Blue Planet [DVD] [1990]

The basics of Earth's history are explained, covering: asteroid impacts, plate tectonics, earth quakes, volcanoes, how Earth became a blue planet, where the atmosphere and water came from, how water, air and rock are recycled. Some features, although understood before it was possible to view them from space, can really only be fully appreciated when viewed from that perspective. Huge, ancient impact craters are dramatically clear from various heights above the sites. Tectonic plates can be discerned more easily from far above. A computer simulation is used to illustrate how an earth quake sets up a series of rolling waves through the Earth's surface when two plates moving against each other in opposite directions suddenly slip. Under water volcanic vents are filmed from ROVs.

There is also a more alarming picture that becomes clear when viewed from far above the Earth: the damage that our species is inflicting on the ecosystem. The rate of deforestation (the narrator states 1 acre of tropical rain forest per second) is all too obvious with vast plumes of smoke where forest is being cleared for agricultural purposes. Enormous smudges of yellow-brown water discolouration can be seen at the mouth of a river where top soil is being washed away as sediment because there are no tree roots to hold onto it when it rains. There are images of smoke, smog and light pollution from great sprawling conurbations. Satellite's have detected a hole in the ozone layer (that protects life on this planet from harmful rays) over Antarctica, the size of Europe.

It should be a timely warning to us. Our population had increased to 5 billion according the narrator (it's nearer 6 billion today, at the beginning of the 21st century). She says that 100 species are being driven to extinction every day because of our destructive behaviour. We see a thin, bright blue line viewing the planet edge-on. This, it is explained, is the demarcation line above which there is only the harsh environment of space where nothing can live. Below that thin and fragile line we are carrying out an uncontrolled experiment on our home and the web of life we depend on and we cannot predict the consequences. Everything we need in order to survive is here and nowhere else in the known universe. It would be foolish not to take better care of it.

Finally, the narrator suggests that we can still undo the damage. A good note to end on. I recommend this DVD, even if you've aware of the environmental situation - the images of our fabulously beautiful planet from space are stunning and clear. I didn't want to listen the voice and music more than once but I enjoy watching it with the sound switched off. Very relaxing.

What you get on the DVD is a direct-transferred print from the 70mm original and Dolby sound. It's best viewed on a 4:3 ("old fashioned" rather than widescreen) TV, and although you won't get the full benefit of IMAX on a normal or even rear-projection TV, the quality of picture and interesting commentary make up for this. I dropped one star off for the almost total lack of extras, barring multilinguistic choice of commentary/subtitles and a short trailer, there is nothing, which is a shame. It would have been nice to have a "making of" featurette at least.

Overall I'd recommend this as a good purchase for anyone who would like to demonstrate what their home cinema system can do. The sound and pictures are excellent, and the programme material informative.