$63 off Planet Earth: Complete BBC Series DVD

As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, "From Pole to Pole," serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming--a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea's various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia's nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.

Planet Earth: Complete BBC Series DVD Special Features:

• The 11-part series shot entirely in high-definition: From Pole to Pole, Mountains, Fresh Water, Caves, Deserts, Ice Worlds, Great Plains, Jungles, Shallow Seas, Seasonal Forests, Ocean Deep
• Original U.K. broadcast version narrated by David Attenborough, including 90 minutes not shown on the Discovery Channel
• 110 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage - one 10-minute behind the scenes program for each episode (included on standard-definition DVD release only)
• Planet Earth: The Future: This 3-part, 2 1/2 hour comparison series looks at what the future may hold for endangered animals, habitats and -- ultimately -- ourselves. Following the environmental issues raised by Planet Earth, it asks why so many species are threatened and how they can be protected in future. (included on standard-definition DVD release only)