Customer Reviews

Ganges [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After watching this film, I fully appreciate the beauty and scope of the River Ganges. This production brings you from the Himalyas to the Bay of Bengal, where the Ganges ends. The photography of animals, birds, fish, and whatever else nature has put by the Ganges was beautiful. I expected to see more of the religious side of India, but India is made up of many religions, Hinduism being only one. This DVD is about the Ganges.

It depicts the climate changes, the monsoons, and some of the people. Cobras get some good footage, as they slither through homes, and traffic.
You don't get an in depth study of the Indian people, but a terrific film about the Ganges.

The BBC have another winner on their hands. Starting in the Himalayas and
following the course of the Ganges in 3 episodes they explore the people places and wild life of the regions bordering the river.

The scenery of the mountains is simply amazing on Blu Ray, the full force of the spring melt is captured and conveyed almost as if you were there. Amazing film work and worth watching at least twice I feel.

We just watched Ganges a few weeks ago and were blown away. We are Indian and the people we invited to see the film were Indian as well, so this was especially relavent to us.

The documentary overall was quite good, it not only focused on the physical aspects of the river (how it effects the environment) but its spiritual significance as well. The photography in this film is amazing.

The Blu-ray presentation was stunning, and the level of detail and color was really heightened. It really made the documentary come to life. And surprisingly for a documentary, the DTS track was quite good, and the narration and music did a good job enhancing the experience. I don't think we would be as involved in the events if we were watching it on DVD.

Anyone interested in India or history in general should check this out!

Technical Specs
* BD-25 Single-Layer Disc
* Region Free
Video Resolution/Codec
* 1080i/VC-1
Aspect Ratio(s)
* 1.78:1
Audio Formats
* English DTS 5.1 Surround
* Hindi Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
* Bengal Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles/Captions
* English SDH
Supplements
* Featurette
* Deleted Scenes

This is a spectacular documentary of a river and area little known to most westerners. From the Himalayas to the delta this video covers the birds, fish, animals, plants and people who live in and around the Ganges.

The video would have been better if the places covered were more clearly identified on a map. While a topographical map is shown throughout the video, cities and places are never identified on it. The narration is stunningly boring. The information given by the narrator is informative and of interest; however the voice is one unchanging monotone.

Nevertheless this is an important video, presenting wildlife, settlements, people and of course the river, not frequently covered elsewhere.

Ganges

Great photography, unusual insight into Indian culture, history, agriculture and the like. This DVD is a good product-the average American actually knows very little about India. Who would have thought that the river was/is revered as a god entity? Who knew that the rich northern plains of India have soil 3 miles thick in some places? Who knew about the massive deforestation that took place during the Raj?

This film depicts the history of the holiest river in India...the Ganges. The very interesting cultures that honor it. The videography is fantastic and makes you feel that you are there.

I loved this documentary. It starts with the Ganges headwaters in the Himalayas and ends with its delta at the Bay of Bengal. Not only are the nature shots incredible, but it takes you through some amazing history and civilations along the route of the Ganges. The music and narration are fantastic as well.

I have been interested in building my library since I bought Planet Earth a few years ago. I know I may never find anything that will match Planet Earth BBC (it's just that awesome!) but I was pleased with Ganges. I enjoyed seeing the different social groups and how they use the river in their farming and religious communities. If you enjoy seeing nature as it was meant to be seen (with the exception of in-person) then you will enjoy Ganges.

Bottom Line: Well worth the investment and something you will watch more than once as well as invite others to watch.

"The Ganges"
wow, a visually stunning documentary of three hours. In addition to a rich and colorful, it is a highly informative one too. A delightful one to watch.

I had seen this series on television but the blu-ray release is simply stunning. The premise of the story is simple - follow the Ganges from source to delta - and it is the intermingling of people and wildlife that makes the programmes so compelling. Sometimes the interaction can be uplifting - the fisherman feeding the baby otter - and sometimes quite depressing - the tigers that are forced into smaller and smaller spaces to survive. The high definition format brings every whisker and snowflake into sharp relief as well as providing breathtaking views of the mountains and the river valley. Admittedly, some shots - like those of the snow leopard - were not in high definition but, for me, that just reflected the reality of the rareness of these creatures. Up until a few years ago, there was no film of them at all. The extras are interesting (all in normal definition). The montage of deleted extras was mesmerising and the story of filming the emaciated tiger quite heartbreaking. If you like BBC nature then this disc is one you will enjoy - the narrative is compelling, the wildlife fascinating, and the quality of picture superb.