If humans were suddenly to disappear, what would happen to our planet ? the structures we've built, the everyday items we take for granted, domesticated and wild animals, plants, trees? What would become of the things that... more » define our species and leave our mark on this Earth? Visit the ghostly villages surrounding Chernobyl (abandoned by humans after the 1986 nuclear disaster), travel to remote islands off the coast of Maine to search for abandoned towns that have vanished from view in only a few decades, then head beneath the streets of New York to see how subway tunnels may become watery canals. HISTORY® takes you on an amazing visual journey in Life After People, a though-provoking adventure that combines movie-quality visual effects with insights with insights from experts in the fields of engineering, botany, ecology, biology, geology, climatology, and archeology to demonstrate how the very landscape of our planet will change in our absence.« less
Adam C. (i12bnmovie) from SAINT LOUIS, MO Reviewed on 6/5/2009...
I was loving this movie until it went past the 500 years after people. At that point, I thought the movie started to get far fetched. Everything up until that moment was based on "facts" from tests. We know how long it will take for buildings to break down. We know how long it will take paper and digital media to disintegrate. The one thing that bothered me more than anything is the fact that they ignored evolution all together. They also ignored the moving of continents and what that would do. But remember, science cannot predict the weather tomorrow.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Jeff V. (burielofmel) from HARRIMAN, TN Reviewed on 6/28/2008...
I haven't seen the DVD of this so I don't know anything about the bonus features which I assume it probably has. What I do know is that I did watch this on the History Channel and it was very interesting. I kept thinking as I watched it that I'd like to see a movie that takes place in a world like the one portrayed here. The visuals on this are great. When they show through graphic alteration who things will change, the new versions of cities covered in vegatation look pretty convincing. There are some hunting scenes of animals where the computer graphics look pretty hokey. If you'd like to see how the world would change over a year, 10 years, a 100 years and up to 10,000 years, this should be interesting to you. I really liked the part where the decendants of house cats take up residence in skyscapers which have filled with forest like vegatation. The cats spend their whole lives in the skyscaper without ever having to go down to the ground. I'm putting this on my wishlist for sure.
5 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Eerily Amazing
B. Wise | Bouse, AZ USA | 03/17/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This show, along with the National Geographic Channel's Aftermath: Population Zero, both bring across the interesting concept of what life on Earth would be like after Humans disappear from the face of the earth, though in the case of both these shows there is no explanation of how we disappeared and only that it was basically overnight. In any case, this and its consort both propose an idea which I myself find intriguing in the one of the most terrifying ways. A must see as well as something I simply could not take my eyes away from while watching it.
This one by the History Channel shows more over a broader range of years since our disappearance, and for a few of the earlier ones compares them to current examples that exist (i.e. 20 years to the land around Chernobyl).
All else I can say is that this is a MUST SEE!"
Very objective vision of one possibility...
Donna | South Florida United States | 04/08/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I really enjoyed this objective, well-researched and thoroughly explained account of what would happen to the earth if mankind were to disappear. To me, it's not important how this happens, as that would be another film (or several) entirely. This one is about what the results would be on earth if this happened. It does not delve into the causes, but rather the effects, which I thought was enough for any 2-hour program. I was impressed by how well the visuals complimented the dialogue. I didn't feel sad about the loss of mankind's knowledge or achievements- who would they be passed on to, and would they be able to be understood, and would this knowledge only contribute to a faster demise of a future civilization? No, it's up to future beings to develop in their own way. It's good for us to occasionally be reminded how insignificant and expendable we all are. A little humility is not a bad thing!"
Food for thought
Lola | Central Florida, USA | 03/10/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I watched this video on the History Channel. It presents a realistic view of what earth will look like and become after man has managed to destroy himself. Makes you realize just how much we have manipulated earth to suit our needs. Sad to think that everything we've done will be lost and have to be discovered all over again, if human life re-emerges,
at some point in time. The movie doesn't give much hope of preserving
anything between the cock roaches and micro-organisms feeding on and changing the composition of all man made materials. This video will
definitely cause you to think about what really matters."
Fascinating documentary
J. Mayer | San Jose, CA United States | 04/21/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is an imaginative documentary on what might happen to all we have created if people simply disappeared. This is a not an environmentalist video - it doesn't advocate people dying off nor does it explain why we vanish - it is more from the engineering/biological standpoint: what would happen to world famous landmarks if they were abandoned, how would domestic animal adapt (or not), what would happen to animal pests we fight off now? For the armchair engineer/biologist, it is imaginative and fascinating. Combines the talent of leading structural specialists, biologists, and convincing CGI optical effects from Industrial Light and Magic."
Beautiful and disturbing.
Brian Nallick | Mpls, MN | 05/18/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I remember seeing the commercial for this on tv but never actually saw the program.
So I decided to plunk down the money for the DVD.
All I can say is I'm impressed.
As soon as it was over I watched it again right after.
It's a somewhat disturbing take on what would happen if people just vanished.
I was very surprised that every trace of humanity would be more or less gone in about a thousand years.
I was even more surprised at what would happen within a few weeks.
The power going out and all that.
Scary indeed.
They never go into detail as to how the humans disappear but it really doesn't matter.
The awesome force of nature would pretty much eliminate everything we have done for thousands of years.
It's a film that really makes you think and is a definite eye opener.
It pointed out a lot of things I, along with the majority of people just don't give a whole lot of thought to.
The power going out.
The flooding of the subway systems.
London and Amsterday flooding into ruin.
I guess I never really realized how much effort man has put into reshaping the world around us and without us, how quickly everything would collapse.