Reviews

Gr all levels‘Spectacular cinematography and fascinating factoids are combined to produce this fast-paced, attention-grabbing nature series that manages to pack a great deal of information into each 30-minute episode. Moving from pre-history to mythology and legend to the latest scientific discoveries, each program covers the gamut of its subject, not in-depth but in breadth. The signature Dorling-Kindersley technique of photographing and filming against a white background and using brilliant color is a visual delight. The filming techniques of zooming and angling, closeups and panoramas, even using the lens as an element by bouncing an acorn from a tree on it or splashing it with droplets of water, keep the eye focused on the subject, while the narrative describes exactly what is being viewed onscreen, allowing viewers to easily absorb the information. Martin Sheen's soothing voice is calm and clear, giving the illusion of unhurried pacing. The episodes on habitats, such as Arctic & Antarctic, Desert, Pond & River, and Seashore include information on how they came to be formed; the plants and animals inhabiting them; and the effects of wind, rain, and other elements on them. The videos on animals, including Ape, Butterfly & Moth, Shell and Mammal have wonderful footage of these creatures in their own settings. At the conclusion of each episode, "The Making of..." explains how certain effects were created. None of these videos discuss the deleterious effect that humans have had on each of these subjects or the problems of environmental pollution. While that is not the purpose of these programs, which show the beauty of nature unspoiled, perhaps a warning that this beauty can be destroyed so easily would not be amiss here. Overall, the quality of the entire series is consistently excellent.-Judith McMahon, Oak Lawn Public Library, IL