The Ballad of Big Al

"The Ballad of Big Al" (distributed as "Allosaurus: a Walking with Dinosaurs Special") is a combination biography-sequel for "Walking with Dinosaurs ". It focuses on an "Allosaurus" ("Allosaurus fragilis") named Big Al and his constant struggle to survive in a world filled with danger.

Narrative

Animals featured are:
*"Allosaurus"
*"Stegosaurus"
*"Dryosaurus"
*"Othnielia"
*"Ornitholestes"
*"Diplodocus"
*"Anurognathus"
*"Apatosaurus"
*"Brachiosaurus"
*scorpion
*dragonfly
*salamander
*fly
*iguana The special begins at the University of Wyoming, showing the bones of a sauropod followed by an "Allosaurus" named Big Al. The film then travels back in time showing a nest containing some eggs. Al and his siblings hatch and are helped out of the nest by their mother. She brings them to a river bank and the hatchlings start to hunt for insects. When the mother leaves the hatchlings temporarily, a year-old "Allosaurus" comes and kills one of them.

Al is then shown at two years old. He is trying to hunt a flock of "Dryosaurus". He hasn't yet learned how to ambush so he fails to kill one of the swifter, smaller dinosaurs. Later he snatches a lizard from a branch. Al comes across two "Allosaurus" stuck in a natural Predator trap which were lured there by the smell of a dead "Stegosaurus".

Five years pass, and a herd of "Diplodocus" are migrating across a prehistoric Salt Lake. Al is joined by several other "Allosaurus" and they attempt to bring a weak member of the herd down. Once the herd left the sick "Diplodocus" the "Allosaurs" gather. Al is strucked down by the neck of a "Diplodocus".

A year passes by, and Al is shown drinking at a pond. He discovers the scent of a female "Allosaurus". She is not interested, but he gets to close. She finally injures his arm and breaking his ribs, and deforming his right hand. Later the dry season comes, Al is attempting to hunt a flock of "Dryosaurus". Whilst ambushing them, he trips on a log, and badly breaks his right middle toe. As the dry season turns to a drought, Al's inflamed injury gets worse and soon, unable to hunt, he dies in a dried-up riverbed, where two hatchling "Allosaurus" are hunting for bugs and come across his carcass. He is said not to have reached full size.

Evidence

A "making of" documentary was made called "Big Al Uncovered". It focuses on the discovery and pathologies of the "Allosaurus" specimen nicknamed Big Al.

American and Book Versions

American

The American version was renamed "Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special", along with combining the evidence with Al's life. Also they took out the one of the trapped "Allosaurus" and the birds and reptiles behavior, and shots of Al living in the 21st Century.

Book

A children's book was made, called "Allosaurus! The Life and Death of Big Al", and it differs from both the American and UK versions in some aspects.
*Al's sibling was killed by a male "Allosaurus" on the show, while it was killed by an "Ornitholestes" in book.

*The "Stegosaurus" was shown dead in the show, while it was alive and struggling (trying to fight off the "Allosaurus" pair) and soon died in the book.

*In the show at the sixth year, Al is hunting "Dryosaurus", in book, "Othnielia".

*Al tripped on a log in the show, while he tripped on mount of dirt in the book.

BBC Game

The BBC launched a online Role-Playing Game involving Big Al.

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/games/big_al/ BBC game]