30 Years of National Geographic Specials

Starring:Birute Galdikas, Dian Fossey, Mary Leakey, Richard Kiley, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Kent Vliet, Jane Goodall, Louis Leakey
Studio: National Geographic Society
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Mystery, danger, splendor, adventure. Since 1964, National Geographic has been broadcasting television specials that created and, many would argue, still maintain the standard for all nature programming since. Vigilantly focusing on what came before human beings, this special is a grand slam of 30 years (1964-1994) of painstaking exploration and documentation. Its narrative sounds almost biblical: "In the beginning..." there was molten lava. The footage is, as you would expect, dazzling but it is the agile editing and well-crafted storytelling here that makes this video into a poignant success.

Moving from the creation of earth to its inhabitants, the narrative segues to the single law of survival. In the Living Sands of Namib (1978), a spider escapes a predator by cartwheeling down a dune. There are clips of Costa Rican lizards sprinting on water, a woodpecker outsmarting a corn snake, and an Indian tiger begrudgingly retrieving his deer-carcass supper from a thieving crocodile. Procreation is, undoubtedly, the more lighthearted side of survival. Three black beetles are in pursuit of a female running in the sand with a musical score so perfectly selected, it is as if the they are engaged in a well-choreographed dance. The synchronized swimming of mating squids in Jewels of the Caribbean (1994) is more graceful than Twyla Thwarp.

After an introduction to the habitat and behavior of so many creatures, the video turns the spotlight on the tool user, fire tamer, language maker: humankind. Americans on Everest (1964), Dr. Leakey and the Dawn of Man (1966), The World of Jacques Yves Cousteau (1966), In the Shadow of Vesuvius (1987), Australia's Twilight of the Dreamtime (1988), and Jane Goodall: My Life with the Chimpanzees (1990) are classic examples of National Geographic at its best. There are also fascinating clips from early Geographic projects, including the 1917 Katmai expedition.

Amazon.com

Mystery, danger, splendor, adventure. Since 1964, National Geographic has been broadcasting television specials that created and, many would argue, still maintain the standard for all nature programming since. Vigilantly focusing on what came before human beings, this special is a grand slam of 30 years (1964-1994) of painstaking exploration and documentation. Its narrative sounds almost biblical: "In the beginning..." there was molten lava. The footage is, as you would expect, dazzling but it is the agile editing and well-crafted storytelling here that makes this video into a poignant success.

Moving from the creation of earth to its inhabitants, the narrative segues to the single law of survival. In the Living Sands of Namib (1978), a spider escapes a predator by cartwheeling down a dune. There are clips of Costa Rican lizards sprinting on water, a woodpecker outsmarting a corn snake, and an Indian tiger begrudgingly retrieving his deer-carcass supper from a thieving crocodile. Procreation is, undoubtedly, the more lighthearted side of survival. Three black beetles are in pursuit of a female running in the sand with a musical score so perfectly selected, it is as if the they are engaged in a well-choreographed dance. The synchronized swimming of mating squids in Jewels of the Caribbean (1994) is more graceful than Twyla Thwarp.

After an introduction to the habitat and behavior of so many creatures, the video turns the spotlight on the tool user, fire tamer, language maker: humankind. Americans on Everest (1964), Dr. Leakey and the Dawn of Man (1966), The World of Jacques Yves Cousteau (1966), In the Shadow of Vesuvius (1987), Australia's Twilight of the Dreamtime (1988), and Jane Goodall: My Life with the Chimpanzees (1990) are classic examples of National Geographic at its best. There are also fascinating clips from early Geographic projects, including the 1917 Katmai expedition.

Description

Relive the most spellbinding scenes from our television documentaries of exploration and delivery. Year: 1994

Customer Reviews:

Not viewable.......2006-12-09

This is the first time I am trying Unbox Video. It did not work. The Video Player kept crashing. I have a Pentium M Machine with 1 GB and running Windows XP Media Center Edition with SP2. Very dissapointing.

Nice Appetizer.......2005-07-28

For a family living overseas without access to National Geographic broadcasts, this DVD was a nice introduction to the variety and beauty of the the specials. And it left us and our kids hungry for me. The downside, is that there the selections are very brief and we think we will find the full length DVDs and videos much more satisfying.

Nothing new, but it doesn't matter.......2003-08-16

With 30 years of some of the best documentaries around to choose material from, it scarcely matters that there is no new footage. The narration seamlessly bridges the gaps between the various shorts from National Geographic specials of the past. I wasn't sure what to expect, since it is essentially teasers of other films, but this is a great film in its own right.

We got the film for our little boys, and they've loved it from day one. My older son is learning a lot about the differing relationships of the natural world, and the broad expanse of this film is perfect for him. It never gets bogged down in the mundane, but it also panders to a long attention span. This is a big difference from the National Geographic videos intended specifically for kids. They tend to be the same basic idea...cut footage from older films, but cut so that there is no footage of animals eating each other, no mating, and it is interspersed with unneccesary music videos and cutesy animation. Even with Dudley Moore's narration, it can't compete. Skip the kid stuff and give your kids the real thing.

A wonderful compilation of highlights...you'll want more..........2003-07-08

This video definitely holds up to repeat viewing. It offers a wealth of information on a wide variety of subjects and could easily have been an hour longer.

National Geographic really hit the mark with this video. Although it's a promotional tool, it stands on its own merits as an educational, entertaining, family video.

Immense educational value, absolutely delightful.......2001-01-31

This was probably the best purchase I ever made on amazon. I'd recommend it to anybody.. especially families with children.

30 Years of National Geographic Specials [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

Not viewable
Nice Appetizer
Nothing new, but it doesn't matter
A wonderful compilation of highlights...you'll want more...
Immense educational value, absolutely delightful

30 Years of National Geographic Specials [Region 2]
Starring: Richard Kiley , Birute Galdikas , Jacques-Yves Cousteau , Kent Vliet , and Dian Fossey
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

National Geographic's Most Amazing Moments
National Geographic: The Nature Collection
National Geographic's The Photographers
National Geographic - Through the Lens
Jacques Cousteau - Pacific Explorations

ASIN: B00004ZBW5

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Not viewable.......2006-12-09

Nice Appetizer.......2005-07-28

Nothing new, but it doesn't matter.......2003-08-16

A wonderful compilation of highlights...you'll want more..........2003-07-08

This video definitely holds up to repeat viewing. It offers a wealth of information on a wide variety of subjects and could easily have been an hour longer.

National Geographic really hit the mark with this video. Although it's a promotional tool, it stands on its own merits as an educational, entertaining, family video.

Immense educational value, absolutely delightful.......2001-01-31

This was probably the best purchase I ever made on amazon. I'd recommend it to anybody.. especially families with children.

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