The Powder and the Glory Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a no-makeup kind of gal, so I was a little skeptical about hearing the story of two women who revolutionized makeup for the modern woman. But the story of two women who built rival business empires and lived their quirky lives just a few blocks from each other (without ever meeting face to face) was irresistable. We all need to know more about women who have "made it" in a man's world. And this video was so masterfully done that by the end I felt I actually knew Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden. I loved the transitional visual, showing a gorgeous face as a blank canvas that changed over the decades as makeup styles changed. The occasional animated sequences were witty and amusing - like little "Betty Boop" interludes. And I learned a lot - a whole lot - about makeup and the whole mystique surrounding it. Hats off to Ann Carol Grossman and Arnie Reisman for putting this fascinating production together.

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The Powder & the Glory tells the story of two of the first highly successful women entrepreneurs in America, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. One hundred years ago these women immigrated to the United States and, starting with next to nothing, created what is today the $150 billion global health and beauty industry.

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American Experience: The 1930s Review

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(More customer reviews)American Experience: The 1930's is an anthology of documentaries on DVD reflecting upon America's history during the turbulent 1930's, an era best known for the crushing impact of the Great Depression. Individual programs examine the stock market crash of 1929 and the dire consequences of unrestrained economic optimism; the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (including personal testimonies from CCC veterans), the story of the Hoover Dam that brought electricity and water to millions in the western U.S., the struggles of American farmers during the severe dust bowl "blizzards" of 1931, and even the remarkable accomplishments of the gifted thoroughbred Seabiscuit. Printable materials for educators round out this excellent and informative collection, ideal for public library DVD shelves. 5 DVDs, 4.5 hours. "The Civilian Conservation Corps" is also available as a stand-alone DVD.


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Studio: PbsRelease Date: 01/05/2010

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This American Life - Season One (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ira Glass and company have been producing the lovable radio show "This American Life" for years now. Fans of the radio show will undoubtedly be interested in the television show.
The show is masterfully photographed, and very well produced. I thought at first that if the television show was to be as effective as the radio show, it would be nearly impossible to produce, but apparently not so! Content-wise, it's very similar to the radio show. Every story follows a common narrative arc, but each story also features the unique setting that the radio show is known for. There's really little more to be said, especially if you are already a fan of the radio show. This is real American journalism focused on uncommon people who every day pass for common. Ira Glass and his show bring us these people's stories and do so with great artistry.
Often humorous, sometimes sad, but always interesting, "This American Life" is groundbreaking television!

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The widely popular, award-winning Chicago Public Radio show of the same name is now a Showtime show. Drawing on a different theme each week, viewers hear compelling stories from everyday folks culled from six months on the road. Host Ira Glass and company create a captivating look at the American Life in a series that’s not quite documentary, not much of a news magazine and definitely not a reality show – it’s simply unlike anything else.

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This American Life: Season Two Review

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(More customer reviews)This American Life was the first radio shows with which I became absolutely enthralled, revolving my Saturday morning schedule around its airing until other means of listening came along. So I was happy about Showtime picking at up, and not at all skeptical that a TV version would disappoint.
And it didn't, at first. Season one of the television show did not disappoint, and neither, truthfully, did season two. If I were to judge season two by nixing any preconceived notions about This American Life (either in radio format or the format laid out by season one of the TV show).
Something in season two was lacking for me right off the bat. It remained pure speculation as to why season two did not strike the same chord with me. I finally figured out that it was lack of Ira Glass's narrative. You see, the DVD has a live presentation as a bonus feature. And in it I see Chris Wilcha (co-director of the TV version) and Ira Glass discussing how they chose in season two to have Ira Glass be involved as little as possible(!).
This was the profound difference between season one and two. Chris Wilcha and Showtime mistakenly believed that it was wise to relegate Ira Glass to the background as much as possible, instead of letting him narrate the show as he had done in season one. From what I gathered, those whom had misgivings about a TV version agree that episode one of first season soothed those fears. The show was still lovable. No matter how many moving pictures were added, it was definitely still This American Life. Believing that Ira Glass wouldn't surrender so much creative control, I had none of these misgivings and the TV show did not disappoint-- in season one. That was season one though.
Showtime, in the second season, has chosen to deviate from the format that worked so well for them in the first season. Chris Wilcha basically stated that the photography should speak for itself in the TV version of the show and that little to no narrative by Ira was necessary or desired. I couldn't disagree more. Season one worked for the same reasons the radio show works. Ira Glass. While he isn't absolutely *needed*, you could say the same for the moving photography of the Showtime show-- it too, isn't absolutely necessary. The new way they have Ira Glass introducing the show, as though the story is an "afterthought", left me feeling cheated, as well as "cheapening" the overall quality of the introductory narrative segments.
Ira, in my opinion, is more necessary to the show than the filmography, and his inclusion is paramount to keeping the spirit of the show alive in any format. No Ira, or very little Ira, will equal a failed This American Life. I don't say this as a radio or television fan. I say this as a fan of "This American Life", with our host, Ira Glass.
I have bought season one three times- once for myself, and twice as gifts for others. I also bought season two. Once, for myself. I will not be buying it again. Though the content is up to par- amazing, poignant, entertaining- and the DVD comes with a variety of bonus features including audio commentary and the option for HDTV, watching it with the minimum of Ira's proud and comforting voice punctuating the story (sadly, in most segments he isn't included at all- a deliberate choice, they explain in the bonus "live" excerpt.) is just not the same show. This renders some episodes that would normally be extremely compelling into nearly unforgettable weakened versions of what I imagine its creators envisioned. It's now like "every other television show". These changes are an unwelcome shift away from not just what worked in season one, but from the spirit of the radio show as well.
Save your money. The radio version needs it more than Showtime. (The radio version is hosted by WBEZ and PRI, not NPR, as many believe.)
I for one will be watching the DVD for the bonus inclusions, which are pretty stellar. If there are more Showtime seasons planned, I cannot imagine them being as gripping as the first season was if they continue to deviate wildly from the format of season one. Season one was truly in keeping with the spirit of TAL. Season one WAS, "This American Life, with your host, Ira Glass."
Season two? Eh, not so much.

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The widely popular, award-winning Chicago Public Radio show of the same name is now a Showtime show. Drawing on a different theme each week, viewers hear compelling stories from everyday folks culled from six months on the road. Host Ira Glass and company create a captivating look at the American Life in a series that\'s not quite documentary, not much of a news magazine and definitely not a reality show – it\'s simply unlike anything else.

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A Haunting Season 4 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)A Haunting is a documentary series that explores allegedly true tales of hauntings, ghosts and the supernatural. Each show is composed of high quality, atmospheric reenactments following the descriptions of eyewitnesses. Superimposed on the action is the creepy, measured voice of a narrator who sets the mood and explains the events. The show is exceptionally effective. Most episodes have at least some unnerving moments and some are downright scary.
Season 4 of A Haunting should continue to appeal to fans. While many of the episodes in Season 4 are interesting, most are not as scary as those from previous seasons. In fact, some episodes can only be described as odd (e.g., Spellbound) and do not focus on a specific haunting. Some shows are excellent and dedicated viewers will still find plenty to enjoy. However, I would recommend that new viewers start with earlier seasons.
Below is a short description of each episode in Season 4. The number in parentheses is my "scariness rating"; scale = 1-5 with 5 being the scariest. Minor spoilers throughout.
Dark Wrath - A demon stalks the halls and terrifies the owners of a rural house near St. Louis (3)
The Awakening - Restless ghosts trouble a Midwestern couple (2)
The Calling - She sees dead people. A young mother is traumatized when her ability to see and interact with the deceased becomes impossible to control (2)
The Apartment - A young Seattle couple are harassed by paranormal visitors when they move into an apartment where a vicious drug battle once took place (1)
Spirits of the Dead - A spooky horse barn is the center of otherworldly events as a dispossessed spirit attempts to control a assemblage of ghosts (2)
Where Evil Lurks - A complex haunting takes place in the Ozarks where a daemon that was summoned in a historically haunted house viciously attacks a young family (4)
Spellbound - Not a typical A Haunting episode. It mainly deals with the relationship between a son who becomes a devote Christian (and eventually a minister) and his mother who practices Wicca (1)
Echoes of the Past - A family moves into an ancient Vermont home where various spirits, mainly those of two little girls, interact with them (1)
Ghost Hunter - The 15 year old son of a ghost hunter becomes possessed while helping her paranormal research team investigate an old cemetery (1)
Stalked by Evil - A spirit that lurks in the closet of a Texas home becomes obsessed with the teenage daughter of the new residents (3)
Casa de los Muertos - A Latino guitarist and family move into an Arizona house haunted by the spirit of a white supremacist (1)
Monster in the Apartment - A young man who dabbles in the occult eventually becomes possessed by a demon and begins to stalk his female roommate (2)
Legend Trippers - Legend trippers are people who visit allegedly haunted sites to investigate paranormal activity. In this episode, several groups of teenagers explore an ancient, creepy Wisconsin cemetery (3)


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New Dominion Pictures's A Haunting: Season 4, takes you inside ten real-life horror stories that originally aired on the Discovery Channel. Each eerie one-hour episode features eyewitness accounts and cinematic re-enactments of some of the most spine-tingling, ghostly haunting's ever recorded. Even the most skeptical observer will be shocked and intrigued by these spellbinding tales.

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