Sister Wendy: The Complete Collection (1992-2001)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Starring Sister Wendy Beckett
Directed by Tim Robinson, Caroline Ross-Pirie, John Silver, Emma De’Ath, John Hooper, Ben Fox, and David Kremer
Music by Roger Bolton and Howard J. Davidson

Features:

• Interactive Art Gallery
  
• Subtitled Notes
  
• Artists’ Biographies
  
• Sister Wendy Biography
  
• Interview with Sister Wendy
  

Rating: NR, suitable for all audiences

Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format

My Advice: Buy, oh please, buy it. For your own good and the good of the world

Sister Wendy Beckett is known all over the world as an expert on art history, and in this latest set from the BBC, we see why. Not only is she knowledgeable, but her personal energy and charm bring the art to life in a way that simply strolling heedlessly through even the best museums simply cannot do.

This set consists of several different programs. On the first two discs, we have Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting, an exhaustive, but not exhausting, chronological look at the history of painting, from the Caves of Lascaux to modern and contemporary art. Next, Sister Wendy’s Grand Tour takes viewers on a trip to the greatest museums of Europe, from Paris to St. Petersburg to Vienna and beyond. Then, Sister Wendy’s Odyssey looks at the fine museums of England and Scotland. On the final disc, we get to see Sister Wendy’s Pains of Glass--an amazing investigation of the stained glass windows of the King’s College Chapel, a show that contains readings from Derek Jacobi, known to viewers as Brother Cadfael, and choir music from the King’s College Choir.

The special features in this collection are quite nice. We have an interview of solid length with Sister Wendy, conducted by the BBC’s Juliet Morris. We also have a brace of artists’ biographies, in text format and written by Sister Wendy, and including most of the artist figures covered in the body of the series, such as Cezanne, Botticelli, and so on. There is also a text biography of the lady herself, albeit an all too brief one.

One of the best special features is the interactive art gallery. When Sister Wendy turns to a new work of art, a small icon will appear in the bottom of the screen, at which time the viewer can pause the program and see larger images of the work in question, as well as some detail images. This is a marvelous feature, allowing viewers to see a still, close image of the work and enjoy its nuances at their leisure. Along with this feature comes a batch of subtitled informative notes, providing yet more information than Sister Wendy is able to give alone.

This set is highly recommend for everyone, from art lovers who will delight in Sister Wendy’s knowledge and love for art, to those who currently think they cannot understand or appreciate art, who will quickly learn that art is for all humans, even those who consider painting silly or separate from their reality. Students of course will love how lively this set makes the history of painting seem. We all have our favorite painters, and you can be sure that somewhere in this collection, your passion will be addressed, but even more importantly, you just might find a new affection for another period or artist.