![]() ![]() But in "Blue Planet II" he adds a hopeful note that is both surprising and reassuring. Increasingly and with benefit of firsthand experience and evidence, Attenborough in his TV programs has sounded the alarms about rising ocean temperatures, melting polar ice caps, pollution and overfishing. In the U.S., we first got a major taste of Attenborough's magic in the 1979 nature series "Life On Earth." But since then, as some combination of writer, producer and narrator, he's turned out documentary mini series at a Ken Burns pace and of similar quality - "The Living Planet, "The Trials Of Life, "Life of Birds," "Planet Earth" and now two editions of the "Blue Planet." I recommend them all. And he writes his narration so simply that children can watch and should. ![]() He speaks in a whisper that's almost conspiratorial, as if reciting a bedtime story to a grandchild. He's now 91 and still approaches his job the same way. That's almost 65 years travelling around the globe, witnessing the wonders and the evolution of nature. He's been making nature programs for TV since he hosted "Zoo Quest" in England in 1954. And to me, one of the most amazing creatures of all in "Blue Planet II" is its human host and narrator, Sir David Attenborough. ![]() In the case of the albatross, it's a literal bird's eye view.Īnd somehow, watching all this behavior of all these amazing creatures makes me treasure not only the planet on which we live but the state-of-the-art TV which delivers such wonders to our high-def, flat-screen televisions. They even temporarily attach cameras to shark fins and to albatrosses to find out where they go and what they do when we're not looking. They fly drones with cameras over vast ocean spaces, capturing whale migrations for the first time. With both robotic and manned submersibles, they go deeper into the oceans than any filmmakers before them and find astounding evidence of life that looks as alien as any creature from a science fiction/fantasy film. But now scientists and filmmakers are capturing images in unprecedented, truly breathtaking ways. "Blue Planet II" is a sequel to a program that was filmed 17 years ago. Yes, technology and TV formats keep advancing, and that's true on the filmmaking side, as well. And on March 6, three days after the series finale is shown on TV, the entire series is released on DVD, Blu-ray and the even newer, more visually opulent format known as 4K Ultra HD. All its episodes to date are currently available free on demand to cable or satellite subscribers who have access to BBC America. And if you haven't been watching, you still can. and is now nearing the end of its run in the states on the BBC America network. David says wherever you can find and see it, you should.ĭAVID BIANCULLI, BYLINE: "Blue Planet II" already was shown in the U.K. The series ends a week from Saturday, but it will be released in its entirety on home video March 6. Our TV critic David Bianculli has been watching "Blue Planet II," the latest nature documentary series presented by Sir David Attenborough. ![]()
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