By
Zev Toledano (REAL NAME)
This review is based on the UK Blu-Ray release and, so far, based on what I've read, the US release will be identical (as with Human Planet). Unfortunately, once again, Discovery seems to be planning to air their own butchered version, this time replacing David Attenborough with Alec Baldwin. I'm sure I don't have to recommend to most of you to seek out Attenborough's version.This is the latest flagship release of the BBC's Natural History Unit, the next in line in the epic 'Planet' series after Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Life, and Human Planet. It was produced by Alastair Fothergill, executive producer of Planet Earth, and shares several similarit ies with that release in terms of structure and approach.David Attenborough not only narrates this one in superb, warm and energetic form, but even makes a couple of appearances in the harsh Antarctic locations at the age of 85! The writing seems to be a collaborative effort however, and is somewhat chaotic.This seven-part seven-hour series covers the natural and wild habitat of the Arctic and Antarctic circles, covering indigenous life, their survival tactics, hunts, and mating cycles, as well as the landscape and natural events, most of which involve ice in dozens of surprising forms, and the extensive effects of the seasonal cycle. The first episode is a kind of overview, four more episodes cover these habitats during the four seasons, the sixth episode covers various human explorations, studies and residents of these regions, and the final controversial episode covers melting ice and global climate change.I recently re-watched Attenborough's Life in the Freezer (also pro duced by Fothergill) in preparation for this series, figuring that this would cover much of the same ground and would probably be a remake/upgrade (as with Planet Earth). Unfortunately, I guessed correctly, but this series adds the following:- Arctic footage (Life in the Freezer only covered Antarctica). But even this footage is not always fresh, having seen polar bears, arctic wolves and other Arctic animals in many previous releases such as Planet Earth and Life.- Breathtaking landscape footage in high definition. You've never seen so much ice and snow take on so many forms and do so many awe-inspiring things.- Upgraded footage in high definition. A lot of the Antarctica footage covers the same ground as Life in the Freezer, except this time they use the latest technology and go the extra mile (or hundred miles) to create the perfect shot.That said, I felt that Life in the Freezer, in its mere 3 hours running time, educated me better and more systematically. Although Atten borough gives us a wealth of facts and knowledge on this release, the overall writing and structure is lacking. This is mainly due to the chaotic and whimsical structure similar to Planet Earth that splices together any spectacular footage it could find regardless of its educational value. Categorizing the footage under which season it happened in is simply not enough guys.Let's illustrate this with a specific example: In Life in the Freezer, Attenborough discussed and showed us lichens to complete the picture of life on Antarctica. But, evidently on this release, lichens were deemed too boring and they were replaced with yet another bloody and action-packed hunt instead.Other details: - The quality of the picture and sound is top-notch as expected. - The first overview episode doesn't repeat the same footage used in later episodes as they did with Life/Planet Earth, but cuts out footage from several scenes in upcoming episodes instead to provide a random selection of upcomi ng attractions. So it is not as repetitively annoying, but it is still the wrong thing to do in my opinion. - As on previous releases, each episode ends with 10-minute behind the scenes footage. Except this time, some of the scenes that are covered aren't on the episode we just watched, which is a bit weird.In summary, at least half of this is a remake, and the structure is very weak, but the footage is breathtaking, there are many moments of dramedy as with the Life series, there is some new and surprising behaviour, and the not-so-new is upgraded. So I'll give it four stars. Personally, I think the best reason for getting this is the breathtaking footage of the ice and landscape.
It is about the life of animals and the s easons in the Arctic and Antarctic, which cover about a third of the area of the earth. It was filmed in HD using the latest technology, which gives this series the edge over previous series. It was three years in the making. I have been retired for about a year. So I have been buying quite a few of David Attenborough DVD's, to update my education, as I have been working overseas for 20+ years. I have to confess, that I get bored with the plight of Polar bears, whales, penguins and seals very quickly. It covers many other species than the big four, plus superb landscape filming and I did not get bored. I am now up to episode 7 out of 7 as it aires in the UK. Frankly, the camera work was superb, slow motion and time lapse, under-sea, terrestrial and overhead. David's narration was excellent, it kept up my interest. For my fellow Amazonians, this is a must see/listen, it is stunning. Episodes: 1. "To the Ends of the Earth" (This includes Scott of the Antarctic) 2. "Spring" 3. "Summer" 4. "Autumn" 5. "Winter" 6. "The Last Frontier" " (humans in the Arctic and Antarctica) 7. "On thin ice" (David Attenborough's view on climate change in the Arctic and Antarctic.) NB Wiki has a much more detailed synopsis. The book and the calendar are both available now. Frozen Planet: A World Beyond Imagination, Official BBC Earth Frozen Planet Calendar 2012
I cannot understand why some people are being so analy retentive as to cry, "Wolf!" Just because some of the sequences were filmed in a zoo, or a studio, or a 'controlled environment.' The series itself is visually stunning, & makes many valid points: not least that life in those hars hest of climes is life on the very edge of existence. What was filmed in the Arctic & Antarctic was television at its best. The fact that not everything of the story could be filmed in those places, but had to be filmed elsewhere in conditions that best ensured the safety & survival of the subjects & the camera crew, only completed the picture. It took nothing away from the reality, only adding to it by filling in the blanks; & had the programme been halted midway through a sequence, just to say that the next bit was filmed in a zoo - the magic of the moment is lost - the continuity is broken. Nothing was done to intentionally deceive, not unless you're into extreme cynicism & conspiracy theories that is. Did those people know that the dinosaurs in otherwise 'factual' TV series, weren't filmed in real life? They were nothing more than the (best guess) imaginings of scientists, palaeontologists & CGI? Nit pick if you must, but get a life!
By
R. ANIL (MIAMI, FLORIDA USA) (REAL NAME)
Below find an opinion of a reader of the Telegraph in the UK who watched the series. I agreed that BBC should disclose that part of the series was done in a zoo. When I take pictures of animals in the zoo I always mention the fact the animal was in captivity. It is the same animal that you can see in the wild but out of its natural habitat. This is a big difference for the photographer (easy to make good shots) and for the animal (relax and behaving different as it would be in the wild).charlescawley from The Telegraph.com.uk 12/14/2011 09:14 PMI was lied to because the programme did not state that a part of its report was done in a Zoo. Ther e was nothing said to indicate that the footage had been deliberately made to look like 'as if'.This is called manipulation.Had the BBC indicated in the credits that certain part had been deliberately created 'as if' then all would have been well. But it did not except well away in another context.It was deliberate manipulation... adjustment of facts to suit the programme makers and to make a good story.Jackholt, you would not like to be manipulated, or perhaps you would? It is a dangerous attitude not to tell people and leave them to be deceived into thinking footage is genuine rather than constructed to pretend.Yes it is about a life cycle, not of a particular animal, but it purported to be of the life cycle of bears in the Frozen Wastes, not partly in a Zoo.
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