WASHINGTON (Sept. 14, 2012)—No place on Earth remains more mysterious and alien than our ocean’s deepest waters. Now viewers will be able to join legendary ocean explorer and discover of the Titanic Dr. Robert Ballard as he explores the planet’s most foreign and otherworldly places in “Alien Deep,” a new five-part series from National Geographic. The series will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, for $27.99 (SRP) on shopNG.com, in stores where videos are sold or by calling (800) 437-5521.
With cutting-edge tools and amazing new camera technologies, National Geographic embarks on its latest voyage of deep exploration — thousands of feet beneath the waves — to a hidden world of new ecosystems, new species and new wonders never seen before. The episodes are “It’s Alive,” “Wrecks of the Abyss,” “Ocean’s Fury,” “Inner vs. Outer Space” and “Fires of Creation.”
Ballard, one of the world’s foremost oceanographers, has worked in the field of underwater exploration for more than three decades. In addition to locating Titanic, he found the German battleship Bismarck and P.T. 109, John F. Kennedy’s naval boat from World War II, and he has explored the British ocean liner Lusitania.
“I’ve dedicated my life to exploring the unknown. I’ve been places no one has ever gone. I’ve seen life no human eye has ever seen,” said Ballard. “But even after 50 years at sea I’m as fascinated with the deep as I was on my very first expedition. You want to know my greatest discovery? Well, it’s the one I’m about to make.”
In “Alien Deep,” Ballard takes viewers around the globe to explore the many fascinating ways that the oceans expand our understanding of life on Earth and impact our future. Audiences will go:
- Down to the coldest Antarctic waters, where hot hydrothermal outlets support columns of life — including a newly discovered species of crabs.
- To the warm waters of the Pacific, where high-tech new experiments in sustainable fish farming are being conducted to grow fish without a measurable impact on coastal ecosystems.
- Behind the scenes at Lloyd’s of London, one of the world’s largest maritime insurance companies, to learn how rogue waves and bigger storms threaten global trade.
- On board scientific ships that are investigating areas that have never been explored by humans, as scientists try to figure out why our planet is ripe for life.
The DVD release also includes the full bonus program “Deep Secrets: The Ballard Gallipoli Expedition” and is timed for release with a children’s book, “Alien Deep: Exploring the Mysterious World of Hydrothermal Vents,” by Bradley Hague (ISBN 978-1-4263-1067-6), on sale now.
About National Geographic Channels
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in 84 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in 440 million homes in 171 countries and 38 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.
About National Geographic Cinema Ventures
Geographic Cinema Ventures is responsible for production and distribution of giant-screen, 3D and specialty films. Over the last decade, NGCV has produced or released a number of successful films, including Academy Award-nominated documentaries “Restrepo” and “The Story of the Weeping Camel”; giant-screen award-winning films “Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure,” “U2 3D,” “Mysteries of Egypt” and “Forces of Nature”; and feature-length films “The Last Lions” and “Life in a Day.” Lisa Truitt is president of NGCV, and Mark Katz is president of NGCV distribution. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/movies.
About Vivendi Entertainment
Vivendi Entertainment is a full-service independent film, television, DVD and digital distribution company operating in the United States and Canada. Representing a vast range of genres including action, comedy, thriller, urban, family, fitness and stand-up comedies, Vivendi Entertainment has become a favorite distribution partner for independent content providers. The company has built an extensive catalog of over 3,000 titles, and its customer-centric business model was founded on the principles of collaboration and financial transparency. The company provides sales, marketing and distribution services to many of the home entertainment industry’s most prestigious brands, including: The Weinstein Company, World Wrestling Entertainment, Classic Media, RHI, Shout! Factory, Salient and Code Black. Vivendi Entertainment is a division of Universal Music Group Distribution, the award-winning sales, marketing and distribution arm of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company.
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“Alien Deep”
Street Date: Sept. 18, 2012
Suggested Retail Price (DVD): $27.99
Suggested Retail Price (Blu-ray): $39.99
Run Time: Approx. 240 Minutes