#BLUE PLANET SEAS OF LIFE THE DEEP 1080P#
#BLUE PLANET SEAS OF LIFE THE DEEP SERIES#

Another thing I noticed while revisiting The Blue Planet, is that its successors have done a much better job at storytelling and making transitions. That means the footage is extremely grainy at best, and low resolution at its worst (don't worry, a more detailed analysis is coming). 16mm film and videotape make up most, if not all of the action. First and foremost, there's the formats in which the footage was captured. Well, it certainly remains as one of the finest documentaries ever produced - second to none in regards to water exploration alone - but there are a couple of things that make it feel somewhat dated.

12 years later, having Attenborough speak atop a meticulously crafted score and stunning imagery may seem par for the course, but that's only because The Blue Planet helped to pave the way.īut with BBC's Natural History Unit always striving to top themselves, I wasn't sure how well The Blue Planet would have held up after all these years.

#BLUE PLANET SEAS OF LIFE THE DEEP SERIES#

Thanks to him, hunts always had me on the edge of my seat, strange creatures and sharp toothed monsters were all the more frightening, and major events swelled with the series inspiring theme. Another aspect that made this miniseries such a game changer was the complementary score by award winning composer George Fenton. It's a flawless blend of knowledge and passion, and I doubt The Blue Planet could have been as successful without him. As a naturalist and commentator for over 60 years, he effortlessly provides tones of excitement, ferocity, direness and joy to any situation, yet maintains a respectable level of neutrality all the same. Still, it's David Attenborough's narration that provides the majestic on-screen imagery with something more. The camerawork is so precise and well timed, that most every shot is an almost cinematic feast for the eyes. The first thing I noticed years ago, and continue to appreciate to this very day, is the breathtaking cinematography. Of course, all the information and fascinating creatures wouldn't be compelling if the presentation left something to be desired, but this is where The Blue Planet separates itself from all that came before it. 8 episodes escort us from the coasts all the way down to the sunless depths, while even providing an intimate look at creatures that had never previously been filmed. Yet, BBC's Natural History Unit managed to pull it off in a grand and majestic way. I'm not dismissing the dozens of film crews that had to travel to every peak and valley in every conceivable climate on Earth, but acquiring and compiling five years of underwater footage into something cohesive? I'd imagine that's something of a nightmare, especially since the crews had filmed in various formats (16mm and videotape). Although it took five years to make and was the first to be filmed entirely in HD, The Blue Planet was just as massive an undertaking, if not more so. It's really a shame that Planet Earth is considered by many to be the dawn of awakening in regards to televised documentaries. With that being said, it was only a matter of time before The Blue Planet was brought to Blu-ray, and now that it's here, I find myself puzzled as to why such an important miniseries was given such a subpar release. Heck, it even opened some doors for the BBC, as the subsequent success of future documentaries - such as Planet Earth, Life and Frozen Planet - may not have been possible without the award winning template set by their predecessor. Not only did it enlighten me as to what lies beneath the ocean's surface, but it also opened me to the world of quality documentary filmmaking. Without any exaggeration, I can tell you it proved to be one of the better blind buys of my entire life.

So, despite my distaste for documentaries at the time, I was compelled to pick up The Blue Planet - Seas of life a decade or so ago. This was especially true in regards to the ocean, because I always felt it was more mysterious than even the stars above. Being able to study unique ecosystems from the comfort of my home always took me to another place, as if I were observing life on another planet. The diversity of life that blankets our globe has always intrigued me, because there's so many strange and fascinating ways of life to try and comprehend. That's not to say I wasn't interested in the topic though, because that couldn't be further from the truth. No, just your bottom of the barrel, 'whatever my teacher decided to record off PBS' dreck.

but then again, I wasn't exposed to the BBC's stellar line of work. Growing up, I felt nature documentaries were the ultimate bore.

#BLUE PLANET SEAS OF LIFE THE DEEP 1080P#

*Click on all images for full 1080p screenshots.

Blue planet seas of life the deep