“One ignores tradition at one's peril,” an interviewee remarks in the eighth and final episode of this British TV documentary miniseries about the famous Tower of London. Those in charge of the imposing structure situated on the Thames are clearly obsessed with maintaining every ancient ritual and ceremony for the delectation of visitors to the site, the oldest portion of which is the fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1078. Combining new and archival footage and CGI work, together with insightful interviews, the series outlines the various functions the Tower has served over the centuries—garrison, royal palace, prison, place of execution, treasury, tourist attraction—while detailing notorious episodes in its history (including the disappearance of the two sons of Edward V, presumably at the hands of their uncle Richard III). The production also humanizes the story by focusing on the staff—following, for instance, an amiable fellow who's trying to become one of the “yeoman warders” (costumed tour guides)—as well as other interested parties, such as a Canadian researching whether one of his ancestors was really executed at the Tower, and German submarine WWII veterans who were incarcerated there after being taken prisoner. A well-made, engaging example of popular history, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
The Tower
(2001) 2 discs. 384 min. DVD: $29.98. Koch Vision (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 1-4172-2961-6. Volume 22, Issue 4
The Tower
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