Walking with Dinosaurs 1195805 225665488 2008-07-14T20:20:42Z 24.2.146.118 /* See also */ {{Infobox Television | show_name = Walking with Dinosaurs | image = [[Image:Walkingwithdinosdvdcover.jpg|150px]] | genre = [[Documentary film|Documentary]] | runtime = 30 min. | developer = Andrew Wilks | producer = Tim Haines, Jasper James | executive_producer = John Lynch | narrated = Kenneth Branagh | theme_music_composer = Ben Bartlett | country = UK | language = English | network = BBC | first_aired = 16 April 1999 | num_series = 1 | num_episodes = 6 | list_episodes = Walking with Dinosaurs#Episodes | related = ''[[Walking with Beasts]]'', ''[[Walking with Monsters]]'' | website = http://www.abc.net.au/dinosaurs/ }} '''''Walking with Dinosaurs''''' was a six-part [[television series]] produced by the [[BBC]], narrated by [[Kenneth Branagh]], and first aired in the [[UK]] in 1999. The series was subsequently aired in [[North America]] on the [[Discovery Channel]], with Branagh's voice replaced with that of [[Avery Brooks]]. The series used [[computer-generated imagery]] and [[animatronics]] to recreate the life of the [[Mesozoic]], showing [[dinosaur]]s in a way that previously had only been seen in [[feature film]]s. The program's aim was to simulate the style of a [[nature documentary]] and therefore does not include "talking head" interviews. The series used [[paleontology|paleontologists]] such as [[Peter Dodson]], [[Peter Larson]] and [[James Farlow]] as advisors (their influence in the filming process can be seen in the documentary ''Walking with Dinosaurs - The Making Of''). The ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]'' reported that the series was the most expensive documentary series per minute ever made.[http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=53368] ==Episodes== Each episode of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' focused on the lives of one or more "protagonists", depicting fictional and speculative events based mainly on inferences and the behavior of modern animals, produced in a style that mimicked traditional wildlife documentaries. ==="New Blood"=== The first episode filmed and broadcast. 220 Million Years Ago — Late [[Triassic]]; [[Arizona]] :Filming location: [[New Caledonia]] :Conditions: semi-desert with short rainy season. In the year of the episode, the rains are late. The episode followed a female ''[[Coelophysis]]'' as it tried to survive in the [[drought|dry season]]. The ''Coelophysis'' was shown hunting a herd of ''[[Placerias]]'', looking for weak members to prey upon. Early [[pterosaur]]s (specifically ''[[Peteinosaurus]]'') were also featured, depicted cooling themselves in what little water was present during the drought. A female [[rauisuchia]]n (''[[Postosuchus]]'', one of the largest carnivores alive at the time of the Triassic) was also shown following the ''Placerias'' herd. Still searching for food, the ''Coelophysis'' are shown discovering a burrow of the small mammal-like [[cynodont]], Unfortunately one youngster strays too close and is eaten, The father cynodont attempts to protect the youngster, but to no avail. At night, the pair of cynodonts are shown eating their remaining young, then moving away. The female ''Postosuchus'' is later wounded by a ''Placerias''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s tusks, and is beaten out of its territory by a rival ''Postosuchus''. Wounded, sick and without a territory, the female is killed and eaten by a pack of ''Coelophysis''. Finally, the wet season comes again, and the ''Coelophysis'' have survived, along with the cynodont pair. The episode ends with the arrival of a herd of the [[prosauropod]] ''[[Plateosaurus]]'', forshadowing the future dominance of giant [[sauropod]] dinosaurs as depicted in the second episode.''' *''[[Coelophysis]]'' *''[[Placerias]]'' *[[Cynodont]] <ref>According to the website and companion book, the body shape is based upon a scaled-up version of ''[[Thrinaxodon]]''. As stated in the book, the presence of cynodonts in the depicted region and the larger size of the reconstructed animal was based on fossil teeth which have subsequently been described as ''[[Kraterokheirodon]]''. While considered to have been from a large cynodont at the time of filming, the affinities of these teeth are currently unknown. [http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~irmisr/chinleteeth.pdf] </ref> *''[[Postosuchus]]'' *''[[Peteinosaurus]]'' *''[[Plateosaurus]]'' *[[Lungfish]] *[[Dragonfly]] (live acted) ==="Time of the Titans"=== The second episode to be filmed and broadcast. 152 Million Years Ago — Late [[Jurassic]] &mdash; [[Colorado]] :Filming locations: [[Redwood National Park]] ([[Fern Canyon]]), [[Chile]], [[Tasmania]], [[New Zealand]] :Conditions: warm with mixture of forest and fern-prairies. This episode followed the life of a young female ''Diplodocus''. After hatching, its siblings are burnt in a natural [[forest fire]], eaten by two ''Allosaurus'' and an ''Ornitholestes'', and accidentally speared by a ''Stegosaurus'' tail spikes. The young ''Diplodocus'' and one surviving sibling eventually locate and join a herd. The [[plain]]s are also home to other herbivores, including ''Brachiosaurus'' and ''Stegosaurus'', while small pterosaurs called ''Anurognathus'' feast on their parasites (a speculative behavior inspired by [[oxpecker]] birds in modern Africa). At the end of the episode, an ''Allosaurus'' attacks the ''Diplodocus'', but she is saved when a larger ''Diplodocus'' lashes the predator with its whip-like tail. *''[[Diplodocus]]'' *''[[Allosaurus]]'' *''[[Ornitholestes]]'' *''[[Stegosaurus]]'' *''[[Brachiosaurus]]'' *''[[Anurognathus]]'' *Unidentified small ''[[ornithopods]]'' (appear in 2 different colour schemes) *[[Damselfly]] (live acted) *[[Dung beetle]] (live acted) ==="Cruel Sea"=== The third episode filmed and broadcast. 149 Million Years Ago — Late Jurassic &mdash; [[Oxfordshire]] :Filming locations: [[Bahamas]], New Caledonia :Conditions: shallow tropical sea with small islands. The ''[[Ophthalmosaurus]]'' breeding ceremony is the main event of the episode, but [[shark]]s and other predators, including ''[[Liopleurodon]]'' are on the hunt. The opening portrays a ''Liopleurodon'' snatching a ''[[Eustreptospondylus]]'' from the land, but there is no evidence of this ever occurring. (According to the producers, they were influenced by similar attacks by [[Killer Whales]] on land creatures.) In the end of the episode, a [[typhoon]] kills many male ''[[Rhamphorhynchus (pterosaur)|Rhamphorhynchus]]'', and washes a female ''[[Liopleurodon]]'' ashore and she dies [[suffocation|suffocated]] by her weight. *''[[Ophthalmosaurus]]'' *''[[Cryptoclidus]]'' *''[[Hybodus]]'' (identified as [[shark]], revealed on website and in encyclopedia) *''[[Leptolepis]]'' (identified as [[fish]], revealed in website, live-acted by [[herring]]) *''[[Rhamphorhynchus (pterosaur)|Rhamphorhynchus]] *''[[Eustreptospondylus]]'' *''[[Liopleurodon]]''<ref>The ''Liopleurodon'' is oversized as 25 meters (82 feet) long and 150 tons</ref> *''[[Perisphinctes]]'' (identified as [[ammonite]], revealed in book) *Unindentified [[horseshoe crab]] (live acted by [[horseshoe crab]]) *[[Jellyfish]] (live acted) *[[Squid]] (live acted) *[[Bark beetle]] (live acted) *Unidentified [[turtle]] (shown dead) ==="Giant of the skies"=== <ref>In the book, the fourth episode is called, "Beneath a Giant's wing", but the fourth episode of the television series is called, "Giant of the Skies</ref> The fourth episode filmed and broadcast. 127 Million Years Ago — Early [[Cretaceous]] &mdash; Young [[Atlantic Ocean]] ([[Brazil]], [[Cantabria]]) :Filming locations: New Zealand, [[Tasmania]] :Conditions: Sea and coastlands. It stars an elderly male ''[[Ornithocheirus]]'', a large [[pterosaur]], who is on his way back from [[South America]] to the island of [[Cantabria (Mesozoic island)|Cantabria]] in [[Europe]] to mate. He passes a nesting colony of ''Tapejara''. He reaches the north tip of South America and crosses sea to [[North America]]. He passes a herd of ''[[Iguanodon]]'' who were migrating along a beach. He travels from America to Europe across the young Atlantic Ocean. He reaches a European island, off the coast of Britain, which in the book of the series is named [[Cornubia]]. He passes another herd of ''[[Iguanodon]]'', who are being preyed on by a pack of ''[[Utahraptor]]''. Eventually, the ''[[Ornithocheirus]]'' reaches his breeding site, but fails to get a mate as he cannot land in the best place in the middle of the breeding site, because on the way he had been delayed (by having to shelter from a storm under a cliff overhang) and the site was taken. In the end, he perishes on a beach of hunger, exhaustion, heat stress and old age. *''[[Ornithocheirus]]'' *''[[Iguanodon]]'' *''[[Utahraptor]]''<ref>Shown without feathers</ref> *''[[Polacanthus]]'' *''[[Tapejara (pterosaur)|Tapejara]]''<ref>The species depicted was undescribed in 1999 but has subsequently been described as ''Tapejara navigans'' .</ref> *''[[Iberomesornis]]'' (identified as bird, revealed on website, in book and encyclopedia) *''[[Plesiopleurodon]]'' (not identified, revealed on web) *''[[Saurophthirus]]'' (identified as parasite, revealed on website and book) *Unidentified pterosaur *[[Fish]] (live acted) *[[Wasp]] (live acted) ==="Spirits of the Ice Forest"=== <ref>The chapter was named Spirits of the Silent Forest in the book.</ref> The fifth episode filmed and broadcast. 106 Million Years Ago — Early [[Cretaceous]], in the [[rift valley]] where [[Australia]] is beginning to separate from [[Antarctica]]. :Conditions: [[Forest]] dominated by [[podocarps]], very near [[South Pole]] (the sun did not rise for 5 months in the winter). The lopsided arrangement of the continents keeps [[ocean current]]s and strong [[monsoon]] winds blowing across the polar area, keeping it free of [[icecap]] and warm enough for forests to grow. :Filming location: [[New Zealand]] This episode focuses on a flock of ''[[Leaellynasaura]]'' who are trying to survive the freezing [[winter]] and breed in the [[summer]]. The episode runs from end of winter to the next end of winter. At the beginning a female ''Koolasuchus'' eats a male ''Leaellynasaura'' which had died in the winter. During the summer a female dwarf [[allosaur]] hunts a male'' [[Leaellynasaura]]'' and a young ''[[Muttaburrasaurus]]'' . The ''[[Leaellynasaura]]'' usually escape, but during the noise and trampling and confusion caused by the ''[[Muttaburrasaurus]]'' migrating away north for the winter, the female [[allosaur]] catches and eats the juvenile member of the ''[[Leaellynasaura]]'' [[herd]]. A male ''[[Koolasuchus]]'' are on the hunt for the mother ''[[Leaellynasaura]]''. *''[[Leaellynasaura]]'' *''[[Muttaburrasaurus]]'' *[[Species of Allosaurus|Unidentified allosaur]] (identified as a polar [[allosaur]]) <ref>The [[dwarf allosaur]] in the fifth episode is based on an isolated astragalus.</ref> <ref>In the American narration of the episode, the dwarf allosaur is referred to as a [[carnosaur]] instead, while the book identified it as a "polar allosaur".</ref>, but identified as a dwarf allosaur in the book) *''[[Koolasuchus]]'' *Unidentified [[pterosaur]]<ref>Pterosaurs in Victoria are based on fossils that are non-diagnostic to genus level. </ref> *''[[Steropodon]]'' (identified as mammal, revealed in website and book, live-acted by a [[coati]]) *[[Tuatara]] (live acted) *[[Weta]] (live acted) *[[Mosquito]] (live acted) ==="Death of a Dynasty"=== The sixth episode filmed and broadcast. 65.5 Million Years Ago — Late Cretaceous &mdash; [[Montana]] :Conditions: Areas of low herbaceous plant cover, and forest, affected by [[volcanism]]. The episode shows some effects of the [[Chicxulub Crater|end-of-Cretaceous asteroid impact]]. :Filming locations: [[Chile]] ([[Conguillío National Park]]), [[New Zealand]] This episode starts several months before the extinction of the dinosaurs. According to the book, the forests were shrinking and the [[Pierre Seaway]] between [[Appalachia (Mesozoic)|Laramidia]] and [[Appalachia (Mesozoic)|Appalachia]] was slowly drying up from the north. The main character is a female ''[[Tyranosaurus]]'', who abandons her nest because all the eggs in it were [[infertile]]. She mates and nests again, lays 12 eggs, of which 3 hatch. One of the babies disappears, most likely eaten by the other two. The mother is wounded by a blow from an ''[[Ankylosaurus]]'''s tail-[[club]] and dies later of internal injuries and a broken [[femur]]. Her babies die when the dinosaurs become extinct by the [[Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event]], which, in the series is caused by a gigantic meteor that collides with earth in the Gulf of Mexico. *''[[Tyrannosaurus]]'' *''[[Didelphodon]]'' *''[[Anatotitan]]'' *''[[Torosaurus]]'' *''[[Dromaeosaurus]]'' (identified as a dromaeosaur, revealed in encyclopedia) <ref>Shown without feathers</ref> *Unidentified small [[ornithopods]] *''[[Ankylosaurus]]'' *''[[Quetzalcoatlus]]''<ref>It is shown as an albatross like fish eater, while in real life it would had been more like a stork [http://www.flickr.com/photos/markwitton/316516907/in/set-72057594082038974/]</ref> *''[[Deinosuchus]]'' (not identified, revealed on website, book and encyclopedia) *''[[Dinilysia]]'' (identified as [[snake]], revealed in website, live acted by [[red-tailed boa]]) *[[Butterfly]] (live acted) * ''[[Triceratops]]'' (shown dead) *Unidentified [[mammal]] (shown dead) *Unidentified [[reptiles|reptile]] (shown dead) ==Companion book== A companion book was written by [[Tim Haines]] to accompany the first screening of the series in 1999. The settings of some of the six episodes were changed between the time the book was written and the screening of the television series, and some of their names were changed: 'New Blood' is set at [[Ghost Ranch]]; 'Cruel Sea' is set at or near [[Solnhofen]] in [[Germany]] near what then were the Vindelicisch Islands [http://hoopermuseum.earthsci.carleton.ca/solnhofen/solnhofen3.html]. The book elaborated on the background for each story, went further in explaining the science on which much of the program as based, and included descriptions of several animals not identified or featured in the series. (see animal lists above) ===Deviations from the series=== *At the end of the episode "New Blood", a ''Plateosaurus'' frightens away a ''Coelophysis''. In the book, a ''Postosuchus'' attacks the herd and loses. Near the end of the episode, the ''Coelophysis'' gather around a waterhole. In the book, this happens earlier. In the book, the first thing to happen is the ''Postosuchus'' attack. *In the episode "Time of the Titans", the female ''Diplodocus'' lifespan shown was: 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years. In the book, it was: 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 12 years, so the ''Diplodocus'' age faster in the book. In the series, the ''Allosaurus'' attack occurs on the 3rd year. In the book, it occurs on the 4th year. The ''Stegosaurus'' kills nothing in the book. *In the book, the ''Liopleurodon'' attack from "Cruel Sea" occurs much later, the ''Cryptoclidus'' catches a [[pterosaur]] rather than a fish, and the female ''Liopleurodon'' does not appear. *Unlike in the episode "Giant of the Skies", ''Ornithocheirus'' [[cannibalism]] doesn't occur in the book. In the series, the lead female ''Utahraptor'' attacks the ''Iguanodon'' with no injury, whereas in the book, she is injured by the thumb spike; also, the book describes the ''Utahraptor'' attack as an attack by a large group, not just a family. Additionally, in the series the ''Tapejara'' ignore the ''Ornithocheirus'', while the book, they try to drive it off, and later on, where in the program ''Ornithocheirus'' is driven off by the ''Utahraptor'' hunting, in the book it is driven off by [[turtles]] inhabiting lake, absent from the program. *In the book's chapter "Beneath a Giant's Wings" ("Giant of the Skies" episode) the flowering shrub's name is ''Protoanthus'' (a fictional plant)<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/dinosaurs/fact_files/plants_insects/protoanthus.htm Walking with Dinosaurs - Fact Files<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, while on the show it was unnamed. *In the episode "Spirits of the Ice Forest", the lead female ''Leaellynasaura'' is killed by the allosaur, while in the book, she dies of frostbite (in the book, the allosaur ate a subadult male), and is eaten by ''Koolasuchus'' at the end of the chapter, instead of the beginning, as in the program. In the book, all the ''Leaellynasaura'' chicks survive, and the ''Muttaburrasaurus'' don't get lost. *''Dromaeosaurus'' and ornithopods are not featured in the book, unlike in the episode "Death of a Dynasty." The ''Quetzalcoatlus'' gets eaten by a group of ''Deinosuchus'' in the book after a futile struggle, while the television program features only one ''Deinosuchus'' and the ''Quetzalcoatlus'' escapes without fighting back at all. In the show, ''Didelphodon'' is eaten by the female ''Tyrannosaurus''; in the book, by a male, who eats the eggs itself. Also, in the program, the male ''Tyrannosaurus'' presents the female with a dead ''Triceratops'', while in the book it is a ''Torosaurus'' - the same one that was seen on the program with the broken horn. Finally, in the program the ''Ankylosaurus'' hits the female ''Tyrannosaurus'' just once, while in the book, it beats the female to death; also, in the book, the ''Ankylosaurus'' is a female with a pair of "scutlings" as well, unlike the program. ==Critical reaction== In a list of the [[100 Greatest British Television Programmes]] drawn up by the [[British Film Institute]] in [[2000]], voted on by industry professionals, ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' was placed 72nd. The series won three [[Emmy Awards]], including Best Animated Program (For More Than One Hour). [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0214382/awards] ==Censorship== In the initial U.S. broadcasts of the series, a few scenes were omitted from some of the episodes. The most notable deletions were a shot of the [[cynodont]] pair devouring their offspring, and a scene where a dead-in-shell ''Tyrannosaurus'' [[embryo]] is preyed upon by a pair of ''[[Didelphodon]]''. The DVD and VHS contains the original UK broadcast, so the omitted scenes were restored. ==Spin-offs== ''See more info in the [[Walking with...]]'' The popularity of ''Walking with Dinosaurs'' led to numerous [[spin-off]]s in various media. ===Walking with Dinosaurs - The Live Experience=== A live theatrical adaptation was created in Australia and began touring in early 2007 (starting in Sydney's Acer Arena, and continuing to Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide & Melbourne). Coming from the mind of William May, the show features life-size mechanical dinosaurs operated by teams of puppeteers and drivers as well as music by James Brett. It was produced by Malcolm C. Cooke & Jill Bryant and directed by Scott Faris. The leading role of the paleontologist (Huxley) was played by both [[Bruce Spence]] & [[Felix Nobis]] in the original Australian version. The role of Huxley is currently played by JB Warren & Robert Clink. The dinosaurs featured are: *[[Allosaurus]] *[[Ankylosaurus]] *[[Brachiosaurus]] *[[Iguanodon]] (shown dead) *[[Liliensternus]] (not seen in documentary) *[[Plateosaurus]] *[[Ornithocheirus]] *[[Stegosaurus]] *[[Torosaurus]] *[[Tyrannosaurus]] *[[Utahraptor]] The show began touring North America in June 2007. ===Encyclopedia=== Tim Haines and Paul Chambers have also written a ''Walking With...'' encyclopedia known as ''[[The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life]]'', featuring most animals from the series, including the specials, and the accompanies Walking with Monsters ===''Prehistoric Planet''=== A child-oriented [[reversion]] of this series was released in America under the title ''[[Prehistoric Planet]]'' for the [[Discovery Kids]] Saturday morning line-up on [[NBC]], with new narration read by [[Ben Stiller]] and [[Christian Slater]] over the same visuals. This version cut out the majority of the "violence" of the original. ===The ''Walking With'' series=== Because it was a big success, Tim Haines's direct follow-up in, what is known, the ''[[Walking with...|Walking with series]]''. In [[2001]] the sequel ''[[Walking with Beasts]]'', set in the [[Cenozoic]] era. This series featured extinct [[mammal]]s and [[bird]]s like ''[[Indricotherium]]'' and ''[[Gastornis]]''. In [[2005]] the prequel ''[[Walking with Monsters]]'', set primarily in the [[Paleozoic]] era, was produced. ===Specials=== {{main|Chased by Dinosaurs|Sea Monsters|The Ballad Of Big Al|Prehistoric Park}} ''Chased By Dinosaurs'', featuring [[Nigel Marven]], stars ''[[Argentinosaurus]]'' and ''[[Therizinosaurus]]'' in two episodes in which Nigel tries to track down the biggest dinosaurs and the longest claws. ''The Ballad Of Big Al'' follows the life of an Allosaurus (Inspired by evidence found on a single Allosaurus skeleton). Nigel returns in ''Sea Monsters Trilogy'', trying to survive the seven most dangerous seas of all time and meet the dangerous sea predators of the past -- ''[[Cameroceras]]'', ''[[Cymbospondylus]]'', ''[[Dunkleosteus]]'', ''[[Basilosaurus]]'', ''[[Megalodon]]'', ''[[Liopleurodon]]'' and ''[[Tylosaurus]]''. Nigel also stars in the latest special: ''[[Prehistoric Park]]'', six episodes in which he tries to collect Tyrannosaurus, Mammoth, Smilodon, Microraptor, Arthropleura, and Deinosuchus for a prehistoric zoo known as Prehistoric Park. ==Video Game== ===Computer Games=== There is a free downloadable game available at the bbc website. It is called [[Dinosaur World (video game)|Dinosaur World]]. ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==See also== *''[[Prehistoric Park]]'' *''[[Walking with...]]'' *''[[Walking with Monsters]]'' *''[[Walking with Beasts]]'' *''[[Sea Monsters]]'' *''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'' *''[[When Dinosaurs Roamed America]] == External links == *[http://www.abc.net.au/dinosaurs/ Australian copy of the now down BBC site] *[http://www.dinosaurlive.com/ "Walking with Dinosaurs - The Live Experience" Official Website] *[http://imdb.com/title/tt0283245/ IMDB information about The Ballad Of Big Al] {{Walking with}} {{Impossible Pictures}} [[Category:BBC television documentaries]] [[Category:Peabody Award winners]] [[Category:Prehistoric life in popular culture and entertainment]] [[Category:Discovery Channel shows]] [[ca:Caminant entre dinosaures]] [[cs:Putování s dinosaury]] [[de:Dinosaurier – Im Reich der Giganten]] [[es:Walking with Dinosaurs]] [[fr:Sur la terre des dinosaures]] [[it:Nel mondo dei dinosauri]] [[he:ללכת עם דינוזאורים (סדרה דוקומנטרית)]] [[hu:Dinoszauruszok, a Föld urai]] [[nl:Walking with Dinosaurs]] [[ja:ウォーキングwithダイナソー〜驚異の恐竜王国]] [[pl:Wędrówki z dinozaurami]] [[pt:Walking with Dinosaurs]] [[ru:Прогулки с динозаврами (телесериал)]] [[fi:Matkalla dinosaurusten kanssa]] [[sv:Dinosauriernas tid]]