EXPO - Magic of the White City DVD

Starring:Gene Wilder, Claire Litton
Director: Mark Bussler
Studio: Inecom Entertainment Company
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

Narrated by Gene Wilder (Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), EXPO - Magic of the White City brings the Chicago World s Fair to life. Experience the world of 1893 through a cinematic visit to Chicago's Columbian Exposition. Many of the world's greatest achievements in science, technology and culture are unveiled there. In addition, fairgoers enjoy the popular and commercially successful Midway Plaisance where the festive atmosphere of this one-mile entertainment center offers an array of guilty pleasures such as belly dancing, street fighting and beer.

Nearly 28 million visit the Fair. Dubbed the "White City," it inspires future innovators like Henry Ford and Frank Lloyd Wright, debuts the Ferris Wheel and Cracker Jack, and, in many ways, marks the beginning of the 20th century.

Filmed in High-Definition, EXPO - Magic of the White City immerses viewers in one of the world s biggest extravaganzas and one of the most unforgettable events in American history. There will never be another event like it...or will there?

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Disappointed.......2007-03-02

After reading "The Devil in the White City" and purchasing the book "The Chicago Worlds Fair of 1893: A Photographic Record", I found the DVD extremely disappointing. Hardly any actual pictures were used; most of the photographs were hand drawn water colors.

Chicago History.......2007-01-05

I found the DVD of the Chicago World's Columbian Expo, 1893, an excellent record of the exposition. I am from Chicago and my great grandfather came to Chicago, from Germany. He was a brick layer in Berlin. Chicago was where the jobs were. I know he was in Chicago when the Columbian Expo was going on. There was very little written about family backgrounds.
My wife's maiden name is Ferris. For generations her family believed they were related to George Washington Ferris, inventor of the Ferris wheel, which was first exhibited at the Chicago Columbian Expo.
Further investigations revealed that the family myths were just that, myths. The DVD gave us a lot of information on the inventions of the day, why the Expo was so popular. As a youth, growing up in Chicago, one of my favorite places was the Museum of Science and Industry. The only building still standing, from the fair. I think that museum may have had a lot of influence on my career. I'm an engineer. Great DVD.
Bob Kozlowski

White City is Right, Ignore "Little Egypt".......2006-07-09

After seeing a glowing review about the historical accuracy of this DVD on a local Public Television station, I was disappointed at the way the section on the Midway Plaisance was treated. While it is true that the Plaisance was meant to be commercially appealing to the masses, it is not true that the entertainers were low class types dragged over here to perform. Many were well-trained and famous in their own countries. In the Turkish Theater alone, fair goers were able to see a well-known performance troupe from the Ottoman Empire which had also toured in Europe. As for the so-called "Little Egypt," anyone who has done any kind of research from primary sources about the Plaisance would have learned that there was no such woman at the fair. In fact, the only dancer advertised on the Plaisance was one Mlle Rosa, a performer in the Turkish Odeon Theater. The live modern dancer supposedly imitating the non-existent Little Egypt was dressed in a costume in which no Plaisance Ottoman dancer would have been allowed because the contracts for these performers specified that they dress in a respectable manner. In addition, many photos of subjects from the "Street Scene in Constantinople" were mixed in with "Cairo Street" photos. Too bad for a DVD with so many wonderful scenes from a great event in the history of my home town.

I loved this DVD!.......2006-02-07

Having grown up in the Chicagoland area, I always heard passing references to the great Columbia Exposition, the 1893 World's Fair. This two hour documentary, narrated by Gene Wilder(!), tells the story of the Columbia Exposition from its conception down to final closing and aftermath. Chockfull of interesting pictures, it gives the modern day viewer something quite close to a guided tour of that great event of more than a century ago!

Overall, I must say that I loved this DVD. It gave a very interesting and highly informative look at the Fair, and I do not hesitate to recommend it to everyone! The one thing I must say is that the documentary did make me a little sad. Living in the early 21st century, it's hard to believe that people once dreamed so big. I have never before realized what a smaller, meaner world we now live in.

This is a great DVD, and I give it my highest recommendations!

Columbian Exposition Revisited .......2006-01-29

THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS WELL ORGANIZED AND PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT OVERVIEW OF THE MONUMENTAL CHALLENGES FACED BY THE ARCHITECTS, WORKERS AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY. Some historic facts presented by this film don't match other sources.

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