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52 reviews in total

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180 out of 194 people found the following review useful:
11 out of 10, 9 February 2007

Author: Robert from Netherlands

I don't think I can add anything to the previous 10 out of 10 comments, other than that I'd give it a full 11 out of 10 if this were possible. I have seen my share of nature documentaries, but this takes the cake. Utterly awe-inspiring, mesmerizing and brilliant. I own an extensive DVD-collection, but if I had to choose 1 title and had to throw away everything else I had, this would be the one I'd keep. I have no better DVD-title in my collection. Period.

David Attenborough is my personal hero. Although he merely provides the commentary for this series (as he did with the also terrific Blue Planet), but his work for the BBC's Natural History division (setting it up and making several brilliant series himself) and his inspiring personality make him one of the true greats.

Miss this at your peril.

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104 out of 120 people found the following review useful:
The most amazing achievement in natural history TV has ever given, 16 December 2006

Author: cmcoveos from Greece

The subtitle of the series is not an exaggeration; it has a literal meaning: This is indeed our planet as "never seen before". Right from the outset you are witnessing the most amazing pictures modern technology has ever produced: Views from space, but close enough so we may see the glorious beauty of specific regions of our home planet. Birds of paradise of such beauty that can convince you this is the real paradise and you need not ask for anything more; All the creatures are filmed in unique settings and situations (a polar bear with two cubs emerging from their den as spring comes and gliding down a snow covered slope, the strategic genius of wild dogs encircling a herd of impalas, rare views of a snow leopard and her cub, a white shark in chase of a seal bursting completely out of the sea and hanging in the air for a second and hundreds of other breath-taking shots. Feeling happy for the gift you are given and the next moment plunged in bitter thoughts about how unbelievably brutally has mankind treated it. My rating: Definitely 10/10.

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91 out of 107 people found the following review useful:
An amazing trip around our beautiful planet., 28 August 2006

Author: ultimorn from Orange County

I have seen many nature documentaries in my life and none have left me in such amazement of our planet as this series. The sheer work that went into its making alone is impressive. The shots that are captured on film are like none ever seen and remind us of both the power of mother nature and her fragility. I highly recommend this series to people of all ages as there is something for everyone. If you do watch any of the episodes, do watch "Pole to Pole". It is a great all-encompassing view of many animals and their habitats. David Attenborough does a great job as narrator. If you enjoy this series also check out "The Blue Planet", a series by the BBC on oceans (also narrated by Attenborough).

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94 out of 114 people found the following review useful:
A visually impressive and memorable look at the world that we live in, 1 May 2006
Author: bob the moo

As the influence of man expands across the globe, fewer and fewer truly untouched wilderness exists. This series aims to use technology never used for nature programmes before to take us into these wildernesses and see the environment within them and the creatures that live there. Starting with a journey from one pole to the other, this series explores the extreme conditions of mountains (from the birth of one to the coldest of those existing), deserts, caves, oceans, fresh waters and others to present some of the most impressive footage ever seen in a nature documentary.

With a budget of about £40 million, the BBC were going to have to deliver something pretty special to avoid the usual accusations of waste tax payer's money, catering to a small audience etc etc. However with Planet Earth they have easily silenced the critics to present a nature programme that is interesting and education. The biggest selling point is the footage which, at its worst is impressive but at its best is simply breath-taking and actually had me saying "wow" at some points. I am not naturally a nature programme viewer but this show had me hooked from episode 1 where a quick glance at the opening minutes had me staying with it for the following eleven weeks. The footage is impressive and, although it is the weakest part of each hour, I did enjoy some of the "Planet Earth Diary" sections where we actually saw the technology, techniques and sheer trial of getting the views that we get. My words can't really do it justice but the series gives footage that you won't have seen anywhere else before – with episode 1 claiming that the footage of a pack of dogs hunting told experts things they hadn't previously known.

However I have seen some a couple of nature documentary feature films recently that have also had impressive footage but Planet Earth backs it up with a typically informative and engaging narration from David Attenborough. For me he added enough educational value to prevent the series just being televisual wallpaper – which of course is what it also does in terms of providing some beautiful material that would work even if the sound broke on your television. Like many others though, I would have liked there to be more connection made to the impact that man's actions are having on the ecosystems and animals that we are shown – for example are they getting rarer or having their habitats shrinking? Occasionally it does this but nowhere near enough – which is partly why some critics have labelled it "environmental porn", which I can understand but do not totally agree with.

Overall this is a great series that does a great job of presenting the beauty of the natural world but just about having enough educational value to it to avoid it just being the television equivalent of wallpaper for your computer. The shots are impressive and the range of creatures and habitats that are presented makes this well worth seeing. I'm sure that wildlife fans will long for more detail but as a casual viewer this was just what I was looking for. An impressive and memorable look at the world that we live in.

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62 out of 71 people found the following review useful:
Simply put, stunning, 2 September 2007

Author: Jaakko Hyry from Finland, Oulu

I have never, ever given any title a perfect ten. Mainly because I never thought that there will ever be something that truly deserves the praise. I was so wrong. Watching this amazing display of planet earth's resources in high definition is just simply breath taking. In addition David Attenboroughs commentary is spot on. Calm, informative and quiet in just the right places. Sometimes the picture is so beautiful, that one just simply forgets the commentary and just starer in awe on the beauty of the landscapes and other details. Sometimes the director feeds the viewer with juicy bits of slow motion scenes to add to the effect of the moment. I simply can't recommend this title enough to everyone. Just pick it up anywhere you can find it. Spectacular.

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52 out of 55 people found the following review useful:
Marvelous, 8 April 2008

Author: Qwertius from Netherlands

I don't get the critics.

Some claim it's only about killing. Well I watched every episode and some have every little killing , like Jungle or Ice Words. But I see majestic trees, flowers, scenery. I see the amazing bond between two penguins and the care for their chicks. It looks more like 'love' than I witness between most humans.

Some claim that we should not watch it but go out DOING something about protecting the environment. Well nobody told me this film was forcing us to save the environment. Although I think and hope that watching this magic series does encourage more people into thinking about their own life in context with out planet than not watching it would do.

Some claim it may be dull or shallow.

This film never claims to be a hardcore scientific nature doc. It shows the planet, areas of the planet more or less linked together and gives brief GLIMPSES of the flora and fauna in those areas! If you want more info, more science, more data, go to a library or university! I saw it for what it is. And for me it more than deserves a 10 out of 10

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46 out of 46 people found the following review useful:
A masterpiece of a documentary, 20 November 2008

Author: Jim Hurst from United Kingdom

The camera work is truly breathtaking. Such amazing wonders captured on film, areas of the planet unspoiled by human domination.

DIfferences in culture seem to play a big part in the reviews of this documentary; some choosing to review based on "Disney" like criteria. Criticisms for the apparent emphasis on the viscous and dark side of animals and nature.

I guess some people would prefer a nice talking lion and perhaps an Elton john song thrown in.

Cutting slack on the sarcasm and returning to the point; This is a must watch documentary for anybody with a sincere appreciation for life and the planet in which we live.

An achievement for all those involved in the making to be proud of.

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47 out of 49 people found the following review useful:
In A Word: Amazing, 5 January 2009

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from United States

Thankfully, I caught a couple of these episodes on American television, which led me to this 11-part series on Blu-Ray DVDs and over five hours of outstanding entertaining and education. Looking back, I still shake my head in amazement at the things I saw on these discs.

Obviously, the incredible photography and sharpness/color (please see this on high-def, if you can) is the first thing that captures the viewer's eye, but as the series went on I appreciated the objectivity in here ("aw, cute" shots mixed in with the brutality of existence) and the lack of environmental propaganda, which one usually gets in boatloads in these "nature" films. Here, the writers and narrator David Attenborough just present the world as it is. Only at the very end do you get a short environmental message. It isn't needed: the beauty of this earth says it all, and the writers were smart enough to figure that out during this series.

After viewing 11 discs, you come to the obvious conclusions that in the Earth's world of animals, birds and fish come only a few objectives: where to find food, water, a mate, and escape being devoured by a predator. That's it, except for pets or zoo animals. On land or in water, it's simply a matter of survival, as this BBC series shows us.

What makes this so special is that, thanks to incredible work by cameramen, we are privy to many extraordinary sights we would never see, if left on our own, and never imagined existed on this planet. Much of this series is simply mind-boggling to view, especially all the overhead shots, which were stunning.

There are too many positive adjectives I could use to even begin, in recommending you watch this. Just give it a try - any of the 11 segments - and see if you don't want to then watch all of them.

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52 out of 68 people found the following review useful:
Brilliant Documentary Series, 16 January 2007

Author: bs3dc from United Kingdom

Planet Earth is a worthy documentary series that looks not just at the animals and plants in remote areas, but at the ever-changing ecosystems that look prone to collapse in the near future. This is the sort of programme that the BBC excels at and makes better than anyone else.

The camera-work is fantastic and the sections at the end of each programme where they look at how certain parts were filmed is interesting as you see the dedication of the crew who go out to these desolate spots for months to film sections that will last only a couple of minutes on screen. Much of the wildlife has barely been filmed and some such as the wonderfully agile Wild Amur leopard have probably only been seen by very few living people in the flesh.

It is narrated by David Attenborough who has the perfect voice for wildlife documentaries and his presence is almost a guarantee of quality in itself. His record speaks for itself.

Some of the sequences shown are very brave, most notably the struggles of the polar bear to find food on the ever-decreasing Arctic ice. Too many nature documentaries succumb to "niceness" and show only cute animals looking sweet. To understand how Man is changing the planet it is crucial to show how wasting energy may be affecting wildlife in distant lands (or seas). Sadly it is also important as it seems all too likely that much of the footage will become museum property in the near future, showing subsequent generations the marvellous diversity of life Earth used to enjoy.

Overall it has some good educational value as it can be enjoyed both by young children and was recommended by my tutors during a conservation module of my degree.

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70 out of 105 people found the following review useful:
Beautiful, 21 July 2006

Author: Cabrone from London

This is a beautifully shot series looking at nature in all it's natural wonder, showcasing a breathtaking diversity of life from the poles to the deserts.

With the spectre of global warming rapidly looming I wonder just how much of these wonderful ecosystems are going to survive. I just hope that in 100 years time people will not watch 'Planet Earth' with the same curiosity that I have when look at etchings of the Dodo from old books.

TV like 'Planet Earth' has made me think a lot more about the natural world that surrounds me and the impact I am having on it. We can't sit back and let this disappear. It's for all future generations, not just this one.

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