Looking for Mantis Video "Fastest Claws in the West"

[Kara]

DATE RELEASED: 1988
TITLE: BBC wildlife special: The fastest claws in the west.
PRODUCED BY: BBC enterprises Ltd. / Warner Bros Inc.

It's a short documentary about Mantis Shrimp. I haven't had any luck finding it. I did find it on PAL VHS tape format which is not compatable with VHS players in the United States. You visit the store offering it
HERE.

If anyone knows where I can find a copy of this documentary on DVD or NTNS format VHS, please let me know!

THANKS!

 

[slylie]

There is a Time life series called "Trials of Life" and they did one of the tapes with a short feature on Mantis Shrimp. I can't remember which tape it is though. but I can imagine that the BBC did not release that video on our Version of VHS. You can get that version, then get it transfered. Allot of VCR repair shops will have this service.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Fastest Claw aired as a BBC half-hour prime time program which was part of the "Wildlife on One" series narrated by David Attenborough. I was the "resident scientist" and helped film the program. The promotional trailer of an O. scyllarus manipulating a Rubic's Cube was made to hype that program. (I think the URL is still listed on the Cephalopod forum under "Can your octopus do this - sorry - I couldn't help myself.) The program was later released by BBC as a companion piece to "Incredible Suckers". I don't know of any source of this set except for some members of this Forum who copied it and provided it at cost. BBC later sold the raw footage to National Geographic who re-editied it. This version still airs occasionally, but in my opinion it is not nearly as good as the original.

After the success of "Fastest Claw", I was asked to help film sequences for "Trials of Life". There is a three or four minute sequence in episode 8 - "Fighting". This was one of the best selling series of all time and is widely available.

Roy

 

[Kara]

GREAT! Thank you for the information. I'm going to see if I can't get a copy of the 'Trials of Life' Episode 8 as well.

I work for an educational TV station. Going to talk to the guys in editing and see if they can't translate a PAL tape. blonde moment! I should have just asked the guys in production about it.. hehe Thanks for reminding me, Sly.

And, Dr. Roy.. thank you for your extensive research and hard work with regard to this facinating species. I sincerely appreciate your approachability and willingness to share your knowledge with us!

 

[lilswanwillow]

I actually have the 'trials of life' series, it was the first time of me seeing a mantis as a kid!!!!
(the parasite one is nasty though, hehe)

 

[biomekanic]

you may be able to order FKiW off of Amazon.com.uk ~ they do ship to the us, it's how I've gotten a few CD's and books you can't get here.