Educational Media Reviews Online

This lengthy presentation mirrors the huge collections of one of the world's most spectacular museums. Although the Vatican Museum is sometimes thought of as one museum, it is actually many, and this set takes the viewer on a tour of a myriad of its highlights.

The viewer will feel as if he or she is walking through the museums halls or flying over the outside buildings, always moving. This technique attempts to avoid the static feel of looking at paintings and sculptures that are simply sitting there – and it works. Stills are also used, some superimposed on others. Clips of old films (both motion pictures and news-type coverage) are inserted in a few places to illustrate that point in history.

With a background of instrumental music and choirs, the narrator explains the history of the art works, how they came to be in that particular museum, and the construction of the museum itself. The viewer will see and hear about furniture, tapestries, costumes, and armor, as well as sculptures, paintings, mosaics, friezes, frescoes, and more; the variety is overwhelming. The pieces and rooms are beautiful, and there is a real feel in the film for this space and the layout, including the size of sculptures when ceilings, floors, and arches are shown as they surround the pieces.

While all of this may seem like it should recommend this documentary highly, there is a slight reservation: The narration becomes repetitive. In several sections a lecturer is actually shown sitting at a stand reading the narration, which is not interesting at all. Artists and historians who are intensely interested in the subjects covered by these museums may be interested in viewing all of the sections of this DVD set. Instructors may consider showing several chapters – one at a time (there are 15 chapters on the three discs) – to their classes. There is sufficient art analysis and history here to make it useful; however, the presentation leaves something to be desired. Small doses, spaced widely, would be the best approach! But for those interested on a serious level in Vatican history, architecture, Greek or Roman art, the Egyptians, Etruscans, early Christian art, and modern religious art will want to view relevant chapters.