New Edition of 'Planet Earth' a Masterpiece

Don't be distracted by the globe-shaped package. The real magic is still on screen.

October 28, 2011 at 6:08AM by Dan Shapley | comment

The BBC's blockbuster Planet Earth series has been re-released in a limited edition that takes advantage of advances in high definition technology since its original release in 2007, and the result is magnificent.

At the time of its airing, was the most expensive factual series ever created by the BBC, costing $25 million and requiring more than 2,000 days in the field by 40 cameramen in 200 locations on every continent. The result, presented by Sir David Attenborough, was groundbreaking, and it still looks stunning four years later. The animals leap off the screen. You feel like you can walk right into the landscapes. It's no wonder it won four Emmys.

The new five-disc collector's edition, in Blu-ray and DVD, comes in a handsome globe-shaped package. Personal tastes will dictate whether this is desirable. It's cool to have a little globe around, and it's more attractive than a stack of discs, but as we move en masse away from printed technology toward cloud entertainment, it may seem bulky and quaint before long.

Planet Earth: Limited Edition ($69 at amazon.com)

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