State of the Planet-Complete Series (2000)

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General		Extras
Category	Documentary	Main Menu Audio Web Links
Rating
Year Of Production	2000
Running Time	147:27
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Kate Broome
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	David Attenborough
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	$24.95	Music	Sarah Class

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.75:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.85:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English for the Hearing Impaired	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

    I have reviewed quite a few David Attenborough series recently and this one is quite different to any I have seen before. In other series Attenborough tends not to focus too much on the negative effects of humans on the earth, preferring to show people the wonders and beauties of nature. In this series from 2000 he focuses on the crisis due to the reduction of biodiversity which is currently facing the world. The series is made up of three episodes and as usual is well produced. Despite the obvious importance of this subject I am not sure about its marketability as a DVD purchase to the broader community. It would probably be of more interest to universities, schools and libraries. The series includes visits to specific endangered habitats and interviews with eminent scientists in the field.

    The three episodes, each of about 50 minutes, are as follows:

1. Is There a Crisis? - Addresses the question of whether or not there really is a problem if some species die out. Examines keystone species which have huge effects if they die out, the rate of extinction currently compared to the past and other similar issues.
2. Why is There a Crisis? - Examines the five human behaviours which have the biggest impacts on biodiversity, which are:
• Over-harvesting
• Introducing non-native species
• Destruction of habitats (the worst one)
• Islandisation - leaving islands of habitat in areas where most land has been developed
• Pollution, especially global warming
3. The Future of Life - Examines how our actions over the next 100 years will determine the future of the planet

    An interesting and thought provoking documentary series.

Video

    The video quality is good.

    The feature is presented in a 1.75:1 aspect ratio 16x9 enhanced which is probably the original aspect ratio.

    The picture was quite clear and sharp throughout, with no evidence of low level noise. Shadow detail was fine. There was light grain throughout which was heavier on some sequences.

    The colour was bright and vibrant although there was some light colour bleeding to be seen.

    The artefacts to be seen were aliasing which was occasional on buildings and roads, some minor macro-blocking such as at 0:50 in Episode 2 and a few black or yellow splodges.

    There are subtitles in English for the hearing impaired. The English subtitles were clear and easy to read.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    The audio quality is good.

    This DVD contains an English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo soundtrack encoded at 192 Kb/s.

    Dialogue was clear and easy to understand and there was no problem with audio sync.

    The score of this film by Sarah Class featuring a performance by Mark Knopfler is quite good although I can't say I noticed the Mark Knopfler bit specifically..

    The surround speakers and subwoofer were not used.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    None.

Menu

    The menu included episode selection and a weblink.

    This series is available in the same format in Region 1 and Region 2.

    The video quality is good.

    The audio quality is good.

    No extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall