The Shape of Life Box Set (2003)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Released by: Slingshot
Region: 1
Rating: G
Anamorphic: Yes

My Advice: At least rent it, and buy it if you can.

The Shape of Life four-disc DVD set is plainly one of the most fascinating science discs to come along in a while. Concentrating on primitive, early life forms, such as mollusks and arthropods, we benighted humans are a mere footnote, and our erstwhile kin the mammals don’t even make their appearance until the final chapter of the last disc in the series. Instead, the series focuses in upon more fascinating creatures that we often ignore or even deride. A fascinating weave of biology, paleontology, and paleobotany, each disc provides viewers with another piece in the puzzle of life on earth, including our own distant ancestors and relatives.

Each disc holds two one-hour episodes. Disc One holds “Origins,” which looks at Sponges, and “Life on the Move,” which focuses in on Cnidarians, like jellyfish and nematocysts. Disc Two covers “The First Hunter” (flatworms) and the Annelid group, such as leeches, in “Explosion of Life.” Disc Three introduces the fabulous Arthropods in “The Conquerors,” looking at such different creatures as arachnids and bees, and then tackles the Molluscs in “Survival Game.” Finally, disc four includes the Echinoderms, like starfish, in “Ultimate Animal,” and then finally reaches the arrival of Chordates, including mammals, in “Bones, Brawn, and Brains.”

One of the best things about each episode is that the interviewees discuss how each varied body plan fits together in the story of life on earth, while also covering how each is special and uniquely suited to its own bailiwick. Viewers will gain an entirely new appreciation for the smallest details of every single living creature, plant or animal, because each of these details is important, and makes that creature what it is.

The film quality is extremely high. Segments of the shows are fantastic artists’ renditions of various creatures at work in their home terrain--creatures that now exist only in the fossil record. The digitally-created art blends quite nicely with the actual film, and all the colors and details show up beautifully. There are a couple of places where the schematics of a creature’s internal structure were a bit small on my 21” TV, but that might be addressed by having a larger screen. As it is, this series cannot help but the eyes and enflame the intellect.

There are no extras on these discs, but the wealth of scientific information is treat enough. It would, however, have been nice to have been shown more complete interviews with the scientists than could have been used in the episodes themselves, or perhaps a suggested reading list.

The only real complaint I have regarding this series occurs during Episode Six on disc three, “Survival Game.” In his investigations of the free-swimming nautilus, a scientist accidentally kills a deep-water shark by pulling it to the surface too quickly, along with the intended catch of nautiluses. The nautilus shell is constructed to safely convey these creatures upwards quickly, but the shark dies as would we humans when forced into such a rapid ascent. This death may have pointed out one of the many reasons that the nautilus is fascinating, but they could have just told us; there was no need to kill an innocent shark out of mere thoughtlessness and carelessness--no new knowledge came of it, it was not an intended sacrifice, and it was simply pointless. Such accidents can be prevented with only a modicum of forethought. It seems odd that series pointing out that humans are not the most “advanced,” much less successful, creatures on the planet would allow one such human to run roughshod over the rights of “lesser” creatures.

In short, parents should absolutely get this set for their children, who will love the mixture of science, adventure, and artistry. People without children should still all love this set, not only as beneficiaries of these millions of years of evolution, but as dwellers on the same planet. This set is not only beautifully produced, it is fantastically interesting, and cannot fail to captivate the imaginations and attentions of even the most die-hard biology neophytes, without selling out science for goofy entertainments. Every species on this planet, even given the predator/prey dynamic, must live together, and knowledge is the best way to do this. This set just goes to show that you don’t have to be stupid to appeal to the masses, and that may be the greatest lesson of all. Use your much-vaunted fore-brain and watch this set today.