BBC Home Entertainment has announced the 3-disc Blu-ray release of the Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning 2007 BBC/Discovery documentary series The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, which features narration by Sir David Attenborough. The eight-episode series streets on April 9th.
Synopsis: The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is the definitive natural history of the world's oceans, exploring everything from the popular shores and teeming shallows to the mysterious ocean depths. Sea birds and crustaceans inhabit the no-man's-land between earth and sea; sharks bask in the shallows, waiting for prey; strange, flower-like anemones bloom in the coral reefs; while in the deep canyons of the oceans, weird creatures with huge jaws wait for something to sink down from the sunlit world. It's a journey that gets stranger and more awe-inspiring as it goes along.
Episodes include:
The Blue Planet: Although 70 per cent of our planet is covered by water, the oceans and many of their inhabitants - such as the blue whale - remain an unexplored mystery. This edition travels to the very depths of the seas to reveal a spectacular variety of life - from alien monsters of the deep to pack-hunting killer whales attacking a grey whale calf.
The Deep: A look at the strange, otherworldly creatures that live in the very depths of the ocean, many of which are new to science. Terrifying fish with massive teeth that eat prey twice their size, weird flashing jellyfish, and deep sea sharks all inhabit submerged mountain ranges and volcanoes far larger than anything on land.
Open Ocean: Focuses on the predatory skills of some of the most charismatic hunters found on the planet: whales, dolphins, tuna, shark and rapier-nosed billfish. The fastest and most powerful survive in the marine desert of the sea, playing a deadly game of hide-and-seek with their prey.
Frozen Seas: A look at the survival techniques of creatures that endure the harsh conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic. For six months a year, all is dark at the poles and the temperature drops to minus 40 degrees Celsius. Some animals manage to survive the winter, while others are forced to migrate ahead of the advancing ice.
Seasonal Seas: Seasonal changes in the richest waters on Earth, where the annual cycle of the sun drives an explosion of life. Featuring an extraordinary variety of marine animals, including seals, dolphins, jellyfish and the bizarre walking handfish.
Coral Seas: Amazingly beautiful and complex, coral reefs develop from humble beginnings. Tiny larvae settle and then over hundreds of years the intricate and fragile reefs that we so enjoy grow, inch by inch. Reefs are adorned with spectacularly colourful life, but it is no tropical paradise. Space is at a premium and even the coral itself fights to survive. And then, at night, the sharks come out to hunt. Layer upon layer the coral supports innumerable animals, but one big storm can threaten the entire community.
Tidal Seas: Learn how the tides create opportunities for marine life - giant stingrays glide on currents for a rest, minute crabs play football on the beach, racoons binge, the fastest snail of all surfs the waves in pursuit of a meal and dolphins play a deadly game of catch.
Coasts: The boundary between land and sea is an exciting place, with animals constantly coming and going. From the open oceans, millions of seabirds are forced to come into land to breed. Sea eagles steal kittiwake chicks from their nesting ledges. Turtles lay their eggs in the sand and marine mammals haul themselves out to fight on the beaches. Sealions emerge from the kelp to give birth while killer whales come crashing in on the surf to snatch the sealion's young.
Tech specs have yet to be revealed, but the 3-disc BD set will include several extras:
Deep Trouble: For years, man has used the oceans as a source of life, food and riches. Now the oceans have been put under such intolerable strain that we may be about to lose this valuable asset. Deep Trouble looks at the impact man has had on the ecology of the oceans.
I thought this wasn't filmed in HD... Also, a similar set was released by Discovery, but with narration by both David Attenborough and Pierce Brosnan: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=153559
Finally. Ill get this one. I Had the Discovery one w/ the dual narration and it was horrible and I sold it right away on Ebay. If this one gets good reviews on the video then I will defintely rebuy this set.
One of my favorite nature series. Every bit an equal to Life, Planet Earth, and Frozen Planet
1. It was not shot in standard definition. It was shot on 16mm film same as The Walking Dead. It was however only transfered in standard definition for its original broadcast. Assuming they go back to the original film elements and do a new HD transfer it will certainly benefit from the jump to Blu-Ray. Though it will certainly look much grainier and less pristine then digitally shot Life and Planet Earth
2. From what I hear I believe the 2010 Discovery Channel Blu-Ray version was a standard def upconversion not a true HD transfer. I haven't watched it but I hear it was a total rip off. This BBC version should be a great improvement I hope. Plus in my opinion dubbing over Attenborough with some actor is a grevious sin
Another correction is the show originally aired in late 2001 on BBC one and the Discovery Channel in early 2002. Not 2007 as the top incorrectly claims. Hence why it was never transfered in HD for its original broadcast. At the time HDTV market had not grown enough to make HD transfers worth it in the minds of the BBC.
By the looks of it this Blu-Ray contains the main extra material from the original DVD release but seems to skip most of the bonus programs included on the 2007 5 disc DVD re-release. Since none were as good as the main program they are not a major loss but those who want to be completists should hold onto the 5 disc DVD version for the bonus programs
Love this series. One of my favorite nature documentary of all time.
Especially because of the episode "The Deep" - never saw most of the creatures there except some pictures on a book. Never saw them alive before(even though it wasn't their nature environment), there is nothing like it. Will definitely buy.
My guess is ALL the Attenborough films will get a Blu-ray release in due course, the BBC would be stupid not to as they will all sell like half-price gold! We must just be patient and not jump the gun with US "immitations" that even Americans agree are too fake even for them!
Soon we'll have all the Attenborough goodness. I really, really hope they give us the entire Life series.
Life on Earth
The Living Planet
The Trials of Life
Life in the Freezer
The Private Life of Plants
Life Of Birds
Life Of Mammals
Life in the Undergrowth
