Product Description

An exotic fusion of natural history and Oriental adventure, "Wild China" is a series of journeys through four startlingly different landscapes, each based around the travels of a real historical character. With splendour, scale and romance, Wild China lifts the veil on the world's most enigmatic and magnificent country, delving into its vibrant habitats to reveal a land of unbelievable natural complexity. Journey across China from the glittering peaks of the Himalayas to the barren steppe, the sub-Arctic to the tropical islands, through deserts both searingly hot and mind-numbingly cold and see, in pioneering images, a dazzling array of mysterious, beautiful, wild and rare creatures.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1999 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2008-08-05
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Formats: Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Chinese, English
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 300 minutes

Features

• An exotic fusion of natural history and Oriental adventure, "Wild China" is a series of journeys through four startlingly different landscapes, each based around the travels of a real historical character. With splendour, scale and romance, Wild China lifts the veil on the world's most enigmatic and magnificent country, delving into its vibrant habitats to reveal a land of unbelievable natural com

Amazon.com
Beautifully filmed and soothingly narrated by Bernard Hill (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Wild China takes an expansive look at the fourth largest country in the world. Over a period of more than six hours, the miniseries--which was co-produced by the BBC and China's CTV--lets viewers into a world that is straddling the line between modern-day efficiency and old world traditions. Fans accustomed to travelogues with personable hosts such as quirky Anthony Bourdain or perky Samantha Brown leading them through far away places may get a little bored with the hands-off approach here. But the beauty of this production is in the country and the people, and the way the filmmakers present them in crisply edited vignettes. We see the jumping spiders atop Mount Everest, the winding grace of the Great Wall, and of course some shy pandas that many people equate with China. But some of the best moments are the simple ones--children in a classroom, fishermen working the waters, and monks meditating in monasteries. As did the Planet Earth series, Wild China makes viewers wish they were there. The film doesn't touch heavily on the politics of China, but it isn't lacking because of the omission. As it is, Wild China ends all too soon, leaving viewers longing for more for a country that once didn't welcome foreigners in. --Jae-Ha Kim

Customer Reviews

Breathtaking scenes and new revelations about China's environmental efforts
This is one of the best documentaries about China today. It shows the diverse topography, flora, and fauna of the most geographically and ethnically diverse countries in the world. It also focuses on the little known and long-standing efforts by China to preserve it's environment, delicate ecological systems and unique animal life. The photography is breathtaking and the extra effort to show rarely seen areas of China are amazing. I have traveled all over China and this documentary shows the land as it truly is. For people who would like a glimpse into this remarkable land and it's people, this documentary is an excellent choice.

Good Narration
I have to agree with the previous reviewer that said: "It also focuses on the little known and long-standing efforts by China to preserve it's environment, delicate ecological systems and unique animal life." There's an example, in almost every episode, of conservation by the Chinese people, and this is not new. One of my favorites is the scene of Chinese people riding some distances on their bicycles with their birdcages strapped behind them, so they could hang all the little cages on trees so the birds could all talk to each other and not be lonely. Just recently, in the big earthquake (not this morning's, the one before) one of China's famous Giant Pandas 'Mau Mau' died when a wall collapsed on her. The keepers cried at her grave and she had a real funeral. While there is nothing quite so dramatic in this series, it is nice to see this side of the Chinese people at least alluded to.

Not mentioned in the last few reviews is the wonderful narration provided by Bernard Hill (captain of 'The Titanic'; King Theoden of Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings'). I was happy to see his wonderful voice put to such good use, and he even gets to keep his British accent!

Wild China - Only to see is to believe.
This is truly an incredible documentary. I knew that there were both marvelous animals and picturesque natural beauty in China, but never like this. Each episode [8 in total, viewing time of 377 minutes]makes you gape in awe at both the vastly diverse environments, animals and human tribes that make China their home.