Customer Reviews

Before We Ruled the Earth - Mastering the Beasts

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cro-Magnons may have outlived all the other early humans but they still had to fight against all the dangers stacked against them: the weather, large carnivores, and the prey which can be just as dangerous. We go from Europe, over the land bridge from Asia to America, following mankind as they develop new hunting skills, new tools and new ways of life. Nothing is sugar coated - a few hunters are shown being killed (but no REAL animals were harmed).
Linda Hunt is the narrator for 'Mastering The Beasts', while John Slattery's voice is used for the 'How We Know What We Know' segments, with their timelines, maps, and archeological information. Lots of details within the 49 minutes but no extras on the DVD.

I suppose its fairly well done; it's just not all that interesting.

The show deals with the hunting practices of Cro-Magnons and early Indians. Some of it is accurate and much is, of necessity, pure speculation. It is well reasoned speculation for the most part but it is speculation. Its also quite dry, even with the CGI rendered scenes showing men (and women) at their work hunting the large animals.

The show is presented in a few vignettes from differing times. Each sets up a hunter or a would-be hunter and a conflict of some type. Perhaps a man does not seem brave enough to go on the hunt or perhaps all the menfolk were killed and the women have to take the lead. The show then goes on to speculate about religious beliefs and demonstrate how the game was killed.

Its not bad. It just not good either.

BBC does it again. Another great representation of what it must have been like in ages past. I highly recommend this DVD.

Recently, I became interested in dinosaur programs. Only thing: dinosaur programs, at least most of the ones I've seen, tend to take the side of the dinosaurs! Not this program. This program involves you in the lives of different people from that time. It was entertaining and original. I also enjoyed the graphics. If you are interested in this time period, I would reccommend this dvd. Then come back & tell everyone what you think!