The Life of Birds (1998)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Written and Presented by Sir David Attenborough

Rating: NR, suitable for all audiences.

Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format.

My Advice: Buy it.

The Life of Birds is a marvelous 3-disc set presenting a series of specials delving into the intricacies and wonder of birds. Each disc presents at least three carefully made and fascinating specials dedicated to a specific issue in ornithology, such as how they use songs, survive extreme environments, find mates and hatch their eggs, or how the meat eaters hunt. A few of the chapters are “The Problems of Parenthood,” “The Mastery of Flight,” and “Fishing for a Living.”

Sir David Attenborough does an exemplary job as the host of this program. Blending just the right amount of excitement with a solid understanding of the subject. The result is a program that is neither insincerely exciting, nor shallow and dull. Attenborough’s enthusiasm and knowledge are the perfect antidote for a viewership that is all too often ready to dismiss nature as something humanity must overcome or at least use. Without preaching, Attenborough offers instead a way to live with nature and stand in wonder at it.

The educational level is perfect for the widest enjoyment. Any special terms are defined and cleverly demonstrated, often with nifty computer-generated graphics, so even novice bird-lovers will enjoy watching these discs. The latest findings in the history of birds, such as their descent from dinosaurs, spice things up a great deal and show viewers exactly what they take for granted. As deep as this look gets, it remains perfectly accessible.

The production values are, of course, top notch. The filming is always clear, and exciting without feeling the need to resort to MTV-style quick-cuts and other irritating “modern” filming styles. The audio is always clear, allowing viewers to hear Attenborough, as well as the rustling of a kiwi in the ground mould or the cry of a frigate bird.

There are no extras to speak of with this set, but the convenience of having the entire ten-episode series in one set offsets that. Besides, a segment showing bloopers or suchlike would almost cheapen the academic and entertainment quality of this set. On the other hand, given that this set is from the same people who brought us the wonderful Blue Planet shows, I wonder why there were no similar features on this set. For example, those discs always had an interview with a crewmember or a featurette on the making of the specials. Learning more about how documentaries are filmed is always interesting, especially when the crew is as obviously talented as this one is.

Overall, this is a fabulous collection that should be in everyone’s media collection. If you’re even the slightest bit curious about the world in which you find yourself, then The Life of Birds is a marvelous start towards understanding. Even people who previously had little interest in birds specifically will love this set and may find a brand new passion in bird watching. This is a set that will keep children and adults alike in rapt attention for hours on end—-perhaps in and of itself something of a wonder.