Chasing Mummies on the History Channel

[Wycen]

Oh man. I'd pay to watch Dr. Zahi Hawass on television or a movie. Hmm, I guess since it's on cable, technically I am.

Being that it is 'reality television' I have to doubt some of the situations and certainly the way it is edited, but it is awesome. It removes a lot of the romance and mystique of archeology.

Hawass seems to fit the nick name of Pharaoh.

Chasing Mummies — History.com TV Episodes, Schedule, & Video

 

[Bullgrit]

I happened to randomly catch some of this show last night while channel surfing. I was very interested in the subject matter, and they seemed to be going into an area of the pyramid that I had never seen before. But that old man is an ass. I actually turned away from the show because I got tired, after 10 minutes, of watching that man be an ass.

Bullgrit

 

[Meowzebub]

I agree with the disappointment. I was very excited to see that this was coming on. 10 minutes into the show we turned it off and vowed never to watch it again. If it was just filmed as a documentary i would have been pleased to watch 'a day in the life' kind of show, but the staged "drama", I felt was pitiful TV. So painful that it overwhelmed the fascinating settings.

 

[Rykion]

I'd like to watch it, but they seem to have neglected to hire any sober camera operators. Not just crazy amounts of shaky cam, but pointless zooming in and out, plus randomly focusing on people/things in the background.

 

[Wycen]

I don't think it is shaky cam by cinematic choice, rather it is bobbing up and down as the camera men chase after Hawass and try to navigate thru dungeon corridors.

 

[Rykion]

I don't think it is shaky cam by cinematic choice, rather it is bobbing up and down as the camera men chase after Hawass and try to navigate thru dungeon corridors.

Certainly some of the shake is caused by conditions, but even talking to Hawass in his office involved shaking camera and about half a dozen quick zoom ins and outs. I think it's a purposeful choice to show energy/drama. It just makes me sick watching it on TV. It's OK on something small like a monitor.

 

[Rykion]

Double post please ignore.

 

[Wycen]

So from tonight we learn that 4 hours walking through the desert is penance enough for urinating in a pyramid.