Niagara Falls

When Indian guides first showed Europeans the majestic sight of Niagara Falls (the U.S.-Canadian waterfalls comprised of the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls), the newcomers' initial reaction was more terror than awe at the sheer sound and fury of this force of nature. Today, due to the demands of electric power, the Falls offer more of a “calculated sublime,” with as much as 75% of the water flow held in check throughout most of the year. Narrated by Mariette Hartley, Niagara Falls offers a fun and fact-filled historical and contemporary overview of this popular tourist destination (once a lodestone for honeymooning couples), where rain-poncho-wearing visitors of all ages sail on the Maid of the Mist for an up close and personal look. Of course, the Falls also has a darker side: some 16 people (known) have voluntarily gone over the Falls, with 11 surviving, including Annie Edson Taylor, dubbed the “Queen of the Mist” (she hoped to parlay the story of her feat into cash with an on-the-road show, but turned out to have no stage presence whatsoever). Combining archival footage and photos together with comments from local historians (and a wonderful Falls-inspired soundtrack from composer Michael Daughterty), this solid documentary is consistently entertaining (including tales of dueling wire walkers across the Falls—since outlawed) and informative (Niagara Falls played a role in the battle for supremacy between Thomas Edison's DC and Nikola Tesla's AC electricity). Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)