Borjam
Well-known member
(I replied on another thread mentioning this, but I think this deserves its own thread here)
The Spanish public Television (RTVE) has made available on the web the famous documentary series El Hombre y la Tierra, shot in the 1970's.
Its aithor, Dr. Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente is still sorely missed. I dare to say that both Sir David Attenborough and him have made the very best nature documentaries ever shot. And I very much doubt that someone will manage to do it better: nowadays a beautiful show has priority over scientific content.
Beware, some of the documentaries can be cruel. I remember especially the one about the practice of leaving carrion loaded with venom to "rid the country of vermin". You can see a dead fox and the subsequent death of a vulture and several magpies and crows that fed on the fox carcass. Outrageous, but really effective to show it in the 70's, when it was "usual practice" in many big game "reserves" in Spain.
The series, shot in the 70´s, focused on a clear message about the importance of conservation and how species with a bad reputation are critical for the health of an ecosystem.
Compared to Sir David's series, the approach is quite different but still excellent as well. Each of Attenborogh's series focuses on a broad topic (Evolution and biodiversity, behaviors, ecosystems and adaptations, mammals, birds, insects and other invertebrates, plants, reptiles and amphibians), while Rodriguez de la Fuente mostly dealt with certain geographical areas (Iberian Peninsula, Venezuela and Canada) showing both certain ecosystems within them, focusing also on certain biodiversity hotspots (such as Sierra de Cazorla), and also devoting several individual programmes to key species such as vultures, wolves, kingfishers...
Now and then there is some discussion about "faked" shots. As far as I know, staged shots are a standard practice in nature documentary filmmaking. Of course, staged shots must represent authentic behavior. I can point out many aquarium shots in Attenborough documentaries, for example (I dare to say even Blue Planet has some, because I really can't imagine an underwater camera crew waiting underwater for months for a pair of Hymenocera picta to capture a seastar and it would be stupid not to stage it), and I think there's nothing wrong at all about it.
All I can say is: I am 45 now, and I watched all these documentaries as a kid. Many of my generation did. Whatever all of my generation know about nature, you can be sure we learned about it watching these programmes. And I can also say without doubt that those of us who hold some respect to the natural environment can directly attribute it to Dr. Rodriguez de la Fuente's work.
The whole series can be watched here, courtesy of the Spanish Television.
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/el-hombre-y-la-tierra/
It's only in Spanish and there's no subtitles, alas. But I am sure you will still enjoy the amazing shots, the rythm of visual narration, and even more thinking that all this was produced in a third world country in the 70's (that was Spain's situation at that time)
And yes, you would be amazed at how many kids at that time cried the day he died in an aircraft accident in Alaska.
Enjoy!
P.D: In case anyone wonders, the link is legit. RTVE is the owner of the rights of all the series
The Spanish public Television (RTVE) has made available on the web the famous documentary series El Hombre y la Tierra, shot in the 1970's.
Its aithor, Dr. Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente is still sorely missed. I dare to say that both Sir David Attenborough and him have made the very best nature documentaries ever shot. And I very much doubt that someone will manage to do it better: nowadays a beautiful show has priority over scientific content.
Beware, some of the documentaries can be cruel. I remember especially the one about the practice of leaving carrion loaded with venom to "rid the country of vermin". You can see a dead fox and the subsequent death of a vulture and several magpies and crows that fed on the fox carcass. Outrageous, but really effective to show it in the 70's, when it was "usual practice" in many big game "reserves" in Spain.
The series, shot in the 70´s, focused on a clear message about the importance of conservation and how species with a bad reputation are critical for the health of an ecosystem.
Compared to Sir David's series, the approach is quite different but still excellent as well. Each of Attenborogh's series focuses on a broad topic (Evolution and biodiversity, behaviors, ecosystems and adaptations, mammals, birds, insects and other invertebrates, plants, reptiles and amphibians), while Rodriguez de la Fuente mostly dealt with certain geographical areas (Iberian Peninsula, Venezuela and Canada) showing both certain ecosystems within them, focusing also on certain biodiversity hotspots (such as Sierra de Cazorla), and also devoting several individual programmes to key species such as vultures, wolves, kingfishers...
Now and then there is some discussion about "faked" shots. As far as I know, staged shots are a standard practice in nature documentary filmmaking. Of course, staged shots must represent authentic behavior. I can point out many aquarium shots in Attenborough documentaries, for example (I dare to say even Blue Planet has some, because I really can't imagine an underwater camera crew waiting underwater for months for a pair of Hymenocera picta to capture a seastar and it would be stupid not to stage it), and I think there's nothing wrong at all about it.
All I can say is: I am 45 now, and I watched all these documentaries as a kid. Many of my generation did. Whatever all of my generation know about nature, you can be sure we learned about it watching these programmes. And I can also say without doubt that those of us who hold some respect to the natural environment can directly attribute it to Dr. Rodriguez de la Fuente's work.
The whole series can be watched here, courtesy of the Spanish Television.
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/el-hombre-y-la-tierra/
It's only in Spanish and there's no subtitles, alas. But I am sure you will still enjoy the amazing shots, the rythm of visual narration, and even more thinking that all this was produced in a third world country in the 70's (that was Spain's situation at that time)
And yes, you would be amazed at how many kids at that time cried the day he died in an aircraft accident in Alaska.
Enjoy!
P.D: In case anyone wonders, the link is legit. RTVE is the owner of the rights of all the series