No comments about Berne & Lucerne.

No comments about Johannesburg.

1 comments about Budapest.

1. This video is one of the "Super Cities" series produced by the International Video Network, which consists of one-half hour tapes of 22 of the more interesting cities in the world. They are, far and away, the best travel videos that I have seen.

   The approach that the producers take is to mix aerial and ground footage in roughly 50/50 proportions. This approach is especially effective for Budapest, which is actually two cities (Buda and Pest) divided by the Danube.

   What comes across is what must be an exceptionally pleasant city to live in, especially in the summer, with numerous parks and outdoors cafes. While there are some interesting sights, however, they are limited in both number and quality. As a result, I took Budapest off my list of places to visit.

   That, of course, is one of the things that a good travel video should do--provide you with enough information to make an intelligent decision as to whether or not to visit a place.

   The Super Cities series also includes a tape on Istanbul, which is similar to Budapest (in mixing elements of East and West), but is a far more interesting city. That tape is also excellent, the only difference being that it will convince you that you want to visit Istanbul.

No comments about Stockholm.

1 comments about Cairo.

1. This video is one of the "Super Cities" series produced by the International Video Network, which consists of one-half hour tapes of 22 of the more interesting cities in the world.

   The approach that the producers take is to mix aerial and ground footage in roughly 50/50 proportions. This approach is especially effective for cities that, like Cairo, have large-scale buildings and monuments.

   I viewed this with an Egyptian friend, who bet me that there would be pictures of camels within the first minute. Not so. What we saw was a program directed towards intelligent viewers who want to obtain a realistic portrait of Cairo and its environs. As the producers point out at the end, it is a unique city combing ancient charm with modern development. We were both impressed with the objectivity of this film; our only regret was that it did not last longer.

   To date, this video and the one on St. Petersburg, Russia are my favorites in the series, followed closely by Barcelona, Lisbon, and Vienna. The only one that didn't seem to work was London.

   ...they are difficult to find. One clue is that they all seem to have come out around 1994 and cost [$$], a real bargain when you consider the much higher prices for their inferior competition.

1 comments about Prague.

1. This is a good introduction to the sights and history of Prague. The tape is a little shorter than the advertised 30 minutes, and it would help if they occasionally printed the names of buildings on the screen since it's not easy to understand words like Hradcany or Vltava just from hearing them. I would recommend this video to people wanting to know what things they should visit on a vacation in Prague. The videos for Budapest and Vienna are equally worthwhile.

2 comments about Vienna.

1. Finally, a video that doesn't look like it was filmed with Dad's Super-8! Part of the Super Cities series, this is very professionally produced with excellent sound, music and picture. You see the palaces and monuments (thought they tend to breeze past them) plus alternative recreation - horse racing, flea markets, "hanging out". The great aerial views give a nice perspective of this magnificent but manageable city. The historical background is gossipy and interesting. The focus on this video is more on the Viennese than on tradtional tourist stuff. There are some odd choices (UN kids playing baseball - who cares?) but also some real treats (inside the Hunderwasser Haus). The message here is get to know the city - see the great monuments and buildings but stop and smell the roses. I highly recommend this video! Length: 30 minutes.



2. As the preceding review indicates, this video is a cut above the usual travelogue. Covering all of the major sights, it does so utilizing some innovative techniques (e.g., aerial views where appropriate) while providing relevant historical narrative to enhance the viewer's appreciation of this wonderful city. My only disappointment was that all of the filming took place during the summer, since Vienna is also a wonderful city to visit during the winter.

   Having last visited Vienna in 1964, when the ravages of the war and the subsequent Soviet occupation were still evident, I was surprised at how much the city has changed, not necessarily for the better. My own images of the city are similar to those of the film "The Third Man." What this video amply demonstrates is that more recent developments, particularly in architecture, have paralleled those in other European cities, robbing Vienna of its uniqueness. Viewers with similar preferences similar to mine may wish to consider visiting St. Petersburg, Russia, which is similar to the old Vienna.

   This video is so good that I tried to locate other ones in the Super Cities series (according to the trailer, there are about 20), but with no luck.

No comments about Rome.

No comments about Berlin.

No comments about Senic Wonders of America: Atlantic Vistas.