Blu-ray Review: 'Earthflight - The Complete Series'

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Earthflight - The Complete Series' on Blogcritics.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the world from a bird’s eye view? To soar high above the landscape, getting an entirely different perspective on everyone and everything around you? Who hasn’t? Birds are creatures that have a completely different experience than mammals down on the ground, and looking up into the sky, it’s easy to wish to glide among them.

BBC Earth’s latest release, Earthflight, allows you to do exactly that. Through a combination of technology, drones, tame birds, and other elements, one of the planet’s best nature documentary organizations brings us something new and fresh. Earth Flight shows us what it’s like to see down from the sky as our avian friends take flight over a variety of environments, both man-made and natural.

The series is divided into six hours. The first five, “North America, “Africa,” “Europe,” South America,” and “Asia and Australia,” divide up the territories in a familiar manner. Concentrating on one continent per episode, several individual species of birds are chosen in each region and profiled in depth. It’s an oft-used organizational structure, but one that continues to work here, as it has done for others in the past.

Earthflight isn’t just giving us a look through their eyes, but also how they live. We see the birds hunt for food and shelter, cope with predators, and interact with other species. This makes it similar to other nature specials, but the visual perspective is what gives it its uniqueness, so it still stands apart, even as it covers done-before material. Besides, given the huge range of different birds on Earth, there are still plenty of types left to be explored without repeating what’s come before it.

The sixth part, “Flying High,” is what amounts to a special feature on this release. Though aired as its own installment, there are no other extras, and “Flying High” covers much of what the expected bonus material would have. It shows us how the series is made, what techniques are effective in filming this way, and basically lets the viewer appreciate the sheer amount of work that went into the four years of filming.

Visually, as one might surmise, Earthflight is stunning. It is filmed in high definition, so the Blu-ray format is recommended even more highly than for other nature programs. The sheer quality of detail is very impressive, and the viewpoint is one audiences will not soon forget. To really appreciate the beauty of this vantage point, Blu-ray is a must.

As for the audio, well, that isn’t nearly as big a priority for the filmmakers. Earthflight is merely stereo, squandering opportunity to be completely immersed in this world. It’s hard to complain, given that we haven’t seen picture like this before, but even still, one wishes there had been a bit more put into capturing better sound. Can you imagine if the sound of flapping wings were all around you, really feeling like part of the flock, as the camera flew? That’s the one thing that Earthflight really lacks.

Still, it’s worth repeating that this is a project like no other, well worth your valuable time to check out. It may not have been possible, technologically speaking, to film something like this before now, and there may be future efforts that are even more spectacular. For now, though, Earthflight is the first serious contender in this arena, and given the total package, it presents a pretty stunning opportunity.

Earthflight is available now.

Dive Into The Blue Planet on Blu-ray

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: The Blue Planet: Seas of Life on Blogcritics.

From the makers of Planet Earth, BBC Earth's Emmy-winning The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is an exploration of animal life in and around the oceans, including the ones frozen over. It goes deep into the... well, deep parts of the ocean, and also examines the creatures that thrive on the shores.

For most of us, what lies under the waves remains an elusive mystery. Most of our planet is covered in water, but it's not easy or cheap to go explore much of that environment. Thankfully, the BBC has done that for us, and brings back the results of their findings in the beautiful, engaging, nearly 400-minute series, available as a three-disc set.

All the familiar creatures are present:  polar bears, sharks, dolphins, and various whales. Of particular interest is a stunning sequence between killer whales and seal pups. But as the action moves further below sea level, we are introduced to a number of exotic looking beasts that seem more like fantasies dreamed up in an over-active imagination than something that actually exists. Yet, here is the video-graphic proof of them, and it's a fascinating look at some of Earth's most elusive and mysterious fish. With eight episodes, quite a variety of species are covered.

Because of the new ground broken when it first came out, The Blue Planet may be one of my favorite recent releases. While some of the BBC Earth series help us learn more about the familiar, The Blue Planet spends a lot of time introducing the unfamiliar, so it has a very fresh feel to it, and I eagerly anticipated each new surprise. This is a truly expansive look at diverse and interesting forms of life.

Blu-ray brings the series into stunning high definition. So much of the camera work here is cinematic and spectacular, and to get to enjoy the details that Blu-ray brings is breathtaking. Sure, some of the footage is a little uneven in quality, and can be grainy or fuzzy at times, given the various cameras used and conditions that filming occurred under, as applies to any nature documentary. And one must remember that The Blue Planet was not originally filmed in HD, so it won't look as good as other, newer productions, such as Life. But it's by far the best that this series has ever looked, and I am grateful for the upgrade.

The audio is at the same level of quality as the picture. Surrounded by speakers, the sounds caught on tape will totally draw you into the world, with a perfectly matched score. There are the occasional static problems, and The Blue Planet doesn't take full advantage of its 5.1 audio capabilities. At times, music or waves do overwhelm the narration, and that's a tad disappointing, but the overall impression is pretty good.

Someone has to tell us about what we're seeing, and there is no one better suited to the task of narrating nature specials than Sir David Attenborough. He returns for The Blue Planet, ready to explain the sharks that live in the shallows and anemones that make their home on the coral reefs. As always, his voice is perfect for the job, and the information he gives remains unobtrusive, informative, and entertaining. He is an invaluable part of this presentation.

The Blue Planet has a wealth of bonus features. We get well over an hour of behind-the-scenes footage (about ten minutes for each of the eight episodes), and more than 20 minutes of interviews with people that were instrumental in delivering this series including Alastair Fothergill, the producer, Penny Allen, a researcher for the project, and Doug Allan, cameraman.

Not only that, but five other nature programs, all water-themed, are included. Fans will get to see more specials in the same genre, including looks at the Amazon and Antarctica, and a commentary on the effects of commercial fishing. It's several specials in one package.

The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is available on Blu-ray now.

One Life Actually a Repeat

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: One Life on Blogcritics.

Everyone knows that we only have one life to live on this planet, before giving way to the natural cycle. But how often do we stop and remember that human beings are not the only creatures to which that adage applies? What does this mean to the various animals that inhabit the globe with us? Now on a Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet combo pack in a special Earth Day edition, BBC Earth's One Life attempts to answer that question.

One Life is an 85-minute look at various species and their triumphant survival, despite the hazards and challenges that they face. Taken from footage shot for another, much longer series, Life, One Life chronicles creatures from their own birth until they create the next generation, who will do it all over again. This isn't an easy process for many, and we'll see what it takes for them to thrive, and the surprising ingenuity that they possess.

Among the animals shown in this special are snow monkeys, pebble toads, grassland ants, cheetahs, Komodo dragons, and more, around twenty in all. An attempt is made to build a connection between each of the various segments, making us realize that all life is the same, and we share a number of characteristics. At this, One Life mostly succeeds.

The disappointing thing is, if you've seen Life already, there's not much new here. It is mainly recycled footage, repackaged into a new release. It's a much shorter running time, to be sure, and each segment is quite a bit quicker than the original it was taken from, and so more easily digestible for the casual viewer. But for those die-hards who eagerly anticipate and pour over each new BBC Earth release, this will probably fall short of expectations.

Similarly, the narration is a shadow of the earlier version. As pleasing as Daniel Craig may be here, David Attenborough is the master, and certainly missed. Again, those who aren't big fans of the genre will probably appreciate what's present just fine, but the frequent BBC Earth viewer will probably be disappointed.

As for the visual and audio quality, is it absolutely fantastic. Just like Life, this was shot in high definition, and so makes true use of the detail and depth Blu-ray can provide. The colors are rich, the blacks are layered, the soundtrack is well mixed, and there is little evidence of static in either sound or picture. While there is a bit of inconsistency, mostly owed to differing equipment used throughout the process, the overall flow is very, very good, and much has been done to downplay any weakness.

Thankfully, even if the scenes of One Life itself aren't new, the extras on this disc are. We get a directors' commentary from Michael Gunton and Martha Holmes, a twenty minute "Making of," half an hour of some behind-the scenes stuff, a look at recording the score, a few unused shots, and about an hour of interviews, including a ten minute one with Gunton that is only on the Blu-ray disc, not the DVD. It's a lot, more than the feature itself, and all of it does add to the content, being extremely relevant and interesting, and is appreciated, making this release worth checking out.

A lot of work went into making Life, and it's understandable that BBC Earth would want to make as much use of the product as possible. And, as mentioned, One Life is great for the novice who is dipping their toe into the documentary water, or just wants to spend a single evening with a nature special. So it definitely has its place and purpose, even if it isn't for everyone.

One Life is available now.

Take a trip to Africa

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Africa on Blogcritics.

The latest BBC Earth nature special is Africa: Eye to Eye With the Unknown, now available on Blu-ray and DVD. It may seem a predictable subject, as so many productions about the continent have already been done. In fact, when I think of nature specials, I think of Africa. However, this Africa has plenty of fresh, new material to present, and should not seem boring or like its just re-covering popular topics.
Africa is hosted by the legendary Sir David Attenborough, a frequent contributor to the BBC Earth series. His presence immediately lends a weight and reliability to the material presented, and he also makes an engaging host. As long as Attenborough wants to keep narrating and producing such specials, the public will keep eating them up.

Africa is presented in six parts: "Kalahari," "Savannah," "Congo," "Cape," "Sahara," and "The Future." Obviously, the first five pieces cover the different regions within the vast land mass. Animals and vegetation vary quite a bit from one coast to another, not to mention in between, and this natural dividing point shows us the varying landscapes and the types of creatures that inhabit them.

Among the highlights of these are encounters with animals like kick-boxing leaf frogs, huge penguin breeding grounds, lizards that live on the backs of lions, and chimpanzees that have developed tools to get the honey they crave. We see amazing landscapes, like the largest underground lake on the planet, a climb up steep mountains, a journey into lush valleys, and, of course, the infamous grasslands.

"The Future" is the final part. Rather than just talk in broad strokes about the what the future holds, the series introduces a baby rhino to represent the face of the changes now taking place in this environment. Once a highly endangered species, and while by no means safe now, rhinos have been making a come back. Can we apply what we've learned here to other species? Can we bring back lost landscapes? Is there a way for man to co-exist with the world as it was before we invaded and changed it? "The Future" ponders all of this and more.

The producers don't just save the plea to save Africa's wildlife for the final hour. The entire series is a love letter to the continent, and a look at how the place is changing. Fifty years ago, Africa would have been a very different series. Fifty years from now, it will probably be drastically different, too, and its up to the humans to determine how that land will look. We like to think of some environments as unchanging, surviving through the centuries, despite us. That isn't the nature of life, and that isn't the story of Africa.

As usual, Africa looks phenomenal. It benefits from the switch to high definition that many BBC Earth shows are now use, and we get a look at a stunningly detailed landscape. The level of crispness and vividness is impressive, and while the picture quality does vary somewhat from scene to scene, based on a number of factors, such as the type of cameras used and the environment being shot, the overall consistency is well above average, and few will find reasons to complain about the colors or sharpness.

The sound is also top notch, Attenborough's voice soothingly interlaces with the sounds of the planet. Mixing has been done well so that we can hear the places being shown as if we are there. Each little noise is picked up as the sounds of Africa are every bit as important to the story as the visuals. It's a fine, naturalistic soundtrack, lacking distracting pops and steep level changes.

Included on this two-disc set (if you buy the Blu-ray version) are lots of special features. Each episode has extra material, and there is an exclusive interview with Attenborough and others. There are outtakes and deleted scenes, as well as feaurettes about how Africa was made, a feat that is sure to amaze on its own. Also, there's some extra stuff about Ethiopia's Harenna Fores that is quite fascinating.

As usual, this is a terrific offering from a quality producer. Africa is available now.

Buy Frozen Planet before it melts away

From the team that created Planet Earth comes a new, seven-part documentary called Frozen Planet. This is the UK Version of the series, narrated by David Attenborough (not Alec Baldwin, as with the version that aired on the Discovery Channel), and captures life at both poles of the Earth, hoping to immortalize these environments on film before climate change destroys them forever.

The first episode of Frozen Planet is an introduction, giving an overall glimpse of the environment. This is followed by four parts covering each of the four calendar seasons. Part six looks at mankind's interaction in these distant regions, where few dare to tread. Each looks at the dizzying, often seemingly barren, landscapes, as well as how life can carve a niche anywhere. For most people who will never venture into a climate so extreme, it's a rich glimpse into a completely alien place.

Many types of animals make their home in this frigid area of the planet. From polar bears to penguins to orcas, Frozen Planet shows us just how they accomplish the monumental task of surviving, which to them is just their way of life. Arctic wolves, albatrosses, eider ducks, and fur seals are just some of the other life forms teeming in this series.

The seventh hour of Frozen Planet is quite controversial, in that it deals with global warming. Originally, Discovery wasn't even going to air this part in the U.S., because of the politicized nature of the debate, despite the scientific evidence. However, cooler (sic) heads prevailed, and "On Thin Ice," as it is called, is airing in the States (with Attenborough's narration), as it was in Britain.

Much of the filming of Frozen Planet is accomplished using a sophisticated, long-distance capture technology so that the animals are not disturbed. While a polar bear birth is filmed in a zoo, almost everything else is authentic to the region. By keeping far away in distance, viewers are treated to behavior untainted by human intruders. It is a rare and gratifying series of sequences, that should delight and entertain. And sure, there is death, like in any nature special, but Frozen Planet is pretty family-friendly, overall.

Some of most impressive sequences? A stalactite growing down, freezing alive any organism that gets in its path. A pod of orcas hunt a seal with planning and precision. The ice sheet melts off of Greenland in the spring. By using time-lapse and slow motion footage, drama is added to events that would otherwise be hard to understand the majesty of.

On bonus features, there are plenty. If one does not want to be distracted by the narration, and instead allow the images to mostly speak for themselves, a music-only audio track can be played. As with other BBC Earth releases, a 'Freeze Frame' option appears with each episode, providing about 10 minutes of behind the scenes glimpses of a particular shot or sequence. There are also about an hour and a half of shorts, which are each only a couple of minutes in length, that let viewers in on some of the filming techniques and challenges.

A twenty minute featurette called "Science at the End of the Earth" reveals who the scientists are that live at the South Pole for long stretches of time, and what they do there. It takes a very special person to thrive in this environment, and they are profiled nicely.

"Frozen Planet: The Epic Journey" is virtually useless, unless one does not wish to watch the entire series. Basically, it's a best of, running an hour in length, that brings together some of the most amazing moments from the seven episodes. The problem is, though, there doesn't seem to be anything new added in, so it's tiresome to watch after already sitting through Frozen Planet. Maybe it could be used to entice some friends who aren't sure they want to watch the whole show? But then, if they are enticed, that makes the watching of the series less exciting. Or it could serve as a quickie rewatch years later, when one does not have seven hours to devote, but would like to relive this spectacular show.

As with other specials in the BBC Earth series, it is impossible to give a short critique of the picture and sound quality that will encompass this set in full. Many different cameras are used, mostly high definition ones, but even within that subset, picture clarity varies. Sometimes bands of color are on the screen. Sometimes blacks are not as rich as they might be. The same holds true for sound, where studio-recorded pieces are always clear, but the natural sounds of the world sometimes aren't exactly how one would want them.

However, Frozen Planet might just be better than previous releases. It appears that much effort has been spent cleaning up images and getting the sound mix just right, striking a good balance between music, ambient noise, and the narration. Perhaps the use of digital HD cameras has allowed for better matching, overall, but it looks like there has also been lots of post production work. It's not perfect, but it's as close to it as one will find for a series of this type.

Buying this on Blu-ray is a must, because that's where the clearest presentation can be found. Not every scene will be perfect, but many will leave viewers stunned with the amount of visual and auditory detail captured. The makers of these films are experts, and have learned how to best satisfy the masses. This is a stunning set that should definitely be experienced.


Another triumph for BBC Earth! Buy Frozen Planet on Blu-ray, available now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Frozen Planet on Blogcritics.