"Prepare to see it as never before."
Planet Earth - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
A hundred years ago, there were one and a half billion people on Earth. Now, over six billion crowd our fragile planet. But even so, there are still places barely touched by humanity. This series will take you to the last wildernesses and show you the planet and its wildlife as you have never seen them before.
— David Attenborough
Context:
This quote is from the opening of the first episode, "From Pole to Pole". It serves as the thesis statement for the entire series, outlining its purpose and scope.
Meaning:
This opening narration establishes the series' grand ambition and its underlying conservationist ethos. It immediately frames the stunning visuals that follow within a context of human expansion and the increasing rarity of true wilderness, setting the stage for a journey that is both celebratory and poignant.
Only 3% of the water on our planet is fresh. Yet these precious waters are rich with surprise. All life on land is ultimately dependent on fresh water.
— David Attenborough
Context:
This line is from the narration of the "Fresh Water" episode. It introduces the central theme of the episode and its global importance.
Meaning:
This quote succinctly highlights the critical importance and scarcity of a resource often taken for granted. It sets up an exploration of freshwater habitats by emphasizing their vital role in sustaining all terrestrial life, thereby elevating their significance in the viewer's mind.
The plains of our planet support the greatest gatherings of wildlife on Earth. At the heart of all that happens here is a single living thing. Grass. This miraculous plant covers a quarter of all the lands of the Earth.
— David Attenborough
Context:
Spoken during the "Great Plains" episode, this quote introduces the fundamental element that sustains the immense herds of animals featured in the program.
Meaning:
This statement brilliantly reframes the viewer's perspective. It takes a seemingly mundane element—grass—and reveals it as the central, life-giving force of a vast ecosystem. This encapsulates the series' ability to find the magnificent in the seemingly ordinary and to explain complex ecological relationships in a simple, profound way.