Great BBC Documentaries
Ranked #34 in Pets & Animals, #865 overall
The Best BBC Nature Documentaries in HD
The BBC is renowned for it's beautifully filmed documentaries about the earth and its inhabitants and the insightful voice of Sir David Attenborough provides the perfect narration.
The photography and drama in these DVDs never ceases to amaze me with every viewing whether swimming with whales under the ocean or flying above the earth with pink flocks of flamingos. Whenever a friend purchases big new TV I always recommend these stunning BBC docs for their amazing visuals!
Look here for the best Nature documentaries from the BBC in stunning HD Blu-Ray. Buy with ease at Amazon.com
The photography and drama in these DVDs never ceases to amaze me with every viewing whether swimming with whales under the ocean or flying above the earth with pink flocks of flamingos. Whenever a friend purchases big new TV I always recommend these stunning BBC docs for their amazing visuals!
Look here for the best Nature documentaries from the BBC in stunning HD Blu-Ray. Buy with ease at Amazon.com
Nature's Most Amazing Events
BBC Documentary Review
As its title suggests, "Nature's Most Amazing Events" focuses on some of the most amazing events in the animal kingdom. I actually like the fact that each episode stays in one location (as opposed to the way Planet Earth jumped around the world). However, I thought it could have gone beyond Africa and North America. I also thought this series had some amazing footage of birds and whales, particularly of birds underwater. Those scenes alone make the series worth buying.
Now, onto the episodes:
1) Arctic Summer:
This episode focuses on Arctic environments and includes many of the usual suspects, such as Polar Bears. There was a great scene with baby Gillymots learning to fly. The birds essentially jump off a huge cliff and try to land in the ocean. Many miss and bounce along the ground - but survive!
2) Grizzly Wilderness:
This episode follows the Salmon migration in the pacifc northwest - and all of the animals trying to eat them. There's some great shots of the Salmon swimming through the water. In one shot, a Salmon is swimming through a waterfall, jumps out of the water, and - in slow motion - flies toward the camera. There's also a cool scene of a dead Salmon decomposing in fast motion.
3) Surviving the Serengeti:
The Serengeti episode follows the trials and tribulations of a small pride of lions in the southern Serengeti as they struggle to survive for the eight long months the wildbeast are gone and the grassland they depend upon for hiding in dries up. (Add to which, a vocano erupts!) The sight of the pride, walking along together, scrawny and weary--their bones sticking out and losing their fur (and one another!)--is truly heartrending!
4) Army of Predators:
This episode covers the army of predators that chase Sardines. I loved the footage of Gannets plunge-diving into the water to eat fish. The birds look like they're swimming underwater. I've seen some other documentaries trying to capture birds underwater (including Blue Planet: Seas of Life), but this scene was by far the best. The episode climaxes with a battle royale between Gannets, Dolphins, Fur Seals, Sharks, and Bryde's Whale all chasing the Sardines.
5) Kalahari Flood:
This episode focuses on southern Africa, with the drying up of the Okavango River in Botswana. The footage of the Termites up close looks great in HD. These scenes were even better quality than the Termite footage in Life in the Undergrowth. Also lots of elephants wallowing around.
6) Pacific Feast:
This is another underwater battle royale, with Stellar Sea Lions, Orcas, and Humpback Whales all going in for some Herring. This episode includes some of the best blu-ray footage of whales I've seen, with extensive footage of Humpbacks hunting using "bubble nets." The "whale song" that the Humpbacks use while "bubble netting" is haunting. After watching this, it is absolutely clear that these animals are intelligent - coordinating group action, using tools (bubbles), and taking advantage of the Herrings' weaknesses. There's also a great shot of a Humpback exhaling through its blowhole and catching a rainbow on its breath. The mist from the blowhole changes colors from blue to green to yellow to red. This is easily some of the best Humpback footage ever.
In short, if you enjoy nature documentaries, don't miss out on "Nature's Most Amazing"! It has wonderful footage of birds underwater and whales. While there are some low points (notably the Serengeti), the best moments far exceed the ocean scenes in Planet Earth.
Now, onto the episodes:
1) Arctic Summer:
This episode focuses on Arctic environments and includes many of the usual suspects, such as Polar Bears. There was a great scene with baby Gillymots learning to fly. The birds essentially jump off a huge cliff and try to land in the ocean. Many miss and bounce along the ground - but survive!
2) Grizzly Wilderness:
This episode follows the Salmon migration in the pacifc northwest - and all of the animals trying to eat them. There's some great shots of the Salmon swimming through the water. In one shot, a Salmon is swimming through a waterfall, jumps out of the water, and - in slow motion - flies toward the camera. There's also a cool scene of a dead Salmon decomposing in fast motion.
3) Surviving the Serengeti:
The Serengeti episode follows the trials and tribulations of a small pride of lions in the southern Serengeti as they struggle to survive for the eight long months the wildbeast are gone and the grassland they depend upon for hiding in dries up. (Add to which, a vocano erupts!) The sight of the pride, walking along together, scrawny and weary--their bones sticking out and losing their fur (and one another!)--is truly heartrending!
4) Army of Predators:
This episode covers the army of predators that chase Sardines. I loved the footage of Gannets plunge-diving into the water to eat fish. The birds look like they're swimming underwater. I've seen some other documentaries trying to capture birds underwater (including Blue Planet: Seas of Life), but this scene was by far the best. The episode climaxes with a battle royale between Gannets, Dolphins, Fur Seals, Sharks, and Bryde's Whale all chasing the Sardines.
5) Kalahari Flood:
This episode focuses on southern Africa, with the drying up of the Okavango River in Botswana. The footage of the Termites up close looks great in HD. These scenes were even better quality than the Termite footage in Life in the Undergrowth. Also lots of elephants wallowing around.
6) Pacific Feast:
This is another underwater battle royale, with Stellar Sea Lions, Orcas, and Humpback Whales all going in for some Herring. This episode includes some of the best blu-ray footage of whales I've seen, with extensive footage of Humpbacks hunting using "bubble nets." The "whale song" that the Humpbacks use while "bubble netting" is haunting. After watching this, it is absolutely clear that these animals are intelligent - coordinating group action, using tools (bubbles), and taking advantage of the Herrings' weaknesses. There's also a great shot of a Humpback exhaling through its blowhole and catching a rainbow on its breath. The mist from the blowhole changes colors from blue to green to yellow to red. This is easily some of the best Humpback footage ever.
In short, if you enjoy nature documentaries, don't miss out on "Nature's Most Amazing"! It has wonderful footage of birds underwater and whales. While there are some low points (notably the Serengeti), the best moments far exceed the ocean scenes in Planet Earth.
Buy Nature's Most Amazing Events
Get the DVD on Amazon and Save
BBC Planet Earth Documentary
The Most Popular BBC Nature Program Ever!
Planet Earth is by many estimations the greatest nature and wildlife documentary 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.
Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights
With so many of Earth's natural wonders on display, it's only fitting that the bonus disc in the five-DVD set is devoted to Planet Earth: The Future, a separate three-part series in which a global array of experts is assembled to discuss issues of conservation, protection of delicate ecosystems, and the socio-economic benefits of understanding nature as a commodity that returns trillions of dollars in value at no cost to Earth's human population.
Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlightsWith so many of Earth's natural wonders on display, it's only fitting that the bonus disc in the five-DVD set is devoted to Planet Earth: The Future, a separate three-part series in which a global array of experts is assembled to discuss issues of conservation, protection of delicate ecosystems, and the socio-economic benefits of understanding nature as a commodity that returns trillions of dollars in value at no cost to Earth's human population.
Buy BBC Planet Earth
Watch this amazing series on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Planet Earth Resources
- Planet Earth Screensavers
- Two screensavers which offer snapshots of some of the animals and extraordinary places featured in the Planet Earth series.
- Planet Earth Wallpapers
- Nine new images of animals and places featured in the second part of the Planet Earth series to download on to your computer desktop.
- Planet Earth on the IMDB
- Internet Movie Database listing.
BBC - Life 10 Part Series
Extraordinary Animals!
Our planet may be home to more than 30 million different animals and plants. And every single one is locked in its own life-long fight for survival. Life uncovers some extraordinary strategies they've developed to stay alive and to breed.
Using state-of-the-art filming techniques, this 10-part BBC One series, narrated by David Attenborough, is about extreme behaviour. It's survival of the fittest in their battle against daily life or death challenges.
Mind-blowing behaviour captured for TV for the first time includes cheetahs working together to bring down prey twice their size; the courtship battle, known as the heat run, of the humpback whale; a huge number of enormous Humboldt squid joining forces for night-time hunting; and the legendary, fearsome Komodo dragons bringing down their buffalo prey.
Four years in the making, Life is full of surprises, drama and spectacle. It's nature but not as you know it.
There are strange creatures such as the star-nosed mole, the stalk-eyed fly and the weedy sea dragon.
There are epic spectacles including millions of fruit bats darkening the Zambian sky, dozens of polar bears feasting on a whale, and a billion butterflies cloaking a forest in Mexico.
Using state-of-the-art filming techniques, this 10-part BBC One series, narrated by David Attenborough, is about extreme behaviour. It's survival of the fittest in their battle against daily life or death challenges.
Mind-blowing behaviour captured for TV for the first time includes cheetahs working together to bring down prey twice their size; the courtship battle, known as the heat run, of the humpback whale; a huge number of enormous Humboldt squid joining forces for night-time hunting; and the legendary, fearsome Komodo dragons bringing down their buffalo prey.
Four years in the making, Life is full of surprises, drama and spectacle. It's nature but not as you know it.
There are strange creatures such as the star-nosed mole, the stalk-eyed fly and the weedy sea dragon.
There are epic spectacles including millions of fruit bats darkening the Zambian sky, dozens of polar bears feasting on a whale, and a billion butterflies cloaking a forest in Mexico.
BBC Nature News
- Honeybees tell hornet predators to buzz off
- By Victoria Gill Science reporter, BBC Nature Asian honeybees signal to their enemies - bee-eating hornets - to let them know they have been spotted. An international team of scientists watched the bees as they guarded the entrance to their hive.
- Zebra stripes evolved to keep biting flies at bay
- By Victoria Gill Science reporter, BBC Nature Why zebras evolved their characteristic black-and-white stripes has been the subject of decades of debate among scientists. Now researchers from Hungary and Sweden claim to have solved the mystery.
- Jurassic cricket's song recreated
- By Victoria Gill Science reporter, BBC Nature Night-time in the Jurassic forest was punctuated by the unmistakable sound of chirping bush crickets. This is according to scientists who have reconstructed the song of a cricket that chirped 165 million ...
- The Great Minds Of Great Apes
- ?If an ape does not receive enough cognitive challenge in life, this can lead to abnormal behaviours or a lack of interest in the environment,? she tells BBC Nature. ?The key is for scientists to develop challenges which are relevant, motivating, ...
BBC The Blue Planet - Seas of Life
Visit the stunning world beneath the sea!
Covering 70% of the planet, the ocean is truly a dominating force, yet we know less about our oceans than we do about the surface of the moon. Five years in the making, with a budget of over $10 million, The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is the most comprehensive underwater documentaries ever.
Extraordinary footage and eloquent narration by David Attenborough highlight the BBC's remarkable wildlife series The Blue Planet: Seas of Life. "Ocean World" begins with astonishing views of a gigantic blue whale--the elusive Holy Grail of undersea photography--and the marvels continue to demonstrate the power, diversity, and profound ecological influence of Earth's oceans. "Frozen Seas" examines whales, walruses, penguins, and other creatures under the extreme conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. The next two episodes are even better. "Open Ocean" travels thousands of miles into the vast "liquid desert," where currents determine how the ocean's diverse life forms will assume their places in the food chain. More amazing, "The Deep" descends with a state-of-the-art submersible to the ocean's abyssal plain and beyond, filming such bizarre creatures as the fangtooth, bioluminescent jellies, transparent squid, the giant-mouthed gulper eel, and the never-before-seen hairy angler fish.
There isn't a moment in these four DVD's that won't have you gazing in wonder and admiration at the effort and amazing footage captured in this series.
Extraordinary footage and eloquent narration by David Attenborough highlight the BBC's remarkable wildlife series The Blue Planet: Seas of Life. "Ocean World" begins with astonishing views of a gigantic blue whale--the elusive Holy Grail of undersea photography--and the marvels continue to demonstrate the power, diversity, and profound ecological influence of Earth's oceans. "Frozen Seas" examines whales, walruses, penguins, and other creatures under the extreme conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. The next two episodes are even better. "Open Ocean" travels thousands of miles into the vast "liquid desert," where currents determine how the ocean's diverse life forms will assume their places in the food chain. More amazing, "The Deep" descends with a state-of-the-art submersible to the ocean's abyssal plain and beyond, filming such bizarre creatures as the fangtooth, bioluminescent jellies, transparent squid, the giant-mouthed gulper eel, and the never-before-seen hairy angler fish.There isn't a moment in these four DVD's that won't have you gazing in wonder and admiration at the effort and amazing footage captured in this series.
Buy The Blue Planet Boxed Set
Find it online at Amazon.
Galapagos - The Islands That Changed the World
Stunning HD BBC Documentary
The inspiration for Darwin's theory of evolution, the Galapagos Islands are a living laboratory, a geological conveyor belt that has given birth to and seen the death of many species of plants and animals. As the western islands rise up from the sea offering a chance of life, the eastern islands sink back beneath the waves guaranteeing only death. Between the two are the middle islands; fertile, lush land in its prime that contains an incredible diversity of life. Nowhere else on the Earth are the twin processes of creation and extinction of species so starkly apparent... see it all unfold before your eyes in this stunning series filmed entirely in high definition from the BBC and the National Geographic Channel. Buy Galapagos BBC Documentary
Find a DVD deal from Amazon!
This stunning BBC and National Geographic co-production is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Life in the Undergrowth
Excellent BBC Insect Documentary
By getting up close and personal with Life in the Undergrowth, this extraordinary BBC series sets a new standard of excellence in wildlife cinematography. Hosted by veteran nature expert David Attenborough and utilizing the latest advances in macrophotography, the five-part series is dedicated to bugs of all shapes and sizes, from microscopic gnats to cave-dwelling millipedes so large they can capture bats in mid-flight and feast for hours thereafter!
The Life of Birds
Great BBC Birds Documentary
Like the albatross glimpsed in the beginning of this 10-part, 5-volume series, The Life of Birds quickly takes flight. Sir David Attenborough hosts this unprecedented and extraordinary global look at the magnificent and often curious winged species with which we share our planet. Like the best wildlife shows, The Life of Birds offers a fresh and accessible view of creatures we may take for granted (didn't Alfred Hitchcock warn us about that?). The focus of this series is not on the different bird species, but on bird behavior. Remarkable and awe-inspiring footage preserves the wide range of tools and techniques with which birds fly, hunt for food, attract a mate, hatch their chicks, and defend themselves against predators.
Watch Documentaries Online
Free Movies from Cinemaverse
- UFO and ALIEN Videos
- The Skies are Watching! UFO and Alien documentaries, evidence, conferences and sightings.
- Underdog Cinema Documentaries
- Full length Nature, Culture, Science and Political Documenaries.
- Paranormal Videos
- Hollow Vision presents spirits, cryptozoology, earth energies and more paranormal movies.
- WIDE EYE CINEMA - Free Truth Videos
- Conspiracy, 911, Health Issues, False Flag Ops, Mind Control and the Truth!
Civilisation the Complete Series
Great BBC History Documentary
Lucid, engaging, and comprehensive does not adequately describe Sir Kenneth Clark's magnificent survey into Western Civilization. For a series over 40 years old, the audio is remastered, the transfers are remarkably clean, and the content and opinions of the host hardly seem dated. Clark effectively interweaves music, art, science and architecture into a broad sweeping portrait that defines Western thought.
Civilisation, A Personal View by Lord Clark, may be the definitive documentary series of the past 50 years. Aired in 1969, this ambitious British undertaking which spanned an "80,000 mile journey visiting 13 countries, 117 locations, 18 libraries, and 118 museums," not only reconfigured the public view of documentary style, but also cemented BBC Two and its new Controller, David Attenborough, in history. In watching this thirteen-episode series, one clearly sees how Attenborough, as well as narrator Kenneth Clark, pioneered the direct-gaze speaking style of the narrator along with the concept of placing the narrator in the setting he refers to. In episode one, The Skin of Our Teeth, Clark stands in front of Notre Dame to question first, if civilization worth preserving, and secondly, what the difference between art and culture is. Heavy. In subsequent episodes, cultural history is viewed through an art historical lens. Especially wonderful is The Worship of Nature, discussing 18th century England's obsession with landscape painting in relation to religious beliefs of the period. Deep philosophy colors each 50-minute segment. This DVD set includes an interview with Attenborough. Undeniably educational, Civilisation feels eternally significant, and improves with repeated viewing. --Trinie Dalton
DVD Features:
* Available Subtitles: English
* The complete series on four discs
* Sir David Attenborough remembers the making of Civilisation
* Photo gallery of behind-the-scenes stills
* Specially written 36-page illustrated booklet
Civilisation, A Personal View by Lord Clark, may be the definitive documentary series of the past 50 years. Aired in 1969, this ambitious British undertaking which spanned an "80,000 mile journey visiting 13 countries, 117 locations, 18 libraries, and 118 museums," not only reconfigured the public view of documentary style, but also cemented BBC Two and its new Controller, David Attenborough, in history. In watching this thirteen-episode series, one clearly sees how Attenborough, as well as narrator Kenneth Clark, pioneered the direct-gaze speaking style of the narrator along with the concept of placing the narrator in the setting he refers to. In episode one, The Skin of Our Teeth, Clark stands in front of Notre Dame to question first, if civilization worth preserving, and secondly, what the difference between art and culture is. Heavy. In subsequent episodes, cultural history is viewed through an art historical lens. Especially wonderful is The Worship of Nature, discussing 18th century England's obsession with landscape painting in relation to religious beliefs of the period. Deep philosophy colors each 50-minute segment. This DVD set includes an interview with Attenborough. Undeniably educational, Civilisation feels eternally significant, and improves with repeated viewing. --Trinie Dalton
DVD Features:
* Available Subtitles: English
* The complete series on four discs
* Sir David Attenborough remembers the making of Civilisation
* Photo gallery of behind-the-scenes stills
* Specially written 36-page illustrated booklet
Vote! Your Favorite BBC Documentary
Which is the Best BBC Documentary Series?
Loading poll. Please Wait...
BBC Blog Buzz
Latest BBC documentary shows and opinions.
Sponsored by Reciprocal Blogs news on the net!
- BBC visits to shoot documentary on probability
- Starting with the latter, the BBC returns to Neon Nirvana on Wednesday for a new documentary, "The Joy of Chance," which focuses on probability -- from its history to its contemporary applications. Presenter David Spiegelhalter , Winton Professor of ...
- BBC apologises for broadcasting paid documentaries
- London: The BBC has apologised for broadcasting documentaries made by a TV company that was paid millions of pounds by clients. The group issued an apology to 74 million BBC World News viewers around the world for breaking "rules aimed at protecting ...
- “Putin, Russia and the West” stirs public
- A four part series television documentary called ?Putin, Russia and the West? produced my Norma Percy and broadcasted by BBC 2 came to an end on Thursday. The successful interesting work produced by an experienced TV crew was viewed by thousands of ...
- BBC criticised over 'pro-Putin' documentary
- A BBC documentary chronicling the difficult and often stormy relationship since 2000 between Vladimir Putin's resurgent Russia and the west has provoked a furious backlash from Russian exiles in Britain, who have accused the programme-makers of bias ...
The BBC HD Natural History Collection
Planet Earth / Wild China / Galapagos / Ganges
Original U.K. broadcast version narrated by David Attenborough, including 90 minutes not shown on the Discovery Channel
Find BBC Documentaries on eBay
Buy the best BBC movies for less!
Guestbook - Sound Your Horn!
Let us know your favorite BBC documentary.

submit
-
Reply
-
Zut_Moon
Feb 11, 2012 @ 10:13 am | delete
- Nice Lens ... blessed.
-
-
Reply
-
armidabooks
Jan 30, 2012 @ 1:35 pm | delete
- great lens!
-
-
Reply
-
cdcraftee
Jan 29, 2012 @ 1:56 am | delete
- Simply Superb.
Thank you,
Christine
-
-
Reply
-
myamya
Jan 21, 2012 @ 5:12 pm | delete
- very nice lens! thumbs up
-
-
Reply
-
VKumar
Jan 21, 2012 @ 3:07 pm | delete
- Great collection of BBC documentaries. Great Lens.
-
-
Reply
-
antoniow
Jan 18, 2012 @ 6:07 am | delete
- Amazing lens! Great job thumbs up!
-
-
Reply
-
Edutopia
Jan 15, 2012 @ 2:02 pm | delete
- The BBC has always put out excellent documentaries and its a shame they aren't as widely seen as the could be. Even if they are still pretty popular as far as documentaries go.
-
-
Reply
-
ankaraevdeneve
Jan 9, 2012 @ 2:34 am | delete
- photos are very beautiful
-
-
Reply
-
Lindrus
Jan 4, 2012 @ 3:26 pm | delete
- Love the planet earth documentary! And love your lens!
-
-
Reply
-
IanMayfield
Jan 2, 2012 @ 5:02 pm | delete
- So many great nature documentaries produced by the BBC, and you really shouldn't have a lens about them without featuring David Attenborough's original epic trilogy that set the mould: Life on Earth, The Living Planet and The Trials of Life.
Even when he's not on screen personally, the man's infectious enthusiasm and wonder-infused voice makes it impossible not to be awestruck about the amazing place we live in.
-
- Load More
Ebay Shopping
- Name Brand Sunglasses
- Buy fashionable new and vintage designer sunglasses online from trusted Ebay sellers.
- Buy Smartphone
- Buy Smartphones, Mobile PDAs, GPS Phones, Blackberry, Mobile office and data products online.
- Buy Amazon Kindle
- Buy Amazon Kindle E-Book Reader, Books, Magazines and accessories online.
- Cheap Baby Shoes
- Cute name brand baby and kids shoes on sale.
by Timewarp
Timewarp
Creative entrepreneur, graphic designer, web developer, musician and DJ. Check out my graphic t-shirts, Custom Shoes and stylish dog lover gifts from my... more »
- 127 featured lenses
- Winner of 28 trophies!
- Top lens » Awesome Animated GIFs
- This lens »
Won purple star

Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!






