8.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
The seven-part series will focus on life in the Arctic and Antarctic. The production team were keen to film a comprehensive record of the natural history of the polar regions, because climate change is affecting landforms such as glaciers, ice shelves, and the extent of sea ice.
Starring: David AttenboroughDocumentary | 100% |
Nature | 87% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
It never ceases to amaze me how relatively little we as a civilization know about the natural world. Lest we forget, there are places on this planet we haven't fully explored, extreme conditions we aren't equipped to survive, species that haven't been thoroughly studied or even discovered, animal behaviors we haven't deciphered, ecosystems and changes that aren't entirely understood, and countless other things that will remain the mysteries they are for generations to come. And it's these same mysteries and undiscovered frontiers that make each BBC Earth documentary series as fascinating as the last. Earth and its wonders are truly inexhaustible, and that daunting fact drives the BBC Natural History Unit to push farther, dig deeper, tackle even greater challenges, and deliver more astonishing footage with each passing production. Frozen Planet doesn't depart from the now six-year-old Planet Earth formula, I'll admit. But it also doesn't need to. Each episode is a breathtaking reminder of why we continue to return to the BBC Earth well time and time again, and I was as engrossed as the credits rolled at the end of its final episode as I was when I slid the 3-disc set's first disc into my Blu-ray player.
Frozen Planet impresses on the whole with a 1080i/AVC MPEG-4 encode that's comparable to other 1080i BBC Earth Blu-ray presentations. Yes, the extreme conditions of the polar regions cause some trouble -- six months of darkness wreaks poorly lit havoc on some of the NHU photography, underground and underwater scenes present problems all their own, and several long-distance shots are relatively soft and noisy -- but the majority of the issues are inherited from the footage itself and very few can be traced back to the encode. That said, you won't spend much time wincing. Colors are bright and striking against the crisp, white snow; the spring and summer months are awash with vivid primaries, gorgeous blues and lush greens; black levels, though muted from time to time, are generally deep and earthy throughout; and contrast remains consistent and strong, even when the sun sets on the Arctic and Antarctic wildernesses. Detail wavers a bit, but ice crystals, pebbles, fur, feathers and fine skin textures are nicely resolved, edges are clean and natural (so long as you ignore the occasional ringing), and there aren't any severe instances of macroblocking or aliasing (as has sometimes been the case with BBC nature releases). Minor banding appears here and there (mainly when the cameras plunge beneath the seas) and noise spikes now and again, but I didn't see anything that was cause for serious alarm. Ultimately, while I wouldn't call the encode the best BBC Earth presentation on the planet, videophiles will be satisfied, nature enthusiasts will be ecstatic, and everyone in between will find their money has been well spent.
Like Human Planet before it, Frozen Planet boasts a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and the results are as engaging as the stunning photography it accompanies. David Attenborough's narration hovers over both the still and storms of the soundscape with affecting ease, remaining perfectly prioritized no matter the sound or the fury. The rear speakers, in turn, take advantage of his pauses to expand the natural world and allow the animals and environments to speak for themselves. Winds howl and swirl, wolves circle and snarl, penguins warble and waddle, waves surge and relent, birds squawk and chatter, sea lions huff and snort, blizzards thunder and ice crackles; all from every direction, all with with precision and finesse. The LFE channel makes its presence known too, conveying the full, terrifying force of the forces of nature on display. All the while, the series' music ebbs and flows beautifully, respecting the soundfield and the narration without sacrificing its own integrity. There are moments when the music fades too quickly and dramatically, but it's a negligible distraction, and the sort of thing you only notice when evaluating a scene for its sound design alone. Otherwise, I can't imagine Frozen Planet sounding much better than it does here.
(Note: the optional music-only track on each episode is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo mix. The fact that it's lossless is a definite plus; the fact that it's a flat, two-channel experience is most definitely not. As the music-only option is a special feature, though, I chose to deduct the set's extras score rather than its audio score.)
Frozen Planet makes for yet another terrific companion to Planet Earth and yet another fantastic BBC Earth production. Its 3-disc Blu-ray release doesn't disappoint either thanks to a lovely video presentation, an enveloping DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and several hours of worthwhile extras. There's room for improvement -- 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 music-only track, and perhaps a commentary or two would have tipped the set over the top -- but I'm confident those who purchase Frozen Planet will be too busy gawking at their screens and re-attaching their dropped jaws to complain.
BBC
2011
BBC / Narrated by David Attenborough
2009
2013
2008
2001
2009
The Complete Series
2006
2006
2010
2009
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2011
2018
2016
BBC
2011
2008
2014-2015
Kew 3D
2012
2017
IMAX
2008
IMAX
2009