The Beauty of Snakes

With plenty of mood-setting music, colorful lighting, and artfully composed close-ups, The Beauty of Snakes sometimes feels a bit like softcore porn for herpetologists. Photographed in high-definition and presented in brilliant Blu-ray clarity, this Animal Planet documentary offers a basic primer on the natural history and behavior of snakes. Narrated by Irish actress Aoife McMahon, the program is divided into four sections addressing all aspects of a snake's daily existence, with several varieties of snakes shown to illustrate various behaviors. “Senses for Survival” looks at the way snakes use their sensitive tongues as instruments of smell; their underbellies to sense minute vibrations on the ground; and thermal sensors to detect the body heat of their prey. “On the Move” examines mobility, including the familiar “serpentine” S-shaped approach; the sidewinding motion (minimizing body contact with hot surfaces, like desert sand); graceful swimming to avoid detection; and “caterpillar” movement to travel with stealth in a straight line. “On the Hunt” demonstrates stalking and preying activities, including spitting venom (favored by the deadly black mamba); suffocation by constriction (featuring a disturbing image of an anaconda killing a duck); and poisonous bites, such as that of the fer-de-lance, which causes 2,000 human deaths per year. The final segment, “Living with Snakes,” makes the important point that human life would be severely compromised if snakes didn't ensure global rodent control. Although mock-suspenseful encounters are dramatized through manipulative angles and heavy-handed editing, The Beauty of Snakes lives up to its title for the most part, while also providing a solid introduction to the snake world. Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Shannon)