Visions of England

From the white cliffs of Dover to the Tower of London, Visions of England presents a gorgeously filmed aerial view of the sceptered isle, combining overlaid narration with traditional background music ("Greensleeves," etc.). Among the sights are Stonehenge, Osborne House on the Isle of Wight (where Queen Victoria spent most of her widowhood), Hadrian's Wall, Blackpool (which features a rollercoaster that would certainly redistribute one's lunch), Bath (where Jane Austen's characters went to "take the waters"), Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace), Cambridge, and Oxford, before traveling down the Thames River to enter London. In England's cultural and political capitol, viewers see Big Ben (a reference to the bell, not the tower in which it resides), Buckingham Palace (a.k.a., the queen's crib), Covent Gardens (where Henry Higgins first met Eliza Doolittle), and Harrod's (a shopping mecca). While undeniably beautiful to look at, Visions of England has one drawback: a coyly whispering narration that would not only sound more appropriate for a Victoria's Secret ad than an anecdote about Victoria Regina, but is also nearly inaudible above the music. Minor quibble aside, this grand (overhead) tour of Britannia is recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)