5 comments about Las Vegas Video Postcard.

1. WOW what a great DVD! I liked the show segmets the best and it was a big help planing our vacation, I never knew that there was so much to do in Las Vegas now.
   I thought the program flowed well and had a really good chaper index to quickly review the parts we wanted to see again. This looked just like someting you would see on the travel channel



2. Good video to remember or plan your trip to LV
   was filmed approx. 2004-2005 . the aladdin s missing.



3. Our family planned our 4-day trip to Vegas this past weekend using this DVD and a printed-out map, and it worked out great. Virtually everything is current, the only 2 attractions not mentioned are the Klingon Encounter/Borg 4d Star Trek attraction at the Hilton, and the "Secret Garden" Dolphin/Tiger/Lion attraction (it was just ok) at the Mirage, as this DVD is a few years old, before these attractions were built.
   
   Recommended: the trek show, the Forum Shops, the gondola ride at the Venetian, and the Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay, as "must see" fun.
   
   The Mandalay Bay is our favorite hotel by far (it's the hotel featured in the excellent "Vegas" new tv series); this DVD did an excellent job of previewing many of the night shows, hotels and attractions, I'd rate it a "must get before going to Vegas" video resource. Nice job!
   
   -Ken



4. Is a decent video travelogue of Las Vegas too much to ask? This DVD answers that question with a resounding, "Yes!" While making side-trips focusing on the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam (twice), Bonnie Springs, and a river rafting trip whereby the narrator got to ride in "a real Hummer" (dare to dream!), the video entirely failed to mention any of the history-rich casinos in Downtown, the Imperial Palace, Wynn, Palms, the LV Hilton (other than the Star Trek Experience), the Sahara (other than the NASCAR Cafe and Speed: The Ride), and many other staples. While I am certainly not averse to mention of features outside Las Vegas, when I purchase a product called "Las Vegas Video Postcard," I would expect it not to be done at the expense of actual Las Vegas attractions. While Rumjungle and Voodoo Lounge are briefly displayed, what about the vast array of other nightclubs? How about focusing on gambling -- the reason most folks make the journey to Las Vegas and the funding for all the megaresorts on the Strip -- other than quick mention that slots are the #1 moneymaker? What about the off-Strip casinos like the Station properties? What about the locals' favorites? How about we take out the segment on Sigfried & Roy, now defunct for several years (the video states it was left in "as a tribute to Roy Horn") and spend some more time on the various Cirque du Soleil productions?
   
   Even without taking the poor production quality into account (segments in which the background music drowns out the narrator, sections in which the music quiets for an obvious narrated segment in which no narration takes place, etc.), in all, this is a very disappointing presentation.



5. Trying to watch this production with the bizarre sound issues was a treat. There were points where the voiceover was barely audible and the background music was blaring, then would cut to very soft music and back again. There were a number of quirks -
   Why would a DVD advertising itself as "Las Vegas" video postcard neglect to include icons in Las Vegas, such as the Flamingo, the Riviera, the Hilton, etc, but talk in detail about fledgling entertainment towns 30 minutes away from the strip?
   Why would a video on Las Vegas not include any of the culture and entertainment that can be had on the "original" strip that is downtown? Binions, Golden Nugget, Four Queens - not one of them is mentioned.
   Also, the coverage was clearly biased. While places such as TI and the Stratosphere went on and on in great detail - room prices, square footage, etc., other hotels like the Monte Carlo were barely given an obligatory mention. The Stratosphere coverage looked more like an informercial - the Stratosphere rumbling and emerging from the ground, fireworks, and manufactured camera sweeps of slews of folks laughing and partying (sad to say, it was not at all representative of the actual Stratosphere.)
   All in all, this video had a lot of potential, but was poorly organized and executed. It's as if they got 60% done with their material and said, "ok, that's enough, lets just wing it from here." I enjoyed the beginning and had a lot of hope based on the first 10 minutes, but I'm glad I didn't send this to my family as an inclusive example of the sights and scenes of Las Vegas.

No comments about Great Hotels Season 1 - Episode 26: The Plaza - New York.

5 comments about Windham Hill - Water's Path.

1. KEEP IN MIND: THIS SELECTION APPEARS IN "SPECIAL INTERESTS"!

   Now, with that under our belts, the technology involved in the
   making of the first four Windham Hill music videos, (and that is
   what they truly are), was direct-to-digital audio and video "nailed" to a laserdisk and presented to the public. New Age music and unique complimentary video presentations will have you
   relaxed in less than ten minutes. The music is soothing and the pictures have far more eye appeal than a travelogue. No story; no
   plot; just eye-ear choreography guaranteed to satisfy.




2. Well,I am a fan of the Autumn Portrait DVD, and I must say that this here Water's Edge is no Autumn Portrait. Lots of industial oriented landscapes. Huge oil tanker looking boat scene was a bit much, not to mention long scenes of a bridges with cars passing by. Given all the scenes were on "the waters edge", but just not enough nature for me.Music was great as always and what nature scenes it does have are wonderfull.......



3. I enjoy environmental CDs, usually rain or ocean waves. Although I've had CDs with music in addition to the natural sounds, I've usually found them a little repetitious. They're not something one can put on repeat and play continuously in the background. I got Water's Path because I thought it might provide a visual input missing from the environmental CDs. The music did in fact produce a sense of monotony, almost irritation, but the scenes were lovely. I play the film on a 52 inch screen, so it's almost like looking out of a window. When I find the music too much to deal with, I put the sound on mute.



4. I have the entire series of Windham Hill DVDs, and I believe this is my favorite as far as beauty and serenity for promoting relaxation. Those who use white noise and sound conditioning to help with rest might find this useful to watch while trying to induce sleep. As with all of the videos in this series, the scenery is exquisite and the music flawless with very peaceful and smooth transitions between the pieces. However, I live in a part of Texas that has frequent drought; and the water theme is definitely something I cling to in times of desperation so this may have something to do with my choice of Water's Path as favorite.
   
   J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles



5. I rented this video in the early-nineties and appreciated it very much for its relaxation value for me. I wanted to purchase it on DVD if it was available and searched for it on Amazon. The reviews weren't too favorable about it being put on DVD but decided to get it anyway. I'm VERY happy with it and glad I went for it! Again, I needed something to help all of my senses relax after a stressful day at work and this does the trick perfectly.

4 comments about Europe to the Max With Rudy Maxa - Fairy Tale Europe: Germany and Austria.

1. I am in the Army and was stationed in Germany with my family for six years. I bought this DVD for my wife. She absolutely loved it! All her memories rushed back to her in an emotional blow that brought her to tears. I said " Lissbeth, are you alright?" She just smiled and said that this was the best travel DVD that she had ever seen.This means alot coming from Rick Steves #1 fan!



2. I can't figure out how Rudy has gotten the mileage he's gotten. I think I've watched all of his videos (heck, at some point, you've seen everything else), and I have found him to be consistently, extraordinarily, shallow in his research, and in his understanding of his subject countries and locales. Please understand, I say that in the context of knowing many of his destinations, in some cases quite well (I lived and studied in Germany and Austria, and have returned a number of times since).
   
   If you want a light, fluffy, skim of the region, Rudy is your man -- he never covers anything that you wouldn't know about if you dedicated nine minutes to absent-mindledly flipping through a competent guidebook... and in the same depth. Think of Rudy as a tour bus, passing through at twenty miles an hour, giving you a glimpse, but never quite stopping to let you smell the roses, or the horse manure. Lite, cheerful, sanitized, smooth, and lo-cal.
   
   For a basic introduction to a country or region, Rick Steves is a better resource (although Germany isn't his strongest suit), whether or not you are seeking bargain travel -- look especially to Rick for help with building and prioritizing a trip around available time, and for help finding special and intimate little spots the big books may overlook. If you want more than Rick offers, you'll have to start working your way through more serious volumes. Rudy ain't it.
   
   On a positive note, the pictures aren't ugly. If your library has nothing else, and if you've seen everything else on Netflix, you probably won't regret the money invested. On the other hand, if you've already been to the destination, you may well be asking, "Why, Rudy, why? It would have been so easy to do a much better job."
   
   Two stars. The subject matter, regardless of its treatment, doesn't allow me to go lower.



3. It is a beautiful and informative DVD. I have traveled in Central Europe several times, and this DVD brings back many wonderful memories.
   
   Rudy Maxa is an excellent traveller and makes interesting comments and observations.



4. Although Rudy Maxa is a knowledgeable tour guide, Rick Steves' videos are more in depth, giving a bit more information.

No comments about Destination: Seattle.

2 comments about In the Dust of the Stars.

1. A hokey implausible design space ship picks up a distress signal from an unvisited planet TEM4. Naturally they rush to the rescue to find ambivalent papules. "No we did not send a distress call; we were just playing around with the radio."
   
   While the crew is out hobnobbing with the friendly natives, the security officer back at the ship makes a subterranean discovery.
   
   Id the spaceship Cyrno and its crew going to be good buddies with the BOS or are they doomed due to lack of flood insurance?
   
   Maybe the pre-sci-fi or 50's feel is due to the film being produced at DEFA studios (East Germany) in the 70's.
   
   The version I watched was German with English sub-tittles. Very liberal sub-tittles that can be annoying if you know any German at all (or English for that matter). In an attempt to paraphrase, they do not quite match the speech or intent.



2. There is some socio-political message but i'm not quite sure what it is.
   I do not understand german so my review is from the subtitles.
   There is classic 60-70s sci-fi rocket stuff and sets. There is crazy music and some weird dancing scenes (the synchronized dancing might have been more interesting if they weren't wearing bikinis). There is some dancing nudity. There are lots of shots of a python slithering with the music - not sure what that is all about (decadence of the oppressors who only care about power?) The captain is a woman. Her 'social' relationships with the crew are a bit strange/confusing. The crew, even with suspicious happenings, are inclined to hob-knobbing and careful conversation with 'the enemy' rather than the use of any weapons. However, this is in context of their society of 'we all help each other'. They are not pushovers though - which is good. Some of the actors are really great. This is not a real 'talky' movie and has more 'artsy' shots which leave a lot up to the viewer to decide.
   The best part, is the 'extras' (sorry, there are NO outtakes) where they explain the sci-fi scene (books and movies) in Eastern Germany during the communist reign right after sputnik up to the 80's. They also have an interview with one of the original cameramen who helped with the movie and he explains about the cast from many nations.
   *spoiler*
   The story does turn on a pickle of a dilemma of how to free the
   subjugated natives without starting a forever war - or getting the natives wiped out altogether.
   The ending is badly edited (from my point of view) so its not quite apparent why the 'slaves' are not immediately subjugated again or why they will never be as compliant as before. That the 'foreman' is an idiot needs no translation and its fun to hear him called stuff in German.

No comments about Destination: Oregon.

1 comments about The Nude Traveller Club Orient St. Martin, French West Indies.

1. This video is great for giving you an accurate feel for what Club Orient is all about. We watched the video, went on the vacation and found it right on for accuracy. We bought the video to remind of us the wonderful time we had.

2 comments about Discoveries...America, Vermont.

1. Vermont is one of the small New England states that is known to the general public primarily for its Maple Syrup and Fall Colors when the tree leaves turn from green to gold, yellow, and red. "Discoveries America: Vermont" is a full color, sixty minute, highly informative and entertaining DVD documentary that showcases a great more characteristics and history of this north eastern state which has long been a bastion of individualism and patriotism. It once had more than 600 bridges, a legacy honored by the Covered Bridge Museum in Bennington. It is the home of the Moosefest where dozens of moos art sculptures appear around a small Vermont town. Then there is the Teddy Bear Company which is the only United States based manufacturer still making teddy bears for children. In this superbly presented travelog, viewers will also be treated to a visit to the Cold Hollow Cider Company and the cider making process, the Benedictine monks at the Weston Pirory and their music, the Knights Spider Web farm where real spider webs are employed in the creation of art, and so much more. Also very highly recommended for community library collections is another new release in the Bennett Watt Entertainment travelog documentary series: Discover America: Maine.



2. Where's the beef? A very brief travelog with nothing you have not seen before. A total waste of time and money.

5 comments about Mystery of the Maya (Large Format).

1. I'm an IMAX fan, so I was a bit disappointed in the limited use of the format and cinematagraphy in The Mystery Of The Maya. It's not that it is a bad documentary; it is indeed quite educational. The problem is that it is just a documentary, without the IMAX eye candy that causes folks to buy big screen sets and pilgramage to BIG screen theatres with each new release. Compare this to Blue Planet or Everest at 5 stars and it's hard to come up with more than 1 star.



2. This documentary is below the image IMAX standard, don't buy it if what you want is to see spectacular landscapes shots, but if what you want is a good introductory documentary about the Maya, pick up this one, you are not going to be disappointed. In a glimpse you can get a good quantity of information about this amazing people.



3. I have watched many of the IMAX films that have been released on DVD. This one stands out as one of the most disappointing ones I have seen. I actually fell asleep watching it - and I wasn't particularly tired. The film starts out with a great flyover of the coastline with a Mayan temple. After that it quickly loses that special IMAX expectation of panoramic shots and "grandness."
   
   I found the storyline quite tiring and merely a distraction to what was being taught. While educational, if the focus on close ups and limited camera visual scope is what the authors wanted to get across then standard video footage would have been enough. The dilution of the IMAX expectation knocked off at least 2 stars.



4. I rented "Mystery of the Maya" after returning from a visit to Tulum and Chichén Itzá. This DVD provided a few interesting tidbits and some good shots of the ruins. But for the most part it's typical IMAX fluff: a brief (40 min.) documentary on a subject that deserves much more, with in-depth history sacrificed for a few random facts and sweeping cinematography (the latter of which doesn't translate to the small screen). The major faults of this production are that it doesn't identify the ruins as it shows them, nor does it give much substantial information. For instance, "Mystery of the Maya" didn't even discuss the theories as to why the Mayans suddenly abandoned these spectacular sites.
   
   In the end, this DVD is good if you've been to some of these sites, but don't watch it before a trip expecting to get some great insider information for your visit.



5. I rented this DVD because I wanted to expand my knowledge, and refresh my memory, on the Mayan civilization since I had an AP World History exam coming soon. The film was a huge disappointment. I expected a documentary with hard facts about the Mayans, but the film gave me more information about the archeologists who studied the Mayan ruins, and their expeditions, rather than the Mayan civilization itself! I think I was better off going to the local library for a better video. Next time, I think I should just stick to documentaries made by The History Channel, Science Channel, National Geographic, etc. as they are more reputable for their documentaries. If you really want to learn about the Mayan civilization and its peoples, this film is not for you.