Planet Earth: Special Edition - David Attenborough (Blu-ray - 2011)

As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, "From Pole to Pole," serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming--a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea's various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia's nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.That's just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting). At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let's give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth's final episode: "We can now destroy or we can cherish--the choice is ours." Condition:NEW. Brand New Factory Sealed Full Product Details - Planet Earth Actors: Narrated by David Attenborough Directors: Alastair Fothergill Format: AC-3, Dolby, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen Language: English Subtitles: English Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.) Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1 Number of discs: 6 Rated: NR (Not Rated) Studio: BBC WARNER DVD Release Date: October 4, 2011 Run Time: 550 minutes This set contains DVDs which may be available separately: Planet Earth, Part 1: From Pole to Pole Planet Earth, Part 2: Mountains Planet Earth, Part 3: Fresh Water Planet Earth, Part 4: Caves Planet Earth, Part 5: Deserts Planet Earth, Part 6: Ice Worlds Planet Earth, Part 7: Great Plains Planet Earth, Part 8: Jungles Planet Earth, Part 9: Shallow Seas Planet Earth, Part 10: Seasonal Forests Planet Earth, Part 11: Ocean Deep Special Features: Commentary on select episodes Great Planet Earth Moments: Relive the greatest moments of this revolutionary series and discover how these scenes were captured on film! Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth - The BBC Natural History Unit explores a secret cave deep in the mountains of Pakistan where generations of snow leopards return each year to raise their young. Secrets of the Maya Underworld: The freshwater pools that dot Mexico s Yucatan peninsula were believed by the Mayans to be portals to the underworld. For the first time ever, the BBC Natural History Unit explores this incredible, labyrinthine system of underground rivers. Elephant Nomads of the Namib Desert: Follow the struggle for survival of two female elephants trying to raise their young in one of the harshest climates on Earth. Music Only viewing option Special Sneak Peek at Executive Producer Alastair Fothergill s next blockbuster project: Frozen Planet Original DVD Special Features now also on Blu-ray: 110 minutes of behind the scenes footage one 10-minute behind the scenes program for each episode Planet Earth The Future: This 3-part series looks at what the future may hold for endangered animals, habitats and ultimately ourselves. Following the environmental issues raised by Planet Earth, it asks why so many species are threatened and how they can be protected in future.