Home : DVD Review




Home: Special Edition (available on DVD and Blu-ray)
Narrated by: Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Glenn Close & Jacques Gamblin
Released: 7th June 2010

Having twice been fortunate enough to see Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s work on display: once in Amsterdam and once in Birmingham, in free open-air displays, I’ve subsequently become a fan of his work – namely exquisite images of the Earth shot from above.

Home, available now on Blu-ray and DVD is a compilation of moving images from his travels. As Arthus-Bertrand travels around the globe in his helicopter he shoots still images and film of the wonderful scenes that he sees. They are breathtaking. They are amazing.

The only problem with Home is that instead of us just watching his movie with no commentary at all, which would have been fine to be honest, or alternatively with Arthus-Bertrand himself narrating, which he only does a small amount of, what we actually get is a talk-track by someone else. I wasn’t sure who it was until I checked the information and it actually turns out to be Glenn Close & Jacques Gamblin. The problem more precisely here is that the film itself doesn’t seem to suit narration by a woman, while other releases of this type would have Patrick Stewart or Ian McKellan – which would have been infinitely preferable. But basically I think Arthus-Bertrand should have simply narrated it all himself.

It’s a sensational journey that takes us across 50 countries with so many odd, wonderful and fantastic images. And perhaps that’s what it should have remained as, but here we have a commentary that tells us of the 200,000 years that humans have disrupted the fragile balance on which Earth was living for 4 billion years. How global warming and shortage of resources are endangering not only animals but also humans. It’s a bit preachy really, I don’t disagree with what is being said but I’m not sure I wanted to be told in this particular way. However people do need to be made aware of the fact that if we keep treating our planet with such terrible disrespect that images like this will be a thing of the past.

So while it’s not exactly what I was expecting or hoping for, I still award full marks to this film for raising awareness of several important subjects as well as doing it in such as fantastically entertaining and beautiful way.

Arthus-Bertrand is a man to be treasured and so is our Home.

Author : Kevin Stanley