|
|
 |
Savage Earth
R1 - America - MPI Home Video Review written by and copyright: Pat Pilon (19th April 2007). |
|
The Show
 Savage Earth was a series of four hour-long documentaries that aired on PBS in 1998. It concentrated on the destructive powers of volcanoes and earthquakes in an almost-but-not-quite-exploitative way. The first and third shows explore different aspect of volcanoes, while the second and last talk about 2 sides of earthquakes. Experienced narrator Stacy Keach (who can be heard on shows with 'police and 'chase' in their title) explains what your seeing, offering nice information as well as sensational adjectives in an attempt to build up drama and entertainment. The information given is very interesting when it's given straight. In many of these kinds of shows the hyperbolic insinuations backfire somewhat rather than enhance the emotions. Through interviews with people who survived the disasters in question, the parts prove their points well enough, while not really bringing out emotions as much as they probably hoped, given the tone of the piece. Some of the stories are incredibly – enough unbelievable – and the emotions these people convey are real. These docs try to have an ominous tone and some of the stories are pretty bleak, but there's something about it for me that fails to convey the appropriate atmosphere. Maybe it's the very picturesque and grand footage of lava flowing, or impressive fly-overs of snow-capped mountains they show that undercuts the drama. Some of the footage is quite impressive, but the show sometimes holds back on information. For example, in the first episode, 'Hell's Crust', they talk of a volcano underneath a mountain glacier. I wanted to know how this phenomenon was formed. How did this type of geographical formation form? More importantly, how was it discovered? Instead of answering these questions, the doc chooses to talk instead about the destruction of the ensuing blast, which, in my mind, was less interesting. Overall, they're a nice collection of shows. They try to mix information and emotion, but the meshing is a bit on the light side. The stories are interesting, if a bit edited for emotion more than I'd like. To be honest, maybe I'd was expecting something more distant, and so wasn't interesting too much in the few personal stories of suffering. It also feels a bit strange having these interviewees relive their worst memories (sometimes almost crying), for the sake of a show that, in my mind, would be better if it were simply instructive. However, though some of the narration borders on sensationalism, some of the footage is great, like the shots of the pyroclastic flows, and old footage of the earthquakes. It's a very nice set and if you're interested in nature, then have a look. The shows and their description follow. Keep in mind that these can be bought as a set or individually. Hell's Crust (56:55) The first show concentrates on volcanoes. More specifically, about the lava flows (as opposed to the ash and dirt, which is what 'Out of the Inferno' focuses on). They talks about, of course, Mt. St-Helens, talking about how destructive if is. For example, some 8 billion tons of earth and 540 million tons of ash were displaced, destroying everything in a blast 10 times the strength of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs. The stories relayed are pretty scary and I can't believe some of what happened. The Icelandic village's story of diverting the lava flow is quite impressive. The Restless Planet (56:55) Concentrating mostly on the San Francisco and Kobe earthquakes of the late '80s and early '90s, though briefly talks about the earthquakes of the same regions at the beginning of the 20th century, this is probably the most depressing show of the bunch. This is mostly because they're the deadliest events in the set. Some of the stories of survival are truly incredible and it's quite surprising some of these people survived. The footage of the various destroyed locations is likewise incredible. Out of the Inferno (56:55) This hour covers a lot of ground. It goes from Mexico, to Etna in Italy, to Mexico again, where they give questionable information about Popocatepetl. For example, the doc says the last major eruption was in 1720, while a different source says there was a major eruption in the mid-20th century. (I suppose a definition of 'major' is needed.) (For the interested, Popocatepetl erupted in 2000, 2004 and again in 2006.) From there they talk about Pompeii, but, more interestingly, about Herculaneum, then Armero in Columbia, which is the emotional centre of the episode. They then talk about a Japanese explosion and finish at Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. The story in Armero is quite heavy and a bit much for this kind of documentary. However, the Kraffts' footage of volcanoes is especially impressive. Waves of Destruction (56:50) Beginning with Krakatoa, then moving to Hawaii and Japan. This show explains very well how tsunamis are created and build up their force. The destruction of Kobe in Japan is pretty impressive, and again you remain in awe of the power of nature. This part should have elaborated on the way animals reacted right before the earthquake. It's quite interesting but glossed over too quickly. They move to California and then Tangshan, in China, in 1976, which is an incredible show of destruction. More than a quarter of a million people died, and 80% of the city had to be rebuilt. The doc finishes on how to predict earthquakes, but, once again, doesn't provide enough information, in my mind. It is, however, a nice way to finish the show, and makes this mini-series an enjoyable watch.
Video
1.78:1 non-anamorphic widescreen. Like the sound, the video is clean and clear. There are no big specs, scratches or blemishes. The print is clean but, like the video, it's not perfect. The original print limits the clarity and level of detail of the footage. Some of the footage is also taken from various sources, further limiting the sharpness and colours. The picture is good, though this was made for TV and it shows. The quality remains pretty much the same between shows.
Audio
The only track is a Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo track, helped with English subtitles. Stacy Keach's voice is pretty clear, though a little bit muffled and closed in. The interviews are likewise the same. There's no problem understanding anything being said, but it's not perfectly clear. The volume levels are fairly good, as well, though the music may be a bit low. This may be an issue inherent in the show, though, and not in the transfer. Basically, everything you have to hear is clear, but not crisp. Again, the quality doesn't change from show to show.
Extras
None!
Packaging
This set is packaged in a box set with 4 ultra-thin amaray cases.
Overall
|
|||||
|