Walking with Prehistoric Beasts (2001– )
"Walking with Beasts" (original title)

Using the latest digital technology, the era between the dinosaurs and man is superbly recreated by the BBC and Discovery Channel in another winning production from the coalition.

Stars:

Kenneth Branagh, Stockard Channing, Larry Agenbroad

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Kenneth Branagh	...	Narrator (8 episodes, 2001)
Stockard Channing	...	Narrator (U.S.A Verison) (8 episodes, 2001)

Storyline

Where _Walking With Dinosaurs (1999) (TV)_ took us through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Eras, Walking With Prehistoric Beasts examines the various Cenozoic eras, when mammals began to dominate after the massive late Cretaceous extinction that killed 65% of life on Earth, including the dinosaurs.

---

Plot Keywords:

surrealism | computer animation | prehistoric times

---

Genres:

Animation | Documentary

---

Details

Official Sites:

BBC's 'Walking With Beasts' Site [United Kingdom]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 2001 (UK)

Also Known As:

Walking with Prehistoric Beasts

Box Office

Budget:

£15,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BS Asahi, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Discovery Channel Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the bonus features on the Walking with Monsters DVD, Walking with Beasts was the series the producers originally planned to create. They went with Walking with Dinosaurs first, though, as they thought it would be a bigger success, since dinosaurs are more well known to the public than prehistoric mammals. Dinosaurs proved to be a big hit indeed, so eventually the production for Beasts got green-lighted as well.

---

Quotes

[Last lines.]
Kenneth Branagh: [narrating] We have since built museums to celebrate the past, and spend decades studying prehistoric lives. And if all this has taught us anything, it is this: no species lasts forever.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Beasts Within (2001)

User Reviews

A SHADE LESS THAN WALKING WITH DINOSAURS

I think WALKING WITH PREHISTORIC BEASTS is well-conceived on the whole, though some of the dramatic elements are a bit too contrived to be totally effective ( however, there are a few surprises now and then ). The biggest problem here is a feeling of "deja vu", simply because the structure mirrors the WALKING WITH DINOSAURS series, and the altogether too self-conscience gags; there is one instance per episode where the camera is played to by some action ( mud, broken lens etc. ), and the slow-motion / freeze-frame shots are hokey as well. While the fur / feather textures and animal reconstructions in CGI are quite well done, the faces of the saber-toothed cats in particular look something less than realistic. All in all, the BBC series is a worthy follow-up to DINOSAURS but slightly less. I would rate it a middle "A", compared to an "A+" for the preceding program.