Francesco's Venice : Complete BBC Series [DVD]

Somehow I totally missed that it was PAL format. Reviewers stated that. Because the seller I chose had "ships from the USA" in bold, I thought it would be fine. Nope. So, I can watch it on my computer and hook up the laptop to the TV via HDMI. I suppose one could copy it to the computer and somehow make a backup disc that would play. I haven't figured that out, and I'm sure it is probably illegal. Whatever.The movie is great. I wish they would have it on Amazon Streaming. It is a well done BBC documentary, narrated/written/hosted by a native Venetian. He brings personal insight to the history of Venice, as his family has lived there for 1000 years (can you imagine?) He discusses past and present challenges that Venice faces. It is beautifully filmed and written, and very informative.There are 4 episodes, each about an hour long.It is well worth watching, but do bear in mind that it will play on a computer dvd drive, but not on your DVD or Bluray players. It is also available to watch in segments if you hunt through the most popular video sharing website.

These DVD's are really great to learn about the history behind Venice. My wife made me order this and I'm glad she did because I used to be a history buff and it's made me look forward to visiting this city alot more! Especially the bit about the Venetians' invasion of Constantinople, their involvement with the crusades, this was all very interesting! The flashback scenes are very well done as well, adding a nice bit of flavor to the historic segments.Francesco is a quite charming and informative tour guide, I would love to have him guide us around when we visit, as long as I could keep him away from my wife (haha). I recommend this DVD to anybody considering a visit to Venice in the future. It will give you an educational glimpse into the cities rich history and make you want to visit even so much more.

We have planned a trip to Venice and wanted some background; it is difficult to share reading experiences so we opted for this DVD set which came recommended by friends. It was great - the way Francesco integrated the modern Venice with it's historical past was well conceived and held our attention throughout. Although he obviously knows a lot about the city, he was wise enough to not bore his audience with too much detail. It is a very well balanced view and has made us look forward to our visit with great anticipation.

This was a very interesting series about Venice, especially since it was told from the point of view of a native Venetian from an old family. I especially appreciated that the author did not stop with the end of the Republic but continued on until the present day.One caveat for potential buyers, the version that was sold to me was in PAL format instead of NTSC. I had to go to the trouble to find the code that allowed my DVD player to play all regions. This will not work with all players so take note.

Nothing special. First of all the transfer is from VHS which already not for everybody. Too much attention to history instead too much attention to Venice itself. Not enough Venice itself and no modern Venice at all like shopping, buildings and arts and inside building. I go to Venice often and don't have much of a chance to visit all these old buildings like where Bond movies been made or Emmanuelle's movies and I am sure other strange happenings.

The video is fantastic but you have to be sure to work around the UK region code to play it on your DVD or computer in the US. I did not want to risk hacking into my DVD player so I changed the region code on my computer and watched it that way. A little inconvenient but worth it to view the series. Very well done.

If you're going to Venice, you must watch this first to enrich the experience. Even if you don't, it's very informative and entertaining.

Excellent. Perfect to view BEFORE a trip to venice. We did and knowing the history and unique nature of this island city added to our enjoyment of the time we spent in Venice. Well done!

What can I say - just listening to Francesco is a pleasure. To watch him in his beloved home city is amazing, you get to know Venice from a very intimate point of view. I would say this is a must if you are travelling to Venice, or even just dreaming of the that day.

This is a beautifully illustrated work, presenting much of Venetian history through personal anecdotes involving the author's own family history. Yes, he is very proud of his ancestors. However, I find that this enhances the story.

quick delivery, as promised

Francesco da Mosto is the charming host of a number of TV programs exploring the ancient history of Italy and its artistic and cultural contribution throughout the ages. Without a TV, and not really missing it, we have the opportunity of collecting DVDs of the best programs and series and this is a big favourite, which we view every few months with undiminished enjoyment.This DVD series (on 2 discs) is devoted to Venice, Francesco's birthplace and the city where he still lives. Apart from stunning photographic coverage of places and interiors, this series attempts to explain what it is like to be a Venetian, a world citizen, but forever bound to this gorgeous, unique sinking masterpiece. A fascinating visual presentation of history and art in a very friendly, companionable way. Francesco acts like a virtual friend taking us round to see the sights. I love these programs and have bought others featuring the same host.

Having watched the series on the BBC and recently visited Venice and loved it I had to have the book as it will be a great reminder of my first visit and guide for subsequent visits in the future. Well written by one of Venice’s sons and eldest families of this city on a lagoon with superb pictures that help set the scene of the history and how this magnificent city grew from nothing to its glory today.I bought the DVD too for this winter months. Love it!