Wild China | 
 enlarge | Director: Bbc Video
Actor: Wild China
Studio: BBC WARNER
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.98
Buy Used: $21.00
You Save: $8.98 (30%)
New (31) Used (7) Collectible (1) from $21.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 4678
Format: Color, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), Chinese (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 300
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WARDE38278D
UPC: 883929016723
EAN: 0883929016723
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: August 5, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 08/05/2008 Run time: 300 minutes Rating: Nr
Amazon.com
Beautifully filmed and soothingly narrated by Bernard Hill (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Wild China takes an expansive look at the fourth largest country in the world. Over a period of more than six hours, the miniseries--which was co-produced by the BBC and China's CTV--lets viewers into a world that is straddling the line between modern-day efficiency and old world traditions. Fans accustomed to travelogues with personable hosts such as quirky Anthony Bourdain or perky Samantha Brown leading them through far away places may get a little bored with the hands-off approach here. But the beauty of this production is in the country and the people, and the way the filmmakers present them in crisply edited vignettes. We see the jumping spiders atop Mount Everest, the winding grace of the Great Wall, and of course some shy pandas that many people equate with China. But some of the best moments are the simple ones--children in a classroom, fishermen working the waters, and monks meditating in monasteries. As did the Planet Earth series, Wild China makes viewers wish they were there. The film doesn't touch heavily on the politics of China, but it isn't lacking because of the omission. As it is, Wild China ends all too soon, leaving viewers longing for more for a country that once didn't welcome foreigners in. --Jae-Ha Kim
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Beautiful images, empty words October 30, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is another outstanding British series with excellent production values and plenty for everyone. The makers clearly took full advantage of the pre-Olympic mandated official Chinese tolerance of western journalists, and traveled the length and breadth of the country to document its seldom-seen wildlife. The results are stunning. Each episode covers a geographical area and the focus is largely on photogenic megafauna, but there is so much that is new that this is an acceptable gloss.
What is less acceptable is the narration, which avoids all issues that might be even vaguely contentious. Again and again individual Chinese efforts at conservation are praised, vignettes are tenderly shown, and the almost soporiphic narration sooths us from one gentle scene to another. Of course a wildlife series is no place for political commentary, but a little more might reasonably have been said about why such conservation is necessary, and whether it can possibly have efficacy in the face of overwhelming forces to the contrary. Additionally it would have been nice to have had narration with a greater emphasis on detail: the habits of the animals shown are not explored in any real depth. This series is more in the pattern of National Geographic programs whereby pretty pictures are presumed enough and information is regarded as a potential threat to viewing figures. Again and again as we watched the episodes, members of my family would comment that the narrator wasn't really telling us anything. At one point my daughter said, "I wish they'd asked David Attenborough to do this series."
Perhaps we live in an age where information-lite is transforming to information-free; an age in which spectacular photography is considered sufficient unto itself. If so, we can expect more series of this type: beautifully filmed, captivatingly framed, but ultimately unsatisfying because they tell us so very little about the creatures being presented and about the underlying dynamics of the environments in which they exist.
Great and interesting video! October 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
For those who likes to know about foreing cultures, specially from China it's something you must see! You will enjoy this great production.
Wild China September 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is an amazing video trip through a beautiful land. It has so many wonderful surprises. Both nature and the people provide a most interesting story. It makes one want to get on board an aircraft and begin a journey that would cover this vast area of our world. From the smallest flowers to the elephants, this video covers it all.
The finest documentary ever made on China's wildlife and natural beauty September 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have to admit Wild China has to be the finest documentary ever made on China's wildlife and natural landscapes. As a Chinese living overseas, this documentary makes me so proud to be a Chinese and I will get it as a gift for all my relatives and friends, in China or overseas.
The photography in this series is just stunning, similar to BBC's Planet Earth. Also I like the way they document the interaction between people and landscape and wildlife. I think this is the most important aspect of conservation in China today - how to achieve the balance between progress and conservation.
Many of the locations in this documentary I have not heard of before. Also many of the wildlife species are very rare and the footage is extremely available to the public.
Thank the BBC team for their great effort to present China's wildlife and natural beauty so beautifully.
Get this DVD, watch it a couple of times and visit China yourself.
Most breathtaking shots August 29, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I had originally come across some of these episodes on the Travel Channel, right before the Beijing Olympics. Once I saw a couple of the episodes, I knew I had to get the DVD set. It was just jaw-dropping, breath-takingly beautiful. The scenery is straight out of the traditional Chinese 'mountain-water' paintings, the animals were amazing, and the overall presentation was just classy-ly done. And to those who would love to have Chinese friends and family watch and enjoy, there are indeed traditional Chinese subtitles. I can safely say this is worth every penny.
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