TV on DVD: 'Life,' by Winfrey, Attenborough

LIFEDocumentary Dueling narrators! Simultaneous with Oprah Winfrey's version of Discovery's nature life-and-death opus, David Attenborough's BBC original also hits shelves. Having previewed both, my vote goes to Attenborough, the veteran naturalist ("The Blue Planet") whose gruffly silken tones manage to convey irony, wonderment, humor and heart, in just a few well-chosen words. He's simplicity defined. Winfrey, on the other hand, sounds simplistic, as if she's e-nun-ciating for small children who don't speak English. Video in the Attenborough Blu-ray Disc set is eye-popping 1080p, while Winfrey's BD episodes are only 1080i (most watchers won't spot the difference). How to tell the versions apart? Beside the narrators' box-front names, Winfrey's cover has "Life" in yellow-green letters, while Attenborough's features a frog.

ExtrasWinfrey version has separate on-location featurettes (standard-def even on BD); Attenborough's includes making-ofs (in HD on BD).

List price $60 DVD/$70 BD per set, out today from BBC.

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