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United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: James May explores astonishing innovations in energy, transport and robotics, in this follow-up to the series JAMES MAY'S 20TH CENTURY. May travels across the UK, US, Spain, Germany, Holland, Japan, Russia, and Ireland, to find cutting-edge science such as flying cars and 'petrol' made from air. ...James May's 20th Century - Series 1 ( James May's Twentieth Century ) ( James May's 20th Century - Series One )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I really like James May's style, he has a very clear way of presenting the topic and carries a story well. Typified as the Luddite of Top Gear, he has carved a niche out for himself as a true Brit, slightly eccentric bit with brilliant insight into many topics. So I'm a James May fan... 'nuff said.
The 20th Century DVD is a fine chronology of the things that changed during the last century, presented in a seamless manner and covering topics like transport and communications with many anecdotal details being added to make it a 'must watch'.
I recommend it as an excellent documentary on the most progressive century in our history, presented in an effortless way by one of the best story tellers around today.
Get it, in fact get it and all other James May DVD's, you'll not regret
The 20th Century DVD is a fine chronology of the things that changed during the last century, presented in a seamless manner and covering topics like transport and communications with many anecdotal details being added to make it a 'must watch'.
I recommend it as an excellent documentary on the most progressive century in our history, presented in an effortless way by one of the best story tellers around today.
Get it, in fact get it and all other James May DVD's, you'll not regret
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For anyone that's interested in how things are made and how we have become what we have will enjoy listening to likable James May in this DVD. It's a modern take on the old Open University idea although we lose the stereotypical boffin (brown 70's shirt, beard, black glasses) and get James May instead...maybe not so modern then? But watching May, clearly in his element here, is fascinating and he really knows his subject and his stuff.
May is a self-confessed 'ordinary bloke' who enjoys a pint and likes his cars, but he loves to look at how things work and not just accept that it does work. Like me he wants to know how, and why. The answers to many questions you may have pondered over in your mind will probably be answered here.
This programme is suitable for all and is a great learning tool for anyone interested in the things that make the world what it is, and for those who want some Top Gear lunacy, there is some of that but diluted to the levels your grandad can swallow, and happily on a scale James May is happy to comply with.
Subjects covered include spaceflight, warfare, medicine, the rise of the teenager and skyscrapers.
May is a self-confessed 'ordinary bloke' who enjoys a pint and likes his cars, but he loves to look at how things work and not just accept that it does work. Like me he wants to know how, and why. The answers to many questions you may have pondered over in your mind will probably be answered here.
This programme is suitable for all and is a great learning tool for anyone interested in the things that make the world what it is, and for those who want some Top Gear lunacy, there is some of that but diluted to the levels your grandad can swallow, and happily on a scale James May is happy to comply with.
Subjects covered include spaceflight, warfare, medicine, the rise of the teenager and skyscrapers.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Interesting, Informative, Entertaining AND Educational!
I seldom give five stars, because five means perfect and not much in life is, nature by definition is imperfect, so to assess something as perfect is to essentially defy nature. That said, this DVD is absolute excellence. As the title infers it touches all bases; it is interesting, informative, entertaining and above all educational! Something which seems like a bit of a relic in today's world of reality television, cheap budgets and the lowest common denominator.
This DVD shows the world what is possible IF you want to make great television. And what's more it shows you what ingredients are REALLY important in great television - producers everywhere sit up and take note. What this series has is: passion, enthusiasm, a great idea and an outstanding presenter. Full marks to Mr. May, who clearly demonstrates he is much more than Jezzer's chopping board. It is the combination of these elements which makes truly outstanding television, something which is in parallel to great film, not an unfashionable second or half-cousin to be ashamed of.
One thing that I found enthralling was how INTERESTING this was, the antithesis of most primary and secondary education - arguably the target audience. If one compares most of the British educational experience, post-war one can see how far off track they have gone. Moving away from the fundamental three 'Rs', might be some liberal hippy's wet-dream, but in the end it has proved a dead-end at best and a road to the desert at worst. This DVD does not pander, it does not spoon-feed, it grabs you by the throat, engages you, stimulates you and slaps you on the back of the hand with a ruler if you sleep, it is in point of fact what education has longed for since the liberals stormed the DoE.
Of the James May DVDs I own I would rank them as follows:
i) James May's c.20th
i) Oz and James 2 (USA)
iii) James May's Toy Stories
iii) Oz and James 1 (France)
v) Oz and James Drink to Britain
vi) James May on the Moon
I seldom give five stars, because five means perfect and not much in life is, nature by definition is imperfect, so to assess something as perfect is to essentially defy nature. That said, this DVD is absolute excellence. As the title infers it touches all bases; it is interesting, informative, entertaining and above all educational! Something which seems like a bit of a relic in today's world of reality television, cheap budgets and the lowest common denominator.
This DVD shows the world what is possible IF you want to make great television. And what's more it shows you what ingredients are REALLY important in great television - producers everywhere sit up and take note. What this series has is: passion, enthusiasm, a great idea and an outstanding presenter. Full marks to Mr. May, who clearly demonstrates he is much more than Jezzer's chopping board. It is the combination of these elements which makes truly outstanding television, something which is in parallel to great film, not an unfashionable second or half-cousin to be ashamed of.
One thing that I found enthralling was how INTERESTING this was, the antithesis of most primary and secondary education - arguably the target audience. If one compares most of the British educational experience, post-war one can see how far off track they have gone. Moving away from the fundamental three 'Rs', might be some liberal hippy's wet-dream, but in the end it has proved a dead-end at best and a road to the desert at worst. This DVD does not pander, it does not spoon-feed, it grabs you by the throat, engages you, stimulates you and slaps you on the back of the hand with a ruler if you sleep, it is in point of fact what education has longed for since the liberals stormed the DoE.
Of the James May DVDs I own I would rank them as follows:
i) James May's c.20th
i) Oz and James 2 (USA)
iii) James May's Toy Stories
iii) Oz and James 1 (France)
v) Oz and James Drink to Britain
vi) James May on the Moon
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not just for Men
I watched the series on TV and bought it at Christmas for my Dad as he'd missed it but liked what I'd told him about it so much he wanted to see it too. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ms. Caroline J. Crowhurst
Not "Toy Stories", but...
I found out who James May was when he was building his own Lego house. I really loved the idea, and I couldn't but buy the dvd, that turned out to be one of my favourite tv shows... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Ric
Marvelous
A great series of factual documentaries full of interesting technologies, innovations and inventions of the last hundred years. Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2009 by LK WHALLEY
How can this have no reviews?
It's shocking, because May's 20th Century is brilliant, brilliant television. Humm, looking back at my reviews, it's emerging that I'm a bit of a May fangirl - but who wouldn't be? Read more
Published on 24 July 2009 by Anna
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