Whether used as primers before a trip to Europe or as journeys in themselves, these tapes delightfully combine history with a little gossip, castle tour with reenactments, giving viewers the flavor of life as it once was inside the fortress walls. Far more than a travelogue, these tapes are bound to send curious viewers scrambling for their encyclopedias to learn more about the eras and figures each castle hosted. But don’t expect dry lectures. Narrator Lary Lewman crams each tape with juicy details such as Mad King Ludwig’s proclivity toward male company and his drowning under mysterious circumstances and the war between King Henry II’s mistress and wife over–among other things–the French miniature castle Chenonceau.
Lots of war, lots of torture, lots of madness surrounded the 10 castles focused on in the three 71-minute tapes making up this boxed set from the Learning Channel. Each video (also available individually) examines a different region: Germany and Romania, France and Spain, and the British Isles. Some of the castles have passed into legend through popular culture, such as Ludwig’s Bavarian fairy tale Neuschwanstein, the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle, and Dracul’s Bran Castle, visited by author Bram Stoker while he was writing Dracula.
Shakespeare memorialized both Scotland’s Glamis and England’s Warwick. Still others will be new to viewers, although their stories are no less fascinating. The videos deftly chronicle the rise and fall (often many times over) of each castle and the rebirth of each as a modern tourist attraction. –Kimberly Heinrichs
Customer Review: A GREAT HELP
I use this series in my History class and watch as it really brings the past alive for my students. They especially enjoy Castle Dracula and the Grey Lady of Glamis Castle. My only complaint is that more castles aren’t included. I believe I remember when this was on TV, they did include more castles. I would be interested in getting the additional castles. This is well worth the investment for any teacher of History.
Customer Review: It will make you tear up!
I watched these films in awe. They put you right there.