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IMDbPro

The Life of Mammals

  • TV Mini Series
  • 2002–20032002–2003
  • 50m
IMDb RATING
9.1/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
The Life of Mammals (2002)
Documentary
David Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved - a group that includes ourselves.David Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved - a group that includes ourselves.David Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved - a group that includes ourselves.
IMDb RATING
9.1/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
    • David Attenborough
    • David Attenborough
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 8User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 BAFTA Awards

    Episodes10

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    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    David Attenborough in The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)
    The Life of Mammals (2002)

    Top cast

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    David Attenborough
    David Attenborough
    • Self - Presenter
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    First Life

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Quotes

      David Attenborough - Presenter: Three and a half million years separate the individual who left these footprints in the sands of Africa from the one who left them on the moon. A mere blink in the eye of evolution. Using his burgeoning intelligence, this most successful of mammals has exploited the environment to produce food for an ever-increasing population. In spite of disasters when civilisations have over-reached themselves, that process has continued, indeed accelerated, even today. Now mankind is looking for food, not just on this planet but on others. Perhaps the time has now come to put that process into reverse. Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of the population, perhaps it's time we control the population to allow the survival of the environment.

    • Connections
      Featured in Screenwipe: Episode #1.1 (2006)

    User reviews8

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    The evolution and life of mammals
    David Attenborough is nothing short of a national treasure. He may apparently dislike the term, but it is hard to not say that about such a great presenter who has contributed significantly to some of the best programmes (of the documentary genre and overall) the BBC has ever aired/produced.

    It is really hard picking favourites, let alone a definite favourite, among what Attenborough has done because he has done so many gems, it is the equivalent of trying to choose your favourite ice cream flavour or your favourite operatic role (for examples) and finding you can't pick. To me though, 'The Life of Mammals' is up there with his crowning achievements and one of the best documentaries ever viewed, and as has been said already there are a lot of great ones. It has everything that makes so much of his work so wonderful, hence some of the reiteration of my recent reviews for some of his work (being on a nature documentary binge in my spare time), and deserves everything great that has been said about it.

    First and foremost, 'The Life of Mammals' looks amazing. It is gorgeously filmed, done in a completely fluid and natural, sometimes intimate (a great way of connecting even more with the animals), way and never looking static. In fact much of it is remarkably cinematic with some of the shots being unique for a documentary series, making one forget that it is a series. The editing is always succinct and smooth and the scenery is pure magic, similarly really admired the wide-ranging diversity of the different landscapes rather than restricting it to just one habitat. The music score fits very well, never overly grandiose while never being inappropriate.

    Again, like so many Attenborough nature/wildlife documentaries, 'The Life of Mammals' fascinates, teaches, moves, entertains and transfixes. In terms of the facts there was a very good mix of the known ones and the unknown, some facts being familiar to us while going into detail about the different animals, how they evolved, their behaviours and how they adapt.

    Narration by Attenborough helps significantly. He clearly knows his stuff and knows what to say and how to say it. He delivers it with his usual richness, soft-spoken enthusiasm and sincerity, never talking down to the viewer and keeping them riveted and wanting to know more. The "behind the scenes/making of" scenes too gave some humanity to the series and allowed us to get to know those behind the camera as well as in front.

    The animals are big in personality and very diverse. The conflict has genuine tension and suspense, there is some fun and a lot of emotionally powerful moments done with a lot of tear-jerking pathos. Found myself really caring for what we're told. Like much of Attenborough/BBC's other work, each episode doesn't feel like an episodic stringing of scenes, but instead like the best nature documentaries each feels like their own story and journey, with real, complex emotions and conflicts and animal characters developed in a way a human character would in a film but does it better than several.

    In conclusion, truly wonderful and a crowning achievement. 10/10 Bethany Cox
    helpful•2
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    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Oct 25, 2017

    Details

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    • Release date
      • November 20, 2002 (United Kingdom)
      • United Kingdom
      • BBC (United Kingdom)
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Production companies
      • BBC Natural History
      • Discovery Channel UK
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

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    • 50 minutes
      • Color

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