Customer Reviews

America's National Parks

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Considering the large amount of ground these DVDs have to cover, they do a great job. Every single national park is given time, with interesting facts and great scenery. I loved learning and especially *seeing* more of some of the obscure parks that you normally can't find much information about, such as Kobuk Valley. For National Park lovers, it's a great addition to your national park library.

`America's National Parks' is not only a video tour of these locations, it is also something of a history and trivia lesson in that a good amount of information is offered about each area. As far as visuals are concerned, the cinematography really is something special to look at. The narration throughout the program is distinct and nicely paced in my opinion also. I've been fortunate enough to travel all over the world and one word that sticks in my mind about America is `diversity' because there is so much to see and experience and we are very blessed to have what we do. And we appreciate what we have.

To be quite honest, before seeing this program, I had no idea there were 55 different national parks in America. Now that I do know and having seen them all on this wonderful documentary, I want to rush out and see every one of them (even the few I've already visited). I'm sure that others seeing this material will probably feel the same way. It is simply inspiring just to watch and appreciate these beautiful and unspoiled landscapes.

Two special features are included in this DVD set. The first is entitled `Symphony to America's National Parks' and is music from classical composers set to a video montage of outstanding scenery lasting about 30 minutes (there is a different one for each disc). The second is called `Our Fragile Heritage' and at about 5 minutes long, it is basically a public service announcement with an important message. It talks about the importance of preservation and visitor's responsibilities inside the parks and I feel it is a useful compliment to the main program.

I highly recommend this documentary to everyone. This is worth watching over and over and it would be a worthwhile addition, in my opinion, to any DVD collection. Enjoy.

I agree with the previous reviewer. This is a must-have for all national park lovers. It does not only cover the most popular ones, but the rarely-visited as well. Although we may still grab some information on the website of National Park Service, it is good to see the real and living scenes from videos.

There are, however, two shortcomings of this 2-DVD set. First, it really only covers national parks. There are no national monument (for example, White Sands), national memorial (for example, Mount Rushmore), national historic site...... in the film. Some of them may be even more magnificent or spectacular than certain national parks. Another is that many scenes in this DVD set are not filmed so great, and even worse. I've been to many of these national parks and ask myself: how do these guys make these beautiful scenes so bad? So when you feel it doesn't look beautiful while watching it, don't just believe that park is not worthy of visiting. It tends to be a correct choice to blame on the men who made it.

Despite the above two bad sides, I still recommend this DVD set. It is indispensable.

Need a respite from everyday life? Not feeling up to the pace of an action thriller? Don't have time for an entire movie? The twin DVD set, America's National Parks - A Video Tour of All 55 National Parks, is a perfect armchair getaway. Packed with jaw-dropping scenery shots, its peppered with historical footage, and seeded with details about the evolution of our National Park system --- and the individual parks in particular. Did you know we had 55 National Parks? I didn't. And this presentation easily lends itself to being viewed in segments. This item would make a great gift for anyone interested in our natural world and/or the history of the park system, not to mention the elderly, infirm, and the just plain frazzled.

Both DVDs were great. The photography exceptional and the background music appropriate. The narrator's voice was easy to listen to and easily understandable.
I'd recommend it to anyone.

Overall a good over view of the National Parks. I found the program very informative, even if the presentation was a little dry at times. I've been to many of these parks, I felt some of them weren't done justice, but of course nothing beats actually being there! One of the best compilations of information on the parks you can watch form your couch. For me it was an inspiration to get out and see more of these natural wonders. I definitely added some sites to my bucket list that I didn't even know existed until watching this movie. A good resource to have for outdoor educators or anyone looking for a quick glance at our nation's parks.

What a treasure we have in our natural landscapes and national parks. The beauty is overwhelming. Living in the city, you cannot believe there are so many beautiful natural places in America. Just amazing and awesome! I hope and aspire to visit every one of them. Great DVDs!

This video set does it's best to cover an ever-increasing list of American wonders.
Not current and a little dated in presentation.
Highly recommended.

This video at times almost seemed like a history lesson and did not fully capture the excitement of the National Parks. Our National Parks are amazing; unfortunately this video was at times uninspired. Look for a more exciting guide to the Parks