Stranded (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The story of the 1972 plane crash in the Andes and the struggles of the men aboard to survive seems to pop into the public awareness periodically over the three decades since it happened. "Stranded" is the latest documentary on the subject, and it's the best I've seen. All 16 survivors participated. Director Gonzalo Arijon incorporates grainy, impressionistic, silent reenactments of the scenes the men describe. This enhances the audience's picture of the events without usurping the gripping commentary of the survivors. The combination of interviews, some archival footage, and the dreamlike reenactments, which seem like memories, make this retelling of the story more engrossing than any narrative adaptation.
On Friday, October 13, 1972, a college rugby team from Montevideo, Uruguay set out on Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 to Santiago, Chile, where they were to compete in a match. Having changed its route to avoid inclement weather, the plane descended too early over the mountains, severed both wings, and crash-landed high in the snow-covered Andes. Of the 45 people aboard, 29 survived the crash, 23 uninjured. They didn't have adequate clothing for the freezing conditions. Many had never seen snow before. And, even strictly rationed, food would only last a few days. They hoped to be rescued but could hear on the radio that the aerial search was called off due to heavy snow. And yet 16 of the young men spent 72 days on the mountain and lived to talk about it.
All survivors participated, but some say more than others. Fernando "Nando" Parrado, who wrote a book about his experiences, seems to have been a leader after the group lost its team captain. Roberto Canessa, who, with Nando, was responsible for the rescue, is the most pensive and analytical of the experience. Gustavo Zerbina is vibrant and opinionated. Those who had the strongest voices on the mountain have the most to say today. The film places no more emphasis on the men's cannibalism than on any other element of their story, for which I am grateful. I've never understood the fascination with the cannibalism. It's the least interesting aspect of the ordeal. This is an incredible story of survival and escape against all odds and against the indifference and supremacy of Nature. In Spanish with optional English subtitles.
The DVD (Zeitgeist 2009): Bonus features are a US trailer (2 min) and a featurette, "The Making of Stranded" (52 min). This is a loosely organized mix of interviews with survivors that were cut from the final edit of the film, some brief interviews with the director on location, in which he emphasizes that this film is about the experiences of the men, not about action, and we spend time with some of the survivors as they relate more details of their experiences to the young actors who will portray them. Both the film and featurette are in Spanish with optional English subtitles.

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On October 13, 1972, a young rugby team called "The Old Christians" from Montevideo, Uruguay, boarded a plane for a match in Chile--and then vanished into thin air. Two days before Christmas, 16 of the 45 passengers miraculously resurfaced. They had managed to survive for 72 days after their plane crashed on a remote Andean glacier. Thirty-five years later, the survivors returned to the crash site--known as the Valley of Tears--to recount in their own words their harrowing story of defiant endurance, intense spirituality, and indestructible friendship. Previously documented in the worldwide bestseller Alive (and the film adaptation starring Ethan Hawke), this shocking true story finally gets the cinematic treatment it deserves. Visually breathtaking and crafted with riveting detail by documentary filmmaker (and childhood friend of the survivors) Gonzalo Arijon with a masterful combination of on-location interviews, archival footage and reenactments, Stranded is a hauntingly powerful and spiritually moving celebration of humanity.SPECIAL FEATURES- 16:9 anamorphic transfer, formatted for widescreen televisions- "The Making of Stranded": A 52-minute featurette with behind-the-scenes footage of the cast and crew, and additional interviews with the crash survivors- U.S. theatrical trailer- Optional English subtitles- Director's statement

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Alone in the Wilderness (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I left Colorado's light several days ago to work in hazy Los Angeles. The drive out is always a reminder of what I am leaving, as the intimidatingly enormous 14ers (like Gray's Peak) loom over I-70 -- almost daring me to leave -- slowly disintegrate into staggered planes and red rock plateaus, in turn losing their scorched colors and fading into a clay-type desert. It is here I feel really alone.
In the motel during my night-over in Utah, I watched Alone in the Wilderness. I had missed the first few minutes, but wasn't paying attention much. What caught my eye right off the bat was the color. Films don't look like this today, they are all cartoony, over-saturated digital oilslicks. Wilderness was grainy, faded, low-contrast, and quite remarkable to watch, until I realized what was going on, really noticed what the film was about.
Here was a man, who left his job to live secluded from the (technological) world. He built a cabin without disturbing the trees directly around his plot. He eventually added a beautiful chimney, made of stones collected throughout various hikes at varying altitudes. He built snowshoes and a dog-sled (despite the lack of dogs), and a backpack that could carry anything (slab of wood for a table top, or nearly an entire caribou). At one point, he needs a wooden spoon, so -- where today we would hop in the car, drive through traffic to a store and purchase one -- he carves a wonderful spoon out of wood, polished and perfected and filmed in less than an hour.
I couldn't help but wonder if this film was a godsend; am I doing the right thing moving away from the mountains, where I am constantly outdoors in the sunshine? In California, I spend my days indoors, looking out into traffic, and usually I'm too busy to care. In the evenings, I have headaches, and easily become grumpy.
What is it we want in life? Alone in the Wilderness does not preach "leave the complex, live for simplicity." The film doesn't preach at all, in fact. The viewer simply watches this man's life, which is a far cry from "simple," by the way; it is constant work to stay warm and well-fed. The dangers of the surrounding wildlife isn't far from Mr. Proenneke's walls of comfort. In one hilarious moment, though, Mr. Proenneke turns the camera onto a wolverine that had been avoiding him, only to capture it rolling (literally sprawled out, rolling!) down a huge snowy hillside, enjoying the powdery snow and the bright sunshine.
At my young age, I must do what I feel is right for me. But that doesn't mean I can't put this disc in the player and vicariously live through a man far more brave and happy than I could ever be.

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"Alone in the Wilderness" is the story of Dick Proenneke. To live in a pristine land unchanged by man... to roam a wilderness through which few other humans have passed... to choose an idyllic site, cut trees and build a log cabin... to be a self-sufficient craftsman, making what is needed from materials available... to be not at odds with the world, but content with one's own thoughts and company...Thousands have had such dreams, but Dick Proenneke lived them. He found a place, built a cabin, and stayed to become part of the country. This video "Alone in the Wilderness" is a simple account of the day-to-day explorations and activities he carried out alone, and the constant chain of nature's events that kept him company.

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I Shouldn't Be Alive (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved this show when it was on, and then it just dissappeared and the discovery channel website said nothing about it which was frustrating. I was thrilled to see that the show was being released on dvd. There are like 24 episodes in this set and they are all good. I have given this as a gift to several people and it is very popular. Many people never saw the show when it was on and so it is all new to them.
The survival stories are amazingly recreated with actors and on camera interviews with the real life survivors. Not everyone survives in these stories and you can kind of quickly figure that out when that person never shows up on screen in an interview. It is sad. I highly recommend this set if you enjoy shows like this. I had a few problems with the dvds skipping (right out of the box) but it tolerable and did not happen on each disc.

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Survivors of harrowing life-and-death situations relive their terrifying experiences in this addictive, thrilling series. From a father forced to abandon his son in a hidden cave to a crew of inexperienced sailors struggling to survive in shark-infested waters, these are ordinary people pushed to the limits of human endurance. Under the same circumstances, would you have the raw courage, the nerves of steel, the sheer luck required to make it out alive? With these 20 episodes, you'll be amazed at the power of the will to survive in some of the most extreme situations you could ever imagine.

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Survivorman (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)***** This set does not contain "The Making of Survivorman". That extra footage came out after I purchased this DVD. Try Survivorman's website for the latest version. *****
The two colorful DVDs come in a classic plastic container. The picture quality and sound are perfect. Each episode is shown in its entirety and without commercials. It doesn't get any better than this.
Disc One
Desert - Les salvages his broken bicycle after it strands him in the desert. He later uses those parts to aid his situation.
Boreal Forest - Just what it implies. The forest. It's in one of these forest/jungle outings that Les almost amputates his finger when his knife slips.
Swamp - Bullfrogs and turtles are Les's main staple as he builds a raft out of the swamp.
Jungle - At night the jungle floor moves with activity.
Disc Two
Arctic - No food anywhere, except for his pack of seal blubber. Polar bears stalk his sleeping area.
Mountain - Shelter building and fire making at its best.

Winter Plane Crash - My favorite. Les fakes a broken arm to reflect a real plane crash situation. He builds a nice shelter from the busted up airplane, and traps rabbits with a snare.
Canyonlands - The loneliness of the canyons grates on Les's nerves as he smokes out a living quarters and catches small animals for food.
Lost at Sea - Les takes flight in a rubber raft and gets hit by a nasty unexpected storm.
I can't wait to see what Les has planned for Season Two. I'll be the first to buy his DVD.


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Imagine being stranded in the most extreme environments on earth for seven days - completely alone with virtually no supplies. How could you possibly survive? With no support crew and operating the camera himself, survival expert Les Stroud tackles that question as he tests himself in the toughest types of wilderness, ranging from the desert to the Arctic. Among his adventures, he battles life-or-death situations - the aftermath of a winter plane crash, abandoned in the mountains, lost at sea and much more. If you like living on the edge, you can't afford to miss a minute of these nine extended episodes!Disc 1: Arizona Desert Boreal Forest Georgian Swamp Costa Rican Ocean Disc 2: Arctic Mountains Pacific Coast Canyonlands Lost at Sea

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Man vs. Wild (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was never really interested in 'survival' programmes on the context of the fact I live in a city/town and the only wilderness around here is a small family park with a small duck pond, not exactly the Rockies.
I found survival documentaries slightly dull, not the programmes themselves, but the fact that it was a topic/genre I could not connect with or relate to. Survival experts seemed to belong to another lifestyle incorporating hunters through to paranoid doomsday nuts (I was very naive about the subject). Survival programmes usually had a barrel-chested bearded guy with glazed twitching eyes trying to show us how to make a smoking-jacket out of some poor rabbit and some leaves for a cravat.
However, I really enjoy the Man vs. Wild ones. In fact, nowadays I like survival programmes a lot, and my naivety about them is now only 'slightly pathetic'.
I first watched this on the Discovery channel, though it was re-titled (or may have been originally titled, I am not too sure) Born Survivor. I slowly come to liked it, listening to Bear Gryll's morbid stories of 'travelers' and 'hikers' meeting a doomed fate - he ALWAYS has a story to go with a poisonous plant, or a man-eating frog, etc. It was also funny watching him eat some gigantic insects to 'survive' and whilst he is telling us that these are good for us he squirms and chews with disgust at what the poor creature tastes like. There is also a slight Steve Irwin OTT drama about Bear Grylls also. For example, watching him jump off a helicopter with a slight over dramatic "yee-hah!"
Man vs. Wild is survival in a dramatic, but fun way, glamourising environments that most of us city dwellers will seldom see, besides sitting on our sofas watching TV.
Grylls comes across as a likeable fella, he seems the type to be devoted to what he does, and I guess that's what makes the programme work well. It must be great to have a job one enjoys as a hobby.
A lot has been said recently about 'faking' parts; I do not know why people would believe that these Man vs. Wild docs were 100 percent genuine. I spotted it first time I watched them, for example Grylls climbs a cliff type face yet the cameraman is at the top filming him climbing up, yet they are `all' together.
The fuss over these programmes came about because of an uproar over 'fake' scandals on British TV (fake phone-in scandals, dodgy editing on a Royal family documentary trailer that made the Queen look like she walked out of a photoshoot in a huff when she was exactly walking IN to the photoshoot, and she wasn't in a huff). Grylls came into the firing line, though his seem the most innocent. His programmes are fun and educational, if you really think that he can walk across most of Alaska and suddenly find an abandoned boat to rescue himself are slightly naive.
Another clear indication to viewers that certain parts are dramatized for artistic lisence is that each episode has a 'plot' arc which is as follows: Grylls gets stranded (albeit, purposely), Grylls has to get to a certain position covering many miles or/and obstacles whilst telling us how to accomplish it, and, finally, Grylls gets rescued or he escapes. It's that simple. The fact that certain things were planned was not shocking. He is showing how things should be done in the wild. If it was 100 percent real what are the chances he could find every plant he wanted to show us ("This is poisonous, don't eat it") or get a camera crew up a cliff? I am sure Grylls, being one of the youngest to climb Everest and being an ex-TA SAS Special Forces soldier could do all the stuff he wants to do, but people forget that programmes are made with the restrictions of lawyers, health and safety people and, most importantly, the liability and insurance restrictions. I also read somewhere that during his time with the SAS he broke his back from a parachuting mishap and spent months recovering, so I think he has already taken enough risks in his lifetime without folks calling him a 'fake'.
I am not writing this review to defend the guy, however, as a fan of the series I was worried that they would not make any more, which would be a huge shame in my opinion.
All in all, you have to take these programmes as they are - a dramatic calculated documentary about survival techniques that appeal to an audience that may not necessarily like 'survival' documentaries. It is fun yet informative, and whilst most of us will never experience some of the things Grylls does, I guess there are loads of us who wish we could get off our lazy arrses and experience some of these journeys through the exotic and hostile environments that our diverse world has to offer.
If you like Bear Grylls stuff, you may also like Ray Mears programmes as well.

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DISC1 EUROPIAN ALPS、SIERRA NEVADA、ALASKAN MOUNTAIN RANGE、AFRICAN SAVANNAH、EVER GLADES DISC2 ECUADOR、KIMBERLEY、AUSTRALIA、MEXICO、ICELAND、SCOTLAND

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Survivorman: Season Three (2009) Review

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This is the final season of Survivorman. Although it was the weakest of the three, it was still satisfying. I hope Les Stroud continues in his public teaching. His personality is superlative and I hold him in high esteem.

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Would you know what to do if you were stranded and left to survive without food or shelter in some of the world's harshest environments? Les "Survivorman" Stroud is determined to find out as he embarks on the final season of this thrilling series. Armed with little more than a harmonica and a wry sense of humor, Les uses skills, bravery and ingenuity to tackle seemingly impossible situations.
Sierra Nevada: The rugged Sierra Nevada is a hiker's dream. The problem is that it's very easy to get lost and succumb to the perils of the environment. See what "Survivorman" Les Stroud does when he finds himself in this predicament.

Colorado Rockies: The Colorado Rockies is one of the most magnificent mountain ranges in America. And one of the most treacherous. With two horses and his usual 50 pounds of camera gear, Les must learn how to gather food and water while navigating the precarious precipice.

Arctic Tundra: Stranded on northern Baffin Island in a ruggedly beautiful yet unforgiving land where the summer sun doesn't set for days on end, Les learns some particularly harsh lessons in solo arctic survival.

Deep Woods: Millions of hunters embrace their primal nature every year as they trek into the woods in search of wild game. It can be an exhilarating experience, but it also can be very dangerous. Les discovers just how wrong a hunting trip can go.

Australian Outback: Les gets stranded in the remote Australian Outback when his ultralight airplane runs out of fuel. Alone on an endless expense of sun-burnt grasses, Les must get creative if he is going to survive.

Papua New Guinea: "Survivorman" is dropped off in the overgrown jungles of Papua New Guinea. Though food appears to be plentiful, surviving for a week is going to be an exhausting adventure for Les.Stills from Survivorman: Season Three (Click for larger image)

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Really Big Things (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been a huge fan of Matt Rogers ever since he was a contestant on season 3 of "American Idol". I think he has such a great personality. He's funny, quick witted, not full of himself, a real down to earth likable kind of guy. So when I read that he would be hosting a show called "Really Big Things" on Discovery Channel, I made a point to tune in. And, let me say, I love it. This show is really informative without ever being boring. Matt is the perfect host for this kind of program. His sense of humor and willingness to learn and participate keeps the show light and fun yet it is still educational and entertaining. I watch it every week and am very glad it was renewed for a second season. I cannot wait until September 4th to get the first season on DVD. Thanks Discovery for bringing us Matt Rogers & Really Big Things.

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With these monster machines, size really does matter!You're in for some BIG surprises as host Matt Rogers takes you around the country and around the globe in search of colossal contraptions that really get the job done. Each gargantuan episode features a close-up look at several of these mechanized heavyweights and the people who make them work. Including the world's biggest dump truck, an entire football field that moves and huge mining gear that blasts holes deep underground, these massive machines will blow your mind. Episodes: Paper Maker Matt introduces us to the mammoth Concrete Mat Sinking Unit that lines the bed of the Mississippi River to help to stop erosion, and then he's off to Sweden to an enormous copper mine to witness the earth-shaking Rammer Hammer break down huge pieces of ore. Wind Mill Factory: When it's game time at the Arizona Cardinals' stadium, the 12-million-pound football field is rolled on a gigantic tray from outside to inside the arena. And in Alberta Canada Matt goes for a ride in the world's biggest dump truck, weighing more than a million pounds and with tires over 14 feet tall! Largest Telescope: Living a childhood dream, Matt takes a test flight on NASA's hulking Vertical Motion Simulator in Silicon Valley, California, simulating the flight of the Space Shuttle. Then, deep underground in a mine near the Arctic Circle, Matt lends a hand in drilling explosive blast holes using the powerful Blast Hole Drill. Giant Tree Spade: In a small North Carolina town, a family-owned business performs a really big job - retreading the giant tires from enormous machines all over the world. Then Matt travels to Washington state where he visits the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest concrete structure and the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States. Swing Bridge: In Erie, Pennsylvania, Matt joins the crew building the latest technological marvel in transportation - the huge Evolution Locomotive, the cleanest diesel-powered train ever built. Then Matt goes aboard the massive Dredge Jadwin to see how the Army Corps of Engineers keeps the Mississippi River clear for boat traffic. Really, Really Big Show: Matt joins the crew of the "Spirit of America" Goodyear Blimp in Carson, California where he helps to get this jumbo airship aloft. Then he travels to Bakersfield, California, where a truly monstrous machine can found working at one of the smelliest and dirtiest jobs - compacting 2000 tons of garbage a day. And finally, it's back into the air with the high-flying acrobats and performers of the spectacular Las Vegas stage show KA.

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Out of the Ashes (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)This biographical film relates the story of Auschwitz survivor, Dr. Gisella Perl, providing an important chapter into the lives of those poor souls tortured into unthinkable acts in order to survive during the Holocaust of WWII.
Dr. Gisella Perl (Christine Lahti) arrives in New York with tear filled eyes begging for a new life after WWII. Perl wanted to be a doctor from childhood; she studied hard and managed to open a very successful private practice in Hungary. Her only downfall ended up being her bloodlines and this very strong woman soon found herself carted off to Auschwitz. In a series of flashbacks Perl is examined by a committee of American INS men who are judging her character as a step towards her citizenship. Perl is seen as a survivor who at times may have saved her own life at the sake of others and she is accused of collaborating with the Nazi doctor like the retched Josef Mengele. In actuality Perl saved many women by sacrificing the unborn lives of their fetuses after being tricked by Mengele into submission and having to see what went on behind the walls of Auschwitz. Despite the horrors she witnessed Perl survived to flourish once again and her true story is one of an undying spirit.
Christina Lahti is phenomenal in her role as Gisella Perl. She manages to capture both the brokenness and the strength of this woman with equal determination. Many scenes in this film are absolutely gut-wrenching but entirely important. As stated in the film Auschwitz became its own country and the "rules of humanity" no longer applied. Under these circumstances many atrocities were committed by Nazi's and the Jewish prisoners alike...who is to say what depths a human being can reach under the horror of the Holocaust? In order to thrive in the conditions faced by the prisoners they were forced to either submit and then be burned alive or to calculate another way of living. Gisella Perl did just that. Despite how you feel about abortions this woman had to perform the procedures bare handed and under intolerable conditions in order to save the lives of women prisoners. She was forced under threat to assist in "experiments" beside Mengele and even went as far as saving a female Nazi guard from her own "predicament" without question. Placed in the same circumstances few of us would have ever survived so leave your moral judgments behind on this one. Instead allow this one woman's story to matter so that the ashes of Auschwitz and all of the other concentration camps never establish a foothold in our world again.


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In Out of the Ashes, one woman is forced to choose between two horrifying acts of evil, and ultimately finds the courage to make the right choice.Based on actual events that occurred during World War II that chronicles the life of Dr. Gisella Perl, a woman who lost her entire family and was forced to start life over in America.

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Lost - The Complete Second Season (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a die hard Lost fan from the Season 1 debut, I have been a bit shocked to hear so many negative things about Season 2. The mystery of the island went much deeper and the season actually answered more questions than the first, while still whetting our appetite for more. I would love to see some loose ends tied up, but that is what makes people keep watching. Those who abandoned the show because of too many questions obviously don't have the patience required for a show such as this. In our "quick fix, gotta have it" society, it is refreshing to know that there is actually a show that will not simply give us questions and answers but an acutal story with strong characters and an intriguing plot. I cannot wait for Season 3 to premiere.

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4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. Push the button and prepare to be blown away by the groundbreaking television event USA Today calls "TV's best series." The multiple Emmy® Award-winning drama reaches new heights in its spectacular second season as the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 discover they are not alone in their battle against "the Others," and a contested decision to open the hatch reveals a new realm of mystery and intrigue. Prepare yourself for the DVD experience of Season Two, complete with over 8 hours of original bonus material you can't see anywhere else -- including unaired original flashbacks -- and you'll discover for yourself why "everything happens for a reason."

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Man vs Wild: Stranded Around the World (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)My son who is 6 years old loved the video. It was brand new and well packaged, and it came right after I ordered it. Thank you again it was a great Chirstmas success.

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From the wild African plains to the frozen Siberian tundra, from the polar extremes of Ecuador to the hot, dry steppes of Turkey, these are some of the harshest conditions on Earth. And Bear Grylls cant wait to take them on. With his unique survival skills and dogged perseverance, see how this true adventurer overcomes challenges most of us wouldnt even attempt. Episodes: African Savannah: Every year, roughly 40 U.S. citizens are killed by wild animals while on safari in Africa. Bear demonstrates ways to prevent these attacks, and also how to find water, build shelter and use natural medicines to survive the untamed bush. Ecuador: Within its borders, Ecuador has part of the Andes Mountains, high-altitude cloud forests and a big portion of the Amazon rainforest. But as extreme and dangerous as these environments are, Bear looks forward to the challenge of surviving them. Siberia: Bear Grylls parachutes into the Siberian tundra, one of the harshest places on Earth, where he must survive a week of extreme challenges. Not just frigid temperatures and dense, dark forests, but swimming underneath the ice in minus 40 degrees. Turkey: On Turkeys rugged Anatolian Plateau, Bear battles white water rapids and confronts a 120-foot waterfall. Once on the steppes, its a different storyhot and dry, with no food and little sign of life.

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