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DVD Description
Lying just off the coast of Africa, Madagascar is a land of misty mountains, tropical rainforests and spiny desert scrub – and home to strange wildlife, most of which is found nowhere else on earth.
Madagascar explores this extraordinary wildlife and the dramatic landscapes of one of the world's most bizarre islands.
Using the latest in filming technology, the BBC's Natural History Unit captures the diverse and rare wildlife that inhabits this incredible land, some filmed for the first time, and features surprising stories of the favourite and enduring symbol of the island, lemurs, as well as less familiar creatures.
There are frogs that turn from brown to bright yellow; wasps that pluck tadpoles from tree-nests; fish that swim upside down and the romantic life of the world's tiniest chameleon.
Narrated by David Attenborough, Madagascar is the BBC's ambitious and intimate portrait of a fascinating but perilously fragile island.
Special Features
- Attenborough and the Giant Egg documentary
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
69 of 72 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A few BBC wildlife programmes are average but the majority are good, very good or exceptionally good. In my opinion "Madagascar" is in the highest category. The diaries at the end of each programme show the effort put into making them over an 18 month period - the canoes and the unstable platform to film the reed lemurs in the first, the platform high in the trees and the long wait for the rain to stop to film the red ruffed lemurs in the second, and the hair-raising nocturnal filming of fossas in the third.
The programmes cover both the beautiful and the bizarre, including shell squatting spiders, pygmy chameleons little bigger than ants, Labord's chameleon that lives for only 12 weeks, giraffe-necked weevils, and lemurs that eat bamboo containing levels of cyanide that would be lethal for other animals. A big plus is that in addition to the fauna and flora we have stunning aerial photography of the varied and spectacular landscapes of the island - mountains, rainforests, rivers, coasts and arid areas.
David Attenborough (as good as ever) provides the narrative, explaining how plants and animals adapted to the environment during the 60 million years when the island was cut off from the rest of the world. As for the music, all too often BBC programmes are spoiled for me by excessively loud and inappropriate music. In this case the music, much of it composed specially for the series, actually adds value to it. If I was allowed to keep only one wildlife series I think "Madagascar" might be it even though it does not feature my favourite animals - the big cats.
However, along with the beauty there is a sombre tone. We see the scattered remains of the elephant bird that began to disappear, along with other species, when man arrived. David Attenborough tells us that the unique radiated tortoises are likely to be extinct within twenty years, that only ten female fossas survive in the forest, and only 200 ghost-like silky safakas remain. He finishes all three programmes with a warning about impending extinctions. How sad it would be if our great-grandchildren were one day to watch this wonderful series to see not living animals but a record of those that have vanished from the earth.
Edit: as an extra "Attenborough and the Giant Egg" is included as part of the two disc set, with video dating from 1960 (when Attenborough acquired the egg of an elephant bird) to the present day.
The programmes cover both the beautiful and the bizarre, including shell squatting spiders, pygmy chameleons little bigger than ants, Labord's chameleon that lives for only 12 weeks, giraffe-necked weevils, and lemurs that eat bamboo containing levels of cyanide that would be lethal for other animals. A big plus is that in addition to the fauna and flora we have stunning aerial photography of the varied and spectacular landscapes of the island - mountains, rainforests, rivers, coasts and arid areas.
David Attenborough (as good as ever) provides the narrative, explaining how plants and animals adapted to the environment during the 60 million years when the island was cut off from the rest of the world. As for the music, all too often BBC programmes are spoiled for me by excessively loud and inappropriate music. In this case the music, much of it composed specially for the series, actually adds value to it. If I was allowed to keep only one wildlife series I think "Madagascar" might be it even though it does not feature my favourite animals - the big cats.
However, along with the beauty there is a sombre tone. We see the scattered remains of the elephant bird that began to disappear, along with other species, when man arrived. David Attenborough tells us that the unique radiated tortoises are likely to be extinct within twenty years, that only ten female fossas survive in the forest, and only 200 ghost-like silky safakas remain. He finishes all three programmes with a warning about impending extinctions. How sad it would be if our great-grandchildren were one day to watch this wonderful series to see not living animals but a record of those that have vanished from the earth.
Edit: as an extra "Attenborough and the Giant Egg" is included as part of the two disc set, with video dating from 1960 (when Attenborough acquired the egg of an elephant bird) to the present day.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I've watched hundreds of nature shows, including Sir David Attenborough's complete works. I think Madagascar is the absolute best. I had to make an effort to stop at 2am so I could still go to work in the morning. It's as fascinating as Dexter.
I've already watched it twice and I've only had it for a week. Incredible landscapes, animals I've never seen in other shows. You constantly find yourself wondering how the heck they managed to film some things. The "Diaries" section at the end of the episodes answers that question. I normally don't bother watching DVD extras, but here they're totally worth it.
The show has English subtitles.
I've already watched it twice and I've only had it for a week. Incredible landscapes, animals I've never seen in other shows. You constantly find yourself wondering how the heck they managed to film some things. The "Diaries" section at the end of the episodes answers that question. I normally don't bother watching DVD extras, but here they're totally worth it.
The show has English subtitles.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Wonderful show love all David Attenboroughs has bought us so much that most of us would never see
shows but this one has to be one of my favourites the animals, the glorious colours
and the conservation efforts just fabulous
shows but this one has to be one of my favourites the animals, the glorious colours
and the conservation efforts just fabulous
Most Recent Customer Reviews
It is Region FREE, Just not Sony FREE
Thanks for the review by Mark Twain and the comment by Sanjay, I now know why Madagascar will not work on my 2 Sony BR players. Read more
Published 28 days ago by B. Wong
Don't buy if in the US
Not truly region-free. Does not play on Sony BDP-S470, does not even load the disc. Waste of money.
Other region-free BBC blu-rays from UK play just fine, so it's not... Read more
Other region-free BBC blu-rays from UK play just fine, so it's not... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mark Twain
spot on
a great dvd spot on i watched it over and over again and never get bored of it tops what a deal man
Published 2 months ago by shane free
Magical Madagascar
Sir David is the king of natural history and this short series has him at his best. Lots of lovely lemurs and chameleons, guaranteed to make you smile. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Penfold
Excellent
but having seen it several times and having an SD copy already I'll wait for the bluray to drop to ten pounds before buying (whereupon I'll give it 5 stars). Read more
Published 3 months ago by DaveT
Madagscar DVD
This is what the BBC does best with David Attenborough narrating. Outstanding camera work and excellent story telling. Read more
Published 8 months ago by G. White
another masterpiece
Saw it on the TV mostly but a must have Attenborough for any Nature collection, the man is phenomenal how I envy his life and knowledge.
Published 8 months ago by Geoffrey Jones
Bittersweet
As someone who has been to Madagascar, albeit briefly, I can appreciate how fragile and beautiful this country is. Read more
Published 10 months ago by LemurKat
ReviewerNic
Excellent DVD on the Lemars of Madagascar.
Delivery time and condition excellent and I recommend this to be purchased through Amazon.
Delivery time and condition excellent and I recommend this to be purchased through Amazon.
Published 11 months ago by ReviewerNic
Fantastic
I bought this for my mum as she missed it on tv. She was thrilled with it, fantastic photography and wonderful commentary by
David Attenborough.
David Attenborough.
Published 11 months ago by twiglet
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