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Dom Robinson reviews
most extraordinary creatures that ever lived.Distributed by
- Cert:
- Cat.no: BBCDVD 1016
- Running time: 180 minutes
- Year: 1999
- Pressing: 2000
- Region(s): 2, 4 (UK PAL)
- Chapters: 36 plus extras
- Sound: Dolby Stereo (Dolby Digital 2.0)
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: English for the hard of hearing
- Widescreen: 16:9 (1.77:1)
- 16:9-enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: No
- Disc Format: 1 * DVD 9, 1 * DVD 5
- Price: £24.99
- Extras : Scene index, Booklet, Picture-in-Picture sequences, Making of programme,Additional Graphics, Director’s Commentary, Animated Menus
Director:
- Jasper James
Series Producer:
- Tim Haines
Narrated by:
- Kenneth Branagh
Walking with Dinosaursis a six-part TV series that looks back over the past 220 million years from whenthe dinosaurs began, through to the Jurassic era 160 million years ago (not 65 asSpielberg thought) and to the time when they were wiped out, taking in theCoelophysis, Diplodocus, Ophthalmosaurus, Ornithocheirus, Leallynasaura andeveryone’s favourite, the Tyrannosaurus.
Narrated by Kenneth Branagh, although the content of this series containsmany facts, there will be some gaps to fill whether it’s down to the skin detailof the creatures, their size or what sound each one makes.
However, it does make for entertaining viewing, albeit one episode at a time andnot all at one go.
The quality of the picture on view, with an enormous amount of CGI effects, iscertainly not in dispute. An anamorphic 16:9 widescreen ratio, with no artifactsand gorgeous, colourful and lifelike images.
Thanks to Grant Friel for pointing outthat the sound is presented in Dolby Stereo (Dolby Digital 2.0) (not DolbySurround) and comes across perfectly too. You will come across the occasionalsurround-sound moment, but these are unintentional. Narration is clear andthe dinosaurs’ roars are very loud indeed.
Extras : Chapters :6 chapters to an episode, making 36 in total which is fine. Languages & Subtitles :Dolby Stereo in English only, plus subtitles for the same. And there’s more… :Presented in stylish silver, the Booklet includes descriptions of themain creatures studied and plenty of background info about the series.A 50-minute Making Of programme comes on disc 2 and does exactly whatit says on the tin, but the series itself also features Picture-in-Picture sequenceswith commentary about how certain parts of the show were put together. These are meantto be optional, but on my Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player they’re mandatory, which israther a pain as I’d like to switch them off to see what they’re obscuring. Menu :Brilliantly colourful and animated with dinos hopping about on the main menu.
Overall :Definitely an impressive series, the only thing that takes the shine off the CGI effectsis that we’ve seen what a dinosaur looks like from Jurassic Park, when thesame thing was jaw-dropping. However, there’s still plenty that can be learned andit does look superb throughout.
Note that from August 2000, the BBC are running a new series, Living with Dinosaurs,presented by David Attenborough.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALL
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.