Chanel, Chanel Documentary DVD Review

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Synopsis: Chanel more than just one of the world's most successful fashion labels, also the name of a woman who led a fascinating life. This Paris designer banished the corset from women's fashion, created the bouclé suit and the famous little black dress, and made costume jewellery socially acceptable. Her elegant but comfortable clothing stressed the new-won freedoms of 1920's women; her perfume made ladies irresistible. Chanel's head designer Karl Lagerfeld explains why her simple style is still today an inspiration. Unique shots and designs from the archives reveal Coco Chanel's passion both for fashion and for life.

Review: I had only a basic understanding of who CoCo Chanel was when I went into this documentary.  I had no idea how absolute her influence on the fashion world truly was.  Thats the beautiful thing about a documentary like this.  We learn how she grew up in a peseant village and was abandoned by her father after her mother's death.  In the orphanage they already recognized her talent in sewing.

When CoCo came into the scene women were these extentions of their husbands.  Their fashion had no consideration for the women wearing them.  They deformed their bodies and bent them in horrible ways.  Chanel devoted herself towards fashions that could actually be worn with some comfort and still display elegance and beauty.

The footage that they've compiled is all very grainy and dated.  It really adds to the feel of the documentary.  We get old interviews with Chanel, with others in the industry and a plethora of vintage black and white photographs. The narration by Diana Quick is smooth and pleasing to the ear.  Her british accent goes along perfectly with the european feel of the piece.  The only real downside to the release is a lack of extras, but its a very solid documentary and is well worth the watch.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Ancient Lives Documentary DVD Review

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Synopsis: Unlocking the mysteries of DAILY LIFE in ANCIENT EGYPT.  How did ordinary Egyptians live in the time of the pharaohs? Renowned British Egyptologist John Romer explores the ruins of an ancient village just outside Thebes, where generations of craftsmen and artists built and decorated royal tombs. There, relics reveal the most intimate details of the people’s daily lives: their meals, their loves, their quarrels, and even their dreams.
Go inside the pharaohs’ most magnificent tombs and see astonishing art and priceless treasures. Meet the scribes, stonemasons, and high priests who presided over this city of the dead. Learn the secrets of the tomb raiders and the tricks devised to thwart them. This four-part series provides fascinating insights into a civilization now lost to the ages.
As seen on public television.
BONUS FEATURES:

-Pharaohs’ Liquid Gold, the quest to recreate ancient Egyptian beer

-16-page viewer’s guide with maps, The Life of a Scribe, a history of Egyptian script, The Making of Ancient Lives by John Romer, and more.

-Who’s Who among Egyptian Deities

-Real-Life Indiana Joneses: Archaeologists of Ancient Egypt
One of the world’s foremost archaeologists, John Romer led the Brooklyn Museum’s expedition to excavate the tomb of Ramesses XI. Since 1979, he has served as president of the Theban Foundation, an organization for the preservation of Egyptian royal tombs.

Review: What is so amazing about the documentaries that Athena produces is that they're not just educational, they're accessible and fun.  I've always loved documentary, but even I can remember being dreadfully bored in school with the drab and dull documentaries that they would show us. 

What makes this DVD set so special?  Why ANOTHER documentary about Egypt?  This is what blew my mind...this set has nothing to do with pharaohs or gods.  It has nothing to do with the high-society.  This documentary series focuses on the workers, the scribes, the craftsmen.  It actually deals with the real Egyptian culture.  Imagine for a moment if in 3,000 years they look back at our culture and only focus on the rich and powerful...does that really represent what we're about?  Does that give you any insight into the real culture of the world?  Absolutely not.  For once we get a real look into life in ancient Egypt.  Its absolutely fascinating.

While the workers carved stories about the pharaohs, they also carved about their own lives.  Their hopes and dreams..who they loved, who they hated.  This set is over 200 minutes of amazing insight into ancient life.  Its amazing how little it differs from modern life in so many ways.  We can learn so much by looking to the past.  This DVD set would be ideal for anyone that homeschools.  I also recommend it for teachers.  This should be presented to your school boards for use in the classroom.  If you're into Egypt or just documentaries in general, you will love this one.  Not a dull moment!

Rating: A Strong 5 out of 5 Stars!

The Genius of Charles Darwin Documentary DVD Review

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Synopsis: "Dynamic look at the life, work, and legacy of Charles Darwin" --The Sunday Times (U.K.)Published 150 years ago, Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species changed everything--science, religion, and even humanity’s image of itself. Join Professor Richard Dawkins as he explains exactly how Darwin developed his revolutionary theory of evolution and why it’s still relevant today.

How do species evolve? What does "natural selection" mean in biology, politics, sociology, and philosophy? With passionate certainty, Dawkins provides answers, positing evolution as a matter of fact, not faith. In addition to interviewing scientific experts such as geneticist Craig Venter and paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey, Dawkins speaks with Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, and other religious leaders about the existence of a Creator. Provocative, informative, and irresistibly watchable, this award-winning documentary offers lively new insights on an idea that still meets stubborn resistance.

Evolutionary biologist and fellow of the Royal Society, Richard Dawkins has served as professor of public understanding of science at Oxford University. He has written dozens of scholarly and popular works, including the controversial best seller The God Delusion.

Winner, Best Documentary Series (British Broadcast Awards, 2009)

Review: I grow tired of documentaries on Darwin.  They are generally so politically correct..and by that I mean to say religiously correct.  They tend to be very timid when addressing the amazing scientist that implored reason into our very existance.   This is no ordinary Darwin documentary.  This set manages to mesh historical fact with a real-world modern day education about fossils and evolution.  It addresses the controversy that Darwin encountered in his day and continues to face today.

The narrator and host of this series is Richard Dawkins.  Dawkins is the author of one of my personal favorite books: The God Delusion.  Dawkins is so fascinatingly bold that in the very first of three episodes he addresses a class of high school students and debates the idea of religion vs. science.  Its just not what you get to see in these documentaries.  The variety in the episodes keeps you interested, as Dawkins breaks up the historical lessons with interactions and live interviews with scientists and teachers.

The importance of understanding the genius of Darwin and to put aside blind faith and examine scientific fact is paramount in modern society.  The very idea that we allow religion to cloud science is a sad fact.  If only this documentary could be seen in every classroom around the world, I think we would be closer to having some logic on this subject.  This is a documentary set that every person should see.  We highly recommend it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars