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Walking With Dinosaurs - Ballad Of Big Al [2000] [1999]
from 2 Entertain Video

Features:

• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial Review:

The Ballad of Big Al manages the tricky feat of making the viewer feel concern--even sympathy--for a 10m-long, razor-fanged carnivorous predator, an Allosaurus from 145,000,000 years ago. That it does so without resorting to Disney tactics makes its achievement all the more admirable--despite the title, these creatures thankfully don't even speak, let alone sing. In fact, Big Al scores precisely because it takes a resolutely low-key, restrained and intelligent approach to a subject that can all too often end up being sentimentalised.

The programme contains two separate half-hour segments originally transmitted as Walking With Dinosaurs "specials" The first is a biopic of Big Al, the allosaurus whose remarkably complete skeleton, found in Wyoming in 1991, allowed scientists to piece together an accurate picture of the creature's life. We follow Al from his hatching out of an egg, then at regular stages through his development into an almost fully grown adult. Almost being the operative word since, since after suffering a series of injuries Al becomes too ill to hunt and suffers an arbitrary, unspectacular demise (all the more believable and touching for it) in late adolescence.

The second programme is a "making of" documentary, showing how scientists analysed Al's bones and came up with a plausible series of adventures for him. It's easy to forget that these recreations can only be educated supposition--the camerawork and narration (by Kenneth Branagh) exactly mimic actual wildlife documentaries about living species, while the computer-generated depiction of the dinosaurs is never less than utterly convincing. We're in danger of taking this kind of dazzling FX work for granted, but Big Al freshens it up by putting it at the service of a well-structured, very specific narrative.

The programme doesn't hold back on realities of the Jurassic period's harsh, kill-or-be-killed ecosystem, but while it carries an official warning about "mild wildlife horror", Big Al sensibly never dwells on the gory stuff. The most graphic section is also, strangely, the most alluring, as a hungry pack of Allosaurs patiently stalk a herd of colossal Diplodocus across a dry salt lake. The images of these enormous creatures trotting and lumbering along against a stark white background have a surreal, dreamy beauty--the spell abruptly broken when an ailing Diplodocus collapses, exhausted, and the ravenous Allosaurs quickly move in for their bloody feast. --Neil Young

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• TOO SHORT !!
  I think that was a very disappointing documentary,I was so looking forward
  TO buy it.But i don't think there is much to see, it is too short ,and there aren't exciting moment. Don't buy it!

• Not quite enough...
  Being a fan of Walking With Dinosaurs and Walking With Beasts, I decided to buy this special as well. Even though it's quite nice and of a similar high standard as the other series, I wasn't quite satisfied by this product. The reason is just as simple as it is blunt: there is not quite enough product for your money. Considering the full Walking With Dinosaurs series retails at a similar price nowadays, you'd expect a bit more from this DVD. But having said that, I did enjoy the DVD and don't regret buying... more info

• The best thing to come out the BBC
  I had nothing but praise to give to to the BBC when they delivered such a fantastic programme. It was so refreshing to watch dinosaurs in such a realistic and natural feeling habitat, none of this rubber looking models with an even more prehistoric narrator telling you all the things that you wern't interested in. The setting and the amazing use of technology was top notch. It is definately one to watch and I promise you, you will never tire of watching T-rex or Alasaurus shred a carcus to pieces, it's that... more info

• The BBC pulls off another dinosaur coup!
  If you enjoyed the "Walking with Dinosaurs" series you will want to buy this superb disc. The dinosaurs look great, well animated and the photography/CGI is superbly composed. Sound effects are beautifully executed and there's a great soundtrack throughout. The scene in which a pack of Allosaurs hunt a Diplodocus herd is breathtaking. The supporting documentary is very good too. All in all a great value DVD that you'll want to watch more than once or twice.

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