Product Details

• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 5
• Studio: Pbs Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Run Time: 285 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0780620178
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #362,583 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Explore the fascinating and extraordinary behavior of creatures deep within their undersea world. This stunning new series presents never-before-seen behaviors of sharks, whales, dolphins and many other unusual marine animals. Dive into the submarine forests of giant kelp in the Northeastern Pacific. Examine the complex behaviors marine creatures employ to spawn, escape predators and survive. Witness bizarre defense and predation strategies including camouflage and deadly venom, then enter a waterworld of darkness where nocturnal swimmers rise from a black abyss or emerge from undersea caves in the never-ending struggle to capture prey and survive. Includes: "Cathedral in the Sea," "Survival in the Sea," "Venom," "Creatures of Darkness," "The Great Whales," "Sharks," "City in the Sea," "Star Gardens," "Mountain in the Sea," and "Filming Secrets."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just an ordinary underwater documentary, February 2, 2000

By 

Brian Hu (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secrets of the Ocean Realm [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The scenes of this video are incredible! Using the latest rebreathing technology, divers were able to stay continuously underwater for long periods, somtimes up to six hours to capture a single event. A lot of the footages were rare and never seen before on television.

I particularly liked "The Making Of" part, where they actually showed how the cameras were being set up and the divers were just waiting for the sea creatures to perform.

I am a divemaster myself and it is the best underwater documentary I have seen. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this video.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Unbelievable, August 26, 2002

By 

Andrew W. Hill - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secrets of the Ocean Realm [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have watched documentaries for most of my life, and most of them have been on ocean life. Unfortunately, I have seen so many that I have struggled much in the recent years to find new documentaries that contain enough new, fascinating information and beautiful footage to warrant any monetary investment. Well my search ended with Secrets of the Ocean Realm. Never before have I paid so much for a documentary series, and never before has my money been so well spent.

The footage offers more than the occasional marvel. There are never-before filmed creatures. There are creatures never before identifed by science. And there are familiar creatures engaging in activities never before seen or filmed. For the first time, the viewer is able to see how much personality and individuality animals have.

But the documentary is about more than individual animals. It explores entire ecosystems, from coral reefs to star gardens to the dark depths of the deepest oceans.

The strong yet soothing voice of Linda Hunt carries the viewer on a journey of unimaginable biological diversity and kaleidoscopic color, and it is all accompanied by a subtly emotional and unforgettably dynamic musical score.

After viewing each video in this series multiple times in the privacy of my home, my only regret now is I am harder pressed than ever to find a documentary series that can top Secrets of the Ocean Realm.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Footage!, February 16, 2002

By 

Stephan Bullard "sgbullard" (Hartford, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secrets of the Ocean Realm [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is one of the best collections of underwater videos I have seen. I'm a professional marine biologist and spend a great deal of time underwater. Although I have been to many parts of the world with the express purpose of studying ocean life, my own observations pale in comparison to the footage contained in this set. Howard Hall literally has been everywhere, done everything, and has been able to capture much of it on film. Each video in the set contains two separate movies, all of which are excellent. For me, the best aspect of the set is the fact that many of the covered topics are "atypical;" that is they depict places that few people have been to or subjects that few people are familiar with. My favorite video in the set is Star Gardens. I had long heard about brittlestar-dominated ecosystems, but I had never seen one. Star Gardens take you there are really introduces you to the major players in the system, including the very large (multiple feet in diameter) sun stars. My least favorite videos in the series were The Great Whales and Sharks. Although neither of these videos were by any means bad, they seemed a bit tacked on, and other videos provide a more thorough treatment of these animals. Overall, I recommend this collection to anyone who is interested in ocean life. I can also say that they make an excellent educational tool. I have often shown these films to undergraduate and graduate students and I've always been pleased with the way these videos captivate my students attention.