Pompeii and the Roman Villa

Made in conjunction with a National Gallery of Art exhibition of over 100 items excavated from Pompeii and the surrounding Italian countryside, this half-hour documentary—narrated by Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius)—offers a brief introduction to Roman life circa 79 C.E., when Pompeii, Herculaneum, and smaller neighboring settlements near the Bay of Naples were destroyed during an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The natural disaster preserved many artifacts intact beneath the ash, including the meticulously restored sculptures, paintings, and mosaics featured in the NGA's exhibit. Although Pompeii and the Roman Villa takes a loving look at a handful of these items, the focus here is more on providing a general portrait of the area, employing travelogue-like footage of the architectural ruins, together with archival stills, modern artwork, and even film clips from Spartacus and The Last Days of Pompeii to suggest how the region might have appeared before the catastrophic eruption. In addition, the film provides a historical sketch of excavations over the past three centuries, starting with those underwritten by the Bourbon rulers of Naples in the 18th century and continuing up to the present, while also presenting observations on the effect these discoveries have had on European culture. DVD extras include a gallery of artworks in the exhibition, a series of 19th-century photographs of the ruins, and brief interviews with archeologists. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)