Product Details

• Actors: David Attenborough
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630027134X
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,523 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Science documentary examining the diversity and origins of life on earth.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars like reducing Moby Dick to the first and last 50 pages..., September 18, 2003

By	C. Moon (Valley Village, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is rather unclear what the intentions of this grotesquely abridged version of Life on Earth were, but what stands out above everything else is that this two video tape set does little justice to the original series. I had seen several episodes complete while in college and a few years back purchased this edited version--knowing quite well it was edited. But the severity of the cuts was never clear until viewed side-by-side with the original version. It might seem that the episodes were perhaps 30 minutes long but instead they were a full 50 minutes. Given that many of the episodes on this tape are little over 10 or 20 minutes, you can imagine just how much has been lost.

And what did they choose to lose? As another review made clear, the most interesting, the most novel and the most educational elements were discarded leaving a program that is still interesting if nothing else is available, but chopping out almost everything that made this program one of a kind.

The truth is, unlike many of the other fantastic 'life' installments, 'Life On Earth' is quite intellectual, and really oriented toward the college level viewer. That doesn't mean that younger people won't like it, but seeing it next to 'Life of Mammals' for instance, the difference in the target audience is abundantly clear. Unfortunately, almost all the college level material is dropped from the 4 hour version. Comparison to fossils, extensive discussions of evolution, co-evolution, speculations on the adaptive function of certain forms...almost all of this is gone!

I for one am a fan of all Attenborough's work, but 'Life on Earth' is by far one of the most amazing efforts in nature films and probably Attenborough's crowning achievement. It is (as tht title suggests) an overview of the world's natural history, crammed into thirteen fifty minute episodes with beautiful examples of every kind of life from all over the world. In the scope of science/nature documentaries, it is undoubtedly the finest of its kind.

For those who question where they might be able to purchase the entire series, I would suggest checking Amazon's UK branch as the BBC has issued the entire series there (though I don't imagine US machines will play it.)

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK Intro to Hit Attenborough Show, March 11, 2004

By	Michael J. Holly (Hamilton, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this set from Amazon 4 years ago and watched it. It is an extremely edited version of the 13 part tv series by Sir David Attenborough. I wqs disppointed that most episodes were edited down and many neat parts, such as fossil discussions and habitat discussions, were left out. The complete series on DVD is available in the UK, but, unfortunately, not available in the uS. However, a Chinese DVD business sells the complete unedited series on a DVD set along with Living Planet and private Life of Plants. I recently won a copy of the set from E-Bay and will be getting that soon in the mail.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional journey through time of life on earth, December 5, 1998

By A Customer

This video series was the inspiration for our two month Natural History tour in Fall 1998. My two children (9, 7) were captured by the very in depth way David Attenborough puts together the development of life on Earth.

He actually travels to the sites where fossil evidence has been found, and plainly describes the evolutionary developments with living examples. His almost "Uncle David," manner is very engaging. His approach allows time to absorb the atmosphere, and feel that you're there with him.

His treatment of early life, the migration to land, and physical adaptations that led to success or failure in the Earth's changing environment is consistant and understandable. The series includes a good description of dinosaurs' world, and a very well done overview of life for the first humans.

We watched one episode every few days, and found that we were looking forward to the next step in the development of life. Perhaps the best and most complete series about the history life.