Reviews (10)

A Good One to Show in School for MLK Day
"Selma, Lord, Selma" fills an important niche by telling a story of the Civil Rights Movement in a manner that is accessible to upper elementary students (and older). The characters and situations are believable, and the story is told from the perspecive of a young--almost 12 years old--African-American girl who got involved after writing a report on Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

While this film portrays the harshness of the situation, including two deaths, it is not graphic or gratutitous. I personally appreciated the way the non-violent Civil Rights movement of Rev. King and his followers was based on their Christian beliefs. The film is not preachy, but the religious context of the movement is realistically portrayed.

As the school librarian, I will be recommending this video to teachers in our elementary school as an option for the Martin Luther King holiday.

Selma Lord Selma is the BEST!
All I have to say...is that Selma Lord Selma is the absolute best movie today! It is about Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement in the 60's. My teacher showed us this movie a couple of years ago. I love it! I recommend everyone goes out and buys it. It is a great video!

A must-see video on an important part of US history
This is a true story with true characters and events, not a fictionalized "this could have happened" history.
This is the story of the civil rights movement in 1965 Selma, Alabama. After the events shown in the video, Lyndon Johnson made the following speech -- one of his best:
"At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama.
"There, long-suffering men and women peacefully protested the denial of their rights as Americans. Many were brutally assaulted....
"There is no cause for pride in what has happened in Selma. There is no cause for self-satisfaction in the long denial of equal rights of millions of Americans. But there is cause for hope and for faith in our democracy in what is happening here tonight...." You may wish to find the entire speech and read it -- it's available on the internet.
This movie is appropriate for school use for 5th and 6th graders and up. "Selma, Lord, Selma" never fails to bring tears to my eyes. A good companion video is "Ruby Bridges."

AWESOME!!!!!!
I watched it last night, and i loved it. It really made me see the prejudice that goes on. It made me cry and be more thankful than i am

Selma, Lord, Selma--- Great Movie
I had watched this movie in school during my history class, we were studying the civil rights movement.And I think that this movie did a great job showing and describing the event. I think that this movie is very inspirational, and it would make you will grateful for what you have. This movie is from the view of an African American little school girl who wanted to take part in the civil rights marches in her community. She was a very brave girl who was very determined to reach the goal of freedom. Other characters in the movie were also very great and very good with their role like the young Reverend in the movie named Jonathon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Abel Gance's 1927 masterpiece is absolutely indispensable for silent-film buffs or anyone interested in classic world cinema. From the future emperor's first strategic victory, a schoolyard snowball fight, to the climactic invasion of Italy, Napoleon truly rules! This is no static, antiquated relic. Among Gance's innovations was to free the camera (for one battle scene, he had it mounted on horseback!). The film's justly celebrated climax features a triptych of synchronized images that anticipates by more than 30 years Cinerama and widescreen. But more than a triumph of filmmaking, Napoleon is a triumph of film restoration and was a boon to the vital cause of film preservation. Gance's movie was long thought lost. But historian Kevin Brownlow, with the cooperation of film archives from around the world, spent more than a decade painstakingly reassembling it. Francis Ford Coppola's name (not to mention a reported quarter of a million of his dollars) helped find Napoleon the audience this film so richly deserves. The rousing score was composed by Coppola's father, Carmine. Viva la Gance! --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A MASTERPIECE AND A WORK OF GLORIOUS GENIUS
In 1981 before a packed house at Radio City Music Hall this restored classic reappeared after being missing for fifty years. Accompanied by a huge orchestra in the landmark theater, NAPOLEON brough the house to its feet in cheers at the end, as its dying director, Abel Gance listened on the phone from France! And fitting it was. This account of the early life of the great French leader is a monument to moviemaking. The use of the camera, of montages, of all manner of visual techniques is a wonder to behold, not just for the sake of the technical but for building the emotion and drama of the story. The final scenes of Napoleon's invasion of Italy when the screen triples in size and in effect duplicates Cinerama brought gasps from the audience - and can not by experienced except in a theater. The musical score was a marvelous addition to it. This film belongs, literally, on the Top Ten of the Twentieth Century. If you can't see it in a theater watch it on video but try to imagine a full size orchestra and a sixty foot screen as was at Radio City Music Hall. A GREAT film, AND a useful addition to our history of Napoleon as it takes a different view from the usual anti-French British line. SEE IT!

Detailed history of Abel Gance's film masterpiece "Napoleon"
British film preservationist and historian Kevin Brownlow's detailed history of Abel Gance's "Napoleon". Covers Brownlow's initial interest the film at an early age, and his 25 year quest to reconstruct it. Offers a detailed history of the production of the film, its many versions as produced by Gance, and the films triumphant return at Radio City in 1981. An essential book in the history of film. Lots of detailed information about Abel Gance available nowhere else.

Perhaps the most ambitious film ever made...
Abel Gance's Napoleon is a triumph of style, technique, and inspired performances from the lead to the extras in the crowd scenes.

The original plan was to create six films highlighting all of Napoleon's life. But Gance spent the entire budget on this one and it really shows.

From the opening scene depicting a snowball fight, I was immediately impressed with the sheer number of techniques Gance used to make it more enegetic. From "Russian montage" (rapid edits at a blinding speed) to mounting the camera on snow sleds, boats, and even a horse to put the viewer in the middle of the action. Gance also invented the idea of widescreen by mounting three cameras on one tripod.

Perhaps the single finest scene in the film has the intercutting of Napoleon in a small boat at sea fighting through a typhoon as the French parliment is falling apart (with the camera attached to a pendulum to simulate the ocean waves). Few scenes pack so much incredable energy as this one.

I was also very impressed with Albert Dieudonne's performance as Napoleon. He seems to channel the spirit of Napoleon himself through his eyes. And the film goes to great lengths establishing the future emperor as a man of destiny. All this, in spite of the fact that Dieudonne is clearly too old to play the young (20 or so) Napoleon.

It's a shame that this film still isn't on DVD.

If you're a lover of films, this is a must-have for your collection. The four-hour length of the movie may seem daunting, but it can be watched in 2 two hour viewings.

Napoleon
I just want to comment upon one of the reviewers objecting Abel Gance's Napoleon masterpiece tells only about the young Napoleon and his achievements during the Revolution, the picture ending with the 1796-97 Italian campaign, without references to Austerlitz, the Empire, Russia, Waterloo, etc.
This fact is not related with censorship; it is due to the conditions of the production of the movie. Initially Gance planned six films shot altogether (like Lord of the Rings to-day) focused about "peaks" of the Napoleaon saga : Revolution, Egypt, Austerlitz, the rise of the Empire, the Russian campaign, Saint Helen. The production of episod 1 fastly exceeded in terms of length (six hours) and budget the whole initial six episods. New producers came in. They subordinated their taking the picture over to Abel Gance finishing just the first episod that was completed in 1927. After a very successful premiere the film was a flop, chiefly because the theaters were reluctant investing in the triple screen. Then in 1928-29 cinema began to talk, and such epics became affordable only in Hollywood (or USSR). Nevertheless Gance managed to shoot the second episod "Austerlitz" in color and sound in 1960 (Pierre Mondy playing Napoleon with the most famous French actors of the time). It was moderately successful and not convincing at all, Gance's magic touch was gone.

WHY THE "CENSORSHIP"
Cinematically I agree with all of the superlatives offered up by previous reviewers.My major reservation is with the way Abel Gance bowdlerizes the story of Napoleon. Unlike the Russian moviemakers of the 20s who were under significant political pressure to minimize the unsavoury aspects of the Revolution I am not aware that Gance was under any sort of similar political pressure. Consequently I find the decision (presumably his) in a film almost four hours long (!) not to make any reference whatsoever to the Russian campaign, Waterloo or the exiles quite bizarre. Perhaps another reviewer knows of a reason behind this omission but absent that I think that this is a serious enough flaw to disqualify Napoleon from being a candidate for the greatest silent film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The phenomenal BBC series Walking with Dinosaurs spawned this 30-minute special. Using the same blend of computer animation, puppetry, and story-driven narration (by Kenneth Branagh), Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special centers on one particular dinosaur dubbed Big Al. Found in Wyoming in the 1980s, Big Al's fossil remains comprise the most complete allosaur skeleton ever found. Enough clues are found in the bones, 145 million years after his death, to tell the story of what might have happened from his birth to his death. The film's naturalistic approach (unlike that used in the Disney film Dinosaur, whose characters could talk) is quite spectacular, with chills (a bog turns out to be a big dinosaur threat), thrills (allosaurs chase a group of giant diplodocus), and humor (a baby allosaur seems to bump into the "camera"). A half-hour companion program, "Big Al Uncovered," illustrates how the "what-if" story of Big Al was constructed using facts uncovered by paleontologists (including the 17 injuries found in the skeleton) and filling in the gaps using the dinosaur's distant cousins (birds and crocodiles). The BBC production does not shy away from the violent world of dinosaurs, including mating and hunting techniques. However, any dinosaur fan age 7 and up should find all the Walking with Dinosaurs specials an exciting and fun education. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Walk with me, talk with me
Another Walking with Dinosaurs video is almost as good as getting a second slice of key lime pie! In other words: Allosaurus is a fantastic installment to the already (and surprisingly) fantastic series. This time, the video focuses on the life and times of Big Al, a famous Allosarus. The movie is crammed with even more convincing special effects and outstanding dinosaur interaction. It's so crisp to the point where you wish it were real! Of course, Allosaurus has one major problem: his computer-generated life is short-lived. Half of the already short video is dedicated to "analyzing Allosarus bones." It's interesting to see how the pieces fit together, but this ordinary educational process is nowhere near compared to seeing the dinosaurs we've come to love.

Jurassic America's Greatest Predator
The "seventh" episode of the spectacularly successful "Walking with Dinosaurs" series, "Allosaurus" - better known as "The Ballad of Big Al" outside the US - is a extraordinary follow-up to that series. It also served to whet many fans' appetite for the later "Prehistoric Beasts" series.

In "Allosaurus", we followed the life of "Big Al" literally from birth to the grave. Life wasn't all "blood in tooth and claw" for the top predator in Jurassic America, as we're shown. As a baby, Al had to watch for predators, especially his own kind! He had to literally teach himself to hunt, and some prey was just too big to take on without help. And mating was no pinic either; Al needs more than flowers to win a female's heart.

As a sequel of sorts to "Walking with Dinosaurs", "Allosaurus" does quite well. We're treated to the same CGI and animatronic effects seen in the previous series, and while the puppetry still needs a little work, IMHO, the CGI is top notch. All of the dinosaurs featured in the episode "Time of the Titans" - Diplodocus, Brachiosaurus, and Stegosaurus - return here. Three more dinosaurs are added to the cast; Dryosaurus, Othnelia, and the famous Apatosaurus. As with "Dinosaurs", there is a "Making of..." episode, included on the VHS, giving us insight into the research of what is one of the most recognizable predatory dinosaurs, second only to Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor.

While "Allosaurus" is a wonderful series, I do have one little complaint. Surely the Framestore and BBC teams could have added a few more dinosaurs to the episode. They didn't need to have added more sauropods; three is enough. But what about Ceratosaurus, or Camptosaurus, both contemparies of Allosaurus? Surely both these dinosaurs could have been included, especially since its likely Ceratosaurus could have competed with Allosaurus for the same food source.

Despite this "flaw", "Allosaurus" is a fine follow-up to "Dinosaurs". Part of the continuing "Walking with..." series, which now includes "Prehistoric Beasts", "Chased by Dinosaurs", and now "Walking with Cavemen", "Allosaurus" definately belongs in anyone's collection. And here's a message to the folks at the BBC: please, *please* do something about the time *before* the dinosaurs.

Well researched prehistoric ballad
This dramatic narrative follows the life of actual Allosaurus, Big Al, from an egg to the corpse of a fierce hunter. Even though the filming skips about Al's life, the flow of the production is hardly damaged. The research for the film is impressive; even the Allosaurus fight has some evidence from Al's fossils. Superb computer graphics and animatronics create the believable dinosaurs. There is suspense,action and tradgedy,as well as humor and fun woven into the story.One negative comment is with the location of the filming. It is filmed in Utah and Arizona,which do not look quite accurate,but the extensive research and realistic dinosaurs balance it out. This good short film lets the viewer experience how a dinosaur may have lived.

The Top 100 Reasons We're Glad They're Extinct - The Special
When I was a little kid, I used to dream of a world teeming with dinosaurs. I used to imagine what it would have been like when those skeletons I saw on exhibit lived, and how someone needed to play tour guide to that realm and how I should twist the handle. Sadly, no matter how I tried that doorway, it always remained closed, my time machine not quite working the way I would have intended, and dinosaurs were left either in bone formation or in the movies as monsters.
There was never an in-between.

With the creation of the Walking With Dinosaurs series, however, everything began to change and I, still that boy with an interest in that hobby, found myself addicted. The key that separated this series and made it "unique" - a word I try to use sparingly - is in the way the dinosaurs, our main actors and actresses, are portrayed. Instead of turning then into a depiction of a colossal, toothy menace or dryly discussing their lifespan in the way one discusses ancient relics, the series showcases dinosaurs by allowing one to walk with them through their terrain. From the flora and the fauna, the insect life and dinosaurs themselves, a depiction of CGI effects, prosthetics, and of "dinosaur knowing" comes to life. Here, you see the landscape the way it would have been, the animals roaming free and observed naturalistically, and the experience is incredible because it looks so vibrantly realistic.

In Allosaurus: A Walking With Dinosaurs Special, the Allosaurus "Big Al" is showcased as he struggles from the cradle while trying to grow into something fearsome. In sixty minutes, the fifteen years from the egg to the eventual demise it faces are depicted, showing a person that going to the head of the class wasn't easy in that age. Here, other dinosaurs walk as well, and the efforts of one of the top predators of its age seem a tad on the hard side - making me rethink the allure of being the biggest kid on the block. Survival while growing, it is dramatic and enlightening experience, and its pretty interesting how harrowing an introduction can be and how brutal it can be.

For anyone that has yet to watch this series, I'd recommend tuning in as soon as possible and catching up on all those moments you missed out on. I would recommend starting with Walking With Dinosaurs, however, and moving on from there. Still, that is far from being a bad thing. Besides this video that focuses on Big Al and a few of species, other DVDs house other forms of life that are entrancing. Wonderfully fast predators, Megladons swimming the high tides and eating enough to be interesting, and other strange species await you. And they, all the DVDs released thusfar in this series, simply look fantastic.

Allosaurus - A Walking With Dinosaurs Asecial
I was more than pleased with the DVD and SERVICE!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Beachcombing in Nebraska? Even if you're a long way fromthe nearest beach, you can still explore, thanks to Eyewitness: Seashore. DK Vision's characteristic visual style guides viewers of all ages through the wonders of the coast, its residents, and the strange and beautiful things that wash up there. You can practically smell the sea air as Martin Sheen takes you on a fun-filled beach walk combining facts, images, sounds, and a little history to create an appealing experience for families that love to learn.Why do crabs walk that way?What do starfish eat?What's up with seagulls? Knowing the answers is nice, but finding out is half the fun. Whether you're landlocked or an old salt, you'll find plenty to enjoy here. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Remarkable ocean footage.
Eyewitness Seashore is a pleasure to experience, especially for ocean lovers. This video is a documentary on the intertidal zones of the sea, that divides the ocean from land. Directed well by a person with expertise, and narrated by Martin Sheen.
In these ocean photographs, we view : Pipefish, urchins, anemones, sea slugs, and many other ocean marvels. This film contains suitable amounts of underwater footage, with a small camera inserted for the tidepool filming. Another scene worth mentioning is a white sea slug devouring a venemous tidepool anemone. We also take a look at some of the creatures that take refuge in shipwrecks, including: Lobsters, rockfish, snailfish, and many crustaceans. The ending is also given much thought.
There is also some history backing the seashore, from lighthouses to greek myths, to the very purposes of the sea and its theories. The genuine Portunus Crab seen throughout the entire film also may grab people's attention. Definetely worth buying for the price. Enjoy it with other ocean films. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Young American Rider
"A Young American Rider" follows the progress of an 11-year old girl and her pony through the rigors of horse showing on the highest level. The viewer learns first-hand of the responsibilities involved in caring for a pony and the work that is required of the rider, her trainers and her family to succeed. Addison Phillips, the featured rider, is modest, vibrant and passionate about her sport; her love for her pony and the world in which they compete is fully evident. I highly recommend the video to anyone who cares about horses or competitive sports. The production values are high: wonderful camera work and consistently informative narration. This is an excellent family video.

I Loved this video
I loved this video for a number of reasons. 11 year old Addison Phillips narrates the tape and speaks TO my children and not AT them. She obviously is a formidable opponent yet still comes off as sensitive and likeable. We all enjoyed the sequences with the ferier and vet and loved the build up to her competition in a horse show. The horse show footage was exciting and well paced so we really felt like we were part of her cheering squad. Of all the horse related tapes we have purchased, this is clearly the family favorite.

Producer's note
I produced this video initially becuase my daughter became fascinated with horses and wanted to learn more about what it is like to be a young competitive rider. I was, and still am, very impressed with the professional and courteous way in which Addison Phillips - the subject of this tape - conducted herself both on camera and off. I have to remind myself that this accomplished and disciplined rider is all of 11 years old. I believe this tape reflects through Addie's example what it entails to be successful at any sport or hobby and the value of discipline, grace and sportmanship. I recommend "A young American Rider" to anyone who wants to learn more about riding and horses. ... .

A great way to spend a half hour
This video was a complete joy to watch. It gave my daughter a real glimpse of what its like to ride and care for a pony. I am refreshed and encouraged that my 7 year old has a "real" person to look up and aspire to. Addison Phillips comes accross as a hard working and gracious yet formidiable competitor. My only complaint is that the video is too short...I wanted to see more, more, more. I would reccomend this tape to anyone who loves horses and wants to see what it's like to be an equestrian. The build up to the horse show was enjoyable and the excitement of the event was exciting and entertaining. My only question is why do you show it as a CD when it is a video?

The Development of aYoung Rider
"A young American Rider" follows the progress of an 11-year old girl and her pony through the rigors of horse showing on the highest level. The viewer learns first-hand of the responsibilities involved in caring for a pony and the work that is required of the rider, her trainers and her family to succeed. Addison Phillips, the featured rider, is modest, vibrant and passionate about her sport and her love for her pony and the world in which they compete is fully evident. I highly recommend the video to anyone who cares about horses or competitive sports. The production values are high: wonderful camera work and consistently informative narration. This is an excellent family video. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

We LOVE Henry!
This is a great video. I am coming back for more! We bought this one when my daughter was 2. She is now 3 and still loves it. Henry is great! DK uses such bright colors in their books and videos-it really holds her attention while she learns something. They do talk about slash & burn in the rainforest, so if your child has a fire phobia, you may want to pick another video. (It has a happy ending, but some kids are really sensitive.)

Amazing Video
My 6 year old son lovesthis movie. He really likes animals of all kinds and has enjoyed learning about rainforests and the animals that live there through this video. The video is dominated by live action pictures of the forest and animals but there are also cute cartoon segments. The "relationship" between Henry the Lizard (our tourguide) and the narrrator is quite amusing. I highly recommend this video. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Originally broadcast on CBS in March 2002, 9/11 is an extraordinary record of that fateful day in New York City. This one-of-a-kind documentary was originally conceived as a portrait of 21-year-old Tony Benetatos, a firefighter trainee at Manhattan's Duane Street firehouse, located seven blocks from the World Trade Center. By the time filming was finished, brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet had captured history in the making, including the only image of the first jetliner striking Tower 1, and the only footage from within the tower as it collapsed. This is not, however, a film about the murderous nightmare of terrorism. It's the ultimate rite-of-passage drama, more immediate and meaningful than any fiction film could be, with Benetatos and his supportive colleagues emerging as heroes of the first order. Sensitively narrated by codirector and fellow firefighter James Hanlon, 9/11 will endure forever as a tribute to those, living and dead, who witnessed hell on that sunny Tuesday morning. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (126)

No sugar coating here
I watched the TV broadcast of this film not knowing what to expect. What I got was an excellent documentary which started out mildly enough with two French film makers following the training of a probationary firefighter in New York City. Unfortunately for them, it looked as if they were going to make a rather run-of-the-mill, uneventful documentary. It apparently had been a slow summer for the FDNY. Then came the morning of September 11, 2001 and a routine call to check out a gas leak on a city street. What followed is the most important film of that day ever. There are no talking-head news reporters. There are no politicians making speeches. What we see are the firefighters in the lobby of the World Trade Center, having no idea what is really happening above them. From their position inside the building they couldn't see what we were seeing outside. They were kept guessing. But they could see enough to know that people were jumping out of the building. Although they had to wonder what could be so bad above that jumping from those upper stories was preferable to waiting for whatever happened, these firefighters also knew that it was their job to go up and meet headon with whatever those who jumped were fleeing. This documentary shows a side of September 11 that we were not allowed to see in the media. Everyone should see this at least once.

An Amazing Story
This was truly one of the most powerful and personal stories I've ever seen aired about the September 11th tragedy.

Originally planned to be a documentary about a probationary firefighter, the filmmakers, two French brothers, just happened to be filming at the firehouse on that horrible morning. The first brother was actually riding along with some of them firemen who were on a call right near the World Trade Center. He managed to capture on film the roar of the first plane overhead and the startled looks of the firefighters hearing it, then actually followed the first plane's path into the building. He stayed with the team and actually has footage of being inside the lobby of the Tower. He stayed there until the second building was evacuated. The second brother also managed to capture some truly remarkable film, as he stayed with the "newbie", then set off to find his missing brother, who he assumed was killed.

This film is not about gore, but just a very real, very personal story of a bunch of guys who were just doing their jobs and what happened to them that morning and in the days following the disaster.

This is a great story.

Examine the details of plane's impact frame by frame
Ask yourself to be objective. Watch the impact of the plane and look at the plane closely. What do you see? Watch it a few times. I'm not sure that most of us are ready to scrutinze the images of the planes hitting the towers objectively to make sure that what our eyes tell us jibes with what we have been told to believe. I see disturbing anomalies that have yet to be explained. The second plane, Flight 11, has something unusual attached to the right side of the fuselage. That's what I see.

Priceless
Michael Moore "thinks" he makes documentaries. He needs to take lessons from Jules and Gedeon Naudet. This film left me with tears in my eyes and a new found respect for those who are Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and the like. MUST SEE, MUST SEE, MUST SEE!!!!!God Bless America

When God Directs a Film...
Of all the disaster films I've seen, they all seem to have a basic sequence of events. Introducing the characters, initiation of the disaster, struggle in the midst of the disaster, "just when you thought it couldn't get any worse", and the aftermath. This accidental disaster film is no different.

Only God, knowing what was going to happen, could have placed the Naudet brothers exactly where they needed to be to fully cover this horrific event. With the brothers separated, one inside Tower 1 and the other outside anxiously trying to get to his brother, we are able to witness what the firefighters and New Yorkers experienced on September 11, 2001. We also see the trauma of loved ones separated from each other as the filmmakers try to find each other.

The suspense of waiting for each of the firefighters to return to the station at the end is also well orchestrated by God with the initial focus of the film, Probationary Firefighter Benetatos being the last to arrive.

WELL DONE JULES AND GEDEON NAUDET! PTL! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This video documentation of a father-son journey around the world got media play for its unusual premise. Dad Richard Roe decided to dispose of his life savings to re-create a trip he took with his family back when he was happily married with three young sons. His middle son sees the chance for a film and talks Pop into a free ride. The pair trek from the Bronx to Italy, Soweto, New Delhi, New Zealand, and back in 190 days of tearful revelations and almost constant carping. In between their battles, the duo interview international father-son teams. Most describe mutually supportive relationships, but Julian Lennon makes a brief appearance criticizing his father's abandonment style of parenting and a South African father speaks frankly of his inadequacies in raising his brain-damaged son. Meanwhile Pop and son bicker about purse strings, until the elder Roe finally hands them over. Curiously, most of the father's alleged controlling behavior happens off-camera, so the director son allows himself to come off as whiny for much of the 90 minutes. He compensates, however, with the father-son bungee jump at the end. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (11)

a truly interesting movie - touching and genuine
Pop & Me is a movie worth watching. It is the story of a father and son who travel around the world and talk to other fathers and sons. Their relationship with one another is complicated - the film doesn't gloss over their problems. At the same time, you see love and growth in their relationships. The other fathers and sons they meet give a glimpse into other lives and cultures. Pop & Me is a valuable film - it shows humans as what we are - imperfect yet lovable, people who need our fathers and sons and mothers and sisters and children no matter what age we are.

Viewer from Redondo Beach
This film has the power to touch anyone who watches it. While titled Pop & Me, this film is about more than a relationship between father and son...it is about a relationship between parent and child. The film is a realistic and refreshing approach to the challenges we face not only from a parents perspective but from a childs as well. One can't help but draw correlations from Richard and Chris' struggles to those endured and played out in our own parent/child relationships. During the film I laughed...I cried...I laughed again...and then I cried again...and ultimately I smiled and wanted to rush home and call my parents! Richard Roe is an amazing man and his son is equally impressive. It is a unique and touching film that is well worth the watch. Whether you are a son or daughter, father or mother, old or young....you will relate and enjoy this film!!!

mixed message
The premise of this movie was great: travel around the world with your father and interview other father/sons about their relationship. Unfortunately, the father and son who did this appeared to have a crummy relationship, mainly due to the immaturity and selfishness of the father, Richard Roe.

A second premise of the movie addresses the emptiness sons feel when their fathers have deserted them. However it assumes that having a father present, even when he is not supportive or loving, is better than no father figure at all. This is not convincing. For all the "I love you's" from Mr. Roe to his son, his actions in the movie, and the DVD outtakes, show he was foul mouthed tyrant that had to control everything, leaving little regard for his son's input, and at one point in India, his son's health. The main point of contention centered around money (apparently Richard Roe had never heard of the word "allowance", but had to tightly control all expenditures).

The highlights of the movie are the interviews from around the world of fathers and their sons. The movie is worth seeing if just for these interviews. However, it is disappointing to discover in the credits at the end of the movie that many other father/son pairs were interviewed from other parts of the world, but they did not appear in the movie. Perhaps these other interviews were not as gripping as those presented, but I think they would have been more interesting then the petty interplay between the Roe's. The movie is worth seeing if just for these interviews.

"Pop" Is Tops In My Book!
Having just had the privilege to a special screening (Kansas City's one and only showing) of "Pop and Me" at the theatre where I work, I immediately wanted to write my comments on the film while it was still fresh in my mind.

I was pleased to discover the other (at this time)nine reviews posted here express the same sentiments I was eager to express about the film (and as an aside, Chris Roe and his father Richard were in attendance at the film's screening, and were very generous with their time, and as seemingly honest, and funny, as they are presented in the film.)

If you were to read a capsule summary of the film as I did, you might be misled down avenues of thinking that, fortunately, this film does not take. I thought it would be overly sentimental (considering the father-son subject matter), which it is not. I thought it would be too "heavy" (again, the father-son stuff). It is not. And I thought it would be too cool, too self-aware, precious or "Iron John-ish." Anyway, let's forget what kind of film I thought I was going to see, because I never saw that film.

Chris and his father are gifted with the ability to be honest, intelligent and humorous all at once. After a few scenes with these two, I felt like I had met them before. Obviously I can't speak for everyone who's seen it, but I felt comfortable and familiar with Chris and Richard as people on the screen, and I feel that added to the success of the film for me.

"Pop" Richard is going through what "Me" Chris calls, a "mid-life crisis," where the elder Roe wishes to retrace the steps of his life, back to his "Golden Years," before the disillusionment of middle age set in, before his divorce and the great personal pain associated with it. Chris wants to travel and to make a movie about their trip. Richard suggests they make a film about fathers and sons throughout the world, and, there you go: instant (it took three years to make)documentary.

But as one viewer that was in attendance last night suggested, the "world" of monuments and cultures (all beautifully photographed, ranging from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to the Eiffel Tower to Tineman Square and everything else in between and beyond), of recognizable and famous places, soon becomes a pretty background to the more important stories within the film: those of fathers and sons attempting to bridge a gap created by time, age or culture.

And the gap between Chris and his father is noticed, then voiced, by Chris as the film progresses. He asks himself (and us), "Should I mention how I feel to Pop? Or, for fear of upsetting the applecart, keep it to myself?" With six days left of the six-month trip, he does at last tell his dad what he thinks about him.

There is a lot to enjoy in this film, and to be enjoyed on several levels. Like I said earlier, one could enjoy the film on a mere aesthetic level with the sound turned down, for in one way, it's a beautiful travelogue (and, if I understand correctly what Chris said last night, this was kind of what he had originally intended the film to be, a (as he said) "Gee, aren't we cool?" movie); on another level it's about Richard trying to accept what growing old means, what not being a father in the "traditional" sense means to him. And the film, in turn, is about Chris getting to know his dad, about Chris getting CLOSER to him, which, in some way, is realized at the end of the film, with father and son plunging together (with attached bunjee) off a bridge.

And finally, of course, the film is about fathers and sons talking and crying together. There are many wonderful scenes where the fathers shown speak from their hearts to their sons and vice versa. Perhaps BECAUSE of the camera, these men felt allowed to say what they felt about each other. There are many, many emotional scenes that seem very real to me, and this, ultimately, is what "made" the film for me: the honesty captured and portrayed in the film is rarely scene in regular feature films, or in most documentaries. Sure, both Chris and his dad are self-conscious (how could you not be, when making a film about yourself?), but this self-awareness is tempered by their humor (the Karate scene in the hotel room had me and a bunch of others laughing long and hard), their frustrations and very real (to me, anyway) observations. I think both Chris and Richard are great at speaking about themselves and others in a way that is candid without being exploitative.

In short (or long), the Roes have made a film about themselves without it seeming that way. There is an immediacy to the filmmaking that I look for in most documentaries and seldom find it. On a technical level, the editing is very sharp and superb (where no scene goes on too long, where EVERY scene seems imperative), and I feel is a major part of the film's success.

I seem unable to stop my praise for this movie! If any of what I've written strikes a chord with you, please seek this movie out. It will well be worth the effort, and it's only a minor misfortune that it was considered, but didn't qualify, for an Oscar nomination.

I didn't personally get to thank the two Roe's for their film, so...guys, if you're reading this, thank you! You've done a great service to any father and son who happen to come upon this in a video store, and who may be looking for a reason to talk and spend time together.

If I do say so myself...
I have been amazed at the response we have received since the first screening...universally audiences are touched by so many of the stories on the screen but beyond that everyone I have talked to has their own story to tell. Not having any agenda or anything but the broadest plan in the filming of this project, we were continually surprised by the depth and candor of our subjects - and ultimately grateful for the response to the film. After all that it took to get this on screen - of course I give it 5 stars! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Sir Jeremy Isaacs highly deserves the numerous awards for documentaries he has earned: the Royal Television Society's Desmond Davis Award, l'Ordre National du Mérit, an Emmy, and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. His epic The World at War remains unsurpassed as the definitive visual history of World War II.

The Second World War was different from other wars in thousands of ways, one of which was the unparalleled scope of visual documents kept by the Axis and Allies of all their activities. As a result, this war is understood as much through written histories as it is through its powerful images. The Nazis were particularly thorough in documenting even the most abhorrent of the atrocities they were committing--in a surprising amount of color footage. The World at War was one of the first television documentaries that exploited these resources so completely, giving viewers an unbelievable visual guide to the greatest event in the 20th century. This is to say nothing of the excellent, comprehensible narrative. Some highlights:

• A New Germany 1933-39: early German and Nazi documentation of Hitler's rise to power through the impending attack on Poland
• Whirlwind: the early British losses in the blitz in the skies over Britain and in North Africa
• Stalingrad: the turning point of the war and Germany's first defeat
• Inside the Reich--Germany 1940-44: one of the most fascinating documentaries that exists on life inside Nazi Germany, from Lebensborn to the Hitler Youth
• Morning: prior to Saving Private Ryan, one of the only unromanticized views of the Normandy invasion
• Genocide: this film is one of the most widely shown introductions to the Holocaust
• Japan 1941-45: although The World at War is decidedly focused more on the European theater, this is an important look into wartime Japan and its expansion--early 20th-century history that lead to Japan's role in World War II is superficial
• The bomb: another widely shown documentary of the Manhattan Project, the Enola Gay, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki

The World at War will remain the definitive visual history of World War II, analogous to Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. No serious historian should be missing The World at War in a collection, and no student should leave school without having seen at least some of its salient episodes. Rarely is film so essential. --Erik J. Macki ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Excellent Series
When investing in any DVD, especially a boxed set, you might ponder the question, "How often will I watch this?" Let me say that your purchase of The World at War will offer you endless viewing opportunities! Besides the 26 original episodes, all of the extra features that were produced afterwards are included in the set. There is so much information generated in over 30 hours of material that you will discover something new with each repeated viewing. Each episode will hold your attention from first to last, and they are efficiently indexed so you can easily review a map or replay a speech. Along side the emotional impact of the pictorial images, you have Carl Davis' moving score, a judicious use of period music, personal accounts from all the major powers, and Sir Laurance's strong narration, making this the most comprehensive documentary on the subject. Now if we can only have World War I, narrated by Robert Ryan, available, we would have the documentary bookends to the two most devastating wars in the 20th century.

The Finest WWII Documentary Ever Produced
For History buffs and those who have a keen, deeply felt interest in World War II beyond just the military events, the World at War, produced by Thames Television (1981) and released earlier on VHS by Thorn/EMI, is a 26 episode documentary set apart from all other documentaries about WWII. No other, with the exception of Walter Cronkite's CBS series, comes close to an unbiased, analytical perspective of a War that cost perhaps 50 million lives and took an emotional and philosophical toll we are still trying to comprehend today.

Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier and covering all aspects of the war, this definitive series is used by many colleges and universities as a source for History and Documentary Film courses. There is an incredible depth of archive footage used; skilfully woven with interviews of major figures in the War from Britain, US, Canada, Europe and Japan. Many major eye-witness leaders and ordinary people who were still alive in 1981 contributed sometimes surprising, sometimes incredible, and sometimes haunting interviews. Yet, for all its skilful editing and historical sophistication, it is clearly presented and emotionally compelling. In my opinion, it is, along with Kenneth Clark's "Civilisation", the best ever produced British documentary.

What makes this a stellar and overpowering account of the War is Olivier's narration. Never blustery, patriotic, or theatrical, Sir Laurence delivers pointed, thoughtful analysis with his incredible command of English and oration. Music for the series was composed by Carl Davis and even the opening credits set an unforgettable tone in a haunting image of a child in a photograph, dissolving in flames. This series is for those trying to make sense of a 6 year period when the world went mad. Five Stars PLUS.

Very good. Probably THE documentary set to own
This kept me going for months (in one hour segments at a time). There is so much material presented here and I learned a lot.

I wanted to give 4.5 stars and only knock a half off for the sometimes annoying menu (it could have been presented in a more orgnaized fashion, I thought), or other small problems, but half points aren't allowed on the system. Very close to perfect!

Buyer Beware
This was a wonderful documentary as originally broadcast, but I'd avoid this product if I had it to do over again: the maker's quality control is awful. Disk 1 skipped badly. And I the same problem others have reported: two copies of one of the five disks (with me, disk 5), and one disk (disk 4) entirely missing.

"Remember"
This is an excellent, extensive, British-made documentary about events leading up to, and including, World War II. With 26 episodes, there is quite a bit of material covered. Excellent narration by Laurence Olivier, and a memorable score.

If you are a war buff, particularly WW2, this is the set to have. Can't say enough good things about it. ... Read more

Description

Travel to the land "down under" with Spin, National Geographic's animated globe-on-the-go, and learn why the animals of Australia are so darn weird!From leaping kangaroos to paddling platypuses to cuddly koalas, you won't believe the amazing variety of animals that make this island world their home.Here's a wonderful look at these creatures, brought to you by the world's finest filmmakers.Exciting music videos will get the whole family hopping!So, c'mon mate, and explore WONDERS DOWN UNDER -just one of the many Really Wild Animals adventures in this award-winning series. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very entertaining! Great for all ages.
National Geographic has done a fabulous job of presenting information in a very fun, lively way. This video is full of amusing commentary by the narrator (the kids may not understand all the jokes, but as an adult I appreciate the cleverness). The songs are upbeat and enjoyable. The up-close film footage of the animals is excellent, as you would expect from National Geographic. No matter what your age, you will enjoy this video -- my two-year-old laughs while watching it and I find myself joining the kids on the couch to watch the fascinating animals of Australia.

great fun and full of information
This video includes excellent footage of Australia's amazing animal life: creatures you don't find anywhere else on earth. The songs are fabulous! I taught the Marsupial Rap to my first grade class and they loved it. Kangaroos, Frilled Lizards, Tazmanian Devils, and others will fascinate both adults and children. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The Kratt brothers show us how playtime is also teaching time in the animal world in this second release from their popular PBS show, Zoboomafoo. They introduce us to Toothbrush the Elephant, and he's just the first in a parade of animals, which includes monkeys, horses, kittens, and a few more exotic types. Chris and Martin, in typical fashion, are quick to illustrate to preschoolers the most interesting traits of the animals. Monkeys, they explain, seem to be playing when they pound an object around. But then the Kratts show us (with video footage of monkeys in the wild) that that is how they find their food, pounding bark from trees to get the insects crawling around underneath. Combining live-action, claymation, animation, puppetry, and the Kratts' exuberant energy, this 50-minute video should be a favorite with the animal lover at your house. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (6)

My Son's favorite!
my 15 month old son is absolutely entranced with the show and with this video. He brings it to me and asks for it without words as often as he can find the case--and I enjoy it too! It's enjoyable, doesn't talk down and is very informative! A family favorite!

A wonderful experience for toddlers!
My 15-month-old loves Zoboomafoo. I bought this tape since my PBS channel does not come in very well since I do not have cable. It is excellent. Even better then the TV show since it combines the best parts of 5 seperate shows into one full hour of animal fun. There are over a dozen animals playing on this tape. It is really fun to watch and my girl just loves it. Those Kraft brothers have a lot of energy and seem very happy. Their enthusiasm rubs off on whoever watches them. This is a sure hit for any children who love animals.

Two year old loves it
My two year old loves Zoboo and the Kratt Brothers. And I love this video as well. It has songs and games and gets children to use their imaginations. I have not tired of this video yet ... and my son and I watch it at least once a day. And the brothers always remind children to "give animals thier space". Very informative and lots of fun. You will not be disappointed in this video or any of the other Zoboo and Kratt brother videos.

Crazy about Zoboo
My 5 year old daughter is crazy about Zoboomafoo and watches this show constantly. I was so happy to see that 2 more videos are going to be released this year because these videos are her all time favorites (even more than Henry the Gecko from the Amazing Animal's video series). This program is completely educational and fun to watch. I have really learned a lot about the animal kingdom as well!

He Loves It!
My 5 year old will stop everything to watch this. It keeps his attention. We even tell time by the show -- a half hour is equal to one Zoboomafoo.

Highly recommend! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anne Frank has not been forgotten. More than 25 million copies of her diary--which has been turned into a play and a movie--have been sold.This intense, richly detailed documentary paints a broad portrait of Anne.Documentaries are a dime a dozen, but few stories are as truly powerful, as sincerely moving and poignant as Anne's. Director Jon Blair does a phenomenal job with this carefully detailed, thoughtful, emotional film (his previous documentary on Oskar Schindler so captivated Steven Spielberg that he was inspired to make Schindler's List). Blair unearths a 1980 interview with the only surviving member of the Frank family, Anne's father, Otto, who offers an unpublished portion of her diary. Blair also discovers previously unseen footage of her watching a 1941 wedding, the only known film of Anne to exist; it's a brief, but breathtaking image of a girl who inspired the world. Blair also interviews Peter Pepper, who hid with the Franks, and Hanneli Goslar, who befriended Anne and her sister at camp and depicts the Frank girls' last days. The most potent interview, though, is with Miep Gies, Otto's employee who risked her life to help the Franks. Gies, modest and not completely comfortable on camera, is so likable that she seems to embody Anne's touching words, spoken amidst the horror of their lives: "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." Kenneth Branagh narrates and Glenn Close reads Anne's diary excerpts. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (17)

This was definately the Best
Anne Frank Remembered was definately the best video of Anne Frank I've seen so far. I found myself watching in complete awe and silence as I saw Otto Frank, Miep Gies, and countless other people who knew Anne Frank speak of their times with Anne. This documentary is amazing. The mixture of the music, photos, and Glen Close reading quotes from Anne's diary give it feeling. The closing scene that shows the only known moving footage of Anne was breathtaking and left me with tears in my eyes.

An extraordinary video - A must see.
After reading Anne's diary, Muller's biography of Anne and the book "Anne Frank Remembered", I watched this video in absolute awe as before my eyes several of the people Anne wrote about were there on the screen - alive not just people whom I had read about in books. The use of photographs and interviews of Miep (who was the main caretaker for the families in hiding), Otto (Anne's father) and Anne's girlfriends were incredible. Hearing about this story from those who lived it gives a new dimension to this historic saga. There were no actors in this film. I found myself watching in tears, both for what had happened years ago and for how these people had such strength and vision to spread Anne's gift to the world. Anne Frank was only one of countless numbers of people who have been killed and continue to die due to intolerance of many sorts. This video left me feeling that each person is as important to the world as Anne Frank was and still is. This is a deeply moving video, the use of actual video footage of Anne in the closing scene is haunting as it shows Anne as a 12 year old child watching people from a balcony, a carefree looking child who has no idea that her future words will continue to inspire those of us fortunate to have come to know about her.

Phony All the Way Through
The Anne Frank diary was doctored up by Otto Frank who ended up paying Meyer Levin $50,000 "because he had used the dialogue of Author Levin just as it was and 'implanted' it in the diary as being his daughter's intellectual work." If one is really going to engage in the use of Anne Frank as a historical source, then the first place to begin is with the question of 'why was she moved to Bergen-Belsen, a site which no one since 1946 has tried to pretend had any "gas chambers," after passing through Auschwitz?' At one time the official establishment history used to be that all 'children were gassed immediately upon arrival' at Auschwitz. Obviously, Anne Frank has put a giant hole through that theory. The girl was good for more than she is credited, but you won't realize that from listening to financial swindlers such as Otto Frank and his cohorts who have deliberately manipulated the evidence.

Good At Heart, and In Our Hearts Forever
Young, rascally Anne Frank, if not for the extraordinary circumstances of her life, may have grown up to be a writer, a movie star, or any of the other thousand things she dreamed and fantasized about, as any adolescent girl does. Instead, she has become an icon, a symbol of hope, and an inspiration to millions of people around the world who have suffered under the hands of despotism and fear. This DVD serves as a documentary, and tribute, to this amazing girls life.

Directed by Jon Blair, who previously produced a documentary on the life of Oskar Schindler, brings his skills and expertise to bringing to life the life of Anne and her family as they first flee Germany to set up her home in Amsterdam, and then, to flee into hiding once German invades the Netherlands. As told through the eyes of her childhood friends, Anne is precocious, impish and fun. Interviews with Lies Gosslar and others provide first hand accounts about her, and make her real and authentic, not grandios or distorted, as the tendency may be for someone as famous as Anne. This documentary also doesn't shy away from Anne's burgeoning sexuality and her feelings about her adolscence, which provides a more complete picture of this girl.

The documentary moves into the Frank family needing to hide from the Nazis in their Secret Annex, and we meet the impressive Miep Gies, who sustained the people living there for two years. The footage of Miep in the Annex itself was astounding, and her testimony honest and compelling. A scene in which the son of Fritz Pfeffer, the Jewish dentist who also hid in the Secret Annex, meets Miep in Annex itself reduced me to tears in an instant; kudos to Blair for making this reunion happen and capture it on film. Amazing cinema.

What I appreciated most about this documentary occurs after everyone in captured from the Annex and forced into the hands of the Nazis. Blair painstakingly recounts the final months of the Franks lives, which in past documentaries seems to be rushed over. Blair brings Jewish survivors who knew the Franks back to the camps they were imprisoned in, and shared their experiences. The effect is chilling, and allows us to truly understand the last months of Anne's life more than I ever have before. He brings back Lies to talk about being with Anne during her last few days; incredible.

Also amazing, Blair digging up a very brief movie clip of Anne herself, leaning out the window watching a wedding happen on her street. The twelve year old girl becomes even more alive as we see her, hair blowing in the wind, looking up and behind her, not knowing what her fate will be in just a few years.

Anne Frank so longed to be known around the world, dreaming of becoming a famous writer, and even began to prepare her diary for publication after the war. While she never lived to see that occur, her legacy and gift to the world, through her inspirational words, remains with us today. And this documentary serves as an excellent tribute to her short, short life.

Beautifully done!
This real world, real people edition of Anne's life, and her impact upon the world is impeccable. I cannot top the other reviewers descriptions, they cover it all so very well, except to add that if anyone is dedicated to keeping the holocaust alive in history, and has any dedication to the ShoahFoundation, then yes by all means, get this documentary. It was wonderful to see Anne's childhood friends in this, who knew her, and to hear Miep speak of those days and all they endured. This was real, not any Hollywood contrived script. As an avid collector of realistic documentaries of history, this one is one of the very best. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

real karate
Fighting Black Kings was the first video I've seen on full contact traditional karate. The film follows the training regimen of fighters from all over the world as they prepare for the prestigious all-world full contact karate tournament in Japan. The film cuts nicely from when the fighters are are on the fighting mat in the tournament to showing them back home training in their respective contries. Although the tournament is open to all styles, the rules favor the kyokushinkai system.

The only reason the film is called "Fighting Black Kings" is because it focused on a number of prominent black karateka from New York such as Willie Williams and William Oliver who were preparing to compete in the All-World. They trained in the Kyokushinkai system which is known for it's emphasis on full-contact kumite with no pads or gloves. The fighters are interviewed and offer their perspectives on fighting in the All-World Tournament.

Exceptional Documentry On First World Karate Match
This documentry features Mas Oyama's Kyokushinki Karate that would spawn other great Karate systems like Enshin and Seidokan. There are also many great martial artists features like Sato and Joko Ninomiya (founder of Enshin and Sabaki). The documentry follows many fighters from America, Japan, England, Thailand, and Hong Kong as they enter the first world karate tournement.

The matches are good, but what is especially interetsing is following the training that these individuals go through to enter this tournement. This is fighting karate and anyone interested in rugged sparring and work-outs should view this film.

Karate the way it should be
This is a excellent documentary, the men in this video are real Martial Artists, no fancy uniforms, no glitz or glamour,no foam dipped pads,no tag kumite matches, just real blood,sweat,and tears,This is the way Karate should have stayed,it is good to see that this style is still alive with the art of Kyokushin which is what style the film is based on.I for one always look back to this video for inspiration as I'am now a Kyokushin Karateka and Karateka for the past 19 years in Wado Kai Karate as a 3rd dan. Its too bad alot forgot about what Karate was all about and its nice to see this video still around to show others how it should be.This video also has a funky soundtrack as it was made in 1976. a Real Feel Good Video.

Fighting Black Kings
Unfortunately no one can be told what Fighting Black Kings is like, you have to see it for yourself.

A look at the good ol days
This is an excellent excellent documentary. Its a look back to the good old days before karate became a franchise and every 5 year old is a third degree blackbelts. These men are the hard men of karate, this is no Mcdojo documentary. It takes an excellent look at when karate meant something and the formation of Oyama's Kyukoshin karate which was aimed at bringing back karate like it should be. Its also a hip, hip movie and was filmed during the blaxploitation years, so its got a funky soundtrack to watch an amazing film with. You wont regret it I gaurantee. ... Read more

Amazon.com

1984's Amadeus didn't tell the whole story.For a more complete look at the great composer's all-too-brief life, check out A&E's Biography: Mozart.Putting together interviews with modern scholars and musicians such as Zubin Mehta and Isaac Stern, readings of Mozart's letters, and portraits of the little genius and his contemporaries, this documentary is deeply entertaining and provides a level of insight rarely attained by an hour-long television program.The music, of course, is lovely; Mozart was no arcane theorist and his music is lively and enjoyable, even to classical-music haters.But his wild life, not his vibrant music, is the subject here, and his loves, obsessions, and turbulent family life steal the show.Whether your interest lies in great music or great minds, you'll find much to appreciate in Biography: Mozart. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE HEART IS WHERE HIS MUSIC LAY
Born into a family surrounded by music, Mozart was like many of today prodiges, with one exception... he excelled at what he did inspite of his father's ruthless treatment and pursued music because he truly felt it with his soul. Beautiful footage, historically accurate and filled with the wonderful splendor of Mozart's music, this video brings you in touch with the very soul that Mozart put into his music. Starting with his very first piano sonata at the age of six, which made his father realize his child's genius, to the funeral piece he was working on at the time of his death, we see a man with a burning soul to express his feelings and thoughts through his music. A genius tortured by emotional unrest, yet married to a very beautiful and loving wife, Mozart shows us that the dynamics of genius are truly unique to the genius himself and can only be expressed in the most unique of fashions, in his case his music. This production is appropriate in it's coverage, length of time and is filled with the thoughts of todays most celebrated pianists, violinists and conductors, all of whom share the same passion for Mozart's music as for no other master musician since his days. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I was there too!!!
Hi Amy and all. This is Stacey. Amy and I were there together. Both of us are in the video together. Very good times and it's good we are still here to talk of them. It was at the Capital Center in MD when we saw Priest. Very good video!

I was there!
Amy here. Some of you know who I am. Those were the good ole days. Yes......I am alive and well, and so are my friends. So great to see a video of all the fans, including myself. More videos like this should be made to show the reality of how it was at all the great concerts. Rock on!

This is for you!!
This is by far the greatest 15 minutes ever compiled onto one tape. When I listen to Judas Priest, I imagine myself cutting class, driving in an El Camino with my friend "Trip," complaining about our parents and teachers. This video turns fantasy into reality. If you ever were a burnout Priest fan, this is for you. If you ever wanted to be a burnout Priest fan, this is for you. If you just like lauging at burnout Priest fans, this is for you. If you simply like to laugh, this is for you. I cannot imagine a single open-minded person not enjoying this beautiful film.

Funny as hell!
My sister just got me this for Christmas, no doubt because I was an 80's headbanger. This short tape is simply some videotape taken in a parking lot before a Judas Priest concert in 1986 in Maryland. This is so funny because it shows what metal fans were like back then. These fans are particularly redneck, drunk, stoned and scuzzy. Anyone who is or used to like heavy metal in the 80's should get this. I'd like to know what happened to some of these people - my guess is most of them are dead! ... Read more

Description

Madagascar is a world unto its own, where evolution has taken the familiar and rendered the bizarre. Split off from Africa since the age of the dinosaurs, Madagascar's isolation gave rise to countless exotic animals and plants that exist nowhere else on Earth. The film presents an extraordinary cast of characters, including chameleons of every color and size, a panther-like carnivore called a fossa, and the charismatic lemurs for which the island is famous. From lush tropical rain forests to the sun-scorched spiny desert, Madagascar uncovers the natural wonders of this island paradise. Narrated by Maya Angelou.