BBC Video and Warner Announce DVD Release of WILD CHINA on 8/5/08

BBC VIDEO CAPTURES IN HIGH DEFINITION AN UNPRECEDENTED LOOK AT ONE OF THE OLDEST CIVILIZATIONS ON EARTH IN THE 2-DISC DOCUMENTARY DVD COLLECTION

This August, witness the astonishing complexity of one of the oldest civilizations in the world as BBC Video brings Wild China to DVD and Blu-ray Disc. For the first time in almost a century, China is opening up to the world. Geographically and culturally one of the richest places on Earth, this landmark series gains unprecedented access into the most enigmatic of countries, to reveal a land of astonishing natural complexity, fabulous landscapes, rare and surprising wildlife and diverse human communities. By using the latest aerial filming technologies and high definition cameras, this dazzling series uncovers the fabulous diversity of China’s natural wonders and captures exceptional moments, such as the never-before-seen mating rituals of the wild Panda.

Coming to stores on August 5, 2008 – just in time for the Summer Olympics in Beijing and two days after the final episode airs on the Travel Channel – Wild China contains over five hours of footage as well as the bonus featurette "Making of Hunting Dragon" and traditional Mandarin subtitles. This 2-disc set will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 ($37.48 in Canada) and Blu-ray Disc for $39.99 ($49.98 in Canada). The prebook date is July 1, 2008.

EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
Episode 1 - Heart of the Dragon
The improbable egg-carton hills of Southern China seem to float in a sea of glistening rice paddies. This is a landscape full of surprises - next to peasants plowing with buffaloes are rivers concealing dwarf alligators and giant salamanders, trained cormorants that catch fish for their masters, bats with unusual tastes, and monkeys that hide in caves. But this isn’t a nature park - almost 300 million people live here, with a tradition of eating wildlife. So what forces have shaped this remarkable landscape and how do farmers and wild creatures manage to coexist among the rocks and the rice fields?

Episode 2 - Shangri La
Beneath billowing clouds, in China’s far South West, rich jungles nestle below towering peaks. Jewel-colored birds and ancient tribes share forested valleys where wild elephants still roam. These remote forests stretch into northern territories where normally deserts would be found. How do these forests exist? Perhaps the rugged landscape holds the key.

Episode 3 - Tibet
The size of Western Europe, the Tibetan plateau covers a quarter of China. This vast windswept wilderness is one of the world’s most remote places, defined by the glacier-strewn Himalayas. But this brutal region is home to incredible wildlife such as rare chiru, brown bear, wild yak and even the highest predators on earth. There are more large creatures here than anywhere else in China. Tibet has a unique culture, defined by over one thousand years of Buddhism.

Episode 4 - Land of the Panda
China’s heartland with its Han people is the centre of a 5,000-year-old civilization. This land contains the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven and Beijing’s Olympic Stadium. It is home to some of China’s most charismatic creatures such as the giant panda, golden snub-nosed monkey and golden takin. China has undergone significant development in the past 50 years, bringing many environmental problems. But the relationship of the Chinese to their environment and its creatures is in fact deep, complex and extraordinary.

Episode 5 - Beyond the Great Wall
China’s emperors built the Great Wall to keep their kingdom safe from the hostile lands to the north. Warrior nomads, bizarre wildlife and extreme weather conditions are found beyond the Wall. How does life survive the harsh deserts and frozen wastes? But northern China is also a place of great beauty, rich with history. The legendary Silk Road drew traders across the deserts in search of fabulous wealth. Nomadic tribes hunt with golden eagles and race horses. Adapt or die is the way to survive these extreme lands.

Episode 6 - Tides of Change
From the eastern end of the Great Wall, China’s coast spans 14,000 kilometers and more than 7,000 years of history. This is a place of huge contrasts - futuristic modern cities jostling traditional seaweed-thatched villages, ancient tea terraces and wild wetlands where rare animals still survive. Here white dolphins, red-crowned cranes, deadly vipers, giant sturgeon and saber-wielding monkeys struggle to eke out a living faced by competition from 700 million people, widespread pollution and over-fishing.

Wild China
Street Date: August 5, 2008
Prebook Date: July 1, 2008
U.S./CA Price: DVD: $29.98/$37.48
Blu-ray Disc: $39.99/$49.98

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