Disappearing World Volume One (1970 1975/Network U.K./PAL Region 2 DVD Import)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: D
Episodes: B
PLEASE
NOTE: This DVD set can only be operated on machines capable of playing back
DVDs that can handle Region Two/2 PAL format software and can be ordered from
our friends at Network U.K. at the website address provided at the end of the
review.
As
technology and new trends in civilization move forward for better and worse, it
has always been the case that lands, places and even people get moved, altered
and worse. Civilization is not always
civilized. However, there are also more
vicious reasons this happens, but before those cases were so blatant by first
world powers that should know better, changes happened in different ways. Disappearing
Worlds is a British documentary series that captured key places and times
before they were gone.
Now on
DVD in a four-disc Volume One
collection, each disc has two of the feature-length looks at people and places
we should all know more about. They
include Kurdish Dervishes, the Meo of China, Embera & Panare Indians of
Colombia, nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara,
Cuiva and much more. Too bad when we
catch up with such peoples in world news, it is usually for the worst. This was a groundbreaking show in its time
and deserves rediscovery. Made at a time
when no cable channels devoted themselves to documentary work, it turned out to
be more ahead of its time than even the makers could have imagined.
The 1.33
X 1 image comes from older video masters of the original 16mm footage which can
look good, but is simply held back by the age of the transfers and some work
that needs to be done on the various footage.
However, this can look a generation down or two and sounds it via the
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono on all the episodes.
It is still watchable and involving, but we hope the film is saved and
being worked on for future HD use. There
are no extras.
As noted
above, you can order this DVD import exclusively from Network U.K. at:
http://www.networkdvd.net/
or
www.networkdvd.co.uk
- Nicholas Sheffo
