Channel: The History Channel
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: A&E Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 9, 2012
Run Time: 540 minutes
Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars
When it comes to learning about our past, I immediately think about The History Channel. They always deliver impressive programming and nice DVD releases. Though this release is not that impressive. Basically out of the 6 discs included, there are only two discs of new programs. “Planet Egypt” was produced in 2012 and contains four 45 minutes episodes. This four-part miniseries explores Egypt’s technology, culture, religion, wars and peace over 3,000 years. This is the star of the release and puts the others to shame. Luckily this release is very cheap running for under $17 dollars on Amazon and it is worth it just for these two discs. The rest of the extras are still informative and I will hold them as a bonus feature.
Next up on disc 3 and 4 is dated back from 2001, “Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids”. This four-part series takes the viewers inside Egypt for (then) first-ever-filmed look into sites such as Tomb of Ramses II, the Abydos Boat Graves, and the skeletons at Mendes. Overall this series is decent but feels aged. Disc 5 includes “Egypt: Engineering an Empire” from 2006, which runs 90 minute. Decent and includes some good information. The sixth disc is basically the dumping ground from the rest of the old specials. “Ancient Egypt: Modern Medicine” is the worst quality of the three but has this certain vintage charm. “Egypt’s Great Queen” delivers some interesting information about Hatshepsut. “The Great Pyramids of Giza and Other Pyramids” is the oldest dating back to 1997. Lastly, we have the aging special “Ramses’ Egyptian Empire”.
Official Premise: From its unification in approximately 3100 B.C. to its conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C., ancient Egypt was the preeminent civilization in the Mediterranean world. This special 6-disc collectible set headlined by HISTORYs best-selling programs; including the acclaimed Egypt-focused episode of the Emmy®-winning series ENGINEERING AN EMPIRE, and the highly-rated mini-series PLANET EGYPT, THE ANCIENT EGYPT ANTHOLOGY pays homage to this rich and complex culture and explores it from its very beginnings as a land of disparate peoples, through its dynastic zenith and to its ultimate decline.
