With a constant threat to our national landmarks, as well as our lives, looming (are we in yellow or orange terror alert again?) now isn't a bad time to take stock of what we have. The History Channel's documentary of the World Trade Center is worth a look, but it's too late to celebrate that building. The U.S. Capitol: A Vision in Stone, produced by the somewhat mysterious Heritage Series, isn't a documentary in the strictest sense of the word, but it does contain a plethora of information on that terrific structure.

The titular program only runs about 16 minutes. During that time it offers a quick run down on the history of the Capitol, from Washington DC's designation as capitol city (a story also told, albeit from a different perspective, in New York: A Documentary Film) through the monumental construction effort that bridged war and peace and included numerous architects and supervisors. Even the finalization of the structure isn't the end of the story; As the country grew and the need for more senators and representatives grew with it, larger chambers had to be designed. What the building ended up as was a conglomerate of styles and purposes. It's incredible to think that the Capitol once housed the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court. That sort of concentration of power would be unthinkable today.

The piece consists mostly of still images with narration, although a couple of key clips, like President Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivering his "infamy" speech following the attack on Pearl Harbor, are always powerful. That clip is used to illustrate the enormity of some of the speeches delivered before joint meetings of Congress. Although it isn't shown, one can't help but think of President Bush's post 9/11 speech there as well.

The disc also features plenty of other material, including segments on each of the different uses of the Capitol, the old and new Senate chambers, the Rotunda, and the various other significant halls. It's a shame that this material wasn't edited into a coherent whole instead of presented piecemeal, but it's not bad. A timeline and a gallery of paintings, murals, and statues are also presented.

The longest piece on the DVD is an hour long compilation of interviews with six historians and curators. While they are very dry, the interviews feature a great deal of information about the Capitol as well as the formation of the country and the ideals on which it was founded. While this DVD may not be the most exciting presentation, there is a tremendous amount of educational material here.

VIDEO:
The full-screen video is fine, if unremarkable. There are no stunning images or glowingly patriotic moments. This presentation is constructed from the most basic elements and has been handled appropriately.

AUDIO:
The 2.0 audio is fine. The film consists of narration and background music and works well enough.

EXTRAS:
The entire disc is like a selection of extras. There are also DVD-ROM and web link features available to those with the capability to utilize them. The most interesting feature there is probably the DVD-Rom database containing every member of congress as well as assorted other resources.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Although it isn't nearly as comprehensive as it could have been, The U.S. Capitol: A Vision in Stone is an interesting little presentation that, by documenting the history of one building, helps track the progress of our nation.