Life After People (2008)

basically about corrosion

I had high hopes for this video but in the end it was essentially all about how the lack of maintenance will affect the corrosion and decay of various types of structures - concrete, steel, etc. etc. I guess the feel was less apocalyptic than I had hoped. In defense I suppose this would have come off as too political if the film dealt more directly with long term environmental impacts from a scientific peerspective. They did visit a town abandoned in the aftermath of Chernobyl and talked about the dogs and cats (avoided discussion of what domestication does to plants and animals), but the film would have had more impact if it dealt with these issues. September 25, 2008

Not as good as it could have been

The computer simulations of NYC etc in 100 years after people are interesting, even if the buildings falling remind you of the WTC on 9/11. The speculation is about what it would like if people disappeared, a very pleasant thought, indeed. Evidently, house cats would take over, the film posits. September 8, 2008

Facinating and thought provoking

I really enjoyed this video. I found it very plausable and the effects were very well done. It doesn't go into so much technical detail as, say, the book, "World Without Us" but this is a plus if you're looking for a short trip into the possible, this is a marvelous video.
September 8, 2008

Cutlural snuff porn

This production is an excuse to show off computer graphics of stuff "blowin' up real good!" Which they do ad nauseum in slow motion. Understand, if they didn't have those simulations... no video would be produced. Nada. It's cultural snuff porn. Other themes for these "science" producers:

1)What if Godzilla smushed a bunch of buildings? What would THAT look like? Whut? It's been done!?
2)Okay ,what if the sun turned into a big marshmallow or no... flamed up so bright that all the peoples were blinded! Holy Jesus!
3)Robots gone mad. Oh...yeah...

It offers zero conjecture on its necessary underpinnng, the bizarrely immacuate unconception of humans, because science...need not apply, only computer programmers: "Uh, you ever made a video where somethin' blowed up...? Uh huh, good. Okay, same thing, only it gotta crash down, and real good!"

The "demise of humans" scenario satisfies sadomachoistic cravings that are common enough to turn a profit for the production-- just like most pornography. But that doesn't make it laudable. Or interesting. September 7, 2008

Life After People...

As the title suggests, this documentary isn't about HOW we leave (though there are bonus features suggesting possible scenarios for our disappearance) but HOW life continues. I didn't find the movie depressing or eerie...I found it both amazing and heartening that should our interferring and encroaching stop, things will continue quite nicely...OK, with the possible exception of some specifically bred brachycephalic canines who won't fare so well...but, then again...that's OUR doing...not nature's doing. This movie was well thought out and well supported in it's content by interviews with engineers, ecologists, biologists, et al. This is one great work!! September 6, 2008

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