Life (David Attenborough-Narrated Version)

As someone who climbed a mountain or two and dived into some unspeakably beautiful oceanic worlds, watched dolphins at play in their own habitat and spent a few days walking through what we used to call 'jungles' I know that no television experience can possibly replace actually being there. I also know that no human on Earth can possibly be to all the places the BBC crews covered in these series. And, thanks to their hard work, passion and BBC's equipping with the latest in HD gear, what came out is as close to 'being there' as today's technology allows it. 'Life' kept me and the rest of the family captivated often in awe for the four days we spent watching the series, limiting ourselves to one disc per evening to allow ourselves sufficient time to talk about what we were watching and to go back from time to time and replay some of the more stunning takes. I'm not going to say what 'Life' is about because it's not a story. The series was produced by a number of BBC crews who went all over the world to capture so that they could show the rest of us some of the more extreme, more beautiful, more striking and lesser known ways life forms on our Earth act in order to survive as individuals or as species, raise and take care of their offspring, hunt for prey, hide from predators, fight and sometimes cooperate in order to stay alive. Except for the first episode which is a summary of what the rest of the series is about to present, each individual episode of 'Life' covers one specific theme, usually a broad class of life forms - birds, mammals - showing their specific characteristic, adaptations, some of their lesser known forms and behaviors and so forth. The last few minutes of each episode breaks the spell to some degree by showing us what the crew had to do in order to be able to show us the beautiful images we just watched. This is what 'Life' presents: DISC ONE: - Challenges of Life - Reptiles and Amphibians - Mammals DISC TWO: - Fish - Birds DISC THREE - Insects - Hunters and Hunted DISC FOUR - Creatures of the Deep - Plants - Primates 'Life' does not cover everything but what is presented is beautiful and brilliant and it is so because the crews sometimes spent weeks and sometimes expose themselves to great risks just to capture some extraordinary few minutes and sometimes few seconds of 'never seen before' footage. Try to imagine diving without oxygen tanks in the middle of several 40-ton male whales engaged engaged in fight to the death for the right to mate, or spending three weeks following half a dozen hungry Komodo Dragons following a buffalo they've poisoned and waiting for it to die, or covering a lions vs. hyenas war. It's all awesome and informative. Children will learn from watching this but I suggest that the younger ones don't watch it alone because life keeps itself going through an endless cycle of feeding which necessarily involves death. Yes, in many instances we see how well adapted organisms escape their predators but everyone needs to eat and not all the actors in these series are vegetarians. It would probably help if parents were around when seals feast on penguins or when the lovely killer whales are trying to turn a frightened seal into lunch. Life shows extraordinary adaptations, the length to which some parents sacrifice to ensure that their offspring have a chance at their own life and the extreme risks the young adults take for a chance of becoming parents themselves. It's about feeding, surviving, seeking the next meal, taking care of the young and sometimes relaxing and having a little fun. It's fascinating, colorful, action-packed, incredibly beautiful and it's for almost everyone. -- >> Brush your teeth, it's the law! <<

"Life" David Attenborough Version, Bluray: This one is truly amazing, a masterpiece. People always compare between "Planet Earth" (which also has close to a 5 star rating) and "Life". It is actually difficult to compare between "Planet Earth" and this one, but my vote goes to "Life". Planet Earth is also an excellent series but it moves too fast between one continent to another without going into the details. To sum up "Planet Earth is Jack of all Trades but Master of None". But, then again it is my personal opinion. I have both the series and they both are truly amazing. Great work from BBC. Coming back to "Life", please please buy the David Attenborough version. Trust me I have both versions and it is a total different experience listening to Attenborough version. Oprah narration is not very bad, but it is meant for kids- they will love it and it is cheaper too. If you don't want it for your kids and are seriously looking for some knowledge, go for the Attenborough version. It is deep and totally worth the extra money. I don't hate Oprah, but then I never expected anything great from her. It is totally Discovery's fault. Discovery already has spoiled many such series with narration from actors. I bet USA has a lot of good naturalist and scientists, why not use them. "Please Discovery, leave science for scientists". Also, Attenborough version is about 100 min longer and is entirely in 1080p (even the special features are in high definition) whereas the Discovery-Oprah version is in 1080i and no high definition for special features. Another thing, Life by David Attenborough is much cheaper in United Kingdom (at least when I first wrote the review), but do not buy it from there. I already did this mistake but amazon.uk was kind enough to refund my money. It has nothing to do with the region coding, but the UK version is coded in 50i or 50Hz which will not play in most of the US bluray players (US players need 60Hz coding). This thing is not mentioned anywhere on the product but their are 2 ways to know it without opening the bluray package- First, US version has a thicker book case as compared to blue plastic case for the UK version. Second, US version has a picture of Flamingos in the back cover and the UK version has a red frog. Enjoy Life :)

This 4-disc series on the broad subject of "Life" is one more beautiful nature documentary in the BBC's long line of wonderful documentaries. Their photographers have achieved yet another great "tour de force" in filming a sampling of nearly all life forms on the planet (except microbes), often at great risk to their own lives. They traveled to all corners of the Earth to produce these natural histories, and the photography is as creative as it is stunning. Scenes are short, one each on a given species, or pair of species (hunters and the hunted, or symbiotic relationships) - mostly about animals, but one episode on plant life. The treatments are not the slightest bit academic. They cover the basics without going into scientific technicalities or terminology. There are two different versions of "Life", one narrated by David Attenborough and the other by Oprah Winfrey. Supposedly, the episodes are otherwise the same for both versions. I opted for the Winfrey version, as it was much less expensive. Indeed, Oprah's narrations are very different from those of David's, and for that matter, most other narrators of nature films, something which may take a bit of time to get used to. Her intonations are more - shall we say - theatrical, as one would expect from a professional, broadcast journalist. No humdrum monotones for Oprah. However, this is not to say they are inferior in any way, as some reviewers have suggested. "Life" is intended not just for adults. These short scenes and episodes would also be ideal for children (or adults with short attention spans) as well, and a great way to inspire young people to consider a career in biology. The episodes are also perfect for classroom use. I have to believe that this was one of the reasons why the BBC produced the series. Indeed, Oprah's readings may very well be more appreciated by children. When I was growing up, TV and radio ads were performed only by men, for at the time, women weren't considered believable or trustworthy (or whatever). Today, women's voices are heard equally as often, if not more so. So, one more vote for Oprah. The only thing that I find missing in this series, is at least a mention of life itself. That is, what is life? After all, that's the title of the documentary. One would think that the BBC could have made at least a couple passing comments about the nature of life in general. But then again, doing so would have been "academic", "philosophical" or offensive to some religious beliefs.

This has to be one of the most spectacular documentaries ever filmed, and I would recommend this to anyone! There are ten total episodes, and they pretty much cover the gamut of "life" issues. The battle for a mate, the battle for food, and the battle to survive are the three primary aspects of focus, and all three are equally fascinating. The first episode is kind of a generic overview of the premise of "Life" (and life itself). It's a great intro and, in fact, it was this episode I was able to see on a plane that gave me the desire to see the entire show. That said, because it's a generic overview, there is quite a lot of overlap with later episodes that deal with specific. Episodes 2-6 deal with reptiles/amphibians, mammals, fish, birds, and insects--the bulk of the show's "substance." Several episodes have sequences that have never been filmed before, but EVERY episode has something that is jaw-dropping. I really don't want to spoil this for anyone, so let me just say it's completely mind-blowing to see some of the instinctual reactions of these various families of animals. Again and again and again I was amazed and astounded. (Really, I know I'm using a lot of hyperbole, but if you watch it you'll know what I'm talking about!) Hunters and Hunted is episode 7--a variation on the theme of having episodes on different orders of animals. Nothing specific to call out on this episode, but if you're a big fan of seeing bigger animals *try* to eat smaller animals, this episode is for you! The last three episodes go back to the former structure and cover creatures of the deep, plants, and primates. I've seen good documentaries on deep sea creatures before, so this was a little lackluster to me, but it still had fascinating stuff. The plant episode actually surprised me. They had to cheat quite a bit to get the filming of this episode, but I couldn't believe how interesting plant life really is--and how plants, without brains, have similar instinctual reactions to animals. The primate episode was like the grand finale, making the inevitable comparisons to humans, etc. (Personal view here--I don't believe humans are animals.) I will say this, the acts of kindness done by certain of the primates was quite touching! Overall, this is really a priceless show, and I'm so impressed. I'm also anxious to see if some of the other BBC documentaries are as good as this. Feel free to let me know if you've seen them!

Although Life is really nice, it's not as epic as the Planet Earth series. Also the one I got was not HD. And that helps a lot. Go for the BBC version or you will have to listen to Oprah. Shes not a bad person, but her voice has a monotone and nasal quality to it. Also it has a lot of repeat material. Like an overview and then a a recap of the overview with a lot of stuff. So it felt as if you were watching a greater majority of the material twice. Although it comes in 4 disks it could have been done in 2 to 3. It follows much of the same format as The Planet Earth series in the intro, story, and how it was filmed. It is good stuff, but if you have not watched the Planet Earth Series yet I cannot say enough about how good it really is. And if you liked this one, although they are not in competition, Planet Earth blows this one away. Good hunting.

Life 4 Discs, 10 Programs David Attenborough is "Biology"! (Summary for Teachers) Teachers speak of teaching biology before and after David Attenborough in the United Kingdom. This is based on the impact of his earlier "Life on Earth" and "Living Planet" series. A younger David sat down among wild gorillas and personally dove in the Alvin into the abyssal ocean depths. Students held their breath as they came to hear biology in Attenborough's voice. The mere presentation of an animal's or plant's life has little story line. Attenborough's personal involvement became the story line. Several generations of students who saw life through his eyes shared his wonder. He has continued to be involved in additional nature series. He still appeared in scenes in "First Life" (bought by the Discovery Channel and not available in the USA). But the release of "Life" and "Planet Earth" has ensured that biology will continue to be mentally pictured through Attenborough's seasoned voice, just as many generations of Americans viewed world news through the intonations of Walter Cronkite. Two audiences will perceive this high quality footage differently. For viewers with significant outdoors experience, these smoothly transitioning segments are jaw-dropping. But for those electronics-addicted and nature-deprived youngsters, many of these scenes will lack "awesomeness" since the animation world has no constraint of being anchored to reality. Attenborough is no longer seen on-screen but his voice holds these ten programs together. The photography is high-definition quality. New technologies, including gyro vibration-damped helicopter cameras, now make available perspectives that were not possible a decade ago. From satellite to microscopic imagery, it is difficult to imagine how biology will ever move to a time "beyond Attenborough." Even if Attenborough is not "in the picture," segments called "On Location" at the end of each of the 10 programs provide a story line of the camera men and women's adventure that should grip even the electronics-addicted students. While some teacher editions in catalogs are "teacher-proofed" for undertrained biology teachers, the following outline is provided for the professional biology teacher who merely needs to excerpt a segment relevant to their biology coursework. John Richard Schrock CHALLENGES OF LIFE 1) Opening footage is probably the most impressive, featuring bottlenose dolphins making circular mud walls with their tails and driving a shoal of fish to the air where the group lines up to harvest them with mouths wide open; 2) in Kenya, three male cheetahs take down an ostrich by hunting as a team; 3) Madagascar chameleon uses tongue to capture many insects from a distance, in slow motion; 4) Antarctic crabeater seals versus orca killer whales; 5) open ocean shoals of fish are decimated by swordfish while flying fish take to the air to evade predators; 6) brown-tufted capuchins in Brazil use rock and anvil to crack mature palm seeds; 7) Venus fly-trap has hairs, two must be touched within 20 seconds to trigger closure; 8) stalk-eyed fly in Malaysia emerges from pupal case and its eyes must grow apart in males, showing their use in combat; 9)in dry season in Zambia, hippopotamuses move to deeper river areas and males fight for dominance; 10) courtship of Oregon grebes concludes with beautiful "dance"; 11) Northwest Pacific octopus lays eggs in den and cares for its eggs until it dies; 12) Costa Rican poison arrow frog moves each of six tadpoles to canopy, each to a separate bromeliad and then repeatedly returns to provide an unfertilized egg as food; 13) fledgling chin strap penguins in Antarctica must make their first swim while a leopard seal takes a few as a meal; 14) orangutan mother and baby. ON LOCATION: features the challenge of filming in the Antarctic using a sailboat and HMS Endurance's helicopters; challenge of filming leopard seal underwater up close; also tracking killer whales and filming a seal that makes a miraculous escape. REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS 1) Introduction to Komodo Island and the Komodo dragons with males in combat during mating season, but more at the end of this program; 2) a brief set of cameos show the diversity of reptiles and amphibians; 3) South American waterfall toad free falls away when pursued by a snake, while a pebble toad hunted by a tarantula tumbles downhill like a rubber ball; 4) on the Pantanal, pools concentrate caiman crocodiles but when the rain returns, fish swim into their waiting mouths [slight error referring to reptiles as cold-blooded rather than ectothermic]; 5)the basilisk lizard perches on branches over streams and when threatened drops to the stream and walks on water; 6) a Brazilian pygmy gecko is so small it has problems with rain drops but uses its hydrophobic surface to become unsinkable; 7) a panther chameleon has grasping toes, turret eyes and ever-changing skin colors; 8) in the Namib dessert, a female chameleon searches for a mate; 9) Canadian red-sided garter snake emerges on snow, while many males emerge seeking to copulate with the female but one late-emerging male mimics the female chemistry and induces warm males to warm it as well; 10) Madagascar collared iguana lays eggs in sand and buries them but a hognosed snake locates and eats them; 11) Sonoran Desert horned lizard female guards her eggs and drives off a smaller snake, then bluffs a coachwhip snake; 12) Pacific sea krait shown mating then migrates to underwater tunnel and internal cave to lay eggs on land, the young hatch in 6 months and return to ocean; 13) male giant bullfrogs emerge with rains and engage in combat, finally one male guards all the tadpoles and excavates a channel to release them to a pond; 14) final conclusion shows Komodo dragons taking on a water buffalo and waiting out the effect of the lizards' toxic saliva. ON LOCATION: "Chasing the dragon" has tense moments when cameramen are close to the feeding dragons. MAMMALS 1) Waddell's seals at the North Pole dives below the ice and must constantly expand its hole in the ice; 2) the elephant shrew of Africa uses pathways to flee from lizard; 3)Madagascar ai ai taps on wood to detect wood-boring grubs; 4) Arctic tundra has 8 million reindeer that must endure biting flies and long migrations; 5) Congo fruit bats fly to a swamp in Zambia to decimate fruit trees; 6) East African herds migrate while lions protect their kill from hyenas; 7) female polar bear detects carcass of a bowhead whale; 8) South American coatis scavenge as a group for safety; 9) Kalahari meerkats life a communal life; 10)in migration, a grandmother elephant assists a granddaughter mired in a mud hole; 11) female humpback and calf migrate, and males battle to select who mates with a female whale. ON LOCATION: "The heat run" shows filming of male competition pursuing a female. FISH 1) How sailfish separate single fish from a shoal; 2)flying fish lay eggs in a floating frond that sinks; 3) Australian "weedy sea dragon" courtship dance results in male with eggs and hatchlings; 4) convict fish designs tunnels from which thousands of offspring erupt and return; 5) a sarcastic fringehead defends its territory off California coast; 6) Japanese mudskippers feed, males jump in displaying fins, and females lay eggs; 7)in Hawaii, the rock-climbing gobi ascends waterfalls, 8) in Africa, a species of fish clean the surface of hippos; 9) ocean wrasses are cleaner fish while jacks brush against sharks for sandpaper; 10) establishing a reef and the growth of sea anemones; 11) schooling can evade sea lions but sharks can decimate the school; 12) in Belize, snappers gather to breed; 13) the whale shark feeds. ON LOCATION: Filming sail fish feeding frenzy and the flying fish. BIRDS 1) Hummingbird male in the Peruvian Andes "flags" females; 2) in the Ethiopian Mountains, condor-like bird drops bones from on high onto rocks to smash them; 3) red-billed tropic birds battle to keep their food from the frigate bird (Mon-o-war) thief; 4) red knots migrate but time their stopover to coordinate with the horseshoe crab emergence; 5) African flamingoes nest on mud mounds; 6) in the Antarctica, chin-strap penguins must move from sea uphill to the colony; 7) South African pelicans fly in V-formation to reduce drag but also raid baby gannets; 8) the grebe's mating dance (repeat of program one; 9) male sage grouse on booming grounds in Wyoming; 10) New Guinea birds of paradise display and bower birds construct bowers to attract mates; 11) lesser flamingoes have a courtship march or promenade. ON LOCATION: difficulties of filming bower birds in West Padua. INSECTS 1) Darwin's beetle searches for a mate, combats with other males, and mates; 2) elaborate plumes of the male Arctiid moth secrete pheromones to attract a mate; 3) cameos of insect variations and innovation of wings; 4) newly emerged damselfly, selecting a mate and copulation; frogs jump to eat adults hovering over water, underwater egg-laying in plant stems, re-emergence of winged adult from water; 5) monarch migration to Mexico [error: birds do not pull out the toxic parts but select the less toxic by taste; and butterflies do not hibernate, a very specific term, but overwinter and become active]; 6) alkali flies of Mono Lake, California walk underwater to eat algae, are major food for Wilson's Phalarope; 7) an ant-eating beetle uses acid-firing for defense, stick insects fire turpenes, ants squirt formic acid, bombardier beetle directs vaporized chemical; 8) bee hive raided by bear cub, view of barbed stinger remaining in the predator; 9)Japanese red bug "cares" for offspring and provisions "nest" brood; 10) Dawson's bee of Australia have murderous competition among males [error: males cannot sting, stinger is a part of female ovipositor]; 11) grass-cutting ants harvest grass blades, carry segments to nest to cultivate fungus garden, antibiotic saliva, air conditioning system via topside vents to pullout carbon dioxide. ON LOCATION: filming monarchs in Mexico with discussion with Lincoln Brower. HUNTERS AND HUNTED 1) Three cheetah brothers are unsuccessful in hunt for zebra but succeed taking down an ostrich in a repeat of program one; 2) the ibex in the Dead Sea cliffs manages to climb steep slopes and outmaneuver a desert fox; 3) the greater bulldog bat drags its claws at water's surface at night in slow-motion fishing; 4) stoat youngsters lay at hunting techniques which prepare them as adults to take down much larger rabbits; 5) bottlenose dolphins circle a shoal of fish, forming a mud wall with the tail-flapping, and corral the fish so they can harvest them as they jump into the air, a learned behavior unique to Florida Bay and as seen in program one; 6) Alaska brown bear await salmon run at the sea shore; 7) an Ethiopian wolf pack hunts to provide for the dominant female; 8) star-nosed mole shows action of its nostrils underground as well as swimming where it blows and withdraws bubbles to sniff underwater; 9) in an Indian forest, both deer and langurs watch to avoid the Bengal tiger; 10) a California ground squirrel chews snake skin and rubs it into its tail to smell like a snake as it later stands its ground with a rattlesnake; 11) on the Falkland Islands, penguins and elephant seals try to evade killer shales (orcas) but one mother orca risks a shallow pool to hunt. ON LOCATION: Photographing the killer whale that enters the shallow tidal pool. CREATURES OF THE DEEP 1) Abyss includes hydrothermal vents with Pompeii worms, swarms of krill and Humboldt squid that herd fish; 2) under the Arctic ice is a rich bottom life with nemertean worms, sea stars and urchins, especially rich around the corpse of a seal; 3) jellyfish Aurelia drift while a fried egg jellyfish feeds on some of them; 4) spider crabs move en masse and molt while a sting ray eats soft crabs; 5) cuttlefish mate while using color changes and one male mimics a female to confuse dominant male; 6) British Columbia coastal octopus finds a crevice to lay eggs and tends them until she dies in a repeat of program one; 7) sunstar hunts, feeds on octopus corpse in time lapse, then her arm is eaten by a king crab; 8) coral reef island diversity followed by plankton including coral larvae colonizing a sunken boat, contrasted with advanced algae growth on a WWII boat, corals shown eating corals in interface war with time lapse photos, and mass spawning; 9)Great Barrier Reef diversity includes Christmas tree worms, varieties of crabs and shrimp and while only one percent of ocean, holds one-fourth of species. ON LOCATION: Follows sinking of a ship to form an artificial reef; then drilling holes through the ice in Antarctica. PLANTS 1) A sequence shows changes through the seasons in a forest woodland; 2)the battle for light includes time lapse photos of tendrils ascending to t he canopy; 3) air plants grow above the crown and solve the water problem and form their own compost; 4) a sundew in a bog attracts emerging mosquitoes; 5) Venus fly-trap produces nectar and then if two hairs are triggered within 20 seconds, it closes, but flowers need pollination too; 6) sunflowers shown in time lapse photos and includes pollination; 7) Cradle Mountain in Tasmania has a honey bush where the bird must break open the flower for insects to pollinate; 8) Monarch butterfly larvae must survive latex produced by milkweed that can glue many caterpillars, so caterpillars cut the veins and shut off the latex supply while adult butterfly carries pollen sacs; 9) a hummingbird repeatedly visits and defends the Heliconia plant; 10) South African lily plants flowers are circular for seed dispersal; 11) in Borneo, helicopter seeds and paper plane gliders disperse seeds; 12) cactus produces flowers at night for bat pollination, when the seeds ripen, doves disperse seeds; 13) the dragon's blood tree has condensation that is funneled down the leaves to the roots, forms an umbrella for moist soil and young saplings; 14) a desert rose grows on bare rocks; 15) in Australia, the red mangrove in salt marshes has pores in roots, filters salt, concentrates salt in leaves and discards leaves; 16) deciduous leaves are shed regularly; 17) pine tees have anti-freeze in their needles; 18) bristlecone pine grows but 6 weeks a year, needles last 60 years and some trees are over 5000 years old; 19) white water lily emerges on pond; 20) spring wildflowers take advantage of sun before canopy forms; 21) over 10,000 species of grasses, includes rice flowers. ON LOCATION: How the "outdoor" seasonal shot is a composite of outdoor and indoor blue screen techniques. PRIMATES 1) Summary of primate features concludes with `primates remember what they learn" which is a qualified generalization; 2) Ethiopian Hamadryad baboons engage in troop warfare; 3) some Japanese macaque "snow monkeys" enjoy a natural sauna while others are excluded; 4) Congo Basin gorillas establish their territories by chest beating; 5) Madagascar tarsiers are 100 percent carnivorous, hunting insects at night; 6)Thailand gibbons swing and sing in trees to establish their territories; 7)Madagascar lemurs scent mark, compete for mates and mate; 8)Sumatran orangutans feed and use leaves for a rain shelter; 9) African Cape Peninsula baboons raid tidal pools to eat shark eggs and mussels among the kelp; 10) white-faced capuchin monkeys in Costa Rican mangroves pound mussels; 11) brown-tufted capuchins in Brazil use hammer stones to crack palm nuts (in introductory program as well); and 12) chimpanzees in west Africa use tools, stick dipping for ants, mashing palm hearts and nutcracking. ON LOCATION features the canopy photography but mainly the difficulty capturing chimpanzees using tools and buttress drumming.

I was THRILLED to find out that Sir David Attenborough was narrating this.I buy most of my things through [...]..he let's me know what/when/where/price..he does all the research for you..and you get his newsletter once a day with the deals..not many..the most would be 15 /day to look at..so sign up..I have made at least 25 purchases through his research...and this DVD was an example of one buy...I loved the Discovery series,got a Sony Bluray & LG Flatscreen(from Brads)...and my FIRST bluray DVD was this series. I was so HAPPY to find out that someone other than Oprah was narrating it & somewhat surprised cause I know she is super picky about projects. I guess for the American audience they did her voice & for everyone else David's voice as it is BBC's production. I did get a bit tired of hearing Oprah's voice around hour #5...I never tire of Davids voice..it has always calmed me and I always relate his voice to anything to do with nature. As a kid, way before any of these specials, I was fascinating by anything to do with nature.I could spend hours looking at an ant farm in my back yard..How the heck did they know where to go and find their way BACK home?? those were my thoughts at 7/8/9 years old..not to mention the butterflies and how the heck did they come out of the worm thing???...always fascinated me and as an adult, it takes me further & more interested now more than ever about our environment. If you have ANY joy at looking at nature films, this bluray series is just FOUR discs and about 16 hours of breathtaking capture of nature at it's BEST!.They spared not a penny or PATIENCE from the naturists in waiting for the SHOT!!..they have the making after each hour..you will see how long these people waited to get that ONE shot of flying fish or that white shark/whale? taking a chance in getting a meal to beach himself for that baby seal..some people can not watch this BUT they will eat a whole piece of steak!!..that is what amazes me also..I am in the medical field..I didn't choose it, it chose me and all for a living..but it made me happy to be on this Earth and to respect EVERY living creature(I TRY very Hard living in NYC) to do that..from humans, right down to the rats/mice I see sometimes..you gain a respect and somehow know there's a meaning to living side by side to these amazing creatures.I was blessed to visit The Great Barrier Reef, the largest living creature on this planet viewable from space..you get there,I swear..you feel like you are NOTHING compared to what is going on around you..your life is minuscule, compared to what is happening around you...so pay attention when you walk in your local gardens,forests,gardens..there's a whole community happening down there...party WITH THEM!! CHEERS... TONY(NYC)

Unless you want to listen to someone who is surprised by absolutely everything, DO NOT GET THE OPRAH narrated version of Life. I was thrilled to find this version, narrated by David Attenborough, who I learned about animals from many specials growing up. He just seems more natural to me and more of an authority whereas the Oprah version, which costs more by the way, seemed to me the "dumbed down" version -- no offense intended to Oprah fans. The photography and imagery of this set is truly a sight to behold, absolutely amazing, breathtaking views. In Challenges of Life on the first disc, we learn how many species have intelligently evolved their hunting techniques, from the cheetahs -- usually lone hunters, these three brothers found strength in numbers by hunting together, they can take down larger prey -- to the bottle-nosed dolphins off the Florida coast who have developed the mud-ring technique, all are incredibly filmed. The set also includes behind the scenes footage. Throughout the series, you explore all types of animal species from amphibians and reptiles, to birds, mammals, and fish. Witness the arctic tundra as a lone seal plays cat and mouse with the ravenous orca. It is eat or be eaten in the circle of Life, and I find myself rooting for both predator and prey. Beautifully filmed, I cannot say enough about the photography. Suitable for most ages, may want to warn some younger viewers as there is a particularly gruesome scene between a sea lion and a great white shark in which the sea lion loses, but most scenes are not so bloody. Educational and exciting, a comedy, drama, action, and even romance all wrapped in one great package. Nature is so amazing, you just can't make this stuff up.

欧州向けのフォーマットですので、再生機器によっては見ることができません。 【プレーヤー】 Playstation 3 CECH-3000B … メニュー画面で黒画面停止 Panasonic DMP-BDT320-K … 問題なし Pioneer BDP-320 … メニュー以降は音声のみ 運よくPanasonicで視聴できましたが、購入前に注意が必要です。

Diese Dokumentation stellt alle anderen Natur-Dokus in Schatten! Die Aufnahmen sind unbeschreiblich wunderschön und farbenprächtig. Es sind Szenen dabei, die man noch nie vorher gesehen oder was davon gehört hatte, sehr informativ, unterhaltsam und vor allem kunstvoll dargestellt, immer mit passender Musik und richtigem Kommentar. Für mich persönlich ist "Life" sogar ein Tick besser und sehenswerter als "Unsere Erde". Die Bild- und Tonqualität der Bluray-Discs ist erste Klasse und man ist immer wieder begeistert, solche Aufnahmen hautnah zu erleben. Ich empfehle allerdings die UK-Version zu holen, denn die Deutsche Version (leider) nur die Hälfte der Dokumentation enthält. Die UK-Version hat eine Laufzeit von 550 Minuten und ist auf 4 Bluray's verteilt und kostet dabei geringfügig mehr. Nach jeder einzelnen Episode gibt es ein "Making of" (zumindest in der UK-Version) und wenn man halbwegs Englisch kann, wäre es überhaupt kein Problem, die Doku zu verstehen (vielleicht noch zusätzlich mit Hilfe von englischem Untertitel). FAZIT: ein absoluter "MUST HAVE" für alle Natur-Doku-Fans und Fans von faszinierten HD-Aufnahmen!!

Up to the usual standard of an Attenborough documentary.

Beautifully filmed most of the time.

This outstanding Documentary contains the proof, that we are not the only Intelligent Creatures on Earth. All Life has its own Intelligence ( since the hudge till the tinniest Creature ) and a surprising capacity to develop means of adaptability to confront the dramatic changes of Earth's Monumental Environment. 40% of Individuals we see here ( absolutely amazing Creatures ) were completly unknown. Among those we already know we can observe the learning of new skills in order to meet challenges. True lessons of Survival, like Polar Bears in uncommon habitats: not digging the ice in search of Seals but on dry land after swimming several miles in search of any food. Close encounters like we've never seen before, of isolated Males and entire families of Polar Bear mothers and youngsters feeding on a carcass. Adding to this, a community of Dolphins in Florida with a new strategy to catch fish in very low waters, and a group of three male Cheetah brothers in Kenya, hunting a huge prey the same way Lionesses do! Great scenes of devotion: a worry Bull Frog father taking care and saving from death an big pool of babies. Ingenious: Flying Fish constructing a huge nest on an Ocean's lost Palm Tree. Beauty: a Grebe's courtship ceremony, starting with a serious of graceful duets and ending with a breathtaking exhibition of Ballet over waters! Insects, Birds and Plants are also outstanding Docs with unbelievable moments! Monkeys Doc was another surprise! When you think you have already seen everything about them, you're wrong. Imagine a very cold Winter. It's snowing outside. An elegant SPA in a confortable Hotel. There's a rule: you have to own a specific ID and the Hotel porter is asking for it. If you're wealthy and well-born you are welcome, though if you're not, you have to stay outside in the cold. This is the behavior of a particular Monkey Society in Japan, as you see very similar to our Societies! Even the gestures and facial expressions of those Animals sharing that private, idyllic and luxurious habitat are exceptional! They simply look like us! There's no doubt a considerable Intelligence here not to speak about the powerful Instinct. At last, the filmmaking I was expecting for years! Two exceptional scenes and impressive moments of Jurassic: Komodo Dragon ( Varanus Komodoensis ), the biggest and most dangerous Lizard on Earth in a hell of a fight and a hell of a hunt in its Natural Habitat. I've already seen other Docs about this ugly Beast but nothing comparable. This scary Animal owns three lethal weapons: the bite, the claws and that powerful tale. Although it looks like heavy and slow, it runs faster than you! When you observe it you have no doubt, you are looking at the last living Dinosaur on Earth! This filmmaking was carefully done and I already knew by books how it should be. Even so I was taken by surprise in the chasing scene and have to tell you it's not a good thing to look at! Even both Photographer who had to do the job, and watch for a week long the details we fortunately don't see, didn't hide their distress! I think we are already prepared for that quick feline's bite, but not for this! An exasperating moment, though one of the best captures in the Wild! What more about this Project? It is a perfect extension of Attenborough's other great Docs as Life of Mammals, Life of Birds, Life of Plants and In Cold Blood, with the most fantastic new Creatures pictured in tinniest detail. Not just one more Series about Nature and Wild Life but one more fantastic BBC Natural History Unit research, from the makers of Planet Earth, with the cooperation of Air Force Navy and McMurdo Polar Research Station in Antarctica, and the always charismatic presence of Sir David Attenborough who continues to be the Top One, in the difficult Art of Narration and Presentation. The most perfect Camera and Soundtrack. Long live High Technology and Human Brain! Breathtaking making of a 60 second specific shot ( Plants Doc ), Practically all done in Studio! Astonishing! Definitely Not to Miss...