If you missed Walt Disney Studios’ Earth in theaters, pick up the DVD, which releases today. 

Gorgeous cinematography captures polar bears marching across ice, elephants enjoying a swim and whales breaching the ocean’s surface. (Click here to watch the trailer.)

 The film is the first feature-length documentary from the new, eco-conscious production unit Disneynature. Cowritten and codirected by the award-winning Alastair Fothergill (Planet Earth, The Blue Planet), and narrated by Oscar-nominated actor James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader!), it’s an amazing tour of our home planet.

 “In addition to providing compelling entertainment that audiences of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy, we also hope to raise awareness of the many ways that everyone and anyone can do their part to help our planet,” says Disneynature head honcho Jean-Francois Camilleri.

 Adds Martyn Freeman of coproducer BBC Worldwide: “Earth captures some of the rarest and most beautiful imagery of the planet ever photographed by a team of the world’s top cinematographers. Audiences will get to see their planet in an exciting new way.”

 I agree with Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly (one of the most trustworthy film critics out there), who calls the finished project a “super-duper deluxe nature documentary.” She believes Earth “clearly aims to recruit young viewers as conservationists.”

 That’s a mission we all can support.

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 The DVD’s suggested retail price is $29.99, but Amazon is currently selling it for $16.99.