Jellies – Jellyfish images, Blu-ray (2013)

by | Jul 13, 2014 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

Jellies – Jellyfish images, Blu-ray (2013) Ocean Wonders – Inside the Monterey Bay Aquarium, DVD

Studio: Artcast.tv The Art of Nature series [10/7/13]
Video: 16:9 1080i color HD
Audio: PCM stereo – choice of classical new age or chill music
No region coding
Extras: four bonus features, loops of favorite scenes
Length: over two hours
Rating: ****1/2
 
Ocean Wonders – Inside the Monterey Bay Aquarium DVD
Video: 16:9 color
No region coding
Length: over two hours
Rating: ****

These are just two examples of the many ambient art videos made available by Artcast and which can transform your HDTV into a continually-moving work of art. Filmed originally in UHD video, this one shows a dozen stunning species of jellyfish  as their delicate tendrils of color away and low with the rhythms of the ocean. The motions are truly mesmerizing and can provide a background while entertaining or simply relaxing in front of the TV.  The presentation automatically loops so there is a continuous display of the images that runs over two hours before repeating. You have to see it on a really large screen of at least 50-inches in order to appreciate the gorgeous image quality. One purchaser actually traded in his 42-inch plasma for a 50-inch model in order to enjoy this Blu-ray better. Another said it is the next best thing to have an aquarium of your own without the expense and hassle. The extra clip of the giant school of fish was an a special bonus. The jellyfish swim past slowly and have great visual appeal.

Artcast has many videos which cover everything from classical paintings to contemporary abstracts which can be seen in HD quality on your TV display, whatever it is. Have a look at their website. They also have a special deal for $2.99 a month of get unlimited access to thousands of works of art on their site. The images and music is interesting enough to retain your attention should you choose to watch it closely, but also easy to ignore if you choose not to. The viewer should not be expected for the art to tell a narrative story—it should just go on on the screen for the pleasant viewing situation and be able to be viewed frequently without every becoming boring. Changing the soundtrack between the three options offered is also most worthwhile – most such videos just have one unsuitable soundtrack.

OceanWondersDVDThe second Artcast video was not a Blu-ray and is not mentioned online (although a different one with the same title is), but it is titled Ocean Wonders – Inside the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It has a few repeated scenes from the above video, but concentrates on an underwater journey thru the kelp, coral reefs and areas with the natural beauty of seahorses, sharks, jellies and schools of sardines exposed. It does a lovely job of delineating the artistry of the ocean and the display to be seen in the aquarium. The video quality is nearly as good as the above Blu-ray. The audio options on this one include educational narration and various music tracks.

—John Sunier

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