What a disappointment! The idea of going to some of Britain's great houses, touring them and talking to the present owners without having to travel to England seemed a chance not to be missed. The DVDs have beautiful color and reasonably competent photography, but nearly zero information on any of the treasures ensconced in these homes. I was particularly unappreciative of the amount of time spent on opening and closing shots of the narrator riding in a vintage Rolls Royce on a country lane, presumably suggesting she is approaching or departing from one of the homes, although that's just a guess on my part as no destination is visible. At least 5 minutes of each episode is taken up with this useless business shown in complete silence. In all five episodes of the set, the narrator walks into or out of a home while giving a brief statement about how and when each was built, visits one or two rooms and gives a bit of information about how it was or wasn't used, interviews a present owner--one of whom had a well-bred British drawl so thick it was nearly impenetrable and needed subtitles, and whatever amount of information he might have contributed could not be understood. Each of these homes has numerous splendid rooms packed with real treasures important enough to be national treasures in themselves, but in each house the viewer is presented with only one or two of them and any information given is so rudimentary it is almost useless. One of my main annoyances about this DVD was the fact that although a great deal of time is spent showing each house from many outdoor aspects including views taken from a helicopter, it would have been better to spend the money on a quality close-up lens. We see beautiful marquetry tables and 16th century tiny mosaic inlaid cabinets, spectacular museum quality silver pieces--but not one closeup that would allow the viewer to actually SEE the workmanship and intricacy of the design in detail is given--not one! Maybe I'm just spoiled by the Antiques Roadshow closeups, but it infuriated me how little I could really see of the one or two things selected to display and discuss. Additionally, many of these homes have an on-site staff of historians, curators and archivists whose insight into the building and its contents would have been wonderful to hear about, but these experts are not interviewed. I must conclude that actually teaching viewers something about these homes and treasures wasn't a goal of this program. The dearth of information was so astounding that my husband and I came away feeling we had just spent a good sum on a vanity series fit only for setting on the shelf and wondering why I broke my rule about buying a DVD set I had not seen prior to purchase. I won't overlook that rule again.Read full review
This DVD set is a nice introduction to some of the most palatial country homes (read: castles) of Britain. It includes visits to Burghley House, Chatsworth, Blenheim Palace, Holkham Hall, and Boughton House. You'll see breathtaking panoramic exterior shots of each destination, hear the stories of the houses, and see the magnificent interiors, with special attention to the architecture, paintings, furniture, and art. Includes a 12-page illustrated booklet. A really nice set! (As to the previous reviewer's criticism about the footage of the narrator riding in a Rolls Royce - well, that's called the opening and closing CREDITS. If you don't want to watch them, fast forward!)
Verified purchase: No
SAW ON TV. WANTED IT TO SHOW MY MOM.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Great video of someof England's beautiful manor houses.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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