Killer Instinct (animals)
Picture: C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: B
In
another show that does more than simply exploit the natural world as a way to
make the natural look bad, Killer
Instinct (2002) gives us a nice take on different species that manages to
be distinct from other fine programs on the subject that manage to go above and
beyond either exploitation, boredom or being just plain dumb.
The new
three DVD set from MPI offers the following programs:
Crocodiles – Jaws on
Land never gets
into the difference between crocs and alligators, but offers some great footage
and facts about how they breed and survive.
Part of the success of this show is how host Rob Bredl jumps in and
keeps giving us interesting information constantly. If you are not keen on the yelling and
whispering style of The Crocodile Hunter, then you will enjoy the informative
change of pace you get here. How come it
is only guys with foreign accents who are willing to jump into these
situations?
Sharks & Killer
Whales – Gliding Monsters Of The Deep offers the true kings of the seven seas, though
the focus is still more on sharks, this is a much more relaxed approach to
looking into the incredible eating machines they tend to be. The result is a new angle on the shark that
allows the viewer to see them in one of the most scientific and organized ways
I have yet seen such a program made.
Snakes – Your Number
One Phobia Is Here is the best of the three shows, offering a variety of snakes and
abilities they have that are still little known to the public. All three programs offer that, but this
program excels above all others in its density of information and the intensity
of the coverage. The scenes of how
snakes deal with rats is particularly interesting.
The style
of how the shows are shot are different than most such shows, offering more
stable taping of the subjects than we usually see in the video era. The full screen color images are not bad for
NTSC analog tape, comparing well to the Southern Star/Goldhil Attack! Set (reviewed elsewhere on this
site), making for a solid companion that offers different information, but is
just as strong. The Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo has no surrounds to offer, but is a recent recording and has some good sonics
for Dolby compression. There are no
extras, but the three run over 2 hours, 15 minutes combined. The set is so good, though, I hope we get to
see more of them. If you are interested
in the subject, you will absolutely not be disappointed. For nature fans, this is must-have material.
- Nicholas Sheffo
