Description

Relive one of the greatest tales of adventure and exploration in history, as National Geographic brings to life the epic journey of Lewis, Clark, their guide Sacagawea and the brave Corps of Discovery across the land that would become the United States. Now, two hundred years after the launch of this ambitious expedition, experience first-hand the danger and breathtaking beauty of the unknown West as it unfolded before the eyes of Lewis & Clark. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

See it at an IMAX if you possibly can!
This is a fascinating re-enactment of Lewis and Clark's original journey, told with Jeff Bridges doing the voice-over but with real actors and the original locations. It is authentic down to the last detail, including such remarkable scenes as the expedition shooting rapids in canoes made from burn-out trees, and pulling their boats by rope over the mountains of Montana.

If you possibly can, though, catch this one in its IMAX version. The movie's story is entertaining enough but imagine it on a screen several stories high - literally larger than lifesize - with a powerful sound system to match. Imagine how much cooler shooting those rapids is in the IMAX form! If you can't find an IMAX, make sure you've got a big screen and turn the sound up. This is history as exciting as it was when it happened the first time.

WMV-HD Disc Is NOT Self Destructing
This is in response to the_digital_dude's comments from July 1. The license will renew after it expires as long as the disc is in the drive. You can copy the WMV file to your computer and play it without the disc being in the drive as long as the license is active. After it expires, you will have to place the disc back in the drive and the license will be renewed. As far as I know, this is the way all of the Imax and National Geographic WMV-HD movies are. Unfortunately, one of the earlier WMV-HD movies, Terminator 2, required an active internet connection to acquire the license. I agree that the digital rights management is confusing to the consumer and really should be documented somewhere on the disc or packaging.

WMV HD is MS _JUNK_!
Please note that this film is terrific and rates five stars all the way! I first saw it in an IMAX theater and then had to have it on DVD. Read the favorable reviews of the movie itself to gain an appreciation of what makes it so great, even though it is regrettably very short considering the huge amount of effort that went into making it. It's a timeless masterpiece for better understanding a cornerstone of the history of the United States. Don't be surprised if you watch it a few times!

This review, however, is of the Special Edition DVD. Disc 1 is the standard movie playable in a regular set top DVD player hooked up to your TV. Disc 2, however, contains a high definition 720p version of the film for playback on a fast computer. At first glance of the DVD cover and the generic instructions included inside, one realizes that a fairly recent and rather powerful PC is required. Okay, for a fair number of us, that's not a problem, and it was not a problem in my case. For those of you with a PC slower than 2.4Ghz, your computer doesn't even meet the minimum requirements.

So, I was fairly excited to see what such high definition playback looked like on my 2.8Ghz PC. I noticed that there was no 1080p version of the film on the disc, as the generic instruction card inside the DVD case indicated, but I later realized that the instructions were indeed that, generic, and simply didn't apply to this particular title. Okay, at this point, the documentation goes from bad to absolute crap extremely quickly.

Putting the disc into my DVD-ROM player began Autoplay. Well, immediately an ActiveX control error appeared and suggested I look at www.wmvhd.com for a solution. Actually, that website couldn't have any less technical support for this problem than if it had been written in Latin with a black pen on a black wall and viewed in pitch darkness. Trudging through the Microsoft website links off the main WMVHD page gives precious little useful information, so after Googling on the problem for a while, I found out that this whole scenario is a Microsoft marketing ploy to sell its five-year-old Digital Rights Management scheme to content providers to eliminate media piracy. Wow, talk about shooting the baby when dumping out the bath water. This DRM anti-piracy product is downright draconian in its implementation.

Setting all ActiveX controls, cookies, and security/privacy settings to the lowest possible did not resolve the ActiveX error, nor did disabling my Anti-Virus, Firewall, or anti-Spyware software. Hunting through the Microsoft Support Knowledgebase came up totally empty. Good grief, is this technology ever poorly documented and supported even in house!

Well, after some more Googling, I finally found a piece of advice in an AV forum to just run the main movie file directly from Windows Media Player, but AFTER running the License Registration executable in the root of the DVD directory. Running licgen.exe doesn't appear to do much at first, but apparently it will authorize the playback of the main movie file by unlocking the key encrypted within it.

Okay, at this point, surely one is thinking "Hey, I finally get to see this movie on DVD in high def on my PC". Well, yes, you do, but here's the kicker: THE PLAYBACK LICENSE EXPIRES IN 9 DAYS!!! While the movie is playing in Windows Media Player and looking and sounding nice and pretty, right-click on the filename in the playlist column on the right of the screen and look at the License information. Sure enough, you'll see that there is a limited duration playback period! What in the world?????? Where was this stated on the DVD packaging anywhere?

Truly pondering if this scheme meant that disc 2 of this special edition amounted to some sort of a self-destructing DVD, I ran the license request executable the next day to see if the playback duration would get reset, but no, it didn't.

Keep in mind that none of these limitations are clearly documented anywhere in the online product description, on or in the DVD box, or even anywhere prominently on the WMVHD website. However, if you dig far enough off of that website into the Microsoft sales information for why content providers should use DRM software, it becomes quickly apparent how very anti-consumer this anti-piracy scheme really is, especially as it concerns limiting the playback options for a movie DVD that is not at all advertised in good faith as having such restrictions.

So, whether or not this High Definition DVD ends up being a frisbie in a week remains to be seen, but the poor support and documentation in getting the movie to run in the first place only to learn that it may be self-destructing is absolutely inexcusable. I wonder for this particular release if National Geographic even fully understands what they are selling here.

Again, the movie content itself is terrific. This MS WMV HD DRM DVD, however, is beyond bizarre.

Save your money
There is very little historical information in this DVD. They omitted the number of persons that began the trip, the number of boats and they did they tell anything about what equipment and goods they took along. It may be interesting for someone who never heard of Lewis and Clark nor heard anything about their journey but for the average person it is boring. There are some good scenes along the way but they are generally out takes that do not fit in with the trip. It appears to have been produced by someone that had little knowledge and little interest about the significance of the expedition. National Geographic can do much better!

Four Stars for Your Viewing Pleasure
The photography is superb, and the action and sound are enough to keep viewers of all ages engaged. As an Imax movie, this is designed for the eyes and ears, and towards those goal, it provides a great experience. Don't purchase this with an expectation of learning much about history, however. While the general course of the expedition is followed, the short length of the film severely limit the needed details to describe the journey. ... Read more

Description

Provides a behind-the-scenes look, with unprecedented access, into life inside the Vatican. With rare footage of secret archives, private chapels and papal quarters, the program explores the Vatican's long, powerful history, and the unique traditions and ceremonies that have survived for nearly 2000 years. Accounts from Vatican officiants, historians and devoted individuals who work closely with the Pope John Paul II provide privilieged insight into the inner workings of one of the richest wonders of the world. 60 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great insights
This DVD provides great insights into the Vatican and the role of the pope. This video tells a great story with pictures.

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE HOLY SEE
Gain behind-the scenes access to the See of Peter in National Geographic's INSIDE THE VATICAN. This documentary provides an unprecedented view of the inner workings of the Church, such as the election of a new Pope, enlistment of Swiss Guards, the ordination of Archbishops, the restoration of priceless works of art, and a history of the Papacy and its critical role in the development of Western civilization.

The Papacy has its beginnings with St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and leader of the formative Church. He is the first Pope, who ministered the flock in Rome at the time of Nero, and was martyred at Vatican Field in a circus in the outskirts of the city. The disciples recovered his body and buried it in the same field, which became a center of pilgrimage in the ensuing centuries. The exact spot of his crucifixion was preserved by tradition, and is now marked by an altar. Constantine the Great built a basilica at the site of his tomb, which has been replaced with the magnificent renaissance structure of today.
One can see for the first time the original tomb of Saint Peter, which had been lost for centuries and has been rediscovered only a few decades ago, right under the main altar of today's basilica.

Of particular interest are the priceless documents from the last two millennia in the Vatican's Secret Archives. One can see letters from Michelangelo to Pope Julius II, the request of Henry VIII for the annulment of his marriage (this was denied, and led to the formation of the Anglican Church), and even a demand from the Mongol Emperor that the Pope pay homage to him! (Of course, denied.)

Great attention is given into a "normal" day in the Vatican: the restoration of priceless tapestries by Raphael; the cleaning of Bernini's colossal baldachino; meetings of international figures with the Vicar of Christ. In addition, one can see the blessed ministry of Pope John Paul II, a man of great compassion. Particularly moving is footage of his visit to a leper colony in Korea: the Holy Father embraces and kisses these poor souls, not shying from their diseased flesh, but rather sharing with them the love of Christ.

Truly the Gates of Hell have not endured against Christ's Church. The successors of Peter have served the Church, and will continue doing so, throughout the ages. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Ideal for teaching about the Vatican and Papacy
Every teacher of the Catholic faith to young adults and adults should incorporate this DVD into their classes. It is so unusual to see the Catholic faith presented without an agenda -- and this succeeds. Everything is clearly explained and given a historical context. I was impressed with the archival newsreel footage incorporated into the explanation of the papal elections.

Fascinating!
I found this dvd very entertaining and informative. It is a fascinating look into the operations of the most visited place in the world. The beauty and grandeur of the place especially the priceless paintings and artifacts have made the Vatican the most valuable wealth of historical information available. The dvd is great! National Geographic has done a great presentation of the Vatican and great to watch especially if you have never been there. This dvd is a great addition to any dvd collection.

Well researched!
This video is an excellent video to show students, young adults as well as adults who want to know more about their faith and how did the Vatican came to be. I think it is also encourage anyone who is interested or curious about the Cathoilc faith to take a preview of the video. The video decribes how an ordination happens at Saint Peters, what actually goes on during an ordination. The video also decribed a Blessed and is story and how one day, he could become a Saint by the Pope. Finally, once a Pope dies, a new Pope must be elected, the video will cover that as well. The pictures of the Vatican are just awesome. I've been to Rome before, and these pictures just bring back memories. Also, I forgot to mention, the Swiss Guards. The video goes into how one becomes a guard for the Pope and there uniform. You must buy it or at least rent it if you can. The Pope is seen in several frames thoughout the video. ... Read more

Description

From National Geographic Television and Thirteen/WNET New York, Africa is a groundbreaking eight-hour series captured over two years of filming in 11 countries.

This epic series presents Africa through the eyes of its people, conveying the diversity and beauty of the land and the compelling personal stories of the people who shape its future.

Africa contains eight hours plus one-hour bonus program, "The Making of Africa." ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An extraordinary voyage
This series is absolutely stunning in many ways. First and foremost, the cinematography is breathtaking, from the verist handheld shots to the almost abstract compositions of aerial 90 degree and macro shots. Ron Fricke's Baraka has had a lot of influence on the documentary genre, and there are plenty of Baraka-type moments in here, with assorted new age-ish world music pastiches to support them.
But show is not all there is. The script is beautifully written, with just the right balance between narration and interviews, and editing that lets the product breathe, and the viewer reflect. The agility with which the episodes branch out from the story of individuals to natural, historical, social and cultural references is impressive. And amazingly, you never loose touch with reality, since the documentary's transcendence lies upon the day-to-day lives and thoughts of its subjects.
You also feel the respect the crews had for their subjects, and the «making of» bonus shows it well. Ethnological research ethics are respected, in a world where ethical rules towards the «Other» are too often pushed aside by the greed of producers and researchers.
All in all an amazing document to be viewed over and over again. This is one boxset I highly recommend.

This is Full Screen
I was just about to order this set, but just before checkout i realized that Amazon is only offering this in the FULL SCREEN Version.
Unfortunately, I am not willing to watch this wonderful series with sides cut off............

FIVE STARS for the Content

Africa- GOD'S GIFT
Two Words. National Geographic. I subscribed to the magazine, saw the atlas, and rented the movies at the Anna Lemmon Wheelock Library in Tacoma very frequently. National Geographic took us through the enchanted Amazon, and great cities like Rome, Baghdad, and Sydney. They took us through the terrifing wars of Iraq and explored the top of K2 and Mount Everest. They did documentaries on cats, tigers, lions, lizards, and traveled with Steve Irwin through Australia. Now they take on the biggest challenge yet. AFRICA "GOD'S GIFT".

I call Africa "God's Gift" because in my prospective, he did something special with it. Every continent has something special to it but Africa has a little bit more. It was featured on CBS's "Survivor Africa" as they went through exciting challenges and tasks in Kenya. The northern part of Africa, now in a country called "Egypt", had ancient lands in early times. The people built sphinxs, prymids and had very hard jobs which they did for most of the day for little or no pay.

National Geographic did their best for this and accomplished their mission at the same time. Their mission for "Africa" was to get a television special and feature Africa's best features. I can definatley tell you, that if you want to see something neat and experiance Africa at the same time, this is for you.

Don't get overeactive about this it is a great special but, you shouldn't get carried away. OK maybye you can get carried away. It's wonderful without a doubt and shows everything about this splendid continent.

Give it a try. Go ahead!

Have a good life America!,
Jeffrey Alan Cote'
(brazilgamer_tacomawa)

Wonderfully touching
This DVD series uses a refreshing and unique way to tell the story of the people, places and animals of Africa. The personal stories were touching, the landscapes were breathtaking and the close up on the animals was just amazing.

I was very happy to see a series that did not just identify what's wrong with Africa, but took the time to tell us so much of what is right and is worth saving and exploring. Timely indeed!!!

In so many ways this was more than just a documentary. This in-depth and honest look probably saved all the other documentaries or books that are about Africa.

I am glad to see that so many Africans are proud of their culture, many preserve it in so many ways and yet realize that some changes are necessary to keep pace in a global environment.

Thanks to all the wonderful people from the different countries on that beautiful continent that allowed me to peek into their lives. I am eternally grateful. Thanks also to the wonderful crew that did all the work to bring such remarkable stories into my living room. It was well worth the hard work. It was just wonderfully touching!!!

Some serious problems, and lacking extras?
From the technical point of view, the images are crisp and the sound is excellent. However, this series was shot on film, and transfer to the NTSC 29.97 frame rate just isn't good. I think the PAL version must be so much better. As a result, there are many shots where motions are jerky. I am not talking about the timelapse, ok? Those are very well done!

Second issue is that this compilation has no extras except the 1-hour "bonus" making-off, and soem web links. Where are the directors' commentary? Where are the multiple languages? The whole series doesn't even have subtitle!? This is such a shame. If you have seen an IMAX DVD before, you know what I mean, they pack so much extras into their DVDs, like 4-5 languages, closed captioned for the Hearing Impaired, trailers etc. Africa is a wonderful collection, only marred by its lack of extras, which are already becoming essentials in DVDs these days. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Important and entertaining
Edited by Edward Norton, this PBS series takes a look at the ways in which man has unintentionally altered his environment for the worse.Some examples include hermaphrodite frogs resulting from water pollution, out of control plant life which threatens the survival of ecosystems, and overfishing and its relation to coral reef degradation.

While this series is quite informative, it is also entertaining.Norton lends a good, serious narrative to the series, and though the series presents the audience with disasterous (or potentially disasterous) scenarios, the segments usually end with a success story or a glimmer of hope.For instance, one scientist engineers a plant to absorb, or "eat", the mercury which is polluting the waters.Another segment ends with a private farmer demonstrating environmentally-friendly farming techniques to preserve local water integrity.

Highly recommended.I doubt this series has the entertainment value to hold a young teenager's (or younger) attention for long, but anyone with even a passive interest in biology and/or the environment should be pleased with this series. ... Read more

Description

Go inside the world's most elite, top secret strike force.Their mission is unique, targeted, dangerous...and only National Geographic will go deep into the secret world of US Special Operations.Follow Special Forces into battle and on secret missions in Afghanistan and Iraq as they face situations where honed skill, finely tuned instincts and split-second decision making are the difference between success and failure...between life and death. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I liked it , good overview.
Its exactly what it says. Its inspiring ,focused and honest. Good if your a military buff. I keep watching it.

pseudo-documentary
The information value of this so called documentary approaches 0.

No info on organisation, units, equipment or vehicles.
No maps of the places they supposedly are operating in.
No coherent story line for this documentary.

The people they interview, except Gen. Boykin, might just as well
be members of some militia, by the way they dress, act and talk.

The takes of the people are not very convincing,
the people may be dressed in military garb and have
all the latest M4 mods and Blackhawk webbing
but their stance and bearing is not befitting a war zone.
They lounge around and pose on their Hummers
like in a cheap war flic.
Either the locations were totally devoid of enemy or
the people are actually members of your local paintball club and
the scenes were shot in Texas.

The interviews are bad and have no informational value.
The scenes with the "operatives" are boring and have 0 action.

All in all very disappointing, I'm afraid.

Better purchase a military documantary from Discovery.com.

The one on US Navy SEAL BUD/S training is quite good and
would serve as a fine example how a documentary may be produced.

The Truth at Last
Forget the fiction you've seen. The men in this film are the real deal. This graphic documentary is first-rate. You meet these Special Ops characters up close and personal. You go with these guys and follow their story from the streets of Iraq and the deserts of Afghanistan to their secret headquarters. What's particularly great is that they are often far from what you'd expect. But it makes you feel better to know they're there. This film also traces the history of Special Forces. If I had one complaint, I would have liked to have seen more interviews with the individual troops. But overall this film delivers big time.

A MUST SEE
Goddamn this dvd is the best military documentary footage ive seen so far. it goes deep inside of the US Special Ops and great actions of the Green Beret in Afghanistan and Irag. The most 2 exciting parts in this dvd are when US Special Ops fight against the uprising prisoners in Afghanistan and the hunt for Saddam and and weapons in Irag during the recent Gulf War. I highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Good Look at the Conclusion of the Adoption Process
This DVD is polished and interesting to watch.It is a great tool for showing people why one might want to adopt from China and what the process looks like when it's all done.(It doesn't represent well the 12 months or more of preparation, paperwork and expense that led up to receiving a little girl.)

I could argue pro's and con's with the other reviewers about some of the faults they found in the program--and it certainly isn't a perfect product--but I think the producers did a very good job within the constraints of the medium and time alloted.I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone who is interested in the subject of adoption from China.

Good DVD on China Adoption
I thought that this DVD was good too. Like one of the reviewers mentioned, it would have been interesting if they'd covered the reasons why people adopt from China as opposed to the US. I think the reason the film didn't go into it is because you could have an entire separate DVD on those reasons. (For example, I think you have to prove a certain amount of heritage for a given tribe or nation in order to adopt a Native American child.)
Some of those issues would take away from the China focus. Plus, every person has their own personal reasons for adopting as they do. The adoption process is not an easy one, and there are a lot of factors at stake for the adoptive parents as well as the child. That's too much ground to cover, I think.

pretty good
(I did not see this dvd but saw the TV presentation.I am assuming the dvd does not have extra footage, which may be an incorrect assumption.)

I personally enjoyed it as an adoptive father of a girl born in China.In fact we met our daughter for the very first time in the exact same room shown on this video in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province.How could I not like this?

They did a much better editing job on their footage than I did on my footage!!But I still like my video better :)

Especially moving to me is the mother who puts up a poster proclaiming to whoever might see it (hopefully the birth mother) that the girl she adopted is doing fine.Then a discussion ensues with local people.I wish I could find my daughter's birth mother.

Also moving is the footage of the foster mother sobbing because the adoptive mother did not bring the girl to see her one last time.I understand why the new mother didn't bring her - it would have been VERY painful one more time for her daughter - but it made me think of the kind looking woman who raised our daughter for the first year of her life.We have a few pictures of her and my daughter but were unable to meet her or to contact her - still to this day.

They could have added so much more, as the first reviewer said, but for what it is - it is good.Kind of glossy and feel good and cable channel quality - but still good - it does in fact hit the painful issues of previous mothers and the problem of the lack of girls in China and what that will mean in the near future for Chinese society.

Some of my fellow adopters had strong feelings about parts of the movie - the footage of the foster mother in particular.But, I don't remember their points well and would not want to speak for them.

And I agree about the Lucy Liu comment being innappropriate - especially considering this footage was professionally edited with a person of Chinese descent in charge!Oh well.If Ms. Ling didn't mind - should I?

All in all - if you are considering adopting from China - well worth the look.Not real deep but interesting.

feel-good piece that should have covered more
Lisa Ling supposedly analyzes the phenomenon of American (solely white Americans here) adopting Chinese girls.This work is meant to show that the process is perfectly complimentary.Chinese girls need parents and American adults want children: the push factors are presented as equal to the pull factors here.Americans are teary-eyed about seeing their adoptive daughters for the first time and older Chinese-American girls are interviewed saying how happy they are to be in their current living situation.Many of the American parents have Southern twangs in this documentary, but there is no discussion on whether transnational adoption is more frequent in different regions of the United States.The film pays especial attention to gender oppression in China.It covers the "bare branches" dynamic in which the predominance of boys will lead to a lack of wives for the next generation of Chinese men.This work is clearly meant to make adopting Americans and adopted Chinese-American girls feel good about themselves.Lisa Ling, tacitly, stands as the bridge between the two parties.She symbolizes what these adopted girls can become.As a Chinese-American happily overseeing this process, it is as if she metaphorically gives her stamp of approval to this process.

But one of the crucial points in the piece happened near the end.A white American father says to Lisa Ling, "I'll see you next time on 'Ally McBeal.'"Lisa Ling tries to blow the comment off, but it smacks of very problematic racist-sexism.Yes, Lucy Liu and Lisa Ling share similar initials and Chinese ancestry.They even share the real name/stage name "Ling."Still, to lump the few Asian-American women in the media together is problematic.This smacks of the racist idea that "All Asians look alike."If the American man who made the comment is going to raise a Chinese-American girl then I am really afraid for girls of color in our country.

And thus, my concern is that this film does not cover the entire phenomena of adoption across borders and identities.While China is shown as irritated by their daughters, there is no discussion of why American parents are adopting abroad, rather than at home.Thousands of black, Native American, and Latino boys go unadopted in the United States every year and this film never asks the parents why they did not choose those children.Yes, one mother sends her daughter to Chinese dance lessons.However, these American parents never answer whether they have Asian-American friends or are sensitive to Asian-American issues.There is no probing into whether these adoptive parents truly support racial and gender diversity and equality in the US.I am worried that an Orientalism is being practiced here where Asian girls are stereotyped as "obedient" and "a model minority" to be molded by American hands.You can feel this dread when Lisa Ling looks at a Chinese baby girl and coos, "I want one."You would have thought she was talking about a pet, not a person.Further, she never says "I want to raise an Asian female, i.e. like myself."She never says, "Oh yeah, then again, if I were to have biological children, they'd be Chinese regardless."While Chinese practices are condemned, racism in America is never brought up.American parents never state what they will do to protect their new daughters from anti-Asian sentiment on our side of the Pacific.

Adoption is a win-win situation in which children in need unite with desiring parents.However, this documentary showed a skewed view of the process.I wish it had dug deeper and looked at all aspects of this matter.This issue is too important to be left as just a "feel-good" presentation. ... Read more

Description

Discover the devastating powers of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes and other earth-shattering forces of nature in dramatic scenes of destruction and inspiring human courage captured by the acclaimed filmmakers of National Geographic. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A decent exploration of Mother Nature and global weather
The Restless Earth Collection by National Geographic explores aspects of natural disasters, space phenomena (asteroids), and weather systems that affect our world throughout our lives. Spread out over 3 discs, the material is presented in a well narrated, matter of fact approach that keeps your interest throughout the programs.

'Asteroids: Deadly Impact' explores the history of asteroid and comet strikes on our planet and speculates on what future consequences we might experience when (the law of averages are we will be hit again someday) that impact occurs. Interviews with experts on heavenly bodies and our solar system reveal interesting information regarding our ever changing galaxy.

'Volcano: Nature's Inferno' is an excellent documentary on the massive and awesome display of incredible power harnessed by the earth. Volcanologists are followed to various areas of the globe where they research, report on, and study some of the earth's most active volcanoes. There is really impressive footage of lava flows, eruptions, landslides, and avalanches. A bonus feature on this disc is 'Into the Volcano' where a seasoned photographer and his crew venture close to active volcanoes and craters and record amazing footage.

The last and most interesting disc in this collection, in my opinion, is 'Nature's Fury'. Here is a no holds barred look at earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. The overwhelming power and devastation of these natural disasters have to be seen to be believed and it is truly astonshing in almost all cases. This disc documents Mother Nature releasing her fury in locations throughout the globe and how science is working today to better understand what causes these disasters to happen and how we can better prepare for it. Two bonus programs on this disc are 'Tornado Hunters' and 'Lightning Strikes', both are interesting and offer decent material.

All in all, National Geographic has produced a nice collection here that doesn't disappoint. The DVD footage is very clear and impressive and each disc offers Dolby 5.1 Surround which sounds really good. If there is any down side at all, it may be that more footage would have been nice of the natural disasters (tornadoes, hurricanes) and that is my reason for only 4 stars. Still, for the asking price, this is a worthwhile purchase if you enjoy this subject material. Recommended. ... Read more

Description

Relive the most spellbinding scenes from our television documentaries of exploration and delivery. Year: 1994 ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Nothing new, but it doesn't matter
With 30 years of some of the best documentaries around to choose material from, it scarcely matters that there is no new footage. The narration seamlessly bridges the gaps between the various shorts from National Geographic specials of the past. I wasn't sure what to expect, since it is essentially teasers of other films, but this is a great film in its own right.

We got the film for our little boys, and they've loved it from day one. My older son is learning a lot about the differing relationships of the natural world, and the broad expanse of this film is perfect for him. It never gets bogged down in the mundane, but it also panders to a long attention span. This is a big difference from the National Geographic videos intended specifically for kids. They tend to be the same basic idea...cut footage from older films, but cut so that there is no footage of animals eating each other, no mating, and it is interspersed with unneccesary music videos and cutesy animation. Even with Dudley Moore's narration, it can't compete. Skip the kid stuff and give your kids the real thing.

A wonderful compilation of highlights...you'll want more...
This video definitely holds up to repeat viewing. It offers a wealth of information on a wide variety of subjects and could easily have been an hour longer.

National Geographic really hit the mark with this video. Although it's a promotional tool, it stands on its own merits as an educational, entertaining, family video.

Immense educational value, absolutely delightful
This was probably the best purchase I ever made on amazon. I'd recommend it to anybody.. especially families with children.

Creme de la creme!
If you buy this DVD, you'll end up owning a lot more National Geographic Videos. And that's a good thing!

Sure, it a teaser. And there is no new material. It's a compilation made out of the best of their other movies. All their movies are good, so this one is the creme de la creme!

One new thing that this film does do...is drive home the point what an incredible organization they have been over the years...and how wonderful their films have been. As I watchd the movies, the voices of the narrators, particularly Jaques Cousteau, brings back memories of watching these films as a child.

And there are some crazy and totally memorable scenes...the little lizard running across the water...the spider and the tarantula...the lions...the elepahants....I could go on and on.

You'll love it...go ahead, buy it...you'll cherish it!

INCREDIBLE
This movie will be one of the cults of natural geographic's. The subjects differ from dancers to insects. I think everybody can find something about himself in this dvd. Sound quality and scenes are perfect. Extra features (pictures, cameramen dared movie)are good. This movie must be in all documentary lovers' library. ... Read more

Description

Take a comprehensive look at Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the military buildup and the shock and awe campaign to the fire-fight in Basra and the toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue.With spectacular footage never before seen in the U.S. and first-hand accounts of soldiers, reporters and National Geographic's award-winning production team, 21 Days to Baghdad will feature an exclusive, insider's look at the war strategy that ultimately drove Saddam Hussein from Baghdad. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Visuals
This is a very good documentary even if the content is too liberal. What I enjoyed about it was the stunning visuals. True to the character of National Geographic the photography was simply excellent. I would recommend this video for that reason alone.

Documentaries are by nature presenting a point of view and this one is the typical liberal media outlook on war - any war - and very poor in its overall analysis of the results of achieving victory and what that will mean for the war on terrorism. Few documentaries I have ever seen go very deeply into what the causes and results of wars may be. Nothing is mentioned of the disruption of the flow of large sums of money to the terrorist or the denial of a large bureaucratic structure to the terror organizations etc. Typical superficial view of war and the practical realities behind the fighting.

But you can't beat the visuals. And what, after all, is the main reason for watching something on the screen? Visuals. The pictures are what this video is all about and worth every dime to see the footage shot.

The filming and narration is handled well. Tight and well edited all the way. I wish other documentaries would edit and control the flow of the documentary as well as this one. Good job.

okay, but not outstanding documentary
While not a complete disappointment, this documentary could have been much better. Admittedly the filmmakers manage to cram quite a lot of information in the rather brief running time (1 hour), but it is too short.
After a very brief introduction about the reasons that led to this military conflict, 21 DAYS TO BAGHDAD shifts aboard carrier
vessel USS TARAWA, where we see marines training for the upcoming combat. The US strategy focussing on high tech, flexiblity and special forces is explained. Officers explain weatherforcast for military purposes. Then 21 DAYS TO BAGHDAD
details the story of this successful military campaign in day by day form. While we get to see all the familiar aspects of the conflict (the "shock and awe" aerial bombardments starting the war on 20/3, sandstorms delaying the advance of the Allied troops, the ludicrious antics of Iraqi "information" minister
Mohammed Saeed al Sahaf, Jessica Lynch's story, special forces operating behind enemy lines) a lot of the proceedings focus on an embedded journalist advancing with marines and a National
Geographic film team in Bagdad secretely filming the aerial bombardments. I was particularly impressed by this footage. I was also impressed by the combat footage, where marines fought for a bridge with Iraqi soldiers.
Again, there is a lot of information in this documentary, but in my view it lacks depth.
Extra features are impressive, but, once again, lack depth. There are bonus interviews with the journalists, which are quite interesting. They comment how they managed to film the aerial bombardments on the sly from the balcony of their hotel and the experience of being in the field together with the marine unit. There is also a feature called Interactive War Zone Map (= a day by day account of important events of the war with troop movements shown on a map.) Sounds interesting, but I wish the map would have been more detailed. An option to zoom in would also have been welcomed by me. Then there is a Tools of the War feature (files on war vehicles and weapons). It is divided into 3 sections (air, land, weapons). The e.g. weapon section consists of files on the following:
* GPS-guided bomb
* laserguided bomb
* cruise missile
* Javelin anti-tank missile
* bunker buster bomb
However, do not expect too much. Each "file" consists of a single image and a very brief description.
Rounding up the extra section of the DVD are three trailers for other National Geographic DVDs: INSIDE THE PENTAGON, VIETNAM`S UNSEEN WAR (about the conflict from the Vietnamese perspective; this indeed looks quite interesting) and LEWIS AND CLARKE: GREAT JOURNEY WEST.

Boring, superficial..
This DVD had very little new information about gulf war II, and was essentially just summing up the major events.

It was also very low in technical content and veeery us-centric.
The battle of Basra was scarcely mentioned, let alone the british use of Alarms to loiter above Baghdad, knocking out AA radars as they came online.
I would have liked to see something more about the use of the B52's as cruise missile platforms, or more about the in-flight retargeting of planes. Something special about the conflict was the astonishingly low time from target aquisition, to coalition planes being able to put steel on target.

The dvd is also high on interviews, and low on action footage.

This is probably a nice dvd for military fanboys with low technical knowledge...but for the rest of us this is a thing to avoid. I bet anyone having served or serving in the armed forces will find this dvd shallow and superficial.

21 Days To Baghdad
The minute that I started watching this I wouldn't stop until it was over. It had me very interested. I think that I liked it so much because I have a lot of friends in the military and they are al over in Irag right now. If you haven't seen this DVD you should watch it. Rather than watching it, you should buy it. It is well worth the money that you have to pay. I wish that there was more videos/DVDs like this one.

A compelling look at Operation Iraqi Freedom
National Geographic has done itself proud in its production of the three most critical weeks of military action in Iraq. Beginning at the launch point in Kuwait and following through to the culmination of the military offensive in Baghdad, the American war machine is analyzed and showcased in much detail.

Using footage never seen by the American public, a comprehensive picture is drawn of a decisive, although ambiguous military victory. State of the art technology, advanced weapons systems, Special Forces operations, and military tactics demonstrate the outstanding abilities of the United States armed forces in achieving their objectives. Interviews with ground forces, military experts, and journalists show the emotional side of the conflict and how it affected those involved.

Relegating itself less to politics and more to wartime operational aspects, 21 Days to Baghdad is a solid, in-depth, and superb documentary on the campaign to oust the regime of Saddam Hussein.

This DVD offers outstanding audio and video qualities and comes with 3 good special features which consist of an interactive war zone map, tools of war fact files, and bonus programming with special interviews. For any and all viewers interested in the depth of Operation Iraqi Freedom, this is an excellent account from start to finish. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This DVD is a must!
For anyone who wants to attend West Point, this DVD series is an absolute necessity. It follows cadets through thier incredibly difficult plebe year. The DVD gives amazing insight to life at the United States Military Academy. ... Read more

Description

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay made history as the first people to reach the top of Everest. Now, 50 years later, three sons of Everest's most celebrated climbers return to the mountain to challenge it again. Join their journey as they brave the elements and face death to climb 29,000 feet of wind-blasted rock and ice. And, relive the dramatic history of Everest from great triumphs to deadly tragedies, enduring rivalries and the unsung role of the Sherpa people - as National Geographic exposes the untold stories that lurk in the mountain's epic shadow and takes you on THE ultimate Everest experience. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Visual Delight
Documentary manages to capture the history, spirit, beauty, and danger of the world's highest peak. Would have receive 5 stars were it not for the slightly haphazard story line, however the film is visually stunning and this alone is worth the purchase price.

Another one for the collection
I have 7 Everest DVD's and this one is towards the top of the list. Very enjoyable and pretty well written/scripted, and the historical side of the story is educational too. Basically, a fairly solid and more than satisfactory documentary as one would expect from National Geographic. If you plan to choose an Everest DVD for family viewing then this is, in my opinion, the one to get. Some of the others are either too technical or scary for younger family members.

Just misses the summit
This film tries to do a lot by covering 50 years of Everest history by putting the sons of the mountain's pioneers in position for a summit attempt.
Because of its premise, the story line jumps around a bit, flashing back through history then moving ahead to the struggles of Peter Hillary and Brent Bishop in trying to follow their fathers' footsteps up Everest.
The concept is strained because Jamling Norgay, the third of the "sons to confront the mountain," goes no farther than base camp, having promised his family he would never try for the summit again after making the 1996 IMAX film and the disaster detailed in "Into Thin Air."
Still, "50 Years on the Mountain" provides a glimpse into the incredible logistics, danger and heartache Everest has meant since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first reached the top in 1953.
Through incredible photography of the mountain's icy slopes and knife-edge ridges, it becomes clear just how heroic that first climb was, considering Hillary and Norgay were completely alone on the final approach.
Today, Sherpas pave the way, fixing ropes over the Hillary Step and all the way to the summit ...
One of the most moving segments of the film involves the controversy over which of the two men actually placed his boot on the summit first, a fact Hillary, the only of the two still alive, has not even told his son.
The Sherpas interviewed throughout provide some of the most interesting views of the mountain; we get a glimpse of how their lives have changed -- for better and worse -- since the Hillary-Norgay climb.
But, again, because this film tries to do so much, the viewer gets teased by this facet of Everest, but is left wanting a little bit more.
That said, "50 Years," is still a welcome addition to the library of any armchair mountaineer. ... Read more

Description

Join National Geographic for a privileged look inside the centers of US presidential power and military might.With exclusive access to restricted areas and personal interviews with Presidents and military leaders, you'll enjoy an insider's view as National Geographic explores the history behind and the challenges before our American institutions. This special National Geographic Collection available on DVD for the first time includes Inside the White House, Inside the Pentagon, and Air Force One. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Already Dated
These DVD's are already dated! "Inside Air Force One" and "Inside the White House" are both back in the Clinton era, and there is much too much fawning about Bill and Hillary. "Inside the Pentagon" is more recent, however it is well before the Second Gulf War, and the revolutions that that war has seen in the area of freeing a country without destroying its civilian population or destroying its intrastructure. While these DVD's are appropriate for children, they are too dated for most adults. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In its usual engrossing fashion, National Geographic presents The Incredible Human Body. Starting with the science of conception, this special takes you from one couple's journey through in-vitro fertilization to the removal of a man's brain tumor (while he is awake!) to the amazing memory of London cab drivers. Our body consists of 206 bones, 650 muscles, and a heart that will beat three billion times in our lifetime. How and why does our body develop the way it does? DNA expert J. Craig Venter says, "It's just like solving a jigsaw puzzle, only the jigsaw puzzle in our case has 27 million pieces [and] it came in a very big box and there was no picture on the cover." The Incredible Human Body explores how the brain and body interact to not only function, but adapt and learn. Narrated by actress Kate Burton, The Incredible Human Body is a fascinating lesson in mind-body interaction. --Dana Van Nest ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Best Geographic Video I've Seen
I gotta say that this is the best National Geographic video I've seen and I have a whole bunch on my video shelf. The animation is fantastic. I'll remember the story of the school teacher and his brain tumor as long as I live. I also liked seeing behind this scenes of thast basketball team as it was something I hadn't seen before. I highly reccommend this video.

Amazon.com.uk have a much better option...
The Human Body is a good theme, but this one is "no-so-good" approach (very rare, because NGS make very good videos). The better documentary I ever seen about it, is the Dr. Winston's The Human Body, from BBC. Only available from Amazon.com.uk (please American Amazon's friends, what do you are waiting). I recommend to wait.....believe in me !.

Below the average
I thought this DVD slightly below an average National Geographic video once there is more personal dramas than scienfic information. However I was moved by the story of a teacher with a brain tumor and his family anxiety.

An Incredible DVD on the Incedible Human Body
I found this DVD fascinating. It is a great blend of live footage, real life stories and beautiful animation. There is a fun sequence on the brain's of London cab drivers which is followed by a very moving portrait of a school teacher in need of brain surgery. You also get to see the actual conception of a baby and then follow the pregnancy at every step. I was with it every step of the way. By the way, I also really liked the narrator, Kate Burton. ... Read more

Description

Three best-selling World War II titles in a DVD collector?s set for the first time ever. Experience compelling stories of America?s most extraordinary generation of heroes! Titles are: Untold Stories of WWII, The Battle for Midway, and Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack. ... Read more

Description

Inside Mecca presents the most intimate and three-dimensional documentation of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and sheds light on the universal principles of Islam during the days of the Hajj. Learn the historical significance of the city to Muslim and non-Muslim populations alike. And, experience the epic journey of a lifetime, the Hajj, as we witness the personal stories of the pilgrims and the mental preparation, physical strain and spiritual ecstasy they encounter on their life-altering pilgrimage of faith. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful View of the Hajj and Mecca from 3 Perspectives
This is a wonderful documentary of the Hajj with an inside view of the sacred city of Mecca. As a teacher of religious studies, I have seen several good documentary depictions of Mecca, but this is the best I have seen as it gives the viewer the perspective of a woman from Texas, a man from South Africa, and a man from Malaysia. This documentary takes the viewer on the Hajj, recounting the preparation for the Hajj, the journey to Mecca, and the various rituals associated with this Pillar of Islam. Most interestingly, the viewer learns about the meaning of the Hajj for the Muslim pilgrim. I HIGHLY recommend this DVD! ... Read more

Description

Travel around the world for a firsthand look at volcanoes - perhaps the most dazzling but destructive natural force on earth. Massive volcanic eruption can turn day into night, releasing the power of an atomic blast, spewing toxic avalanches of lava, gas, and ash. National Geographic Video transports you to some of the world's most notorious volcanoes, including Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines and Japan's Mount Unzen. Join volcanologists in their dangerous quest to forecast eruptions and save lives and experience the explosive excitement and human drama surrounding volcanoes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Real Toasted Coast!
This is one of NGs better productions - partially because the subject itself is so fascinating - partially because of the spectacular footage of the eruptions of Mt Unzen (Japan) and the famous blast at Mt Pinatubo some years ago. Overall, the program gives a good general description of the geological issues, the different types of eruptive activity, as well as larger historical and disaster mitigation subjects. The material is well organized and presented. The DVD version is much better than the original VHS release, and has some additional programming of particular interest.

For all the "sound and fury" of some of Hollywood's recent forays into Volcano disaster movies - this one has the best "special effects" - it's all real!

For further reading (notwithstanding the technical nature of the contents), you should definately aquire the recently published Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (Haraldur Sigurdsson, et al. - Academic Press). Here's what truly lies beneath!

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

National Geographic journeys deep behind battle lines to experience a different side of the Vietnam War - the side seen only through the lenses of North Vietnamese photographers. Renowned British photojournalist Tim Page travels back to the land where he nearly lost his life to meet with North Vietnamese war photographers, revealing remarkable, never-before-seen photos and personal stories long hidden by time and tragedy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Good Documentary
A very good-emotional documentary of the Vietnam War, it's hard to imageine that someone could have so much heart of fighting a war( North Vietnamese). The Film show how the people fought against the American, most of all- how the media was running under the war. A photographer wash his films at night without dark room. A dangerous way of walk the film back to the North. And some images were too horified to look, like the one show what was left of a town after was bomb by US B-52. If someone think that ths documentary or a reinactment they not human- probably some dead animal that has no brain at all. Buy this- it's very good.

A joke at best
1st of all its only an hour long. There is less than a dozen "pictures from the other side" <----------------and these are STILL PICTURES. This reminded me of watching America's Most Wanted.....It had what seemed to be a ton of reinactments. ... Read more

Description

Step inside the imposing gates of the White House for a revealing visit to the most famous, yet mysterious building in America. Discover the human side of this legendary house in candid interviews with Presidents and First Ladies, and peek inside the families' rarely-seen private living quarters. Follow along as a small army of employees whirls behind the scenes in a frenzy of activity surrounding a major state dinner. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

review National Geographic's Inside the White House
Unusual and fascinating, follows a typical day in the White House, weaving together past and present, presidents and worker bees. My 6-year-old daughter was transfixed and so was I.

An excellent, in-depth view of the White House history!
This film was very well put together. Explaining the history of the White House that has never before been documented. A must see for any history and government enthusiast! ... Read more