Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I love Big Sur. It is no doubt one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Nature couldn't be closer watching this DVD unless you were there touching it. Some of this would be considered inappropriate for children to see. It's rather graphic. Some of it would be educational and fun for them. However, SCENE SELECTION is easy, so parents can choose what is age appropriate for their own children.
At times we see the woods from the viewpoint of the cougar, for example.
The narrator says,
"Cougars are the largest cats that purr, and they can leap over a bus - the L-O-N-G way."
There is quite a bit of talk about the predators, and I was concerned about that as I have no desire to watch violence other than those tremendous waves pounding onto the shore. There are scenes where a dead animal or bird is shown on the shore or floating in the water, so if you choose to have children watch it, you may want to monitor it as they watch it the first time. There are great closeups of the animals and creatures of the sea and air. Lots of VERY CLOSE rattlesnake coverage. Red-tail hawks, "Red-tail hawks rarely survive their first two years. Many die in crash landings while learning to fly." Coyote pups are shown learning to walk and explore. The narrator explains that they are always in danger from cougars, hawks, and turkey vultures, but they don't show that happening.
The ocean is shown in beautiful detail in bright sun and also with what I consider to be beautiful fog. It couldn't be more gorgeous.
More talk about the sea pups now being big enough to venture out into danger.
The we have brief coverage of the wildfires and results. Nothing too graphic. It was fun to watch the time lapse video of the forest reawakening, seeds into seedlings, into trees, etc.
Back to discussion of casualties in the sea-lion community. I did not enjoy this part. Some sea lions were dead on the shore with flies all around them and another one badly injured, "won't give up" and we get a close-up view of that horrible situation followed by vultures and condors taking their meal, exceptional and according to the narrator the first footage of California condors eating in the wild.
You'll find plenty of forests, ocean, and sky in this gorgeous DVD. Quite a bit of coverage is given to the condors and sea otters. We even have a view of under those magnificent waves, revealing more than I had imagined was there. I've always been a little bored with underwater videos, not an interest of mine usually, but these are like nothing I've ever seen before. The plants and foliage, the seals and sea otters playing, sharks and whales, schools of fish, but most amazing is the jungle down there.
The photography is wonderful. If I had known about the graphic nature of some of it, I wouldn't have bought it, but that's because I don't enjoy those things. Others will consider that it is, after all, a nature video. Just know what you're getting.
The we have a couple of extra features or "Wild Chronicles" below the surface in the Gulf of California searching for a squid called the "Red Devil" the narrator says. These are dangerous adventures that many people will enjoy. Again, the photography is awesome. "His worse nightmare materializes, when one of the squid nearly yanks off his mask. Then, as quickly as it all began, it's over..." (he reenters the boat) "Congratulations Bob." "Well, for what?" "For coming back alive! (laugh).
Another "Wild Chronicles" episode is of the Farralon Islands, near California and considered to be part of San Francisco. A brutal 27-mile boat ride. No safe harbor, so a crane hoists them onto shore. The general public is not allowed there. There are 211 miles of islands filled with marine mammals and birds. Scientists are studying the breeding habits of the birds there, effects of global warming, reasons for breeding failure, changing weather habits making it harder for them to find adequate food, the islands serving as a living laboratory.
These are very short, probably a minute or two long, but interesting. Very well done. The music is pleasant throughout the DVD.
Click Here to see more reviews about: National Geographic: Big Sur-Wild California (2009)
National Geographic presents a comprehensive view of the spectacular California coastal area known as Big Sur—through the eyes of three intrinsically connected native creatures.Fly with the California condors and capture the panoramic view of Big Sur\'s many topside layers, and dive with California\'s sea otters to investigate life below the waves. Then, follow the stealthy mountain lions and see how the scavengers, the key-stone species and this top predator are all critical contributors to Big Sur\'s unique habitat.
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Click here for more information about National Geographic: Big Sur-Wild California (2009)
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