Product Details

• Actors: Alexander Scourby, Leslie Nielsen, Joseph Campanella, Orson Welles, Richard Basehart
• Directors: Alexander Grasshoff, Aram Boyajian, Bert Haanstra, David Seltzer, Jack Kaufman
• Writers: James Lipscomb
• Producers: Al Giddings, Alexander Grasshoff, Bud Wiser, James Lipscomb
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Nat'l Geographic Vid
• VHS Release Date: July 11, 1997
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304474164
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,651 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The sheer scope and size of Egyptian antiquities are breathtaking enough; their beauty is often just as startling. The National Geographic video classic Egypt: Quest for Eternity guides viewers through the greatest and most striking of the long-standing treasures, including favorites like the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids of Giza as well as lesser-known sites and artifacts. The temples of Luxor and Karnak appear as majestic today as they did thousands of years ago, and the Nile valley, though somewhat tamed, still provokes a sense of awe. Though produced in the early 1980s, the information is still on target. It's hard not to be dazzled by the achievements of the Egyptians, and National Geographic's sharp videography and careful research showcase these stars of the ancient world. --Rob Lightner

Product Description

The river Nile gave birth to one of history's great civilizations. Through the centuries, the ancient Egyptians created and constructed the most glorious monuments the world has ever seen. Explore the great temples of Luxor and Karnak. Cross the Nile to the Land of the Dead and enter the elaborately decorated tombs where the kings and queens are buried. Join Egyptologists as they unravel and interpret the riddles of Egypt's intriguing past.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Documentary Butchered in DVD Release! (Get the VHS!), September 7, 2003

By 

Eric Paddon (Morristown, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Geographic's Egypt - Quest for Eternity (DVD)

In their long history of classic documentaries, one of my favorite National Geographic's was the 1982 "Egypt: Quest For Eternity" narrated by the late Richard Basehart. Frequently I have used the VHS edition in my class on Western Civilization as a good way of illustrating some of the points about Egyptian civilization to my students. When I learned that this program had been given a DVD release, which is rare for these classic National Geographic programs, I immediately bought it.

What a waste of money! For reasons totally impossible to fathom, National Geographic and Warner Video have packaged a butchered version of this documentary that runs only 43 minutes (not 60 minutes as the packaging falsely claims; that is the length of the original version), has totally snipped the opening prologue and the wonderful title credits with the best version of Elmer Bernstein's theme music, and hacked out whole sections at random. Only when fast forwarding to the end did I realize what had happened. This DVD version is a 1994 re-edited version done for the National Geographic Channel and other cable channels today where a shorter running time is dictated by the presence of commercials that was not the case on PBS, where this first aired.

Okay, so today this has to air on cable in a butchered format, but what is the excuse for giving the home video viewer this butchered version instead of the original full-length version that has been available on VHS for 15 years? None whatsoever! Shame on National Geographic and Warner Video for this disgraceful packaging of a classic documentary (this is akin to packaging edited versions of classic TV programs on DVD instead of the original uncut versions) and avoid the DVD at all costs! (But by all means get the VHS version which is a four star presentation!)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oldie but goodie, February 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic's Egypt: Quest for Eternity [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Have been interested in Egypt for over 15 years and this is one of the first videos I ever bought. I still go back and watch it often. It was instrumental in my falling in love with Ancient Egypt. It approaches the culture, history and land in a truely refreshing way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant civilization., March 2, 2001

By 

George Brinton Murray (Meriden, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic's Egypt: Quest for Eternity [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Egypt: Quest for eternity is a must have for anyone who is seriously interested in that which once was, millenia ago, in the Nile Valley. This film treats these marvelous monuments and their builders with the respect and dignity that they most justly deserved then, and still deserve today. National Geographic's Egypt:Quest for eternity is an entertaining, thought provoking journey into the distant past, "in search of the essence for the meaning of life itself".*****/Five Star rating.