Japan's Secret Garden

Most of us aren't mindful of agriculture in our urbanized world, and we tend to forget there are whole ecosystems enmeshed in man-made environments. In classic NOVA style, filmmaker/cinematographer Mitsuhiko Imamori's Japan's Secret Garden presents a gorgeous four-seasons tour of the fields on the shores of Lake Biwa in Japan, focusing on the many small creatures that have adapted their "circle of life" to the rice paddies, where microscopic water-fleas become food for the larger dragonfly larvae who in turn are eaten by water scorpions. Written and narrated by David Attenborough, elegantly backed by ambient music played on traditional instruments, and shot on lovely high definition video (which may be a little too defined for some insect-phobic viewers, but will be greatly appreciated by most others), this very enjoyable program is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)