  The cover of the "Nature’s Most Amazing Events" DVD. |
In 2006, the BBC’s monumental Planet Earth set the world standard of excellence for nature documentaries. More programs have followed, from the British and their rivals. For both entertainment purposes and environmental awareness, this is a thrilling time for nature on DVD.
That notion inspired me to look at a clutch of new nature DVDs. There are enough titles for two columns. This is part one. Part two will appear next week.
This week’s trio of titles are all worthy yet designed to achieve different goals. The BBC Earth unit is back with a Planet Earth spin-off, Nature’s Most Amazing Events. The French present the American version of Home, narrated in English by Glenn Close and intended as an impassioned wakeup call. The Canadians, and Quebec filmmakers in particular, offer intimate stories in Humanima.
Nature’s most Amazing Events: Available on DVD and Blu-ray in identical two-disc sets in eco-friendly packaging. Both feature the same programming and gorgeous photography. Not surprisingly — because no genre is better served by Blu-ray than high-definition nature docs — these six episodes look great on DVD but staggeringly beautiful on Blu-ray.
In Planet Earth, the BBC looked at the big picture, with an emphasis on the interconnectivity of all life. In the new 2009 series, six themes are explored in more detail. These themes are still large in scope but are presented in depth. With narration by David Attenborough, the episodes are: The Great Melt, The Great Salmon Run, The Great Migration, The Great Tide, The Great Flood and The Great Feast. Each event depicted truly is amazing.
For example, The Great Melt chronicles a year in the Arctic. Creatures from polar bears to narwhal and walrus are photographed and calmly discussed, including the obvious effects of climate change that threatens their survival. In The Great Migration, a year in the life of the Serengeti is depicted, with the lives of sedentary predators and migrating prey shown in their symbiotic relationship. It is both heartbreaking and enthralling to meet a pride of lions and see their dependency on wildebeest. Each episode comes with a 10-minute coda that shows what it took to get the shots — most of all patience!
Home: The 118-minute film is available on both DVD and Blu-ray in identical one-disc releases. Once again, the images are beautiful in DVD and simply stunning in Blu-ray. There are no extras.
Filmmaker Yann Arthus-Bertrand shot in 54 countries and 120 locations, from Canada’s Arctic to Alberta’s oilsands to Dubai’s skyscrapers to villages on Pacific islands that are sinking into oblivion. Through Glenn Close, Arthus-Bertrand sets the scene with a 20-minute lesson on Earth’s 4 billion years. Then humans are introduced and the story gets complicated.
There is an endless stream of beautiful aerial images from both the wilderness and human settlements. Meanwhile, the narration repeatedly warns of the dire consequences of mistreating the planet, ending with a call to action. “We know that the solutions are there and we all have the power to change. So what are we waiting for?”
Some may find Home too strident and only want pretty pictures. But the big picture will get increasingly ugly if we don’t listen.
Humanima: Available on DVD in a four-disc set. This is a 2006 co-production of Nova Media and the NFB. It was filmed in French and/or English with subtitles determined by which version you choose. Humanima may not be as visually spectacular as the others, but the 13 episodes (totalling 312 minutes) provide useful insights in an intimate fashion.
For example, A Falconer for Life tells the story of how bird enthusiast Carl Millier and his mentor Mark Adams started Environmental Falcon Services. They breed birds of prey, teach the public about these magnificent birds and hire out to airports, including in Montreal, Toronto and New York, to control “pests” that endanger aircraft.
In Humanima, as the title suggests, we humans are caught up in the lives of other animals that inhabit Planet Earth.
bruce.kirkland@sunmedia.ca
