Anna Karin Klockar - Ancient World

Original soundtrack from the 1993 series of 3 documentaries produced by Village H.T.C. and Questar. Music composed and performed by Anna Karin Klockar. THE STORY OF ROME AND POMPEII - This hour-long video covers the grandeur of the ancient cities of Rome and Pompeii. By reconstructing the ancient buildings, the viewer is given a glimpse of daily life in the early part of the first millennium. Using a collage of sculpture, paintings, and footage from black-and-white films about the Roman Empire, narrator Edmund Purdon takes the viewer on a journey through two cities that are considered part of the basis of modern civilization. Ruins are displayed in their present state, and then are rebuilt on video so we can see exactly what each building was used for. In this way, we can see how early Romans lived--how they shopped, what their theaters were like, their baths, their eating and drinking habits, and even their bloody gladiator fights. Pompeii is introduced in the same manner, and we learn of its destruction--the earthquake and volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which killed over 2,000 people and buried the city until it was discovered in the mid-18th century. This video, part of the Great Cities of the Ancient World series, is a wonderful introduction for anyone curious about these important cities and a terrific foundation in the history of the Roman Empire. EGYPT AND THE CITIES OF THE PHARAOHS - The Pyramids and the Cities of the Pharaohs is the most fascinating episode of the Great Cities of the Ancient World series--and the most entertaining. The 75-minute virtual tour spans many centuries, beginning in the north with the pyramids of Giza and Saqqara, built around 3000 B.C. The journey then continues south along the Nile to Memphis, Thebes, Aswan, and Abu Simbel before returning north to Cairo and Alexandria, where the last pharaoh, Cleopatra, was defeated by the Romans in 30 B.C. Along the way, structures such as the Sphinx, the Temple of Ramses, and the now-destroyed lighthouse at Alexandria are resurrected to their ancient magnificence with the aid of computer graphics that fill in the missing pieces and intricate artwork that once adorned them. The video's tour guide, narrator Edmund Purdon, provides the historical background of each city, spicing it up with amusing trivia such as an ancient Egyptian sandwich recipe (ingredients include coriander, mint, and cheese) and the fact that dentists of the time doubled as hairdressers. The video is an excellent overview of the wonders of ancient Egypt, both visually and factually, but beware--by the time it's over, you'll be tempted to book a Nile cruise and see these marvelous places for yourself. ATHENS AND ANCIENT GREECE - Athens and five other cities of ancient Greece are brought back to life for an hour in this installment of the Great Cities of the Ancient World series. Beginning with a lovely shot of the sunrise behind the Acropolis, the program looks at early achievements in architecture, philosophy, sport, theater, and democracy that composed the dawn of modern civilization. As narrator Edmund Purdon points out, it's ironic that when we think of ancient Greece we picture austere white marble, when in fact the Greeks led such colorful lives. Thanks to computer graphics that rebuild ruined temples and amphitheaters in vivid shades of red, blue, yellow, and gold, the viewer can get a glimpse of these glorious structures as the Greeks knew them. Purdon intersperses myths and historical facts with the trivial details of daily life, so the viewer learns not only about the 12 labors of Hercules but also about what the average citizen might have purchased in the Agora (marketplace). From the mysterious Oracle at Delphi, to the birthplace of the Olympic Games, to the prostitution and slave markets of Corinth, this video provides a well-rounded introduction to the colorful complexity of Hellenic culture.