Join Simon Schama as he journeys back through the ages to the time in which eight of the most famous works of art were created. It’s a story of intrigue, as many of these iconic... more
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appreciation, with the folksy but knowledgeable Schama as guide and interpreter. A collection of hour-long films on eight seminal artists and their groundbreaking works, wh...
appreciation, with the folksy but knowledgeable Schama as guide and interpreter. A collection of hour-long films on eight seminal artists and their groundbreaking works, wh...
SIMON SCHAMA'S POWER OF ART
Join Simon Schama as he journeys back through the ages to the time in which eight of the
... more
most famous works of art were created. It’s a story of intrigue, as many of these iconic works were created in turbulent times, with their artists living through t...
SIMON SCHAMA'S POWER OF ART
Join Simon Schama as he journeys back through the ages to the time in which eight of the
... more
most famous works of art were created. It?s a story of intrigue, as many of these iconic works were created in turbulent times, with their artists living through the likes of the Spanish Civil War and the upheaval caused during the revolution in Paris.n
appreciation, with the folksy but knowledgeable Schama as guide and interpreter. A collection of hour-long films on eight seminal artists and their groundbreaking works, which originally aired on British television, this boxed set is as entertaining as it is enlightening, with Schama doing for Western art what, say, Steve Irwin did for Australian natural history. Eight artists are featured--Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rothko--and each portrait of the artist weaves biography and historical context to help explain the true power of his works. The segment on Van Gogh is, as expected, emotional, yet Schama convincingly portrays Van Gogh as not consumed by madness, but fighting off the episodes with painting. Van Gogh painted one of his most evocative works, Wheat Field With Crows, which even his brother, Theo, recognised was about to put his brother on the artistic map. Yet, as Schama points out, within weeks, Van Gogh had killed himself. "Now why would he want to do that?" Schama muses--and then proceeds to narrate the tormented tale of the answer. Along the way, the viewer gains new appreciation for Van Gogh's signature works, including his famous sunflowers. "Technically, these are still lives," Schama says, "but there's nothing still about them... the sunflowers [seem to be] organisms landing violently from a burning sun." If the reenactments of the artists' lives are a bit overdone, it's forgivable, since the cumulative effect, in an hour, is a new appreciation of the work and the man. Extras include frank and very funny commentaries by Schama and his co-producer, and lots of behind-the-scenes dish on how certain scenes were achieved. The teeming French opera scene in the "David" episode, for instance, was cast using just 20 French extras and then the rest created by CGI--"the scene works better, really, than [the film] King Kong," Schama says with delight. --A.T. Hurley
appreciation, with the folksy but knowledgeable Schama as guide and interpreter. A collection of hour-long films on eight seminal artists and their groundbreaking works, which originally aired on British television, this boxed set is as entertaining as it is enlightening, with Schama doing for Western art what, say, Steve Irwin did for Australian natural history. Eight artists are featured--Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rothko--and each portrait of the artist weaves biography and historical context to help explain the true power of his works. The segment on Van Gogh is, as expected, emotional, yet Schama convincingly portrays Van Gogh as not consumed by madness, but fighting off the episodes with painting. Van Gogh painted one of his most evocative works, Wheat Field With Crows, which even his brother, Theo, recognised was about to put his brother on the artistic map. Yet, as Schama points out, within weeks, Van Gogh had killed himself. "Now why would he want to do that?" Schama muses--and then proceeds to narrate the tormented tale of the answer. Along the way, the viewer gains new appreciation for Van Gogh's signature works, including his famous sunflowers. "Technically, these are still lives," Schama says, "but there's nothing still about them... the sunflowers [seem to be] organisms landing violently from a burning sun." If the reenactments of the artists' lives are a bit overdone, it's forgivable, since the cumulative effect, in an hour, is a new appreciation of the work and the man. Extras include frank and very funny commentaries by Schama and his co-producer, and lots of behind-the-scenes dish on how certain scenes were achieved. The teeming French opera scene in the "David" episode, for instance, was cast using just 20 French extras and then the rest created by CGI--"the scene works better, really, than [the film] King Kong," Schama says with delight. --A.T. Hurley
Join Simon Schama as he journeys back through the ages to the time in which eight of the most famous works of art were created. It’s a story of intrigue, as many of these iconic works were created in turbulent times, with their artists living through the likes of the Spanish Civil War and the upheaval caused during the revolution in Paris.
...WHAT DO YOU GET
Simon's Schama's 'A History of Britain' is a 15 part overview of British history, that was first shown on BBC 1 from September 2000. These come in a 6 DVD set, with 3 episodes per DVD, plus a final disc with additional features. These come in a nice, stiff, glossy cardboard wallet, and cardboard sleeve, with the signature image on both - three wooden beams on a beach, with Schama walking in the background. In the title sequence to each episode, these beams are lit, like a beacon.
CONTENT AND STYLE
Schama presents his history in a wide-ranging, but by no means comprehensive series of essays. His style is that of a lecture for television. He tells history as a ripping yarn, set in the relevant location, talking to camera as he walks around the site. The range of locations is stunning, and his pieces to camera...
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Advantages: Horror story at its best Disadvantages: Not for the faint hearted
...Ryn and his wife
sets out to thwart the plans of the evil black magician.
Fortunately de Richleau is himself something of a white
magician although with rather limited powers and relies
heavily on the power of good over evil to make a fight of it.
This is a horrifying tale ably told with astounding special
effects that makes you wonder if indeed there is a legitimate
claim for the existence of black arts.
This film is scary and best watched on a Winter's evening with
the lights turned down very low and when the rain is lashing
against the windows, the odd flash of lightning brightens the
sky momentarily, leaving a rumble of thunder to dance around
and the wind finds every nook and cranny to curl itself around
your feet. Being alone helps. After which I defy you to go
upstairs to bed without putting any of the lights on....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Scary, great performances Disadvantages: Sorry, can't think of any
...Prepare to be scared (and then some). This is Hammer horror at it's best and they don't come any scarier.
The story is set in between the first and second world wars and deals with the practicing of the black arts by an occult group headed by the ingratiating Mr Mokata (Charles Grey being wonderfully menacing). Into this group has fallen young Simon Aaron (Patrick Mower) but when he misses a reunion meeting, his two friends, the Duke de Richleau and Rex van Rinn (Christopher Lee and Leon Greene respectively) 'rescue' him, depriving the satanic cult of their presence at an occult ceremony. What follow is a game of good vs evil, with the powers of darkness being battled by Richleau's knowledge of the occult, in an attempt to save Simon's soul from eternal damnation.
Ok it's dated by modern standards but Hammer stick to the old maxim...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
helpful 21.12.2000
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