Educational Media Reviews Online

Constantinople is a city with one of the most fascinating histories in the world. Tracing Constantinople covers the origins of the city in Byzantium, as well as its relationship with the Roman and Ottoman Empires, focusing on religious buildings such as the Hagia Sophia, the Church of Saint Irene, and the Chora Church. The information, while good, is delivered in such a way that doesn’t make for an engaging viewing experience. The voiceover narration is delivered like a textbook reading, and sometimes too quickly to follow easily. There doesn’t seem to be a strong link between the narration and the photography except when specific works of art are being discussed. Furthermore, the photography is static. Much of it appears to be pan and scan photo montages rather than actual footage of the buildings. Even with what should be a fascinating subject and pleasant background music, overall this is a dry film with which audiences will have difficulty connecting.