Visions of Germany
Utilizing aerial shots and a soundtrack that includes folktunes as well as classical masterpieces by Beethoven, Wagner, and Strauss,Visions of Germanyis a feast for the eyes and ears. Broken up onto two discs, one 79-minute segment tackles the bucolic sections of Germany along the Rhine, while the other (clocking in at 77 minutes) showcases Bavaria and southeastern Germany. The angles caught by the helicopter-mounted camera are impressive, though at times it would be nice to catch a street-level shot or two to shake things up. From the storybook-esque castles to the pristine gardens that rival any in England or Japan, the imagery in this travel documentary is stunning, lush, and often times breathtaking. Where the set fails is in the narration. While soft and calm, the speaker's voice is so devoid of any sort of expression that viewers may be better served watching the footage with the sound turned off.--Jae-Ha Kim