The Good
An extensive look at the world as if Director Terrence Malick had shot it.
The Bad
I don’t like the way you can leave finger prints on the packaging whenever you touch it.
Broken up into 11 sections, Planet Earth: The Complete Series is an amazing, majestic look at our world. Recalling the Disney’s True Life Adventure Series, we get to see the Great Plains, caves, the North and South Poles, the Ocean Deep, and pretty much every where in between. Narrated with the soothing voice of David Attenborough, this set has some of the most amazing scenery every lensed on film. Apparently, this show was put together for $25 million, which when you you look at what has been created is really a steal. There isn’t a narrative thread to this movie, nor does it seem like it has a particular point to make. The goal seems to be that of making viewers examine the world (many parts of which most of us will never see) and put it all perspective.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Everything about Planet Earth: The Complete Series is done to evoke mood and substance. One cannot help but get emotionally involved whilst watching this. We see various habitats, endangered species, and if that doesn’t give you a reverence for this grand world of ours you may want to check your pulse.
Features
110 Minutes of Behind The Scenes Footage
While I found these to be a little hard to find, definitely watch them if you like this set. We basically get a glimpse at the processes used to make these films. It is incredible how technology and nature can be merged to create something so special. I normally am not happy with DVD sets that don’t contain more extras. However, this is such a well put together bunch of discs that the term “less is more” really does apply.
Planet Earth - The Future
On a disc by itself and broken up into three sections (“Saving Species,” “Into the Wilderness” and “Living Together”), we see firsthand the sad situation of certain animals impending extinction. Other things like climate change, pollution, and the loss of the earth’s wilderness are also discussed. What I find the most sad as that unless I see something like this, I don’t really think about the problems that animals in far off parts of the world have to face. With so many interests seeming to determine their fate, this set seems to wonder why we can’t just let these animals alone?
Video
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Enhanced. Having been able to view all the the different formats that Planet Earth: The Complete Series came on, I think that this Standard version holds up well. Everything looked really sharp it’s just that (I think this is going to become more and more of a problem as these new formats get more prevalent) once you see this set one way, its hard not to notice differences as we go down in formats. Sure, this Standard picture isn’t as sharp as HD-DVD and Blu-ray, but it doesn’t look like VHS, either.
Audio
Dolby Digital Surround. Truthfully, I didn’t really hear too much difference between the audio on this release release vs. the next generation one. This standard release sounds good, it just isn’t as full as the ones on HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Yet, if you have an older system I am sure that the audio being in Surround Sound will put a smile on your face. I still found the warmness of the audio experience to be here just as I found it on HD-DVD and Blu-ray.
Package
This brightly colored slipcase cover features a bunch of elephants moving across a field of grass as white birds hover above them. The back features mountainous snowcaps, a minimal description of what Planet Earth: The Complete Collection is about, a bonus features listing and technical specs on the bottom portion of the slipcase cover. All of the discs are neatly housed inside this packaging, which also has more artwork that gives prospective viewers an idea of what they have to look forward to in this set. My only complaint is that I think they should have delineated where the extra pieces were in a better way.
Final Word
A friend of mine had told me about screening Planet Earth: The Complete Series when it was on regular TV. I remember them being bowled over by how awesome it looked. They were beside themselves claiming that they had seen things they had never seen before. This set has an air of class and importance about it. While I don’t know that somebody could put on all 5 discs in a row, I certainly think that it is quite possible for them to go through this set quickly. Even in only presenting us the images with David Attenborough’s voice over, these films feel magnificently layered. Its as if all the places in this Planet Earth: The Complete Series set needed was just to have the camera shone on them.
As I sat watching Planet Earth: The Complete Series, I couldn’t help but wonder how much work was done to achieve the look that this set has. I am sure that some form of film stock, or some manipulation of the process had to occur, but by and large everything looks and feels amazingly natural. While not for everyone, this is the kind of set that will certainly have a rabid audience.
Planet Earth was released .
