Civilisation: The Complete Series (1969) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you have never seen this series before and are interested in art history, you just landed in a honey jar. Clark takes us on a 1,500 year journey through Western Civilization starting roughly at the end of the Roman Empire and ending in mid 20th century. He tells us straight out that his aim was to follow the history of Western European civilization as seen through the eyes of its artists. Why the limitation to only Western European civilization? Apparently, Lord Clark wanted to keep the series to a manageable length. The series is over 13 hours long as it is, and one can only wonder what it would have gone on to become had he included the Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Asian, African and Pre-Columbian cultures. The mind boggles. With Civilisation, Clark has done an incredible job of showing us the amazing cultural legacy left by our European forebears. And at the end he reminds us that this is only a fraction of what was actually achieved. You will recognize many of these works. Others will not be so familiar. But they carry the weight of historical significance, and everyone with at least a four year college education should be aware of the general drift of Clark's presentation. He finished this program for the BBC in 1969. It was an immediate success and you can also find the book of the same name which was a popular spinoff of the series. I recommend it also. The series came along in the midst of some of the most tumultuous scenes of civic strife of the last 50 years. Against this background, Clark laid out his thesis that Western civilization has consisted of a series of catastrophes and rebirths. He indicates that our depression over the events of the twentieth century should not lead us into abandoning the cultural legacy which has been bequeathed to us. For example, if the Black Plague of the 14th century were to strike us with the same force it did before, over a hundred million Americans would die. The Thirty Years war devastated parts of Europe even worse than World War 2. And yet, the will to survive and rebuild society was always there. It is a prescient reminder for the current generation of thoughtful people.

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The eminent art historian Sir Kenneth Clark was commissioned to write and present an epic examination of Western European culture, defining what he considered to be the crucial phases of its development. Civilisation: A Personal View by Lord Clark would be more than two years in the making, with filming in over 100 locations across 13 countries. The lavish series was hailed as a masterpiece when it was first transmitted in 1969.

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Coca-Cola - The History of an American Icon Review

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(More customer reviews)It's a trip into the past, to the early days before there was Coca-Cola®. With pictures, advertising, film clips and commercials, we are transported through time to learn more about what steps were taken through the years to make Coca-Cola® one of today's leading soft drinks. The historical background is enhanced with comments from Phillip F. Mooney (Archivist, The Coca-Cola® Company), Frederick Allen (Author, "Secret Formula"), KaralAnn Marling (Pop Culture Historian), and Jan Slater (Professor, Ohio University).
High quality film clips and commercials, many in color, help to tell the story and give us a picture of what life and Coca-Cola® was like throughout the years. Although this documentary ends in the late 1980's, clips from ads of the 1940's through the 1980's are included, such as Mean Joe Greene and never-before seen outtakes from "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke®". Songwriters Bill Backer and Billy Davis join in to talk about several jingles.
If you are interested in the history of Coke® or if you are just interested in the past, this is an excellent documentary that will definitely hold your attention. The DVD also includes excerpts from several promotional films, commercial jingles and lots of bonus pictures. This is a fine addition to anyone's collection.

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COCA-COLA:HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN ICON - DVD Movie

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Empires - Holy Warriors: Richard the Lionheart & Saladin (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like a previous reviewer, I found the omissions in this program to be glaring & laughable. If anyone is expecting to get a comprehensive treatment of the Third Crusade, look elsewhere. One is gets as accurate a treatment of history as in "Kingdom of Heaven," which played fast & loose with historical accuracy.
One would get the impression that Richard I was the prime force behind the Crusade, depsite the fact that Barbarossa & the Germans left for the Holy Land a full two years earlier. The program would have you believe that after Barbarossa's death, the German armies simply melted away --- I believe the narrator actually said that most of the Germans "went home." If he meant that "home" was Antioch, then I suppose that is an accurate statement. It was the remnants of the German army (largely decimated by plague) that successfully defended Tyre (left almost unmentioned in this program) against Saladin's forces. Also barely mentioned is Phillip II of France, who played a key role in the political events that unfolded in the Holy Land.
The producers at least mentioned Richard's execution of the 3000 prisoners (following the siege of Acre), but left unmentioned is Richard's complicity in the assasination of Conrad of Montferrat, recently crowned King of Jerusalem, in 1192. The program would prefer to paint Richard as a noble warrior, rather than a political strategist of the first order. The political in-fighting between the Germans, French & English (not to mentioned the already entrenched Crusader States) is a not insignificant part of the story of the Third Crusade, but it goes entirely unmentioned here.
In fact, this program skims the topwaters to such a degree that only a historical neophyte could find much value in it. This program is a big disappointment overall.

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Studio: Paramount Home VideoRelease Date: 10/11/2005

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Secrets of Archaeology Review

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(More customer reviews)I agree with others that this is one of the best historical documentaries available, especially on Classical Mediterranean civilizations (Greece, Rome, and others). There are six discs in the series, each disc containing five episodes of 20 minutes, except the last disc which has only two. Although 20 minutes may not sound like much, so much is packed into each episode that they do not disapoint.
Each episode shows historical ruins related to its subject, beginning with maps to let you know when and where you are, and frequently using animation to reconstruct the ruins as they appeared in their prime. The narration uses the pictures as a starting point to discuss the culture and history represented by the ruins. The series frequently provides a fairly in depth discussion of the culture, ordinary life, religion, etc. of the peoples who lived in these locations, not just stories of battles and rulers.
The other outstanding aspect of this series is that it covers a wide variety of cultures, time periods, and geography. It works best where history can be told as the history of individual cities, which is the case in the Mediterranean world (the great majority of the episodes) and also for the Mayans in America.
A good example of the unusual approach of this series is episode two. From the title "Glorious Rome", I was expecting a tour of classical Rome using models and virtual recreations, since good examples of these are now available. Instead, the episode showed only brief shots of the unreconstructed Roman forum, and centered instead on the ruins of outlying Roman cities to show the common culture which existed over the extent of the empire.
Disc 1
1. Pompeii: A City Rediscovered. 79 AD
2. Glorious Rome, Capital of an Empire. 2nd Cent. AD. (Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence, FR; Tindaris and Morgantina, Sicily, IT; Jerash, Jordan.)
3. Pyramids Designed for Eternity. 3rd Millennium BC [Egypt] (Sakkara, Maidum, Dahshur, Giza)
4. Athens: Western Splendor 460 BC (Parthenon, Acropolis)
5. A Place Called Etruria 540 BC (Tuscany, It; It cities: Murlo (Poggio Civitate), Tarquinia, Volterra (San Cerboni tombs), Populonia, Cerveteri, Chiusi, Bologna (Villanova Culture))
Disc 2
6. The Cities of the Pharaohs. 3,000 BC. [Egypt] (Memphis, Luxor, Thebes, Cairo, Alexandria)
7. Egypt According to Cleopatra. 30 BC. [Egypt] (Alexandria - Pharos; Giza - Pyramids; Dendera - Temple of Hathor; Philae - Temple of Isis; Rome - obelisk, pyramid, temple, statue Esquiline Venus).
8. Greek Cities in Italy. 9th Cent. BC. (Magna Graecia: Delphi; Naples; Cumae - Parthenope; Sybaris - Paestum Poseidonia; Campi Flegrei; Pozzouli [Dicaearchia] - Temple of Serapis [Serapium]; macellum - market building Lake Avernus - Virgil, Hades; Sibyls).
9. The Pyramids of the Sun. 1519 AD. [Mexico]. (Aztec - Tenochtitlan; Teotihuacan - Pyramid of the Sun, Temple of the Feathered Serpent, Pyramid of the Moon).
10. The Roads to El Dorado. 15th & 16th Cent. AD. [South America - Peru, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Cuzco; Columbia - Muisca, Lake Guatavita]. "El Dorado" originally referred to a person--the "gilded man", or man covered with gold dust--not a place.
Disc 3
11. The Lost Cities of the Maya. 8th Cent. AD. (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras: Palenque; Chichen Itza; Toltecs - Tula [Central Mexico]; Tulum; Colzumel).
12. The Forgotten Civilizations of Anatolia. [Turkey] (Ionian Greek - Aphrodisias; Hierapolis - Pamukkale hot springs; Gordium - Phrygia - King Minos 8th Cent BC; Hittites - Hattusah - 14th Cent. BC)
13. Travels through Greece. 2nd Cent. AD (Corinth; Temple of Venus; Epidaurus - Asclepieion; Phidias's workshop; Olympia).
14. The Ports of the Desert. 1st Cent. AD (Ma'rib - Sabaean Kingdom [Yemen]; Petra - Nabataeans [Jordan]; Palmyra [Syria]). Roman spice trade.
15. Sailing with the Phoenicians. 5th Cent. BC (Phoenicia - Tyre [Lebanon]; Sardinia - Nuraghe, Nora thermal bath; Carthage [Tunisia] - Harbor; Island of the Admiralty; Byrsa citadel)
Disc 4
16. The Roman Empire in Africa. 1st - 4th Cent. AD. [Maghreb: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia] (Volubilis)
17. Ancient Cities Bordering on Latium. 4th Cent. BC (Hernici-Hernicians; Samnites [Samnium] - Apulia; Umbrians)
18. Retracing the Tracks of Hannibal. 3rd Cent BC (Saguntum Spain; Bardo Museum Tunis; Roman Walls; Carthage, Tophet - human sacrifice?) (Not just war - differences in cultural & cultural interchange)
19. Roman Imprint on the West. 3rd Cent AD. [Spain; France (Provence)] (Provence - Orange, Nimes; Spain - Tarragona, Cadiz) (Impact of Rome on Western Culture)
20. At the Court of the King of Kings. 4th Cent BC. (Iran [Persia]) Cyrus the Great; Zoroastrian Hilltop Altars; Susa; Persepolis)
Disc 5
21. Cities of the Sea and Wind. 1st - 3rd Cent. AD. [Tripolitania (Libya)] (Leptis Magna - Emperor Septimis Severus & Caracalla; Sabratha; Oea [Tripoli], Syrtes desert)
22. Secrets of the Island of Minos. 15th Cent. BC. [Greece; Crete] (Minoans, Atlantis, Crete, Aegean Civilization, Arthur Evans - Knossos, Santorini, Cyclades)
23. The Fabulous Centers of Hellenism. 4th Cent BC. [Turkey (Ionia)] (Alexander the Great, Persia, Pergamun, Ephesus - Temple of Artimis, Library of Celsus)
24. Visit of the Sanctuaries of Apollo. 4th Cent. BC. (Delos Island [Greece] - birthplace of Apollo and Artemis; Didyma [Turkey] - sanctuary, temple & oracle of Apollo; Delphi [Greece] - Delphic oracle, pythian games)
25. Sicily: Greek Legacy in the West. 4th Cent. BC. (Battle of Himera; Sicani; Syracuse & Island of Ortigia; Agrigento - Valley of the Temples).
Disc 6
26. Ancient Itinerary in Ionia. 2nd Cent. BC. [Delos, Kos, Rhodes (Greece); Priene, Miletus (Turkey)] (Priene; boulç, bouleuterion; Epicurian School Philosophy-Thales, Anaximenes, Anaximander; Miletus - Hippodamus of Miletus (urban planning); Delos - slave market, foreign temples; Kos - Asclepius Sanctuary, Hipppcrates; Rhodes-Colossus; "Anatolia" - rising sun)
27. Mycenaeans: The Civilization of Heroes. 3rd to 2nd Millennium BC. [Ebla (Syria); Troy (Turkey), Mycenae (Greece)]. (Ebla-Assyrian City north of Euphrates, 17,000 cuneiform tablets; Troy- Heinrich Schliemann; Tiryns-Cyclopean walls, Pausaneus; Mycenae-lion gate; Agamemnon, megaron)


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Item Name: Secrets of Archaeology; Studio:Koch Vision

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On the Waterways Review

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(More customer reviews)"On the Waterways" is a beautifully photographed series. It is also a journey into the realm of small, human stories. The filmmakers were young and took the time to talk to the people who lived along the shores of the places they visited. The stories they tell and the way they are told are not flashy. All of the episodes move along at a brisk pace, but at the same time it feels as though time has slowed down long enough for the viewer to enjoy the ride. This series is almost twenty years old, so there are probably a lot of things that have changed. However, this does not change the charm and the beauty of the scenes. It's a bit like looking at old photographs of a favorite vacation.

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Narrated by Academy Award © winning actor JASON ROBARDS For three years, the Driftwood, a 60-foot motor yacht, and its modern-day band of explorers traveled along 25,000 miles of North American waterways rediscovering the sites and sounds of a continent that has fascinated and challenged adventurers for hundreds of years.Join the crew of sailors and young filmmakers in this 13-part series as they sample the substance, the spirit and the extraordinary stories of people who live along rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Includes the entire 13-part series: The North Atlantic The Western Gulf Coast Florida The Upper Mississippi The South Atlantic Lake Superior The Hudson River & The Erie Canal The Ohio Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Lake Michigan & The Illinois River The Lower Mississippi The Eastern Great Lakes The Mid-Atlantic

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History's Mysteries - Ancient Aliens (History Channel) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Hello.
Listen. you probably saw a show called "Ancient Aliens" on The History Channel recently and thought it was cool, so you wanted to buy the DVD. Well, I was the same way. BUT, this isn't it! I bought this DVD and it's OLD. It just has the same name as the other one that was more recent. The one you want is also called "Ancient Aliens" but it hasn't come out yet. Check the History Channels website and do a search there. The cover you want has a silver UFO and a crop circle animal looking thing. I just want to save people from doing what I did.

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In modern times, the first UFO was reported in 1947. But many people believe that aliens have been among us for thousands of years. And for evidence, they point to certain ancient texts and monuments. Do they, in fact, tell the story of extraterrestrial contact eons ago? Join the worlds leading UFO experts including the authors of the bestselling Alien Identities and Fingerprints of the Gods for an extraordinary investigation that journeys through human history in search of evidence of alien contact. Why do so many structures, from different societies worldwide, seem to point towards the same spot in the skies? What other possible explanation is there for the frequent references to strange flying objects in ancient texts? Do some clues point to the presence of aliens among the ancients themselves? With dramatic re-creations, footage from around the world and inspired scholarship, ANCIENT ALIENS attempts to uncover the truth.

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Terry Jones' Barbarians Review

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(More customer reviews)Koch Vision and BBC presents "TERRY JONES' BARBARIANS" (2007) (205 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) ---Terry Jones' Barbarians is a 4-part TV documentary series first broadcast on BBC 2 in 2006 --- It was presented and written by ex-Python Terry Jones, challenging the received Roman and Roman Catholic notion of the barbarian --- It could be compared to his earlier series Terry Jones' Medieval Lives in that it questions aspects of history that everyone takes for granted --- So you think you know everything about the Romans? They gave us sophisticated road systems, chariots and the modern-day calendar --- And of course they had to contend with barbarian hordes who continually threatened the peace, safety and prosperity of their Empire. Didn't they?
Terence Graham Parry Jones (born 1 February 1942) is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter and actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator and TV documentary host --- He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team --- As a member of the Monty Python troupe, Jones is remembered for his roles as middle-aged women and the bowler-hatted "man in the street" --- He typically wrote sketches in partnership with Palin.
EPISODES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
THE PRIMITIVE CELTS (First broadcast 26th May 2006)
1. Celtic Barbarians
2. Caesar's Gallic Wars
THE SAVAGE GOTHS (First broadcast 2nd June 2006)
1. Arminius
2. Dacian Wars
3. Alaric I's sack of Rome
THE BRAINY BARBARIANS (First broadcast 9th June 2006)
Jones argues that the ancient Greeks and Persians were in reality far from the Roman view of them as effeminate and addicted to luxury. The Greeks valued science and mathematics, while the Persians had initially allowed multiculturalism among the different ethnic groups of its empire (until years of war with Rome).
1. Antikythera Mechanism
2. Archimedes and Syracuse
3. Parthians
4. Sassanids
THE END OF THE WORLD (First broadcast 16th June 2006)
Around 400 AD, two Barbarian babies were born. One would grow up to become the most feared of all - Attila the Hun. The other, Geiseric, led the Vandals whom history has cast as destroyers. Jones finds out that Roman civilization wasn't destroyed by the invasion of these tribes, but by the loss of the North African tax base. He sees the common view of Rome and "Barbarians" as a result of the Roman Catholic Church popularizing the Roman version of the truth.
1. Sack of Rome (455)
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Great job by Koch Vision --- looking forward to more high quality titles from the BBC Collection film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.
Total Time: 205 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV-6469 ~ (1/08/2008)

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So you think you know everything about the Romans?Monty Python’s Terry Jones invites you on an entertaining expedition through Roman history from an entirely different perspective – that of the Barbarians. Far from the uncivilized savages they have been believed to be, many of these "non-Romans" were not barbaric at all. They were, in fact, highly organized and intelligent societies that had no intentions of overthrowing Rome or its Empire. A rare blend of scholarly research and archaeological evidence along with Jones’ familiar brand of irreverent humor gives this fascinating series a unique insight into the Barbarians, the Romans and the creation of the modern world. Includes the episodes:(Disc One) The Primitive Celts – The Brainy Barbarians(Disc Two) The Savage Goths – The End of the World

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The First Olympics: Athens 1896 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a magnificent and wonderful movie about the Olympic Games of 1896 in Athens... the first Olympics in 2000 years. The characters are generally well cast, the dialogue is fitting, and the relations between characters is well developed. I don't know if all the scenes are historically accurate, but I know that a great deal of it is... especially the names of the athletes, the results of the events and the Olympic Stadium in Greece. Although centered around the American team and its athletes, there is considerable attention paid to the lives of athletes from other countries, most notably Greece and Australia. Unfortunately a couple of the athletes portrayed could have been played by actors who were more appropriate for the events they were in, and you'll pick them out right away.
This is a FAMILY MOVIE, no sex, no vulgar language, nothing that shouldn't be seen by anyone in your family. It is a true classic in my mind, and one which I enjoy watching on a regular basis. Now, if it would only come out on DVD I'd buy it in an instant. There's so much garbage out there on DVD, why can't this and other classics be brought out on DVD?

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The inspiring story of a rag-tag team of amateur American athletes that stunned the sports world comes to life in this dramatization of the first modern Olympic games revived in 1896. Veteran Actor Louis Jourdan stars as Baron Pierre du Coubertin, a relentless visionary who sets out to renew the ancient Olympic games after 1500 years. Dr. William Sloane (David Ogden Stiers) is the Princeton professor who pulls together the first American team with 13 unlikely boys and a meager supply of sports equipment. Competing in events that had never been seen in the United States before the Americans went on to Athens and secured the winner's post despite almost insurmountable odds.

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Ancient Lives Review

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(More customer reviews)ANCIENT LIVES is a DVD set that is not only educational, but it makes learning about the artists of Ancient Egyptian kings fun and inviting. By the time archaeologist John Romer completes his filming and explanations of the Egyptian artists and their life-style, you want to grab a pick and shovel and hop on the next plane to Thebes and the Nile River.
This 4 episode DVD set (205 minutes plus more on Bonus) is not about the Kings and their lives; but rather, this detailed documentary is about the people who lived generations, lifetimes, in the Workers' Village. These were the scribes, the artists, the carvers, and the craftsmen and their families that decorated the royal tombs and created the antiquities that get all the attention in other Egyptian stories. These were the laborers, the common folk, like you and me.
They not only left written documentation about the rulers, the these scribes also carefully carved their own stories and way of life into the rock walls and pieces of stone around Deir el Medina, the tomb-makers' village. They left their own mark and story among the hills around the valley of the kings, and the scribe's family history is as interesting, or in some ways with more relatedness, than that of Pharaohs, Queens, and their gold plated mummies.
Several royal tomb scribes, beginning with Ramose (1275 to 1241 BCE)provide enough data to follow them through their lives and discover how they lived, how they felt, what they admired, what they dreamed and who they loved. They left behind personal family correspondence, with historic footnotes. It's a textbook via DVD on the ANCIENT LIVES of these common workers, but extraordinary artists.
The "people of the village" faced hardship, hard work, and little reward except the pride of their work. Eventually things like famine, grave plundering, and changes in the pharaohs wishes, brought about major changes in the village, even it's eventual doom.
You'll get some looks inside magnificent tombs; see valuable aesthetic pieces, and hillside scratches; visit museum housed artifacts; and all along this trip, get thoroughly enlightened as to what you are experiencing from John Romer, a famous archaeologist that looks and acts the part of one of the commoner people of the village.
This set includes subtitles, a Bonus featurette called "Pharaohs' Liquid Gold" (about the ancient Egyptian beer that was a staple along with bread), & a booklet to follow during each episode which includes highlights as well as added information of important people met in the episode. This booklet also poses questions usable for educational classrooms, or with your viewing friends. It has a bibliography, a bit on a scribe's education, a bit on hieroglyphics and hieratic writing, and a 2009 piece "The Making of Ancient Lives" by John Romer. More DVD bonus features include Who's Who among Egyptian Deities, and Real-life Indiana Joneses, an archeologist segment.
You'll see a small bit of King Tut and Queen Nefertiti, but you'll enjoy more the story of scribe Harshire (and others), and actually are shown a location Romer thinks will be the next great golden Egyptian dig archaeological windfall. Just ten feet down from where he is standing? Grab your pick and study your Egyptian symbols.
OR, buy this DVD set and enjoy a personally guided ride through rocky tomb-filled Egypt's Nile valley, near Thebes.

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Unlocking the mysteries of DAILY LIFE in ANCIENT EGYPT
How did ordinary Egyptians live in the time of the pharaohs? Renowned British Egyptologist John Romer explores the ruins of an ancient village just outside Thebes, where generations of craftsmen and artists built and decorated royal tombs. There, relics reveal the most intimate details of the people\'s daily lives: their meals, their loves, their quarrels, and even their dreams.
Go inside the pharaohs\' most magnificent tombs and see astonishing art and priceless treasures. Meet the scribes, stonemasons, and high priests who presided over this city of the dead. Learn the secrets of the tomb raiders and the tricks devised to thwart them. This four-part series provides fascinating insights into a civilization now lost to the ages.
As seen on public television.
BONUS FEATURES: Pharaohs\' Liquid Gold, the quest to recreate ancient Egyptian beer 16-page viewer\'s guide with maps, The Life of a Scribe, a history of Egyptian script, The Making of Ancient Lives by John Romer, and more. Who\'s Who among Egyptian Deities Real-Life Indiana Joneses: Archaeologists of Ancient Egypt
One of the world\'s foremost archaeologists, John Romer led the Brooklyn Museum\'s expedition to excavate the tomb of Ramesses XI. Since 1979, he has served as president of the Theban Foundation, an organization for the preservation of Egyptian royal tombs.

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Inside Deep Throat - Theatrical NC-17 Edition (2005) Review

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King (1978) Review

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(More customer reviews)This miniseries is great in that it presents Dr. King as the complex human being that he was with some of his insecurites and personal issues intact as opposed to the saint that he is often portrayed. The intracacies behind the Birmingham, Memphis, and Vietnam campaigns are handled well and Winfield makes a very good MLK. Cicely Tyson does very well as Coretta and incidentally, Rosa Parks is played by MLK's daughter Yolanda. The scenes of MLK smoking cigarettes and the adultery issue will shock a lot of people, but after all, the man was born in Atlanta and not Bethlehem, and these are based on acknowledged facts.
However, these is a scene that will annoy historians and Malcolm X fans. The treatment of King's meeting with M/X is an unfair fictionalization of what really happened. M/X is shown as hatemongering lunatic who encourages people in the ghettoes to burn down their cities. The producers have Malcolm confused with a later generation of militants, as the record shows that while the real Malcolm had his faults, he never publicly condoned mindless violence aside from self-defense.
This aside, and the composition of characters as prototypes of Bayard Rustin and Jesse Jackson aisde, this stays pretty close to the facts. Watch and enjoy, but read a good King bio such as "Bearing the Cross" by Taylor Branch, or "Let the Trumpet Sound" by Stephen Oates afterwards to get a broader picture.

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Nominated for nine Emmy AwardsÂ(r), this "astute and compelling" (Variety) biographybased on the remarkable life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., takes an intimate look at one of the world's most public heroes during one of the most tumultuous times in American history. Starring Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson and Ossie Davis, King is a riveting tale that appropriately honors a true legend.In 1950s/60s America, the civil rights movement found its leader in a Southern Baptist minister. Using lyrical eloquence, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., motivated masses of peopleblack and whiteto demand equality by way of nonviolent protest. But in spite of his peaceful agenda, Dr. King was often the target of terrible violence. He was never swayedfrom his path, however; for by the time he was assassinated in 1968, Dr. King had already defined adream that would change a nation forever.

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The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982) Review

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(More customer reviews)My sister has raved about this film for as long as I can remember. When I failed to find it in our local video store, she told me not to worry, as she had recently bought it and would lend it to me. Well, having now seen the film, I can understand why she raved about it. It is a vastly entertaining film, filled with a smattering of history, swashbuckling action, political intrigue, romance, and droll humor. Couple all this with some very good acting and direction, and one has a must-see period piece. It is historical fiction brought to life.
Based loosely upon the novels of Baroness Orczy, the Scarlet Pimpernel is the hero of beleaguered eighteenth century French aristocrats. The Scarlet Pimpernel dedicates himself to rescuing aristocrats that, in the Republic of the post-revolution era, are destined to lose their heads in the feeding frenzy engendered by the minions of Robespierre. Just who the Scarlet Pimpernel is, the French have not a clue, other than he is believed to be an Englishman. The viewer, however, is on the secret of his identity from the very beginning.
Anthony Andrews plays the extremely foppish dandy, Sir Percy Blakeney, who is about as blue blooded as one can be and live. He is also the wealthiest man in all of England. Given to amusing his fellow aristocrats with bons mots, he also devises entertaining rhyming couplets about the Scarlet Pimpernel. Speaking in a highly affected voice and sporting the latest in fashionable attire, Sir Percy is a seemingly unlikely action hero. Yet, it is he who rescues those who are destined to lose their heads to the dreaded guillotine. It is he who is the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Since the Scarlet Pimpernel is putting a crimp into the post-revolution blood bath, the feared Chauvelin (Ian McKellen), an ardent revolutionist and hatchet man for Robespierre, seeks to capture him. Chauvelin has a soft side, however, as he is profoundly in love with Marguerite St. Just (Jane Seymour), the premier actress of France and one of its most celebrated beauties. Unfortunately for him, however, Sir Percy has just met Marguerite and been smitten. When Sir Percy romantically woos and wins the heart of Marguerite, she consents to marry him, not knowing that he is the Scarlet Pimpernel. When she marries Sir Percy, Chauvelin stops at nothing to exact his revenge, and his actions eventually cause a rift in the marriage.
What happens to Sir Percy, Marguerite, and Chauvelin is well worth seeing. Anthony Andrews is utterly charming, romantic, and drolly funny in his dual role as the dandified fop/dashing action hero who is in love with the prettiest girl in town. Jane Seymour is perfect as the beautiful thespian who captures the heart of a wealthy aristocrat, only to find, in the end, that she has married a romantic hero. Ian McKellen is effective as the angst ridden Chauvelin, who has had his heart pierced by Cupid's arrow.
This is a wonderful film. Now, having seen it on video, I am eagerly awaiting its release on DVD, so as to add it to my personal collection. It is a film that one can enjoy watching again and again.

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The swashbuckling classic comes to rip-roaring life in this lavishproduction, filled with breathless romance and derring-do! In the eyes of high society, SirPercy Blakeney (Brideshead Revisited's Anthony Andrews) is a typical fop, surroundedby adoring ladies and clueless gentry. However, he is also a master of disguise and bearsan infamous secret identity: the Scarlet Pimpernel, dashing and fearless rescuer of victimsof the French Revolution! Sir Percy also falls head over heels for the beautiful Marguerite(Somewhere in Time's Jane Seymour), who is also wooed by the villainous PaulChauvelin (The Lord of the Rings' Sir Ian McKellan), Robespierre's Chief Agent for theCommittee of National Security. Suave, stylish, and utterly irresistible, this dazzlingadventure is sure to capture your heart!

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Secrets of World War II Review

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(More customer reviews)In 11/07 Nucus/Martin Production released three companion DVDs dealing with World War II:
(1) Gladiators of World War II: The fighting forces of the Second World War (1998) (BBC c2007) (2 double-sided DVDs, with 13 48-minute episodes; TT10:50)Gladiators of World War II
director, writer: Charles Messenger; narrator: Robert Powell
(2) Heroes of World War II (2003) and Weapons of World War II (2003) (BBC c2007) (2 double-sided DVDs, with 10+10 24-minute episodes; TT7:55)Heroes and Weapons of World War II
director: Jonathan Martin; writer: Tim Newark; narrator: Robert Powell
(3) Secrets of World War II: Revelations from the Second World War (1998) (BBC c2007) (4 DVDs, 3 double-sided, with 26 52-minute episodes; TT22:32)
director: Jonathan Martin; writer: Robin Cross; narrator: Robert Powell
These four TV series are valuable in treating interesting phenomena of World War II that are less frequently covered on video. Each episode is in stereo, 4:3 format, and vintage B&W (mostly) and vintage color, with modern embellishments (maps, background info, etc.) in color. The quality of the archival footage is variable of course, but all is watchable. The quality of the modern color supplements is very good to excellent (e.g., Bletchley Park). Narration is by actor Robert Powell (born 1944).
CONTENTS--GLADIATORS OF WORLD WAR II (1998) (each episode 48 min):
1. Waffen-SS
2. Special Operations Executive [SOE]
3. SAS [Special Air Service]
4. The Desert Rats
5. The Free Polish Forces
6. RAF Fighter Command
7. The Paras and Commandos
8. Norwegian Resistance Fighters
9. The Kamikaze
10. The Royal Navy
11. The Chindits
12. The Free French Forces
13. The Anzacs
CONTENTS--HEROES OF WORLD WAR II (2003) (each episode 24 min):
1. The Men Who Invented Radar
2. The Man Who Designed The Spitfire
3. The Man Who Stood Up To Hitler
4. The Men Who Cracked Enigma
5. The Men Who Stopped the Bismarck
6. The Man Who Saved Britain's Cities
7. The Man Who Hoodwinked Hitler
8. The Men Who Liberated Belsen
9. The Men Who Lit Up Germany
10. The Men Behind D-Day
CONTENTS--WEAPONS OF WORLD WAR II (2003) (each episode 24 min):
1. Tanks
2. Midget Submarines
3. Gliders
4. Aircraft Carriers
5. Fighter Bombers
6. Heavy Bombers
7. The Battleship
8. Rockets
9. Fast Attack Boats
10. The Machine Gun
CONTENTS--SECRETS OF WORLD WAR II (1998) (each episode 52 min):
1. The Corpse that Fooled the Axis
2. Adolf Hitler's Last Days
3. Secret Mission to North Africa
4. When Hitler Invaded America
5. The Bruneval Raid
6. What Really Happened to Rommel
7. Cracking the Enigma Secret
8. Human Torpedoes
9. The Secrets of the Battle of the Bulge
10. The Greatest Sea/Air Battle in History
11. Above Us - The Enemy (Secrets of the Submarine War)
12. The Secrets Behind the Battle of Guadalcanal
13. The Real Heroes of Telemark
14. They Flew for China
15. How Germany was Bombed to Defeat
16. The End of the Scharnhorst
17. The RAF versus the V Weapons
18. Japan's Last Secret Weapon
19. The Minehunters
20. The Nazi Plundering of Europe
21. Confusion was their Business
22. Merrill's Marauders
23. The Amazing Colonel Doolittle
24. Destroying Hitler's Oil Fields
25. Home Run from Colditz
26. Cruises of the Secret Raiders

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During the chaos and destruction of WWII, ordinary men and women from all walks of life were thrown into fearsome, real-life situations worthy of any Hollywood movie -- the only difference is that this series every story is true. Ordinary GIs and US Air Force and Navy personnel suddenly found themselves flying against the Japanese in China, jungle fighting in Burma and being dropped by submarine on enemy coasts at midnight. Each fifty-two minute story gives the viewer a clear view of the historical context, the strategic objective, and the tactical effort made by flyers, sailors and foot-soldiers - often in the most oppressive and life threatening situations - to win victory from the enemy.

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Liberty The American Revolution Review

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(More customer reviews)This collection was well researched and well made. The actors portraying the major players of the Revolution were very believable. The set is what it is; a great to start scratching your Revolutionary itch. However, it is glaringly lacking in some areas. For one, the complete brushing over of the entire Philadelphia Campaign. The only battle that even received mention was Brandywine. The rest of the action around Philadelphia went unmentioned, including the infamous winter at Valley Forge. The war in the South could have been more thoroughly addressed, also. Much like the History Channels "American Revolution" these video collections are entertaining and provide some fillers and portraits of human interest but the true Revolutionary enthusiast will come away disappointed. Keep your noses in the books for indepth treatment of this time period.

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Item Name: Liberty! The American Revolution; Studio:PBS Paramount

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The Universe: The Complete Season 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)I am reviewing the Blu-ray version of The Universe Season One.
Let me first frame my review. I am a big astronomy buff. I have been interested and studied astronomy all my life. Although I dabled in aerospace engineering in college due to my love of space, I ultimately changed my major and have never really worked in the field. In fact I don't own a telescope. Most of my interest has been satisfied by books and wonderful TV shows like Cosmos and The Planets.
So, to me this series would have been perfect fit. A modern Cosmos with all the latest technology, computer graphics, and newest imagery. However, this series is dissapointing. I wanted this to be the outer space equivalent of the stunning Planet Earth series (or even walking with Dinosaurs), which it is not. It's not that it's horrible or even bad, just it left so much on the table.
So, I will outline what I find as flaws and then finish the review with the positives.
1) It's a little to cutesy. The narative style is a little too casual and relies on a lot of comparisons that are a little trite. For instance, they describe how Jupiter flings comets and asteriods out of their normal orbit (which protects the inner planets) by comparing it to a frisbee thower. So we have a lady on a field throwing a frisbee over and over. There are descriptions like, "I want to go ice fishing on Europa" from professional scientists, and using pool tables to make analogies of particles in the Sun colliding, but doing it over and over, or how the threats to the Earth are like an amusement park (except that they aren't at all!!!). Most of us get the point with the mere mention and don't need the extended display of terrestrial footage. It comes off as dumb and slightly insulting. Especially since most of the analogies are weak at best and very misleading at worse since they don't quite work. The narative comes off as trying to be hip and plays to a younger or naive crowd.
2) Animation quality is inconsistent. The computer animations can be quite good, but many are also quite bad. It's inconsistent. In fact some are high def and some are standard def or even blurry! That's unexceptable for computer animations. Even if rendered at lower rez they should be clear. My only guess is they couldn't get the originals. For instance on the rocket launch of the Mar rover missions the picture quality is very bad. However, I have Roving Mars on blu-ray and know it's quality is top notch. Why didn't they get the source? Some animations are really hokey too, like 10 years ago. Still some animations are quite good.
3) Constantly repeating a few graphics multiple times throughout the show. This one is really annoying and kills any desire to revist the show for another viewing. They constantly replay the same few computer animations throughout the episode too many times. This combined with the repeating of the people/earth shots, screams to me: We only had so much budget and we are stretching it as far as we can.
4) Lack of real images. It's amazing that we have soooo many good high rez images of many of the space topics they cover and they choose not to use them. Hubble has put out some great images as well as many other satellites. There are 1000's of photo's of Jupiter and the moons, Saturn, etc... and yet we get very few. When we do get some they are usually blurry low resolution and only shown for a few seconds (see mars episode). This would have been a great way to fill space and show the awe of the universe without repeating the same canned footage and computer animations over and over.
5) Lack of historical context or mission data. The show seems to find a couple things it focuses on in an episode and then avoids a lot of other stuff. for instance, when discussing Jupiter they show only one probe that visited, Voyager, but not a single mention of any other mission. There's no context into what we found out and when. No grander understanding to the journey of exploration and what it has uncovered over time. DOn't get me wrong, I don't want to see another show about how engineers built a satellite at NASA. But knowing that many other probes visited and what they found and how their data got better and answered questions from previous ones....
6) Misleading computer graphics. This one is probably my biggest beef with the show. In and attempt to dramaticize the show, much of the images are flat out misleading or wrong. For instance one animation has the moon (as in Earth's moon) revolving around Jupiter. Another has Europa in front of a star field that is zooming (like a ship going into hyperspace). Or when they show a Gamma burst from a star hitting Earth it looks like a huge glowing space ray. Or showing the asteroid field as heavily populated sea of rocks like a sci fi movie (I had to tell my wife, the asteriods are so far away from eachother that you wouldn't see another one if standing on one). These are plain turn offs if you ask me. It doesn't give the right imagery to those that don't know any better.
7) Formula of 4 or 5 concepts. It seems that each episode has at most 4 or five concepts it touches upon and no more. You can start to see and predict how the episodes will go and realize they aren't going to go in depth on a particular episode since they spend a lot of time on only the four or five areas. For instance, Jupiter they talk about How it Formed, the weather patterns, Europa, and Magnetosphere. There is so much more they could have gone over when discussing Jupiter and the moons.
I could go on. I had high hopes for the series but feel it's a pop culture cable television show with little BBC or PBS feel to it.
So is it good at all? Well, yes, it's still decent. This does fill a void in space documentaries. There are a few new nuggets of information that I am gleaning and some of the animations are still cool. If I were an average person without any knowledge of space, I might find it really neat. It might inspire some children to take up astronomy. Some episodes were more interesting than others (like the one on our Sun).
All in all, I give it a recomendation if you are curious. THere aren't that many astronomy documentaries and even Cosmos and The Planets are pretty dated. If you can get past the narrative and other flaws then you will probably find it was worth it.
I think if you have high def cable/satellite though, I would just watch it on TV as it airs. You probably won't find the need to buy it.
UPDATE: I hadn't viewed the bonus feature "The Big Bang" prior to my reivew. I have to say it was MUCH better quality than the regular episodes. It actually showed the history of astronomy including early scientists and theories of the universe but from a unique perspective. It showed only those people/theories connected to the eventual big bang theory. That was nicely done. It put a good wrapper around the whole big bang theory. Also the special was high def throughout the entire program (only rarely did this special drop in lower def material). So the consistency of the high def production was apparent. Even old phots were given the high def treatment and look excellent on screen even if they were only black and white. The show was a little light on CG. I could have enjoyed some more attention to dark matter and it's role in the universe's evolution. They also only showed one theory for the end of the universe, the Big RIP. They didn't cover the convergence or other theories. I guess the show is about the big bang and not the end. All in all, this bonus feature adds quality to the package. I would have given an extra half star to make my review 3 1/2 stars because of it.


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As the Earth grapples with the effects of global warming, science has increasingly looked to outer space for answers to the glaring threats facing our world. Are there other planets in the Universe with the unique ability to support life--or is there truly no place like home? HISTORY ventures into the uncharted territory of outer space through the visions, studies, and predictions of scientists and explorers, utilizing cutting-edge computer graphics and stunning footage to bring the universe down to Earth.Now available on Blu-Ray DVD for the first time, HISTORY presents all 13 visually arresting, awe-inspiring episodes from THE UNIVERSE: THE COMPLETE SEASON ONE plus the feature-length documentary Beyond the Big Bang . From the planets to the stars to the edge of the known universe, history and science collide in this epic exploration of space and its limitless potential.DISC 1: Secrets of the Sun / Mars: The Red Planet / The End of the Earth: Deep Space Threats To Our Planet / Jupiter: The Giant Planet / The MoonDISC 2: Spaceship Earth / The Inner Planets: Mercury & Venus / Saturn: Lord of the Rings / Alien Galaxies / Life and Death of a StarDISC 3: The Outer Planets / The Most Dangerous Place in the Universe / Search for ET / Beyond the Big Bang (2hr)

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Simon Schama's Power of Art Review

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(More customer reviews)I was fortunate to be able to see the BBC (Region 2) version of this series and I found it very compelling and interesting. Simon does a very persuasive job of explaining how and why (he feels) these greats (Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner, Van Gogh, Picasso) standout in the annuals of art. A very easily accessible series for even the most uninitiated in the subject; highly recommended by this art novice. I only wish there were more episodes in the series!

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Beautiful. Fascinating. Emotional. Art is all of the above. But only a few are powerful. These are the works that not only lift you off your feet in their sheer artistry, they forever alter the human psyche. Focusing on eight iconic works of art, Power of Art reveals the history of visual imagination through the ages, from the murderous world of baroque Rome to paranoid, revolutionary Paris; from the carnage of civil-war Spain to the paradox of 1950s New York, caught between Cold War jitters and Manhattan glitter. A combination of dramatic reconstruction, spectacular photography and Simon Schama's unique, personal style of storytelling transport the viewer back to the intense moments that great works were conceived and born. The eight works of art profiled in this series are: Caravaggio's David and Goliath; Bernini's The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, Rembrandt's The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis; David's Death of Marat; Turner's The Slave Ship; Van Gogh's Self-Portrait; Picasso's Guernica and Rothko's Seagram Building Murals.

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9/11 - The Filmmakers' Commemorative Edition (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)This film is the "accidental documentary" made by French brothers and film makers, Gedeon and Jules Naudet. The brothers were making a film about a young fire fighter during his 9-month probationary period. With the help of their friend, firefighter James Hanlon, there were given nearly unlimited access to all the goings-on at the firehouse, Engine 7, Ladder 1, on Duane Street in Lower Manhattan, less than ten blocks from the World Trade Center. Little did the brothers know that they would be the witness to history, just three months after they began their project.
Gedeon is the older brother, and the avid film maker. But, by the time of 9/11, an additional camera had been purchased for Jules for "camera practice." Jules is with the Battalion Chief, Joseph Pfeifer, and 13 other fire fighters from the house, filming as they investigate an odor of gas at 8:46 am on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001. They are standing in the path of the plane as it flies over and hits Tower 1, and Jules is filming the entire time. His is the only footage of the attack on Tower 1. The reaction of the firefighters is immediate, as they take off for the Trade Center, a place they previously would visit up to five times a day on a shift. They know the Trade Center perhaps better than any other firehouse in Manhattan. But, nothing has prepared them for this.
What transpires is the only known footage of the struggle of the firefighters inside Tower 1 as they try to figure out what to do in the chaos and confusion. They had seen it all, they thought, but this was something they hadn't prepared for. The film is very sensitively edited, so you don't see the blood or the gore or the bodies, you only hear about them. The focus in this film is on the brotherhood of the firemen, what was going on in the towers while the rest of the world looked on, helplessly. How men who make less money than half of the City are the ones who rush into the burning buildings, and who do not hesitate to lay down their lives while saving others. It is the tale of a true brotherhood, of men who are doing jobs handed down to them from generations before. It is more than a story of 9/11, it is the story of the world of New York fire fighters.
Before 9/11 happens, we see the inside of the firehouse, how the young "Probie", Tony Benatanos, is brought into the fold, how the firemen interact and eat together and needle each other. The French brothers did not set out to make a documentary on 9/11, certainly, but fate dealt a hand. This is the most extensive, mind-boggling film, and the DVD contains extended interviews with the firemen, who have seen so much, but still seem to be in shock about what they saw that day.
James Hanlon narrates this film beautifully, and the brothers are interviewed describing that terrible day. The firemen are truly amazing, the footage is incredible, and, if you only see one documentary on this horrible day, this is the one to see. It truly portrays the victims, the heroes, and the survivors sensitively, honestly, and shockingly. It is unforgettable.

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9/11 THE FILMMAKER COMMEMORATIVE 2002 - DVD Movie

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