Life On Earth Hosted By David Attenborough 1979

Runtime: 702 min (13 parts)
Sound Mix: Mono
Color: Color
Aspect Ratio: 1.33 : 1
Country: UK
Language: English
Release Date: 16 January 1979 (UK) See more »
Also Known As: Life on Earth
Format VHS

Life on Earth (1979) is an epic 13-programme series, presented by David Attenborough, offering a chronological account of the flora and fauna of planet Earth over a period of 3,500 million years. Whether recounting the first journey from the sea to the land, the development of insects and flowers, or "The First Forests" and "The Lords of the Air", Attenborough's enthusiasm is infectious. He guides us through "The Infinite Variety" of life from microbes to marsupials, via an unforgettable meeting with mountain gorillas, to conclude with "The Compulsive Communicators", mankind itself. Three years in the making, involving 1.5 million miles of travel and featuring some of the most beautiful, breathtaking and ambitious photography then seen on television, Life on Earth was the first natural history blockbuster. It redefined TV by showing that an epic, serious wildlife documentary could be a massive success. As such, it remains a true television landmark and paved the way for Attenborough's The Living Planet and further entries in what became known as his "Life" series.

The LIFE ON EARTH cassettes feature the innovative ChapterSearch: Onscreen numerical codes for quick-scan access to each of the program's 13 chapters and subtopics. And each LIFE ON EARTH chapter reveals new discoveries, new facts and stunning images on a different aspect of nature.

CHAPTER SUMMARY
1. THE INFINITE VARIETY Nature's secrets found in ancient places.
2. BUILDING BODIES First signs of life in the seas.
3. THE FIRST FORESTS The world of plants, primitive and grand.
4. THE SWARMING HORDES The ingenious adaptability of insects.
5. CONQUEST OF THE WATERS Complexities of the great groups of fish.
6. INVASION OF THE LAND The emergence of amphibian creatures.
7. VICTORS OF THE DRY LAND Reptiles and the dinosaur dynasty.
8. LORDS OF THE AIR Feathers, wings and birds in flight.
9. THE RISE OF THE MAMMALS Where dinosaurs failed, mammals succeeded.
10. THEME AND VARIATIONS The extremes of mammal evolution.
11. THE HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED Patterns of behavior in the animal kingdom.
12. LIFE IN THE TREES Spotlighting monkeys and their relatives.
13. THE COMPULSIVE COMMUNICATORS The development and achievements of man.

David Attenborough: There are some four million different kinds of animals and plants in the world. Four million different solutions to the problems of staying alive. This is the story of how a few of them came to be as they are.