The popularity
of the nature program skyrocketed with the success of “Planet Earth” and there
have been many visually stunning imitators since its release, but few have come
as close as the latest mini-series, “Hidden Kingdoms.” This three-part marvel
in nature photography was created by the makers of “Planet Earth,” and it
retains the familiar formatting that includes a segment at the end about the
making-of the nature program. At the same time, there are elements of this series
which is unlikely to be found in many other nature shows. With as much respect
and accuracy as possible, movie-magic was utilized to stage some of the shots
in order to capture the essence of what it feels like to be a creature as small
as those contained in “Hidden Kingdoms.”
Each of the
three episodes of “Hidden Kingdoms” takes a look at a few specific small
creatures, utilizing a series of clever camera tricks to give the illusion of
being that size. There were sets built to force perspective, small lenses
utilized, and even the use of green screen in order to show the massive size of
the larger creatures nearby. Some of the use of green screen reads as false,
and the illusions never manage to match the impressiveness of a simple
slow-motion shot, but the good far outweighs the negative in this inventive new
nature show. The biggest criticism I could give the series would be the brief
collection of episodes.
There are three
hour-long explorations into the world of these smaller creatures, each focusing
on a few different animals depending on environment. Episode one looks at the
various desert creatures, include a speedy rodent and a strong beetle. The
second episode delves into the forest with a look at the busy lives of
nut-gathering chipmunks and the dangerous journey of a tree-dwelling
fruit-eater. The final episode takes the unconventional look at small creatures
living unexpected lives in cities, including both a species of monkeys in Brazil and another fierce beetle in Japan
Each episode is
narrated by Stephen Fry, and the Blu-ray release of this visually stunning
series comes with a handful of extras looking at the effort needed to bring all
of these elements together. There is an introduction by executive producer
Michael Gunton, as well as featurettes about the visual style of the show and
the score. Also included are an extended sequence and a storyboard for the
beetle segment.
Entertainment Value:
9/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
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