Monday, July 2, 2012

Planet Earth Review for Blu-Ray Elite!!!



Warner Bros. recently sent me the fascinating blu-ray, Planet Earth. Planet Earth is a wonderful documentary about the numerous climates and landscapes the planet has to offer. The camera-work is fantastic and the sections at the end of each program look at how certain parts of the picture were filmed which is very interesting. You see the dedication of the crew who go out to these desolate spots for months to film sections that will last only a couple of minutes on screen. Much of the wildlife has barely been filmed and some such as the wonderfully agile wild Amur Leopard have probably only been seen by very few living people in the flesh.

David Attenborough’s commentary is very calm, soothing and informative. He adds insight and expertise when needed, but is also quiet when he wants the viewer to take in the sights. He makes all parts of the documentary both entertaining and educational.

The special features show what went into the making of the series. The most expensive documentary ever filmed, it took 4 years to film and was filmed with relatively untested equipment. It worked out tremendously as the quality of the shots and locations are second to none. The aerial shots in “ice worlds” following a female polar bear and her cubs, as well as a solitary male polar are remarkable. In the “great plains” you feel as though you are a part of the herds when the camera is moving with them. The nighttime shots are surprisingly clear as a pride of lions is hunting an elephant in pitch black.

Overall this is a great series that does a great job of presenting the beauty of the world but just about having enough educational value to it to avoid it just being a collection of wildlife photos. It is definitely a must have for blu-ray owners. The shots are impressive and the range of creatures and habitats that are presented makes this well worth seeing. The high definition and presentation on the blu-ray enhances the images to something never before seen in a wildlife documentary.  Very impressive.

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