The Living Planet - A Portrait of the Earth

The Living Planet - A Portrait of the Earth


Starring:Living Planet
Studio: WEA
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Originally broadcast in 1984, The Living Planet followed five years after David Attenborough's first wildlife blockbuster series, Life on Earth. This was an equally ambitious 12-part documentary that spanned the globe with portraits of each of the major geographical regions that offer a home to life. Attenborough demonstrates how even in the most hostile of environments, from the volcanic "Furnaces of the Earth" to "The Frozen World" of mountains and tundra, the Arctic and Antarctic, live maintains a foothold. He takes us to "The Northern Forests," the "Jungle," "Seas of Grass," and "The Baking Deserts" and, ever the genial host, details how, in all its endless diversity, life is ingeniously suited to its surroundings.

Through breathtaking imagery we meet our fellow inhabitants, from penguins to polar bears, lions to scorpions, oaks to eagles, and journey on to "The Open Ocean" and the "New Worlds," which mankind itself is rapidly fashioning through ever more radical technological change. The series ends with an impassioned environmental plea that rings even more urgent now than in 1984. --Gary S. Dalkin
Description
This 4 DVD Box Set contains 12 programs hosted by anthropologist David Attenborough . New Worlds: As the planet spins, shifts, erupts, melts, and freezes, it forces its inhabitants to accept this truth: A life-form either changes its ways or it passes away.; The Frozen World: They shouldn't support life, the coldest, most desolate reaches of the earth.; The Margins of the Land: The Earth seems to have saved (reserved) some of its most remarkable displays of life for that special place where the land meets the sea.; Jungle: It spans the globe - an immense, green, equatorial belt called the jungle.; Sweet Fresh Water: As fresh water makes its mad, headlong plunge from the mountains to the salty oceans, it actually seems to "age."; The Northern Forests: Anthropologist David Attenborough's probing cameras and fresh insights make the woodlands a wonderland of fascinating extremes.; The Building of the Earth: From the icy summits of the Himalayas to the lush Tropics, anthropologist David Attenborough's view is awesome.; Worlds Apart: In a stirring piece of filmmaking, anthropologist David Attenborough takes you to out-of-the-way places that are, in every sense of the phrase, out of this world.; Seas of Grass: Where it grows, there is life.; The Open Ocean: Water covers two-thirds of the Earth, but the immense, tantalizing world beneath the sea remains one of the planet's great mysteries.; The Sky Above: If the atmosphere that surrounds the Earth can be called an envelope, then anthropologist David Attenborough delivers it in a first-class and awe-inspiring way.; The Baking Deserts: Scorching days, frigid nights. The desert should be the most relentlessly hostile place for life on the planet.
The Living Planet - A Portrait of the Earth
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • superb collection, severely underrated
  • boadcast sequence
  • Hours of good stuff
  • Not bad
  • OK, BUT NOTHING NEW
The Living Planet - A Portrait of the Earth
Starring: Living Planet
Manufacturer: WEA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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  3. The Life of Mammals
  4. The Life of Birds
  5. Life in the Freezer

ASIN: B0000ADXEB
Release Date: 2003-11-25

Amazon.com

Originally broadcast in 1984, The Living Planet followed five years after David Attenborough's first wildlife blockbuster series, Life on Earth. This was an equally ambitious 12-part documentary that spanned the globe with portraits of each of the major geographical regions that offer a home to life. Attenborough demonstrates how even in the most hostile of environments, from the volcanic "Furnaces of the Earth" to "The Frozen World" of mountains and tundra, the Arctic and Antarctic, live maintains a foothold. He takes us to "The Northern Forests," the "Jungle," "Seas of Grass," and "The Baking Deserts" and, ever the genial host, details how, in all its endless diversity, life is ingeniously suited to its surroundings.

Through breathtaking imagery we meet our fellow inhabitants, from penguins to polar bears, lions to scorpions, oaks to eagles, and journey on to "The Open Ocean" and the "New Worlds," which mankind itself is rapidly fashioning through ever more radical technological change. The series ends with an impassioned environmental plea that rings even more urgent now than in 1984. --Gary S. Dalkin

Description

This 4 DVD Box Set contains 12 programs hosted by anthropologist David Attenborough . New Worlds: As the planet spins, shifts, erupts, melts, and freezes, it forces its inhabitants to accept this truth: A life-form either changes its ways or it passes away.; The Frozen World: They shouldn't support life, the coldest, most desolate reaches of the earth.; The Margins of the Land: The Earth seems to have saved (reserved) some of its most remarkable displays of life for that special place where the land meets the sea.; Jungle: It spans the globe - an immense, green, equatorial belt called the jungle.; Sweet Fresh Water: As fresh water makes its mad, headlong plunge from the mountains to the salty oceans, it actually seems to "age."; The Northern Forests: Anthropologist David Attenborough's probing cameras and fresh insights make the woodlands a wonderland of fascinating extremes.; The Building of the Earth: From the icy summits of the Himalayas to the lush Tropics, anthropologist David Attenborough's view is awesome.; Worlds Apart: In a stirring piece of filmmaking, anthropologist David Attenborough takes you to out-of-the-way places that are, in every sense of the phrase, out of this world.; Seas of Grass: Where it grows, there is life.; The Open Ocean: Water covers two-thirds of the Earth, but the immense, tantalizing world beneath the sea remains one of the planet's great mysteries.; The Sky Above: If the atmosphere that surrounds the Earth can be called an envelope, then anthropologist David Attenborough delivers it in a first-class and awe-inspiring way.; The Baking Deserts: Scorching days, frigid nights. The desert should be the most relentlessly hostile place for life on the planet.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars superb collection, severely underrated.......2007-05-20

I hesitated for a long time to purchase this exquisite colletion due to the low ratings from other customers. I am so very glad I decided to risk it and purchase this wonderful DVD, after all !! OK, maybe the Audio and Video quality are not a 100%, so what?? The collection is still enjoyable and highly satisfying, whatsoever. This collection is a must have for all nature lovers. Really, really beautiful!! I am very satisfied. The only downside is that it is not closed captioned, contrary to what is advertised on the box. This DVD has been a valuable addition to my own collection.

5 out of 5 stars boadcast sequence.......2007-03-30

ok, so the digital transfer isn't the best, time-warner has rearranged the presentation order and 25 years of scientific advancements have come to pass, the series is still as great as ever and the program's intent remains relevant ... now, to correct the one problem that can be corrected, here is the original broadcast sequence for those who would like to watch "the living planet" in it's original order ... enjoy:

1. "The Building of the Earth" - broadcast 19 January 1984
2. "The Frozen World" - broadcast 26 January 1984
3. "The Northern Forests"- broadcast 2 February 1984
4. "Jungle"- broadcast 16 February 1984
5. "Seas of Grass" - broadcast 23 February 1984
6. "The Baking Deserts" - broadcast 1 March 1984
7. "The Sky Above" - broadcast 8 March 1984
8. "Sweet Fresh Water" - broadcast 15 March 1984
9. "The Margins of the Land" - broadcast 22 March 1984
10. "Worlds Apart" - broadcast 29 March 1984
11. "The Open Ocean" - broadcast 5 April 1984
12. "New Worlds" - broadcast 12 April 1984

5 out of 5 stars Hours of good stuff.......2006-11-12

This set has hours of clean, educational material. I find it very relaxing to turn on my system and just let the discs play. There are 720 minutes (12 hours) of programming, so it's a great value.

In other reviews, I see a lot of concern for quality and sound. Yes, this is not some Hollywood HD-DVD fast-action movie in 3D. It's just a tour through the wonders of nature in our world. The quality is still very crisp and clean. There are no major artifacts or broken audio.

The content is very interesting. It's one of the few nature programs today without "tree-hugger drama". So many nature programs put up a front of teaching you about nature, but end up being a political show or a show about the scientists themselves. I personally think David Attenborough's approach of treasuring nature while we have it is much more effective.

I also think it is a great show for children. There are so many animals and regions of the world (cold forests, valcanoes, oceans, etc). It's a feast for young minds.

4 out of 5 stars Not bad.......2006-11-10

To bad it is not re-mastered, the DVD quality takes away from the content quality.

2 out of 5 stars OK, BUT NOTHING NEW.......2006-09-24

David Attenborough is an extraordinary naturalist. Nonetheless, this series is lacking, not because of the content or Attenborough's presentation, but because it is so old. The DVD's are new, but the series is from the 1980's and therefore outdated. If that is OK with you, then go for it. Otherwise, I suggest you consider the "Life Series" by the BBC, Attenborough, and company from the Amazon UK site (Region 2 DVD's).

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