Amazon.com
Going beyond being a mere travelogue, this ambitious documentary from the Discovery Channel seeks to portray the character of the Italian people. The focus is on representative Italians, including the artistic engineers who craft the Ferrari sports cars, a fashion designer, and fishermen in a small seaside village. The locations vary greatly, with the camera visiting the trendy cities of Rome and Milan, the gorgeous Mediterranean scenery of Sicily, and the astounding and stark beauty of the soaring Italian Alps. Narrated by actress Linda Hunt, this is an atmospheric view of Italians, and it probably wouldn't be very practical for those seeking an instructional travel tape. However, the locations visited in this video are, for the most part, beautiful, and the photography is often stunning--and just the spectacular camera work would make this documentary a treat for the eyes, if nothing else. But the interviews with Italians seek to provide a sampling of the national character, with the emphasis on exuberant and artistic living, national pride, and timeless family traditions. As one interview subject puts it, Italians always strike "a rare blend of art and life." This production serves up a sumptuous sampling of Italian life.
--Robert J. McNamara
From the Back Cover
Italians display a style all their own -- developed throughout hundreds of years of history. Drawing on traditions established from the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, modern Italians blend their rich history with style, energy, family, tradition and pride. The Ferrari, the runways of Milan, tiny fishing villages, the majestic Alps and the color of Venice's Carnival all speak of the Italian soul. Their stories are woven together in
the Italians, as we profile the varied from high-fashion designers in Milan, personalities that make up Italy -- to award-winning photographers in the Italian Alps, to the makers of Ferrari. It's a personal tour of Italy that goes beyond the guidebooks and takes you up close and personal into the lives of the people who live and create Italian style. Travel off the beaten path from the islands off Sicily to the dramatic beauty of the Dolomites to experience
la dolce vita -- the good life!
