Product Details

• Actors: David Macaulay
• Directors: Eugenie Vink
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: PBS
• DVD Release Date: October 26, 2004
• Run Time: 67 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002XVSFQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,260 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Big digs and big danger–take a tour of the world’s greatest tunnels. How do tunnels stay dry under water? Who dug the first tunnels? Go underground with award-winning author-illustrator—and captivating storyteller—David Macaulay (The Way Things Work) and get an amazing look at tunnels through spectacular film footage, little-known facts and dramatic recreations. From ancient Rome to the remarkable Channel Tunnel that connects France and England, Tunnels introduces courageous engineers, relives deadly disasters, and reveals little-known personal triumphs and tragedies. – Be a mole in Boston’s "Big Dig" and see how the biggest tunneling project in history is reshaping one of America’s oldest cities – Travel back to 1920 and discover how Clifford Holland constructed—and ventilated—the first underwater automobile tunnel – Meet the engineer whose revolutionary design for London’s famous subway system greatly altered British lifestyles – See how massive boring machines joined England and France beneath the English Channel – Tour the tunnels that helped make ancient Rome livable – Bonus activity! Build your own mini-tunnel using only sand, masking tape, a spoon and other common household items David Macaulay hosts Building Big, the five-part series that brings you the amazing truth behind the greatest manmade wonders of the world. From the top of the Golden Gate Bridge to inside the Hoover Dam, Building Big travels the world exploring Bridges, Tunnels, Dams, Skyscrapers and Domes in unforgettable, really big adventures. Includes bonus hands-on building activity designed for kids.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The underground story of tunnels, August 25, 2010

By 

K. A. Larson (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Building Big: Tunnels (DVD)

Tunnels begins with David Macaulay telling a ghost story. It seems a number of people died in the tunnel he was exploring. Tunnels is another in the five-part Building Big series by David Macaulay. Often forgotten, tunnels have been important in the development of civilization. Romans built tunnels to carry water to Rome. Railroad would have been trapped in the flatlands had it not been for tunnels and modern cities would be choked with traffic if not for subways and underground railways. After watching this documentary, one is glad not to be buildings tunnels under rivers and waterways as David recounts the accidents and deaths connected with these structures. David explores the development of tunnels and uncovers their importance. Other episodes in the series include Bridges, Domes, Dams, and Sky Scrapers. If you are interested in how things were built, tunnel into this story.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Uhhh, Tunnels, There You Go!, December 10, 2007

By 

Jeffery Mingo (Homewood, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Building Big: Tunnels (DVD)

The narrator says tunnels have always been scary and creepy to many humans. It was hard to get excited about this installment precisely because bridges, skyscrapers, and other subjects are much more visually appealing. Still, this spoke about the London tube, the Holland Tunnel in NYC, the tunnel under the English Channel, etc. This installment ends with a segment for little kids, so perhaps the entire work is meant for parents and children to watch together. The work doesn't sugarcoat matters; it is upfront that workers and passengers, in the past and now, have died in tunnel accidents. This may be a good work to inspire young people who want to be engineers or transportation planners.