$*$ Over Alaska Blu ray

This is another show from PBS's "Over" series, which includes Over America, Over California, Over British Columbia, Over Ireland, etc. I call these "armchair tourist" DVD's because they're sort of virtual vacations instead of the proper educational/journalistic programing that PBS is better known for. They feel like a tourism board film, or one of those video you see at a museum exhibition (or a "video essay", as the box of Over America puts it). Light on historical, geological or other scientific info, the educational value here is minimal. Don't expect a documentary, but do expect some excellent aerial photography of Alaska's iconic geography and wildlife.



Buy it for the visuals instead of the narration. The narrator's voice is pleasant enough, although very ordinary, monotone, and uncaptivating. Missing is northern Alaska. The program starts in Denali National Park, already halfway down in central Alaska, jumps down to Anchorage, then and winds its way southwest to Juneau, meandering between different subject matters. You'll also find quite a bit of cornball fluff writing. For the bush pilots segment, "On a clear day in Alaska, the routes are all the same -- somewhere just south of heaven." Describing their derring-do ability to land practically anywhere, he says "the wings of their planes are connected directly to the seat of their pants". Later, about trains that go through mountain passes and tunnels, he says "it's living proof in Alaska that men can move mountains." He lays on the cheese pretty thick in several places.



What this 58 minute film does do well is give a broad visual sampling of Alaska to someone who hasn't been there (me). It captures the essence of the land and the character of Alaska -- its expansive wilderness, the independent spirit of its people, and a sense of never-ending freedom. The best shots are of snow covered peaks, glaciers, and water. The mountain flyovers really show off their majesty and give the viewer a sense of the magnitude and beauty of the land. Less interesting are the flyovers of buildings. There is also an appreciable amount of ground photography (of bears, elk, foxes, Iditerod race, closeups of foliage in the rainforest, indigenous peoples), though I did not find this to be a problem. Ugly yellow subtitles appear under places to identify the shot, but it's impossible to tell where you are in relation to the entire state if you don't have a map.



As for picture quality, the mountain shots are the best. They are crisp and vibrant, with great contrast. The forest flyovers are less good, being dull and muddy. All in all, good for virtual tourism. Bad if you're expecting to learn anything. For that, you might want to try Alaska: Spirit of the Wild (IMAX) [Blu-ray].
(6 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

More Detail For Over Alaska Blu ray

• Take flight on a breathtaking tour of the 49th state in Over Alaska. Soar over Mt. McKinley and the vast crevasses of electric blue glaciers, all shot in High Definition. Format: BLU-RAY DISC Genre: TELEVISION Rating: NR Age: 781735603093 UPC: 781735603093 Manufacturer No: 60309