David Attenborough‘s name is synonymous with nature documentaries. Born on May 8, 1926, Attenborough is an iconic British natural historian, broadcaster, biologist and author. At the beginning of his career, his work focused on the natural world’s splendor. However, in his newer work, he advocated the preservation of the environment. Since then, he has been vocal about biodiversity, limiting population growth, reducing meat consumption, climate change, etc.
Attenborough has won the BAFTA Awards in black and white, color, high-definition, 3D, and 4K resolution. Furthermore, he is the only individual who has managed to achieve this incredible feat. Attenborough has also won three Emmy awards for Outstanding Narration. To celebrate the legacy of this renowned historian, here are some unmissable nature documentaries by David Attenborough.
Wild Isles
Released in 2023, Wild Isles is a five-episode documentary series showcasing the British Isles’ wildlife. Reportedly, it took three years to film the documentary, covering 145 locations across the British Isles.
According to Amazon Prime Video, the synopsis of Wild Isles reads, “David Attenborough celebrates Britain’s wildlife that is as dramatic and spectacular as any he’s seen abroad and reveals why it is globally important for nature. It is home to killer whales, golden eagles, ancient oaks, and vast forests of bluebells. But although rich in places, Britain is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. Now is the time to restore it for future generations.”
Commissioned by the BBC, Silverback Films has been responsible for this amazing project.
Dinosaurs: The Final Day with David Attenborough
Dinosaurs: The Final Day with David Attenborough is a 90-minute documentary that aired on BBC One on April 15, 2022. This documentary showcases the final days of dinosaurs before they went extinct.
Rotten Tomatoes released the synopsis of Dinosaurs: The Final Day with David Attenborough, which reads, “David Attenborough brings to life, in unprecedented detail, the last days of the dinosaurs. Paleontologist Robert DePalma has made an incredible discovery in a prehistoric graveyard: fossilized creatures, astonishingly well preserved, that could help change our understanding of the last days of the dinosaurs.”
It further continues, “Evidence from his site records the day when an asteroid bigger than Mount Everest devastated our planet and caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Based on brand new evidence, witness the catastrophic events of that day play out minute by minute.”
The director of this documentary was Matthew Thompson, with Helen Thomas as the executive producer.
Planet Earth
It reportedly took five years to create the Planet Earth documentary, which is also considered to be one of the most expensive documentaries ever made. Released in 2006, Planet Earth consisted of 11 episodes. It has won four Emmys, a Peabody Award, and an award from the Royal Television Society.
As per IMDb, the synopsis of Planet Earth reads, “A documentary series on the wildlife found on Earth. Each episode covers a different habitat: deserts, mountains, deep oceans, shallow seas, forests, caves, polar regions, fresh water, plains, and jungles. Narrated by David Attenborough.”
Planet Earth was produced by Alastair Fothergill. Martin Elsbury and Andy Netley were the editors of the documentary.
