Product Details

• Actors: Narrated by Craig Sechler
• Directors: Owen Palmquist, Ricardo Preve
• Format: 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: April 27, 2010
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0032KC36Y
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,853 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Pbs Release Date: 04/27/2010 Run time: 60 minutes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New discoveries about this lost city of the Incas and gorgeous photography., March 31, 2010

By 

Steven I. Ramm "Steve Ramm "Anything Phon... (Phila, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghosts of Machu Picchu (DVD)

I had the wonderful experience of visiting Machu Picchu - the lost city of the Incas - in 1980 and it was - along with seeing the Great Wall of China - one of the most breathtaking sights I've ever seen. Since then, I've been fascinated by this "hidden city" from the 16th Century discovered by explorer Hiram Bingham in 1912. There have been a few documentaries made but they tend to be more of a travelogue. This show is different.

Produced by PBS as part of its NOVA science series - it is really a co-production of National Geographic magazine (which first published Bingham's own story in 1915). This not only gives it creditability but some entertainment value too. (National Geographic's own specials are always well done.). There are a few interviews with scientists and researchers as well as some "recreations" (which, personally I found distracting and the reason for four stars, rather than five.) but mostly it is beautiful camera work showing, not only Machu Picchu from every angle, but the neighboring cities.

There is also NEWS here. The researcher who analyses bones has been able to determine the sex of the bodies found at the site as well as the level in society. These were "middle class people.. They don't have all the answers yet but there are new discoveries revealed here. The film runs about 54 minutes and so it doesn't go in to the depth it could but it will hold your attention.

If you already know about Machu Picchu, you will learn more. If you don't, you'll probably find yourself calling a travel agent after watching this, wanting to see this amazing place in person!

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Due to Its Depth, March 3, 2010

By 

Jeffery Mingo (Homewood, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghosts of Machu Picchu (DVD)

Years ago, I saw a doc on Machu Picchu (hereinafter "MP") and it was dull. It only spoke of the stone structure and not the people and culture who made it. Stonehenge is impressive as it shows human ingenuity and how it spans the millennia. However, it's also just some rocks. Some docs on MP discuss it in that same dull matter. This work breaks that unfortunate pattern.

This work spoke about skeletons found, how Incan descendants have blended pre-Colombian and Christian practices, irrigation, etc. MP is not just some stones; this work shows that it has an elaborate system to deal with all the rain in that high region. It speaks of how a culture without the wheel, iron, or writing could make such a fantastic site. It discusses why the conquistadores never found MP.

This work has a blend of experts interviewed: Latino and Anglo; male and female. There are reenactments here, but they are well-done, rather than cheesy. I think parents who have children that love "The Emperoro's New Groove" may want to show this to their young ones for educational purposes. Some anthropologists have lamented that their field is dismissed as "just stones and bones." This doc really brought a "dead" subject to life.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, June 12, 2010

By 

Michael A. Saxton (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghosts of Machu Picchu (DVD)

It never ceases to amaze me how people hundreds and even thousands of years ago were able to accomplish feats of architecture that puzzle modern day scientists and engineers. Not only did they accomplish this, they did it without the technology that we have now.

This video isn't long and there is a lot more information out there but it definitely was nice to have the visuals and a good overview. If you are interested in more info, I would suggest looking to other sources.