Engineering an Empire

I first discovered this remarkable series essentially by accident, but the results were mindblowing. After viewing a few episodes on YouTube, I was craving for more almost immediately. Hosted by actor Peter Weller (of Robocop fame and apparently holding a Master's Degree in Italian Renaissance art history- see "Da Vinci's World"), the series originally premiered in 2006 and is divided in 14 episodes, each covering a specific culture and/or time period:

1- Rome
2- Egypt
3- Greece
4- Greece: Age of Alexander
5- The Aztecs
6- Carthage
7- The Maya: Death Empire
8- Russia
9- Britain: Blood and Steel
10- The Persians
11- China
12- Napoleon: Steel Monster
13- The Byzantines
14- Da Vinci's World

I've always been a fan of historical documentaries, but Engineering an Empire was something else altogether. In addition to superbly rendered 3-D virtual reconstructions of famous monuments and palaces,  much of the series was filmed on the actual locations where many of the events took place. To cap it all, actors dressed up in historically accurate costumes to portray the famous rulers and other personalities that once walked through those locations and made those events possible. All of these features make the history easier to relate to and well as adding more "realism" to the mix, setting Engineering apart from almost any other documentary series ever made.

The one small drawback of the series (although not one immediately obvious to me- it came via later contemplation) was that there was a little too much emphasis on "western" cultures. The Aztec, Mayan, Persian and Chinese episodes were all well and good, but on the DVD set the Roman and Egyptian episodes were each given their own disks, while the other disks each contained three episodes. Granted, those two episodes were twice the length of all the others, but 4 more episodes would have balanced the whole set out (I thought coverage of India, Japan, the Mongols and the Incas would round out the series very nicely).

In spite of this minor issue, I can safely say that this is one of the most remarkable and diverse historical documentary series' ever produced, and have no qualms about calling it a 'must-have' for any history or engineering enthusiast.

Death of a Salesman at the Ethel Barrymore

 

These days, it's said that the cornerstone of any successful relationship is knowing how to listen (something a favorite college professor of mine made very clear). While that may be true, apparently Willy Loman didn't get the memo. One of Arthur Miller's most famous works, Death of a Salesmen captures the essence of proud, foolish man with an overblown ego who, in the long run, didn't really deserve the cruel hand that fate dealt him and his family.

Although not very familiar with Arthur Miller's work (the only other play of his I've seen or read is All My Sons), I have always been aware of the reputation of Death of a Salesman. While the magnitude of that reputation is certainly true, the foundation of the play is built on surprisingly simple and easy-to-relate-to themes. Philip Seymour Hoffman and his fellow players bring to life everyday issues such as family quarrels, frustration with routine, a difficult job market and, above all, the dramatic and devastating consequences that can result from failing to communicate properly. The case of Willy Loman's two sons could serve as a model for half of the college graduates in this country; working a series of low-level jobs while trying to find their path in life, yearning for social and financial independence and, more than anything else, the burning desire to make successful names of themselves (all in all, the American Dream, as Willy puts it).

The one confusing part of the performance were Willy's (for lack of a better term) flashbacks. Many of the most significant plot points were related via mental recollections of his "past glory" and conversations with his now-dead brother (the guy definitely had problems, let's leave it at that). Most of the time, whenever these mental episodes came into play, the stage was darkened and covered with a projection of golden leaves, but during the few occasions where this feature was left out, it took some time to realize what was "current" and what was just a memory.

The character of Willy Loman reminded me of personality traits present in two characters from short stories I read in college; Abner Snopes in William Faulkner's Barn Burning and Mr. DiMaria in W.D. Wetherell's The Man Who Loved Levittown. Overall, the show was filled with passionate and powerful performances that make it a worthy addition to the Broadway scene.

A little side note; besides the presence of Hoffman, it was apparently a star-studded night all around. On the night I saw the performance (4/3/12), my parents spotted Ethan Hawke in the audience several rows in front of us, and in the restroom during intermission, I ended up washing my hands right next to Owen Wilson. Who else was there that night, I wonder...?