Customer Reviews

Decoding the Past: The Templar Code (History Channel)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

No one is going to accuse the History Channel of being the definitive reference for historical content: the organization is rather a vehicle to provide basic, popular history to a wide audience of history-interested viewers. If you therefore can approach a series such as this one on the Knights Templar understanding the purpose and goals of the History Channel, then it is unlikely you'll end up disappointed. To the contrary, this introduction to the Knights Templar is brilliantly scripted, filmed, and acted, and the series can serve, not only as a great way to understand this medieval organization, but to be thoroughly entertained as you do.

Without trying to reproduce the content that is presented in this series, we can say that this set of four episodes will provide a thorough grounding to understand the Templars, and will do so in a manner that is detailed enough to easily allow the non-historian to segue from the show into additional derivative studies. Although there is a certain mystique about this group that has been fanned in recent years by some best-selling novels, the producers here attempt to stay a steady course through the topic without resorting to too much speculative ideas (although there are some reproduced here, particularly at the end of the series).

In addition to a very strong script, the location filming, along with superior quality video equipment, makes this more of an epic movie in its production values. There is not a moment when we think we are watching poor recreations or sub-standard video reels: this is truly state-of-the-art production quality (although, no, it is not high-definition), and the costumes, recreated scenes, and site locations make this production stand out from others. Be sure also to see the bonus footage, which shows some of the background in creating the series, also an excellent production itself.

Easy five stars for production, script, and meeting the objectives of learning about the Knights Templar. I'd be thoroughly surprised if you did not enjoy it as much as I did!

This documentary does a great job presenting the rise and fall of the Templar Knights. Everything from the theories of their origins, through their military role (especially their famous battles with Saladin), and their financial/banker roles are all nicely covered. Rumors and conspiracy theories are laid out but not presented as fact. The experts are not particularly exciting but they are not too dull. The problem with many history channel videos, with too much repetition following commercial breaks, is not at all bad with this one. So, if you want to learn about the Templar Knights, this is a good disk.

I have watched quite a few DVDs, and read a few articles and a book about The Knights Templar, so I was pleased to find that this DVD had some new material in it which I had not encountered before. While one 100 minute DVD is certainly not going to become the authoritative text on the subject, I thought this was about as comprehensive as it could be in the time allowed. There is a lot of material about The Crusades, a good bit about leaders of Templars such as Jacques DeMolay, and some delving into the intriguing aspects of treasure and lost holy relics. I felt there was good balance between the skeptical and the "we believe everything we hear" scholars of The Knights Templar. Overall, this is the best DVD I have seen on the subject, and I would reccommend it to anyone, but especially to those who are new to the subject.

The Templar story is riveting and the talking heads are very good, but the piece itself is really pretty shoddy. A truly glaring gaffe is their repeatedly showing a portrait of a man they repeatedly say is the 14th century French King Philippe le Bel -- and he nothing of the sort. The portrait is Velasquez' portrait of the 17th century Spanish King Philip IV. (Check Google images and you'll see him for yourself.) I.e., wrong country, wrong century, wrong man. The show was clearly done on the cheap which is really a shame since the Templar story is so riveting. However, the History Channel's clearly shoddy research will make me very unwilling to buy another of their DVDs.

This DVD arrived in excellent condition..
I always wondered if any of the Templar's
survived..they did..and it's interesting
how they still have their power generations
into our future.

Besides giving a good general overview and history of the Templars, and presenting various viewpoints, the cinematography was beautiful (on a high-def tv) and I also liked the type of chanting that they had in the background during much of the show.

I really enjoyed watching this film. It had a lot of content and was very informative while still being able to hold the attention of my 13 year old brother.

This cd was used so the case was cracked but other than that it wass great no scratched everything played fine and the original paperwork was still in their .

"Decoding the Past: The Templar Code (History Channel)" is a narrated reproduction of myth and folklore surrounding the Knights Templar. A few castle ruins, references to Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, some actors portraying sword fight battles on foot and horseback, a little bit of speculation on the Holy Grail (what it is; where it is), some footage inside Rosslyn Chapel for codes found in architectural design emphasis, some reproduction and history of the legendary Money Pit on Oak Island, and other insignificant background history for the Knights Templar; such as tunnels that have yet to be excavated that are rumored to at least have the potential for artifacts undiscovered since the fall of the Knights Templar. This DVD is one of the more basic introductory level videos, and won't satisfy many researchers, some of the interviews are with scholars who have a very heavy brogue and most of whom are quite cynical about details alleged by what little literature offers down through time since the rise and fall of the Knights Templar; although the narrator's voice is distinct and easily understandable. I found this DVD sufficient only to beat insomnia, and was disappointed in the superficial substance from a quality distribution studio that obviously spent some time and expenditure to produce. Costuming for reenactment sequences is as good as anything Hollywood has, but we probably only need to see those clips in this video once, not multiple times of the same sequence. Entertaining, for what there is of it this video has been done with quality, and is good enough for the uninitiated as a starting point toward learning about the Knights Templar, but far, far from genuinely informative (more or less between elementary school and junior high students seems to be the marketing audience).

it's a history channel production so there's sufficent imagery and enlightening narration. it is informative and enjoyable. i'm not a huge fan of the narrators voice. he's good but he makes me a little sleepy.