The Real Eve

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and Compelling -- A Must See!
Review: I highly recommend this work!!! Two-thumbs up. It's possibly the best piece of work on the genealogy and evolution of hamans I have seen in my lifetime. By researching and explaining the migration of modern humans from Africa throughout the rest of the world the research completely challenges our whole notion of RACE since it proves that we are all related somehow -- every single person on the planet can trace at least part of their mitochondrial DNA back to one small group of ancestors in Africa. At first it was hard to believe that someone who is phenotypically European or Asian could descend from someone who is African but the film does a solid job of using cinematography to recreate and explain the evolution of man over thousands of years. The use of indigenous people in the film from Eastern Africans to the Samang in Malaysia was brilliant. The director and producer make the events so real that you feel like you are there when it is actually happening. Danny Glover was a great choice to narrarate the film. One of the highlights of the film was when scientists randomly tested the DNA of 6 ethnically diverse Americans in Chicago and were able to link a Greek emigre and a Cree, Native American man by a common ancestor that existed 30,000 yrs ago using genetic markers. At no other time in the history of man have we had the scientific know-how to do this and DNA is 99.9% reliable evidence. I would love to see a sequel to the film that explores further the notion of this global expansion and evolution. How did changes in hair texture, culture, and languages come about over time as our ancestors migrated from one continent or country to another? I would also like them to interview people who've had their DNA tested -- like what it revealed and how it impacted their lives.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and educational
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this DVD. I had seen the program on the Discovery Channel and could not wait to own it. I believe that the makers of this film did a wonderful job of presenting the theory of mitochondrial Eve to the common man. As a future educator I plan on using this film as a teaching resource to illustrate to students one theory of the origin of modern man and their spread out of Africa to the rest of the world. Even if someone does not believe the theory presented in this film it holds its own as entertainment as well as a piece of informative media.

Rating:
Summary: Discovery really outdid themselves!
Review: This documentary unveils the tracing of modern man's ancestry through the use of mitochondrial DNA. It poses the argument that man's ancestral lines stems all the way back 200,000 years in the continent of Africa [ALL humans decended from an African woman (Eve)]. Our physical appearances evolved as our ancestors migrated from Africa to Asia, to Europe, to Australia etc. in order to adapt to the demands of the climate (ex. Africa: Hot, therefore the skin colour of Africans is dark to protect from the UV rays of the sun, Europe: Cold, therefore the skin colour of those people is light as there is no great need for protection from UV rays). The documentary rebuts all differing arguments well; however, one may need to rewind a couple of times to really get a true understanding. It's an interesting topic with lively imagery, which keeps you fascinated and leaves you asking for more. This is not a typical documentary about evolution. This is a continuation of the evolutionary pattern of modern man with the focus on Migratory patterns and Climate, and how these caused and is still the sole factors for our physical appearance

Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC topic, poorly executed
Review: This is a great topic, which makes it all the more disappointing that is was so poorly covered. The dramatization were overdone and got in the way of the science, and the zippo-doo graphics were instantly annoying. And finally, the choice of Danny Glover as a narrator was a big mistake, as he does not have the diction necessary for such a narration intensive program.

If this topic interests you, be sure to read"The Seven Daughters of Eve", by Sykes

Rating:
Summary: Excellent video!
Review: This video is remarkable! If your interested in how we evolved as a race and as beings, you'll love this. This documentary clearly will rewrite science books as we know it if taken seriously. I don't not recommend this DVD to people without an open mind, because you will simply refuse to believe. The tests and scientific evidence in this video are shocking and to know we all evolved from one common ancestor is something you'll find facisnating. Danny Glover is an excellent choice to narrate and the visuals are outstanding. A must for all who have questioned where we came from!