Battle and personality come alive on DVDs
KAUSALYA SANTHANAM
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I-Cuube's DVDs/VCDs compress the salient points of a war that turned history around and a man who destroyed himself in his quest for power.
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The sound and fury of battle as well as the towering personalities of history come to you through these DVDs/VCDs.
Created by I-Cuube with the aim to educate, these two brief narratives on the American War of Independence and on Mussolini compress within an hour all the salient points regarding a war that turned history around, and a man who destroyed himself in his obsessive quest for power.
The DVD "American History - Part 1 (Famous 13)", begins with the view today of America as an authoritarian country that dictates terms to the rest of the world. How was this economic giant formed? How did the various colonies merge to become one vast nation and who were the men behind this stupendous success story? From the first rumblings against British rule to the battles that won the 13 colonies their freedom, going on to the role played by George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson ... the picture is pieced together through clips from films, paintings, portraits, maps and written material. And through a neat script and its effective narration by P.C. Ramakrishna.
If there is a fault, it is ambition. Too much is crammed within the short duration.
The editing is done well but less speed would help in registering the facts and images, especially as this is meant for educational purposes. Some of the visuals have a grainy quality because they are sourced from old films. Considering the number of Westerns on offer, there could be a better choice of visuals in the segment on the new frontiers. This DVD offers you a bullet train ride through history.
"The Fascist-Benito Mussolini (The Inside Story)", is slightly less fast paced. It tells you about the man who has become a synonym for fascism.
Beginning even before the unification of Italy, it unravels the story of the man who trained as a school teacher, became an influential journalist and gradually assumed complete power by suppressing the dissidents.
His abortive efforts to boost the country's economy, his allying with Hitler during World War II leading to his nation's disastrous defeat and his own ignominious end, are portrayed through the script and a plethora of photographs. Maps and graphics also aid the presentation as does the voice of Muralikumar.
The words and visuals are synchronised well in this venture created at Bravo Media Solutions and has stirring music by Rajini. Ramki-Anand are the executive creators, Jack the editor-in-chief and H. Balachander, the assistant editor. Animation is provided by G. Babu Mamundi Raja.
The VCD is priced Rs. 99; the DVD is Rs. 199. Available at bookshops and Musicworld (in English, Hindi and Tamil)
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