Ice Age Columbus ~ Who Were the First Americans? Review

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(More customer reviews)It may not please the Amerindian or casino lobbies:-) but this documentary offers proof -- and dramatization with excellent actors and script -- of the now decade-old and revolutionary theory that white Europeans arrived in North American very long ago, perhaps 5,000 years before the Siberian Asiatics did over their Alaskan land bridge, and thus that Europeans are (also) Native Americans. This is the "Solutrean" theory, named after Solutré in France. Arrowheads and spear heads from Solutré and other areas of Ice Age France were discovered only in the 1990s in Virginia, and this opened a Pandora's Box of further politically incorrect questions.
This is part of a continuum of new knowledge that got kick-started by the discovery, also in the 1990s, of "Kennewick Man"'s skeleton inland from Portland, Oregon, who, many scientist insist, was almost certainly a white European -- or rather a "European-American" from 10,000 B.C. (Indians demanded that his skeleton be immediately given to them -- for proper Indian burial as per federal law or so it could not be studied?)
Whatever one's leanings, this drama-documentary provides a gripping education regarding Ice Age life for Europeans, the harshness of life then, the huge and dangerous animals they faced and hunted (mammoths) or ran from (saber-tooths) and the incredible character and innovativeness needed to survive a transatlantic journey 17,000 years ago. One learns to truly care for the individuals whom fate first sent over the ocean, and this is based on a minimalist script without any hokey Hollywoodism, fine acting (especially by the actress playing "Zia") and interviews with recognized anthropological experts of the Stone Age and ancient North America.
They admit that they themselves were dumbfounded to find unmistakable ancient French hunting implements and other signs of European life in Virginia, all of which through carbon-dating make it certain that Europeans also are Native Americans. This film is touching in many places, rough and realistic but not overly violent, and very highly recommended for the general public, both macho men and the many women interested in the Jean Auel-type sagas, and for serious scholars of serious prehistory.

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Traditional history tells us that European settlers discovered America about the time of the Renaissance. But revolutionary new archaeological data and the latest DNA research reveal that Europeans visited our shores far earlier - some 17,000 years before Columbus was even born.Filmed in glorious high definition, this two-hour, epic drama follows an intrepid family of stone age hunters as they trek from their homeland in southwestern France, cross 3,000 miles of ocean and eventually make their first permanent settlement in what is today the northeastern U.S. Along the way, they overcome starvation and storms with the help of a revolutionary weapons technology they would later bequeath to the native peoples of the Americas. But awaiting the pioneers' arrival is a stark, empty continent, filled with a plethora of bizarre and lethal animals - all brought to life by brilliant computer animation. Firmly rooted in the latest scientific discoveries, it's a compelling vision of the greatest migration in human history.

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Survivorman (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)***** This set does not contain "The Making of Survivorman". That extra footage came out after I purchased this DVD. Try Survivorman's website for the latest version. *****
The two colorful DVDs come in a classic plastic container. The picture quality and sound are perfect. Each episode is shown in its entirety and without commercials. It doesn't get any better than this.
Disc One
Desert - Les salvages his broken bicycle after it strands him in the desert. He later uses those parts to aid his situation.
Boreal Forest - Just what it implies. The forest. It's in one of these forest/jungle outings that Les almost amputates his finger when his knife slips.
Swamp - Bullfrogs and turtles are Les's main staple as he builds a raft out of the swamp.
Jungle - At night the jungle floor moves with activity.
Disc Two
Arctic - No food anywhere, except for his pack of seal blubber. Polar bears stalk his sleeping area.
Mountain - Shelter building and fire making at its best.

Winter Plane Crash - My favorite. Les fakes a broken arm to reflect a real plane crash situation. He builds a nice shelter from the busted up airplane, and traps rabbits with a snare.
Canyonlands - The loneliness of the canyons grates on Les's nerves as he smokes out a living quarters and catches small animals for food.
Lost at Sea - Les takes flight in a rubber raft and gets hit by a nasty unexpected storm.
I can't wait to see what Les has planned for Season Two. I'll be the first to buy his DVD.

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Imagine being stranded in the most extreme environments on earth for seven days - completely alone with virtually no supplies. How could you possibly survive? With no support crew and operating the camera himself, survival expert Les Stroud tackles that question as he tests himself in the toughest types of wilderness, ranging from the desert to the Arctic. Among his adventures, he battles life-or-death situations - the aftermath of a winter plane crash, abandoned in the mountains, lost at sea and much more. If you like living on the edge, you can't afford to miss a minute of these nine extended episodes!Disc 1: Arizona Desert Boreal Forest Georgian Swamp Costa Rican Ocean Disc 2: Arctic Mountains Pacific Coast Canyonlands Lost at Sea

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Everest: Beyond the Limit (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Please note that this review contains spoilers. Don't read if you don't want to know the ending.
First off, let me say that if you're looking for a series that covers an Everest expedition with careful attention to detail, this is the series for you. Over the course of six episodes, we get to know the individual climbers pretty well. We learn their motivations, their fears, their hopes and the risks they are taking by climbing this mountain. We watch them suffer from exhaustion, oxygen deprivation, frostbite and other serious ailments. By the end of the series, you've come to care about these climbers and you feel you have a vested interest in the success of their summit bids.
What's even more noteworthy is the exceptional job done by the photojournalists who shot the climb -- some of whom were sherpas. Using special cameras attached to their headgear (humorously nicknamed "sherpacams" by the production team), the climbers were able to continuously shoot their dangerous trek from the Death Zone to the summit. As someone who has seen a lot of documentaries of Everest, this is some of the most breathtaking footage ever shot of that mountain.
From the production angle, this documentary gets top marks. Kudos to the Discovery Channel for placing this in our hands.
So why is one star deducted?
It should be noted that this documentary was shot during the 2006 climbing season -- one of the deadliest seasons on record, rivaled only by the 1996 climbing season recounted in John Krakauer's book "Into Thin Air".
If memory serves, 11 people died in 2006. One of them is David Sharp, a solo climber who collapsed in the Death Zone. Members of the Discovery Channel's expedition encountered the dying Sharp while making their way down from their summit attempts (there is actually some dispute as to whether they also encountered him on the way up).
To their credit, some of the climbers (like Lebanese climber Max Chaya) attempted to help Sharp. But ultimately Russell Brice -- the expedition's guide who stayed below at Advanced Base Camp -- ordered them to leave Sharp to his death. All of this is covered in detail in the final episode, as it happens -- even to the extent of including Chaya's weeping transmissions as he has to leave the climber to die.
Brice's logic is simple: he doesn't want to risk the lives of his own clients (who are already frostbitten and on the verge of exhaustion) to save the (at the time) unknown climber.
In retrospect, he was probably right.
All the same, when it's all said and done, I can't decide if I like Brice or not. That incident causes you to see the trek to Everest in much different light. Is it really worth it? It would be one thing if you were climbing for the purposes of exploration and discovery...if the trek had never been done before and you were hoping to learn something new. (Like the first lunar landing or a manned mission to Mars.) But why are these guys going? To fly a flag and get their picture taken? Bravado? Vanity?
Leaving Sharp was a tough moral decision...one that's hard to reconcile. Until I can do that, I'm docking one star.
Oh...and one quick note to the producers: there's no such word as "disorientated". Other than that, it's an excellent documentary.

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Experience Everest as it's never been before in this harrowing trek to touch the roof of the world. With unusually severe weather and heartbreaking circumstances, this expedition up the world's tallest peak becomes fraught with unexpected perils, leading to an emotional journey full of fear, hardship, exhaustion, disappointment and unforgettable triumphs. Boasting a crew of climbers each with something to prove, this expedition includes the first-ever double amputee to aim for the summit, an asthmatic climber ascending without bottled oxygen and a motorcyclist embracing life once again after a near-fatal traffic accident. Stunningly captured with high-definition cameras, each episode of this special DVD edition includes additional footage not seen in the original broadcast, plus behind-the-scenes moments you won't want to miss! Featuring: Summit Dreams: At Everest Base Camp, newly arrived climbers struggle to acclimate to the Himalayas' extreme altitude. A cameraman collapses with intense stomach pains and is rushed down the mountain. The Gatekeeper: After they learn of a Sherpa's death from altitude sickness, expedition members struggle to prepare themselves for a climb that will be the ultimate test of their mental and physical capabilities. To the Summit: The expedition is divided into two teams for the five-day summit assault. The expedition leader warns the group that he will withdraw the Sherpas if any of the climbers disobey his rules. Into the Death Zone: The expedition is trapped in a high-altitude camp by unexpectedly high winds and is further delayed by a human traffic jam when slower climbers are encountered. Mutiny on the Mountain: Climbers must deal with one of the coldest days ever remembered on the mountain and get caught in another group's descent lines.The Final Cost: With the summit just 350 feet above them, struggling climbers, dangerously weak from serious frostbite and insufficient oxygen, are fiercely determined to reach Everest's pinnacle.

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Deadliest Catch: Season Six (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)Another riveting season of America's favorite crab fisherman. This season has it all-fights, dealing with loss, facing the best season yet for some, and worst for others. New boat the Kodiak comes back to the fold for crab season, captained by Bill Wichrowski, who we saw in Season 5 when the guys went on a fishing vacation. Captains Keith Colburn (Wizard) and Jonathan Hillstrand (Time Bandit) start the season with a physical fight, as Jonathan grows tired of Keith's bad-mouthing him, and trying to poach his crew. The two Jakes (Harris, Phil's son and Anderson, Sig's greenhorn from a year ago, switch boats for 3 weeks to experience life on another boat. In the fantastic episode, Bering Sea Swim Club, you get the perfect mix of all things crabbing... the dangerous thrill ride of the two Jakes switching back boats by going into the water, emotion as Sig's deck hand describes the day he lost his friend overboard just a few months ago, the antics of the Time Bandit crew, and of course, the ups and down of pulling in the haul. Captain Phil, in his last season, continues to highlight what made him famous- a good father, great fisherman, and a caring man. Big surprise ending regarding Jake, Phil's son in Episode 10 The Darkened Seas¿ when he reveals a dark secret. Episode 11 is the Episode where Captain Phil has his stroke, and filming continues while he is in the hospital. A season not to be missed. (If the DVD release does not have the 5 "After the Catch" specials, look around for them... all were taped after Phil's death and are a great tribute to him.)Warning: Highly emotional watching everyone's reaction to the news of Phil, watching these strong men cry at the news.

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In the far northern reaches of the planet a rare breed of extreme Fishermen still ply the Bering Sea. Adventure is their call, crab is their prey, and a one hundred million dollar plunder is their reward.. Five skippers and their crews will endure boat killing storms and mind numbing working conditions -risking it all on the hunt for crab. In the end, they will all come to the realization that the most violent storms come from within. This year, there's a fracture in the Bering Sea brotherhood. Old allies become mortal enemies when fishing turns personal. While some skippers rage against each other - another skipper fights a lone battle to stay alive. The Bering Sea has a way of turning young boys into hardened men. Before this season is through, terrible tragedy will alter two young lives forever. Last season, eight men lost their lives to the Bering Sea. This year, catastrophe strikes at the heart of one of our featured boats

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I Shouldn't Be Alive (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved this show when it was on, and then it just dissappeared and the discovery channel website said nothing about it which was frustrating. I was thrilled to see that the show was being released on dvd. There are like 24 episodes in this set and they are all good. I have given this as a gift to several people and it is very popular. Many people never saw the show when it was on and so it is all new to them.
The survival stories are amazingly recreated with actors and on camera interviews with the real life survivors. Not everyone survives in these stories and you can kind of quickly figure that out when that person never shows up on screen in an interview. It is sad. I highly recommend this set if you enjoy shows like this. I had a few problems with the dvds skipping (right out of the box) but it tolerable and did not happen on each disc.

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Survivors of harrowing life-and-death situations relive their terrifying experiences in this addictive, thrilling series. From a father forced to abandon his son in a hidden cave to a crew of inexperienced sailors struggling to survive in shark-infested waters, these are ordinary people pushed to the limits of human endurance. Under the same circumstances, would you have the raw courage, the nerves of steel, the sheer luck required to make it out alive? With these 20 episodes, you'll be amazed at the power of the will to survive in some of the most extreme situations you could ever imagine.

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Deadliest Catch - Season 3 (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Fans of the show will definitely want to add this season to their collection. Don't worry if you haven't watched the show before; Mike Rowe's narration adds enough information about the crews, crab fishing, and their past experiences to keep a new viewer from getting lost.
It's all here; Blake's rookie season, Phil's frustrations with his ships AND his offspring-turned-crew, the breathtaking Man Overboard rescue by the Time Bandit....
"Deadliest Catch" is reality tv at its best. We're given working-class heroes as a "cast" instead of what a network thinks is hip and photogenic, and VERY REAL danger. The tragedies of the ships Big Valley and Ocean Challenger make the title more than "watch this kids" melodrama; good, ordinary people have lost their lives. (And, lest anyone think this is exploitive - far from it. The tragedies are shown by the filmmakers for what they are - heartbreaking grief and loss).
I never thought about the danger and backbreaking work it took to get that seafood dinner onto my plate. As you watch the show, be sure to say a prayer for the men and women who have made the sea their life and career.

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Venture into the dark waters of the Bering Sea with eight crab fishing boats and their crews through the world's two most difficult and dangerous fishing seasons. Captain Sig Hansen of the Northwestern returns to match his skills against his old rival, Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie, and a new challenger, rookie captain Blake Painter of the Maverick. With rough waters and fierce weather, the captains and their crews will be pushed to their limits of mental and physical endurance in their search for the elusive red king crab and opilio crab. Experience the extraordinary daring, skill and endurance required for this time-honored trade in these 11 episodes, and enjoy bonus behind-the-scenes footage capturing the difficulty of day-to-day filming on the rugged seas.

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Man Vs Wild: Season 4 (3pc) Review

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(More customer reviews)Bear has definitely kicked up the pace for his new season. Lot's of horrendous situations with devastating results and mishaps that lead to a test of complete endurance. Will Ferrell debuted on a special episode where he and Bear travel through frozen climate and seas of deep snow and rough terrain. The drop-in scenes have gotten more intense as well as the level of skill that it takes to inhabit such inhospitable regions as Viet Nam or just south of Siberia. Bear has the chance to take down big game that could gouge or skewer Grylls with a swipe. As for the bad parts of the season... the case in comes in. Its just a cheap fold up cardboard case with pockets that the DVDs slide into. Not very feasible and doesn't look presentable. Would have paid more for a copy that had a half-way decent case that wasn't 2 inches wider than normal DVDs. A must-have for those who enjoy the wilderly!!

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In each episode of Man vs. Wild Bear Grylls strands himself in popular wilderness destinations where tourists often find themselves lost or in danger.13 Complete Episodes Plus Bonus, including: Men vs. Wild w/ Very Special Guest Will Ferrel Behind The Scenes Special Locations:Alabama, Arctic Circle, Vietnam, Texas, Alaska, Panama, Big Sky Country, China, Guatemala

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