Educational Media Reviews Online

This set from FFH and BBC Learning is beautifully shot and edited and stands as an educational yet entertaining piece of work. Each of the titles are made up of theatrical re-enactments woven together with narrative and interspersed with academic experts who bring their views and explanations to the table. Lending their authority are noted Classics and Greek scholars from the fine institutions of the University of Birmingham, the University of Washington, the University of Durham, the University of Chicago, and the University of Exeter. Their expertise and explanations coupled with well done scenery, costumes and dialogue easily grabs and keeps one’s attention.

Jason and the Argonauts focuses primarily on lessons to learn on one’s way to becoming a man. As young Jason and his crew travel from Iolkos to Colkis, they are confronted by several potentially dangerous detours, each of which offers Jason an opportunity for growth. Each of these successful tests amount to a more mature leader who ultimately captures the Golden Fleece and leads his crew back home victorious, honored, and prepared to be king and lead his people.

In The Odyssey Homer’s enduring tale leads the hero, Odysseus, through a soul searching expedition. Odysseus has already reached manhood, but now must discover the true meaning of a happy and contented life. Following his historic victory at Troy, Odysseus finds it difficult to find his way home to Ithaca because the gods continue to blow him off course, thus setting up various options for Odysseus. Ultimately, he discovers that the fame of being neither a hero, nor a quest for prominence in the afterworld, and not even immortality can compare to living a fulfilled life as a human with his wife and child. Family life really is meaning.

Each title outlines the story and delves into the overall meaning behind the epic poems and thankfully neither title attempts to explain the ancient Greek myths in terms of archeological or historical facts. At only 51 minutes allotted to each tale, there have been many liberties and shortcuts taken, but certainly not to a fault. The point of this two-part series is not to retell the mythic accounts, but to take a few summary snapshots of each hero involved and allow us to concentrate on what he learned about life through his struggles.

Curiously, the DVDs do not have a main menu that most users are accustomed to, thus there are no audio options, bonus features, and no scene selection. This is bothersome to this reviewer, as one of the benefits of using DVDs in a classroom setting is the ability to skip directly to a specific scene in order to make a point. In the absence of scene selection, the DVDs have chapters that allow you to jump ahead or back at three-minute intervals, which helps.