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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1792 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-03-02
• Rating: Exempt
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1

DVD Description
“Nothing in the natural world makes sense – except when seen in the light of evolution.” --David Attenborough

A personal insight from the world's favourite naturalist into Darwin's theory of evolution. This special documentary was made to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of ‘On The Origin Of Species’. Darwin's great insight – that life has evolved over millions of years by natural selection – has been the cornerstone of all David Attenborough’s natural history series. In this documentary, he takes us on a deeply personal journey which reflects his own life and the way he came to understand Darwin’s theory.

By visiting Darwin’s home and tracing the voyage of the Beagle across the world, David Attenborough explains how the great naturalist revolutionised our understanding of the natural world. New and spectacular wildlife footage of fascinating animal behaviour brings the theory to life and fresh evidence and new discoveries reveal how Darwin’s work is endorsed and expounded by today’s cutting–edge science.

A labour of love for a man who has been at the forefront of natural history programming for decades, this fascinating programme explores why Darwin’s theory is more important now than ever before.

Synopsis
Made to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and coming 150 years after the 'Origin Of The Species' was first published, this fascinating documentary uncovers the life and work of Darwin and features candid interviews with the likes of David Attenborough and Melvyn Bragg.

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Customer Reviews

Compelling argument for evolution
There have been many series produced recently about Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. This single programme offers the most succinct and convincing argument in favour of that theory. The fact that it is a personal view from Britain's most respected natural historian brings only more credibility to the arguments. David Attenborough calmly and authoritatively talks us through the basics of Darwinian theory, the history of how that theory was developed, and explains why he, Attenborough, accepts it as the true explanation for life on earth.
Several other series also produced by the BBC have tried to do the same, as has Richard Dawkins, but none come close to matching the comfotable ease with which Attenborough examines the informations and draws the viewer towards his own conclusion. Attenborough also does this without insulting the intelligence of anyone with a different view; without being hostile or confrontational. He follows the science and lets the science provide the weight of his argument.

The film uses archive footage from Attenborough's career to illustrate Darwin's observations of animals and plants, both in nature and domesticated. It features the important places fro mDarwin's life including his home in Kent, Down House, the Natural History Museum and Cambridge University. But this isn't just a review of Darwin's life; it comes up to date with what the study of DNA has revealed about evolution in the years since Darwin died, and how modern technicques have demonstrated without doubt, for Attenborough, that humans and animals have evolved along different branches of the same tree of life.

It's a brilliant piece of work, perhaps the most lucid and compelling argument for evolution I have encountered, and possibly one of Attenborough's greatest lifetime achievements.
Thoroughly recommended.
10/10

Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life
Charles Darwin And The Tree of Life [DVD] This 59min DVD is David Attenborough's tribute to the 200'th anniversary of Darwins birth. As one would expect from the premier natural history programme maker of our time, it's a classic; with absolutely magnificent film work being used to illustrate how, where and why Darwin developed his ideas published in The Origin of Species, and also how that idea of natural selection actually works. Beginning with an explanation of the religious situation at that time, the programme moves through Darwins voyage on the Beagle to the Galapagus Islands, his work at Down House, the controversy his theory of evolution caused, the fossil record, the DNA/genetic evidence and much more; all clearly illustrated by a combination of beautiful filming and gentle commentary delivered as only David Attenborough can. I was particularly impressed with his explanation of how the eye evolved; something many still consider an impossibility. To conclude, I recommend this DVD wholeheartedly, as a work of both beauty and learning which is highly entertaining to watch.

Once again Attenborough shines
I bought the disk and enjoyed every second of it, the bonus material too.
Attenborough still has got all the magic that made him one of a kind and made me among his biggest fans - having got all his published material and only searching for 'rarities' like earlier programmes of "Wildlife on One". I was stunned during the whole hour of running time of the programme. In addition to using latest techniques to explain the fundamentals of Darwin's theory he also uses his own early material.

There is, however, a serious drawback to this release: When VHS was replaced by DVD two major benefits were obvious; Better picture quality and a much smaller size. Picture quality, in this case, is inevitably impeccable, but the same cannot be said about its size. Despite being only a single disk and with no booklet it is wrapped in a box of the same size as his earlier "Tribal Eye" (7 hours on 3 disks + a booklet) and "First Eden" (4 hours on 2 disks + a booklet) to name only the old ones. These take the same shelf space as his masterpiece "The Life of Mammals" (10 hours on 4 disks).
I would never have hesitated in buying any of his material but in this case I would understand anyone opting to download or rip it in order to save precious shelf space. I don't think this is his fault, the BBC is most probably to blame since their other material like "Nature's Great Events" (6 hours on 2 disks) takes only half the space of this one! In my opinion this is not the way you should treat a legend like Attenborough, dissuading people from buying his material by using enormous containers.

Despite these shortcomings I highly recommend this disk to anyone, just rip it to keep the original somewhere out of easy reach. You are bound to watch it often. I doubt anyone can do Darwin more justice than Attenborough does in this hour.