Visions of Germany (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)Much like most of you out there I first became acquainted with the `Vision Series' of aerial travelogue features on PBS television. Whenever I came upon one while channel surfing I'd immediately put the remote down and sit back and relax. It wasn't long before I decided these programs were something I'd never tire of watching and needed to be added to my private DVD collection.
Containing two program on two DVD discs, `Visions of Germany' is the fifth high altitude tour in the series following `Visions of ... Greece / Italy / England and France'. As with the previous four this '07 release whisks the audience away far above the maddening crowd to view Germany in all its incredible architectural and agricultural glory. Add to the visuals an robust German soundtrack and informative narration and your ready for departure!

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Two of Germany’s most scenic and historic regions unfold from a bird’s eye view Experience the fairy tale beauty, natural wonders, and rich history of southern Germany. Shot in high definition from a helicopter-mounted camera, each tour is accompanied by a poetic narrative and evocative soundtrack of regional music, including works by native sons Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, and Johann Strauss. Visions of Germany: Bavaria-Take a journey filled with royal intrigue, Alpine majesty, and charming villages where the past merges with the present. See the Mediterranean flair of the Bodensee, the "German Riviera"; the old walled city of Rothenburg; King Ludwig’s fanciful castles; snow-covered mountain resort towns; and more. Visions of Germany: Along the Rhine-One of the world’s great rivers, the Rhine provides the perfect route to explore southwestern Germany, from Lake Constance to Cologne, with side trips to the Black Forest of legend and lore, the rich wine region, historic Bonn, the romantic string of castles like beads on a necklace at Koblenz, Heidelberg, and more. Includes bonus footage not seen on public television.

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Every Picture Tells a Story (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)These 8 episodes of "Every Picture Tells a Story" peer deeply into masterpiece art works in a fresh way. Superior to anything I (and my wife) have seen. My M.S. & B.S. art degrees and over 2 decades of art teaching helps me grant this new Athena DVD set 5 colorful stars. This DVD set also rates "2 paint brushes UP-WAY UP."
THE PRESENTER, Waldemar Januszczak, U.K., is an art critic who never learned to be sophisticatedly boring, dull, & lifeless. He will even make you laugh by finding a lighter side to masterpieces of art. He provides his opinion alongside the findings of other authorities, so you can decide for yourself. He does this in a manner somewhat similar to a European travelogue. Enjoyable. Scenic.
Individual episodes are less than 25 minutes, a perfect length for classroom use at universities and High Schools. 1 or 2 episodes touch on language and/or sexual topics that might want to be previewed and opted upon by "conservative" schools. Probably just a PG rating if it were to be rated, however.
INTERDISCIPLINARY TEACHING: Each painting episode touches not only on the art itself, but on history, geography, and literature related to the piece. This is true educational integration, highly sought by state-of-the-art school curriculum.
WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE?
"Mr and Mrs Andrews", Gainsborough, England. A mystery of the unfinished masterpiece.
"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp", Rembrandt, Dutch. The artist's haunting of death. Painting is compared to TVs "E.R."
"The Tempest", Giorgione, Venice. Giorgione means 'Big George'. This is a mysterious painter of even more mysterious art. Is Homer's "Odyssey" a clue?
"The Birth of Venus", Botticelli, Florence. Venus' voluptuous vulnerability vexing the virile. Not birth, so where does this painting's meaning spring from?
"Boy Bitten by a Lizard", Caravaggio, Rome. Finding the why from a lizard bite which was painted by a Roman artist and murderer.
"Mona Lisa", Leonardo da Vinci, Paris. Don't bother with "The Di Vinci Code" book. Episode is about solving the real Leonardo mystery.
"Le dejeuner sur l'herbe", Manet, France. The naughty, naked, picnic lady leaves behind illegal, immoral, impressionism--immortally.
"The Arnlfini Marriage", Jan van Eyck, Bruges, Belgium. A 15th century mystery in oil on an oak panel.
WHAT IS BONUS/extra?
For each episode: "The Rest of the Story"
For each episode: "Artist Biographies"
For each episode: SDH subtitles
A viewer's guide booklet with:
Featured painting reproduction
Questions to consider (individually or in a classroom)
List of other artistic work featured on each episode
Bibliography of 4 options for additional learning related to each episode's painting
This DVD 2-disc set truly brings masterpiece wonder to the masses.
Every High School, College, and Public Library should own this.
8 very affordable lesson plans for art teachers and professors.
Hours of enjoyment for the art lover. YES, a perfect gift.

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EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY - DVD Movie

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Passport to Europe - France & Italy (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this series. Samantha Brown is the perfect travelling companion. Her energy, excitement, and joy never fail. The shows hit a perfect balance between tourist info and intimate charm. I know Paris very well, and I agree with her observations about Paris, which makes me trust her when she is traveling in other parts of the world that I do not know (like Italy). Highlights on this DVD include: the two Paris eps (of course), an achingly beautiful fairy-tale village and hotel featured in the Cote d'Azur episode, and the Florence ep. I also should note that Samantha Brown travels in style. This is not Europe on a shoestring. Personnally, I love living vicariously through her. The beautiful hotels make this show all the more fun.
I recommend it to all who love to travel and dream and laugh.

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Enthusiastic and adventurous, Samantha Brown is the perfect tour guide for the most exciting places in the world. Explore exotic locales up close and personal as you may never have seen them when Samantha interacts with the locals and discovers popular area landmarks many tourists miss. Meanwhile, Samantha amuses and educates as she discusses the culture and history of these intriguing areas and shares invaluable travel tips. FEATURING:CANNES AND NICE, FRANCE (THE FRENCH RIVIERA): Experience Carnival in the glamorous south of France when the streets are filled with dancers, musicians, balloons and carnival floats.PARIS CULTURE: To really experience this most romantic of cities, you have to live like a Parisian, so Samantha gives it a whirl! SIMPLY PARIS: Stroll along the Champs-Elysees, satisfy a sweet tooth with French pastry, take a twilight river cruise along the Seine and much more.COTE D'AZUR (MONACO): This is where the outrageously wealthy live a lifestyle beyond imagination, and Samantha is anxious to get a glimpse of how the rich and famous do it up in style! AMALFI COAST, ITALY: Samantha explores the cities, towns and villages along the soaring cliffs of the Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy.FLORENCE, ITALY: Unlock the secrets to packing in all the must-see sights of Florence, get priceless shopping tips and discover the perfect spot to escape the crowds. NAPLES, ITALY: Samantha finds Naples to be a city full of contradictions, but always compelling. Explore this bustling, diverse city that combines the historic and the modern with vitality.ROME, ITALY: Feel the passionate heartbeat of the Eternal City. Find out how to streamline your tourist stops, and take in the 21st century ambiance of Rome's wild nightlife.

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