Life of Mammals V1-4

 

 

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I've said it in other reviews, but Sir David Attenborough thoroughly deserves his knighthood for what he's done for nature documentaries. He's not some fool running around picking up dangerous animals for kicks, he's not some show-boat doing fake scenes with domesticated animals or posed wild animals- he's the real deal. Granted, he has an enormous team of very talented film makers, coordinators, and biologists/researchers to back him up. But that's entirely sensible, in fact, it's what you'd want from a good documentary. The Life of Mammals continues the BBC series of plants, insects, reptiles, and birds. It's an indepth look at how mammals make their living. It doesn't cover quite the depth that Life of Birds does, which addresses each part of the life of birds (e.g., a show on feeding, a show on flying, a show on mating, etc.). Instead, this series is broken down into types of mammals, with examples from each group. These are:

A WINNING DESIGN - an overview of mammals, with some great footage and info on "primitive" mammals like echidnas or platypuses

INSECT HUNTERS - features insectivores like bats, ant-eaters, pangolins, etc.

PLANT PREDATORS - Sir David's opening lines are clasic, and put into context what really is a war between plants and mammals

CHISELLERS - mostly deals with rodents, the most diverse group of mammals

MEAT EATERS - is what you expect, about carnivores. While flashy, there's still a lot of substance here.

OPPORTUNISTS - this is about omnivores, and it highlights the adaptability of this flexible group of mammals

RETURN TO THE WATER - features sea otters, seals, dolphins, and whales. The segment on blue whales is amazing! Living buildings, blue whales are the largest animals EVER to live on the planet!

LIFE IN THE TREES - deals with arboreal animals, but largely excludes monkeys and apes

SOCIAL CLIMBERS - this is largely about monkeys of different kinds, including the "lesser" apes, gibbons

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - is all about the "great" apes: orang utans, chimps, a tiny bit on gorillas, and perhaps the most successful mammal (so far), humans

Attenborough is just great throughout the series. The scene with him, in the water, surrounded by manatees, is a great illustration of how close he gets to the action (he also gets close to other animals, like feeding Alaskan Grizzlies!). So many times, as in other BBC nature shows, I found myself both laughing and shaking my head at the ingenious solutions nature has arrived at
to solve various adaptive problems. Mammals truly display a dazzling array of adaptations to a huge range of lifestyles and ecological niches.

To cap off this great series, the last two discs each have three behind the scenes features. The last three were kind of so-so, but the first three were amazing. Especially the feature on elephants. The scene of one group of elephants kidnapping a calf, followed by the concerted efforts of the original group to recapture it, were just amazing.

In short, I have NO reservations about recommending this series. Zero. Zilch. Parents, children, adults of any age, educators, researchers, anyone who has a pulse and the curiosity to know more about these animals will love this series!

As with the other BBC series (Planet Earth - Blue Planet etc) this is a beautifully filmed and informative series. It is slightly different from the Blue Planet series in that Richard Attenborough does not just narrate the segments but rather appears in them as well. Not sure if I like that aspect as sometimes I feel his presence is an intrusion. I did like the divisions on the 4 discs into various types of mammals - meat eaters, opportunists, life in the trees etc. And once again, the animals themselves are fascinating. A great way to learn about the various mammals I had no idea existed and increase my concern for the welfare of those that are on the edge of extinction.

The BBC always does a wonderful job at presenting nature in action. The Mammal series is no exception. With amazing photography you see the animals in there natural environment with extraordinary close ups. Even those animals that think they can hide under the cover of darkness as they venture out would be surprised to learn that they are being filmed without them knowing.

As you see in the description, the titles are divided into categories so it is not about one particular animal but a group of creatures that have common characteristics and how each species deals with the same problem.

I bought my copy many years ago and I have watched it many times and always enjoyed it. If you like documentaries and nature videos you will not be disappointed. This is learning made fun. This is what school should be presenting but is not. Parents; if you think that your kids are watching to much crap on TV, then this video will add a bit of knowledge to their Saturday morning. But be aware, they don't hold back punches. You see the hunter and the hunted. If you cant run fast enough your eaten. As far as I can remember, I don't remember any animals having sex, though courtship rituals do play a part in the series.

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5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful series
An excellent series by David Attenborough. The mammals are grouped logically in each feature. The video is breathtaking and the narration first class. Read more

Published on Oct 7 2009 by Ted Sues

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