Planet Dinosaur [DVD]

"We are living in the golden age of Dinosaur discovery," intones the narrator at the beginning of "Planet Dinosaur." Then, in this series of shows, he demonstrates that, that is not an exaggeration: It is the honest truth. The creatures detailed here from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous are phenomenally fascinating, and they hold the attention of the viewer every second that they are on screen. The CGI in this series is some of the best that I have ever seen in a nature documentary. There are times when one may as well be watching a BBC series on animals' living today with a narrator's telling of their life histories and dynamic interactions with other species. Cut in with the CGI are graphic glyphs that tell of the geological time, place and date of discovery of the fossils that form the basis of the creatures created herein. The computer images and the science behind them are absolutely first rate. My copy of this DVD is one that I ordered from Amazon UK, and it is in PAL Region 2 format. As I have an all-regions DVD player, I can play it with no difficulties. The British version comprises two DVD's. I believe that the American version comprises the first British DVD with the second one's being omitted. The first DVD comprises six episodes: Lost World, Feathered Dragons, Last Killers, Fight for Life, New Giants and The Great Survivors. The second DVD comprises a background feature, "How to Build a Dinosaur," that elucidates how the study of the fossils leads to the reconstruction of the dinosaurs that we see in museums and in films. It is hosted by one of Britain's best known presenters the very smart and attractive Dr. Alice Roberts. In the first DVD, the series moves from Africa to China to the Lost Islands of Europe with their shallow, surrounding seas to the deeper oceans to North America and South America to the High Arctic to Madagascar. It is a world-wide exploration of dinosaur species, especially the new ones which have only recently been unearthed. Amongst some of those that have aroused the strong interest of the public are Africa's Spinosaurus with its huge back frill and the latest discoveries from the East. "One country sits at the centre of a new Dinosaur revolution: China," says the narrator at the beginning of "Feathered Dragons." This is so very true. From a slight trickle of fossils with evidence of feathers, a flood has descended upon us. New feathered dinosaurs are constantly being brought to light. From the impressions of their feathers, it can be determined whether they were for display, warmth or flight. In some case, even the colours are known. The connection between birds and certain groups of Dinosaurs with a common ancestor's lying somewhere back in history is now irrefutable. One of the great examples of parallel evolution is shown in the "Feathered Dragons" segment. A small, feathered Dinosaur with body feathers and large tail feathers for display, also, has large, gnawing, front teeth and and elongated fingers for prying out grubs and insects from trees. It is the reptilian, ecological equivalent of today's Aye-Aye in Madagascar. The huge evidence of evolution in Dinosaurs demonstrates the enormous genius of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace. The rules and laws of evolution developed by Darwin and Wallace do not just apply to the the animals of their day and today: They apply to Dinosaurs, too. This is a superlative show. It will entertain and inform not just youngsters, but, also, adults, too. This is a show well worth having in one's DVD library. Ron's Grade: A+

Having enjoyed watching the Planet Dinosaur series on BBC HD, and just upgrading to a 51" 3D plasma, I pre-ordered this as soon as I saw it. This is a specially made 3D companion to the series (which I will now be getting too) that takes you on a journey through time explaining, in a very smart and in no way condecending way, the rise and ultimate fall of the dinosaurs.. specifically the agressive killing machines, some of which, make T Rex look like a pup in comparison. The graphics are great and sit very nicely in the forward frame and give you great info on size and era etc. John Hurt's narrative is very easy on the ear and never gets boring. The CG landscapes are just beautiful and give great depth. But to be honest, it's all about the dinosaurs really isnt it. And they do not disappoint. From the open and the introduction of our first dinosaur, my jaw dropped. Rendering is absolutely stunning. And the pop is just brilliant giving you the impression they are just through a window and are sticking their head through it.. so much so it makes you want to reach out and pet them.. probably not recomended though lol. Overall a great hour long doc that really shows off your 3D TV at a great price.. So if you love this kind of documentary, want something stunning to show off your 3D tv with, or are just simply a dinosaur fan, then this is for you. ... well done the BBC.

Recently shown on the BBC, this 2-disc set contains all six episodes of the CGI documentary series that highlights recent discoveries about the Mesozoic world, as well as a "behind the scenes" documentary on a second disc. Admittedly, as some people have pointed out, this series does not contain the best computer animation possible. It DOES, however, contain better CGI material than I've seen in several other places; it's very good, just not mega-budget cinema quality. However, it's not so much the digital dinos that matter in this series, it's the discoveries and theories that are brought to light. Episode 1, "The Lost World," covers Saharan Africa, which has once again started to yield interesting insights into the lives of its dinosaurs. The bulk of the episode is devoted to two giant predators, Spinosaurus and Charcharodontosaurus, as well as their prey, environment, and a few of the other creatures that live alongside them. Episode 2, "Feathered Dragons," focuses on the strange feathered dinosaurs being uncovered in the Far East, especially China and Mongolia. See such marvels as the four-winged "biplane dinosaur" Microraptor, its venomous cousin Sinornithosaurus, the bizarre, long-armed, aye-aye-like Epidexipteryx which uses its chisel-like front teeth and extra-long fingers to get insects out of trees, and the strange Gigantoraptor, an oviraptor that's bigger than the local tyrannosaurs. Episode 3, "Last Killers," features the famous tyrannosaurs (which dominated the northern hemisphere continents), and the abelisaurs, which were the top predators in the lands of the southern hemisphere (and which looked a bit like a cross between a dinosaur and a pit-bull). Watch a pack of Daspletosaurus hunt, see the cannibalistic fury of the Madagascan Majungasaurus, and find out what fills the top predatory niches when you go too far north for most tyrannosaurs to be comfortable with the cold. Episode 4, "Fight for Life," deals with new discoveries in predator/prey relationships. In Europe, we see the plesiosaur Kimmerosaurus try not to become lunch for the massive pliosaur known as "Predator X," a relative of the Liopleurodon. In North America, we find a mixed-species herd of Camptosaurus and Stegosaurus work together to increase their chances of survival against predators like Allosaurus and Saurophaganax. Also, to prove that scientists like a laugh as much as the next person, the tail end of Stegosaurus now seems to have been officially dubbed "the thagomizer," paying homage to a certain 1982 panel of "The Far Side" by famed nerd cartoonist Gary Larson, who is a favourite amongst scientists. Episode 5, "New Giants," shows us the colossal South American Argentinosaurus and its predators, Skorpiovenator and Mapusaurus, as well as the African Paralititan and its nemeses, Charcharodontosaurus and Sarcosuchus. Also important to note: find out why, despite what you may have heard in a folk song long ago, you should never go walkin' in the footsteps of a sauropod. Episode 6, "The Great Survivors," reveals some of the survival mechanisms that enabled dinosaurs to adapt and survive in a changing world. See the dwarf sauropod Magyarosaurus, a titanosaur not much bigger than a horse, the Hatzegopteryx, a ground-stalking pterosaur as tall as a giraffe, the carnivore-turned-vegetarian therizinosaur Nothronychus and its huge defensive claws, and the nesting behaviour of Gigantoraptor. The extra behind-the-scenes documentary on the second disc, "How to Build a Dinosaur," is presented by Dr. Alice Roberts. Intelligent, competent, attractive, and charming, she also has what I find to be possibly THE MOST IRRITATING vowel-shifted accent I've ever heard in a TV presenter. The documentary is based around finding out how, in Dr. Roberts' own words, these "ore-inspiring" creatures "licked and meeved." Most of the time is spent on the reconstruction of a family of tyrannosaurs for a museum display, and how modern research techniques and comparative anatomy in modern animals help scientists visualise what dinosaurs were like as accurately as possible. This is also probably the only place where you'll get to see in close-up, during a dissection, an ostrich's vicious-looking finger-claw (something I never even knew existed), as well as the "tee tays" on its feet. At least she pronounces "dissection" correctly, which very few people do, so props to her on that. On the downside, the editing is not as tight as that of previous similar series. We get told three times in the space of about ten minutes that Spinosaurus was 17 meters long, just in case we forgot the first couple of times we were told. John Hurt mispronounces a few of the creatures' names on occasion and it wasn't caught and corrected. He seems to have the most problem with Daspletosaurus, Troodon, and Epidexipteryx. Some of the subtitles don't match the audio track. The wrong words or incorrect spellings occasionally slip in, such as John Hurt saying "Zunityrannus," while the subtitles show "Sinotyrannus." Also, some of the little factoid frames don't match up with the narration. In one instance, the narration says Spinosaurus was discovered in 1912, while the pop-up factoid frame says 1915, for example. Although it is not explicitly mentioned in the series (but can be inferred from later episodes), the pop-up factoid frames list the year in which one specific fossil specimen was discovered, not the species itself. Still, it's a fascinating new series with amazing new information for all palaeontology buffs young and old. Highly recommended, but with a grain of salt. The hardcover companion book for this series is also available here on Amazon, but it's mostly aimed at youngsters.

Ich habe mir zuerst die ZDF Version dieser Dokumentation angesehen. Die ist grauenhaft. Die darin vermittelten Informationen sind (großteilig - denn manches hat sich das ZDF ohne Originalvorlage einfach dazu gedichtet) exzellent. Allein dafür gäbe es für die Deutsche Version 5 Sterne, wäre bloß der Synchronsprecher und sein Text, und der Schnitt sowie auch die Kürzung der Doku nicht so dermaßen grauenhaft schlecht, dass ich jahrelang einen großen Bogen um diese Dokumentation machte. Das würde für die Deutsche Version (obwohl ich ein Riesenfan von Deutschlands Synchronisationsarbeit, und vor allem von Otto Clemens' Meisterwerk bei "Im Reich Der Giganten" bin) gerade einmal für 2 bis 3 Sterne reichen. An dieser Stelle eine Warnung an alle, die sich für die Deutsche Version entscheiden möchten. Gleichzeitig aber auch eine Empfehlung für alle, die sich den UK Import anschaffen wollen: denn zum Glück gab ich dem ganzen noch eine Chance und schaute mir auf YT mit mieser Qualität die Doku mal auf Englisch an. Nur für ein paar Minuten - aber das überzeugte im direkten Vergleich zu der ZDF Version schon sehr, und obwohl ich die Deutsche Version ebenfalls besitze, bestellte ich mir kurzum auch den UK Import auf DVD und schaute mir die Doku nochmals ganz an. Und siehe da.. der ganze Schnitt ergab plötzlich Sinn, die Textvorlage war weit entfernt von Bildzeitungs-Niveau, dramaturgisch schoss die Doku in ungeahnte Höhen und inhaltlich sind aufgrund von fast 40 min Extra Laufzeit DEUTLICH mehr Informationen vorhanden, die auch viel nüchterner, aber auch spannender rübergebracht werden. Zu der Animationsqualität braucht man hier nicht viel zu sagen. Sie ist spitze. Zwar natürlich besser weil neuer als bei der "Walking With"-Reihe, aber insgesamt etwas weniger authentisch. Keine echten Landschaften, keine Animatronic .. aber es ist passend und alle mal mehr als gut genug. Insgesamt liefert die Englische Version von "Der Dino Planet" ein sowohl inhaltlich, als auch dramaturgisch und qualitativ so exzellentes Bild ab, dass man es gut und gerne als sehr gelungenen Nachfolger von "Im Reich der Giganten" ansehen kann. Und "Im Reich der Giganten" ist immerhin, trotz teils veralteter oder übertriebener Informationen, immer noch das Non Plus Ultra des dokumentarisches Entertainments. Und daran anzuknüpfen ist der BBC mit "Planet Dinosaur" tatsächlich gelungen. Und inhaltlich überragt der Teil hier sogar seinen Vorgänger und ist damit auf einer Augenhöhe mit "Saurier Revolution", die ich beide als beste Dokumentationen seit Beginn der Dinosaurier Renaissance einstufen würde .. wenn gleich "Planet Dinosaur" - nun in Englischer Fassung - der deutlich ernstere Teil ist. Großteilig sind in beiden Dokureihen dieselben Paläontologen vertreten, und schon allein für dieses vermittelte Know-How verdient diese Dokumentation die vollen 5 Sterne ... .. aber nicht wenn die gesamte Doku kaputt geschnitten und getextet wird! Also: GEZ Version ... pfui. UK Import ... HUI! Aber sowas von Hui!

Good information.

Planet Dinosaur came out in 2011 and featured many of the species discovered during the ten years up to it. I love the fact that the six episodes are all over the planet and show us different landscape, different dinosaurs, and give us different stories about these lovely creatures. Told to us by the late, great, John Hurt. Both educational and entertaining. The dinosaurs are realistic for the time period and the episodes back up the dinosaurs lifestyles and behavior with scienfitic findings. Really good. Is some of the information out-dated by now? Yes. But I still enjoyed it. Five out of five.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Valutazione complessiva: BBC imbattibile! Consigliatissimo per gli appassionati. Peccato che il DVD aggiuntivo non sia graficamente all’altezza… Attenzione: non esiste l’edizione doppiata in italiano, ma sono presenti i sottotitoli in inglese. Guarda il video e leggi per i dettagli. 📦 Packaging: Questa edizione 2 DVD si presenta in una confezione di dimensioni normali (non slim), con un alloggio per ciascuna metà. Una volta aperto, troviamo il DVD principale sulla metà destra, il DVD opzionale sulla metà sinistra. 👍🏻 Cosa del tutto insolita, se estraiamo la copertina dalla confezione scopriremo che sul retro è stampato una sorta di mini-poster dello SPINOSAURO (vedi foto) ⚙️ Contenuti: Ho avuto modo di vedere su YouTube estratti delle puntate contenute in questo DVD e da subito mi sono reso conto della qualità dei contenuti. Il DVD contiene 6 puntate e parla di: 1. Lost World - spinosauro, ouranosauro, carcharodontosauro, sarcosuchus, onchopristis 2. Feathered Dragons - epidexipteryx, sinraptor, gigantoraptor, oviraptor, microraptor, Xianglong 3. Last Predators - despletosauro, chasmosauro, centrosauro, troodon, edmontosauro, majungosauro 4. Fight for Survival - Predator X (pliosauro), kemmerosauro, ammonite, stegosauro, kamptosauro, allosauro 5. New Giants - argentinosauro, mapusauro, pterosauro, skorpiovenator, paralititan, carcharodontosauro, ouranosauro, sarcosuchus 6. The Great Survivors - hatzegopteryx, magyarosauro, nothronychus/therizinosaurus, gigantoraptor, alectrosauro, oviraptor. La voce narrante (ovviamente in inglese) è del defunto Wiliam Hurt. AUDIO: inglese, 2 tracce: una della voce narrante, una voce narrante più voce descrittiva di ulteriori dettagli. SOTTOTITOLI: inglese SPECIFICHE TECNICHE: Mpeg-1/2 Video (mpgv) Risoluzione video 720x576 25fps Formato decodificato: Planar 4:2:0 YUV Audio AC3 stereo, 48000Hz 👍🏻 A differenza di quello che è lo “standard” dei documentari sui dinosauri, in questa serie si uniscono concetti scientifici comprensibilissimi a GRAFICHE davvero ben fatte che mostrano: Evoluzione della crosta terrestre e luoghi dei ritrovamenti Fisionomia degli scheletri dei dinosauri Confronti sulle taglie dei dinosauri Scale temporali Fotografie dei siti archeologici Tutti elementi che aiutano lo spettatore ad immergersi nel mondo dell’archeologie e scienza dei dinosauri. Il secondo DVD purtroppo non è all’altezza “estetica” del primo DVD; le riprese infatti sono effettuate con sensori un po vecchiotti e lenti non ottimali. Il risultato sono immagini non ben nitide e aberrazioni cromatiche. L’argomento trattato è la creazione dei dinosauri sia da esposizione museale, che tramite i rendering 3D (ovviamente con tecnologie degli anni 2010). 💰 Il prezzo: €12,98 in linea con questo tipo di prodotti, anche se la mancanza della lingua italiana lo penalizza un po’. Spero che possa esserti stato UTILE nella scelta di un ottimo doppio DVD a tema dinosauri. Se per te è stata utile, ti prego di manifestarlo col pulsante qui sotto: per me è importante!

En anglais impossible de lavoir en français dommage