Planet Earth: A Celebration (2020) - full transcript

We are living in
extraordinary times.

The pandemic has changed
all our lives.

But while WE are restricted...

..wildlife is free.

SWEEPING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYS

In moments of crisis,

the natural world can be a source
of both inspiration and escape.

So we are taking you
on an adventure...

..to some of the wildest places
on Earth...

..bringing together spectacular
stories from Planet Earth II...

..and Blue Planet II.



And accompanying
this special journey,

there's a new score created
by Hans Zimmer and Jacob Shea,

who composed the music
for the original series...

..performed by
the BBC Concert Orchestra,

and featuring, on piano,
the award-winning artist Dave.

Working remotely on opposite
sides of the Atlantic,

they've come together to create
a visual and a musical feast.

Our adventure will take us

to some of the most extreme
environments on Earth.

From the hottest deserts...

..to the freezing poles...

..and from highest mountains...

..to mysterious
kingdoms under water...

..where, against all odds,
life flourishes...



..giving us all a message of hope
for the future.

This is...

PIANO TINKLES SOFTLY

STRINGS TRILL

WAVES CRASH

The Atlantic.

Off the coast of South Africa,

it collides with the warm waters
of the Indian Ocean.

Spectacular winter storms
create colossal waves.

But one species turns these
turbulent seas into a playground.

Bottlenose dolphins.

They are extremely intelligent...

..and with this intelligence
comes playfulness.

JOYOUS, ROUSING MUSIC PLAYS

They surf...

..and as far as we can tell,

they do so for the sheer joy of it.

MUSIC BUILDS

MUSIC FADES

The coastal waters of
South Africa teem with life.

And below the surface...

..one of the greatest of all
kelp forests...

..which is home to some
truly extraordinary creatures...

..including one smart individual

who's found rather ingenious ways
to survive.

Barely visible
except for the pulsating siphon

through which it breathes,

a common octopus
waiting for prey to pass by.

A crab will do.

The octopus sets off in pursuit.

OMINOUS STRINGS PLAY

INTENSE BEAT

MUSIC QUICKENS

And then, lurks...

..with the patience
of an ambush hunter.

MUSIC FADES

MUSIC MIMICS STRIKES

But the octopus
shares the Cape waters

with a great concentration
of other predators.

UNNERVING, SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS

Fur seals...

..and sharks.

They all eat octopus...

..if they can find one.

And pyjama sharks are experts...

..at hunting in the undergrowth.

Time to disappear.

But these tough-skinned
little sharks are small enough

to reach deep into crevices.

FRANTIC MUSIC PLAYS

MUSIC BUILDS

DISCORDANT CLIMAX

MUSIC FADES

But the octopus is
far from finished.

She slips her tentacles
in to the shark's gills.

That prevents the shark
from breathing.

When caught out in the open,
and vulnerable,

this octopus does something
truly extraordinary...

..and never recorded before.

She disguises herself...

..with a protective armour
of shells.

The shark can sense its prey.

But the shells confuse it.

SWEEPING MUSIC PLAYS

In a forest full of hungry mouths,

superior wits allow this octopus
to stay alive.

Surviving in this submarine jungle
can be a challenge.

But above the waves,

over 700 miles to the north...

..lies a world with challenges
of a different kind.

The Namib Desert.

It's the oldest desert
on the planet...

..believed to have been dry
since dinosaurs walked the Earth.

Life here for a hunter is
as hard as it gets.

A pride of lions.

One of the very few that endures
this desert's scorching temperatures

and lack of water.

A herd of oryx.

The only prey within 20 miles.

Out here, there is no cover
for an ambush.

It will have to be a straight chase.

INTENSE DRUMBEAT

DRUMS FADE

They have failed.

And each failed hunt brings
the lions closer to starvation.

To find enough to eat,

the pride continually searches
an area the size of Switzerland.

Three days and 100 miles later,

and still no kill.

These are desperate times.

A dry riverbed on the edge
of their territory.

The only animals here are giraffe,

but these one-tonne giants could
kill a lion with a single kick.

Lions seldom tackle
such formidable prey...

..but this pride can't go on
much longer without food.

TENSE MUSIC BUILDS

The whole pride must work together
as a team if they're to succeed.

Two lionesses lead the chase,

others race to cut off
possible escape routes.

The giraffe has the speed
and stamina to outrun the pride...

..but it's being chased into a trap.

Up ahead, the lead female waits.

It's now up to her.

DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS
MUSIC STOPS

HOOVES THUD LION GROANS

Most lion hunts end in failure...

..but no lions fail more often
than those that live in the desert.

And yet, for generations,

despite overwhelming adversity,

they have managed to endure.

Dawn breaks in the Andes.

Here, high altitudes bring
their own set of trials.

Wildlife faces scorching days
and perishing nights.

Mountain viscacha are up early

to claim the best places
to catch the sun's first rays.

PEACEFUL MUSIC PLAYS

For others up here,

the sunrise is even more welcome.

At over 4,000 metres,

this is the highest flamingo colony
in the world.

At night, it gets so cold that even
this salty water freezes over...

..and now the flamingos
are trapped in the ice.

Eventually, the sun thins the ice,

but it's still a struggle
for the flamingos to break free.

COMICAL, CHEERY MUSIC PLAYS

Walking on thin ice is always risky.

And it's hard to retain
one's dignity...

..especially when
you're wearing stilts.

At these altitudes,

the sun's power can quickly turn
from salvation...

..to threat.

The atmosphere is so thin,

there is very little protection
from ultraviolet radiation.

By mid-morning, it's risky
to linger out in the open.

Out on the lake,
there is nowhere to hide.

The white crust of the soda lake
reflects the sun's glare

and increases the impact
of its ultraviolet rays.

By midday, uncovered human skin
will burn in four minutes.

But this doesn't seem
to bother the flamingos...

..in fact, they are on parade.

COMICAL MARCHING MUSIC PLAYS

MUSIC QUICKENS

During the breeding season,

the flamingos perform
these peculiar courtship dances,

even through the hottest time
of the day.

They're so eager,
they don't even pause to feed.

The rules are something
of a mystery.

But after a month of dancing,

all the birds will have paired off
and will be getting ready to mate.

MUSIC STOPS

Up here, there are few other
creatures to bother the flamingos,

but then few other creatures could
even tolerate these conditions.

Wildlife has colonised
almost every corner of our planet...

..even the slopes of
its highest mountains.

AWE-INSPIRING MUSIC PLAYS

The Himalayas.

Lethally cold...

..scarred by gales and blizzards...

..these mountains are among
the most hostile places on Earth...

..yet a few special animals
manage to live here.

The snow leopard.

Seldom seen,

the detail of their lives
has long been a mystery.

But now, at last, helped by
the latest remote camera technology,

we are getting closer to them
than ever before.

They're very rare,

only about four of them
in 40 square miles.

There is simply not enough prey
to sustain more.

LEOPARD SNIFFS

They live solitary lives.

Nonetheless, they are
well aware of the presence

and the movements
of their neighbours,

because they leave messages
in a few special places.

They rub particular rocks
with their cheeks...

..and then spray them with urine.

The two perfumes create
a unique signature.

Any other leopard can know which
of its neighbours passed this way

without ever making direct contact.

But there are times when
snow leopards must come together,

and the event is often violent.

LEOPARD YOWLS

An adult female and her daughter.

She has devoted the last two years
to raising her cub

and very soon it will be weaned.

For now, the cub is still
entirely dependent on its mother.

But staying together as long as this
could cause problems.

The female is now in heat again,

and any male that smells
her signature will know that.

LEOPARD SPRAYS

From this moment on,
her cub's life is at risk.

Males kill cubs that
are not their own.

But the mother is now driven
by an urge that she cannot control.

She lets the males know
exactly where she is.

LEOPARD CALLS ECHO

From up here, she can be heard
for miles around.

LEOPARD CALLS

A young male emerges
from the wilderness,

eager to find her.

Snow leopards meet so infrequently

that there is uncertainty
and tension.

LEOPARDS SNARL AND HISS

LOW GROWLING

And it's about to get worse...

..another bigger male has arrived.

GROWLING

HISSING

The mother and cub are trapped
between the rivals.

The cub is now in danger.

Mother must act fast.

To divert the males' attention
from her cub,

she rolls over submissively.

DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS

MUSIC BUILDS

With the males fixed on the female,

the cub has a chance to escape.

LEOPARD SNARLS

The males close in on the mother
from both sides,

keen to claim her for their own.

A fight is inevitable.

LEOPARDS ROAR

The female moves to escape
and protect her cub,

but the big male follows her.

SNARLING AND ROARING

He will not let her leave
until he has mated with her.

GENTLE STRINGS PLAY

With the males gone,

the female is, at last, reunited
with her cub...

..but she has been injured.

The cub, however, is alive
thanks to its mother.

Until her injury heals,
she won't be able to hunt.

Mountain animals survive
on the very edge of existence.

Mother and cub were not seen again.

MUSIC BECOMES MELANCHOLIC

Until over a month later,
high on a ridge,

a remote camera was triggered.

The female cat.

She's no longer limping,
but she's now alone.

Then an hour after
the female has left,

the camera is triggered again.

ROUSING, VICTORIOUS MUSIC PLAYS

LEOPARD SNIFFS

It's her cub.

Taking her first steps towards
adulthood and independence.

She is unlikely to
see her mother again...

..but every now and then,
they will be reunited

through the messages they leave
on the marking rocks.

Her mother has succeeded
in raising her,

but life ahead will be challenging,

and she will spend
nearly all of it alone.

Existence
in these unforgiving mountains

is fraught with difficulty...

..but surviving on remote islands
can also be tough.

The Galapagos lie in
the Pacific Ocean,

600 miles from the coast
of South America.

This is Fernandina Island -

volcanic, harsh and desolate.

To survive here, wildlife has
had to evolve specific skills...

..and that has made the iguanas here
different from all their relatives.

These are marine iguanas.

They are vegetarians,

but since there's little food
for them on the land,

marine iguanas graze
on the sea floor.

A big male like this one
can dive to 30 metres

and hold his breath
for half an hour.

There are more than 7,000
individuals on Fernandina alone.

And by bringing nutrients
from the sea to the land,

the iguanas help other animals
to survive here too.

Crabs feed on dead skin
on the iguanas' back,

and in turn provide a welcome
exfoliation service.

FLY BUZZES

While smaller lizards prey on
the flies that pester the colony.

But not all the relationships
on this island are so harmonious.

Marine iguanas lay
their eggs in sand.

In June, when the hatchlings emerge,
they're vulnerable.

They must join the adults
at the edge of the sea...

..but the journey
will be a dangerous one.

Racer snakes.

TENSE MUSIC BUILDS

MUSIC CALMS

The snakes miss their chance...

MOROSE MUSIC PLAYS

..but more babies are hatching...

..and now the snakes are
on the alert.

This is the best feeding opportunity
they will get all year.

MUSIC BUILDS

MUSIC STOPS

FRANTIC MUSIC PLAYS

On flat ground, a baby iguana
can outrun a racer snake...

..but others are waiting in ambush.

MUSIC SLOWS AND QUIETENS

Another hatchling has its first
glimpse of a dangerous world.

DISCORDANT CLATTER

TENSE MUSIC BUILDS

MUSIC STOPS

MOURNFUL MUSIC PLAYS

A snake's eyes aren't very good,

but they can detect movement.

So if the hatchling keeps its nerve,

it may just avoid detection.

MUSIC BUILDS

DISCORDANT MUSIC BUILDS

MUSIC FADES

FRANTIC CHASE MUSIC PLAYS

STRINGS INTENSIFY

FRANTIC MUSIC RESUMES

A near-miraculous escape.

The lucky survivors
can begin learning

the unique way of life here.

Other islands may seem
more welcoming places to grow up...

..but appearances can be deceiving.

BIRDS CALL

During the dry season,
over half a million terns

crowd onto this remote atoll
in the Indian Ocean.

Their chicks are still in
their dark juvenile plumage.

COMICAL, CHEERY MUSIC PLAYS

They vary in age.

Whilst the more advanced chicks
take to the air...

SOFT, INSPIRING MUSIC PLAYS

..others aren't quite ready yet.

Those just starting to learn
to fly use the shallow lagoon

that occupies the centre of
the atoll as their training ground.

It's difficult for some of them
to stay aloft for long.

DISCORDANT MUSIC PLAYS

Giant trevallies.

QUIET, EERIE MUSIC PLAYS

Usually, they are solitary hunters,

but about 50 of them have come here
from neighbouring reefs,

attracted by this abundance
of potential prey.

The fledglings stay out
of the water if they can.

They even drink on the wing.

If the trevally are
to catch one now...

..they have to up their game.

So there is a fish here
that, amazingly, has a brain

capable of calculating the airspeed,

altitude and trajectory of a bird.

The time comes when every fledgling
has to take to the air

and collect food for itself.

TRIUMPHANT MUSIC BUILDS

Their parents lead them
to the training grounds.

INSPIRING, SWEEPING MUSIC PLAYS

MUSIC FADES

TERN SQUAWKS

TERN CALLS

MUSIC BUILDS

EERIE, ETHEREAL MUSIC PLAYS

If they are to survive...

..they must learn quickly.

After a month of practising
over the lagoon,

the youngsters start to leave

and take their chances
out over the open sea.

6,000 miles to the north,

and the warm waters of the tropics
become a distant memory.

The Arctic.

For millennia,
animals have survived in a world

where temperatures can fall
to below 50 degrees.

And every winter,
the Norwegian fjords

in the Arctic Circle are crowded

by one of the most spectacular
assemblies of fish

to be seen anywhere.

Herrings.

Billions of them.

And following them...

..orca.

There are up to a thousand of them.

It's possibly the greatest gathering
of orca on the planet.

ORCA SQUEAK

The herring may be plentiful,

but in these winding fjords, they're
not always easy to track down.

These particular orca, however,
are fish-hunting specialists.

They work as a team,
coordinating their approach

by calling loudly to one another.

ORCA SQUEAK

They herd the herring into
tighter and tighter shoals.

They swim below them, trapping them
against the surface of the sea.

And now the orca deploy
their special weapon.

They beat their tails
with such force

that the shock waves
stun the herring.

And then the senseless victims
are easily collected.

But all this underwater noise
attracts others.

WHALE GROANS

Humpback whales.

They move in on the action.

They approach the shoal
from beneath,

and then lunge upwards...

..gathering up to 100 kilos
of herring in a single mouthful.

The humpbacks are
comparative newcomers.

They only started coming here
within the last decade.

But these polar seas are so rich
that there appears

to be enough food for everyone.

We share our planet with
spectacular wild animals...

..which have adapted to live

in the strangest
and harshest of environments.

Now, more than ever,

they are an inspiration for us all.

For this special Planet Earth
musical celebration,

to raise our spirits
during the pandemic,

we brought together
composer Hans Zimmer

and top-selling artist Dave.

..quarantine, whatever happens,
you know,

that's the composer's life.
Yeah, yeah.

I couldn't have seen the world
ever stopping, ever,

if it wasn't for something
like this, you know...

They're both passionate
about the natural world.

Anything I write,
in one way or the other,

is determined, in one way
or the other, by nature.

You know, that episode
everybody's always talking about

was the iguanas and the snakes.

Every director I've ever worked with
only wished that they could have

had a car chase like that,
or an action scene like that.

We're trying to provide you
with an experience.

COMICAL MARCHING MUSIC PLAYS

An experience
which gets under your skin,

and you start to understand
a little bit more

what this world is all about

and how we fit into this world.

To be performing with an orchestra

as talented as the one
that I did today - amazing.

I get a lot of inspiration from
the natural world for my music.

ELEPHANTS RUMBLE

Music is everywhere.

There's a tone to the birds
when they sing.

BIRDS CALL

The air, the wind, the trees.

The elements.

The soundtrack to nature...

..is a beautiful thing.

Music and images can create
an experience

that can teach us something
on a profound level.

Make us feel...

..a hope.

Let's look forward,
let's look towards the future.

Let's make a better future.

Never before in the history
of humankind...

..has it been more critical
to protect

and nurture the natural world...

..which is, after all, our home too.

ROUSING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYS