The Complete Collection of Planet Earth; Brought to you on HD DVD's

If you have not heard of Planet Earth, then you are not as addicted to the Discovery Channel as I am. Planet Earth is an arcing documentary that aired on the Discovery Channel back in 2006, and which is still shown every now and then when they need filler. Otherwise it is now only available on DVD, and though it is a tad on the expensive side when it comes to DVD purchases, it could really be worth it if you are looking to learn about the wonders of the natural world in wide-screen fashion that really hammers home the best that this planet has to offer. It doesn’t need to rely upon special effects to deliver a great story, but rather shows exactly what the world has to offer.

Planet Earth was originally shown on BBC, and the 11 episodes are now featured on this 5 disc set that also takes the time to present a disc that talks about the future of the planet, and how we are affecting it. That fifth disc may appear a little preachy to some, but I found that its focus on saving the species that we still have a very valuable piece of film-work. On the first four disc (episodes listed below for reference), you can find episodes that range from the mountains of the Himalayas, all the way to the jungles of Africa and everything else in between. They do their best to provide episodes that each focus on something completely different from its predecessor, but equally as sweeping and interesting.

On one hand, Planet Earth presents a look at many of the different things that make the planet great, using footage that they say took 5 years to compile, over $25 million in costs, and over 200 locations where footage was obtained. It isn’t just what they present that really make the DVD set though, but how it is presented to the audience. All of the episodes are shot in high definition, and when you see some of the wonders of the world on the big screen, you cannot help but be impressed and awe-struck by the beauty of so much around us. For many people (like me), we will never get to see some of these places in person, but with this documentary, they make it almost seem like we are there with them. The narration just adds to the great feeling, and if you watched Planet Earth on television, it is worth noting that the narrator is different on the DVD set.

If you want to learn how they filmed all these wonderful locations, the DVD set does provide short featurettes about them that are quite interesting, but not completely necessary to enjoy watching the episodes. If you have not heard of this set before, I have to say that it is truly breath-taking some of places and animals that the documentary reveals to people who have lived in major cities all their life. If you are the type of person that enjoys a good nature or animal show on the Discovery Channel, or subscribes to National Geographic magazine, then this set is basically a must-have for you. Doubling as a great gift for someone you know who would be interested, it is simply spectacular, and definitely one of those that can be watched again and again with a high level of enjoyment.




The Episodes:

1. From Pole to Pole
2. Mountains
3. Fresh Water
4. Caves
5. Deserts
6. Ice Worlds
7. Great Plains
8. Jungles
9. Shallow Seas
10. Seasonal Forests
11. Ocean Deep