Amazon.com

David Attenborough and the BBC have a well-earned reputation for producing some of the greatest nature programs, but The Life of Mammals could well be Attenborough's magnum opus. Much of the footage shot for this series had never been seen before, and is presented with the respect and reverence for the natural world that Attenborough has made his trademark. It never ceases to surprise: the sight of a lion taking down a wildebeest on the African savannah has almost become a cliché of nature programs, yet in The Life of Mammals the cameras keep rolling and the viewer witnesses the fallen animal's herd coming to its rescue and driving off the lion. It's a moving sight and just one of many remarkable scenes.

A thorough and entertaining overview of one of evolution's greatest success stories, the series is loosely structured to follow the development of mammals, beginning with the basics in "A Winning Design," which clarifies what makes a mammal different from reptiles and birds--no, it isn't egg-laying: both the platypus and the echidna are egg-laying mammals; it's their ability to adapt. And it's this adaptability that becomes the crux of the remainder of the series. "Insect Hunters" focuses on mammals who have specifically adapted to eating insects, from the giant anteater and the armored armadillo to bats, which have evolved into complex and effective hunters. "Plant Predators" demonstrates the particular (and often peculiar) adaptations of herbivores, while "Chisellers" is about those mammals who feed primarily on roots and seeds, ranging from tree-dwelling squirrels to opportunistic mice and rats. "Meat Eaters" talks about the evolutionary arms race that exists between predators and prey, and the unique adaptations of both individual and pack hunters. Omnivores are explored in "Opportunists"--mammals like bears and raccoons, whose varied diet allows them to occupy nearly any environment. "Return to the Water" discusses those mammals such as whales, seals, and dolphins that have left behind life on dry land and adapted completely to life in the sea, existing at the top of the food chain. The last three episodes--"Life in the Trees," "Social Climbers," and "Food for Thought"--take the viewer through the development of primates, eventually culminating in that most successful mammal: man. --Robert Burrow ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Stupendously Good
This four disc, ten-episode series is probably the best nature documentary ever produced in DVD format. In fact, Life of Mammals is reason alone to buy a DVD player if you don't have one.

Here are a few reasons why I think people should shell out the money for this set:

- David Attenborough's enthusiasm for his work. Watching him respectfully approach a poor-sighted anteater from downwind or barely able to contain his delight when floating a few meters away from a blue whale, Attenborough's love for the animal world is totally infectious.

- The images are of IMAX quality. This is one of the most visually stunning films I've ever seen.

- The soundtrack is top notch.

- The Buffalo versus the Lions. This brief segment is mentioned in the Amazon reviewer's description - it has all the emotion and energy of the Cavalry Charge in 'The Return of the King.' It literally brought tears to my eyes.

- Swimming Elephants. 'nuff said.

- Kids love it. These films will keep kids (even as young as 2) quiet and totally absorbed in ways that no Blue or Builder Bob video can approach.

- David keeps it light and entertaining. Each segment is short enough (40 minutes) and has plenty of amazing footage and humorous anecdotes so that it is nearly impossible to get bored of it all. Just don't watch more than one per day or you will spoil yourself.

I give this series the highest recommendation. Even if you are not a nature buff (and chances are you will be after seeing this), it is certainly worth bringing into your home.

Astonishing
The Life of Mammals is a stunning work of incredible range and scope, taking us from the frozen wastes of the arctic to searing deserts to lush rain forests. The film highlights the range of behaviors among mammals, illustrating the remarkable ways in which they have solved the problems created by the escalating evolutionary battle for food, for a mate, for a place to live. Some of the more wonderful images include bats delicately plucking spiders from their webs, elephants trooping into an African cave in the middle of the night, and remarkable predatory dramas on the savannah.

As with all David Attenborough films, this one is dense with interesting facts. Each segment provides new insights into the behavior of animals, even for such prosaic beasts as wildebeasts and gazelles. The Life of Mammals appears to me different from Attenborough's previous works in its aggressive use of novel camera techniques, which is very successful, taking us for instance inside the egg of a platypus.

This film also combines the superb visuals with a brilliant score. The music, which is at times mournful, at times crackling with tension, and at times positively soaring, adds an inspiring sense of drama. This is justified not only by the subject matter, which is indeed sublime, but by David Attenborough himself, who as far as I am concerned is an absolutely unparalleled genius.

If I haven't yet sold you, consider the price of this work, which at $... constitutes remarkable value for the 500 minutes you get. Just a year or so ago, The Trials of Life series on VHS (which is of comparable length, but without the whistles and bells that this DVD gives you) cost $...

Excellent BBC nature documentary series...
In my home, we're all big fans of nature documentaries, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, etc. We bought The Life of Mammals sight unseen after having enjoyed the entire Blue Planet series. My two year old loved Blue Planet so much that, while I hate to admit it, my wife and I were looking for something else for him to watch. By looking at Amazon's "customers who bought this also bought" area on Blue Planet, we've since acquired other BBC documentaries for the kids to watch - The Life of Birds and Walking with Dinosaurs.

The Life of Mammals is a series of episodes, similar to Blue Planet. However, I will say that the footage, while excellent, is not nearly as spectacular as I found Blue Planet to be. I think that's the only reason The Life of Mammals gets 4 stars from me and not 5. Our son loves it just as much, so who am I to complain?

The episodes in this series are as follows:

A WINNING DESIGN - sort of an overview on mammals, their variety and why they thrive; features echidna, platypus (a favorite of our little boy), possum, kangaroos, and yapoks.

INSECT HUNTERS - features some unbelievable aerial footage of bats catching bugs; the anteater and pangolin are also excellent.

PLANT PREDATORS - our son's favorite episode largely due to giraffes and elephants; the picas and bison are also favorites, as well as a sequence about how African plant eaters deal with predators that consists mostly of running

CHISELLERS - mostly deals with rodents and other...well...vermin, including beavers, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, marmots, etc.

MEAT EATERS - another favorite of my sons, mostly because of the lions and other cats - we were concerned that some of the predation scenes might be a little bloody for him, but that wasn't the case at all; the tiger footage is spectacular

OPPORTUNISTS - can't say I enjoyed this one that much, as it features a lot of animals I consider to be pests; I will say that it gave me new insights into racoons and the rat scenes were incredible (although disgusting)

RETURN TO THE WATER - featuring sea otters, seals, dolphins and whales, this episode is most similar in footage to Blue Planet

LIFE IN THE TREES - deals with the tree canopy as a distinct ecosystem, requiring specific skills to survive; features meercats, sun bears (the best climbing bear), fruit bats, loris, lemurs and gibbons

SOCIAL CLIMBERS - largely about primates, and how monkeys and apes have complex social structures; features uakaris, tamarin, guenons, macaques, and geladas.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - I hate to say it, but I think this is my least favorite episode because it seems to deal as much with people as it does with mammals. It is interesting, but I can't say that it has the same replay value as the rest of the series, particularly for our son.

Throughout the series, David Attenborough is his stately, understated self. Unlike in Blue Planet, where he simply narrates, Attenborough makes appearances in this series. He's so scientific that sometimes, it's kind of funny - like when he narrates hedgehogs trying to mate in his back yard. Anyway, we found this entire series to be thoroughly enjoyable, educational and a treat for our son as well.

WOW!!! Stupendous.
I have not yet watched Attenborough's other series, but the 9th movie in this series (_The Social Climbers_) was so outstanding it made me beg for the others. I was not disappointed, although _The Social Climbers_ (monkeys) is my favorite. _The Insect Hunters_ (insectivores) and _Chisellers_ (rodents) are almost as good. All the episodes are densely packed with wonderful information and footage. Since Attenborough's strength is pointing out the wonders of the ordinary and overlooked, he is at his best when filming small animals. (When filming large animals, he is too preoccupied with their size.) I also liked that the series revealed the filming technologies without becoming too overwhelmed with them, except in the leopard scene of _Meat Eaters_.

There is at least one glaring inaccuracy, in _Meat Eaters_: Hyenas are NOT dogs. They are in their own family, which is more closely related to the cat and mongoose families. Fortunately this is correct in the book. Overall, I highly recommend _The Life of Mammals._

What to expect from the BBC
Charming, enduring, creative, pretty good for a goverment susidized publication. What everyone says about Sir Attenborough is true, he is great to watch and listen to, his presenatations have a way of sucking you in, making you feel apart every moment. Beyond Attenborough's inviting personality there are a plethora genuinely fascinating moments that were achieved thourgh the use of cunning and cutting edge photography. What's really neat is that Sir Attenborough fills you in on some of those photography secrets while leaving you scratching your head wondering "how did they shoot that" on others. In this case, the DVD is worth having, there are a few featurets that made you appreciate the work and research that went into this production, not mention interesting fact filies, a series of intriguing and ocassionaly humourous video clips done to the excellent sound tract. Also this BBC production used more high resolution cameras than some of the other series like "life of birds" did. Even apart from clips shot with a starlight camera (those you expect to be a little grainy), there are a small handful of images that were obviously shot with lesser equipment but ,hey, if you can't forgive those than don't buy anything BBC and stick to recent PBS and Nature presentations. As form follows function, so price follows quality, that's true with the BBC, they've made several 10 epeisode nature series and The Life of Mammals is a little more expensive than most, but rightly so. It was better written, produced, and shot with better equipment (for the most part) than the others. ... Read more

Book Description

The companion audiobook to Ken burns's magnificent PBS television series

The authors of the acclaimed and history-making bestseller The Civil War flow turn to another American phenomenon. Their subject is baseball.

During eight months of the year, it is played professionally every day; all year round, amateurs play it, watch it, and dream about it. Baseball produces remarkable Americans: it seizes hold of ordinary people and shapes them into something we must regard with awe. Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Joe DiMaggio ... truly gifted human beings acting out universal fantasies that, for whatever reason, are most perfectly expressed on a baseball field.

All this and more rings through Ward and Burns's moving, crowded, fascinating history of the game -- a history that goes beyond stolen bases, triple plays, and home runs to demonstrate how baseball has been influenced by and has in turn influenced, our national life: politics, race, labor, big business, advertising, and social custom. The audio covers every milestone of the game: from the rules drawn up in 1845 by Alexander Cartwright to the founding of the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players in 1885, from the 1924 Negro World Series through Jack Roosevelt Robinson's major-league debut in 1947, and Nolan Ryan's seventh and last no-hitter in 1991.

Monumental, affecting, informative, and entertaining -- Baseball is an audio that speaks to all Americans.

Baseball is available in hardcover from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (93)

A DVD All Baseball Fans Should Own
Ken Burns did his usual outstanding job with this documentary. He tells the story of baseball, using a combination of still photos, videos, interviews and quotes quotes. The DVD includes a bonus disc, which includes several great interviews.

He hits all aspects of the game: The development of the game itself and the leagues, the labor history, the stars and great teams and personalities, the great moments in the history of the game, and so on. He also gives us a pretty good look at the old Negro leagues and we get to hear some of the great stories from those days before MLB was integrated.

The only bad thing I can say about this collection of dvds is that by the time it was over I was really sick of hearing different versions of "Take Me out to the Ballgame."

The great stories in this collection more than make up for that one drawback, however. He does more than just interview and quote the players, managers, umpires, owners and sports writers. He includes stories from fans. Doris Kearns Goodwin told about how she grew up rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers, then after they moved away, she found herself in Boston, becoming a Red Sox fan, just in time to have her heart broken again.

All fans of baseball should see this collection.

this is a 'must see' for people who love baseball
THIS BEAUTIFUL AND METICULOULSY CRAFTED FILM ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL, TRACES IT'S ROOTS IN AMERICA FROM THE 1830' TO THE 1990'S. ANYONE WHO HAS SEEN KEN BURN'S CIVIL WAR SERIES KNOWS HOW WELL THE AUTHOR COVERS HIS SUBJECT. THIS NINE TAPE SET LETS YOU SEE THE EVOLUTION OF AMERICAS GAME. THROUGHT A COLLECTION OF STILL PHOTOGRAPHS AND EARLY MOTION PICTURES YOU CAN SEE THE LEGENDS THAT YOU HAVE ONLY HEARD OF IN BOOKS AND FROM YOUR OLDER RELATIVES. CAP ANSON AND 'HOME RUN BAKER COME TO LIFE, TY COBB AND HONUS WAGNER, AND GROVER CLEVELAND DISPLAY THEIR ATHELETIC PROWERESS ON JERKY SPOTTED FILM. THE NARRATIVE IMPECCABLY DONE BY JOHN CHANCELLOR AND A HOST OF WELL KNOWN FANS SUPPLIES YOU WITH A RUNNING COMMENTARY OF THE PLAYERS AND THEIR STORIES OF MOST OF THE HONORED MYTHS. THE STORY IS TOLD IN A CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER SEPARATED INTO ININGS, A TOTAL OF NINE. THEY ALSO COVER THE 1910'S AND THE BLACK SOX SCANDAL. THE 20'S AND THE 'BABE'. THE 30'S AND THE 'IRON HORSE'. ON INTO THE 40'S WITH 'JOLTIN JOE' DIMAGGIO AND TED WILLIAMS. THE WAR AND IT'S EFFECT ON THE GAME WITH THE BIRTH OF WOMEN IN PROFESSIONAL BALL. THE INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF JACKIE ROBINSON AND THE INTERGARATION OF THE 'NATIONAL PASSTIME'. INTO THE 50'S AND THE RISE OF NEW STARS LIKE MICKEY MANTLE,WILLIE MAYS,HANK AARON AND THE TRIALS OF THE BROOKLYN DODGERS. THE SERIES COVERS THE EFFORTS OF PLAYERS TO OVER THROW THE HATED RESERVE CLAUSE WHICH BOUND EVERY PLAYER TO ONE CLUB FOR HIS LIFETIME. EACH TAPE HIGHLIGHTS THE WORLD SERIES OF MOST OF THE YEARS. THE THROWING OF THE SERIES BY 6 SOX PLAYERS, THE PICTURE OF BABE RUTH CALLING HIS SHOT AGAINST THE PIRATES. THE MIRACLE CATCH BY MAYS IN '54' AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF AMERICA IN DIMAGGIO'S INCERDIBLE STRING OF 56 GAMES SAFELY HIT IN. IT ALSO HAS ITS SHARE OF ZANIES AND SHOWS SOME OF THE WARTS OF THIS GREAT GAME. THE CURSE ON THE BOSTON REDSOX BY BABE RUTH AND THE INCOMPRABLE SATCHELL PAGE. THE MIDGET HIRED BY BILL VECK AND THE EXPRESSIONS COINED BY THE LIKES OF CASEY STENGEL AND YOGI BERRA. THE LOVEABLE CRAZINESS OF BILL LEE. IT'S ALL HERE IN ABOUT 10 HOURS OF VIEWING WHICH WILL PASS IN FLASH LIKE THE PICTURES ON THE SCREEN. YOU MUST WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY IF YOU GREW UP IN AMERICA IN THE 40' AND 50'S LIKE I DID- TO RECALL THOSE WONDERFUL LOSE DAYS OF CHILDHOOD SPENT ON THE BASEBALL FIELD AND THOSE WHO WERE NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH, TO SEE THE FABLED PLAYERS OF THE PAST.

View it as entertainment, not as history
Ken Burns is becoming well-known as much for what he leaves out of his documentaries as for what he tells you and how he tells it. One sees it somewhat in the Civil War documentary (unless of course you are a Lost Cause devotee, in which case you view that series as horribly biased and riddled with errors), and it is definitely (and troublingly) evident in his Jazz documentary, where 40 years of jazz is virtually glossed over in favor of an almost obsessive fixation on Louis Armstrong. In the case of "Baseball," Burns again leaves out huge chunks of the story, although the end result is nonetheless entertaining.

In the case of "Baseball," the unrelenting focus is on New York City, Babe Ruth & Jackie Robinson, and to be fair, there is no way you could discuss the subject of baseball without devoting a great deal of time to these subjects. However, the title of the documentary is "Baseball," not "The New York City, Babe Ruth, and Jackie Robinson Story," and it is possible to watch this documentary at times and come to believe that nothing else was happening out side of New York most of the time.

I recall reading a Sports Illustrated article a few years ago that discussed the Philadelphia Athletics from 1929-1931, and made the case that that team was better than the famed "Murderer's Row" Yankees of 1926-1928, and possibly the best team in baseball history. The article's author crunched the numbers, compared the stats, and made a pretty compelling case. He then asked why so little attention has been paid to the A's over the years, and posited that because most of the nation's important papers and sportswriters were based in New York City; by default the majority of the great sportswriting was devoted to the Yankees, while relatively backwater Philadelphia languished in obscurity. It seems to be the same situation with Burns. While other incredibly dominant teams such as (in the early years) the Chicago Cubs, the A's, the Pittsburgh Pirates & the Detroit Tigers are given passing mention, they are quickly shoved on the back burner in favor of the Boston Red Sox & New York Giants. Then the Yankees & the Dodgers begin to coalesce, and it is all New York, all the time. One gets no feeling for how dominant the 1929-1931 A's (or the St. Louis Cardinals of the mid-1930's) were, because Burns continually focuses on Babe Ruth & the Negro Leagues.

When Burns gets to the 1950's he can be excused, because really it was a New York-dominated decade like no other. However, the other decades did in fact see a more competitive balance, and one would not get this impression from the documentary.

It would have been nice if Burns hadn't crammed the last quarter century of his story into one "inning." Are you telling me that the stories since 1970 aren't as compelling as the early years of baseball. I don't believe that Burns would have had to devote that much more time to the post-1970 era to make it feel less cursory and rushed. This is a somewhat annoying tendency of his that was more griveously evident when he made "Jazz."

Also, I get a little tired of the "poetry of baseball" school of thought. It isn't as though I am some knuckle-dragging troglodyte who gets all his news from sports radio; I am just as likely to go to the opera as to the ballpark. This baseball as metaphor for how the cosmos works gets on my nerves after a while (although I consider Roger Angell's comment "there's more Met than Yankee in all of us" to be priceless beyond description). It's not that baseball doesn't imbue our life with a little extra something special, it's just that some of these talking heads tend to get a little overwrought.

I enjoyed watching the documentary the first time, and I have watched it probably half a dozen times since over the years. By comparison, I have watched "The Civil War" about 15 times, I would guess. I was so disappointed with "Jazz" that I managed only a second viewing. In any case, "Baseball" is very entertaining, and that is what largely accounts for my 4-star rating I would only caution those who don't know their baseball history that this documentary omits a great deal of what is a very good story.

Costas at his best
You don't have to love baseball like I do to enjoy this documentary about Americas pastime. Although I got a little tired of Ken Burns style (I think it's unnecesary to quote someone and THEN state the name of the person being quoted, a Ken Burns trademark) the material is just too great and too American to be disliked. The best part? I was mesmerized by Bob Costas' description of events that took place in the BoSox clubhouse during their 9th inning collapse in game six of the 1986 World Series. When he recollects his "What do I do if they tie it?" remark to his producer it is fascinating, thrilling, and in the end, very sad. Just more proof that baseball is "designed to break your heart". Trust me on this one.

Great documentary but what's the deal?
Has anyone noticed that the times given for each "Inning" (i.e., disc) on the DVD is wildly inaccurate? Am I missing material or what? Almost every inning is under two hours according to my DVD player but the case usually indicates a time of 145 to 155 minutes or more. Are there hidden easter eggs on the disc or is PBS just wrong?
jr ... Read more

Reviews (2)

MOBS
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT BUY FOR ANYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF "MAFIA ACTIVITY." THIS BOX SET IS THE GREATEST RECOGECTION OF MAFIA DOCUMENTARIES.

this movie is about average
The movie was ok but did not compare to some of the other movies on the same subject. Although it was worth watching at least once. ... Read more

Description

On 6 DVDs this spectacular set brings you the complete television transmissions and onboard film of the Apollo 17 mission - the last lunar mission of the Apollo program. Featuring complete coverage of training, preparation, launch, recovery and more, this set brings you rare onboard recordings (such as audio from inside the command module during launch) and delivers over 27 hours of material documenting this historic mission. Featuring unique commentary from interviews conducted at the time of the mission, you'll get a fascinating look at what going to the moon is really like... until we go back, of course. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Originally broadcast on CBS in March 2002, 9/11 is an extraordinary record of that fateful day in New York City. This one-of-a-kind documentary was originally conceived as a portrait of 21-year-old Tony Benetatos, a firefighter trainee at Manhattan's Duane Street firehouse, located seven blocks from the World Trade Center. By the time filming was finished, brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet had captured history in the making, including the only image of the first jetliner striking Tower 1, and the only footage from within the tower as it collapsed. This is not, however, a film about the murderous nightmare of terrorism. It's the ultimate rite-of-passage drama, more immediate and meaningful than any fiction film could be, with Benetatos and his supportive colleagues emerging as heroes of the first order. Sensitively narrated by codirector and fellow firefighter James Hanlon, 9/11 will endure forever as a tribute to those, living and dead, who witnessed hell on that sunny Tuesday morning. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (126)

No sugar coating here
I watched the TV broadcast of this film not knowing what to expect. What I got was an excellent documentary which started out mildly enough with two French film makers following the training of a probationary firefighter in New York City. Unfortunately for them, it looked as if they were going to make a rather run-of-the-mill, uneventful documentary. It apparently had been a slow summer for the FDNY. Then came the morning of September 11, 2001 and a routine call to check out a gas leak on a city street. What followed is the most important film of that day ever. There are no talking-head news reporters. There are no politicians making speeches. What we see are the firefighters in the lobby of the World Trade Center, having no idea what is really happening above them. From their position inside the building they couldn't see what we were seeing outside. They were kept guessing. But they could see enough to know that people were jumping out of the building. Although they had to wonder what could be so bad above that jumping from those upper stories was preferable to waiting for whatever happened, these firefighters also knew that it was their job to go up and meet headon with whatever those who jumped were fleeing. This documentary shows a side of September 11 that we were not allowed to see in the media. Everyone should see this at least once.

An Amazing Story
This was truly one of the most powerful and personal stories I've ever seen aired about the September 11th tragedy.

Originally planned to be a documentary about a probationary firefighter, the filmmakers, two French brothers, just happened to be filming at the firehouse on that horrible morning. The first brother was actually riding along with some of them firemen who were on a call right near the World Trade Center. He managed to capture on film the roar of the first plane overhead and the startled looks of the firefighters hearing it, then actually followed the first plane's path into the building. He stayed with the team and actually has footage of being inside the lobby of the Tower. He stayed there until the second building was evacuated. The second brother also managed to capture some truly remarkable film, as he stayed with the "newbie", then set off to find his missing brother, who he assumed was killed.

This film is not about gore, but just a very real, very personal story of a bunch of guys who were just doing their jobs and what happened to them that morning and in the days following the disaster.

This is a great story.

Examine the details of plane's impact frame by frame
Ask yourself to be objective. Watch the impact of the plane and look at the plane closely. What do you see? Watch it a few times. I'm not sure that most of us are ready to scrutinze the images of the planes hitting the towers objectively to make sure that what our eyes tell us jibes with what we have been told to believe. I see disturbing anomalies that have yet to be explained. The second plane, Flight 11, has something unusual attached to the right side of the fuselage. That's what I see.

Priceless
Michael Moore "thinks" he makes documentaries. He needs to take lessons from Jules and Gedeon Naudet. This film left me with tears in my eyes and a new found respect for those who are Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and the like. MUST SEE, MUST SEE, MUST SEE!!!!!God Bless America

When God Directs a Film...
Of all the disaster films I've seen, they all seem to have a basic sequence of events. Introducing the characters, initiation of the disaster, struggle in the midst of the disaster, "just when you thought it couldn't get any worse", and the aftermath. This accidental disaster film is no different.

Only God, knowing what was going to happen, could have placed the Naudet brothers exactly where they needed to be to fully cover this horrific event. With the brothers separated, one inside Tower 1 and the other outside anxiously trying to get to his brother, we are able to witness what the firefighters and New Yorkers experienced on September 11, 2001. We also see the trauma of loved ones separated from each other as the filmmakers try to find each other.

The suspense of waiting for each of the firefighters to return to the station at the end is also well orchestrated by God with the initial focus of the film, Probationary Firefighter Benetatos being the last to arrive.

WELL DONE JULES AND GEDEON NAUDET! PTL! ... Read more

Description

The definitive series on the most colorful, popular and perfectly adapted creatures on earth, The Life of Birds traverses the globe, covering 42 countries and examining over 300 different species. Calling upon the immense skills of many of the world's top wildlife cameramen and women, and pushing filming technology to the limits, new behavior is brought to the screen in staggering detail. Infra-red cameras find oilbirds deep in pitch black caves. Ultra slow motion film unravels the complexities of bird flight and ultraviolet cameras reveal the world from a bird's point of view. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Great is the only word to describe The Life of Birds.
David Attenborough's series, The Life of Birds, is quite simply the best documentary wildlife program I have ever seen. First, hats off to the photographers who spent countless hours patiently waiting for that one moment when, for example, a hawk plummets from the sky to capture its prey on the ground. We watch in wonder as this magnificent bird folds its wings and falls at speeds of 200 mph and more to the ground to stike and then lift quickly the unsuspecting animal in its talons. On the other end of the spectrum we observe a hummingbird remaining still in the air while its wings are beating a hundred times a second as it delicately licks nectar from a flower. Before television we have never had a chance to see these wonders so closely and so immediately. These great photographers reveal the mysteries of nature hidden from all but a very few naturalists.

David Attenborough is our guide in this wonderland and he treats us like a friend along for a walk in the woods or the frozen tundra of the North Pole, as well as the rest of the planet that he has wandered in his search for undiscovered truths about the habits of birds. Attenborough takes great risks on our behalf. With line and pulley his ascends to the tops of trees in the Amazon rain forest or the eagles nest high in the rocky mountains.

Not a moment is wasted. Each minute of every program is filled with sights and sounds, facts and figures, and thoughtful commentary about the life of birds. We think of ourselves as the masterbuilders of planet earth until we see the weaver birds using spiders' silk to sew a nest using the leaves of trees and thatch carefully gathered to make a home for the eggs that hatch into young as carefully tended as a mother tends her child.

Our DVD player gives us options no naturalist ever had. We are able to slow down and freeze frame extraordinary sights and study them carefully before we move on. Here is an education no book can match or field study replicate. When the last program ends we have the satisfaction of knowing that the whole show is available to us again and again to view at our leisure.

Great is the only word to describe The Life of Birds and first-time viewers will be delighted by all they see and hear. This is a program for everyone and a great investment for any home library.

Watch the DVD, and then get the book...
I first watched this incredible documentary on PBS, video recorder running every single time. Eventually I decided to get the book that accompanies the series. What an understatement!--the book is a definite stand-alone for those of you who prefer to read. So here is what I recommend to anybody who is even remotely interested in nature documentaries: Buy and watch the DVD, and then, if you're as hooked as I was, do yourself a favor and buy the book. Sir David Attenborough's voice literally jumps off the pages with every single word, which makes for a very entertaining read. But I found that there was a lot of information that I had missed when I watched the series. Upon reading the book, I was amazed at how much I had learned without even realizing it. Little tidbits such as: what purpose do egg shapes serve, how does a mother bird know which squawker to feed next, etc., etc. Marvelous info, incredible photography, a must see/read for any bird enthusiast, and a treat for the rest of you who don't know as of yet that you may well become one... It doesn't matter that our garden bird varieties aren't mentioned in particular, because watching and reading about birds will open your eyes and ears to the birds around you and make you appreciate them for the biological wonders they truly are. -- Oh, and yes, I upgraded to the DVD and gave the tapes to a good friend.

Exactly what we expected from Attenborough!
My wife and I bought The Life of Birds from Amazon without seeing a minute of it. We had seen The Life of Mammals and Blue Planet enough times that we both felt confident that we knew what we were getting. We were right. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that I can't quite say it was as good as Blue Planet, which blew me away.

Based on our previous experience with The Life of Mammals and Blue Planet, what were we expecting, you might ask? Well, first of all, we knew we'd be getting an outstanding nature documentary series featuring a dizzying variety of animals. We were also expecting informative, yet not overly intrusive narration from David Attenborough. Last, we were expecting a series that our 2-year-old would be riveted to and want to watch over and over again, which is what happened with the first two series. As I said earlier, that's what we expected and that's what we got.

Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed Winged Migration. But as far as documentaries go, it really is a different bird (if you will). The Life of Birds is engaging in a way that Winged Migration is not - it strives to teach, not to create art. The footage may not inspire quite so many "How did they get that shot?" moments as Winged Migration, but there are plenty of scenes that make you wonder. Add to that the fact that there are so many bird species from all manner of habitat in this series that you'll lose count after the first installment.

The 3-disc set consists of 10 episodes:

TO FLY OR NOT TO FLY: Features computer animated sequences on the origins of flight and how birds evolved from pterasaurs - very similar to that in Walking With Dinosaurs. Also great footage of birds hunting insects, including a bee eaters, kiwis, and a hornbill.

THE MASTERY OF FLIGHT: An in-depth look at the anatomy of flight featuring albatrosses, pelicans, hummingbirds, snow geese and various birds of prey. There's a great scene where an osprey nabs a trout, picks it up and turns it head first in mid-flight to reduce drag.

THE INSATIABLE APPETITE: Deals with the constant search for food, largely as a result of flying being so energy-intensive. Features woodpeckers, sap suckers, geese, lorikeets, hornbills, crows, robins and macaws.

MEAT EATERS: Deals almost exclusively with birds of prey, such as owls, eagles, kestrels, shrikes, and hawks, as well as a few that you wouldn't expect (vultures and flamingos). Amazing flight footage in this episode, and very much feels the same as those documentaries of lions eating zebras in Africa.

FISHING FOR A LIVING: Pretty self-explanatory title, featuring dippers, ducks, skimmers, kingfishers, gulls, cormorants, herons, cranes, albatrosses and assorted shore birds.

SIGNALS AND SONGS: A detailed analysis of the reasons and ways that birds communicate. Features robins, blackbirds, finches, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, bell birds, toucans and a whole bunch of birds whose names I'd be sure to misspell if I tried.

FINDING PARTNERS: You can't talk about mating birds without talking about peacocks, right? Well, they did. However, there are grebes, Jamaican streamer-tailed hummingbirds, red-headed weavers, an odd-looking pheasant, a Scottish grouse, the calf bird (which moos to attract a mate) and hedge sparrows.

THE DEMANDS OF THE EGG: Looks at the hassles birds go through to protect their eggs, including a close look at nesting. Features terns, dippers, frigate birds, warblers, weaver birds, red-breasted toucan, cuckoos, and imperial pigeons.

THE PROBLEMS OF PARENTHOOD: Deals with the non-stop effort of feeding some demanding kids that bird parents seem to go through. The young bird footage is great. Features Australian Rosella parrots, coots, cuckoos, Andean torrent ducks, red geese, Arabian babblers, and open billed storks.

THE LIMITS OF ENDURANCE: Examines birds living in hostile environments, and co-existing with people. Also handles conservation efforts, as well as a brief recap of birds that have gone extinct in the last hundred years or so. Features penguins, sand grouse, crab plovers, Arctic gulls, vultures, crows in Japan (some amazing urban footage here), purple martens, and a host of endangered birds.

Excellent
Excellent work! Excellent Narration! Excellent Picture Quality! Five Mega Stars!!!

The worst thing is the video transfer...
...or dvd compression, or whatever.

Beyond the rather grainy/fuzzy look to a lot of the episodes, this is David Attenborough's opus to his favorite animals, the birds. Well, I can't be sure they are his favorite animals, but it would seem that way from his treatment of them in this and several of the other 'Life' series.

OK, perhaps a second complaint might be that we've seen a little of this before with 'Trials of Life', but unlike 'Life of Mammals' that alternatively feels too recycled or stretching too hard to find the weirdest thing we've never seen (IE the Golden Mole), 'Birds' gets right down to its lessons in Ornithology.

Not that it's anywhere near as brainy as Life on Earth--I'm pretty sure nature lovers of any age will dig it--but it doesn't go for flash the way 'Blue Planet' (admittedly only narrated by Attenborough) or 'Mammals' does. Common species do the job of telling the story Attenborough has for us just as well as the species from the 'wind-swept plains of patagonia'. With the stylistic flourish paired down, Attenborough's love and enthusiasm for avians shines through and we get something that all the special infra-red cameras and weird post-editing couldn't accomplish. Ultimately, 'Life of Birds' is both informative and enduring, while Attenborough's continued arguments for conservation and preservation of species will fall silent on only the most unfeeling viewers. If Attenborough's goal was to establish a sense of marvel toward a group of animals we often take for granted, he has accomplished this and perhaps a little more.

A strong series that stands alone or works well in conjunction with many of Attenborough's other works. Recommended! ... Read more

Description

Ride into Aqaba with Lawrence of Arabia. Stand with Patton as his tanks lead the Allied breakout from the coast of Normandy. Patrol the nighttime jungles of Vietnam... A CENTURY OF WARFARE explores the pivotal battles, profiles the commanders and chronicles the myriad ways in which war has shaped the modern world. The 26 hour-long episodes in this monumental set feature an encyclopedic collection of archival film dating back to 1896, creating an unforgettable visual record of every major military engagement from the precursors of World War I to the liberation of Kuwait. THE HISTORY CHANNEL is proud to present this epic, landmark series, now available in its entirety and presented on DVD for the first time ever. DVD volumes:

Volume 1: (3 hours, 28 minutes):
--The Violent Century: THE CENTURY OF WARFARE opens with a look at the defining characteristics of modern war and the development of the weapons that revolutionized combat.
--The World Goes to War: Explore the factors that led to the outbreak of World War I and see why efforts to prevent the coming conflict failed.
--Blood and Mud: Harrowing photos and rare footage show the grim reality of trench warfare on the Western Front.
--War of the Eagles: Three empires clash on the Eastern Front, until the Russian Revolution topples the Czar and the nation withdraws from the fight.

Volume 2: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--Battle Fleets and U-Boats: Naval warfare in World War I, from submarine attacks and supporting forces on land to the Battle of Jutland.
--Aces High: See how the plane became a weapon, fly with the pioneers of military aviation, and relive the exploits of legendary pilots like the Red Baron.
--War to End All War?: The entry of the United States helped bring World War I to a close, but the harsh conditions of the Versailles Treaty paved the way for a greater conflict to come.
--Enter the Dictators: The years between the World Wars were marked by the rise of totalitarian states in Europe and a growing militancy in the Far East.

Volume 3: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--The War Clouds Gather: Conflicts in China, Spain and Africa presaged the horrors to come, while Hitler cemented his power and prepared for his bloody campaign of aggression.
--Blitzkrieg: Germany's invasion of Poland introduced the world to a new brand of warfare. Less than a year later, the fall of France left Britain to face Hitler essentially alone.
--Britain Stands Alone: The extraordinary heroism demonstrated by British citizens and soldiers and a vital lifeline from across the Atlantic kept England from falling into Nazi clutches.
--Sand and Sea War: In and around the Mediterranean, Monty battled Rommel, American doughboys got their first real combat experience, and the Italian campaign gave the Allies a foothold in Europe.

Volume 4: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--Hitler Turns East: Operation Barbarossa--the largest land invasion ever mounted--sent 3 million German troops and 3,300 tanks into the Soviet Union.
--The Long Road Back: Defeated at Stalingrad and denied entry to Moscow, the Wehrmacht embarked on a two-year delaying action as it retreated to Germany.
--Normandy to the Rhine: Follow the preparations for D-Day and the course of the war in Europe after the successful invasion.
--The End in Europe: As Germany was squeezed in the vice of the Allied advance, the Big Three met at Yalta to plan for the aftermath of war.

Volume 5: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--Oriental Blitzkrieg: Analyze the forces that drove Japan to war and relive the initial victories that gave the Imperial forces an air of invincibility.
--Jungle and Ocean: The American island-hopping campaign drove the Japanese from their Pacific strongholds, but it would take a weapon of a different order bring the war to an end.
--The War at Sea: This sweeping overview of World War II's naval engagements includes footage from Atlantic convoys, major Pacific battles and the amphibious landing at Normandy.
--Air War: Fly in a B-17 on a harrowing daylight bombing raid, see how British aviators staved off the Luftwaffe, and watch as carrier-based fighters battle Zeros in the skies over Midway.

Volume 6: (2 hours, 36 minutes)
--Iron Curtain: Divided at the end of World War II, Europe was a potential flashpoint for 40 years as the superpowers maintained an uneasy peace built on deterrence.
--Oriental Communism: From the withdrawal of the old Colonial powers to the conflict in Korea, instability, regional conflicts and the boiling over of Cold War tensions marked much of the 20th century in Asia.
--Wars in Peace: The perennial problems of civil war, terrorism and bilateral wars have taken on a new urgency in the years since the end of the Cold War, and the international community is struggling to deal with them.

Volume 7: (2 hours, 36 minutes)
--Vietnam: It was a war that proved that might and money do not lead inevitably to victory, and its harsh lessons forced America to rethink its role in the world.
--War in the Middle East: From Israel's continual battles to defend itself to inter-Arab squabbles and the role of oil, trace the many conflicts that have shaken this tumultuous region.
--Gulf War and the Future: The Allied victory over Iraq showed showcased a new generation of weapons and tactics, but evolving threats--particularly from weapons of mass destruction--require a new approach to deterrence. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Well-rounded treatment of 20th Century conflicts.
The Century of Warfare is a somewhat inconsistent but generally satisfying production that mixes flashes of brilliance with equal doses of mediocrity.

The strength of this set lies in attention to detail, such as the strong opening episode which examines the political and social make-up of the world from the late 1800s up to the start of the First World War. Factors often overlooked by more conventional military history video productions are given their just due, including a refreshingly thorough examination of the Balkan tinderbox.

World War I is given very detailed treatment, particularly in lesser known theaters. For example, the episode entitled Battle Fleets and U-Boats takes the time to cover many secondary naval clashes, as opposed to the usual tunnel-vision emphasis on submarine warfare and the Battle of Jutland.

World War II is a weak spot, primarily because there are more comprehensive works available, in particular the masterful "World at War" series. However, given the overall scope of The Century of Warfare, these are relatively minor weaknesses.

The Korean Conflict is given more than a cursory look, another conspicuous plus for this production. Many minor conflicts which have been largely ignored (at least by Western historians) are also covered.

Production values are excellent, relying on historical footage with no attempt to edit or correct flaws. This insistence on authentic images imparts an almost tangible immediacy and power to the series.

The one serious weakness is in the narration. Robert Powell's droning, monotonous reading of the script is an excellent prescription for insomnia but does little to support what is often a powerful and gripping visual record.

Taken as a whole, the strengths of The Century of Warfare far outweigh its few weaknesses. This is a superior overview of 20th century armed conflicts, a legitimate bargain for students of military history or anyone wishing to see a major factor in this dynamic and too often tragic period of time.

A well done set with comprehensive coverage
This set more than makes up for the "Disaster" (Victory) At Sea collection recently released by the History Channel.

These discs are wonderfully mastered, with very few recreations ( and those are subtly done ) plus first rate production values: the sound quality is superb, the music plays quitely in the background and adds to the overall effect, rather than being a distraction. The narration is informative, and well paced. The narration comes out front and center in the 5.1 format, with the music providing stereo effects, and the dubbing of the sound effects is well done, and matches the pacing and content of the original silent film well. There is some minor surround info, but that is not a detriment. The discs break the years/events into well chosen blocks, and the net effect is that a great deal of information is presented, without being dull or overbearing. Some of the early moving footage is particularly rare and has been well cleaned up in these transfers. The narrative perspective tends to be British, talking about the "war of 1914-1918" rather than "World War One" as Americans are used to, but the overall effect is very competent and correct. While admitedly no historian, I didn't notice any real gaffs in either facts or the conclusions as presented.
The quality of the transfers is EXCELLENT, holding up very well even on a big screen ( 47" ) in progressive scan. The image is sharp, and well lit. The intro's are a bit repetitous, but at least they don't everwhelm you in blasting modern stereo and then leave the audio to fade out to inteligibility when you get into the program, and each of the 4 major segements on each disc has a "Play all" button so you don't have to endlessly work the remote or the menus.
All in all, a program which displays everything you've come to expect from the History Channel, and provides a level of enjoyment and entertainment you might wish were found on more such DVD sets.
Well worth the cost, and a bargain if you shop around ! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Some call it tagging, some call it writing, still others call it bombing--it's all graffiti.Whether it's art or not is another matter, but it's undeniably illegal.Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant's historic PBS documentary Style Wars tracks the rise and fall of subway graffiti in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s.At the peak of its popularity, graffiti was as much a part of B-boy culture as rapping, scratching, and breaking.The filmmakers present a sympathetic, but well-rounded portrait of their subject through extensive interviews with taggers--notably Seen, Kase, and Dondi--art collectors, transit authorities, and even Mayor Ed Koch, who would eventually put the hammer down.Along the way, they documented the burgeoning breakdance scene, with a focus on the world-famous Rock Steady Crew.The soundtrack features selections from Grandmaster Flash, the Treacherous Three, and other tagger-approved icons of old-school hip-hop. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (24)

'A True Classic'
Not only does this film sum up the creativity of working class youth culture in New York in the 70's/early 80's but it also captures other aspects like passion, determination, character, heart, humour, etc.
The watching experience draws you in, to a point where all your childhood memories come flooding back and you can almost see yourself in certian characters in the movie!
Even though I'm a huge fan of the hole'Hip-Hop'culture myself, you dont even have to be to enjoy this classic piece of footage!, if you are then you'll appreciate it a hole lot more!
The film is a joy to watch from start to finish, it features all of NYC's famous writers from Seen to Shy147, from Blade to Dondi, also captures rare footage of the Rock Steady Crew battling Dynamic Rockers, and the interviews, graf gallerys are great additions to the DVD.
Full marks to Tony Silver, Henry Chalfant and Marther Cooper for making this film.
This is Real Hip-Hop!!!!

Essential Viewing
Film maker Tony Silver and graffiti photographer Henry Chalfant's PBS documentary took the world by storm in 1983. Over the course of an hour, it opened up New York City's train canvasses to the world, simultaneously marking the end of the beginning, and the beginning of the end for underground graffiti and bombing culture. The selection of artists and scensters is impecabble, capturing most (if not all) of the prominent graffiti writers/artists of the time, including Dondi and Seen. Along the way it also provides a snapshot of the early development of other elements of hip hop culture (Rock Steady Crew for breakdancing, and the Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, and Rammellzee for rapping). The film went on to be the United States' entry into the Prix Italia competition, as well as winning prizes and critical acclaim at Films on Arts, the Athens International, Toronto, Sydney, Vancouver, and Houston film festivals. The version on this DVD is the directors cut (seventy minutes) before it was cut down to an hour for TV broadcast, and that's not even including the 23 minutes of deleted scenes which should have been included in the original film! Over the last two decades, this film has been rightfully revered as part of the holy canon of rap history, played at b-boy parties, in the background at hip hop concerts, used as a textbook by legions of young writers, and dissected by cultural studies students alike.

The packaging, liner notes, and video and audio transfer done by Plexifilm are perfect. The deleted scenes and interviews on the second disc done twenty years later are simply amazing (including an interview with the legendary Rammellzee on his particular religion of the letter, some of which can also be found in his interview with The Wire, April 2004). Some of the bonus galleries can be tedious if you're not a huge graffiti fan, but the love and effort that has gone into photographing and presenting them can't be bettered. Henry Chalfant and Tony Silver's commentaries are insightful, and they acknowledge the great forturne both had at being in the right place at the right time, in being able to incoporate into the film the appearance on the scene of the bomber "Cap", and the final victory of the campaign to whitewash the trains by former New York City mayor (and now Republican reactionary) Ed Koch. Likewise the interviews with the editors Victor Kanefsky and Sam Pollard highlight the technical creativity that went into the cinematography. There are also interviews by some latter day personalities, such as Guru from Gang Starr and DJ Red Alert, on the legacy of the early '80's writing scene on them. The "Destroy All Lines" loop gallery (which lasts for 30 minutes) unfortunately has no sound (I believe it is meant to be used as a projection at parties), which is probably the only weakness of the bonuses. All in all though, a beautiful package.

I have very little else to add to the comments people have already made below, and the legion of articles (and doctoral theses?) this documentary has probably inspired. It is a special piece of history for anybody interested in old school hip-hop, documentary film making, New York City, urban anthropology, or the mural arts. I'm presuming the almost universal five star ratings below (with the exception of the one star rating which neonx83's has decided to post in pentuplicate, thus sadly pulling the average down to four stars) will be enought to convince you to go and see this, because it really is perfect in every way.

Nope.
You guys are wrong- I don't know how else I can put it. I'm not going to write about this movie any more. I'm going to go about this in a logical way: if anyone wants to debate the issue of how Style Wars does or does not represent culture, simply IM me! My screen name is Quicksi11ver.

And for the record, I'm familiar with anthropology, world cultures and religions, and world languages. I have been to many places in this country and am educated about the development of African American culture, thanks to history classes and my interest in the evolution of blues and American folk music. I have a great deal of compassion for all minorities, but when the worst aspects of a people are revealed, it is very upsetting to me.

someone should tag neonx83's face...
Word up to the "moron" from cali... the *actual* moron lives in plainview, NY. as everyone can see, mr. neon's commentaries have not inspired anyone (as is remarkably evident by 27 to 30 people checking the "not helpful" box next to his reviews). mr. neon, take a hint, no one agrees with you! maybe you should take an introspective look, and realize that you are a close-minded fool. however, what will actually happen is you'll probably write another dumb review to much of everyone's dismay. really dude, if you are so "ashamed to be reviewing this piece of crap" then stop doing it! are you a little crazy in the head? (ahem, maybe you should get your, um, "head examined" har, har..)
so my two cents on this DVD: buy it, rent it, borrow it. it's cool. hey, i'm not from new york, but it's interesting to see how these kids have made their own little sub-culture (yes, for the record, this is a type of CULTURE. it doesn't matter if you like it or not) in their own little niche of a packed city with trains, concrete, and underground alleys. these kids are really creative. it's like the result of an experiment: you put creative kids in a poor urban setting and what happens: they make their own language, their own art, their own dance, and their own music. plus, if you're tagging, beaking or rapping today, then it's imperative that you learn it's roots. these guys started it all...
as for "mr. neon" (sigh...), go ahead, everybody knows you're going to write another one of your ignorant reviews (especially to rebuff this one. plus, it really would be inconceivable for you to stop at 4 or 5, right?). every time you do, all you end up proving to the world is how ignorant you really are....
(by the way, would you like me to write it for you? they all sound the same, and i know all your little cliches...=)

Please do not add your benighted comments any more...
If you do not think that millions of minorities in the US have created their own "culture" in b-boying/hip-hop/graffitti, then you are either ignorant, naive, or in denial. PERIOD. You evidently have NO IDEA how many people adhere to this style of dance, music and art. And just because YOU don't like it, does not mean that it is not a valid form of expression, or it's own legitimate form of culture.
My suggestion to you: get your own "head examined" (to use some of your overused parlance). Get out of the town you live in, and see that this country has many different types of people, and they all have very different tastes from your own (gee, this should be common sense, right?). And begin to realize that if you think this artform is "hideous", or the films you praise are "some of the greatest pieces of art that this planet has ever produced", then that's just YOUR opinion. If you are too conservative or uneducated (as is likely the case) to realized this, then I'm the one who feels sorry for you!
For the record, I happen to like Japanese films from the 50's (RASHÖMON, and IKIRU to name a couple). Which goes to show that being able to appreciate "Style Wars" does not exclude me appreciating other, very different types of films. It's called "being worldly". Maybe you should look into that... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Until you've seen NASCAR: The IMAX Experience, you haven't really seen NASCAR. Even without the advantage of a gigantic IMAX screen and 70-millimeter 3-D projection, this 48-minute IMAX film is a perfect primer for newcomers to the sport of stock-car racing. Like all IMAX films it's aimed at a mainstream audience (hardcore NASCAR fans won't learn anything new here), so it covers a broad spectrum of general history, technical information, and pure high-speed adrenaline, from NASCAR's origins in 1947 to the oval-track highlights of the 2003 season. While Lonesome Dove director Simon Wincer captures the action (including some amazing mid-pack and cockpit footage during actual races), Kiefer Sutherland narrates an informative survey of season-long activities, from car building and safety measures at Mooresville, North Carolina, to pit-crew practice, transportation logistics, constant danger and its effect on drivers' wives and families, and the aerodynamics of drafting. Interesting trivia (each tire costs $389!) is included along with driver profiles and a compilation of memorable race finishes, but it's the IMAX footage that makes this a thrill-a-minute DVD, perfect for anyone who's just beginning to enjoy the world's fastest (and fastest-growing) sport. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Don't Buy It..
Unlike some of the other detractors of this DVD. I don't care about it not being 3-D or whatever.I was let down in a big way.I am not a big NASCAR fan, but I do live&breathe motorsport , so I thought "what the heck,this looks good". While it served as a decent documetary,with interesting facts and so on. I felt the "action" portion of the program is what let me down.Simon Wincer missed the mark as far a I'm concerned.The hodge-podge editing of multiple tracks/events as one raceday seemed contrived. Just my humble opinion.

a visual knockout but it could have had more racing footage


There would be no point in denying that "NASCAR: The IMAX Experience" loses a little something in its transference to the small screen.However, it's still an eye-popping documentary for both diehard racing fans and those viewers who know little or nothing about the sport - although the hardcore aficionados might wish there had been a little less talk on the soundtrack and a little more action on the racetrack to make the experience a more compelling and complete one.

This comes as a bit of a surprise, especially considering the fact that the film was originally shot in the 3-D IMAX format.One might reasonably expect that the movie would be little more than a succession of speeding cars and hurtling objects aimed directly at the stunned eyes of the audience.Not so, for the movie actually spends far more time on the nuts-and-bolts, behind-the-scenes aspects of NASCAR than on the racing itself.The film provides a brief background on the organization's less-than-savory moonshine roots, then proceeds to fill us in on various aspects of the sport itself, including the construction, specifications and testing of the cars, the training of the pit crews, the loyalty of the fans, etc.It also takes time out to honor the memory of the late racing great Dale Earnhardt, although due to the film's rather meager 49 minute running time, the tribute, like virtually everything else in the movie, comes across as a little more halfhearted and perfunctory than, perhaps, in all good conscience, it should.

To get most of the racing shots, director Simon Wincer strapped his camera crew into vehicles of their own in order to provide audiences with an experience as close to the real thing as possible. The majority of these sequences come in the last ten minutes or so of the film.As with all IMAX productions, the clarity and beauty of the picture is, indeed, a wonder to behold, with the colors literally leaping off the screen in many-hued splendor.Even without 3-D glasses and a two-story sized screen, this is a great visual experience. Now if they could have just shown a little more racing...

Vrrrroooooommm !!!!!!!!!
Wow.From Boogedy, Boogedy, Boogedy to the Star Spangled Banner (which gives me chills when i watch it) this movie ROCKS!!! I loved to get up close with the racers and feeling like you are actually along for the ride! The quality of this movie is unlike any other I have seen...I am so impressed with this DVD! NASCAR fans-- I HIGHLY recommend it!!! You wont be disappointed.

Exciting and Enjoyable
As a huge NASCAR fan, we had to rush out and see this IMAX film.While I had never seen something like this before, the experience itself was fascinating.The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the driving scenes had to be created using special equipment.It's not like they filmed this during an actual Daytona 500. Even if I had known this BEFORE going to see it, I still would have gone...because it was a rather cool experience.I'm not quite sure how you will get the same effect at home - unless, of course, you have a heck of surround sound system and a mammoth TV!

No 3D??!!
I don't understand why they couldn't have released this in 3D.The Imax movie, Santa vs the Snowman, was and so was Spy Kids 3D.Other than that, it's as great as the four times I went to see it in the theatre. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Finest planetary voyage
Welcome to the best documentary series ever. Yes, BETTER than Dinosaurs (which depended largely on sensational computer visuals)! Whether you have only a passing interest in astronomy or have read a hundred books about it, this series will steal your heart. Every single aspect is flawless. The musical grandeur of Gustav Holst's symphony and the warm, captivating voice of the British narrator make up the aurals. No artificial excitement, no badly chosen music, PERFECT. The visuals include stylish computer animations and footage that makes you wonder how deep they actually had to dig... The first footage of a human being outside the atmosphere (jumping out of a balloon), the first on-board rocket footage, the earth as a blue dot captured by an ageing Voyager looking back at its birthplace. The content isn't exactly dumbed down, either. Even for an amateur like me, there were plenty of new things to discover. It contains many interviews with astronauts, Russian and American space-project leaders, the finest available planetary geologists, exo-biologists and trendsetting astronomers. Providing not only information, but also a true sense of passion and childlike wonder. Hear how an American airforce officer tries to describe his silent jump through the outher layers of our atmosphere, falling back into "known territory". How Gene Cernan had the almost transcendental experience of covering all of human history (earth) with his thumb. How a NASA scientist was the first to see the other side of Saturn via a Voyager picture... If this series doesn't get you excited, you must be dead.

What we know so far - And well done too!
A solid trip through the drama that is the science of Space. Deftly delivered details of the wealth of data gathered thus far by the world's astronomical community. The masterfully designed menus move the viewer effortlessly to the desired content segment. They are SO nice, you can sit and watch them and be entertained.

As a documentary, the facts are well presented and conveyed in digestible chunks. Concepts like Earth/Mars similarities, and life's early transport across the Sol system, were introduced seamlessly and reinforced throughout the volumes. As a drama, yes a drama, thematic and conceptual material is expertly woven throughout the entire series.

Technically, this set is a gem. It is a shining example of masterful editing techniques, Computer graphics production, DVD production methods, and videography.

On the whole, "The Planets" is a must buy for anyone interested in learning more about the cosmos. There's even a cameo of the well loved and sorely missed Carl Sagan. Shine on Carl!

A MUST BUY.

Zooming back and forth


This is acceptable for young children, because no topic is covered at any length at any one time. This is fine for kids who can't sit still long enough to get a lot of detail. And the presentation continues for four disks, revisiting most topics at least once.

Unfortunately it doesn't really do more than reiterate pretty trite information and opinions, despite the abundance of interviews with quite a number of people in the US and former Soviet space programs. The fact that the USSR made an attempt to probe Mars in 1961 is remarkable, but the complete failure of the mission is not mentioned at all.

Probably the best of the eight programs in this collection is "Moon", which is strictly about the Apollo missions to the Moon, which remain the most amazing achievement of the space age. Also, that program has a single focus and doesn't jump around. The other program from disk two is "Giants", which recounts the US probes to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

"Life Beyond the Sun" on disk four discusses the labeled release experiment, which did in fact detect microbial life on Mars. The program only gives the official NASA view that no life was found, and doesn't bother to interview Gilbert V. Levin, who designed the experiment, and has a long series of published papers defending the results of the experiment and debunking the inorganic chemical "explanations".

The oddly named "Terra Firma" (an ancient name for the Earth) gives a survey of various probe missions to Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and the Moon. "Atmosphere" again discusses Venus and Mars, and repeats the silly claim that there's a "greenhouse effect" at work.

The main deficiency of this package is the repetition and lack of focus. I would have liked more in-depth discussion of (for example) the search for the various planets X (Tombaugh, Van Flandern, but emphatically NOT Zecharia Sitchin, Andrew Collins, et al), focussed comets as an argument in favor of the existence of one, and critical arguments of the possible existence of a trans-Neptunian major planet.

I'd suggest getting this from the video store first and seeing if your children like it, then purchase it if they do.

Okay, but lots of talking heads
This series was okay, but could have been much better. Like all the BCC's work you can't fault it technically, but the abundance of talking heads does get annoying (though there is a little bit of CG). Any fan of space will find the knowledge they recite as rudimentary at best. It's okay for a novice, but otherwise it's pretty boring to hear a guy in a lab tell you basic facts about the solar system.

Some of the archival footage, particularly of the Russian space program is very interesting, however.

Space is incredible but show it to me, don't tell me about it! I think the BBC's upcoming 'Walking with Spacemen' series, which will be 100 percent CGI and use the technology to recreate what it would be like to visit various planets and moons in the Solarsystem will be much more interesting (If you have seen Walking with Dinosaurs then you'll know what kind of breathtaking visuals they should come up with).

Anyway, till then, the Planets is still a great series.

...
*I watched the original BBC version with the male narrating (i think Richard CHamberlain was name)... Apparently some people don't like the american dub.... why they bothered to make it in the first place is a bit confusing.*

Even if you're uninterested in space, other planets, or earth's own origins and achievements, The Planets is worth a vieiwing on the merits of the genrally spectacular visuals alone, and is very capable of sparking an interest in even the most dormant of brains (mine). Although much of the CGI is low-budget tv quality (from 1999~2000), it's generally kept to a minium and the better cgi (like the simulations of an expanding sun) is MUCH better. It avoids the overly serious tone in the narration that seems to be common to these types of documentaries, and although there is some content overlap between segments, it doesn't diminish the experience.

This is a must see for anyone and everyone (although you can probably catch it on A+E or one of the BBC america channels, rather than spend 80 dollars for this box set (which is worth it, I think- though there are a number of equally worthwhile documentaries that cover some similar ground in a much more intellectual fashion, like Cosmos and Stephen Hawking's Universe, but I haven't seen any that, visually, really convey how fantastic the universe is as much as this one). ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Great Magic At A Bargain
You may have caught some of "street magician" David Blaine's act on his TV specials that had limited runs. Not too worry; "David Blaine: Fearless" gathers them all up, and throws them all onto one DVD, and then some. You can generally find this DVD priced the same as "discount" DVDs, so you won't be paying the normal $20 plus that DVDs command.

Blaine's amazing tricks are super-cool but wouldn't have held their own displayed merely in a Vegas showroom; it's the who and where that makes this DVD special. Blaine often performs his tricks up close and with plenty of audience participation, to an extremely diverse set of people. He bites a quarter in half and spits it back to make it whole in front of some LA street thugs. He performs his famous levitation at the Dallas Cowboys training camp, sending Deion Sanders running, his wits barely intact. He pulls various "pick a card" tricks on a pair of grandmothers sitting on a bench, despite their initial declaration that they're not into magic tricks. A bunch of soccer girls at a rest stop scream with glee when makes a name appear out of ash.

Blaine even ventures into a remote South American jungle, where an tribe that has been mostly isolated from civilization serves as the challenge; the only way he can communicate with them is magic, but will "pick a card" mean anything to them or impress a culture with no concept of quarters, Aces or Spades? Blaine adapts and amazes them by squeezing drinkable amounts of water from random places or making a ball multiply within a closed fist. He does this again with other journeys to foreign areas.

Many of Blaine's tricks are true head-scratchers that will leave even the most cynical viewer amused. I've already described a significant amount of his simpler tricks, so I'll leave the rest for the DVD to show, including an act that is more endurance than magic: fighting hypothermia and mental breakdowns as he remains encased in an ice prison on a busy sidewalk for a couple of days.

He has a different sort of charisma; he's so laid back but you still get the sense that he truly treats magic as an art, not as an attempt to hoodwink you; but at the same time he isn't so overly serious that you can associate with him.

This is a great DVD to have; magic is an all-genre, all-gender thing. You can pop "Fearless" in anytime at any setting, be it a small gathering, a big party, or in your portable DVD player while waiting for your flight at the airport. There's very little filler material, which is a good thing; they've packed in as much material as they can.

A must-buy for anyone.

fearless
I thought the video was okay because it gives the regular Joe a chance to be entertained and it gives the magician a chance to see how a trick is delivered. However, many of the tricks that Blaine performs are the same stuff that any magician does. On the otherhand there is some stuff that will leave you wondering how he did that! For the price it's a good buy if you're into magic.

Not miracles, but incredible nonetheless
David Blaine will be the first to admit that his magic is all trickery as amazing as it is. This DVD contains some of the most amazing tricks you'll ever see. I was a bit dissappointed to find that he did use some editing techniques which cheapened his tricks, but if you take the DVD for what it's worth, there is still some amazing content. I guess one of the advantages of using a camera is that you can edit it. As for the levitation trick, in the Bonus Material there is one that shows how it looks to the person watching, which if you slow it down enough, you could see how he did it. It's still very good. Also, many of the card tricks can be figured out if you slow them down, but his ease with the cards is still impressive. There are some tricks I still can't figure out, but that's what makes him a great magician. All these people that criticize him are bogus or jealous. One aspiring magician said that Blaine was hurting Magic, I feel that he lifted it to a new level and made it fun and popular again. One person said that if you call the DVD magic then you might as well call Star Wars magic. That's silly because Blaine rarely uses editing techniques and the magic that does not use it is still incredible. The truth is that everyone that was impressed was real, maybe he didn't show us exactly what he showed them, but he impressed them somehow. It's worth buying. You'll impress all your friends.

Intriguing journey that never cease to amaze you!
My family bought this DVD a year ago. We've been showing to friends and family and everytime we watch, we are still amazed with the ease and flair that David Blaine displayed at each illusion. Some can be disturbing for younger kids like the trick with the chicken's head. But mostly sets you at the edge of your seat and holding your breath at each move.

A must have if you are an illusion and magic lover!

It's All About Deception
David Blaine is a master. This collection of "greatest hits" from his previous three TV specials is astonishing. Yes, it's all an illusion. Yes, super slo-mo allows you to pick many of the card tricks apart. Yes, you can see how he does some of it. But that sure doesn't mean you or I or anyone else could do it.

This is not slick Vegas-style magic. This is one-to-one personal interaction between Blaine and his audience. The send up, with his 'mysterious aura' about him is tolerable. I actually enjoy it, understanding the context with which he presents it. Magic is very, very old, and this guy is as much a student of its history as he is a master of the craft.

I was going to describe my three favorite scenes but then realized that would ruin the presentation. So, I will simply say what they are. Buy this disc and see what you think.

Personal favorite: Asking a woman on the street to think of the name of person important to her.

Second personal favorite: The little girl and her mom at a sidewalk cafe.

Third personal favorite: Levitation. Seeing is believing! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Marlene Dietrich
Its WORSE and BAD and Ugly that this Movie appears when I type in MARLENE DIETRICH - she would rotate in her graveyard here in Berlin when she would know this.

This is toooooo BAD!
I hate and dislike the Nazi-Guys. They were ill and stupid and brought a lot of MESS. It s crazy that in the world some people are playing this time in Costumes? Has the World nothing better to do?

Get better good books and documentary about this then the stupid movies.

Brings this time in history alive.
This video brings this period in history to life. You can actually imagine yourself there. Wonderful new material in color.

Interesting, valuable, but could be better
An interesting work with valuable footage, but too much "filler" material. The inclusion of footage of war criminals Roosevelt and Churchill is especially not within the parameters of "Third Reich in Color." The producers/editors could have cut some of the footage that was unnecessary/inappropriate, and not only not detract from the work, but improve it, even if shorter overall. Their inclusion of the special feature, "Reichshauptstadt Berlin," is a big plus, though.

not worth the buck
I bought this DVD based on the Amazon on-line reviews. I'm not certain if the reviewers are put ups or not, but when they say how great the quality is on this film I really wonder if they've watched the same program I did. The quality is awful!
Come on reviewers help out a little. If this is what you consider great quality, what do you consider bad? Not worth $29.95. More like $2.95. NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL!

Good quality, new material
This DVD contains some interestin