Description:
Until someone invents a time machine, history buffs and more casual viewers have to time travel by watching productions like Napoleon, a rich documentary about one of the most compelling figures in history. This four-hour historic drama by Emmy-winning filmmaker David Grubin masterfully transports audiences to 18th- and 19th-century Europe. Narrated by historian David McCullough, this impressive production chronicles Napoleon Bonaparte's life--from a relatively humble farmhouse in Corsica to his days as a soldier, statesman, and overzealous emperor. Weaving lush footage of landscapes, stunning paintings of Bonaparte and his two wives, close-up shots of museum pieces, and interviews with top historians, this classy documentary delights and informs. The best bet is to not watch it all in one take. PBS aired the show in two two-hour segments, which is about right. The piece is polished and dramatic but lags during some lengthy battle scenes. Yet by the end, viewers will feel like they've just finished a quickie college history class--a very good one. Watching Napoleon is like stepping into a glorious painting, one that tells in vivid brush strokes the story of a man determined to be master of the universe. --Joni Balter
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