Customer Reviews

IMAX: Greece - Secrets of the Past

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this IMAX DVD mainly for the special effects of the Parthenon fully resorted and in it's full glory. I wasn't disappointed! The musical score brought life to the flawless video quality that is the hallmark of all IMAX DVD's.
The narrative nicely ties in the elements of the story with the voice of Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) bringing the story to life.

The highlights are the volcanic eruption of Santorini in 1646BC and of course the Parthenon. I could try to describe what they have done with the latest computing power but you'll have to get the DVD to see what I'm talking about. I also found fascinating (I'm a Greek History buff) was the piece of pottery they found that had Pedicles name written on it. This was used for his ostracism in 430, 3 years into the war with Sparta and 1 year before his death. Also equally fascinating are the restored art work from a building that was buried in the Santorini eruption. What is surprising was the drawing of a ship showing how advanced the Greeks were in the 1600BC's!

For the layperson and history buff's this is 45 minutes of the past coming to life.

The producers of Greece Secrets of the Past transport their audience mainly to both Santorini and Athens. They provide some background information about Ancient Greece so that a modern audience can better relate to the achievements of Ancient Greeks. The aerial photography is simply stunning, especially when the film is viewed on an IMAX screen. The producers use computer-generated imagery with great dexterity to restore the Parthenon and Goddess Athena in all their greatness as contemporaries could admire them on the acropolis in the fifth century BCE. As a narrator, Nia Vardalos makes this journey entertaining. However, Greece Secrets of the Past is ultimately just eye candy compared to Secrets of Archeaology, a six-DVD set about 27 archeological sites. Secrets of Archeaology contains among other destinations several unforgettable journeys to the most remarkable sites of Ancient Greece.

I found the video interesting for what it contained, but was disappointed by the large focus on one volcanic island and relatively little information and perspective on the large and more complex history, art and culture of Greece. For those with a broader interest, I would recommend the National Geographic videos as a better investment.

I just returned from living in Athens for four years and wanted something to remember Greece by. This is a wonderful video. It takes you there to the sites on Santorini and around Greece. The aerial vantage adds to the beauty. It is what I remember and want to remember.

As a world history teacher, I am always on the lookout for new materials that I could use in class. I did not see this movie on IMAX where the grand sweeping scenery shots would have been very effective and probably would have distracted me from the scarcity of detail. But, watching it with on a little color TV in my dining room (which would be a similar scale that the students in the back of my class would experience) the amazing pictures just did not cover up the lack of actual information.

I did the math once and noted that I had about 5,000 minutes of class time to cover 5,000 years of recorded history. I keep that fact in mind when I am looking at movies that I could use in class. This movie is very beautiful and enthusiastic but just does not cut the mustard for classroom use. Instead, I recommend "Greece: A Moment of Excellence" in Time Life's Lost Civilizations [4 DVDs]. Certainly, the set costs more than this one DVD but it includes 10 movies in total.

Probably worth seing in IMAX theatre, but falls short of expectations when you want something exciting for your home DVD library. Not really bad, with some nice shots, but not as good as most IMAX movies I have see,

Another beautiful IMAX film that transfers well to the small screen. It not only has beautiful scenery, but shows how archaeologists work in Greece and what they think happened in and around Thera (Santorini). I showed it to my Ancient Civilizations class and they enjoyed it almost as much as I did.

This is a beautifully sensitive telling of the tragic events that lead to the eruption of Santorini and the mystery of it's lost people. Being of Greek ancestory and proud of my heritage, like Nia Vardalos, the images to me are haunting. The IMAX cinematography beautifully captures the brilliant colors and spectacular landscape of the island just like I remember it. Seeing the computer generated reconstruction of the Parthenon is as mind boggling on the small screen as it must have been intended when viewed up close and personal by the Atheneans when it was completed. Seeing the colors and images of the reconstructed lost mosaics only just begins to reveal that there was so much more to this lost island community. And, unfortunately, an hour long program can not begin to capture what these Ancient people built and ultimately contributed to civilization as we know it today. It is up to the viewer to pursue the rest of the story on his/her own.

If you love travel, get this DVD. The photography and computer graphics/simulations are fabulous. With its emphasis on the archaeology of Santorini and Athens, the only reason for not giving this DVD 5 stars is that it doesn't show enough of Greece. The video is over waaaay too soon. I wanted it to go on for another hour or two. Also, the music is beautiful and really makes you feel you are there.

If you just want visual impressions, the typical IMAX excellence in photography will be pleasing. But the "secrets of the past" aspect jumps around in time and never really tells a coherent story.