Earth: The Biography [Blu-ray]Earth: The Biography [Blu-ray]
This landmark series uses specialist imaging and compelling narrative to tell the life story of our planet, how it works, and what makes it so special. Examining the great forces that shape the Earth – volcanoes, the ocean, the atmosphere and ice – the programme explores their central roles in our planet’s story. How do these forces affect the Earth’s landscape, its climate, and its history? CGI gives the audience a ringside seat at these great events, while the final episode brings together all the themes of the series and argues that Earth is an exceptionally rare kind of planet – giving us a special responsibility to look after our unique world. This is a series that shows the Earth in new and surprising ways. Extensive use of satellite imagery reveals new views of our planet, while timelapse filmed over many months brings the planet to life. Offering a balance between dramatic visuals and illuminating facts, this ground-breaking series makes global science truly compelling.To demonstrate the stunning beauty and overwhelming power of the Earth, Dr. Iain Stewart climbs into the crater of an active volcano in Ethiopia, jets into the stratosphere, climbs the frozen crests of the Alps, races the tide at the Amazon basin, dives into underwater caverns in Mexico, and generally enjoys himself to no end. His infectious enthusiasm is hardly necessary, though; Earth: The Biography (formerly The Power of the Planet) is five episodes of phenomenal images and fascinating information about how our planet formed and the potent yet delicate balance of life. Stewart, the program’s host, seems destined to become the Carl Sagan of geology; his cheerful Scottish accent (he sounds like he walked out of Trainspotting) is just waiting for a catchphrase like “billions and billions” to make him a household name. Earth: The Biography juxtaposes things gigantic (tectonic plates) and teeny-tiny (plankton) while gracefully explaining the crucial role each plays in making the world habitable for life as we know it. There’s even surprising humor, like demonstrating the ocean’s currents through the movement of 29,000 plastic ducks that were swept overboard in a storm, or how the first thing jet pilot Joe Kittinger does, after successfully parachuting from the highest point in the stratosphere anyone has ever jumped (including 15 minutes of free fall), is light up a cigarette. Add in some CGI models of prehistoric beasts and volcanic activity, and you’ve got a completely addictive examination of the Earth in all its majesty. –Bret Fetzer
Rating:  List Price: $ 39.99 Price: $ 19.10 |
(out of 29 reviews)
Review by Julie Neal for Earth: The Biography [Blu-ray]
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With vivid, well-composed landscapes and animal shots popping up at least once a minute, this documentary series looks great in Blu-Ray. Even many of the basic shots are really well lit. The CGI effects are cool, too.
Is it as good as Planet Earth? No. These shows are not a nonstop visual extravaganza. But don’t let that dissuade you. If it wasn’t for “Planet Earth” everyone would be raving about this set. Because though the screen sometimes shows just a guy or two talking in front of a washed out sky, overall “Earth: The Biography” is just as interesting and at times even more informative. And like I said, though it’s not all eye candy, there is plenty of it.
These are the same shows that recently aired on the National Geographic Channel. There are no bonus features.
Disc 1 has three shows, “Volcanoes,” “Atmosphere” and “Ice.” Disc 2 adds “Oceans” and “Rare Earth.” Each of the first four explains how that particular system works, as well as what happens when it’s messed with.
The last show examines a theory that says simple life may actually be common on other planets, but complex life — i.e., animal life — requires such a complex sequence of events that we’ll never find another human-like population. It goes on to examine how humans are damaging the planet. Did you know each year people cut down enough forest to cover the state of South Carolina?
Everything is presented with plenty of objective, scientific information.
My favorite show is the first one, since it includes the formation of Earth. Did you know scientists think our planet once had a twin? Or that the moon is drifting away from us?
Though the narrator, Dr. Iain Stewart, speaks in a Scottish brogue, I didn’t have any trouble understanding him. He’s calm and articulate.
By the way, you can’t help but be reminded of “Planet Earth” as you watch this. A commercial for it is actually the first thing that comes up when you pop in Disc 1.
Besides “Planet Earth,” I’d recommend pairing this up with An Inconvenient Truth. Or a trip to go see Wall-E.
Review by A. Hsin for Earth: The Biography [Blu-ray]
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I like the title, no question about that. But, I prefer to see more comprehensive coverage on geology, the true Earth biography, than ecology. For example, there are three types of volcano: Cinder Cone, Composite, and Shield. There is no mentioning of that in the Volcano section. I watched the entire Weather section, didn’t see rock cycle or cloud types. The hot spot underneath Yellowstone is the same as the one under Hawaii. A type of its hot spring bacteria helps the explosion of DNA application and human genome project through something called polymerase chain reaction. It would be more exciting to include that. All the 3D computer graphic images and animation are great! I love them! If this series would added more formal science such as geology, meteorology and paleontology, offers more comprehensive presentation on major subjectives of each discipline, it would become more useful to students than just the general audiences.
Review by Nature Photographer for Earth: The Biography [Blu-ray]
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Updated: 2nd Feb 2009.
My recent purchase of a Sony Bravia 46″ W4500 Series BRAVIA, the Blu-ray version now plays at 1080/24p.
Original review:
In the beginning there was Planet Earth.. now there is Earth: The Biography. As a child I grew up being immersed in the physical geography and the birth of the earth.
Beautifully described via CG on plate tectonics and volcanoes, the destructive power of ice and water, and the vital importance of the the atmosphere.
For those that have watched the Life of Series by David Attenborough, will notice repeated footage those series, as well as repeated footage from Planet Earth, and Ganges.
Despite the various comments that this is a standard definition presentation by BBC, when I play it on my PS3, I am getting 1080i and not 420p, as some have remarked. Not true 1080p, but nonetheless stunning.
Great addition to my collection of BBC and Nat Geo documentaries.
Review by Bruno F. Smid for Earth: The Biography [Blu-ray]
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Since we spend our whole life time on this wonderful planet, why not learn about its origins and events that have led up to its present shape? This excellent, high resolution DVD provides most of the answers by actual photography and understandable graphics and gave me a new perspective and insights into our own world. Highly recommend it – it does not conflict with any other recent info DVD’s – rather, it complements it for a well-rounded understanding of our part in the universe. Iain Stewart’s narrative is clear and understandable – an important element for an info DVD.
Review by Perry Lesh for Earth: The Biography [Blu-ray]
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More than a simple history lesson or eye-pleasing jaunt through the fire and ice that shaped the continents, the documentary digs into the ever-evolving forces that thunder below our feet, taking the time to investigate both our dependency on and indifference to the world we inhabit.
colors look amazing — lava spews out of volcanoes in a vibrant display of vivid oranges and reds, deserts team with natural-hued rock formations, and the oceans glow with a healthy blue that allows the white ice to pop off the screen. Contrast is solid and comfortable, only undermined by some minor wavering, black crush, and blooming .It’d be a mistake to avoid nabbing the Blu-ray version of `Earth: The Biography’ simply because its DTS track isn’t given enough sonic bombast to stand out from the crowd. As documentaries go, `Earth: The Biography’ has an above-average audio presentation.
This Documentary does a fine job exploring the fascinating and hidden geological face of our planet featuring good HD quality.