Product Details

• Directors: Tom Hugh-Jones
• Format: Color, Dubbed, DVD, 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
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Warner
• DVD Release Date: July 1, 2008
• Run Time: 150 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0014VPFQI
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,987 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #43 in	Movies & TV > Television > BBC > Nature & Wildlife
  #55 in	Movies & TV > Special Interests > Travel

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Watching Ganges, one might be inclined to hit the pause button every now and then so as to ponder and absorb the images that have just passed by, so breathtakingly beautiful is nearly every frame of this extraordinary film. This is the kind of production that was born to be viewed in High Definition, and one that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the groundbreaking Planet Earth. But while both series were made by the BBC, there are notable differences between the two. For one thing, Ganges is considerably shorter (its three parts total about two and a half hours); for another, while its focus is largely on nature and wildlife, it has a much more prominent human presence (no surprise, considering that the river wends its way through India, the world’s second most populous nation, and that nearly a tenth of all people on Earth live within the Ganges’ basin).

Regarded as a goddess, described as the nexus of the natural and spiritual worlds, and variously known as "The Daughter of the Mountains," "The River of Life," and "Ganga Ma" (Mother Ganges), the river begins in the Himalayas (the exact source is uncertain; four sacred sites are visited by Hindu pilgrims). Fed by numerous streams, snowmelt, glaciers, and rain, it makes its way westward across the plains of the Indian subcontinent, passing through Rishikesh, Varanasi (known as the holiest city on the river), the teeming metropolis of Calcutta, and the forbidding delta forest known as the Sunderbans before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Along the way, we see an astonishing variety of animals: snow leopards, hawk-like lammergeiers with their ten-foot wingspans, langurs and macaques, mahseer (the world’s largest carp, weighing up to 50 kilograms), peacocks, otters, cranes, tigers, rhinos, and on and on. Meanwhile, the Hindu reverence for nature is constantly apparent--especially in a village where deadly cobras roam freely in the streets, virtually ignored by the residents (who consider themselves virtually immune; bites are frequent, but no one seems to die from them, a strange anomaly in country where twenty thousand people are killed by snakes every year). The cinematography is never less than gorgeous, whether it’s a closeup of a rhododendron or a panoramic mountain vista; frequent use of time-lapse photography only adds to the grandeur (cf. an incredible sequence depicting the arrival of the summer monsoon). Expertly narrated by Sudha Bhuchar, Ganges combines bravura technique and sheer artistry to create a genuinely inspiring viewing experience. Extras include a "making of" mini-doc and deleted scenes. --Sam Graham

Product Description

Filmed in stunning high definition and coming to DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, Ganges is a sumptuous series that tells the story of the most extraordinary river in the world. The Ganges runs through the heart of India. For millions of Hindus it is India’s sacred river, but they share its banks and waters with a rich variety of wildlife. In a kaleidoscope of color and energy, this amazing series reveals how the Ganges has shaped the wildlife, culture and beliefs of India. The journey begins at the source of the river, high in the cold peaks of the Himalayas. It heads down past tigers, otters, peacocks and wild herds of elephants before reaching Varanasi, one of the oldest and most sacred cities in the world. Arriving at the delta, where the Ganges meets the sea, modern cities such as Calcutta join with the ancient swamps of the Sunderbans. This amazingly diverse wetland, rarely filmed before, is home to giant lizards, man-eating crocodiles and forests full of monkeys. Here the tiger is still king, and man is on the menu.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, April 26, 2009

By	Frank J. DeFelice (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars professor, March 26, 2009

By	M. N. Reddy - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"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.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Facinating and exotic culture and history of the most holy river, April 11, 2009

By	Kathleen Margolis "ronnies girl" (AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.