Attenborough’s Life Journey. 55 min. PBS. 2022. DVD UPC 4188704946. $29.99.

It would be difficult to find someone more beloved connected to natural history than Sir David Attenborough. Nearly seven decades of television and upwards of a billion views of his nature documentaries are proof of that. Still filming, deep into his 90s, Attenborough is not only loved, he’s been declared an influential trailblazer in the genre. Oliver Twinch’s film details Attenborough’s early life and career, but the real treats here are the behind-the-scenes footage and casual on-set interviews that create warmth and intimacy. Attenborough still expresses joy and wonder at the natural world, which shines through with these glimpses outside his official releases. VERDICT A lovely portrait of Attenborough that will add to his already likable legend.

★Dracula’s Hidden Kingdom. 55 min. PBS. 2024. DVD UPC 4188704945. $29.99.

Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula was a work of fiction, but Transylvania is real—a section of Romania full of ancient forests, unique animals, 12,000 caves, and the Carpathian Mountains. Transylvania is one of Europe’s last frontiers. Narrated in the pleasant tones of actor Jeremy Irons, this documentary about the region includes dashes of folklore and history, but it’s part of PBS’s Nature series, so the natural world is the focus. The results are frequently stunning, and beautiful, wild nature is everywhere, with abundant close-up and slow-motion footage of creatures such as the lynx, bats, brown bears, and storks. VERDICT Go beyond the myth of Dracula to discover a magical wonderland in Transylvania.

My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock. 120 min. Cohen Media Group. 2022. DVD UPC 3832926906. $19.99.

Director Mark Cousins’s film histories are unique documentary essays that are self-reflective and blur the lines between fiction and nonfiction. For his appreciation of Alfred Hitchcock, he does something quite audacious: has a Hitchcock impersonator (Alistair McGowan) give a faux interview about the iconic filmmaker’s incredible career. The interview is scripted, but Cousins also utilizes an avalanche of amazing moments from cinema history to interrogate Hitch regarding all his “tricks,” “lies,” and obsessions, plus subjects such as escape, desire, loneliness, time, fulfilment, and height. VERDICT Cheeky stuff from Cousins that breathes fresh life into the work of one of cinema’s most legendary figures.

Never Look Away. 85 min. Greenwich Entertainment. 2024. DVD UPC 3832926872. $19.99.

It takes a certain kind of individual to be a wartime photojournalist. New Zealander Margaret Moth was such a person, and actor Lucy Lawless tells the story of her travels through some of the world’s most dangerous combat zones during the 1990s, when Moth worked for CNN. Moth was a free spirit, and her personal relationships were dysfunctional, but as a journalist, she was fearless (some might say reckless) and put her life on the line to capture footage. This documentary is intense, both a profile and an exposé of the brutality of war that utilizes Moth’s incredible, harrowing footage of mayhem, violence, destruction, and death. VERDICT Often not for the faint of heart, this is the gripping story of the unconventional life of a war photojournalist.