Viewers might want to heat up a steaming cup of hot chocolate for Nigel Marven's five-part Animal Planet series Arctic Exposure, which finds the genially adventurous host spending nine months traveling about the Arctic studying the behavior of various species of wildlife, including whales, walrus, moose, musk oxen, foxes, owls, squirrels and, of course, polar bears—from spring through fall, returning to various locales each season. Marven, who has a bit of the late Steve Irwin about him, is not shy when it comes to getting up close and personal with the animals he tracks, hitching an exhilarating ride with a herd of beluga whales, virtually knocking at the door of an owl, and willingly submitting to a swarm of voracious mosquitoes. Throughout, Marven takes time to describe each of the spotlighted locations, charting the seasonal changes, while also filming the famed northern lights of the aurora borealis on a couple of occasions and tossing a cupful of boiling water into the air to illustrate how quickly it freezes before hitting the icy ground. Marven's enthusiasm is infectious in this series that should definitely appeal to fans of March of the Penguins and similar fare. DVD extras include an interview with Marven, and a featurette on climate change. Recommended. Aud: P. (F. Swietek)
Arctic Exposure with Nigel Marven
(2008) 2 discs. 206 min. DVD: $24.95. Genius Products (avail. from most distributors). Volume 24, Issue 2
Arctic Exposure with Nigel Marven
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: