The arrival of Blu-ray and high definition home video has had an enormous effect on the documentary industry. Suddenly cinematographers can bring us to the most remote reaches of our globe and even beyond, and they can do so with such detail and sharpness it’s like opening a window to these once unreachable places. Wild China is a perfect example of this ability. With incredible HD equipment, this mini-series from the BBC brings the hidden realms of China into our living rooms. Because of political and cultural obstacles, China has remained by and large a mystery to the Western World. It doesn’t help that many of these locations are hidden away in places that until recently were not even accessible. Now this 2 disc Blu-ray release brings together 6 one hour episodes of these amazing images.
There are 6 episodes, but don’t let any of the chapter headings fool you. The episodes go in many directions, and the narrative meanders more than China’s Yellow River. The voice is a blast from the past. Bernard Hill is perhaps best known for his portrayal of King Theodin in Peter Jackson’s Ring Trilogy. He provides an authoritarian enough voice that we easily accept what he says. The problem isn’t with the narrator, but in the script itself. Most of the narrative lacks imagination, which is something considering the highly imaginative images that accompany it. There is an overuse of adjectives like rare, wonderful, magnificent, and mysterious. The narrative also lacks focus, as the subject matter moves too quickly through seemingly unrelated items while lingering on some of the less sensational moments. All of this leads me to believe that these 6 hours could have been cut into a much more succinct 2 hours or so. Of course, then we would have been deprived of a lot of these stunning images. A great dilemma indeed. There is also a noticeable coddling of the Chinese government. The people are always described in overboard flattering terms, and no mention is ever made of the problems the country has, particularly with civil rights. When there is even the hint of criticism, such as many environmental issues, it is often softened significantly and qualified with some other compliment or two. I suppose it was important for the crew to maintain its unprecedented access to the country.
It’s all here in wonderful detail. There are the most unusual animals. You get to see people living in conditions that would startle our Western sensibilities. Most of all, many of these places are simply breathtaking. It is in these detailed images that the true value of the release must be measured. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever get a more intimate tour of the wild lands of China again. I know there has never been one like it before.
Video
Wild China is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. It’s all about the amazing locations here. You get a pristine 1080p image using a solid AVC/MPEG-4 codec. There’s a strong 30 or better mbps bit rate to keep you happy the entire time, except for some strange reason the first episode. Much of that hour falls often into the barely HD range of 12-15 mbps. It’s safe for me to say that I’ve never seen more sharp and detailed documentary images before. Color is reference in quality and jumps out at you in all the right places. There is an almost 3D quality to many of the locations that feels very much like someone just opened a window. In the hot desert locations you can see the heat radiation ripple across the screen. The ice covered mountains are real enough to have you searching for a blanket. There are no compression problems at all here. Just expect tremendous sharpness, clarity, and detail, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. This is the kind of image you can use to show off that great home theater gear when guests come over. Put on anything but the first episode, and just sit back and watch them be mesmerized by the realism.
Audio
If the image is stunning, the audio is a stark disappointment. You get only a standard Dolby Digital 5.1 track here. Perhaps it’s forgivable, since much of the sound is merely the Hill narration. That would be letting them off the hook, however. There is a rousing score, that while repetitious over 6 hours, had remarkable potential. Oddly enough, it reminded me of Rings composer Howard Shore’s work. There is little use of surrounds even when exploring these vast lands and their creatures. The sound is strictly serviceable, nothing more.
Special Features
Hunting Dragons: (Standard Def) This 26 minute feature is a pretty inclusive look at the production. Many of these locations were quite remote and posed a variety of challenges both in getting there and in getting the equipment there as well. Some of the equipment did not arrive safely, accounting for some scenes being presented as time lapse photography instead of high definition video. There’s even an unpredicted wildlife encounter or two.
Final Thoughts
While I could have wished for a better script and more concise editing, I simply can’t help but recommend this release simply for the images. They belong in everyone’s library. With China developing at an alarming rate, it won’t be long before some of these places simply no longer exist. Combine that with the recent world focus on China brought about by the Olympics, and the timing couldn’t have been any better. This is your chance to visit China with only the cost of a Blu-ray release. A chance to witness this secretive and unique place, “home to ancient and amazing relationships”.
