Tilda Swinton Movie:

		List Price: $19.98		Label: BBC Warner Salesrank: 2567 Released: April 3, 2007
		Our Price: $10.27
		Used Price: $10.99
		MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
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.

Description of Galapagos:
While its title may be superfluous, Galapagos: The Islands That Changed the World is a beautifully filmed journey into "the islands of the tortoise." Located due west of Ecuador, the Galapagos islands are full of gorgeous scenery and exotic wildlife. And this 150-minute documentary shows it all, thanks to stunning cinematography shot from all viewpoints--the air, sea and, of course, land. The collection is both soothing and exhilarating as it allows viewers to peek in on mating albatrosses (which are monogamous), penguins fishing, and surprisingly graceful giant tortoises swimming in the ocean. The filmmakers also manage to capture a ferocious volcanic eruption that is amazing in its clarity. The problem with many documentaries lies in the narration. A documentary filmmaker hits the jackpot when he is able to get someone like Sigourney Weaver, whose crisp narration fits in beautifully with the sweeping footage in Planet Earth. While Tilda Swanton lends a relaxing quality to Galapagos, her voice at times is a bit too lulling to hold the viewer's interest. The writing also borders on melodramatic, with talk of the simmering sea and such. With visuals as stunning as this, hyperbole is unnecessary. Charles Darwin has described the Galapagos as a world within itself, and it is said that the islands were one of his inspirations for his book The Origin of Species. While the film doesn't clearly explain why the Galapagos are unlike any other place on earth, it does showcase a destination that is unlike what most of us know. --Jae-Ha Kim

Galapagos Reviews:
Better than my trip to the Galapagos
2009-12-01 - I've been to the Galapagos Islands and, as much as I love the BBC's wildlife unit, at first wondered whether I should bother with a documentary like Galapagos. However, this documentary was awesome and in many ways I saw more of the islands than I saw on my trip. The documentary is a decent length at 2.5 hours and covers the whole gamut of wildlife on the islands. It takes you under the oceans to watch bioluminescent invertebrates and face-to-face with marine iguanas (unfortunately, neither of which are possible as a tourist). Furthermore, the blu-ray version is stunning - frankly, it reminded me how beautiful the area is and makes me want to return soon.

The narrative is generally good, although sometimes it tries too hard to dramatize the Galapagos (i.e., calling the generally lazy marine iguanas "dragons"). Tilda Swinton's narration can seem a bit slow - she's certainly no David Attenborough - but it's not too bad. Definitely don't let the fact that Attenborough didn't narrate this series discourage you from checking it out.

Could have been better
2009-11-07 - The photography is excellent. The program not so much. There was not a lot of information or depth of study, it was more of a quick overview. I found the narrating dull and monotonous. Overall it was good, not great. The photography makes up for the lack of information.

Oh Wow! I LOVE this documentary!
2009-07-03 - I showed this video to my speech kids. All 155 of them and they ALL loved it. Mind you, we only had time to watch the first part (which I've now seen 30 times), but its absolutely amazing! And, they were so happy to be seeing all the animals we had learned about. And, Tilda Swinton as the narrator is a marvelous treat!
Its beautiful. Its informative. Its long which makes it worth the $$$.
If I were to criticize any part of it, its at the end of the 1st part, start of the 2nd when they talk about the explorers who happened upon the islands and found them to be "hell on earth." That part dragged a bit. Whatever. Its minor.
You will want to travel there, like, tomorrow.
Buy this if you love nature documentaries!!!!!!


Could have been better!
2009-04-12 - Although the photography is great,the program is more of an overview of the Islands than an indepth study that it should have been,but I can recommend it! Although Darwin and the Galapagos will forever be linked,his evolution theory should be considered historical in its context,not presented to be factual.

Sublime DVDs!
2009-01-29 - We bought this and watched it before our trip to the Galapagos. It greatly enriched our experience--we knew so much more about the geology and wildlife than the other tourists in our group. The filming is exquisite, absolutely mesmerizing in the blue-ray version. I'd recommend it to anyone planning to visit the Galapagos or interested in these wonderful islands.