Customer Reviews

Nature:American Eagle

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a long time collector of Bald Eagle pictures and statues and when I saw this video being offered in Blu-ray I just had to have it. I might add that I was not disappointed when I got it. It is a brilliant video showing the life and unfortuneately the death of this mighty bird. It is easy to see just why our country chose this mighty bird as our national symbol. I highly recommend this video to anyone who loves the Bald Eagle as much as I do.

I am shocked and angered that, as of this writing, none of the info above credits NEIL RETTIG, who patiently made these marvelous images, sitting motionless in trees and in blinds, whether one of our subzero blizzards was driving ice needles into his flesh, or our humid summers trickled itchy sweat down his face and neck as clouds of mosquitoes and myriads of crawling insects and other vermin assaulted and tormented him. I talked with Neil and an associate on a few occasions when our favorite local camera store was still open. Neil, while being totally dedicated to sharing his unique gifts that combine science, art, and technology, is soft-spoken and hardly a seeker of the spotlight, so I hope he will forgive me for making it clear that NEIL RETTIG is the person who achieved almost all the brilliantly successful work of photographing and producing "American Eagle." F. Murray Abraham, whose name is splattered all over this product and festoons the Amazon info above, is just an actor with a decent voice who does a good job of reading what someone else wrote. Another reviewer mentioned that he, like Neil and me, is fortunate to know the spectacular Wisconsin / Minnesota upper Mississippi gorge and its tributary coulees where Neil photographed "American Eagle" amid the bluff ledges and treetops.

I endured enough discomforts of nature photography to know that I could never have the patience, toughness, and tremendous abilities to be as good as Neil is. He refuses to quit until he has told the story with footage that presents the subject clearly, but in a natural-appearing fashion without anything that appears contrived or distractingly technological. I'm also a bit old to clamber up trees and bluffs with many pounds of equipment, so I hope Neil can go on doing it for all of us for a long time.

Thanks, Neil; you're the best there is at what you do.

UPDATE: The info supplied for the DVD version does mention Neil, so why not also the Blu-ray edition?

The documentary 'American Eagle' on DVD from the 'Nature' Series can be recommended throughout. Astonishing shots, closeups combined with a dramatic story. Truly a tribute to the proud symbol of the US. I bought the DVD online in California after I saw the documentary on TV. Englsh language only.

American Eagle Review (2.5 Stars Total Value)

Cinematography- 1/2 Star

The variety of camera shots and the creative ways the cameramen acquired them were very good, particularly the shots from cameras posted near the nests. There were many shots that were made at too great a distance in near-dark conditions that were very grainy and perhaps should have been scrapped or attempted again. The jarring jumps from pretty picture to grainy were distracting and cost this half a star.

Storytelling- 1 Star

The storytelling was good. The story mostly focused on a few nesting pairs in particular. However, good efforts were put into telling the story of a typical year in the life of this great species from all across its wide range. This told the broad story and also brought it closer to home by showing the struggles an eagle family faces each year.

Sound/Audio- 1/2 Star

The sound was very good and was mostly natural. It would have been astonishing to see how they got some of the sound clips given the distances from some of the scenes they shot. With all the scenes of flying eagles perhaps more background music would have added something to it.

Encoding- 1 Star... Barely

The encoding job was mostly flawless. Some scenes were grainy, as above mentioned, because of the way the shots were taken. The only real problems that I felt were encoding caused were in some scenes where the edges of the screen flickered a little bit and I believe this also may have had something to do with the source material. Perhaps the encoding software was simply confused about something in the picture.

Fun Factor- 1 Star

I really enjoyed this documentary. It did a good job of summing up the evolving story of Bald Eagles from becoming our enduring national symbol, becoming endangered and finally to getting more of the respect they deserve.

The Story Of Ernest Thompson Seton vs. Lobo Review (2.5 Stars Total Value)

Storytelling- 1 Star

The narration and interviews with modern day wolf experts coupled with quotes from Seton himself really combined with the camera work to tell the story in a masterful way. This is the story of how a bounty hunter was hired to pursue the most difficult outlaw he would ever face. One could really see the evolution of Seton and Lobo, his witty wolf adversary, as they trod down the path to the final showdown that must surely come at the end of all Old West tales. Well done indeed.

Cinematography- 1 Star

The camera work in this documentary was very good. I particularly liked the landscape shots of New Mexico where the story took place and the work with the wolf actors who portrayed Lobo and clan. This really brought the story to life.

Sound/Audio- 1 Star

The ambient sound, the interviews and the acted out quotes from Seton were good. The sounds of the wolf actor portraying Lobo were very nice and authentic to say the least. Along with acted out quotes from Seton the sound made this feel like the life and death struggle it was. Setons career as a bounty hunter was on the line while Lobo and his clans lives were at stake.

Encoding- 1 Star

I had no problems with the quality of the encoding whatsoever. Everything looked fine throughout the entire documentary.

Fun Factor- 1 Star

This felt like a western. I love westerns- especially the memorable ones and how can a showdown between a wolf outlaw and a bounty hunter not grab and hold your attention?

Conclusion

The eagle documentary gets 2 stars out of 2.5 possible and the Seton story gets 2.5 out of its 2.5 possible. This left me with 4.5 of 5 and since I can't put half a star I tossed a coin and called heads for the extra star. Heads has it. This disc was a pleasure to watch and is highly recommended.

**What I Watch DVD/Blu-Ray Discs On- PS3 w/HDMI and Sanyo 720p 32-inch TV.**

Being a raptor fanatic and a lover of Bald Eagles in particular, I highly recommend this DVD! It mainly features the eagles of Decorah, Iowa. I got quite excited about this when I discovered it as I am a regular viewer of the live nest webcam in Decorah! There is so much to see and learn in this DVD. Amazing footage of these majestic and powerful birds and so emotionally stirring. Without a doubt this is the best documentary I have ever seen about eagles. Also, it is playable in Australia which is good, as it is not always easy to find DVDs online that are suitable for this region.

Truly remarkable video. I have an Eagle's nest visible from my home and I watch it year after year. I know have even most repsect for the life of these American birds for all that they represent. The footage and narrative are outstanding and it is a blessing we, the public, are able to enjoy such a powerful documentary. Child or adult, a must see commanding the respect toward this bird that it deserves.

This is a beautiful DVD and of special interest to me as it was filmed in the Mississippi valley country I grew up in.

This Blu-ray DVD celebrates one of the true emblems of America, and does a great job doing so.
WNET Nature has always been one of my favorite programs on Sunday night, so after awhile, I just started collecting them on DVD so that I could share them with friends/family. I will share this one with both.