58MQ0EPWRRG |
First of all, David Attenborough is a terrific narrator. Had he not narrated this, I doubt I would have purchased it. He compliments documentary films THAT well, and enhances the overall enjoyment and fulfillment of viewing such works.
Now about the DVD. Wow. I give this documentary and the DVD's 5 stars easy, but there were some extremely MINOR things that I thought could have been better.
The film has coverage from quite a large amount of the Earth. From the Amazon, to the Rocky Mountains, to the artic tundra and everywhere possible in between. This film brought me videos of truly bizarre animals I'd never imagined existed. It showed a more up-close and intimate view in the life of many animals that I was already aware of. There was a point in the video that brought me down a bit, and that was the footage and story of the snow leopards of of northern Siberia whose numbers are dwindling horribly low. You get a personal look at so many different terrains, species, and ecosystems.
Footage was taken from some amazing areas of the planet that made you wonder at times how anyone even got to these places safely. The camera crew clearly goes above and beyond in order to bring us spectacles that most of us will never see in person. At the end of each episode, there is a behind the scenes look at what it took to film in certain places. You really get a better appreciation for the amount of time, work, and personal risk that each member of the film crew had put on the line. It was this portion of the DVD's alone that made me feel better about how much I had paid for them.
Picture and Sound Quality = 10/10
Even without blueray, the picture here is so amazing that it was almost as if you were there personally. Sounds were sharp and crystal clear and the images precise and spectacular. I was very impressed.
Coverage = 9/10
There were times when I wanted to see more footage of rare places that I thought they could have probably added in. Then at other times I felt they spent a little too much time on certain places or animals. Also, footage from the behind the scenes shots really only focused on one shooting session from each episode. Overall I was still impressed with the coverage of the film.
Narration = 10/10
David Attenborough, like I said before, is just terrific to listen to. The script and insight given by him to the viewer was perfect. He never overwhelms you with too much information about a particular species or scene, offering just enough dialogue to peak your curiosity and inform you, and also offering just enough quiet time for you to take it all in. Attenborough is the best.
My complaints:
Really I had only a few, and will just discuss two rather than go on and on nit-picking the every point of the film. First, there were scenes which the action happened so fast that they had to slow it down many many times in order for you to be able to clearly see what happened. This was really awesome to view. However, there were times they did this and then never actually show you the full real life speed in which it happened. A very minor complaint that really doesn't take away from the quality of the film.
My only other complaint is that if you're a hardcore outdoors/nature enthusiast, it might leave you happy, but not feeling satisfied. At the end of each episode, I was disappointed that it was over. I personally wanted more.
Conclusion:
Planet Earth is a fantastic collective look at our planet. It is a little pricey, but definitely worth it if you want to see some very impressive stuff. BBC has once again provided its audience with a superior product that easily beats out other nature documentaries. Also if you haven't checked it out yet, be sure to pick up The Blue Planet, also by BBC and narrated by David Attenborough.
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| "Amaz-ing!" | 2008-10-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A27I06BTRIWZHT |
| I bought this item about a year ago and never really got around to watching it til this month, but as soon as I popped that first DVD in, I remembered why I got it. This film series has unprecedented footage, the most beautiful scenery, the most exotic creatures, the most advanced technology... There is just nothing out there that compares to the majesty of this series. I know that I will keep these for as long as I can and share it with friends and family because it takes your breath away to observe the planet you live on in such a spectacular way. No complaints about quality, price, anything. This product is one of a kind! |
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| "Great family entertainment" | 2008-09-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A31UWGRXIC1XV2 |
| This is a wonderful series with dramatic footage. The whole family will enjoy this collection. |
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 "Planet Earth the series" | 2008-09-29 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3C612G37LO3PD |
| This product is a great teaching tool. It brings the reading content of earth from the page to life for the chidren. |
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| "Blu-ray version vs standard DVD" | 2008-09-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: A18LBFIJGS9DY1 |
So many times on Amazon I look for a review of the PRODUCT, and end up getting a review of the movie/documentary/story etc. So I will attempt to review the PRODUCT (blu-ray vs standard) rather than Planet Earth itself.
I bought the standard DVD format after seeing a few episodes on Discovery, and before I managed to get my blu-ray setup. I was thoroughly engrossed, the visuals, the quality, the information, and the narration by David Attenborough on this standard DVD were superb. Absolutely no complaints on this format.
Got my blu-ray setup, and this was the first product on my list (I actually bought the entire BBC collection which included Galapagos, Wild China, Ganges). Quality was as I expected of blu-ray, really brought out the images as 1080p would.
Major flaw on the blu-ray version however - the last disc of the standard DVD is not included, exactly why, I have been unable to find a reason. This disc contained some valuable extras, including a great segment on the state of the planet right now, and some compelling examples and visuals of our human impact on many locations around the globe.
My feelings towards this product are consequently mixed. There is no arguing the superiority of blu-ray vs regular DVD. However, Planet Earth was so spectacularly done, that looking at the images on the standard DVD format are still fantastic.
If this blu-ray version had all the discs included, I would recommend it hands-down ahead of the regular. If you are willing to surcumb to the marketing strategies (or whatever was the reason) of BBC and pay for both versions (as I ended up doing), then you're set. However, if you are looking to buy just 1 version, I personally think that the extra disc, partnered with the already magnificent quality of the standard DVD, puts it ahead of the blu-ray package offered. |
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| "MUST HAVE IF YOU HAVE BLU-RAY PLAYER" | 2008-09-21 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1WM7P3V9538TS |
| This is the best thing I've seen on Blu-Ray. It's a MUST HAVE! By far the best documentary of nature I've seen, hands down! |
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| "one last look" | 2008-09-20 |
| - Reviewed By jstabile4 |
| David Attenborough's narration is much better than Sigourney Weaver's, so make sure if you click the buy button for this much played on TV series that you get the rich, satisfying British voice. Can't top Sir David's style. br /br /This gorgeous portrait of our planet Earth leaves all viewers in wonder and awe of our seemingly unique, one of a kind world. The vast topographies of continents and rich plurality of complex life forms are put on crisp display. It's a loving tribute and while your sitting in your home watching the images on your TV screen you might take a moment to appreciate that you were among the last humans to be alive to witness these phenomenon. Maybe it would be great to see them for yourself in the flesh. And it *might* occur to you to help save them, because the planet Earth on display here is not going to last. Stylish documentaries like this may very well serve as records for future generations of what once was -assuming humans survive the damage we've wrought. |
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| "Amazing Detail" | 2008-09-20 |
| - Reviewed By wuttja |
| I just entered the HD world this week and knew Planet Earth needed to be my first Blu-ray DVD. I read all the complaints that this edition does not have the 110 minutes of addition behind the scenes footage, but since I have never seen it I'm not missing it. All I can say is that the first disc has been stunning. Just an amazing picture (52" 1080p LCD TV doesn't hurt) and I have been finding it very educational for both myself and my daughter. The aerial footage of a giant herd of caribou or wild dogs conducting a well-organized hunt, or the detailed close-ups showing every little hair blowing in the breeze, is simply amazing. Of course I am coming straight from standard definition TV, so part of my awe is probably due to experiencing high definition in the first place. I would highly recommend this series just based on watching the first disc. I have three more to go, and expect more of the same. |
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| "Great!" | 2008-09-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: A4GBSLZMZ0VZQ |
| DVD's came in perfect condition within the normal shipping time. I'd definitely recommend this product and seller! |
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