Traveloguer: The Romance Of Vienna

This is not a travel video in the strict sense; rather it is a travelogue. Essentially, the travelogue consists of a filmed trip through a particular area with overlaid narration. The Romance of Vienna was filmed and presented by filmmaker Chris Borden. The plus here is an anecdotal personal view of Vienna, structured around the prominence of Vienna's plethora of brilliant composers: Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner, Haydn, and Strauss. Wherever Borden's camera comes to rest, there is a story. And whether it's the making of top hats or Bosendorfer pianos, the stories are always interesting and unusual. Much of this information is unlikely to appear on a standard travel video. The minus is that, once again, it is difficult to determine when the film was actually shot--it could have been as early as the mid-60's. The same goes for the other two Traveloguer tapes we viewed: Byways of Britain and Bonjour France. Interesting details; passable photography. On the other hand, these travelogues do precisely what they claim to do. If you're looking for travelogues, these do the job--keeping in mind that the footage may be 20 years old. The two other titles available are: Americans in Paris and Austrian Odyssey. (Available from: Traveloguer Collection, 3301 West Hampden Ave., Suite N, Englewood, CO 80110. All five tapes may be purchased for $175.).