Reviews (160)

A gorgeous film/Sony at fault
This film is a stunningly beautiful masterpiece filled with breathtaking cinematography. The four years of work that went into making it shows during every second of the film. Jacques Perrin and the people he worked with have created a piece of work that is in essence a spectacular gift to the world. Watching birds of various kinds fly gracefully through the air seemingly without any effort is a sight to behold. You feel privileged to be able to glimpse this magical world in which the birds inhabit. Also a treat is watching what the birds do when they are not flying, whether it is Clark's grebes dancing on the surface of a lake or male sage grouse strutting their stuff by inflating their throat sacs and creating weird noises with them or gannets plunge-diving into the ocean to catch fish. The scene involving the sage grouse is quite stunning. At the beginning of the scene, you see sage grouse on a partially snow-covered grassland in Idaho. In the background, you see several flocks of migrating birds flying against a backdrop of mountains. Some of the aerial shots of birds flying are so beautiful that they appear unreal. It is as if a skilled artist had painted the landscapes. There are numerous scenes of flying birds that will take your breath away. I will mention three. The footage of Canada geese flying throught Monument Valley, Utah, is gorgeous. The rock formations provide a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop for the shots of the birds. The footage of trumpeter swans flying over a river in a Southeast Asian rainforest on their way to Vietnam is also incredibly beautiful. When they arrive in the paddy fields of northern Vietnam by flying past a landscape of green dotted with majestic rock formations, your breath is taken away by the beauty that you see onscreen. The footage of the white storks flying over the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert is so incredible that it appears fake. You really have to see it to believe it. There is also a magical shot of the Great Wall of China on a foggy day. It looks so incredible that you may actually think that a master Chinese painter had painted what you see onscreen.

I do have several gripes with the film. First of all, the selection of birds that were shown in the film had a glaring omission. I only noticed one scene showing ducks in full flight. This was the scene of a single male Mallard duck flying through the French countryside and eventually joining a flock of geese over the river Seine in Paris. Why weren't more ducks showcased in the film? Second, the scene where a mother bobwhite quail is nesting in the path of moving farm combines is an unnecessary addition to the film. Third, the scene of the Canada geese drinking water from a broken-down truck is unique, but in my opinion, out of place with the rest of the film. Also, the scene involving the same geese flying over a herd of running mustangs is so fake that its inclusion in the film is almost embarrassing. What is such a shot doing in a film that claims to have no special effects?

This DVD of the film is amazing. The picture quality is stunning. The transfer is amazingly clear. The sound quality is rich and clear. Several extras are included. They are well worth viewing. The Behind-the-Scenes featurette is a pleasure to watch. It explains very well the process that was used in filming the birds and all the effort that went into making the film. We learn that the white pelicans became sick during the airplane flight from France to Senegal. We also learn that the footage of the film showing snow geese flying through snowy weather in the Adirondacks in New York State was improvised when bad weather conditions forced the film crew to abandon a staged scene of geese hunting. Watching the cute baby birds at the beginning of the featurette, especially when they are running with ultralight planes on the ground, is an absolute delight. In one shot, you can see that baby white storks demonstrate the same weird neck-bending, beak-clapping behavior as adult white storks. The narrator of the featurette makes a few mistakes. He pronounces "Adirondacks" as "A-DIR-on-dacks" instead of "A-dir-ON-dacks". The last part of the featurette is about the filming of white storks flying over the Sahara Desert. The narrator mistakenly refers to the storks as "swans" at least twice.

I highly recommend the film and its DVD. Your view of birds will be forever changed by watching this film. Anyone who has had a chance to watch this film has been incredibly lucky. As you know, the film only received limited theatrical release in the US. Sony released the film in American theaters only in the summer of 2003. This was months after it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary. This makes absolutely no sense. Also, Sony did a huge disservice to the film by not running any ads on American TV for it. The people who run Sony should be ashamed of themselves.

Sublime cinematography
WINGED MIGRATION is filmmaker Jacques Perrin's stunning documentary study of bird migration. My wife and I left the special studio screening exclaiming, "How'd they do that!?"

The film begins along a minor waterway in Europe as a flock of geese begins its annual migration north to its summer breeding ground. It then cuts to other locales around the world as other species of large birds - usually cranes, swans, and storks, but also gannets, loons and others - begin their respective journeys. In all cases, the captioning identifies the species, their start points and destinations, and the miles between the two. Occasionally, Perrin makes the point more spectacularly by superimposing the flying flock on an image of the Earth taken from near-orbit. Voice overs are kept to a minimum.

Except for New York (with the WTC still standing), Paris, and a dismal industrial wasteland in eastern Europe, the flocks are shown flying through unpopulated landscapes both varied and magnificent: beaches, ice fields, Monument Valley, northern tundra, open oceans, snow-covered mountains, Asian farmlands, forest-enclosed lakes, deserts, and tropical rainforests. The sunset and weather (blizzards, fog, thunderstorms) provide dramatic backdrops. Then, at journey's end, the birds are shown in their summer habitats - usually steep, dramatic cliffs or rock-strewn shores with sea-ravaged margins.

But certainly the most eye-popping camera work is with the bird formations on the wing. The apparent vantage point of the lens is among the flock, with individual birds only an arm or hand-length away above, below, or to the side. I mean, you're RIGHT THERE! You'd think they'd have to be computer animated models. But a disclaimer at the film's beginning states that no special effects were used in the filming of the birds.

While Perrin emphasizes the round trip to, and the stay in, the breeding grounds, he doesn't gloss over the dangers. The viewer watches as individual birds fall victim to animal predators, human hunters and poachers, and industrial pollution. Some circumstances are heartrending, as when a disabled bird is surrounded and overcome by predatory crabs on an African beach.

Before concluding back at the same waterway and with the same flock of geese which began his documentary, the filmmaker makes a digression at first seemingly inconsistent with the title, i.e. with flightless Emperor penguins in the southern hemisphere. Of course, they use their wings to swim a couple hundred miles.

WINGED MIGRATION is a film to remind us that the real world can be just as spectacular and amazing as any one of the mega-budget, FX-laden, mindless thrillers dished out to the masses. It's wonderful.

Let's appreciate birds
Too many people have taken the time to bash this exquisite and wonderful film that celebrates the avian life on earth. I, for one, take offense to their lies and misleading "facts". First of all, there are TWO bird-hunting scenes in the film. One takes place in the Adirondack Mountains of New York and involves snow geese and the other takes place in a marsh somewhere in EUROPE and involves greylag geese.

Second, to obtain the spectacular footage for the film, the birds shown in the film HAD to be IMPRINTED. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to film them up-close on their migration routes. Which wild birds do you know of that would let filmmakers fly close to them while they are flying their migration routes? Answer that, critics of the film!!!!

Third, the birds were taken to a wildlife sanctuary in Normandy, France, after the filming was over. They are taken care of by seven workers.

This film is GORGEOUS and all bird lovers should see it. Ignore the people who feel compelled to bash it.

After having read Errol Fuller's book "Extinct Birds", I felt lucky and honored to be able to see up close and personal today's birds in wonderful flight. Fuller's book contains illustrations and descriptions of so many EXTINCT birds that it saddened me. Watching "Winged Migration" has uplifted my spirits. Man has caused the extinction of at least 75 bird species since the year 1600. Be glad that a small percentage, but wide variety, of today's bird species are captured on film for your viewing pleasure and for posterity. If passenger pigeons, which once numbered in the BILLIONS, were still alive today, I have no doubt that footage of their SPECTACULAR mass migration flights would be included in this film. Such footage would make the starling flight footage in the film look puny in comparison.

Stunning Vistas, Typically French
Fantastic landscapes, complete with the obligatory French swipe at America. The one and only scene in the film which depicts wild birds being shot out of the air by hunters takes place in, you guessed it...

According to the film's credits:

"The hunting scene was filmed in North America, on sites where it takes place every year."

As if the sport of bird hunting is somehow limited to North America, or was introduced to the world by North America.

And Duck L'Orange isn't a French dish?

At least for me, the swipe detracted greatly from this otherwise wonderful film.

Very nice!
The images of the birds flying were so lovely....I really liked this video, as I love birds, but I have to admit, in the middle of the DVD, I was a bit bored. Beautiful video, just not for someone who likes exciting films, but over all, very good. I would reccomend "Winged Migration" to everyone who likes bird watching or calm, peaceful movies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

PBS's preschool-targeted wildlife series Zoboomafoo, afavorite among animal lovers young enough to train their focus on the show'srapid-fire scene changes without relying on toothpicks to prop open theireyelids, which have the pesky tendency to blink, explores a bevy of diversehabitats in its third video. Crashing into hosts the Kratt brothers' humbleAnimal Junction abode to get things rolling is a flying squirrel, whicheverybody, lively lemur pal Zoboo included, finds fascinating because itcalls whatever hole's available home. The hyperactive trio then considersother creatures' way-out domestic lives: Zoboo holds the fort while thebrothers, who sometimes come off as cloyingly curious but most often redeemthemselves with wide-eyed, genuine-seeming enthusiasm, head off onfact-finding field trips that open doors to the uncomfortable-seeming homesof porcupines, eagles, and naked mole rats, among exotic others. Spicingthings up throughout are slices of silly animation starring the squealingZoboo, who never can believe his mind, as he puts it, at all the cool thingshe's learning, as well as guessing games ("Who could this animal be--can youhelp me guess this mystery?") and simple educational songs. Frequentzoo-goers and those who find every Fido on the block irresistible will loveit; so will outdoorsy kids who, when they're vicariously visiting wildlife,don't mind a little slapstick between a couple of grown brothers thrown in.--Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Another winner
The Zoboomafoo video series are a big hit in our house - the opening music is enough to get both kids leaping like lemurs! Zoboo himself is like a furry 5 year old - curious and silly, with flashes of brilliant insight. The videos are well done, and are entertaining to adults as well as to kids, even on the "umpteenth" viewing. The information contained in the videos is accurate without being pedantic, and the enviro-friendly messages are not overbearing. Any/all of the videos should be a part of a kids collection.

Let's Explore Creature Homes
You get to go underground with a Prarie Dog,
dig with a Meercat,
and lots of other anazing things. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although we romanticize lions as mighty kings of the jungle, their reign is in fact a tenuous one. It is challenged daily in southern Africa by vicious packs of hyenas that compete for prey. Between the two species exists an ancient feud, and it unfolds in Eternal Enemies with all the drama of the warring Capulets and Montagues. Watch as lions bring down a zebra, only to be attacked themselves by a pack of hyenas that chases them into the trees. Glowering, the big cats watch as the thieves devour their dinner. Days later the lions exact revenge, killing the hyena leader but leaving her uneaten as a warning to the rest of the clan. Other scenes in this video are equally impressive, including life inside a hyena den--which captures the sounds of lions growling outside--and a tense encounter between a snake-bitten lioness and a pack of hyenas. With its gripping story line, Eternal Enemies is a standout among animal documentaries. --Demian McLean ... Read more

Reviews (22)

eternal enemies lions and hyenas
this nature film is probably the best nature film ive ever seen.it shows to perfection the shear hatred lions and hyenas have for each other. no where else in africa is the hatred between lions and hyenas so intense than in botswana and dereck and beverly joubert have shot it down to a tee, especialy the lions,probably more so in two of the lions, one mattsumi a lioness who was bit by a snake and then had her new born cubs eaten by the hyenas and untwydumala the dominent male he tends to attack and kill hyenas at every possible chance.the end scene is truly amazing, where the hyena matriarc is tormenting the older male lion mandayvoo, when mattsumi attacks the matriarc the commotion is heard by untwydumala, who rushes out of the bush, the hyenas then scatter. mattsumi then chases the matriarc of the hyenas and trips it just to slow it down enough for untwydumala to catch up and make the kill.if your into lions this is the one.truly awsome.

Intriguing story
As a veteran of many lion documentaries, I was always curious at the relationship between these two animals. At several of the lion's kills in other films I'd seen, a pack of hyenas lurked menacingly nearby. My curiosity has been satisfied. This is an excellent piece of work that establishes the fact that man is not the only animal that wars. Lions and hyenas seemed to have a general intolerance and hatred torward the other that does not stem from any particular moment or cause. Through trials and tribulations, one aspect of these to amazing animal's personalities stays the same, a deeply-seeded disdain for the other species. The documentary follows a pride of lions dominated by two male brothers, and the rival pack of hyenas dominated by a female. At kills hyenas use their numbers to overwhelm the female lions while the males are not there. The lions, one male in particular, retaliate whenever possible. Though this film may be graphic for some, this is needed due to the nature of the story. Any lover of nature documentaries will find this video a welcome addition to his/her collection

"If Animals Could Hate..."
then be prepared for some of the most spectacular and disturbing footage ever caught on film. From the outset it is made brutally clear that animals, in this case lions and hyaenas, DO in fact slaughter each other, not necessarily for food as most people believe, but for something much darker - HATRED.

This point is made by showing a large male lion, Ntwydmala, breaking the back of an unlucky hyaena matriarch, then shortly afterwards, breaking the neck of another. It isn't always pleasant to watch, but it'll keep you glued to your seat in disbelief.

This film is easily one of the best nature films I've ever seen, bar none!

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!
Being a long time nature program viewer, I can easily say this might be the most fascinating video ever presented on TV. The interaction & violence between lions and hyenas is unforgettable.
Like watching man wage war and retribution. Beautifully photographed and narrated. But not for young children. Also stronly recommend the book which is a companion to the video.

One of the best
This documentary of the lives of lions and hyenas is one of the best made documentaries I've seen. You will become acquainted with the inhabitants of this film and witness the drama of a secret world where the law of the jungle is harsh, yet profoundly beautiful. You will see never before seen footage of hyena behavior. You will cheer and be swept up in this film. It is a story that is real and beautifully shot. I have watched this film many times since buying it. If you like wildlife you will love this one. It is at times disturbing but shot honestly and with care. Very enjoyable. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

the bond between all creatures
This is a fascinating, and often quite moving documentary showing the emotional kinship between man and his fellow mammals. The film footage is remarkable, starting with the basic emotions that pertain to survival, "fear, aggression, and the urge to procreate", and then moves on to the more subtle feelings of joy, compassion, grief, loyalty, and even depression.
The caring of one another in animal societies is extraordinary, and shows the bonds of friendship between species of primates, meerkats, wolves, and many more.

The section on maternal love is wonderful, with one exceptional segment by wildlife photographer Martyn Colbeck who follows a herd of elephants, and captures the tremendous patience and devotion exhibited towards a recently born calf as he struggles to walk. There are many instances of incredible sacrifice, including the story of a dog who saves a young boy.
It shows how rescue dogs can show signs of depression, and rats who laugh when they are tickled. I love the chimp who is looking at Gourmet Magazine, and points to pictures of pastries and signs "sweet".
As Dr. Roger Fouts of the Chimpanzee Human Communication Institute says, the difference between us and other animals is "one of degree, and not of kind".

Produced, written and directed by Carol Fleisher, and calmly and carefully narrated by Sigourney Weaver, viewing this documentary is time well spent; it is informative as well as entertaining, but parents of young children should realize that though there is plenty of fun and frolic, it is far from being a cute animal film, and there are scenes of violence and tragedy. Total running time is 95 minutes.

LANDMARK
This film is a landmark in blending science and advocacy. It seeks to assert that animals lead complex and sophisticated emotional lives, not unlike our own. But it manages to walk the fine line between subjectivity and objectivity. It avoids going too far to the subjective side; it doesn't end up trying to emotionally blackmail the viewer into buying this concept, with mere stagey or cute displays of animal interaction. It relies heavily on scientific observation in both natural and controlled environments. But by the sheer genious of editing and writing, one cannot help but be drawn into the lives of these noble creatures just as one would a good drama. The movie wisely lets the animals behavior "do the talking", and doesn't try to rush us to judgement. It left me rethinking everything I had assumed about animals, emotions, and the nature of our (and by 'our' I mean all of God's creatures) existence.

FULL of much research and wonderful images
This movie shows how closely related we humans are to mammals with scientific research and observation. It gives wonderful descriptions and examples of the differences between reptilian brains and mammillian brains. It is truly incomprehensible that some think that animals (mammals other than human) are not capable of such emotions as love, compassion, anger, loyalty, remorse, etc. At the end of the movie I was questioning if humans are de-evolving to reptile brains due to our parenting of our own offspring (or lack of parenting). Wonderful movie. I highly recommend it for all ages.

Good for people like me
This video includes some remarkable and moving scenes of animals displaying what appear to be emotions such as sorrow, loyalty, and gratitude. I say "appear to be" not because I don't think that animals have these emotions, but to emphasize that Why Dogs Smile... is not a scientific treatment of the issue of animal emotional behavior or intelligence. Every single person who appears in this video, from the wildlife documentarians to the scientists, is completely committed to the idea that animals experience and act on the full range of feelings that we might consider "human emotions." No dissenting voices are present to argue that we are merely projecting our own feelings onto the behaviors of the animals, or that the brains of non-human animals lack the ability to produce emotion, or so on.

I believe that animals have emotions and found reinforcement for my pre-existing belief in this video. I was entertained and moved, but would rather this video challenged my beliefs as well as those of people who might disagree. A presentation of the scientific (and political) debate over this issue would have improved this video.

Amazing insight into animal emotions
This video is truly amazing! To be able to actually see animal exhibiting "human" emotions. Anyone who has said that animal do not feel or have no emotions need to see this video. Those of you, like me, who know for a fact animals have emotions and display them, this is an insightful and heartful video! This is a must see/must own video! ... Read more

Amazon.com

All the water-loving regulars, from sharks and penguins to starfishand seahorses, make an appearance in this installment of the excellent kidseries from National Geographic, Really Wild Animals. Information provided by an animated version of planet Earth (voiced by an enthusiastic Dudley Moore) is balanced with poppy musical odes to clean water and deep-sea creatures (sample lyric: "If you need a cheap hotel, crawl inside an empty shell"). In this 44-minuteunderwater tour, viewers visit the Great Barrier Reef, join caged diversamidst circling sharks, and listen to a trainer talk about the size of dolphin brains. It's a hard-to-resist addition for anyone who enjoys watching a diver dwarfed by a giant jellyfish or seeing an octopus, in all its squirmingglory, outwit a wolf eel. This is mainly for animal lovers from preschool through elementary school, although parents will undoubtedly learn something, too. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Awesome Video for my son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My son AJ loves this video so much, he watches it very often!!!!! This video is really entertaining and educationl.I got AJ a Really Wild Animals Giftset and it came with this video.AJ loves animals and land animals including the Killer Whale (Orcinus Orca) and he wants to get more Really Wild Animals videos for Christmas.

WORE OUT THE OLD TAPE, NEED TO BUY A NEW ONE!
My family loves this tape so much, it was actually worn out. The picture kept getting worse, so I felt it was time to buy a new one. We've bought several of the "Really Wild Animals" videos and found them to be very educational (and Dudley Moore is always funny to listen to), but the "Deep Sea Dive" is definitely a hit in my house.

Wonderful video for young and older kids.
My 4 year old son received this video for Christmas and watches it almost everyday. He's very interested in animals, especially sea animals. I like the fact that it's very educational and that it keeps him interested and wanting to learn more. He's going to get more of this type of video for his birthday coming up.

Great informational value!
I have used this video when teaching an animals unit in Science. My students absolutely love Deep Sea Dive. It is now June, our animals unit was over in December, yet this is the video they request most! The video is jam-packed with interesting factoids, which my students love. I recommend it to anyone. It is the best of the Really Wild Animals series.

GREAT CLASSROOM GUIDE
GREA ... Read more

Description

Can you see in the dark, smell your way home, or dig for food with your nose?To learn about the unique abilities that different animals have, Chris and Martin ride in a hot-air balloon to "see like a hawk" and Myrtle the Bloodhound drops by to show Zoboo how she uses her super sense of smell.Join the fun as Zoboo leaps into the amazing world of animal "sense-abilities." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great kid pleaser
My 18 month old granddaughter is constantly asking to see "foo-foo" which is her word for this. She also seems to think it is an exercise video the way she jumps up and down with the various animals and imitates what she sees. Between learning animal names and what they eat and where they live and doing the movements, I don't think you could find a more educational video for the young ones.

Zoboomafoo- Sense-Sational Animal Friends
The Kratt brothers are AWSOME... My two boys, ages 5 and 10 love their show back when it was Kratt's Creatures and they continue to love them with Zoboomafoo....It's fun, interesting and educational.. I find myself sitting with them to watch... ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Good watch
This is a good movie if you want to learn the basics about Lions. If you need specific behaviors about them, buy something else. I watched this for an Animal Behavior class and I needed to do alot of extra research to find specifics. Overall a good movie!

Great, but not the best.
I think the reviewer that said this film was about bugs got his tapes mixed up, because there is nothing about insects in this film at all. The documentary follows a pride of lions, particularly a young male that was born late and became orphaned. His story is intriguing enough to base a film on, but we also witness an old lion desperately trying to cling to the life he once had, and the intricate process of raising a cub. The only reason I gave this documentary four stars is because it ends rather abruptly, leaving the viewer wondering what happened to the male cub and his fellow pride-mates. Another twelve minutes would have done this film some good, although I was thoroughly satisfied with my purchase...(from a rival company...sorry Amazon...I'll never do it again...you guys were cheaper anyway!!)

Lions of Darkness
This is absolutuely amazing video made by two tf the greatest wildlife filmakers in the world, Derek and Beverly Joubert. I strongly recommend it to anyone.It is informative and moving.

Come ON...National Geograpic!! this is a stinker
This video leads you to believe that it is about lions, when, in fact there is a bunch filler about frogs and bugs etc. If you have been to africa, you know that this is a sorry representation the lives of lions. It is about a pride of lions in decline. There is so little lion footage, they have resorted to filler stuff that is not related to lions. Further, the reproduction quality of the tape is poor. Kiley is wonderful, as usual, but they give him very little to work with. This might appeal to a fifth grader but is clearly not up to N.Geographics standards. AVOID!

Great Wildlife Film!
This is one of the best National Geographic videos to date. The footage, content and filmmaker's narration is outstanding. The story of a motherless lion cub growing up in a pride is one of the best real-life dramas I've seen. It takes a viewer into the world otherwise unseen and inexperienced by a human. A viewer has glimpses of the every day life in the pride of lions. Joubert's film portrays the hunts, the roles of males and females in the pride, the struggle for survival, interaction between pride members and other inhabitants of Savuti. Another great film from Derek and Beverly! ... Read more

Amazon.com

On the short list for the "world's toughest place to live" award, Southwest Africa's Namib Desert houses a wealth of intriguing creatures, featured in Jamie Uys's Animals are Beautiful People. As various beasts, bugs, fish, and fowl appear, a soft-spoken narrator pinpoints behaviors that mirror human ones, often inventing whimsical tales meant to inspire chuckles or sighs. A male wart hog, a "homely bachelor," lands a "wife" with a penchant for redecorating his burrow; austere maribou glower like disapproving undertakers; a billowy, nameless fish is called a dizzy blonde. Uys's respect for the harsh lifestyle these creatures endure clearly displays itself amid the comical sound effects and Fantasia-lite melodies that infuse the 90-minute show. The result: a richly informative, beautifully filmed lesson in the power of adaptation and the lush wildlife that inhabits the cradle of civilization. Six years after completing this project, Uys went on to create The Gods Must Be Crazy. (Ages 5 and older) --Liane Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (32)

a manipulated movie- while watching question what is natural
This movie was very beautiful and funny. The music was well coreographed also. My children and I enjoyed watching it. Never a dull moment. HOWEVER, upon follow up about the Marula fruit trees, we found that the 'intoxification' of the baboons and other animals was man-induced (see wildwatch.com). It is impossible for elephants and baboons to become intoxicated eating this fruit, though people harvest it for this purpose. There is evidence of other manipulation in the movie (the possible burning of a huge bird condominium). I abhore that people would abuse the animals in these or any other ways.

The real world
This is a great animal video, I have passed it around to my teachers at school and friends are standing in line, the narrator is the same talented guy that did " The Gods Must be Crazy", you will see some scenes from the movie you will remember, a real aborigene trying to fake out an ostrich. The animals all have a grand time getting drunk one day out of the year on fermented fruit, the elephants are knee walking, the giraffe can't hold his neck up and the monkeys are made of silly putty. The baby pelicans that have to do a death march is the low of the movie, nature is as cruel as beautiful, and you see it all here, two thumbs up.

Some staged scenes, but very entertaining
This "Documentary" was produced by the same guy who went on to do "The Gods Must be Crazy".

It is very funny in parts, but for parents who don't want their kids seeing baby birds dying by the hundreds, don't watch the last 15 minutes (I don't mind my kids seeing this, but I thought I'd throw in that caveat)

Like an earlier reviewer, I too thought that nest fire looked set up. There was just no reason for the camera to be focusing on that one drop that happened to start the fire.

Also, that same reviewer pointed out the "drunk scene" was man made, so I checked out the site he mentioned (wildwatch.com), and if you search around the plant section (some plant that start with an m, sorry I forget which).

Here is the relavent text:
"Due to its well-known alcoholic capacities, rumours abound as to the Marula's intoxicating effects on wild animals. While elephants and baboons both relish the fruit, the former would need to consume prodigious amounts of already fermenting fruit for it to have even the mildest impact, and since these huge animals drink up to 160 litres of water a day, there would anyway be a major diluting effect. Interestingly, examination of fresh elephant dung show that less than ten percent of Marula fruits are actually 'processed' in any way - most fruit passes through the digestive tract intact.

Observations on baboons suggest that they prefer fresh Marula fruit and because the pulp is digested and the seeds passed within a 24-hour period, fermentation is impossible. The infamous scene in a popular movie from the 1970s - Jamie Uys' 'Beautiful People', which depicted a troop of obviously drunken baboons in and under a Marula tree, was clearly man-induced and would today be outlawed in terms of animal cruelty."

When I first saw this video, (...) Watching it with the knowledge that it was set up, made it seem rather cruel.

Despite this, I still found this movie very entertaining on the whole.

the best kept secret
I grew up with this movie, and still it remains my absolute favorite. It brings nature close to home, and viewing it should be a requirement for all human beings. Jamie Uys shows that the life of a beetle is no less important than the life of lion, and every living thing has a place on this planet.

Because it has been released on DVD, I will one day be able to show this film to my children, and theirs after them. I recommend this timeless classic to anyone, any age, any time, any place.

Kids Love It
I used to show this movie to the children I worked with in the hospital. We all loved it. The kids couldn't take their eyes off of it and the staff were just as enthralled. This movie is spectacular and wonderfully good fun. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Living Desert Review by James Marchese
Walt Disney's Living Desert is the finest desert nature footage ever produced--the standard. Released in 1953 in full color it took 3 years to make. It has many fine points including a 2:25 breathtaking sequence in which a large female wasp subdues and paralyzes a tarantula with her stinger. Beautiful botanical time lapse photography is also featured. The Best Documentary Oscar was created for The Living Desert and it was the first recipient of the award. What more can I say---everyone young and old should have the opportunity to see this film.

Every library needs Living Desert
Living Desert is the introduction to ecology that every child needs to see. It combines extraordinary footage with entertaining music and intelligent commentary, and probably was responsible for millions of Americans learning to look beyond the obvious barren view of our natural resources. So why isn't a copy of this tape in every public library branch in the country? Why not ask your local library if it wants a copy, and make a charitable (and tax-deductible) contribution to our national common body of knowledge? This is the grand-daddy of nature films.

one of DISNEYS best
i first saw this when it came out, & thought it brilliant that is why i have bought it.of all disneys works next to this is Snow White, again i saw this when it first came out,& it is a pity they have not come(to me anyway) anywhere near making anything as good. the Living Desert I would say to anyone if u have not seen it, then you are missing a lot,not only for the music, but the antics as well.

Excellent
This is top notch! I hope it comes back ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's a plug for environmental causes (song lyric: "If there's a place worth saving, this must be the place"), a Darwinian crack aimed at parents, and faux news broadcasts to keep things moving. But most of all there are animals, animals, animals in this 37-minute National Geographic video. If a trip to the South American rain forest isn't part of the vacation plans, this video tour aimed at kids from preschool through grade school will more than suffice. Comparing the forest layers to an apartment building, animated planet guide Spin (Dudley Moore) steps onto an elevator to explore the forest floor on up to the canopy level--meeting tapirs, jaguars, bats, and spider monkeys along the way. Meanwhile kids become familiar with concepts such as echolocation, camouflage, and the equator. Now that's infotainment! --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very entertaining and educational.
I have a three-year-old who loves this video we borrowed from the local library. He already knows the layers of a rain forest and can name a few animals in each layer. I have a degree in elementary education and truly realize how important positive exposure to new things are to children. He also gets angry at the part where they show the cutting down of trees and tells the man to pick them back up! Hello! Do you need more of a hint? Videos like this are truly benificial to children.

Awesome! Humor Included!
This video is really cool, and fuuny too. Kids can learn a lot from it, all the while being entertained. It's the best quality, the kind you expect from National Geographic. The answer to every question you ever had about tropical rainforests is right here, I can garauntee it. Dudley Moore, the histarical comedian, plays the loveable and always-good-for-a-laugh globe character Spin. A great way for kids 5-13 to learn and have fun!

Humorous Education
The Tropical rainforest has over 1/2 of the earth's animals and plants!Hey I am NOT kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Take a swing around the forest with Dudley Morre as Spin,your favorite globe-on-the-go!40 Min.Hoatzins included. What!!!!!?????Find out in the Totally Tropical Rain Forest! ... Read more

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From the tiny, exquisitely bizarre seahorse to the gargantuan whale shark, we find fish in all their rich variety fascinating--and appetizing! Eyewitness: Fish puts them on display in their own element, and thanks to DK Vision's beautiful filming, we get to see every detail of their quirky charm. There are puffer fish and salmon in action, evolutionary high jinks, and dramatized roles fish have taken in our own mythology, all streaming together in seamless Eyewitness style. DK Vision consistently produces videos that appeal to all ages, and Fish is no exception; kids' need for stimulation and adults' desire for interesting content are each fulfilled throughout the program. So take a half-hour to sit down with the kids, inspire those budding scientists, and take the "ick" out of ichthyology with Eyewitness: Fish. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Outstanding
I have a toddler who's crazy about fish, and this video is loaded with them, a big hit, he loves it. I think it would be great for kids of all ages (adults too), lots of great facts and camera work.

Not just for children- revised review. Big comment.
Something scary may be contained in this video, such as the Fangtooth deep sea fish that may cause chills up people's spines. Other scenes too. Big children like 8-9, or 12 can easily handle this, but below may be occasionally scared......

not made for toddlers,too informative for them of course!!!
This film is somewhat suspenseful in many scenes where smart fish hide to catch their ill fated prey! As I said in the title,the movie is not made for toddlers,even though they just might learn something from it! It is made for people my age and up,just as horror classics are! Another belief of mine is that 20 Salmon can tear up a human in revenge,together equalling the strength of a shark!! Other fish like Scorpionfishes can kill a silly child or human by thrusting teeth into a person's shoe and ending their life in just a few hours from that awful time! Many fish can multiply and overcome humans in bravery,such would be rare thing,but it is possible enough!! Not too many people can climb a large waterfall,as powerful salmon can! Also the strength of a terrifying Anglerfish of the deep can easily injure humans with large and ferocious looking teeth,but pressure of those deep,dark dark waters can usually crush a man in a second! Last but not least a Sailfish can drive it's long nose into a person! In conclusion,the film will entertain and educate a large number of persons!!

Flounder, Clown Fish, Archer and more!
This video was great. I checked it out from the library along with Ocean in the Eyewitness series, and while I found the Ocean tape informative, it was dull. Then I watched the tape on fish. Marvelous! Tons of fish footage and I learned so much! The action shots of the fish using their disguises, defenses, camoflague, etc. was something my son and I could watch multiple times. The fish that fishes for his prey, the Archer fish that shoots a stream of water to knock bugs from high places in order to eat them, the Gobie who lives with a shrimp...it's all so facinating! My 3 y/o son adores fish and wants to know more about them, so I've been looking at numerous fish and ocean books and videos....this one is impressive, what's more is that it will definately grow with him. The video is appropriate now and will continue to be as he ages. There is nothing frightening or overly graphic in this video... but it is a nature video and does not sugar the way that ocean life is. But Eyewitness videos keeps in mind that their audience is children... and produces a video delightful for all ages! ... Read more

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Without the usual wildlife footage (since cameras obviously weren't around millions of years ago), the folks at National Geographic get very creative in the dinosaur segment of this 44-minute video. Using a combination of traditional and stop-motion animation, a paleontologist interview, silent-film stock, and clips from corny dinosaur movies, narrator Spin (planet Earth as voiced by Dudley Moore) tells the prehistoric slice-of-life story of a Hadrosaurus-egg-stealing Struthiomimus member who, in turn, meets an untimely end at the claws of raptors. As the second segment's title suggests, "Creature Features" is framed as a faux horror movie with Moore adopting a creepy tone as he tells of blood-sucking (and regurgitating) mother bats and squirming maggots who metamorphose into flies. By using this format, the episode has it both ways. It uses a spooky façade to entertain the kids, while debunking the very horror movie myths it capitalizes upon. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (3)

My 3 yr. old son loves this one!
We rented this video and my son watched it about 10 times. After we returned it to the store, he kept asking for it so I am here at Amazon.com to buy it for him. He loves "Spin" the narrating globe.

Highly Entertaining
I watched this video with my two sons, ages 6 and 13, and we all loved it! The music, the photography, the animation, the narration and the fun (and sometimes gross) facts make this video well worth it. What an entertaining way to get kids interested and involved in learning more about the world around them!

Really wild animals
My two sons (ages 5 and 3) LOVE this video. Not only does it cover some of their favorite topics- Dinosaurs, bugs, spiders and snakes - but it also includes very interesting, factual and detailed information. And, it makes it fun! Parents will find this interesting as well. It would be a good idea to watch it WITH younger children as some kids may be disturbed by the more graphic/scary dinosaur scenes. Dudley Moore is great as the narrator, and we are planning to get more of National Geographic's Really Wild Animals videos! ... Read more

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In this Really Wild Animals video, Spin, an animated globe voiced by Dudley Moore, leads viewers on an exploration of the varied continent of North America. Music videos such as the opening "I've Gotta Be Wild" are prevalent throughout and combine wonderful nature photography with themes like an animal's need to hunt and humans' effect on animals and their habitats. Spring's arrival inspires Spin to glance at the "meanest hombre of all," the ground squirrel. Chuckle as you will, then watch this clever critter outsmart a rattlesnake! Next is the first of several reoccurring "Meet the Beavers" segments and then a look at how woodpeckers and starlings survive the 105-degree temperatures of the Sonoran Desert. In a summer visit to the Okefenokee Swamp, Spin interviews a biologist who studies alligators by climbing right into the swamp! In stark contrast is the breathtaking footage of white wolf pups frolicking in the frozen tundra of Ellesmere Island. The onset of autumn finds polar bears making their annual visit to the East Coast town of Churchill. The townspeople's preparations are detailed, there's a music video featuring bears foraging in the dump, and we watch one photographer's daring attempts to get close-up shots of these amazing bears. As winter settles in, Spin focuses on a group of people helping an abandoned black bear cub find an adoptive mother. This fact-filled video features a combination of beautiful nature photography and appealing music videos that is sure to captivate your child. --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

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"My very excellent memory just stores up nine planets." So you and your kids will be saying, both to help you remember the names of our nearest neighbors (you know, Mercury, Venus...) and to show off to your friends that you've seen Eyewitness: Planets. DK's voyage into outer space is full of amazing footage and special effects that intrigue and educate kids and adults about these "wandering stars." Topics include surface conditions, orbits, and planets' history as objects of curiosity and worship throughout the ages. From Galileo to Voyager, you'll find centuries of learning packed into a half an hour that doesn't wear down over repeated viewings. Eyewitness: Planets is a must for the family that learns together. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Eyewittness Planets
I bought this video many years ago. I love it! It is well narreted and has good footage of the planets.

Fantastic for young and old!
My grandson, who is now 5, has watched this video over and over since he was 3. He practically has it memorized! He has had an interest in space and stars since he was a year old. For anyone interested in fun facts about our universe, this is a great video! Our whole family enjoys it! Well narrated!

not for young children
This Eyewitness video, like the couple others we have viewed with our preschoolers, is interesting for us adults, but not at all entertaining enough for young children. Too much talking! Not enough action!

And the video techniques used (like completely unrelated objects combined with each other in artsy ways; for example video of planets superimposed onto video of museum-style rooms to make it appear as if each planet inhabits its own room in the museum) just confuse literal-minded preschoolers, who believe the planets actually are in those rooms and are undoubtedly getting a really mixed up idea about planet size.

An excellent video for an Astronomy class
Through the use of computer graphics, and photos obtained from outer space, the video presents a "field trip" through the planets that make up the solar system. It is short in length (30 minutes), and retained the student's attention. I would recommend it to anybody who is looking for an economical video that still contains a lot of useful information.

I have used a number of Eyewitness videos to enrich the experience my students have in class, and found them all to be excellent. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Old King Neptune gets mad, and the seas start to boil! From the ancient myths to modern science, Eyewitness: Ocean takes you and your family on an exciting voyage in the safety of your living room. The mind-boggling images and computer graphics blend with the fun, fascinating narration to create a learning experience for all, from the smallest child to the saltiest sea dog. Tiny plankton and the giant whales that eat them, sailors and their ships, and the winds and currents that make our weather are the stars of the show. With a cast like this, you and your family will be sure to chart a course for educational adventure. Don't miss Eyewitness: Ocean! --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not as good as the others but still great....
Eyewitness - Ocean continues the great tradition of scientific family entertainment. This edition: Ocean, focused on Earth's greatest natural resource: the ocean. While I enjoyed Eyewitness - Ocean, I didn't enjoy it as much as Eyewitness -Volcano or Eyewitness - Plant. Most of the information was very general and the visuals weren't quite as clever.

Still, this is a solid installment, sure to entertain those interested in science and the environment.

great sea film. contains footage of the deep ocean.
This film about the sea and it's history is excellent to watch. I love the underwater footage and clips of mysterious and fascinating deep ocean creatures. The pressure down there is scary to think about but, fun nonetheless. This has just the right amount of computor graphics and real footage to make an excellent video!
Take a close look at this Eyewitness nature masterpiece...

not for young children
This Eyewitness video, like the couple others we have viewed with our preschoolers, is interesting for us adults, but not at all entertaining enough for young children. Too much talking! Not enough action!

The sea creatures are covered too quickly and without enough captivating video to hold preschoolers' attention. And many of the creatures are frankly boring, unless you're old enough to understand the wonder and mystery of it all. These videos are really geared to junior high students, at least.

4 and a half,not just for children
This movie,even though short,is very colorful and I am sure it is not designed specifically for children,it is for everybody,but also gives children a look at the deep deep black bowels of the sea and of the land! People should discover this film instaed of terrible cartoons! And,of course after all,people should take this movie as an everybody movie and not as a toddler film! So sit back and enjoy this serious movie and STAY AWAY from cartoons!!end!

Great for Everyone
We bought this video at a discount store in London for 2 pounds, not expecting too much for that price. But this video was great! We learned so much ourselves, but our son loves it even more - he's been watching it since he was 1 year old. It helped with his speech, hopefully he's learning lots of good stuff, and the clips are short and fast enough to keep a small toddler interested throughout. So far we have four in this Eyewitness series, and they are all great. We are so happy he can watch this instead of Teletubbies! ... Read more

Description

Travel to the land "down under" with Spin, National Geographic's animated globe-on-the-go, and learn why the animals of Australia are so darn weird!From leaping kangaroos to paddling platypuses to cuddly koalas, you won't believe the amazing variety of animals that make this island world their home.Here's a wonderful look at these creatures, brought to you by the world's finest filmmakers.Exciting music videos will get the whole family hopping!So, c'mon mate, and explore WONDERS DOWN UNDER -just one of the many Really Wild Animals adventures in this award-winning series. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very entertaining! Great for all ages.
National Geographic has done a fabulous job of presenting information in a very fun, lively way. This video is full of amusing commentary by the narrator (the kids may not understand all the jokes, but as an adult I appreciate the cleverness). The songs are upbeat and enjoyable. The up-close film footage of the animals is excellent, as you would expect from National Geographic. No matter what your age, you will enjoy this video -- my two-year-old laughs while watching it and I find myself joining the kids on the couch to watch the fascinating animals of Australia.

great fun and full of information
This video includes excellent footage of Australia's amazing animal life: creatures you don't find anywhere else on earth. The songs are fabulous! I taught the Marsupial Rap to my first grade class and they loved it. Kangaroos, Frilled Lizards, Tazmanian Devils, and others will fascinate both adults and children. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

One of the best children's videos
This tape is excellent. We do not get cable so our PBS channel does not come in very good. I got this tape for my 15-month-old. It combines the action parts of 5 shows on baby animals, so it is non-stop fun! There are over a dozen baby animals, whereas a typical show shows only 3 or 4 animals. This tape looks fantastic and sounds great too. The Kraft brothers look younger then on TV, since I guess they used older shows. Still it is just as fun and entertaining. A wonderful fun animal treat for the whole family, but your toddler will enjoy it most as it was intended. Buy this one and you will not be disappointed.

Zoboo's Little Pals
This tape is typical Chris and Martin. It is great for children and even for adults who love animals. I work with school age children and all kids love it. Their "learning without knowing it" style allows children to have fun and gain knowledge at the same time. Highly recommended!!

My child's favorite
Zoboomafoo is my 2 year olds favorite show. He wants to watch it everyday and would gleefully watch it over and over if allowed. He can now identify so many new animals that he otherwise might not see. Chris and Martin do a great job making the show fun and educational for viewer of all ages.

Zoboomafoo
My nephew LOVES Zoboo and all of his friends, including Martin and Chris. This video, and the other Zoboo ones as well, are wonderful! Not only does he learn from it, but I do too! P.S It's for Big kids (35 year olds), too!

My son LOVES Zoboomafoo
Although this is simply episodes of the PBS series, my son could care less. To him it is simply Zoboomafoo anytime he wants! I hope they release even more! ... Read more

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The Asian continent abounds in exotic animals from the large--giant pandas, elephants, and tigers--to the lower-profile-- macaques, sea snakes, and mudskippers. Balancing the real with the fantastical (dragons and unicorns), this 38-minute tape from National Geographic explores the rich tapestry of Asian wildlife. Narrator Spin--the animated planet Earth voiced by Dudley Moore--hops aboard a magic carpet and visits a variety of locations such as the South China Sea island of Tiga, where snakes gather to mate; Japan, where macaques (snow monkeys) lounge in hot springs during snowfall; and Borneo to fly through the trees with orangutans. While adults might get dizzy with the leaps and quick cuts, the spurts of information are designed to keep young minds attentive. And remember, the kids will watch these tapes repeatedly until they know each habit and habitat of these (really) wild animals. For preschool on up. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun and educational
My two-year-old chose this from a shelf because it had a panda on it. I fully expected that she would be bored with a nature documentary, or disappointed that it wasn't really about pandas, but boy, was I surprised!

First, this isn't a documentary. It's a fast-paced, lively entertainment program that splices together lots of really good National Geographic footage with tongue-in-cheek narration and some pretty good music. It holds my daughter's interest even after repeated viewings, but it doesn't annoy the grownups. We actually enjoy watching it with her now and then.

Second, it manages to incorporate a meaningful amount of information without becoming a dry tutorial. Because of the quick pace, it doesn't get too deep into anything, but it covers the most important facts.

Third, and perhaps most important, they've managed to produce a show that doesn't include any inappropriate material. I fully expected my daughter (who is pretty sensitive to scary stuff) to be frightened by at least some aspects of the tape, but even the scenes with predators and sudden attacks are handled gently and without undue emphasis. The overall impression of the show is mild and pleasant.

And finally, although pandas are certainly not the focus of the show (maybe 10% of the entire time is spent on pandas), my daughter happily watches the whole thing, and refers to it as "the panda video."

So overall, I have to say I'm very pleasantly surprised. This turns out to be age-appropriate for even quite young toddlers. I have to add that I'm not sure all 2-year-olds would be as taken with it as my daughter was, but she has definitely enjoyed this and at least one other in this series (Deep Sea Dive). It provides a nice change of pace from The Wiggles and Winnie the Pooh. ... Read more

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Another fine entry from Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness series. As with their books and computer software, the video clearly presents and dynamically illustrates numerous facts about those beasts from 65 million years ago. Martin Sheen narrates this program that explores what paleontologists have uncovered in the last 200 years (an important find is made every seven weeks on average). Typical fact: Did you know that all the information on Tyrannous rex is attributed to only a dozen skeletal finds? The varieties of illustrations are truly remarkable: computer graphics, animations, Claymation, even wonderful low-tech models. There's so much here that multiple viewings are necessary (and certainly to be requested by the child). It's keen stuff that adults should find as much fun to watch as the kids. The companion book and CD-ROM are also available. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Toddler Delight
I was amazed but would you believe my 3-yr old loves this video? He starts to whine towards the end - hoping to get an encore presentation. There is just enough dinosaur cartoon, special effects to keep him watching. He quotes from the narrative so he is obviously listening too. On the good side, he has learned several dinosaur names and plenty of obscure facts - on the down side, the tape is only about 30 minutes and he is HUNGRY for dino info (but not very patient with the EyeWitness Dinosaur book yet) so we watch it again and again. If you have a young dino lover consider this video in conjunction with the younger DK books (they come in board book style) or the early reading DK books (we bought a fairly simple Level 2 "I can read" to read together).

Kids love them!
The Eyewitness series is an excellent educational video set for children! My two and four year olds love them. ... Read more

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Beachcombing in Nebraska? Even if you're a long way fromthe nearest beach, you can still explore, thanks to Eyewitness: Seashore. DK Vision's characteristic visual style guides viewers of all ages