In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great (1997) |
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General | Extras | ||
Category | Documentary |
Main Menu Audio Interviews-Cast-Michael Wood |
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Rating | |||
Year Of Production | 1997 | ||
Running Time | 234:22 (Case: 269) | ||
RSDL / Flipper |
Dual Layered Dual Disc Set |
Cast & Crew | |
Start Up | Menu | ||
Region Coding | 2,4 | Directed By | David Wallace |
Studio
Distributor |
Roadshow Home Entertainment |
Starring | Michael Wood |
Case | Amaray-Transparent-S/C-Dual | ||
RPI | $29.95 | Music | John Eacott |
Video | Audio | ||
Pan & Scan/Full Frame | None | English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s) | |
Widescreen Aspect Ratio | 1.29:1 | ||
16x9 Enhancement | No | ||
Video Format | 576i (PAL) | ||
Original Aspect Ratio | 1.29:1 | Miscellaneous | |
Jacket Pictures | No | ||
Subtitles | English for the Hearing Impaired | Smoking | Yes |
Annoying Product Placement | No | ||
Action In or After Credits | No |
Alexander The Great has been the subject of many books, television shows and Hollywood movies and he is known as the great conqueror of what was in his time 'the known world'. He spent most of his short life after reaching adulthood away from home on military campaigns during which he travelled 20,000 miles (not 2,000 as it says on the case) conquering empires, subjugating tribes, destroying kingdoms and seeing everything from Libya to India to what is now Uzbekistan.
Rather than taking a normal documentary approach to the subject matter, Michael Wood, our intrepid host, takes a very hands-on approach, retracing the travels and campaigns of Alexander by land-based transport across the 20,000 miles that he covered. In some sections of the journey he even tries to re-enact the way Alexander's army was said to have done things such as wading around rocks with the tide coming in, or going over a high mountain pass with donkeys. This approach makes for a very informative and realistic understanding of the incredible journey which Alexander and his army undertook. The show is spread over two discs and consists of 4 episodes each of just less than an hour. The focus of the series is more on the journey/battles than Alexander personally although it does not shy away from discussing his personal strengths and weaknesses or his homosexuality. The series was made in 1997 and has previously been available on video.
My only criticism of the series is that it is perhaps slightly too long and that some sequences seem to take longer than they need to. However, the information and detail included is fascinating, making this series a little bit like Michael Palin meets history (although without the humour). The four episodes are:
A fascinating documentary series full of excellent information, presented in a different more hands-on way.
The video quality is good.
The feature is presented in a 1.29:1 aspect ratio non 16x9 enhanced which is the original aspect ratio.
The picture was quite clear and sharp throughout. I noticed one spot of low level noise at 26:00 in Episode 2. Shadow detail was decent but some scenes were a little murky. There was variable grain throughout with some footage quite grainy but most just showing light grain.
The colour was quite good, however was a little dull and I noticed one spot of variation in colour at 10:54 in Episode 2.
Artefacts included some regular but usually mild aliasing such as at 6:58, 25:40, 26:30 & 56:40 in Episode 1, some edge enhancement here and there and jagged edges.
There are subtitles in English for the hearing impaired. The English subtitles were clear and easy to read.
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Overall |
The audio quality is good.
This DVD contains an English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo soundtrack encoded at 192 Kb/s.
Dialogue was clear and easy to understand and there was no problem with audio sync.
The score of this series by John Eacott is well suited to the subject and adds to the atmosphere.
The surround speakers and subwoofer were not used.
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Subwoofer | |
Overall |
The menu was quite simple including music, and the ability to select episodes, scenes and subtitles.
An extensive and interesting interview with the host which finds him more personable and enthusiastic than he seemed during the show itself, although this can probably be put down to the physical exertion he undertook during the series. He discusses his fascination with Alexander, other cultures' views of Alexander, problems and politics they encountered along the way, the paradox of Alexander and the recent Hollywood film projects.
NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.
This series is available in Region 1 without the interview with Michael Wood, which is worth having. Region 4 gets the nod.
The video quality is good.
The audio quality is good.
The set has one excellent half hour interview as its only extra.
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Review Equipment | |
DVD | Pioneer DV667A DVD-V DVD-A SACD, using Component output |
Display | Sony FD Trinitron Wega KV-AR34M36 80cm. Calibrated with Digital Video Essentials (PAL). This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 576i (PAL)/480i (NTSC). |
Audio Decoder | Built in to amplifier/receiver. Calibrated with Video Essentials. |
Amplification | Pioneer VSX-511 |
Speakers | Bose 201 Direct Reflecting (Front), Phillips SB680V (Surround), Phillips MX731 (Center), Yamaha YST SW90 (Sub) |