Earth - The Biography | 
| Actor: Dr. Iain Stewart
Studio: BBC Warner
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.98
Buy New: $18.94
You Save: $11.04 (37%)
New (31) Used (6) from $18.06
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 2773
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 230
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 1000039821
UPC: 883929026067
EAN: 0883929026067
ASIN: B0018CWVWE
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: July 22, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New. Factory Sealed.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
To demonstrate the stunning beauty and overwhelming power of the Earth, Dr. Iain Stewart climbs into the crater of an active volcano in Ethiopia, jets into the stratosphere, climbs the frozen crests of the Alps, races the tide at the Amazon basin, dives into underwater caverns in Mexico, and generally enjoys himself to no end. His infectious enthusiasm is hardly necessary, though; Earth: The Biography (formerly The Power of the Planet) is five episodes of phenomenal images and fascinating information about how our planet formed and the potent yet delicate balance of life. Stewart, the program's host, seems destined to become the Carl Sagan of geology; his cheerful Scottish accent (he sounds like he walked out of Trainspotting) is just waiting for a catchphrase like "billions and billions" to make him a household name. Earth: The Biography juxtaposes things gigantic (tectonic plates) and teeny-tiny (plankton) while gracefully explaining the crucial role each plays in making the world habitable for life as we know it. There's even surprising humor, like demonstrating the ocean's currents through the movement of 29,000 plastic ducks that were swept overboard in a storm, or how the first thing jet pilot Joe Kittinger does, after successfully parachuting from the highest point in the stratosphere anyone has ever jumped (including 15 minutes of free fall), is light up a cigarette. Add in some CGI models of prehistoric beasts and volcanic activity, and you've got a completely addictive examination of the Earth in all its majesty. --Bret Fetzer
Description
This landmark series uses specialist imaging and compelling narrative to tell the life story of our planet, how it works, and what makes it so special. Examining the great forces that shape the Earth - volcanoes, the ocean, the atmosphere and ice - the programme explores their central roles in our planet's story. How do these forces affect the Earth's landscape, its climate, and its history? CGI gives the audience a ringside seat at these great events, while the final episode brings together all the themes of the series and argues that Earth is an exceptionally rare kind of planet - giving us a special responsibility to look after our unique world. This is a series that shows the Earth in new and surprising ways. Extensive use of satellite imagery reveals new views of our planet, while timelapse filmed over many months brings the planet to life. Offering a balance between dramatic visuals and illuminating facts, this ground-breaking series makes global science truly compelling.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Big Picture Hope - with a Scottish Host August 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As one who feels some despair about the state of the world on socioeconomic and environmental levels, I found EARTH: THE BIOGRAPHY wide-reaching enough that I regained some energy to work for the future of the planet. Geology and geography, environment and the human footprint are dealt with here rationally and clearly alongside excellent photography and computer graphics. I buy a DVD once every 4-5 years on average; this one was an instant-buy even before its release date.
 Great Pictures, Poor Science. August 11, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I and wife are NG "fans", contributors and subscribers (also TRAVELER), but this time I was very disappointed... That is to say, they've "gone too far". Let me try to explain. (By the way we have the full DVD set, which consists of 5 programs of approximately :45 in length.) I very much enjoyed the videography, and even the host, but the program compromises what it purports to do, which is, trace the history and significance of various elements of life on earth, with some very dubious science. Let me give you an example, but in order to understand the example you must understand that every episode of the program is permeated with stern warnings, flash-forward images, etc. regarding anthropogenic global warming. (I chuckle to remember that In THE OCEANS the host, referring to a quite debatable and theoretical link between CO2 absorption and acidity levels in certain parts of the ocean, and for some reason also referring to an isolated local jellyfish kill in the south pacific [which he admits was due to natural weather fluctuations] actually exclaims: "We're pumping out so much CO2 that the oceans just can't keep up.." [This statement vis a vis acidity alone is a VERY hefty amalgam of dubious science.])In any case, the example I WANTED to give, was the main thrust of The Oceans: that because of global warming, the conveyor current is likely to "shut down" just as it did 250 million years ago when same shut-down caused the Permian extinction. I thought this was infuriating, as there remains GREAT debate over the cause of the PT Extinction and warming / conveyor shutdown doesn't even make the top three most likely reasons. So - I could go on and on but, in a nutshell, great pictures, bad science. It's one thing to scare people in order to get them on the climate-crisis bus, it's quite another thing to "stretch," oversimplify and misrepresent very good standing research and fascinating science to fit a programming agenda. Tracing back 40 years or so, NG is on the whole giving its readers and viewers fewer and fewer facts, fewer and fewer tidbits of real information, and more and more "death befalls the planet" speeches while violins play underneath. Oh well. It's effective at generating "maximum emergency contributions" from most people, I'm sure. And... I still love the pictures!
More of a resume than a biography ;) August 7, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
'Earth - The Biography' is a documentary about Earth's geology, atmosphere, and oceans.
It provides a short overview of how our planet was created but its main focus is on how Earth's natural forces combine to create conditions for life - and how this makes Earth a unique place in the Solar system and 'perhaps in the universe'.
It's a very high quality documentary that is on the same level as 'Planet Earth' and 'Blue Planet' - with great footage and visions of earth.
The guy with the accent is actually very charming, watchable, and non-obtrusive. I'm a non-native speaker and had no problems understanding what he was saying. Besides, there are subtitles.
I only regret that they did not put any special features on the DVD. After watching all five episodes, I really wanted to see a little more.
 Heavy accent that's annoying August 1, 2008
2 out of 11 found this review helpful
The science is solid. But Dr. Stewart's articulation is too much for American ears. The way he narrates is annoying...he like to curl his tongue on words that doesn't require it, ie.'erhly Earth' (early Earth) and 'mellion of years'(million of years), It's not exactly British accent (which is okay), Other reviewers says Scottish - whatever it is, it turns what could have been a five-star product to a middling three. Take some getting use to (the narration's tone) but is very annoying the first hour or two... What saves is is content, as usual, BBC shines.
what did he say? July 30, 2008
1 out of 18 found this review helpful
im sorry but if youre gonna have someone narrate a show, get someone that doesnt have a heavy british/scottish/irish/ accent. i know this was a bbc production but it shouldve been renarrated by someone else before going on sale in the United States. I watched maybe 15 minutes of it having to strain to understand the narrator which is something the viewer should not have to do. finally i turned the volume all the way down and just watched the nature scenes. 10 minutes later i got up and left the room.havent gone back and i wont miss any sleep over it. I spent $25 on this movie which was a complete waste. Do yourself a favor and find something else to spend your money on.
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