The Planets

Excellent!
Absolutely first rate! I have been waiting for someone to take all the latest theories and images from space and put them together with the latest computer graphics and interviews with scientists and that is exactly what has been done here. Have you wondered what the formation of planets in the solar system looked like? It is shown here in all the spectacle of a Hollywood Sci-Fi movie. Same for other astronomical events (worlds colliding, stars exploding). The computerized movies of Jupiter's storms are stunning! I would watch a documentary on ANY subject that was put together this successfully.

I fear some people may confuse this title with another space video narrated by Patrick Stewart called "The Planets." That is little more than a music video for Holst's work and is disappointing to anyone hoping for a space documentary.

I was greatly saddened to learn of Carl Sagan's passing in late '96. I had always wished that he would do another series like...

Amazing television but get the region 2 version
I just want to point out to possible purchasers of this DVD some of the differences between the region 1 and 2 versions - it seems most people already know what a great tv series it was anyway.

Having seen an episode or two of the series when it was on tv in the UK I bought this DVD - however I was disappointed by several aspects and sent it back, replacing it with the UK version. The episodes seem to be different from the UK version - much of the segments describing early space exploration involving russian scientists is cut. This leads to an imbalance (in my opinion!) as it seems from the region 1 DVD that the US did all the exploring - are subtitles un-American? The narration is also much less patronising on the UK edition. The region 2 set is dual layer, so 2 discs and not 4 and hence much cheaper too....

The series itself is still worth the 5 stars though, but do get the region 2 set from the UK Amazon.co.uk

Finest planetary voyage
Welcome to the best documentary series ever. Yes, BETTER than Dinosaurs (which depended largely on sensational computer visuals)! Whether you have only a passing interest in astronomy or have read a hundred books about it, this series will steal your heart. Every single aspect is flawless. The musical grandeur of Gustav Holst's symphony and the warm, captivating voice of the British narrator make up the aurals. No artificial excitement, no badly chosen music, PERFECT. The visuals include stylish computer animations and footage that makes you wonder how deep they actually had to dig... The first footage of a human being outside the atmosphere (jumping out of a balloon), the first on-board rocket footage, the earth as a blue dot captured by an ageing Voyager looking back at its birthplace. The content isn't exactly dumbed down, either. Even for an amateur like me, there were plenty of new things to discover. It contains many interviews with astronauts, Russian and American space-project...

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Dogfights: Complete Season One

Great Program, Better Price Available
The History Channel's "Dogfights" series is a huge step forward for air combat documentaries. Rarely can gun camera footage capture what actually happened in a dogfight. Instead you just see the final couple seconds before the target explodes. The "Dogfights" episodes overcome this limitation by adding in computer-generated reenactments of the air battles that make you feel like you are there watching it all unfold right in front of you. You come away with a much better appreciation of the tactics. For archival footage fans, don't worry--there is still plenty of that in these programs. But because they also have the vivid computer imagery, the episodes don't have to rely on showing the same stock footage over and over and over. I especially appreciated this for the jet era battles, where there is generally a short supply of good footage. In particular, I thought the "Mig Alley" episode was a tremendous improvement over previous pre-CGI documentaries about the air war in Korea. And in...

An absolute-must own set for any military or aviation buff
I have seen each of these episodes and TiVo'd them since this show's debut. This has to be one of the best-ever military aviation programs to hit the airwaves. The stories are riveting, most told from first-hand accounts using interviews with some of the original aces or their fellow squadron members. There are recounts told from several military conflict eras... WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Six Days War and more. The beautifully-done CGI graphics are better than any video game created... they are exhilirating. The usage of interactive maps, graphs and diagrams make it all much easier to comprehend - you really understand the strategy and tactics involved for all of the battles. The SOUND is unbelievable, the narration not overdone and even the music score is extremely good for a cable show - use surround and turn it up LOUD... wow. The whole show is woven into a tapestry of inside information, education and wholesome solid entertainment. It's so good, you almost forget...

Even better on DVD!!!
First of all, you may wonder how I can say that this show is even better on DVD when it supposedly doesn't street for another 2 weeks as of this writing. Well, DeepDiscount already shipped out its copies 2 weeks ahead of schedule, if 24 April is indeed the street date.

Anyways, so if you've seen this show on the History Channel, you already know the quality of the show. Using state-of-the-art "computer game" style type graphics, and first-hand accounts from the veterans themselves, "Dogfights" chronicles some of the 20th Century's most famous (and infamous) dogfight engagements from WWI thru Vietnam and the 6-Day War.

The 3D models they use for the aircraft are some of the best I've seen outside a Hollywood feature film effects studio. They are highly detailed and use historically accurate paint schemes and markings. They even show the pilots in the planes themselves. The special effects used during the combat footage is also top notch, from the tracers, to...

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