The MacGillivray Freeman film company believes in creating films that inspire, inform, and entertain people of all ages with settings in the extraordinary and remote parts of the Earth. The DVD of the film à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Arabiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  does not disappoint. Originally created as an IMAX movie, the film tells the story of the region with amazing scenery and breathtaking views.ÂÂ

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Photographed in 15/70 (65mm) and transferred at up to 8K resolution,  MacGillivray Freemanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Arabia comes with the following special features:

• Featurette à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ The Making Of ÂÂ
• The MacGillivray Freeman HistoryÂÂ ÂÂ
• Trailers

The film focuses on the different Arabian golden ages. The first takes a look at the earliest tribes who developed Frankincense to sell to the Romans and Greeks. The film travels to the lost city of Madain Saleh with its ancient tombs and amazing carved buildings built right out of the mountains. The next golden age was built more around knowledge than wealth. The Arabic scholars had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and helped ultimately inspire Europe and their Renaissance. With the discovery of oil, the region is moving into another golden age with renewed focus on learning and a modernization of their cities.

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The film also provides some contrasts of the region as it travels deep into the Red Sea to explore ancient shipwrecks and through the desert with a wild sandstorm. One of the most amazing scenes is a look at one of the religious pilgrimages to the region with one of the largest single human gatherings on Earth.ÂÂ

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The DVD is narrated by Academy Award winner Helen Mirren and really provides a deeper understanding of the culture and region. Even with the DVD format, the images from the film are clear and bright. Although in a few places the film looks a little distorted as the images were more likely better spread out on an IMAX screen. The sound is clear and consistent throughout the movie and the dialog helps add a lot to the images portrayed. There are also a few animated images of maps to help better explain the history, which really adds to the film.

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There are also three special features on the DVD. The first is a Making of Documentary, which provides an interesting look into the challenges that went into the filmmaking. It is neat to see the behind the scenes look at what it takes to make a nature film. The second is a short retrospective of the MacGillivray Freeman Company and the films they make. The third includes several trailers of upcoming films from this company.ÂÂ

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