In 2001, the BBC aired the landmark nature series The Blue Planet (VL Online-5/02), a five-years-in-the-making project hosted by David Attenborough that combined fascinating facts with beautiful footage of aquatic life. Sir David returns for this amazing sequel filmed over a four-year period in eye-popping high definition. Blue Planet II is divided into seven geographically-themed episodes: "One Ocean," "The Deep," "Coral Reefs," "Big Blue," "Green Seas," "Coasts," and "Our Blue Planet." As in other BBC nature documentaries, the series features numerous predator/prey sequences (Attenborough’s voice drops a tell-tale register to suggest ominous doings ahead), but it is also chockful of Ripley’s Believe It or Not factoids (Kobudai fish are sex-changing, orcas can use their tales to stun schools of herring, etc.). And there are the jaw-dropping images: trevally fish leaping out of the water to bring down birds, bobbit worms emerging from the sand to pull unsuspecting fish underground, a tuskfish repeatedly bashing a clam against a rock until the former breaks, and much more. Although dire observations are sprinkled throughout the episodes, the finale is particularly focused on the serious problems facing Earth’s oceans, including plastic (eight million tons dumped annually), rising sea levels, shrinking habitat, and dying coral reefs. But the last episode also shines a hopeful spotlight on a number of dedicated individuals who are doing what they can to save the world’s oceans. Each episode concludes with an "Into the Blue" featurette taking viewers behind-the-scenes of one or more of the filmed sequences. Another incredible BBC series with state-of-the-art nature cinematography, this is highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Pitman)
Blue Planet II
(2018) 3 discs. 350 min. DVD: $38.99; Blu-ray: $45.99. BBC Worldwide Ltd. (avail. from most distributors). SDH captioned. Volume 33, Issue 4
Blue Planet II
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