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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Blue Planet, The: Seas Of Life


Special Edition
Genre: Documentary

Reviewed In Issue 126 (Dec 2007) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Narrated by David Attenborough

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 2.5
DD Sound Rating: 2.5
DTS Sound Rating: NR
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 5
Internet Links


Special Features
Special features on Disc One include the Making Of The Ocean World (ten minutes) and Making Of The Frozen Seas (ten minutes) featurettes, an interview with Photographer Doug Allan, a photo gallery, a music video, and a fact file. Disc Two includes the following featurettes: Making Of Open Ocean (nine minutes), Making Of The Deep (nine minutes), an interview with Researcher Penny Allen, a photo gallery, and a fact file. Disc Three includes the following featurettes: Making Of Seasonal Seas (nine minutes), Making Of The Coral Seas (nine minutes), an interview with Producer Alastair Fothergill, a photo gallery, a fact file, and trailers. On Disc Four there are the following featurettes: Making Of The Tidal Seas (nine minutes), Making Of Coasts (nine minutes), Deep Trouble (49 minutes), a photo gallery, a fact file, and trailers. And Disc Five includes the following documentaries: Amazon Abyss (52 minutes), Dive To Shark Volcano (52 minutes), Being There: Antarctica (30 minutes), and Being There: Between The Tides (28 minutes).


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): BBC Video
(Catalog Number): E4136
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Rating Reason):

(Retail Price): $59.98
(DVD Type): Five Disc Set: DVD-9
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 392
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 2001, 2002
(Theatrical Release): No
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 10/02/07
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): NA
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  DVD Picture Information

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  DVD Sound Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
The Blue Planet: Seas Of Life was five years in the making and had a budget of more than $10 million dollars. Presented by Sir David Attenborough, this comprehensive documentary explores the world

DVD Picture:
Understandably, the anamorphically enhanced 1.78:1 DVD is swathed in blue, but there is little definition or variation in the full-color fields, making the image look flat. Details are not resolved well, with a soft appearance that adds to the unnaturalness of the presentation. Compression artifacts riddle the screen, and edge enhancement is noticeable throughout. (Danny Richelieu)

Soundtrack:
The Dolby