This documentary is quite fun and very insightful. The filmmakers with their clever camouflage camera have captured images never seen before, like the infamous Panda Bear headstand. (watching it, you'll understand why its infamous.) Because the action is very much in frame, its hard to believe that a human wasn't really standing there. But, because a human wasn't standing there, the bears are at their most natural and rambunctious selves. David Attenborough narrates this show and he is quite pleasant to listen to. The music is fun and matches the action nicely, but there were a couple of times I wish it would shut up. My favorite segment was the Spectacle Bear. The mother was so endearing and caring, I myself, wanted to hug them. My sensible mind says "that is not possible" but with this video, its the next best thing.
3 Reviews
David Attenborough and his spy cams strike again!
planktonrules6 June 2015
This BBC documentary is one of several that use the same idea in order to get close to animals in the wild without, hopefully, disturbing them or getting the camera people killed! I've also seen similar films where mobile and hidden cameras are disguised and surreptitiously film elephants, lions and penguins (though penguins RARELY savage film crews...they're much more likely to want to interact with them). In this particular case, a wide variety of methods are used to hide the cameras--putting them inside fake logs, in giant fake snowballs and disguised by mirrors. As I said, this GENERALLY worked, but in the case of black bears, these particular bears seemed to delight in discovering and destroying the cameras-- the first time any of the animals in all these films behaved this way. I thought it was funny and made the film a lot more interesting.
One other way that the documentary differed from the lion and elephant ones is that instead of focusing on one species, it followed a wide variety of bears--grizzlies, pandas, spectacle bears, black bears and polar bears. Because there were so many different ones, I really think the film should have been longer in order to allow a better exploration of each type of bear. Still, it's an enjoyable and fun nature documentary.
One other way that the documentary differed from the lion and elephant ones is that instead of focusing on one species, it followed a wide variety of bears--grizzlies, pandas, spectacle bears, black bears and polar bears. Because there were so many different ones, I really think the film should have been longer in order to allow a better exploration of each type of bear. Still, it's an enjoyable and fun nature documentary.
Going bear spying
TheLittleSongbird12 September 2018
Saw the 'Wildlife' specials as a big fan of the national treasure that is David Attenborough. As much as he may dislike the term it is a perfect way to sum him up, with his best works being documentary masterpieces and masterpieces in general.
There are twenty two of these specials in total, fourteen listed under 'Wildlife Specials', the others listed as one-offs. Eighteen of these up to 2008 were narrated/presented by Attenborough, the others ('Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice', 'Penguins: Spy in the Huddle', 'Swarm: Nature's Incredible Invasion', and 'Dolphins: Spy in the Pod')up to 2014 by David Tennant. All are must sees, have a preference for Attenborough's work here (being more familiar with his work and being a big fan of it) but Tennant's contributions are very well done too.
As has been indicated, "Bear: Spy in the Woods" is highly recommended for nature lovers, documentary lovers and those who love Attenborough. It is very diverse/varied, looks great and shows a great deal of technological advancement in the camera work. This is apparent in "Bears: Spy in the Woods" once again, this time dealing with bears, their physical and psychological qualities, the different kinds of them and how they adapt and survive in their varied habitats.
Would have liked it to have been longer so that even more was explored and gone into more depth.
Loved the music score on the most part, but also felt that it was a little too constant and that there could have less of it.
First and foremost, "Bears: Spy in the Woods" looks amazing. It is gorgeously filmed, done in a completely fluid and natural, sometimes intimate (a great way of connecting even more with the bears), way and never looking static. In fact much of it is remarkably cinematic and intimate, the hidden spy camera is used cleverly and feels like the viewer is a presence amongst the bears but as a spy invisible to them. The editing is always succinct and smooth and the scenery is pure magic.
The music score fits very well generally, generally not overly grandiose while never being inappropriate with some lovely sound.
"Bears: Spy in the Woods" fascinates, teaches, moves, entertains and transfixes. In terms of the facts there was a very good mix of the known ones and the unknown, of the well known species and more rare ones, some facts being familiar to us while also dealing with the subject with tact. Their intelligence comes out on screen crystal clear and how they live and their cultural aspects are handled in a way that does illuminate. We know of some of the stuff that is talked about but it is rarely seen, certainly not in the way shown here, and it is amazing that they were filmed in the first place and so intimately that you feel like a spy yourself.
Narration by Attenborough helps significantly. He clearly knows his stuff and knows what to say and how to say it. He delivers it with his usual richness, soft-spoken enthusiasm and sincerity, never talking down to the viewer and keeping them riveted and wanting to know more. Some may not find "Bears: Spy in the Woods", and in general the 'Wildlife Specials', treating the respective animals in a human-like way in all the instalments to their taste, personally love it myself and it made it easier connecting and relating to the animals and the things covered.
It's not just visually beautiful and informative. The bears featured show a mix of playfulness, pathos, cuteness and ruthlessness. That headstand is quite jaw-dropping to view, but the Spectacle Bear segment is also for me the standout. "Bears: Spy in the Woods" also displays a wide range of emotions and found myself really caring for everything that was shown to us on screen. The conflict has genuine tension and suspense in seeing moments of ferocity (though the bears are shown as more than just predators), seeing how the bears adapt and survive amidst much adversity, there is some charm seeing the behaviours, though treated more sympathetically than most animals featured in the 'Wildlife Specials' there is a lot of personality. Found myself really caring for what is said and shown to us.
"Bears: Spy in the Woods" doesn't feel like an episodic stringing of scenes, but instead like the best nature documentaries it feels like its own story and journey, with real, complex emotions and conflicts.
Overall, truly great and one of the must watch documentaries on bears. 9/10 Bethany Cox
There are twenty two of these specials in total, fourteen listed under 'Wildlife Specials', the others listed as one-offs. Eighteen of these up to 2008 were narrated/presented by Attenborough, the others ('Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice', 'Penguins: Spy in the Huddle', 'Swarm: Nature's Incredible Invasion', and 'Dolphins: Spy in the Pod')up to 2014 by David Tennant. All are must sees, have a preference for Attenborough's work here (being more familiar with his work and being a big fan of it) but Tennant's contributions are very well done too.
As has been indicated, "Bear: Spy in the Woods" is highly recommended for nature lovers, documentary lovers and those who love Attenborough. It is very diverse/varied, looks great and shows a great deal of technological advancement in the camera work. This is apparent in "Bears: Spy in the Woods" once again, this time dealing with bears, their physical and psychological qualities, the different kinds of them and how they adapt and survive in their varied habitats.
Would have liked it to have been longer so that even more was explored and gone into more depth.
Loved the music score on the most part, but also felt that it was a little too constant and that there could have less of it.
First and foremost, "Bears: Spy in the Woods" looks amazing. It is gorgeously filmed, done in a completely fluid and natural, sometimes intimate (a great way of connecting even more with the bears), way and never looking static. In fact much of it is remarkably cinematic and intimate, the hidden spy camera is used cleverly and feels like the viewer is a presence amongst the bears but as a spy invisible to them. The editing is always succinct and smooth and the scenery is pure magic.
The music score fits very well generally, generally not overly grandiose while never being inappropriate with some lovely sound.
"Bears: Spy in the Woods" fascinates, teaches, moves, entertains and transfixes. In terms of the facts there was a very good mix of the known ones and the unknown, of the well known species and more rare ones, some facts being familiar to us while also dealing with the subject with tact. Their intelligence comes out on screen crystal clear and how they live and their cultural aspects are handled in a way that does illuminate. We know of some of the stuff that is talked about but it is rarely seen, certainly not in the way shown here, and it is amazing that they were filmed in the first place and so intimately that you feel like a spy yourself.
Narration by Attenborough helps significantly. He clearly knows his stuff and knows what to say and how to say it. He delivers it with his usual richness, soft-spoken enthusiasm and sincerity, never talking down to the viewer and keeping them riveted and wanting to know more. Some may not find "Bears: Spy in the Woods", and in general the 'Wildlife Specials', treating the respective animals in a human-like way in all the instalments to their taste, personally love it myself and it made it easier connecting and relating to the animals and the things covered.
It's not just visually beautiful and informative. The bears featured show a mix of playfulness, pathos, cuteness and ruthlessness. That headstand is quite jaw-dropping to view, but the Spectacle Bear segment is also for me the standout. "Bears: Spy in the Woods" also displays a wide range of emotions and found myself really caring for everything that was shown to us on screen. The conflict has genuine tension and suspense in seeing moments of ferocity (though the bears are shown as more than just predators), seeing how the bears adapt and survive amidst much adversity, there is some charm seeing the behaviours, though treated more sympathetically than most animals featured in the 'Wildlife Specials' there is a lot of personality. Found myself really caring for what is said and shown to us.
"Bears: Spy in the Woods" doesn't feel like an episodic stringing of scenes, but instead like the best nature documentaries it feels like its own story and journey, with real, complex emotions and conflicts.
Overall, truly great and one of the must watch documentaries on bears. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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