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First Days of Christianity, The
It is almost embarrassing how bad the first "documentary" (and I use that term about as loosely as I can) in this 4 DVD set is. "In the Footsteps of the Holy Family," apparently not an original History Channel production (I'm really trying to give them the benefit of the doubt here) is so poorly written, shot and edited, and features so many blatantly ridiculous elements, that it would be more at home on TBN or, frankly, your local cable public access channel. Ostensibly focusing on the miracle of Jesus' birth and the holy family's trek to Egypt shortly thereafter, this shoddy production instead is filled with brief, almost laughably inept vignettes of various "miracles" that have supposedly visited various people. It's interesting to note that virtually none of these miraculously blessed people are identified by name, and the miracles all boil down to a klieg light shining on them in their hour of need. The "actors" (again, a relative term) in these vignettes are not only completely miscast (obviously ultro-Anglo Caucasian folk for various Semitic peoples, etc.) but are evidently incapable of giving any semblance of a performance, lending a bad community theater flavor to the proceedings.
Hosted by Roger Moore (though featuring voiceover by another uncredited announcer), this shoddy exercise may well be the nadir of anything the History Channel has ever presented. When the savviest "expert commentary" is some pontificator from a third rate college stating, "This baby grew up to be [portentous pause] Jesus of Nazareth," you know you're in trouble. Even Christian charity won't save this one.
Luckily the second, longer documentary in this set saves the day, at least by comparison. "The Twelve Apostles" is more like what any regular viewer of The History Channel has come to expect--well researched and written information served up with an abundance of excellent source video. This piece is narrated by Martin Sheen, whose gravitas helps to make what is sometimes sketchy biographical information on the various apostles always interesting.
"The Twelve Apostles" actually covers a bit of the same territory as the earlier botched "Holy Family," and does so with at least a semblance of coherency and historical accuracy. Starting with a brief overview of the cultural and political background leading up to Jesus' birth, the piece then focuses on Jesus' ministry and recruitment of the various apostles, giving as much biographical detail as is known on each of them.
Unlike "Holy Family," "Apostles" gives an in-depth exploration of the political unrest of the times, rightly pointing out that for the Jews, the long-awaited Messiah was not necessarily a religious figure, but a political one, a leader who would free Israel from foreign domination. The fact that this political intrigue plays into various apostles' backgrounds (notably Judas, probably a member of the Zealots, one of the more radical Jewish elements in those days) is also well handled.
This set is relatively cheap, and "The Twelve Apostles" is certainly worth a look. Anyone searching for a heretofore unknown comedy might get a bellyful of laughs with "Holy Family," however.
The DVD
Video:
These documentaries stem from 2001 and 1999, respectively. Therefore don't expect digital perfection in their pictures--they're quite soft, though with acceptable color.
Sound:
The standard stereo soundtracks are typical television fare. You can hear everything fine, though no attention to separation has been paid.
Extras:
None are offered, which in the case of "Holy Family," is probably a miraculous blessing in and of itself. (Where's my klieg light when I need one?).
Final Thoughts:
"In the Steps of The Holy Family" is a travesty and rates a resounding "skip it." "The Twelve Apostles" is a thoughtful, thorough exploration of Jesus' first followers and rates a "recommended." That averages out to an overall "rent it."
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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet
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