Planet Earth
2006
Original language: English
- documentary
The story
David Attenborough celebrates the amazing variety of the natural world in this epic documentary series, filmed over four years across 64 different countries.
What it’s like
Vast, unhurried aerial shots of mountains, deserts and frozen coastlines, with long lenses that find a single animal in a wide empty frame, give this nature series a grand, almost painterly scale. Light does much of the work: dawn fog over Arctic ice, the ochre glare of a dry savannah, the blue shadow of a jungle canopy at dusk, all rendered with a crisp, saturated digital sheen. Sound is layered and immersive, with a swelling orchestral score that gives way to close-miked breathing, crunching snow and insect hum, so the big views and intimate moments feel equally present. Pacing is patient but never sleepy, moving episode by episode through the seasons of different habitats, with the sense of wonder building as the camera watches animals hunt, court, migrate and survive. The tone is awed and warm, with David Attenborough's calm narration threading gentle, precise observation through it, and a quiet thread of concern for a changing planet. Intensity is moderate: predator kills appear, sometimes abruptly, but there is no gore and little fear beyond the natural drama of the wild. It suits a slow weekend afternoon, a family viewing, or a long evening when you want something awe-inspiring and calm, and it is made for anyone who loves wildlife, landscapes and quietly beautiful photography.
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