Laying eggs and keeping nests are two things that keep birds grounded.Laying eggs and keeping nests are two things that keep birds grounded.Laying eggs and keeping nests are two things that keep birds grounded.
- Director
- Writer
- Star
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Featured review
Egg care and protection
David Attenborough is a national treasure and something of a hero for many, including me and my sister (also a huge fan). His best work is very much timeless, in the documentary genre and overall and when it comes to documentary presenting and narrating he is pretty much unrivalled. That is high praise coming from somebody who is a big documentary fan and has been on a more than fullfilling documentary binge, Attenborough-related and not.
Have not seen a bad effort from him, which is a rare distinction that applies to very few including other personal favourites. The gems are so many that if asked what is my favourite of his it would actually be impossible to give an answer, just like it would be if asked what my favourite opera is, what my favourite ice cream flavour or what my favourite book is because they all change so much. 'The Life of Birds' is though by any standards one of his masterworks, superb in its own right and when it comes to documentaries on birds it is ground-breaking and very much quintessential. It has everything that makes so much of his work so wonderful and deserves everything great that has been said about it.
Everyone expecting the eighth episode "The Demands of the Egg" to be as wonderful as the rest of 'The Life of Birds' will not be disappointed in any way at all. For me, it was one of the more educational episodes with less familiar knowledge than some of the other episodes and that is not a bad thing at all, quite the contrary.
As always for 'The Life of Birds', on a visual level the episode is made with a natural intimacy (a great way of connecting even more with the birds), way, never feeling static. Its remarkably near-cinematic look makes one forget that it is a series, with the editing flowing smoothly and coherently and the scenery is gorgeous. Animation is also brought into the mix, not only does it hold up well it also is used sensibly, making an impact without being over-used and never jars.
Music is never overly grandiose while never being inappropriately placed or over-bearing. Have at times found music intrusive in some documentaries, Attenborough's work not exempted, but did not find that here or the rest of 'The Life of Birds'.
Once again, "The Demands of the Egg", like all the episodes of 'The Life of Birds', entertained, educated, moved and transfixed me. In terms of the facts there was a very good mix of known and unknown, written with the usual tact and sensitively. It is all well-researched and backed up, speculation and too much storytelling are traps easily fallen into but not here. Likewise with the different species themselves, the information presented was illuminating and saw any familiar ones in a different light so familiar information instead felt fresh. It's not just the birds and the eggs, it's the lengths gone through to protect the eggs which is really what "The Demands of the Egg" is about, seen with the unusual locations, the importance of external temperatures and protecting them from predators.
When it comes to presenting/narrating nature documentaries, and documentaries full stop, Attenborough is pretty much unequalled. He has always been one of the main reasons as to why his vast body of work is so highly regarded. Not many presenters and narrators in documentaries know and live their content better than Attenborough, if at all, and he times and pitches it all beautifully and with not a foot wrong. His delivery not once loses its typical sincerity and enthusiasm. Similarly it is understated yet always riveting, never preachy.
The birds' wide ranging traits make them interesting and rootable without giving them too much humanity. They also fascinate visually, as do their unusual habitats (the Iguaza Falls for instance). "The Demands of the Egg" sees some of the most unusual birds of the whole series, some like the plover unfamiliar to me. For a short length, "The Demands of the Egg" doesn't feel too cramped with information, amazing for an episode with a lot covered, and it doesn't feel rushed in pace and the information doesn't feel cliff notes.
"The Demands of Egg" flows effortlessly and as smooth as silk. There is plenty of emotional investment. It t is easy to follow, we're guided along gently without any choppiness and it doesn't feel episodic. Facts are not compromised in favour of telling a story without any backing up and it doesn't get speculative. They are easy traps to fall into, both are easily done and have been in documentaries, like the rest of 'The Life of Birds' "The Demands of the Egg" does not.
A wonderful episode yet again but that is no surprise really. When it comes to individual episodes of particularly incredible Attenborough documentaries the quality has always been remarkably consistent. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Have not seen a bad effort from him, which is a rare distinction that applies to very few including other personal favourites. The gems are so many that if asked what is my favourite of his it would actually be impossible to give an answer, just like it would be if asked what my favourite opera is, what my favourite ice cream flavour or what my favourite book is because they all change so much. 'The Life of Birds' is though by any standards one of his masterworks, superb in its own right and when it comes to documentaries on birds it is ground-breaking and very much quintessential. It has everything that makes so much of his work so wonderful and deserves everything great that has been said about it.
Everyone expecting the eighth episode "The Demands of the Egg" to be as wonderful as the rest of 'The Life of Birds' will not be disappointed in any way at all. For me, it was one of the more educational episodes with less familiar knowledge than some of the other episodes and that is not a bad thing at all, quite the contrary.
As always for 'The Life of Birds', on a visual level the episode is made with a natural intimacy (a great way of connecting even more with the birds), way, never feeling static. Its remarkably near-cinematic look makes one forget that it is a series, with the editing flowing smoothly and coherently and the scenery is gorgeous. Animation is also brought into the mix, not only does it hold up well it also is used sensibly, making an impact without being over-used and never jars.
Music is never overly grandiose while never being inappropriately placed or over-bearing. Have at times found music intrusive in some documentaries, Attenborough's work not exempted, but did not find that here or the rest of 'The Life of Birds'.
Once again, "The Demands of the Egg", like all the episodes of 'The Life of Birds', entertained, educated, moved and transfixed me. In terms of the facts there was a very good mix of known and unknown, written with the usual tact and sensitively. It is all well-researched and backed up, speculation and too much storytelling are traps easily fallen into but not here. Likewise with the different species themselves, the information presented was illuminating and saw any familiar ones in a different light so familiar information instead felt fresh. It's not just the birds and the eggs, it's the lengths gone through to protect the eggs which is really what "The Demands of the Egg" is about, seen with the unusual locations, the importance of external temperatures and protecting them from predators.
When it comes to presenting/narrating nature documentaries, and documentaries full stop, Attenborough is pretty much unequalled. He has always been one of the main reasons as to why his vast body of work is so highly regarded. Not many presenters and narrators in documentaries know and live their content better than Attenborough, if at all, and he times and pitches it all beautifully and with not a foot wrong. His delivery not once loses its typical sincerity and enthusiasm. Similarly it is understated yet always riveting, never preachy.
The birds' wide ranging traits make them interesting and rootable without giving them too much humanity. They also fascinate visually, as do their unusual habitats (the Iguaza Falls for instance). "The Demands of the Egg" sees some of the most unusual birds of the whole series, some like the plover unfamiliar to me. For a short length, "The Demands of the Egg" doesn't feel too cramped with information, amazing for an episode with a lot covered, and it doesn't feel rushed in pace and the information doesn't feel cliff notes.
"The Demands of Egg" flows effortlessly and as smooth as silk. There is plenty of emotional investment. It t is easy to follow, we're guided along gently without any choppiness and it doesn't feel episodic. Facts are not compromised in favour of telling a story without any backing up and it doesn't get speculative. They are easy traps to fall into, both are easily done and have been in documentaries, like the rest of 'The Life of Birds' "The Demands of the Egg" does not.
A wonderful episode yet again but that is no surprise really. When it comes to individual episodes of particularly incredible Attenborough documentaries the quality has always been remarkably consistent. 10/10 Bethany Cox
helpful•21
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 3, 2019
Details
- Runtime50 minutes
- Color
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content