As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, "From Pole to Pole," serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming--a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea's various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia's nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.
That's just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting). At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let's give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth's final episode: "We can now destroy or we can cherish--the choice is ours." --Jeff Shannon
Stills from Planet Earth (click for larger image)
With an unprecedented production budget of $25 million, and from the makers of Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.
I absolutely loved this series. Seeing wildlife and fantastic locales around the world in HD is quite the eye opener. From forests to jungles to oceans strange new areas of the world hold fascinating creatures of all types and varieties, and this series shows you the interactions between them from multiple sides, showing both the hunter and hunted point of view. This series also shows you locations at different times of the year, and explains how different seasons force wildlife to adapt. Overall, this series really holds your attention and makes you see the diverse planet we live on in a new light. This isn't your high school nature documentary, you'll be wide awake for this. Having it on disc is nice because you don't have to see any commercials, which interrupt flow.
"Amazing collection!"
Written By: Andres M Mendez
This is a must have DVD collection you should have for the entire family!. I recomend it to anyone interested in nature and our Beautiful Planet Earth!
"Nature at its best"
Written By: Hani
If you love nature, you should purchase these series. It is as if you are there. No need to waste money and go for a holiday when you can be there by watching these series in a good HD/LED TV using Blu Ray!
These series are also very educative. I definately learnt a lot about nature. The best thing is that these series were also used to educate my children. Now, they do not have to memorise geography! Looked at many movies of 'nature' but nothing is comparable to these.
"life on planet earth from a certain point of view"
Written By: P. Pasda
THis series certainly delves into the realm we as humans hardly see... the natural habitat of animal and plant life. However, I would like to see more understanding of the passion and link of animals to their families and ultimately their link to other species other than the predator eating and hunting its prey.... there are after all other drives such as those shown in films such as born free, Gorillas in the mist and the documentaries of jane goodall...The Horse Keeper: The Healing Gifts of Painting and Writing About HorsesAutumn of blessed Acres: Service Dog (Volume 1)Autumn of Blessed Acres, bolt and Lily service dogsThe Man Who Listens to Horses: The Story of a Real-Life Horse Whisperer
"STUNNING"
Written By: Andreas Faust
It's amazing to realise that some of the scenes in 'Planet Earth' AREN'T computer generated, that they actually exist somewhere out there on this planet.
This series has it all, from the first ever intimate footage of snow leopards in the wild, to aerial footage revealing the strategy of a pack of hunting dogs; and from birds-of-paradise and their surreal ritual dances, to a pack of hunting sea snakes.
There is hilarious footage of a would-be rapist tree-frog trying to break up a mating couple, as well as more tender shots of pumas and polar bears teaching their young ones to hunt. One of the most eerie sequences features lions and elephants fighting at night around a waterhole. The sight of a pack of lions bringing an elephant down is unexpected and amazing.
Some of the habitats themselves are surreal, ranging from oceanic abysses populated by 'vampire squid' and other Lovecraftian organisms, to a hundred metre high mound of bat droppings, which is home sweet home for millions of cockroaches.
Each episode focuses on a different kind of environment (mountains, tropical forests, deserts etc.) and each features a mini-documentary at the end, revealing how the filming took place. I was amazed at the length some of the filmmakers went to, ranging from extreme tedium to extreme danger, with moments of humour in between.
'Planet Earth' is a truly stunning series, and reveals some of the majesty and infinite variety of the natural world.
![Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]](/gfx/item/B000MRAAJM.jpg "Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]")
"A different look at what you thought you knew"
"life on planet earth from a certain point of view"
