The DVD for “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” isn’t released until Tuesday, May 20, but we here at one of the chief locations in the film managed to get our hands on a copy.
The two-disc collectors’ edition and the Blu-Ray edition include a bonus feature titled “Inside the Library of Congress,” and I have to say that we’re very pleased with the outcome. We were told to expect a piece in the five-minute range; we got one that was nearly nine minutes long.
According to one review of the DVD extras (who knew there were such things?):
The Inside the Library of Congress featurette (8:41, 1.78:1 and 2.40:1, 1080p) is first a love letter to an impressive landmark. We’re given a guided tour of the library’s formidable collections. There are laboratories for preservation and authentication. The body of knowledge is nothing short of remarkable.
The featurette takes viewers on a tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building with sweeping shots that are seldom-seen. The crew shooting the piece last year set up a 28-foot-long “jib arm” to get some stunning views of the Great Hall and the Main Reading Room. (The tourists that day were especially curious about what was going on!)
There are also visits to curatorial and other divisions within the Library, with a focus on the plot of NT2 (such as our Lincoln materials), including Geography and Map, Prints and Photographs, Manuscript, Preservation, and the stacks.
As I often say, we hope it offers millions around the world the opportunity to learn about the “fact behind the fiction.”
Comments (10)
Interesting, how did you manage to get a copy so fast? Very interesting, before the movie I did not know there was such a rich history outside of the class room. Thanks
I’ve never seen the first movie but it sounds very Da Vinci Code-ish. Hopefully the new one is good.
i’m trying to get this DVD, any suggestions?
It’s great that there is promtion of the LOC in the extras. You know I am willing to bet that a lot of movies and books written today draw upon the resources at the LOC and very few actually give any credit.
I feel fortunate in that I was able to visit the LOC as a teenager, and it was definatly one of the most awe inspring experiences. It’s just so massive… hard to describe. I’m glad that they decided to give a peek into what it’s really all about, and give credit where credit is due.
The DVD is now available at Amazon. I saw NT2 in January and the panoramic shots inside the Thomas Jefferson building are just marvelous. I’m sure many visitors though would be pleasantly surprised at the actual beauty of the interiors that celluloid couldn’t capture when they are there for an actual visit.
I would like to get a copy too.
The featurette seems really interesting. I will definitely be getting the DVD to watch it!
Wow! That seems pretty cool. After watching the movie, I was pretty curious about the real deal. Hopefully this DVD will answer a lot of questions that I have.
I had the opportunity to visit LOC a couple of years ago. The roommate of the friend I was visiting worked there and gave us a behind-the-scenes tour. It was so totally awesome and one of the highlights of my DC trip. I’ve watched the DVD extras and I’m impressed with both the extras and the movie portrayal of the nation’s library. My students are impressed that I’ve been there too!
This good for loc. They work hard and the example is dvd that they have before markets