1 comments about Touring Through Great National Parks of America, Vol. 2.

1. The idea of sightseeing in America's National Parks through the marvelous picture and sound of DVD is reason enough to be interested in a release like this. However, "Touring Through Great National Parks of America, Vol. 2," is a tad rough around the edges.

   While the picture quality is above average, it is not spectacular, and the sound tends to be a little muffled in the voice over. But, on the other end, it's hard not to be won over by the sheer beauty of parks like Shenandoah, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Zion, among others. The commentary is well researched and in depth, but also tends to be a bit slow at times.

   Overall, this DVD will delight frequent visitors to America's National Parks, serving as a postcard reminder of their magnificence. In addition, anyone interested in visiting some of America's National Parks will want to give this a try to help decide which one might be right for you.

   Not a perfect DVD, but informative none-the-less.

3 comments about Vivaldi - The Four Seasons - A Naxos Musical Journey.

1. When I first saw these music DVDs advertised I was bit worried about there not being any views of the orchestra playing - only pictures of scenes around Europe. Personally I like to SEE the orchestra playing because that is the nearest one can get to actually being at the performance. However, I was very surprised and pleased to see how well Naxos have done these DVDs. The picture quality is absolutely superb and is as pin sharp as one can get with the NTSC 525 line system. I'd love to see them if they are ever issued in the European PAL system with their higher resolution of 625 lines! The colours are brilliant, clean and natural.

   The sound is available in Dolby 5.1 and DTS and plain ol' stereo even though the stereo option is not mentioned on the cover. What I found nice was that I could change from 5.1 to DTS while the music was playing instead of having to stop the disk. Of interest to me was that the data rate when playing Dolby 5.1 was 448 kbps but in DTS the rate went up to 1,509 kbps - an increase of three times. This was definately noticeable in the playback quality where there the sound was crisper and cleaner. The cover states that the audio is remastered in Dolby Digital and DTS. What it doesn't say is what it's remastered FROM. This concerns me because unless the original recordings were made in Dolby Surround, how can one ever produce six channel surround from two channel stereo unless the original was multi-track recording? If anyone knows what system the original sound was recorded in, I'd like to hear from them.

   Now to the minus points! The cover states "Features E-Z Menu system for the most accessable navigation." Personally I think they should have called it Diff-ee-kult Menu System - because easy it is NOT until one gets used to it! On the cover, the tracks each have a number. On the disk they do NOT! The DVD player only ever indicates a "1" with the result that it's impossible to know which track is playing without stopping the disk. Another irritating thing is that the play time of a track can ONLY count up and not down. No totalising of the disk is allowed with the result that one can't see how much time is left or how much has been played. This may seem trivial, but I found it to be annoying as I like to see how much time is left when playing a track. The running time on the cover is 56 minutes and not the 85 minutes as stated by Amazon.com. What would also have been nice is for the title of the musical item being played to be displayed in small leters at the bottom of the screen as well as the location of the scene. The only way one can find out where the scene being shown is, is to go to "Menu" when the track changes to the next one and click on Travel Notes. The track being played is automatically highlighted.

   This Vivaldi disk is excellent. I've never been terribly keen on Vivaldi's Four Seasons, but this recording in DTS is excellent and is the first time I have ever really enjoyed this work. If I were to criticise the sound, it would be that there is perhaps a bit too much echo which gives the impression of being in a large hall. The scenes are mainly from around Italy and Switzerland are beautifully photographed. For example, on track eight there are a couple of lovely views taken from high up on a hillside looking down on the early morning mist filling the valley below, with the tops of the trees poking through the mist. On another track there are several exquisite scenes of the Chianti region in Tuscany.




2. When I first saw these music DVDs advertised I was bit worried about there not being any views of the orchestra playing - only pictures of scenes around Europe. Personally I like to SEE the orchestra playing because that is the nearest one can get to actually being at the performance. However, I was very surprised and pleased to see how well Naxos have done these DVDs. The picture quality is absolutely superb and is as pin sharp as one can get with the NTSC 525 line system. I'd love to see them if they are ever issued in the European PAL system with their higher resolution of 625 lines! The colours are brilliant, clean and natural.

   The sound is available in Dolby 5.1 and DTS and plain ol' stereo even though the stereo option is not mentioned on the cover. What I found nice was that I could change from 5.1 to DTS while the music was playing instead of having to stop the disk. Of interest to me was that the data rate when playing Dolby 5.1 was 448 kbps but in DTS the rate went up to 1,509 kbps - an increase of three times. This was definately noticeable in the playback quality where there the sound was crisper and cleaner. The cover states that the audio is remastered in Dolby Digital and DTS. What it doesn't say is what it's remastered FROM. This concerns me because unless the original recordings were made in Dolby Surround, how can one ever produce six channel surround from two channel stereo unless the original was multi-track recording?

   Now to the minus points! The cover states "Features E-Z Menu system for the most accessable navigation." Personally I think they should have called it Diff-ee-kult Menu System - because easy it is NOT until one gets used to it! On the cover, the tracks each have a number. On the disk they do NOT! The DVD player only ever indicates a "1" with the result that it's impossible to know which track is playing without stopping the disk. Another irritating thing is that the play time of a track can ONLY count up and not down. No totalising of the disk is allowed with the result that one can't see how much time is left or how much has been played. This may seem trivial, but I found it to be annoying as I like to see how much time is left when playing a track. The running time on the cover is 56 minutes and not the 85 minutes as stated by Amazon.com. What would also have been nice is for the title of the musical item being played to be displayed in small leters at the bottom of the screen as well as the location of the scene. The only way one can find out where the scene being shown is, is to go to "Menu" when the track changes to the next one and click on Travel Notes. The track being played is automatically highlighted.

   This Vivaldi disk is excellent. I've never been terribly keen on Vivaldi's Four Seasons, but this recording in DTS is excellent and is the first time I have ever really enjoyed this work. If I were to criticise the sound, it would be that there is perhaps a bit too much echo which gives the impression of being in a large hall. The scenes are mainly from around Italy and Switzerland are beautifully photographed. For example, on track eight there are a couple of lovely views taken from high up on a hillside looking down on the early morning mist filling the valley below, with the tops of the trees poking through the mist. On another track there are several exquisite scenes of the Chianti region in Tuscany.




3. I listened to this in my car, so I can't comment about the visuals. But I will say that the sound is very clear and open. Also, I personally enjoyed the performance, and I'm quite picky about the 4 seasons (love Trevor Pinnock/English Concert, didn't much care for Parrot/Taverner players if that helps)

No comments about Amazing Planet Earth: Kingdom of the West/Land of the Red Rocks.

5 comments about Minnesota's North Shore DVD.

1. 4 1/2 *
   
   This new book of Craig Blacklock features digital photographs, both new and enhanced from previous work. As expected, it is magnificent.
   
   The best part is the inclusion of a 3-hour DVD, which for me is like having a video chronicle of my own excursions to the North Shore. What a treat to be able to experience this wonderful place like this at home.
   
   The DVD is in 5 chapters, each exploring a different segment of the North Shore. While all are wondeful, special attention should be made to Part 3: Tettegouche State Park. Here the photography and music are truly poetic and form an almost symphonic arc that is inspirational.
   
   On the other hand, Chapters 1 and 5 are a bit over long and concentrate too excessively, in my opinion, on repetitive detail.
   
   I think perhaps Blacklock could also have augmented the inland attractions of the shore (waterfalls and canyons).
   
   These are small complaints, however, the entire DVD is very much worth having. The electronically produced music forms an evocative backdrop, or you can turn it off and just listen to the waves and the birds. The inclusion of two wonderful songs by folk singer Pater Mayer are a big plus, as well.



2. This is a fabulous "coffee table" book full of stunning images of Minnesota's North Shore. My jaw drops with each turn of the page.
   
   I haven't even looked at the DVD yet - but the book itself is more than worth purchasing!
   
   I recommend this book for people who love the North Shore, but also for anyone who loves photography in general. Mr. Blacklock's composition skills are AMAZING!



3. To put it bluntly, Craig Blacklock's Minnesota's North Shore is the most comprehensive and well photographed book that currently exists of the Minnesota-Superior shoreline. The book is comprised of one hundred and seventy-five color photographs, as well as a three hour DVD of additional video content. The photographs are organized regionally, beginning with images taken in Duluth and ending with the Susie Islands along the Canadian Border. All in all, the print quality is superb, as is the physical construction of the book. Of course, it's the content of the book that is most important. Thankfully, the photographs themselves are stunning; Blacklock's attention to composition, light and detail are a testament to both his refined technical and aesthetic sensibilities. This said, I found Minnesota's North Shore to be a very different book than Blacklock's well known work, The Lake Superior Images.
   
   Compared to his earlier work, Minnesota's North Shore tends to gravitate towards quieter and more intimate compositions. While grand landscape compositions are still present, there seems to be a greater interest in representing the essence of place through the use of small vignettes and understated moments. A parallel to this approach could drawn with Japanese haiku poetry. Blacklock tends to be very successful in eliciting emotional response when working within this vein, resulting in a body of work that contains an element of depth only found in the best of nature photography. The focus of the book's content is on the Superior shoreline itself, though inland images from the North Shore's scenic rivers, prominent viewpoints and natural history are also included. This bias of images towards the shoreline should not come as a great surprise for those who are familiar with Blacklock's previous work.
   
   Additionally, conservation of the shoreline as both a state and national resource is clearly a primary concern for Blacklock. The book ends on a somber note with a photograph of lakeshore development and an essay on the need to immediately act in order to preserve what remains of Minnesota's North Shore. For those who love the lake, this book may prove to be a record of what was lost if action is not taken. Let's hope that this isn't the case, Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior is undoubtedly one of the greatest natural treasures of the state. In order to preserve this place for the enrichment of future generations, it's clear that the responsibility lies in our hands today.
   
   All in all, highly recommended.



4. For many years, my family and I have been vacationing for several weeks on Minnesota's North Shore. Despite its magnificent scenery both on the
   Superior Shore and the Superior National Forest from Duluth through the Canadian border,the North Shore remains fairly uncommercial, maintaining a surprising amount of spectacular imagery, in its uncrowded area
   Blacklock's photographic book and its contained DVD do adequate justice to this beautiful part of the earth. His eye is perceptive; his
   artistry is at a high level in composing his photgraphs. The four seasons
   are fully encompassed. I get pleasure from seeing the images, when I am
   not in that area.



5. The book & DVD are unbelievable. Soothing and breathtaking at the same time. Truly a treasure.

No comments about ROME: CAPUT MUNDI (Capitol of the World). 2 DVDs: One for the History (58 Min); One for your own step-by-step Walking Tour of Rome (50 Min) with a 60-page Pocket Guide to carry with you. Created by a filmmaker who actually conducted walking tours of Rome..

2 comments about Dharma River.

1. Dharma River is a film of absolutely stunning beauty that takes the viewer on a personal journey to some of the holiest places in Laos, Thailand and Burma. The director/cinematographer uses a filming process that makes one feel like he or she is there in person. Exotic vistas and ancient shrines contribute to a unique cinematic experience. Colors are incredible; the music is a perfect complement to the film. Dharma River is a treat for the senses and the soul!



2. This film takes the viewer on a voyage of discovery to some of the most extraordinary places in the world. Going down golden rivers, into buddha caves, lost civilizations, abandoned plains of 7000 temples - the viewer is transported into another world of peace,beauty and timelessness. We see the people and their sacred customs in places that are hard to believe are going on at the same time as our own lives.
   
   I cannot recommend this enough - it has narration and non narration ambient versions on same DVD. I have watched it 6 times. It is always a different experience.

No comments about Global Treasures ALABASTER MOSQUE The Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha Cairo, Egypt.

2 comments about Willows Way.

1. This movie is a good Sci-fiction movie to watch on a rainy afternoon. The acting is good.



2. No, this is not a multi million dollar movie that is overloaded with big name actors, but that is what gives this movie its appeal. It takes place in Maine, which is one of the most beautiful backdrops for any movie, and the acting is great! It is a movie that you have to pay attention to, or you will miss something, and you'll have a hard time understanding what is going on. It's well worth the watch.

No comments about Great Hotels Season 1 - Episode 1: Portofino Bay - Orlando.

No comments about Mask of Zeguy.