MYSTERY OF THE HOPE DIAMOND - Smithsonian Channel On DemandNovember 19, 2010
Smithsonian Channel
On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: MYSTERY OF THE HOPE DIAMOND (Smithsonian Channel).
The Hope Diamond has fascinated me since I first saw it at the Smithsonian Institute when I was a little girl, so imagine my delight to find I would be getting a first look at this documentary!
If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then the Hope Diamond is her Prince Charming/Sugar Daddy/Genie in the Lamp! But the allure of its breathtaking beauty comes with a warning—ownership of the Hope Diamond supposedly comes at a price beyond mere money: it comes with a curse.
The Hope Diamond (Smithsonian Channel)
Such a diamond has never been equaled in color, clarity and size. Not only is it a rare blue diamond, but it glows red under ultraviolet light, which, until the Smithsonian started studying it, no other diamond had been reported to do. This only added to the mystery for gem-lovers and scientists alike.
Smithsonian Channel’s MYSTERY OF THE HOPE DIAMOND takes an all-access look at the mystery, myth, and science of the world’s most famous gem. Combining unfolding the mystery with unlocking the science, this study of the Hope Diamond appeals to the romantic and/or scientific in all of us. It’s a bit cheesy with the dramatic re-enactments (and face it, dramatic re-enactments are always cheesy, no matter how well done).
The Hope Diamond (Smithsonian Channel)
The way the tale is told keeps one fascinated until the end, which not only reveals the truth behind the mystery, but shows the extraordinary new setting designed by Harry Winston Jewelers for the gem’s anniversary at the Smithsonian. Every smart jeweler in the world better start working on a copy in time for Valentine’s day!
Jean Tait is a contributing writer to On Demand Weekly. Currently the Director of Programming for the Connecticut Film Festival, Jean has programmed for the Jacksonville Film Festival and Sundance Channel.
MYSTERY OF THE HOPE DIAMOND is available on Smithsonian Channel On Demand
Check out previous reviews by Jean Tait:
