What do you guys think about this mini-series that Discovery is putting on? I got to tell you I believe it is extraordinary. If I saw this kind of stuff at an earlier age I think my state of mind (when it comes to natural preservation) would have been totally different. The images are just awe-inspiring.
EDIT:
If you are not fimilar with what I am talking about here is a link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Earth_(TV_series)
I was really intrigued. I haven't had a chance to see it, but I'll definitely buy/rent it if/when it comes out on DVD.
Being British does have one or two advantages (okay - 2 may be pushing it!), in that we've already had the opportunity to see this series. I have to say that it is absolutely amazing. The camera work is stunning to say the least.
One thing to watch out for, can't remember which episode it is (might be "fresh water" but not sure) opens with a running shot along a rocky river which suddenly pitches over the top of Victoria Falls. Gorgeous.
Quote from: Inscrutable on May 07, 2007, 05:03:47 AM
Being British does have one or two advantages (okay - 2 may be pushing it!), in that we've already had the opportunity to see this series. I have to say that it is absolutely amazing. The camera work is stunning to say the least.
One thing to watch out for, can't remember which episode it is (might be "fresh water" but not sure) opens with a running shot along a rocky river which suddenly pitches over the top of Victoria Falls. Gorgeous.
I know exactly what scene you are talking about. Awe inspiring! I really loved "ice worlds", who would have thought there was so much diversity and beauty in such a barren place...
You can't beat the BBC, especially for nature documentaries. If you like this and haven't see some of the others (Blue Planet in particular) I would recommend trying to pick up copies.
This is all provided free to us brits as part of a £100 a year license fee for owning/using a TV.
It also funds about 10 national and numerous regional radio stations and the BBC website, none of which are allowed to contain comercial advertising.
Yet people still complain about having to pay!
Yeah, I would rather pay $$$ per year to get advert-less TV than have to sit through 20 minutes of ads during each hour of TV.
The other bonus of being a brit is that our version has Sir David Attenborough.
Doesn't the discovery version have sigourney weaver? I heard the DVD sticks with David Attenborough who - despite being less of a famous name - genuinely feels a passion for nature that comes from filming these things for years, that you can definitely hear in his narration. I don't know how well sigourney does it, but I'm banking on a slight lack of zeal towards the program. If she catches sir David's enthusiasm, then good for her for either being genuinely interested, or being a better actress than I credit her.
I just ordered the complete series on BlueRay and was going to start a topic to ask if anyone of you had seen it and ask what guys think. Hehe. I'm looking forward to it.
Man, Planet Earth on Blu-Ray is going to be amazing! I have the U.S. discs, and they stuck with Attenborough on them, so I'm content enough :).
We've had it on BBC HD for a while as their showcase and yeah it is stunning. I think the BBC was transmitting at 1080p as it certainly looked better than some of the other HD things they show. Definitely worth a purchase.
Yeah, it's an awesome series that I truely believe should be shown in every school (pre-grad) to every student at least once. I learned more from watching it than I ever did in any of my sciences.
Like ProjectX said though, if you can, get that bad-boy in HD. They had it on HD-DVD at one point, I think - so if you went that route you might still have an option. But it's crazy, when they show the helicopter shots of like, antelope or something similar - and you can make out the legs and such on the newborn animals...
If you haven't already seen the oceans one... you're in for a treat. I'm tempted to pick up The Blue Planet, but that's one I want to get on Blu-Ray and apparently it's hard to find where I happen to be.
great series....TV license is £139.50!!!
I'm on the 'caves' episode of this series, it's the third time I've watched the series now. It is amazing indeed, and I now have it 'on demand' with Virgin Media TV.
Sigourney Weaver, eh? I really can't see why they picked her. Sure, she learnt how to act like an ape for Gorillas In The Mist, but this guy lives and breathes nature, always has done. David Attenborough is THE only option for this show, any nature show for that matter. I've known him all my life(in a TV sense that is, he's not my Grandpa.).
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=YN4nzQO0B1E
Edit:
Inscrutable: are you talking about the beginning of 'Fresh Water' when tha camera does the flyover above Angel Falls in Venezuela? If so, man, that's one of the best things I've ever seen on TV in my life, I pine to go there. Nearly 1 kilometer of falling water that turns to mist before getting anywhere near the bottom, Angel Falls indeed! Stunning!
I've been fascinated by Angel Falls since I was a kid when I first saw in the 1989 Guinness Book of World Records. ;D Knowing how difficult it is to get to it even once you get to Venezuela, seeing that scene was a dream come true. It really is one of the most amazing shots in the whole series.
- Oshyan
this series has been out friggen ages!
it really amazing series i like they cave one the best ;D
i think there is a second series on animals but i haven't watched that
Quotethis series has been out friggen ages!
Yup, that's one of the
(only) benefits of living in the UK though, we see all the BBC stuff first time round, and BBC know their nature shows. Like I say, I'm on my 3rd run of this series, I first saw it on the BBC though, before it made it to Discovery.
'The Blue Planet' is fantastic aswell.
On the subject of the BBC, try and have a look at the BBC 'Building The Great Pyramid'. Here it is on youtube broken into segments, you'll really want to see it on your own TV though to fully appreciate it. http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=AJWrlYIf-Bw
It is a couple of years old aswell but, still stunning, none the less! All from the help of a little plumb-bob, apparently. Beat that, Modern-Man!
Edit: There's a striking resemblance to the TG2 logo at the start of part 6 of this! :)
Quote from: Inscrutable on May 07, 2007, 05:03:47 AM
Being British does have one or two advantages (okay - 2 may be pushing it!), in that we've already had the opportunity to see this series. I have to say that it is absolutely amazing. The camera work is stunning to say the least.
Living in Bristol (where BBC nature is located) has an extra advantage - a few years ago they showed lots of additional/unused footage from The Blue Planet in a music festival here, with music from eminent DJ' in a blacked out tent - it was absolutely amazing!