Product Details

• Actors: Tilda Swinton
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Worldwide
• DVD Release Date: April 3, 2007
• Run Time: 150 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (172 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000M2E354
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,616 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

While its title may be superfluous, Galapagos: The Islands That Changed the World is a beautifully filmed journey into "the islands of the tortoise." Located due west of Ecuador, the Galapagos islands are full of gorgeous scenery and exotic wildlife. And this 150-minute documentary shows it all, thanks to stunning cinematography shot from all viewpoints--the air, sea and, of course, land. The collection is both soothing and exhilarating as it allows viewers to peek in on mating albatrosses (which are monogamous), penguins fishing, and surprisingly graceful giant tortoises swimming in the ocean. The filmmakers also manage to capture a ferocious volcanic eruption that is amazing in its clarity. The problem with many documentaries lies in the narration. A documentary filmmaker hits the jackpot when he is able to get someone like Sigourney Weaver, whose crisp narration fits in beautifully with the sweeping footage in Planet Earth. While Tilda Swanton lends a relaxing quality to Galapagos, her voice at times is a bit too lulling to hold the viewer's interest. The writing also borders on melodramatic, with talk of the simmering sea and such. With visuals as stunning as this, hyperbole is unnecessary. Charles Darwin has described the Galapagos as a world within itself, and it is said that the islands were one of his inspirations for his book The Origin of Species. While the film doesn't clearly explain why the Galapagos are unlike any other place on earth, it does showcase a destination that is unlike what most of us know. --Jae-Ha Kim

Product Description

The inspiration for Darwin's theory of evolution, the Galapagos Islands are a living laboratory, a geological conveyor belt that has given birth to and seen the death of many species of plants and animals. As the western islands rise up from the sea offering a chance of life, the eastern islands sink back beneath the waves guaranteeing only death. Between the two are the middle islands; fertile, lush land in its prime that contains an incredible diversity of life. Nowhere else on the Earth are the twin processes of creation and extinction of species so starkly apparent... see it all unfold before your eyes in this stunning series filmed entirely in high definition from the BBC and the National Geographic Channel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Polished Documentary, October 26, 2007

By 

Neil Dewitte (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Galapagos [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

This Blu-ray DVD has not had the hype that the Planet Earth series has had, but it rivals the series even within its limited content and definitely surpasses it in sound/editing.

This BBC series is broken into several episodes, all of which are well balanced with scientific information and amazing visuals of the Galapagos. Some episodes focus more above sea, others below, and yet others on the human interface with the islands.

The narration is top notch and the sound effects and music are beautiful - combined they really make this DVD shine. You definitely get a lot of bang for the buck on this DVD because it is a highly polished production.

62 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If only there were more than 5 Stars, March 19, 2007

By 

Mat (Central Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Galapagos (DVD)

I waited a long time to see this special on the National Geographic Channel, and I wasn't disappointed. Don't let the nearly three hours scare you because this is very well worth it.

This is by far the best documentary I have seen...EVER. They did a wonderful job at looking at land, sea, and air creatures, giving all of them equal time. They explain Darwin's visit very well, and the video is pristine. You truly believe you are there when you watch this.

As I said earlier, don't let the three hours scare you. It may seems to drag on in some places. Believe me though, it is worth every minute of it. It's sad to know that humans are destroying places like that. If anything, this documentary will show the world that these creatures are actually WORTH keeping around.

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Visit Galapagos, January 12, 2008

By 

Albatross (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Galapagos [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

Three part documentary series. National Geographic and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)commission.

Visually stunning. You will be easily immersed into Galapagos.

The audio mix on Galapagos is a Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo track (448 kbps)

Building a documentary collection? Don't miss this!

Nice Blu-Ray transfer.

Narrated by actress Tilda Swinton.