Galapagos (IMAX)

Starring:Kenneth Branagh, David Pawson, John E. McCosker, Mathias Espinosa, Dan Liberatore, Carole Baldwin
Director: David Clark (III), Al Giddings
Studio: Imax
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
A marine biologist from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History leads this astonishing expedition to the Galapagos islands, a world that is still relatively new and evolving. Descending to depths of 3,000 feet, the scientists find a window into the past and a frontier for exploration.

DVD Features:
Interactive Menus
Other:Soundtrack re-mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1

Average customer rating:

Excellent video
Entertaining
Spectacular photography!
A Very Informataive Film
The Galapagos on a "Planet Earth" Scale in a Visually Arresting Series

Galapagos
Starring: Tilda Swinton
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series
Life in the Undergrowth
The Blue Planet - Seas of Life Collector's Set (Parts 1-4)
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The Life of Mammals

ASIN: B000M2E354
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Amazon.com

While its title may be superfluous, Galapagos: The Islands That Changed the World is a beautifully filmed journey into "the islands of the tortoise." Located due west of Ecuador, the Galapagos islands are full of gorgeous scenery and exotic wildlife. And this 150-minute documentary shows it all, thanks to stunning cinematography shot from all viewpoints--the air, sea and, of course, land. The collection is both soothing and exhilarating as it allows viewers to peek in on mating albatrosses (which are monogamous), penguins fishing, and surprisingly graceful giant tortoises swimming in the ocean. The filmmakers also manage to capture a ferocious volcanic eruption that is amazing in its clarity. The problem with many documentaries lies in the narration. A documentary filmmaker hits the jackpot when he is able to get someone like Sigourney Weaver, whose crisp narration fits in beautifully with the sweeping footage in Planet Earth. While Tilda Swanton lends a relaxing quality to Galapagos, her voice at times is a bit too lulling to hold the viewer's interest. The writing also borders on melodramatic, with talk of the simmering sea and such. With visuals as stunning as this, hyperbole is unnecessary. Charles Darwin has described the Galapagos as a world within itself, and it is said that the islands were one of his inspirations for his book The Origin of Species. While the film doesn't clearly explain why the Galapagos are unlike any other place on earth, it does showcase a destination that is unlike what most of us know. --Jae-Ha Kim

Description

The inspiration for Darwin's theory of evolution, the Galapagos Islands are a living laboratory, a geological conveyor belt that has given birth to and seen the death of many species of plants and animals. As the western islands rise up from the sea offering a chance of life, the eastern islands sink back beneath the waves guaranteeing only death. Between the two are the middle islands; fertile, lush land in its prime that contains an incredible diversity of life. Nowhere else on the Earth are the twin processes of creation and extinction of species so starkly apparent... see it all unfold before your eyes in this stunning series filmed entirely in high definition from the BBC and the National Geographic Channel.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent video.......2007-07-03

Saw parts of this during a recent trip to the Galapagos and bought the full DVD on our return. Excellent, thoughtful, well photographed look at one of the world's special places.

Entertaining.......2007-07-03

This DVD is heavy on the theory of evolution, mentioning it countless of times throughout the film. Unsurprisingly, there is an episode about Darwin in Galapagos in the video. Regardless, the movie captured many wonderful creatures in the island and the origin of the islands itself. It's very interesting to see that Galapagos has both brutal and lush landscapes and both are habitats of unique creatures many of which are found nowhere else. Fascinating video. Highly recommended!

Spectacular photography!.......2007-06-26

For anyone who has been or wants to go to Galápagos, this is a must see. For those who may never have the opportunity, this DVD comes as close as you can get to being there.

A Very Informataive Film.......2007-06-08

This is one of the best films we have bought or rented. We were glued
to the TV from start to finish. I highly recommend this film to anyone
that likes true documentaries and beautiful photos that tell you what
is going on and has gone on on our planet. We also ordered the Planet
Earth Series at the same time and all of our children and even Grand
Children thought both were outstanding. If there was anything higher
then a 5 we would rate it even higher.
[[ASIN:B000M2E354 Galapagos])

The Galapagos on a "Planet Earth" Scale in a Visually Arresting Series.......2007-06-05

There are a number of related documentaries on the market, including a Kenneth Branagh-narrated IMAX film (Galapagos (IMAX)) and a personal journey with Richard Dreyfuss (In the Wild: The Galapagos Islands with Richard Dreyfuss), both produced in 1999. However, if like me, you have been enamored with the BBC's extraordinary Planet Earth series designed for high definition (aired here on the Discovery Channel), then you will find yourself equally drawn to this 2007 DVD of a three-part 2006 BBC series on the mythologized Galapagos Islands. Even though the scope is not nearly as ambitious this time, the result is almost as enthralling given the plethora of exotic, endemic species surviving on this isolated archipelago of nineteen volcanic islands. I was fortunate enough to tour the Galapagos on a schooner several years ago, and I can assure you that the outstanding visual quality of these programs captures as much of the distinctive flora and fauna of the islands as possible on the DVD.

Aired stateside on the National Geographic Channel, the set consists of three fifty-minute programs. The first, "Born of Fire", provides a vivid archeological history of the islands and shows how several of the most unusual species originated there and learned to cohabitate with each other. The second program, "Islands That Changed the World", looks at man's imprint on the islands, for better or worse, with an obvious emphasis on the work of Charles Darwin as he developed many of his theories about evolution based on his sightings here. It does take on the feel of a scholastic film with recreations of historical figures and events, but they do provide helpful context. The last is "Forces of Change", which forecasts the future with some coverage of the global warming issues but more of the focus on man's burgeoning presence on the islands and what is currently being done to maintain the natural environment.

Unlike Sigourney Weaver's overly controlled narration on the U.S.-released version of Planet Earth, actress Tilda Swinton imbues a greater sense of genuine enthusiasm over the dramatic images in this version. What is inarguable is the stunning cinematography, whether it's the satellite photos of the islands or the near-poetic movements of the animals spotlighted, for example, the first flights of the baby albatrosses, the dexterous swimming of the flightless cormorants, the multitudes of marine iguanas randomly spewing sea water from their lungs, and the proud ballooning of the red-bellied frigatebirds. There is a surprising lack of real scientific data which could have made the environmental reports that much more enlightening. You also have to tolerate some repetitiveness between the programs since they were aired at separate times. Regardless, this is nature programming at its finest, especially for those mesmerized by the particular idiosyncratic pleasures of the Galapagos.

Average customer rating:

A little disappointing
Does not do the Enchanted Islands any justice...
Disappointing
Galapagos: Again worthy of the IMAX name
Beautiful images, but tacky, misleading storyline

Galapagos (IMAX)
Starring: Kenneth Branagh , David Pawson , John E. McCosker , Mathias Espinosa , and Dan Liberatore
Director: David Clark (III) , and Al Giddings
Manufacturer: Imax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Galapagos
Coral Reef Adventure (IMAX) (2-Disc WMVHD Edition)
Into the Deep (IMAX)
Wildlife of the Galapagos (Princeton Illustrated Checklists)
The Secret of Life on Earth (IMAX)

ASIN: B0000687GI
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Description

A marine biologist from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History leads this astonishing expedition to the Galapagos islands, a world that is still relatively new and evolving. Descending to depths of 3,000 feet, the scientists find a window into the past and a frontier for exploration.

DVD Features:
Interactive Menus
Other:Soundtrack re-mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1

Customer Reviews:

A little disappointing.......2007-03-08

The movie was a little disappointing. We had hoped for so much more information but it just wasn't there. The scenery was spectacular and I did learn about the Galapagos but it did not live up to what I was hoping for.

Does not do the Enchanted Islands any justice..........2006-08-25

Used to some great IMAX productions, I was very keen on seeing this production, but was very disapointed with the cinematic result of such a large and costly undertaking. The production was marred with challenges, including reduced flora and fauna after a devastating El Nino and the tragic death of two team members. I fully understand that these and other circumstances diminished the amount of quality footage the crew was able to obtain during their 8 weeks in the Enchanted Islands, however, I would have hoped for a documentary that truly introduces these natural marvels to the viewers instead of focusing on a very superficial plot of a marine biologist getting her thrills in exploring the deep ocean floor surrounding the islands in a submarine. There is so much to tell and show about these islands that a one hour program will never be able to do it justice, however I would have expected a better effort in documenting the uniqueness of the flora and fauna and the history of the islands, including the dangers presented to them through fishing, over population and introduced species. I sincerely hope that in the near future a producer finds the courage to do these islands justice by returning with an IMAX team to film a documentary that will allow the world to share the wonders of the Enchanted Islands - maybe he will want to call it "IMAX - Galapagos Revisited"

Disappointing.......2006-04-04

I was disappointed with this movie. The director had an interesting, unique environment he could have pointed his camera toward - the island's vegetation and wildlife are the two things I had hoped to see. Instead the first half of the movie is focused on a woman biologist's bare legs, and the second half is focused on the people and the sub retrieving deep water marine life.

Perhaps the film is targeted toward younger audiences which the director feels can't assimilate more than a few species of animals, birds, and fish.

For an IMAX feast for the eyes, I recommend Amazon. It's scenic and informative.

Galapagos: Again worthy of the IMAX name.......2005-10-21

The film was wonderful! The backgroud music is flawlessly matched with the wonderfully crisp photography. The only reason I did not award it a five was that I wish Darwin could have played a larger role; although, he was mentioned several times. Without my bias it would be a five. I liked that the movie focused on a female scientist which is still the exception for nature videos these days. I would highly recomend this film for any age group from elementary to college. For the price, it would be tough if not impossible to find and equal.

Beautiful images, but tacky, misleading storyline.......2005-01-18

I agree with the other reviewers that this should be entitled 'Underwater life around the Galapagos'. The movie spends far too much time underwater instead of focusing on the magnificent scenery and wildlife on land. Why can't the IMAX producers simply let the gorgeous images of wildlife speak for themselves instead of dreaming up a tacky storyline about a beautiful marine biologist and her oh so dangerous explorations? At one point she rappels down into a cave and worries about the possibility that the rocks above her will collapse. I was in the Galapagos last month and visited the same cave (on the island of Santa Cruz) - what they don't tell you is that there are stairs into the cave from the other end! The naturalist guides we spoke with in the Galapagos regard the IMAX movie as a joke, all the sadder because members of the IMAX team died making the film.

Globe Trekker: Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands

Average customer rating:

Justine Shapiro Self Indulgence
Digital disappointment
Great Video for School Kids!!!
Terrible..it socks!!!
Not Informative Enough for Travel

Globe Trekker: Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands
Starring: Globe Trekker
Manufacturer: 555 Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Globe Trekker: Peru
Globe Trekker: Chile & Easter Island
Globe Trekker: Argentina
Globe Trekker - Mexico
Globe Trekker: Central America

ASIN: B0002BSHD4
Release Date: 2004-05-01

Product Description

Ecuador is the smallest of the Andean countries that stretch along the western coast of South America. Despite its size, Ecuador has an incredible landscape and climate, making it one of the world s greatest geographical wonders. Traveler Justine Shapiro starts her travels in Quayaquil, before taking a train up into the Andes. After climbing the highest active volcano on earth, she heads north to the capital of Ecuador, Quito. Following a trek in the Amazon, she completes her trip with a visit to the magnificent Galapagos Islands. Along the way: Fly into the Amazon on an old army plane. Ride on the roof of a train. Bathe in hot water from a volcano. Romp with the sea lions on the Galapagos Islands. Climb 18,000 icy feet up into the Andes.

Customer Reviews:

Justine Shapiro Self Indulgence.......2007-04-10

A very self indulgent piece of work by Justine Shapiro. Everything is glossed over. Several segments are shot in black and white and time lapse. She talks more about herself than Ecuador. The segment on Quito was only a few seconds long!

Digital disappointment.......2006-09-26

After living 15 years in Ecuador I was quite disappointed with this DVD. Ecuador is such a diverse country, not only in terms of its bio diversity, but in the diversity of its people. There is also no insight into Ecuador's urban centers. Touristic resources can blend good insight with captivating images (I think of the great book Insight Guides: Ecuador), but this one falls short. I purchased it hoping to use it for a university course that I teach on Latin America. After reviewing it, I decided that the best use of this DVD would be to show some of the common tourist stereotypes of a such a diverse place.

Great Video for School Kids!!!.......2006-06-14

As a school teacher, it is difficult to find interesting videos to show students on Latin American culture and customs. This video does just that! Justine Shapiro is fun, engaging and interesting. She does a good job of showing us Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in an hour-a feat nearly impossible for most documentaries! I highly recommend this video for anyone interested in getting an introductory look at the people and culture surrounding the country of Ecuador!

Terrible..it socks!!!.......2004-12-07

I'm really sorry but this dvd is terrible, my mother bought it here in amazon to me as a present. If you are interested in knowing more about Ecuador don't buy it. I made that mistake, I bought the dvd and it was just horrible. It las 1 hour but the guide lady insisted in visiting just the most terrible places in Ecuador and she didn't show the beauty of the nature and the kindness of the people.

Also the dvd was manufactured in 2004 but the dvd is clearly much older than that. Just check the currency that this lady used (sucres) that doesn't exist anymore in Ecaudor since its currency changed 5 years ago for dollars which helps the tourist a lot since they don't need to buy other currency, it's enough to take dollars to go to Ecuador.

She didn't cover the three most important cities in Ecuador either. She started her trip in Guayaquil but she didn't show that city at all (she showed it just for 1 minute) and Quito (the capital city) was focused like a indinegous city what is not totally true because there's the biggest white and european population in this place. And finally she never showed Cuenca, the third most important city in Ecuador, I mean never...

Ecuador is a paradise on the Earth, I now that because I lived there, this country has economic and social problems but that is not an impediment to visit it. It is not as safer as USA or other first world countries but its weather, millennial culutre, landscapes and people made Ecuador a wonderful place to visit and this dvd doesn't show that at all, it's just focus to show the most terrible parts and problems of the country.

Not Informative Enough for Travel.......2004-11-02

We are planning a trip to ecuador and although this video was nice and got us excited about the trip it offered no real travel details and covered information on only a very small part of the country. Nicely done if you are interested in just a taste of Ecuador -say 5 minutes in the Galapagos.

Average customer rating:

Hooked on Galapagos Birds
See it and want to visit!

Hooked on Galapagos Birds
Starring: Galapagos birds
Director: Thomas H. Kaminski
Manufacturer: Avian Video Center
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Galapagos
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ASIN: B000GJ26FW
Release Date: 2006-06-29

Customer Reviews:

Hooked on Galapagos Birds.......2006-10-10

Whether you're a bird lover, or generally a nature lover and/or about to visit the Galapagos, Hooked on Galapagos Birds by Thomas Kaminski is the movie for you.

The movie begins with a short background, including some cultural information on Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos and then zooms in on the Galapagos and its birds.

Kaminski's movie exposes us to the endemic species that are special to the islands, yet focuses on the common species that one is likely to see during a visit. It is divided into chapters, each depicting a different bird species and highlighting various aspects of its ecology.
The spectacular footage is accompanied by beautiful original and classical music and detailed narration. This narration includes accurate scientific and ecological details, for example, explanation of the molting process and physiology of penguins. The movie is very didactic and provides a good and detailed preparation for a nature trip through the Galapagos archipelago.

Similar to his previous movies (such as Hooked on Hummingbirds), Tom Kaminski is the producer, cinematographer and narrator of the movie. He also composed and plays some of the background music. This is done with a lot of talent and attention to details.

To summarize: footage included in the movie is simply fantastic, with beautiful shots that highlight nature in its glory. As an ecologist, who studies hummingbirds, I watched the movie while carefully paying attention to the ecological details. It was apparent that Kaminski spent long hours of patient observations that resulted in exceptional and rare footage of bird behavior combined with detailed scientific information.
Among the beautiful scenes, you will see Boobies dancing to the "Blue-footed Booby Ballet" music, written by the producer, Storm Petrels walking on water, and rare shots of Frigatebirds' feisty feeding methods.

Enjoy!

See it and want to visit!.......2006-09-07

Wow! What a beautiful video, and the music fits each scene. Producer Tom Kaminski combines amazing photography of awesome creatures with excellent writing (and perfect voice), tastefully sprinkled with lots of humor. I loved it all. It was fun and educational, and my grandchildren enjoyed it also. His underwater video of the Galapagos Penguins is fabulous. The slow-motion footage not only is interesting and instructive, but also beautiful in its own right. The video has more content than some of the other Galapagos videos I've seen. Now I'm supercharged to visit the Galapagos Islands myself! Very highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Galapagos [HD DVD]

Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

Average customer rating:

Ecology of the Galapagos DVD

Manufacturer: Educational Video Network, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

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Hooked on Galapagos Birds
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ASIN: B0006KZEB4
Release Date: 2004-04-12

Description

The complex interactions of wildlife in the unique environment of the Galapagos Islands provide excellent case studies of the principles of ecology.

Average customer rating:

Galapagos [Blu-ray]

Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Animal Planet's - The Best of The Jeff Corwin Experience 5 DVD Set (Vol 2)

Average customer rating:

Animal Planet's - The Best of The Jeff Corwin Experience 5 DVD Set (Vol 2)

Manufacturer: Discovery Communications Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Animal Planet's - The Best of The Jeff Corwin Experience 5 DVD Set (Vol 1)
Charlotte's Web (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000N7VQWG

Product Description

Louisiana: Call of the Cajun Wild In the bayou country, Jeff cavorts with Cajun black bears and encounters a rare white alligator. Caught in the Act Sometimes, even animals forget their lines. From the flubs to the flops, not to mention the mistakes, viewers get an intimate look at what wound up on the editing room floor. Thailand: The Royalty of Siam Jeff Corwin examines the different classes of elephants that live, work and rule in this land. Plus, examine Thailand's many classes of vipers. Galapagos: The Living Laboratory Jeff follows the evolutionary footsteps of Charles Darwin and encounters a whole new species that has evolved since Darwin's time. Madagascar: The Land That Time Forgot Isolated for more than 150 million years, Madagascar offers a wealth of unique species including the blood-red tomato frog. Florida: Exploring Pascua de Florida Amusement parks dot this peninsular state, but nothing is quite so thrilling as swimming with giant manatees. India: Between the Tiger & the Lion Jeff goes in search of India's big cats including the fabled Bengal Tiger and the rare Asiatic Lion and meets the man most responsible for staving off their extinction. Indonesia: Six Days to the Dragon Averaging 8 1/2 feet long, weighing nearly 200 pounds and with a bite that can kill a horse, this dragon is no fairy tale. India: Riding the Cobra Express Jeff snakes his way through India via its far-reaching train system, determined to attend the annual festival dedicated to the worship of the deadly cobra and encounters all manner of creatures on the way. South America: Into the Heart of Darkness Jeff explores the fabled Mosquito Lake region of South America one of the most biologically rich rainforests in the world in hope of finding the ultra-rare Black Caiman crocodile.

The IMAX Best of Oceans Collection (Galapagos/Into the Deep/Survival Island)

Average customer rating:

A little disappointing
Does not do the Enchanted Islands any justice...
Disappointing
Galapagos: Again worthy of the IMAX name
Beautiful images, but tacky, misleading storyline

The IMAX Best of Oceans Collection (Galapagos/Into the Deep/Survival Island)
Starring: Kenneth Branagh , David Pawson , John E. McCosker , Mathias Espinosa , and Dan Liberatore
Director: David Clark (III) , Al Giddings , David Douglas , and Howard Hall (II)
Manufacturer: Imax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Galapagos
Coral Reef Adventure (IMAX) (2-Disc WMVHD Edition)
Into the Deep (IMAX)
Wildlife of the Galapagos (Princeton Illustrated Checklists)
The Secret of Life on Earth (IMAX)

ASIN: B00008V2WY
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Description

The ultimate giftpack of best-selling IMAX ocean titles, including: Galapagos, Into the Deep and Survival Island.

Customer Reviews:

A little disappointing.......2007-03-08

Does not do the Enchanted Islands any justice..........2006-08-25

Disappointing.......2006-04-04

Galapagos: Again worthy of the IMAX name.......2005-10-21

Beautiful images, but tacky, misleading storyline.......2005-01-18

Average customer rating:

Cracking the Ocean Code

Manufacturer: Discovery Communications, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

The Genome War: How Craig Venter Tried to Capture the Code of Life and Save the World
NOVA - Origins

ASIN: B000JOVJL6

Product Description

Join genome pioneer Dr. J. Craig Venter as he scours the world's oceans for new life forms and genetic secrets that could help solve the planet's most urgent energy and climate challenges. From Nova Scotia to the Galapagos islands to Antarctica, Dr. Venter embarks on a mission to map the DNA of every microscopic organism in the ocean. Along the way, he discovers new species and new methods of tackling weather anomalies, ocean pollutants and even global warming.

DVD:

DVD

Accattone: The Scrounger [1962] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Prohibido

Hänsel und Gretel