Nature: American Eagle Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Nature: American Eagle Blu-ray Movie Review

What do you think the cross-breeding of an eagle and wolf would look like?

Reviewed by Dustin Somner April 23, 2010

Nature is the longest running wildlife television series produced in the United States. With episodes spanning three decades (28 seasons), the series is widely syndicated through local Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) within North America, and viewed internationally on Discovery Channel. Over the years, Nature has won ten Emmy Awards, three Peabody Awards, and more than 400 other honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film community, parent groups, and environmental organizations. Arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Questar, recent episodes of the series are packaged in single-disc releases containing two hour-long segments focusing on related topics. In general, the episode structure throughout the series provides a unique analysis of individual animals or ecosystems found across the globe, with narration by prominent Hollywood actors (a practice that began in the past ten years).

If you look closely, you'll notice a slight blue border to the left of the twigs.

American Eagle:

Originally airing November 16, 2008, this episode provides a surprisingly candid look at the familial habits of the North American Bald Eagle. Initially focusing on a historical view of the eagle (prior to becoming the national symbol of the United States), the tone quickly shifts to a more intimate analysis of the parental bond between mated males and females. This bond is chronicled in detail through the story of two eagle pairs who mate, prepare a nest for winter, and eventually usher their young into adulthood. What makes the episode such a fascinating endeavor is the level of dedication behind this study, and the unprecedented footage captured by miniature cameras placed immediately next to the nest. This method allows researchers to keep a constant eye on the habits of the parental unit, and watch the young eagles gradually mature from downy-covered hatchlings to capable predators. Of note, this episode is narrated by F. Murray Abraham.

The Wolf That Changed America:

Originally airing November 23, 2008, this episode diverges from the path of the typical Nature episode structure, by devoting the majority of the runtime to a reenactment of Ernest Thompson Seton’s hunt for a mythical wolf named Lobo. As the story opens, Mr. Seton is introduced as a middle aged wolf tracker/hunter who arrived in New Mexico during 1893 in search of a wolf the locals called Lobo. As legend goes, this crafty wolf terrorized several local ranchers over the years, earning a $1000.00 bounty on his head. The story describes several failed attempts to eliminate Lobo, and the cat-and-mouse act that ensued between Seton and Lobo. As the seasons gradually passed by, Seton acquired a growing respect for his nemesis, and developed a different view of the western frontier. In his writings he often spoke of human encroachment destroying the natural balance of the plains, beginning with the destruction of wild buffalo to make room for oafish cattle. His analysis led to a belief that wolves weren’t the true menace they’d been labeled as, but merely creatures trying to live in a world devoid of a natural food chain. I won’t divulge how the “Seton versus Lobo” story ends, but most viewers with extensive knowledge of American History know Seton went on to pioneer the protection of National Forests, and became one of the leading environmentalists of his day. The end of this episode touches briefly on his work, but the core of the story remains fixated on Lobo and how his story changed the course of wildlife history in America.

In most cases, I’d walk away from a release of this sort with a preference for one episode or another. However, the stark contrast in the structure of each episode doesn’t offer much room for comparison, so it’s better to simply say I enjoyed each in its own right. American Eagle contains a wealth of impressive footage showing the massive raptors in all manner of activity. From hunting mallards on the surface of a lake, to shots of young birds butchering their first landings, there’s rarely a moment when you won’t find yourself wincing or smiling in reaction to the onscreen antics. The Wolf That Changed America doesn’t generate the same energy courtesy of raw-footage depictions, but it contains a worthwhile retelling of a rather profound (and creative) story. Seton’s back story may not be 100% truthful, but the key to the Lobo story lies in the observations of an introspective hunter on a mission. Back in the late 1800’s, Americans operated on a belief that the land is our oyster, with little concern for the affect we had on the creatures around us. Seton’s pioneering method of thought not only sparked debate, but also served as a call to action. Imagine what the United States would be like without individuals like Ernest Seton.

Nature: American Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080i utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 29Mbps), Nature offers several inconsistencies that prevent it from earning high marks for image quality. The worst aspect of the transfer is what appears to be the significant presence of chromatic shift during the American Eagle episode, leaving left-sided edges with a blue outline. The effect is most apparent in scenes where thin twigs are set against the bright backdrop of a sunlit sky. Further deficiencies can be found in the wavering strength of the source material, which incorporates both high-def and standard-def footage (especially within the American Eagle episode). Thankfully, the high-definition sequences comprise at least 90% of the two episodes, allowing sufficient detail and color depth to shine through, reminding us how good nature production can look in 1080i. Unfortunately, even in the native high-definition shots there are moments of aliasing that creep in, though they're not nearly as bothersome as the digital anomalies in the low-res images. On the bright side, the transfer contains a vivid, naturalistic color spectrum that recreates the palette of various environments, black levels offer sufficient depth, and contrast delivers accurate shade separation.

Nature: American Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio offerings included on the disc aren't worth writing home about, but given the budgetary constraints of the series, I honestly didn't expect much. The primary audio track is a compression-heavy Dolby Digital 5.1 option, which offers little in the way of surround activity. The secondary mix is a lossless 2.0 version of the same language track, with minimal appreciable differences. If anything, the most profound change in the transition to the lossless track is a significantly higher volume level, which is partially based on the transfer of the audio found in the center channel (on the 5.1 version) to the left and right main speakers. Aside from the volume element there's really no difference in surround activity from the front-based source material, and only a mild boost in clarity from the lossless option (when compared at a similar level of volume).

Nature: American Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements included on the disc.

Nature: American Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Offering a recommendation on the Nature television series is difficult for several reasons. First, it's tough selling viewers on the idea of purchasing a nature production two episodes at a time. Second, why pay slightly more than the average price of a Blu-ray for episodes of a series that's available for free on most local PBS stations? Lastly, given the relatively low production values in comparison with other series currently airing on Discovery HD and Animal Planet, I find it difficult to recommend the addition of these episodes to your collection. Most of the people interested in owning the Nature series on Blu-ray likely already own Planet Earth and a handful of other superior productions, so there's a worry this will fail to meet expectations (with the bar already set quite high). I have no problem recommending this as a rental, but a purchase is not advisable.