Documentary AreaSimply the best Documentaries

The second episode is about how plants gain their sustenance. Sunlight is one of the essential requirements if a seed is to germinate, and Attenborough highlights the cheese plant as an example whose young shoots head for the nearest tree trunk and then climb to the top of the forest canopy, developing its leaves en route. Using sunshine, air, water and a few minerals, the leaves are, in effect, the "factories" that produce food. However, some, such as the begonia, can thrive without much light. To gain moisture, plants typically use their roots to probe underground. Trees pump water up pipes that run inside their trunks, and Attenborough observes that a sycamore can do this at the rate of 450 litres an hour — in total silence. Too much rainfall can clog up a leaf's pores, and many have specially designed 'gutters' to cope with it. However, their biggest threat is from animals, and some require extreme methods of defence, such as spines, camouflage, or poison. Some can move quickly to deter predators: the mimosa can fold its leaves instantly when touched, and the Venus flytrap eats insects by closing its leaves around its prey when triggered. Another carnivorous plant is the trumpet pitcher that snares insects when they fall into its tubular leaves. Attenborough visits Borneo to see the largest pitcher of them all, Nepenthes rajah, whose traps contain up to two litres of water and have been known to kill small rodents.

As almost all animal inhabitants of Antarctica are forced to migrate north, the sea underneath the frozen ice still provides a home to many specially adapted fish whose cells are protected from freezing through an 'antifreeze' liquid. Many of them feed on the faeces of other animals. The most notable larger animal that does not migrate north is perhaps the Weddell Seal, which can be found as close as 1300 kilometres to the pole. Groups of seals tear holes into the ice to dive for food and come up to breathe. The females come back to the ice to give birth. This episode also describes primitive plant life such as lichen, which can still be found on the continent in winter, even in the extremely dry and permanently frozen valleys conditions under which dead animals can lie frozen for many centuries without decomposing. It details the life of the Emperor Penguin, 'the only birds to lay their eggs directly on ice'. While other animals retreat, Emperors migrate not just to the ice, but into the Antarctic continent. The females lay eggs which are incubated by the males under the harshest conditions on Earth (huddling closely together for warmth), while the females return to the sea.

This episode discusses the human exploration of Antarctica, in particular the mission led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, whose team died on the way back from the South Pole. It shows the scientific work in the modern human bases in Antarctica, especially Mawson Base and its observation of Adelie Penguins (partially through tracking devices). The second half of the episode describes how the series was made. Most crucial was of course the camera work. To get access to the wildlife of the sea, for example, boats, divers, suspended capsules and remotely controlled cameras mounted on inflatables were used. Particularly dangerous to divers were Leopard Seals and other predators. The film concludes that although working in Antarctica is now much easier than during the early days of exploration, human footsteps on the continent are still exceedingly rare in part because of international treaties prohibiting industrial exploitation.

U2, the '80s sensation, captivated with their unique sound, blending old-school alternative rock's good intentions with epic '70s scale. 'The Joshua Tree,' delves into America's contrasting faces, from vast deserts to big city anonymity and human rights issues. This album is a social snapshot of the late '80s, offering hope amid dark themes.
The documentary explores The Joshua Tree Tour in America. Directed by Barry Devlin and Meiert Avis, it features unreleased videos like 'Spanish Eyes' and 'In God's Country.' Discover unseen footage from this iconic band in the 20th Anniversary Edition of 'The Joshua Tree.' Don't miss it!

One of the world's biggest bands return to the scene of their Live Aid triumph a year earlier to play all their greatest hits in front of a packed Wembley Stadium.
Everything is done right and to perfection here. There is a majesty in the filming and editing that is missing in the other performances. Maybe it's the energy of this awesome Wembley crowd. Shot just before sunset, the transition to night time is magic and Freddie commands! He is loved by and connected to the crowd like very few performers. The sound is stellar, Brian is in great form, the harmonies are spot on, it is incredible to realize this wall of great sound is coming mostly from a live trio.

There is a majesty in the filming and editing that is missing in the other performances. Maybe it's the energy of this awesome Wembley crowd. Shot just before sunset, the transition to night time is magic and Freddie commands! He is loved by and connected to the crowd like very few performers. The sound is stellar, Brian is in great form, the harmonies are spot on, it is incredible to realize this wall of great sound is coming mostly from a live trio.