Sunrise Earth (Blu-ray Review)

June 22nd, 2008 Blu-ray-au Posted in Blu-ray Movie Reviews | Comments Off

Sunrise Earth (Blu-ray Review)

A wonderful concept and a perfect fit for high definition.

O, the power of the star that feeds us! There is arguably no greater entity in our existence, none that wields more influence over our livelihood, than our sun. It warms the Earth, nourishes it, and anchors it in a safe harbor of the vast, inky cosmic seas. Astronomically speaking, the sun is a “middle-aged” star that seems deceptively stable. When studied up close on cold scientific terms, one observes a lively and volatile ball of gas, burning silently through space with a handful of rocks…

Video

As a high definition venture, Sunrise Earth can be frustratingly inconsistent. The nature of the subject matter gives much of the sequences shown in the series a low level of light. We are waiting around for the light of the sun to arrive, after all! As such, black crush is an issue on several episodes, as is macroblocking. Offering a 1080 interlaced picture encoded in VC-1, most episodes average around 15 Mbps, only occasionally jumping into the 20s. This leads to the inevita…

Audio

As is typical for “non-major” BDs, this release boasts no lossless sound options, and comes with Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0. It really is a shame for titles like this, which are most likely written off as a low seller anyway, and not worth the effort. But “experiential” programs like Sunrise Earth would benefit immensely from a full soundscape as only a lossless format could provide. Hearing the ambient sound effects of the filmed landscape would have been far more impressive had they b…

Supplements

The sole sol supplement (har, har!) provided on this release is a featurette titled Sunrise Earth: Secrets of the Sun. At about an hour long, it provides a scientific and cultural perspective of the sun’s impact on humanity throughout the ages. Architectural wonders such as the carefully aligned slabs of rock at Stonehenge, and the extravagant temples at Machu Picchu, are touched upon – as are the educated guesses on how and why these ancient civilizations constructed such intric…

Final Words

In Secrets of the Sun, one of my favorite solar quotes is referenced. It is credited to none other that Galileo Galilei. “The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the Universe to do.” It succinctly captures the power and grace of this most important celestial body, as well as our tendency to take it for granted in our daily existence. Sunrise Earth seizes upon a novel and rather be……

Read full review: Blu-ray.com