Ancient Movie Reviews

I really enjoyed this TV series when it aired on PBS and the DVD is spectacular. It is Ireland at its best. Seeing the ancient places where the history of Ireland started is very striking. I particularly enjoyed seeing the places that the Irish first used in ancient times as burial and religious sites. The archeological argument about the Celtic 'invasion' is well presented. The second part is wonderful - it's about the old monasteries and the important role they played in Irish society. The producers really did an excellent job at bringing the scholars to the sites and not just giving us talking heads.
I also own the book to the series [I had read this first] and it is a valuable companion to the visuals because it gives a lot more detail. I have never been to Ireland but I want to go soon and this series brings me closer to my roots.

I really enjoyed "In Search of Ancient Ireland" especially, the first segment. This DVD is divided into 3 parts, (which were obviously intended to be shown as three different hourly shows), "Pre-Christian Ireland" I.E. Stone Age, Bronze age etc., "Missionary Era Ireland," and "Ireland Under the Vikings" which covers Ireland under the control of Vikings, through Brian Boru.

My favorite part of the DVD, was the first part: Pre-Christian Ireland. (In my opinion, this the only segment that should truly be called "Ancient"). Herein, the narrator discusses what life in Ancient Ireland was like. They delve into Ancient Irish religion, culture, and take you to numerous ancient sites, and even demonstrate how ancient Irish musical instruments were played. This was the most exciting and gripping part.

The remaining two segments were less interesting for me. (Perhaps, because this era of Irish history is frequently documented, and hence more widely known).

The only Caveat's I had with this DVD, were: In segment one, they did not discuss bards or druids hardly at all. There were no reconstructional illustrations which might show us how ancient clothing was worn, or how ancient sites might've once looked. No discussion of women's roles at all. Section 2: There was recycled footage from section one, (such as scenes with a street faire etc.), and devoting an entire hour to the discussion of monasteries was a bit dry (even if the scenery was breathtaking). This has been covered before in better documentaries. Section 3: Also, recycled footage, and more discussion of monasteries as vikings raided them. Lots of footage of modern military speculating about how warfare must've been like back then, and in the same vein, speculation by modern ship captains on Viking raiding technique. Again, interesting, but less fascinating than the first part.

Overall, I enjoyed this DVD a great deal, but I would've preferred more ANCIENT history, (I.E.) Stone age, Bronze Age, etc. And less focus on Early Medieval history.

Episode 5 Endless Conflict
Episode 6 Golden Emblem
Episode 7 Memories of Hateful Anguish

The main story for episode 5 and 6 deals with the ghosts from the Kasuke uprising. The Kasuke uprising was lead by a farmer named Kasuke on Matsumoto Castle to protest the taxes being raised from 83 pounds (the Edo period system of measuring rice) to 116 pounds which created a lot of hardships for the farmers and so naturally there were people who wanted to do something about these taxes. The end result of the Kasuke uprising was that Kasuke and the other leaders of this uprising were tricked and executed. Saori's middle school was built over the area that Kasuke and the others were executed at. When their remains were discovered and the history behind their deaths learned they were given a proper burial and so their vengeful spirits became guardian spirits; however someone has used spiritual guidance to send these spirits from Saori's middle school to Takaya's high school. They have also been turned into vengeful spirits and have been haunting Takaya's high school and several students have been injured in the process. It is then up to Takaya and company to find out who is responsible for this.

In episode 7 Takaya has spent his summer exercising spirits with Naoe. Their latest journey takes them to Uozu City. Takaya starts to have images in his head of events in the past but can't quite make sense of it. He also learns that 400 years ago during the battle of Otate Naoe fought on the opposing side. He fought on the side of Lord Kagekatsu. Eventually they arrive at Uozu castle were the vengeful spirits of the Ikkoshu have been attacking Uozu castle. Their presence has attracted the Uesugi 13 Generals. There's a lot of history behind all of this explained in the anime so if you want to know I suggest you buy this DVD.

Even though all of this action is going on and beautifully animated battles ensue the writers thankful left time to focus on the character relationships and some of the dilemmas they face as possessors such as the guilt of forcing out the spirits of a live person so that they can take over the body. They also have to contend with some of the mistakes that they made in their past lives and how it continues to affect them. I found all of this to be very pleasing especially the new developments in Takaya and Naoe's relationship. Overall, another really good volume.

For those who are a fan of Enya, then you're going to want this three videotape collection. The Celts was a BBC production from 1987, and the music from Enya's debut is featured here (as well as an original version of "The Longships" that never appeared on album, but was later re-recorded for Watermark). But what really matters here is this is a useful series documenting Celtic history, with its beginnings in the Austrian Alps and spreading everywhere up to Ireland all the way eastwards to Turkey. And while most people associate Celtic with Irish and Scottish, the documentary goes out of the way to let everyone be aware of Breton, Welsh, and other culture. I do like the episode regarding about Celtic religion and spirituality, how it made a transition from Paganism to Christianity. They even state how many of the Pagan rituals never really disappeared even during the rise of Christianity. It's not without its flaws. For one thing, there are a few boring spots (like the one with a school teacher lecturing the kids about the Celts, and the kids seem absolutely bored). Don't expect digital, DVD quality picture. Although from the late '80s, it has that '70s-style grainy footage quality, and it obviously looks like it wasn't made during the last few years. But despite some flaws, and the fact I find some uneven spots, this three videotape set is still worth having.

I teach ancient history and am thoroughly delighted with this video series. The history is rich yet not boring or dry. The music of Enya makes the experience even more delighful. I will use this as a resource for years to come.

I have watched this set MANY, MANY times since I got it 2 years ago. I never get tired of it. I turn it on whenever I'm bored with TV. It has given me insight into some of the things I've read about the Celts, historically and fictionally. Enya's music is wonderful, as always. This is a must have for any Celt or ancient British Isles enthusiast!

This is a very enjoyable DVD which is both travelogue and history. It covers not only Athens, but Delphi, Corinth, Olympia, Sparta, Mycenae and other cities of ancient Greece. The viewer is taken to the modern locations of these ancient places and provided with a wealth of information. The real plus for this video however, is the use of graphical reconstructions for each location or monument mentioned -- and the reconstruction is superimposed on its modern ruin. This is a marvelous way to get a sense of the glory of Greek architecture and a sense of place, especially when only a few ruins remain. You won't get a detailed history of ancient Hellas and some of the pronunciations used are eccentric (e.g., the narrator pronounces Zeus as "zay oos"), but it's worth adding to your collection.

This two disc set,which has recently been reduced in price, contains four episodes from the A & E documentary series: "Ancient Mysteries - Myths and Legends", introduced and narrated by Leonard Nimoy.
All the four episodes are stereophonic and about 45~6 minutes in length, and as usual with A & E product, does not contain sub-titles.
The four episodes are:
Camelot ( 1995 - 45'56" ) Good, but with no mention of Avalon.
The Quest for the Holy Grail ( 1995 - 44'48" ) Good, and actually mentions the bloodline of Christ.
Atlantis: The Lost Civilization ( 1995 - 45'58" ) Very good, but glosses over Atlantis' predecessor Lemuria.
Dragons ( 1997 - 45'28" ) Okay + ; missed mentioning how something this supposedly large and heavier than air could fly... ( Internal gas chambers in their bodies similar to an internal hot air ballon, plus hollow bones to lessen weight ).

...worthwhile for your video library - obviously this title was originally published before dual layer dvd's became the norm....

this dvd, in my opinion, seems to be an update on hal lindsay's "the late great planet earth," in that most of the topics touched in this dvds had been discussed in the aforesaid vhs of lindsay released during the 80s, i believe. therefore, anyone unfamiliar to lindsay's "the late great planet earth" will not, in my opinion, fully appreciate this dvd. totally appreciation of this dvd's contents, needless to say, is dependent on seeing lindsay's material.

This is nothing like the other Mind's Eyes, which I still enjoying viewing today. This one looks more like the first DVD of X-Mix: a lot of "flat" looking ancient 3-d graphics that crossfade back-and-forth, and end up being repetitive. Hardly anything in the other Mind's Eyes ever repeats. Actually I think some of the scenes in this (like the white rocks flying to and from the distance) were IN the first DVD of X-Mix from 1994, so I'm not sure why they were reused in 1998 (when this was released). And the first DVD of X-mix is almost 3 hours long, while this is only 43 minutes.

This also has that weird Playstation non-interlace problem (unlike other Mind's Eyes) where only every-other horizontal line on the screen is generated...and thus twice as easy for computers to generate, but which looks cheap. So the horizontal lines are jagged, most things are excessively pixelated, and there is no detail. This would probably look better on VHS actually, because the distortion would make the non-interlaced problem smoother. If there were at least more bright colors (like the first X-Mix), that would be SOMETHING, but so much of this is in BROWN and GREY that it looks depressing and ugly like a rainy day.

Most of the movement is the slowest I've seen so far, so this might be good wallpaper for DJs who play slower R&B. But if you play fast music like I do, then the other Mind's Eyes (and even the first X-Mix) are much better wallpaper.

I'm glad this title is getting better marks than it did
in the past. I felt it was getting a bum rap. This is
one of my favorite CGI dvds. It does what it's supposed
to do. Entertain. It's one of the best in the Mind's
Eye series.

The Mind's Eye series from Odyssey is the best series out there and Ancient Alien is one the best from that series. Lots of color, pretty detailed, good movement (ie flying around), variety between the different scenes, good length, and most importantly....good music! I don't know what the heck the other guy that wrote a review is thinking when he says the music wasn't that good. I don't think he even knows who the artists are...but I do...and let me tell you that whoever did the score on this DVD, they knew a lot about ambient music. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TRANCE!!!!! Anyway, this DVD is at the top of my collection. I have, and I will continue to, recommend it, watch it, and play it for others. Peace :)

Limp entertainment. While it is all you ever wanted to see in exploring the various ways you can manipulate mens genitals; it is highly boring after the initial on-film shock value wears off. That took several minutes. Truly nothing you haven't seen or imagined if you've ever had foreplay with a man with lights low/on; or are a man that has pretended his genitals are a hamburger. For men - nothing you can't do, haven't done, or imagined. NO great comedy or dialog. Live audience laughter and on-screen reactions seem very strained. Better genital entertainment is "The Vagina Monologues." You may like this if you enjoy simple male genital tricks that are easily done. Full Monty Dissapointment.

I did not watch "Live at the Forum" until after I had spent seven weeks working with the touring company of Puppetry of the Penis. Though the video is good, it doesn't do the live show justice. If you have seen it live, you probably won't be blown away by the video. If you have never seen it live, you will probably love the video.

It is no way pornographic. After a couple minutes, you forget that they are even naked.

The two men in the video are the creators of the show. One is currently touring in America, the other is touring in Australia. I have never worked with either though. The other "dick trickers" on tour are definitely funnier than these two. I probably just got spoiled by the two boys that I worked with though. There are very few men in the world who would be willing (or able) to get onstage and play with themselves for an hour in front of an audience of thousands. You have to respect them for that.

PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS was an unexpected hot ticket in London and New York--a fifty minute comedy act that involves to two men who give a new meaning to the phrase "show and tell" by stripping buck naked and twisting their genitalia into, well, object d'art. So to speak. And this DVD offers the show before a live audience, so you can sit in on the twisting and pulling in an up-close and personal sort of way.

This sounds a lot more bizarre than it really is, as any man who ever spent part of their teenage years in the highschool locker room can tell you. Yes: it really is teenage boy humor, and Austrailian comics Simon Morley and David Friend have snatched it out of the locker room and plunked it on stage for all the world to see. There's "the boomerang," "the eye," "the Loch Ness Monster," "the baby bird," and a host of other penis impersonations--all of which are good for a giggle and some of which are downright hilarious.

Although the show is done in the nude, it isn't in the least erotic, so if that's what you're looking for you had better go some where else. And in truth, this is a show that probably works much better on stage, where there it no doubt has an "in your face" factor that leads the audience to embarrassed hilarity--and indeed, the camera spends almost as much time on audience reaction as on the performers.

Now, this is never going to make any one's short list of "must own live comedy shows." After all, the material will only stretch so far... but taken in the right spirit, it is quite amusing, and it might be the perfect video for that next party you're thinking about giving--just imagine the possibilities! The DVD package also includes a documentary on the creation of a second PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS performing company, which is also amusing in a bizarre sort of way, and a small booklet that will let viewers follow along at home if they are so inclined. An entertaining bit of fluff.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Why are cable documentaries so inferior to PBS documentaries?

Every aspect of this documentary is second-rate - from the soundtrack to the stock footage to the writing. In the first episode, mummy footage is non-stop and disgusting. Actor voice-overs of Egyptian cult texts are creepy, often poorly placed, and outright maddening. The writing wanders all over the place and jumbles up the history of ancient Egypt into a mass of hyperbole and useless trivia - it's practically impossible to follow as coherent history.

For teachers, do not buy this for your classes - no child or teenager with even the vaguest hint of ADD will want to watch this for more than 30 seconds.

After the first few screenings, I like to have documentaries as background noise while I'm doing busy work at home. I can't even stand 15 minutes of 'Mummies' as background noise. I've given it two stars because it has SOME value historically.

As its title suggests, this collection of four documentaries explores several aspects of the ancient civilization within the context of the Egyptian belief system.
That is not to imply that the scope is overly narrow, it gives a good overview of the culture and explains how the Egyptians obsession with the idea of eternity fueled their rituals of mummification, construction of the pyramids, building of the sphinx, and even the development of hieroglyphics.
The individual episodes may seem to not focus on their main subject and information in some episodes is repeated in others. But these are almost insignificant flaws in an otherwise fascinating documentary.

This DVD is a compilation of four episodes from the History Channel narrated by Frank Langetta. You may remember his voice from the TNT/Lux movie "Moses" and the Artisan movie "Jason and the Argonauts."

The DVD takes an interesting look at mummies by describing the culture and its world view that made mummification important. The film takes a look at the process of mummification first, then the burial situations, the monuments inspired by their views on life and death, and the language of hieroglyphics. There is a section on Tutankhamen's tomb as well as a bit of information on KV 5, the suspected burial tomb for Ramses II's sons.

Some of the content on this DVD is updated and revisted in the other History Channel DVD set, "Beyond the pyramids." If you're interested in ancient history, even if not in Egyptology in particular, you will find this DVD to be informative and entertaining. It is well put together.

If you are looking for "Extras" on the DVD, you won't find much. No secret gems I could find.

Amateurish, dubious archelogical references, this collection is poorly performed, edited, and researched. The bible stories are typically traditional. All in all, nothing new and intellectually painful viewing. I recommend Mysteries of the Bible for substance.

You can look up the individual reviews. Of course some individual titles will go out of stock. Others may not be your favorite. However you will have friends and relatives that will want to compare various stories. This is not an evaluation of the content. A single case makes the movies easier to keep track of and look better on your video storage wall. Being DVDs this is a one-time investment. With the advent of multiple DVD changers you will be able to keep Secrets ready at a moments notice. Buying them individually can be expensive. Dive right in and buy the collection.

This box set of 5 dvds actually contains 10 episodes, all about how modern science backs up the Bible. The series also visits counterviews to provide balanced arguments. You'll have your faith strengthened by this intriguing look at the ancient secrets of the Bible.