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Dinosaurs are everyone's favorite fossils. All kids seem to know about them in one way or another. There's "Jurassic Park" and other movies. There's Barney. All major natural history museums have exhibits. Dinosaurs are many states' "official fossil" and on and on. Well, why not? Even though they constitute only a small portion of the total Mesozoic fauna, they're generally large and spectacular and grab the imagination like no other fossil group. The Mesozoic Era was a glorious time for the reptiles and not just the Dinosaurs. The Mesozoic oceans had an assemblage of large marine reptiles that were just as remarkable in their habitats as the Dinosaurs were on land. Giant marine turtles, Ichthyosaurs, Plesiosaurs of great variety and ferocious Mosasaurs, in addition to some pretty gigantic sharks and other fish, roamed the Mesozoic seaways. "Sea Monsters: A prehistoric Adventure" is a film put together to depict the marine fauna of this time span.

"Sea Monsters" weaves multiple lines of information together. First, there's the group of paleontologists who are collecting and curateing the fossils. Second are the nature and animated recreations of the fossils themselves. Third is a little story that the fossils supposedly reveal regarding some small short-necked plesiosaurs referred to as dollies (a mother and two siblings) who venture out into the mean Cretaceous sea about 82 million years ago. Finally, the movie gives an interesting and spectacular viewing of the geologic history of the seaway, both in map and perspective views. Would the average viewer (especially kids) comprehend and appreciate the complexly interwoven story? Probably not. However, they well might enjoy many facets of the film especially some spectacular animated versions of the Mesozoic marine creatures. A person well versed in natural history might view the film in an entirely different way and find it to be very interesting and well done. The DVD could be repeatedly viewed, especially by children. As their knowledge grew, probably their understanding and appreciation would also grow. Same for adults. The film has good educational potential. Personally, my favorite portion of the film would be the animations. It was delightful to view creatures that I've read about in spectacular live versions.

I should probably issue a disclosure at this point. I served as a scientific consultant to this film and I'm listed in the closing credits. I received no remuneration or expenses and have no financial tie-ins with the filming company or The National Geographic Society, and none was expected. My interest was in the fossils and the story they were telling and I'm delighted with the final results. I viewed the film at the Rueben Fleet IMAX Theater with Director Sean Phillips and others and greatly enjoyed the evening. The DVD could not possibly be as spectacular as my viewing, but I have full confidence that the DVD version will show well on a wide-screen TV.

Gary Peterson

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The special effects were amazing, a lot of information was given, wonderful narration, and the storyline was interesting.

However, I can't bring myself to give more than three stars because the staged paleontologist scenes were too cheesy for me...I don't know if better actors would have made a difference. Just when we were getting into the scenes with the prehistoric creatures, it would cut away to a reacreation of how the fossils were found it was very distracting.

I think maybe they should have separated those scenes from the main storyline, and offered the fossil information as a special feature for the DVD.

If you prefer the set-up of DVDs such as Chased By Sea Monsters or When Dinosaurs Roamed America, you might have the same problem trying to sit through this DVD.

We bought this DVd for our three-year old son who is fascinated with prehistoric sea monsters...he loves the parts featuring the creatures, but kept wandering off whenever they cut to the staged "people" scenes. That kind of defeated the purpose of buying this DVD.

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I was dissappointed with this documentary. It opens showing a landscape and then 3 people in an SUV identified as paleontologists who don't appear again in the film until the very end. They don't do anything but talk among themselves about what they are looking for which doesn't add anything to the documentary. It is never clearly stated who they are and who they represent. The film also shows other paleontologists who do a little more talking, but still who they represent remains a mystery. A great deal of time is spent on dazzleling the viewer with the special effects and a story about the adventures of two sea dynosaurs (doli...?). The narration left much to be desired and the music was poorly chosen. This film was designed it seems mostly for kids. You learn very little from this.

I consider National Geographic to be one of the best makers of nature documentaries, but this one is the worst documentary or supposed documentary I've ever seen from them.

Strangely, this DVD did not play in my DVD player but did play on my computer's DVD drive.

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Definitely the best-to-date film on prehistoric sea-life I've seen. It follows the life story of a little-known sea creature called Dolichorhynchops (a.k.a. Doli) and the creatures she encounters in the then submerged center of America.

The graphics of "Prehistoric Adventure" don't quite match that of "Chased by Sea Monsters,"

BUT the story-line is much more engaging. The "Adventure" jumps seamlessly between Doli's story and the paleontologists unraveling her story.

"Adventure" makes breaks in the storyline to talk ancient beasties like Tylosaurus, Xiphactinus, the Ammonites, etc. as they most likely lived rather than having Nigel Marvin introducing their names before hurriedly moving on like in "Chased."

For example, watching the Astixosaurus swimming thru that school of fish like modern sharks, dolphins, and whales do almost convinced me these things are really out there.

Hope National Geographic puts out more like this. This is definitely worth your money, the kids will love it and you will 2.

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I normally do not post reviews but in this case I felt compelled to. The folks that I purchased this DVD from have been great; they exchanged the defective DVD with another defective DVD (both were new and factory sealed). Both had blank or bad spots in the same places, therefore I have come to the conclusion that this is just a bad reproduction. The move is not all that good and the animation parts are where most of the defects are located. Save your money and purchase a better "prehistoric monster" move such as "the walking with" series.

Cheap National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (2010)

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With apologies to Jimmy Stewart and Ralphie Parker, this is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. If you are reading this because you have never seen "Christmas Vacation", stop right now and go to the video store and rent it. Then come back here and order your own copy because you'll want to watch it over and over again each holiday season.

The undisputed gem of the National Lampoon 'Vacation' series, the plot can be summed up very simply: idealistic family man Clark Griswold wants to host the perfect old-fashioned fun family Christmas. As all of us idealistic family men have discovered, there is no such thing as a perfect holiday, and that just about sums it up. The appeal of this film is that we can all relate to the disasters that holidays can become, regardless of how well-meaning we are and how hard we work to achieve them.

The cast is terrific. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (Ellen) are back as the Griswolds, with Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki assuming the roles of Audrey and Rusty. John Randolph and Diane Ladd are Clark's parents, while E.G. Marshall and the ultimate mother-in-law, Doris Roberts are Ellen's parents. Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss are Todd and Margo, the yuppie neighbors. William Hickey and Mae Questel (the voice of Betty Boop and Olive Oyl) nearly steal the show as Uncle Lewis and senile Aunt Bethany. Randy Quaid does steal the show his "cousin-in-law" Eddie is one of the all-time great characters in recent comedy history.

The self-inflicted situations that befall Clark in his holiday quest are peppered with memorable dialogue and slapstick, yet believable enough to bring flickers of recognition to most viewers. Witness his mishaps on the roof putting up the lights; getting trapped in the attic; spending his Christmas bonus before he gets it; dealing with his snooty neighbors; and getting hilariously tongue-tied at the lingerie counter and being remarkably eloquent when he gets his "bonus". Admit it. We've all been there.

A holiday movie should be one that holds up to repeated viewings, and this one does. Besides the excellent cast and the familiar situations, there is a great score by Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks), the animated opening credits sequence, and some fine tunes such as "Hey Santa Claus" by the Moonglows! There are numerous little touches that you might not catch the first several times check out the shape of the packages in Mr. Shirley's office when Clark gives him his gift, and see what happens to the light bulbs Clark puts in the cart at the Wal-Mart.

I suspect, like in our home, "Christmas Vacation" has become a sort of institution in many homes each holiday season. We like to get together with friends to watch it, with everyone dressing as a character from the movie. We eat green jello with "cat food" in it, stand and join in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner, recite the lines along with the characters, and give thanks that our holidays are at least a little better than the Griswolds'.

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Finally, after all this time, Warner Brothers have come to their senses. On October 7th, we will be treated to a heftly helping of one of the greatest Christmas films to ever grace the silver screen............in WIDESCREEN.

I was extremely disappointed with the previous DVD release of this film which contained a pan & scan presentation and nothing more than a theatrical trailer in the extras department.

What we have here is a special edition of this great movie, which will contain audio commentary from both Beverly D'Angelo and Chevy Chase, a "making of" featurette, as well as other stocking stuffers which have yet to be disclosed at this present time.

Being a huge fan of this movie, I honestly can't wait for this release. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" has become a holiday tradition in my home, and to be able to see it the way it was intended to be seen is truly a treat for me.

Aside from the features of the disk, the film itself is the true gift. One of the funniest movies today which still withstands the test of time even 15 years later. The premise is simple. Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) is hell bent on having an old-fashioned family Christmas in his home, relatives and all. Of course, the hilarity kicks in when things start to go awry. There are so many hilarious scenes in this movie, it would be difficult to list them all. You have everything from an electrocuted cat, to a house with the brightest Christmas light display known to man. Let's not forget the dried up turkey, the saucer sled and the dog/squirrel chase! There's so much more I could say to praise this movie, but if you haven't already seen it, [I won't say more]

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You really take your life in your hands every time you sit down with a Chevy Chase film. Let's face reality here: Chevy Chase is responsible for several of the worst movies ever made. Does it take more than a few minutes of viewing to see the mind numbing folly of "Nothing But Trouble," "The Three Amigos," and "Spies Like Us"? Chase has sure had his truly embarrassing moments on the big screen. What redeems the guy, at least in my eyes, are several films that play up to the comedian's smart alecky, deadpan delivery. "Fletch," of course, is the gold standard of Chevy Chase films, but other movies showcase his talents just as well. I always thought "Deal of the Century" a classic Chase film, as well as "Foul Play" (although the latter was more of an ensemble picture). But we need look no further than the four National Lampoon Vacation films to truly judge the merits of this comedian turned actor. Actually, I should say three Vacation films since the second installment, where the Griswold family went on a tour of Europe, ranks as one of the most dreadful stories ever put on film. Of the three successful entries, "Christmas Vacation" is the best, perhaps even eclipsing the first movie that started it all.

You won't hear the familiar strains of Lindsey Buckingham's "Holiday Road" in "Christmas Vacation," and there are no corpses strapped to the top of a station wagon either. Instead, the film invites us into the Griswold home for an old fashioned Christmas celebration the likes of which soon reach catastrophic levels. Clark (Chevy Chase) and Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) Griswold, along with their disinterested kids Audrey (Juliette Lewis) and Russ (Johnny Galecki), invite the whole family over for a season filled with happiness. Clark's parents Clark Sr. (John Randolph) and Nora (Diane Ladd) show up, as does Ellen's folks Art (E.G. Marshall) and Frances (Doris Roberts). And yes, even Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) makes an appearance to save the day. Of course, along with the family comes the inevitable frustrations and stresses everyone who has ever dealt with a reunion dreads. Clark Griswold refuses, at least initially, to fall into a morass of cynicism and despair amidst the bickering and insults. His invention of a new milk preservative has our hero hoping his Christmas bonus will be extra big this year, big enough so he can install an in ground swimming pool in the backyard. Unfortunately, his boss Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray) is a scrooge with plans to make the company more fiscally conservative.

While he waits for the check to arrive at the house, Clark embarks on several hilarious projects that haul in the belly laughs. His attempts to cover every square inch of his house with Christmas lights is a chore requiring several falls off a ladder, pointed verbal repartees with his snotty neighbors Margo and Todd Chester (Julia-Louis Dreyfus and Nicholas Guest), and repeated failures to get the strands to light up. The acquisition and installment of the Griswold family Christmas tree is another chore handled in Clark's inimitable style. Imagine the pine they string up in Rockefeller Square every year, subtract roughly five feet from its height, and you have the tree Clark insists on setting up in the house. This thing is so huge that the branches knock out the windows when Griswold cuts the rope holding the branches together. No Yuletide season, however, would be complete without a trip to the slopes for a sledding excursion, an event filled with disastrous implications when Griswold comes up with the bright idea to cover the bottom of his sled with a Teflon based substance. My favorite scenario involves Clark trapped in his attic for a few hours. He spends his time dressed up in women's clothing (to stay warm) watching old home movies of his childhood. His abrupt fall through the trap door had me laughing for hours afterwards.

The cast of "Christmas Vacation" gels fantastically, far better than any cast in the other three films. Kudos as always go to Randy Quaid as the squirrelly moocher Eddie; a film in this series just wouldn't be the same without this character driving Clark to fits of distraction. Beverly D'Angelo is one of those actresses who get hotter and hotter with age. The linchpin of the film is, as always, Chevy Chase as the disaster prone Clark Griswold. This is a role tailor made for his brand of clumsy, caustic humor. I don't know about you, but Chase's depiction reminds me in many ways of my own father--he won't listen to the advice of anyone else, his ideas are the best ideas, he tosses safety to the wind when working on dangerous projects, etc. But like my Dad--and probably countless other fathers--Clark is sincere and wants his loved ones to have wonderful family memories. The film works so well, I suspect, because most of us instantly recognize his character traits in our own beloved family patriarchs. Especially when Clark can't stand the pressure anymore and launches into one of his over the top tirades, again a trademark of our own fed up fathers.

Although the DVD carries the "Special Edition" tag, the extras are surprisingly sparse. A trailer and a commentary constitute the sum total of goodies available on the disc. Moreover, the commentary doesn't include Chevy Chase. At least you hear Randy Quaid, Beverly D'Angelo, Johnny Galecki, Miriam Flynn (Eddie's wife Catherine), director Jeremiah Chechik, and producer Marty Simmons, but why no Clark W. Griswold? Perhaps he wanted too much money. His absence is unfortunate and mars what is otherwise a great commentary track. I don't even wait until Christmas to watch this movie; it's fun works year round. If you haven't seen it yet, you ought to immediately. You'll love it.

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National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation has become a holiday tradition in my home. As many times as I've seen this movie I still laugh. There's good old cousin Eddie and his clan, the in-laws, the house covered with lights, (that don't light), an exploding turkey, and of course the squirrel. Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid play off each other perfectly. Then there's the long-suffering ever-faithful Beverly D'Angelo, who relates as Chevy's wife identically as Marge Simpson relates to Homer. The only advantage to owning this movie on DVD is the durability factor. As other reviewer's have mentioned, the DVD picture quality is poor. Besides a grainy picture, the DVD contains no extras, unless you consider a movie trailer to be a special feature. I certainly do not consider a movie trailer a big deal. There will most likely be a "Collector's Edition" released some day that will boast a better picture and added features; seems to be a trend with some of these DVD's. Patience is truly a virtue. Happy Holidays!

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Every Christmas Eve I put the presents under the tree, straighten the stockings, and never forget to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase returns as Clark Griswald and gives his funniest performance yet. Beverly D'Angelo is also back as Ellen, and not to mention Randy Quaid has also returned to play good old Uncle Eddy. This movie will have you laughing the whole time. The DVD could have a better selection of extra's but trust me, the movie is satisfying enough.

What makes this movie different from the rest of the Vacation movies is the fact that the Griswalds don't actually take a vacation. Instead they stay home and invite the in-laws to join them for the holidays. One of the greatest moments in the movie would have to be when Eddy kidnaps Clark's boss to fufill Clark's Christmas wish.

Forget "The Santa Clause", "A Christmas Story", and "A Miracle on 34th Street". Christmas Vacation is the new Christmas DVD classic!

Review of National Geographic: Sea Monsters- A Prehistoric Adventure (3D)

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I first saw this movie in IMAX 3D and was truly impressed with a really good storyline and amazing 3D effects. When I saw this movie was released on Blu-Ray in 3D I was hesitant thinking the 3D at home would be a joke. I was proven otherwise. Even on the comfort of my couch the 3D is amazing. You still get all the feelings of the screen coming to life as well as objects projected so close you feel could be hit by them.

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Stunning, amazing, informative and spectacular! Comes with 4 pairs of cardboard glasses. Do NOT use those (they're OK, but not great though!), Get plastic ones instead! Better fit, better view! Turn all your lights off, watch that DVD at night! It'll take your breath away! I really enjoyed it! Highly recommend!

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If you like 3D in Blue/Red colored glasses, this is for you. This is NOT for use in the new 3D movie technology (i.e. Samsung LED TV's).

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This release is not in the new checkerboard 3D format -the format is the traditional red/blue color shift.

That's good news if you want to use this on a BluRay player that's not 3D Ready, but is not what we were looking for as a demonstration disk for our shop.

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I purchased the blu-ray version thinking that this would play perfectly on my new 50in Samsung 3d TV . Unfortunatley this turned out to be one of those red-blue 3D movies where you'd need to see it with the cardboard supplied glasses. The 3D effects are outdated and its just not that great after seeing some of the later movies with 3D effects.

Actually shame on me for not reading the product details before buying it.

but even with the supplied blue-red glasses on, the 3D effects are mediocre. The documentary is way too short and for the price i paid , it definitely feels like a rip-off.

Review of The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009)

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I live in Gardiner, Montana (location of the Roosevelt Arch) and work in Yellowstone, and I experienced firsthand the genuine passion and forthright efforts of Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan and their staff as they took their vision and turned it into a poetic masterpiece. Their years of hard work not only in Yellowstone but throughout the entire national park system have paid off, and we are the lucky beneficiaries of their skillful and spirited tenacity.

This film speaks gently and lovingly of the National Parks idea. The majestic vistas, the enlightening interviews, the background music -woven together they demonstrate the power of "place", and fill us with a desire to further protect and honor these sacred sites.

We cannot live without the land, and we cannot live well without understanding our past. "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" is an authentic rendering of those very truths, and like all things good and beautiful, will be experienced and revered for ages to come, just as will the national parks themselves.

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Not sure why people are complaining about not getting more geological data or wildlife info. This documentary is about the IDEA of our National Park systems which includes inspirations and motivations. As history lover's review says...its how (and why) our National Parks came to be. I'm sure Burns included the term "idea" for good reason. The idea that Burns goes after seems to be a philosophy against commercialism and greed which makes sense after seeing the first episode. Who cares if spirituality was one of the inspirations though? For many, appreciating nature is a spiritual or at least meditative experience regardless of what they do or don't believe. So far this documentary is organized much the same as Burns' other films. Nice music, nice scenery captured in nice camera work with nice photographsall interwoven with Park Rangers, historians, writers and other experts on the people and places mentioned. So far so good! Leave it to Burns to use National Parks to provide another reminder that not everything in this country is money motivated. If the rest of the episodes are as good as what I've seen it'll be worth a purchase.

e: Now that the series is over I can say I really enjoyed it. I feel pretty much the same as my initial review above. I do agree with some of the other reviews that this series didn't feel as cohesive as some of Burns' other films but it was still a really good one. I thought the narration and interviews had a more "scripted feel" to them. Another small gripe was that although I enjoyed the music (especially the guitar-work) I wish there was more variety. I wish they had recorded more music for this specific film so that songs weren't reused as much. It didn't detract from the film all that much though. And there is still quite a bit. When it was all said and done, not only did I learn about interesting things about interesting people and places, this film inspired more appreciation for our National Parks from me. That's enough for me to say its worth a watch and worth owning. Recommended.

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Although the series suffers somewhat from repetitiveness occasioned by the need to keep re-orienting viewers as multiple story sequences are interrupted for long periods of time while first one, then another, thread is begun, I am glad that I was patient enough to view the entire collection. If you like Ken Burns's thorough and somewhat laid-back style, you will find it agreeable here as in his other series, even if this is not quite his best effort. One should bear in mind that this is primarily an historical documentary, not a travelogue or guide to the parks.

In terms of content, I'd probably give the series four stars; but I was disappointed in the video quality of the new motion-picture footage that Burns's photographers accumulated over six years of hard and dedicated work. I believe that a fundamentally wrong decision was made in the choice of medium. Burns has a love of old-style photography, and the many stunning examples of still photos were a joy to behold. I also agree with him that film is a more pleasing medium than direct-to-video. Unfortunately, it would appear that budget limitations (and perhaps portability considerations as well, as photographers were slogging through wilderness) precluded the use of 35mm film, which would have been ideal. Instead, a decision was made (by whom I have no idea) that 16mm film would be the next best thing. This is the point at which I would have decided to use direct video. Even though it may be a little lacking in warmth compared with film, there is only so much grain that I am willing to put up with in a hi-def production. My consumer-grade HD camcorder makes much clearer and cleaner video than is seen in this series.

There are a couple of points to be made in favor of the Blu-ray version, however. First, those who may be basing their purchase decision on what they saw on PBS's HD telecast should know that the Blu-ray disc is somewhat better; the graininess of the 16mm film really messed up the compression algorithms used in the distribution of the telecast. Also, the stunning still photos, both the old B&W's that were probably shot on 4x5 negatives, and the modern color photos, benefit from Blu-ray versus DVD, if you're willing to pay the price.

None of this criticism of the video is relevant to the DVD; nor will it matter to those with poor eyesight or who watch on less than full-resolution HDTVs or who view from a distance greater than recommended for a given screen size. I for one was hoping for something visually splendid, something like "Planet Earth" or the BBC's "Yellowstone," something, quite frankly, that would help to justify my investment in home theater. The National Parks doesn't do it.

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In reading some of the previous comments/reviews, it is apparent that it would behoove some people to look up the definition of 'documentary'. It just might be a revelation that they mainly consist of historical content. If an endless montage of pretty pictures is all it takes to satisfy you (or that is all you can handle), stick to the National Geographic channel. I am not knocking their content, but you won't find this kind of depth/detail there. This series has the perfect balance of beautiful landscapes and historical narration. The point of this documentary is not simply to show the wonderous beauty that the National Parks have to offer. Rather, it is about exploring the origin and necessity of the parks and the journey from a grand idea to magnificent fruition. Learning what it took and the obstacles faced to make the National Parks a reality is very interesting and truly awe-inspiring. We are blessed to have these amazing places that we can all call our own.

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I have always been in awe when visiting America's National Parks. Like most people, I take these wonders for granted, never had a good understanding of how they came to being. This documentary, though it contains breathtaking scenes, isn't all about the ooohhhs and aaahhhhhs of the National Parks. As the title suggests it's America's Best Idea, the documentary builds on how hard fought the idea was, like many great ideas. Most of us know very little about our national treasures. We may know that John Muir fought hard as a conservationist but many may not know that trying to prevent Hetch Hetchy valley from being dammed and flooded took the life out of him. I remember learning Teddy Roosevelt was a Rough Rider in school but never knew the major role he played at conservation and that even he and all his powers as President could only made the Grand Canyon a National Monument. Those of us who enjoy the great outdoors owe it to Muir and Roosevelt and others such as Stephen Mather and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The idea didn't come easy or free and some people put their lives and/or fortunes into making sure that Nature's Majesties are conserved for all to enjoy. Besides the beautiful scenes, the documentary is very informative and educational and a must for those who enjoy America's National Parks. This series would make a very nice addition to one's video collection and a must for those who enjoy the great outdoors.

Discount America's National Parks: A Video Tour of All 55 National Parks

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Considering the large amount of ground these DVDs have to cover, they do a great job. Every single national park is given time, with interesting facts and great scenery. I loved learning and especially *seeing* more of some of the obscure parks that you normally can't find much information about, such as Kobuk Valley. For National Park lovers, it's a great addition to your national park library.

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`America's National Parks' is not only a video tour of these locations, it is also something of a history and trivia lesson in that a good amount of information is offered about each area. As far as visuals are concerned, the cinematography really is something special to look at. The narration throughout the program is distinct and nicely paced in my opinion also. I've been fortunate enough to travel all over the world and one word that sticks in my mind about America is `diversity' because there is so much to see and experience and we are very blessed to have what we do. And we appreciate what we have.

To be quite honest, before seeing this program, I had no idea there were 55 different national parks in America. Now that I do know and having seen them all on this wonderful documentary, I want to rush out and see every one of them (even the few I've already visited). I'm sure that others seeing this material will probably feel the same way. It is simply inspiring just to watch and appreciate these beautiful and unspoiled landscapes.

Two special features are included in this DVD set. The first is entitled `Symphony to America's National Parks' and is music from classical composers set to a video montage of outstanding scenery lasting about 30 minutes (there is a different one for each disc). The second is called `Our Fragile Heritage' and at about 5 minutes long, it is basically a public service announcement with an important message. It talks about the importance of preservation and visitor's responsibilities inside the parks and I feel it is a useful compliment to the main program.

I highly recommend this documentary to everyone. This is worth watching over and over and it would be a worthwhile addition, in my opinion, to any DVD collection. Enjoy.

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I agree with the previous reviewer. This is a must-have for all national park lovers. It does not only cover the most popular ones, but the rarely-visited as well. Although we may still grab some information on the website of National Park Service, it is good to see the real and living scenes from videos.

There are, however, two shortcomings of this 2-DVD set. First, it really only covers national parks. There are no national monument (for example, White Sands), national memorial (for example, Mount Rushmore), national historic site...... in the film. Some of them may be even more magnificent or spectacular than certain national parks. Another is that many scenes in this DVD set are not filmed so great, and even worse. I've been to many of these national parks and ask myself: how do these guys make these beautiful scenes so bad? So when you feel it doesn't look beautiful while watching it, don't just believe that park is not worthy of visiting. It tends to be a correct choice to blame on the men who made it.

Despite the above two bad sides, I still recommend this DVD set. It is indispensable.

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Both DVDs were great. The photography exceptional and the background music appropriate. The narrator's voice was easy to listen to and easily understandable.

I'd recommend it to anyone.

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Need a respite from everyday life? Not feeling up to the pace of an action thriller? Don't have time for an entire movie? The twin DVD set, America's National Parks A Video Tour of All 55 National Parks, is a perfect armchair getaway. Packed with jaw-dropping scenery shots, its peppered with historical footage, and seeded with details about the evolution of our National Park system --and the individual parks in particular. Did you know we had 55 National Parks? I didn't. And this presentation easily lends itself to being viewed in segments. This item would make a great gift for anyone interested in our natural world and/or the history of the park system, not to mention the elderly, infirm, and the just plain frazzled.

Discount 2012 Allstate BCS National Championship Game (2012)

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I agree with the other comments about poor video quality.

An LSU friend of mine had a different complaint. They kept trying to watch the DVD, but it kept stalling about halfway through.

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The quality of this recording is terrible. I can't believe the BCS would knowingly license a DVD this poor. It's a real stretch giving it even one star.

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I was excited about being able to have this game on DVD (especially since I was actually there). However, I am extremely disappointed by the quality of the video. Atrocious. Its like I am watching something in lower resolution on YouTube. I had previously downloaded a HD copy from iTunes and the quality is much better. This DVD was produced by XO Digital and they apparently have the exclusive rights to the BCS and SEC game reproductions. XO clearly dropped the ball and has put forth a very poor quality product apparently in an effort to make a quick buck from the fans. To make matters worse, the DVD could not be detected and was unplayable by the DVD drive of my new Dell laptop.

Honest reviews on 2012 Allstate BCS National Championship Game (2012)

If you'd filmed the game with the camera Zapruder used on Kennedy ... while working a jackhammer ... on a trampoline ... in the snow, you'd have a better looking picture than this DVD.

I'm glad I watched the game 5 times on ESPN3, cuz those memories are all I'm gonna have of Bama's dominance. Until their next Championship. :)

Boooooooooooooooooo to this DVD. Booooooooooooooooooooo, booooooooooooooooooo, BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Horrible Video quality. so fuzzy that you cannot see the jersey numbers at times. Field lines are in double vision and are constantly moving. Don't buy this video.

America's National Park Collection - Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Reviews

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The grandiose statement: what is America? with sweeping vistas introduces each of the 3 parks shown in this DVD: Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. A cursory history of the park's geography and human history is given, but for each the show is more of a 1950's travelogue on what can be seen and done at each park, including touching on the historic hotels that are in each one.

There are bonus features showing the parks' snow coach rides (7 minutes), rafting (7 minutes) and the giant trees (4 minutes).

Yellowstone (34 minutes) consists of; scenic Yellowstone, wildlife spectacle, wolves of Yellowstone, winter in Yellowstone.

Grand Canyon (27 minutes) has; natural stone landmarks, rafting the Colorado, the Grand Railroad

Yosemite (28 minutes) contains; landmarks, a storied past, John Muir, visiting Yosemite.

There are no closed captions.

The photography is beautiful, the narration is done well and it will make you long to travel to these 3 national treasures.

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This DVD is probably the best DVD I have seen on the big three national parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon). The content/footage is stunning, and I could tell that the angles chosen for many of the shots were carefully thought out and orchestrated. The filmmaker, Dennis Burkhart, truly has the magic eye, and anyone who appreciates our national parks like I do will, with 100% certainty, enjoy this. I also enjoyed many of the historical points I gleaned from watching this DVD, as well. I will simply end this withWOW.

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We are blessed with having visited the 3 featured National Parks and wanted this DVD as a pleasant reminder of those memorable occasions to supplement our personal photos. The programs are good, brief, being about 35 to 40 minutes for each feature, and the photography is of high quality. The narrative is enjoyable and we are satisfied with the purchase. The package contains a blu-ray disc and a another disc which contains a standard DVD version as well as a digital copy for a computer and/or mobile downlaod.

Honest reviews on America's National Park Collection - Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand

The video of the national parks is very nice, giving a sense of the magnificence of these parks. It doesn't quite jump off the screen like some of the Blu-Rays of other national parks, so if you have a Blu-Ray player, it might be worth it to get the Blu-Ray version over this DVD disc for improved visuals.

The audio is very mediocre, though, worth maybe 2 stars on its own. The background music is merely okay, and the narrator is just plain bad. The video is mostly matter-of-fact history, plus a bit of over-the-top hyperbole. The script sounds like a middle-schooler wrote it, with far too many phrases saying this park is "the most amazing {X} on earth", without any variation of word choice or creativity. You will get some useful factoids about the history of these parks and a few tips on visiting, but beyond that, you're better off playing this with the sound muted. Unlike other DVDs in this genre, there's no option to play the disc with ambient music instead of the commentary track.

It's watchable, and perhaps even enjoyable. It had the potential to be awe-inspiring -but the poor narration & music make it fall well short of that.

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America's National Park Collection -Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon

This is an excellent DVD--Photography and narration. The three sections leave you wishing for more. I'd say this is one of the best of the National Park videos.

Yellowstone National Park (1993) Reviews

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There is no diologue on this dvd only natural sounds and music. So if your looking for narration this is not the dvd for you, but if you want to relax, watch, listen, remember or just see what it looks like this is the one to get. I must say this was all I expected of the video, however, my expectations were exceeded. To hear the elk call, the geysers blow, the mountain scenes, the rivers matched perfectly with soothing music. The production of this DVD is top notch and well thought out and gives a good overall view of Yellowstone as well as Grand Teton National Park. For those that have been to the Yellowstone National Park and or Grand Teton National Park get ready for a mental trip when you walked Americas Oldest National Park. Those that have not been you will want to go when this is over so pack your bags, thats how good this DVD on Yellowstone is in my opinion. All thats needed of this video are the different scents that make Yellowstone, Yellowstone...

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I was hoping for a documentary with some commentary, but it was just all music. YAWN!!!!! I do have to admit, however, that the scenery shots were excellent. I prefer documentaries with commentary so I know what I'm looking at. Yellowstone is such a dynamic place, close to my home, and I wanted a DVD that enhanced my experiences with it. This one just didn't do it.

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THIS DVD WAS EVEN MORE THAN ADVERTISED. IT IS A WONDERFUL TOUR OF YELLOWSTONE WITH ALL THE SIGHT AND SOUNDS. HOWEVER, NOT LIKE A TOUR GUIDE OR TOO COMMERCIALIZED. IT SHOWS ALL 4 SEASONS AND REALLY MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE THERE. BOUGHT FOR SOMEONE THAT IS DYING OF CANCER WHO HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO GO THERE. IT IS JUST NOT POSSIBLE NOW, BUT HE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT.

Honest reviews on Yellowstone National Park (1993)

Showed lt to a group of Seniors in a Senior Care Vented. They LOVED it !!! Will deflnltely show it again

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This has become a favorite of mine to watch while I walk on the treadmill. I love the wildlife and landscaping, watching Yellowstone go through the seasons. It has a nice classical soundtrack and tons of beautiful and fun to watch scenery. I recommend this to anyone who has gone to Yellowstone or wants to see some of its beauty.

North America's National Parks (As Seen In IMAX Theaters) Review

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I have been lucky enough to visit and stay at many of the National Parks for years but I have never experienced the National Parks from the angle that this IMAX documentary is shot. Patrick O'Hearn is just the right music for this IMAX documentary as well since not too many musicians have been able to give me the joy of music as much as Patrick has in the National Parks, by just laying down and looking at millions of the stars in the sky after a long day of hike after a fine outdoor dinning with loved ones. What a privilege to live in North America and be able to visit such unbelievable places and knowing that no one can take those away from anyone of us for years to come... Bravo, bravo, bravo. An absolute feast for a healthy mind.

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I saw tis video from the library and will buy it at Amazon. Love the music. Just wonderfully beautiful..

North America's National Parks [Blu-ray]

IMAX: National Geographic Extreme Review

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I saw this film six times when it played in IMAX theaters about seven years ago, often taking friends who had not seen it. Since then I have been annually pestering the people at Extreme as to when a DVD might be available. This year's email turned up gold; it's out!

I think this film is utterly extraordinary. To me it's actually a serene meditation on art, beauty, elegance, and the human spirit. I'd been hoping for a DVD release because I periodically felt a need for an Extreme "fix"; and it simply has not been available at regional IMAX theaters anymore. I would love to see it occasionally when I need reassurance as to what is worthwhile in the human spirit!

The previously released soundtrack is also one of my favorite albums. And the pairing of that music to the film is unbelievably inspired, For example, Morsheeba's "The Sea" is played during a snow/mountain episode, not during the surfing -and it works so PERFECTLY! Whoever coordinated the soundtrack is a genius imho! It's right up there with "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and just a handful of other movies as having perfect soundtracks (again: imho!). Along these lines, when the film was showing at our local IMAX theater, a reviewer wrote a basically good review -except that he criticized the soundtrack. He said the music should have been more driving -hard metal or some such. I just shook my head and wondered at how he could so totally and utterly miss the point of "Extreme." I guess he thought it should have been some kind of testosterone fest with pounding music to drive home the point. I'll stick with my assessment of the film as a meditation!

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I saw this film six times when it played in IMAX theaters about seven years ago, often taking friends who had not seen it. Since then I have been annually pestering the people at Extreme as to when a DVD might be available. This year's email turned up gold; it's out!

I think this film is utterly extraordinary. To me it's actually a serene meditation on art, beauty, elegance, and the human spirit. I'd been hoping for a DVD release because I periodically felt a need for an Extreme "fix"; and it simply has not been available at regional IMAX theaters anymore. I would love to see it occasionally when I need reassurance as to what is worthwhile in the human spirit!

The previously released soundtrack is also one of my favorite albums. And the pairing of that music to the film is unbelievably inspired, For example, Morsheeba's "The Sea" is played during a snow/mountain episode, not during the surfing -and it works so PERFECTLY! Whoever coordinated the soundtrack is a genius imho! It's right up there with "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and just a handful of other movies as having perfect soundtracks (again: imho!). Along these lines, when the film was showing at our local IMAX theater, a reviewer wrote a basically good review -except that he criticized the soundtrack. He said the music should have been more driving -hard metal or some such. I just shook my head and wondered at how he could so totally and utterly miss the point of "Extreme." I guess he thought it should have been some kind of testosterone fest with pounding music to drive home the point. I'll stick with my assessment of the film as a meditation!

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This looked a lot more interesting than it is. This is an extremely short movie with very little substance to it. It looked all right on a 52" Samsung but for some reason the picture was very small.

Very glad I bought it on a Lightning Deal or I would have been that much more disappointed.

Honest reviews on IMAX: National Geographic Extreme

Great photography, fascinating film but rather short. Looked fantastic on a 63" Samsung plasma. Scenes of windsurfers were really awesome.

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I recently upgraded to a blu-ray player and then the decision was what would be the first discs that I would want to be the start of the new library. This movie was one of the first things that came to my mind because the photography and action is truly amazing. Something I will definitely watch many times. If you love the outdoors and incredible settings, buy this disc!