When Dinosaurs Roamed America

Like its cinematic predecessors Walking With Dinosaurs (VL-5/00) and Allosaurus: A Walking With Dinosaurs Special (VL Online), this Discovery Channel program, which chronicles the daily life of dinosaurs in America during the Triassic, Upper Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous and Mid-Late Cretaceous periods--i.e., 220 million to 65 million years ago--is about entertainment first, and science second. Combining eye-popping state of the art computer animation in mini-dramas (generally fights between various dinos) along with occasional interview clips with field scientists and detailed anatomical snapshots of a number of prominent dinosaurs, When Dinosaurs Roamed not only fails to point out that a serious amount of dramatic license is taken during the skits, it also doesn't mention that a good many aspects of the production are based on absolute speculation. When we're told that Coelophysis was "curious," or see a furry red-headed Dromaeosaur, or watch a scene in which "flushed with victory, a male stegosaurus begins to strut," we are stepping off the beaten track of hard science and entering the realm of fanciful storytelling. The vibrant dinosaur coloring, distinctive vocalizations, personality traits (beyond being either herbivorous or carnivorous), all of these are totally imaginary and any instructor who wished to use this in a classroom setting would be able to offer a pretty good lesson here in the sometimes broad differences between "edutainment" and true education. Of course, my quibbles aside, most viewers will simply consider this a lot of fun (which--ignoring strict educational standards--it is). Recommended, overall. [Note: the DVD includes two brief behind the scenes vignettes, an interview with a paleontologist, dino facts and quiz, a music video, and more.] Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Pitman)