The climate that marks our entire civilized history is an exception to the rule.
I said that humans only make a cameo appearance in the film but actually humans appear from the very beginning. Though Herrmann assumes the god´s eye POV as narrator, the film relies heavily on scientists to express grand cosmological ideas in pragmatic terms. Humans may be only a pimple on the ass of mother Earth, but until apes or cockroaches start writing history books or sending men to the moon, we´re still the dominant species. At least until the planet gets bored with us.
Video
The program is presented in its original 1.78:1 broadcast ratio. The interlaced transfer shows some minor instances of combing but overall is very sharp. The production values for this feature are above average for the History Channel, and overall the image quality is top-notch.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo. No subtitles are provided. English-language closed captions support the English audio.
Extras
A feature-length documentary called "Inside the Volcano" (90 min) is included as en extra, but could sustain its own separate DVD release. The program isn´t quite as accomplished or as fascinating as the main feature here, but it´s a fine example of that eminently-watchable History Channel programming that always gets me hooked late at night. A single volcanic eruption can change weather patterns across the globe for months or even years, and our understanding of volcanism is in its infancy. Just as Carl Sagan once called humans "star stuff," one expert suggests that we could also be considered "volcanic products."
Several deleted scenes (10 min. total) are also included.
The DVD package is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material which is nice but the eco-friendly design needs a little tweaking as it is difficult to depress the center tab in order to easily remove the DVD. You can do it, but you have to be careful not to get frustrated and accidentally damage the DVD.
Program Value
"How The Earth Was Made" lops off the first three-quarters of Carl Sagan´s calendar, starting on Sept 14 and finishing up a few months into next year. For a ninety-minute program covering more than five billion years´ worth of material, the documentary still provides an enlightening and engrossing overview of the planet´s geological and biological history. This is superior History Channel fare, and I found it entertaining from start to finish.
Video
The program is presented in its original 1.78:1 broadcast ratio. The interlaced transfer shows some minor instances of combing but overall is very sharp. The production values for this feature are above average for the History Channel, and overall the image quality is top-notch.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo. No subtitles are provided. English-language closed captions support the English audio.
Extras
A feature-length documentary called "Inside the Volcano" (90 min) is included as en extra, but could sustain its own separate DVD release. The program isn´t quite as accomplished or as fascinating as the main feature here, but it´s a fine example of that eminently-watchable History Channel programming that always gets me hooked late at night. A single volcanic eruption can change weather patterns across the globe for months or even years, and our understanding of volcanism is in its infancy. Just as Carl Sagan once called humans "star stuff," one expert suggests that we could also be considered "volcanic products."
Several deleted scenes (10 min. total) are also included.
The DVD package is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material which is nice but the eco-friendly design needs a little tweaking as it is difficult to depress the center tab in order to easily remove the DVD. You can do it, but you have to be careful not to get frustrated and accidentally damage the DVD.
Program Value
"How The Earth Was Made" lops off the first three-quarters of Carl Sagan´s calendar, starting on Sept 14 and finishing up a few months into next year. For a ninety-minute program covering more than five billion years´ worth of material, the documentary still provides an enlightening and engrossing overview of the planet´s geological and biological history. This is superior History Channel fare, and I found it entertaining from start to finish.
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[release]23460[/release]