Caudillo: The History of the Spanish Civil War

Fernando Ruiz-Ogarrio

A superb documentary, using much footage hitherto unknown. This is a program that presents both sides of this still-controversial subject in its own words and using its own footage. The result is a solid lesson in history, a moving testimonial to the valor and romanticism of young men, and an indispensable tool for understanding modern Spanish literature and history. (English narration and subtitles, 1 hour 51 minutes)

Oedipus the King

Bioscope Media

Sophocles often won the leading prize at the Dionysia, the principal dramatic festival of Athens; but Oedipus the King was a runner-up, winner of the second prize. Posterity, however, considers the play second to none. The play tells the beginning of the Oedipus saga, setting the stage and creating the characters who will continue the story to its conclusion in Antigone. With Michael Pennington, John Gielgud, and Claire Bloom. (120 minutes)

Alejo Carpentier

EDITRAMA S.L.

In his writings, Alejo Carpentier strove to incorporate "the marvelous," a version of reality that he maintained was indigenous to the Americas. In this program, the late author/musicologist elaborates on his Los pasos perdidos, El siglo de las luces, and Concierto barroco, while providing an understanding of the impact of surrealism and the influence of the Generation of '98 on his writing, the political atmosphere of Cuba, and his childhood in France. "I didn't speak anything but French in the house," says Carpentier, "but I always wrote in Castilian." (Spanish, 91 minutes, b&w)

El pícaro—in Spanish with English subtitles

Ente Público Radiotelevisión

Drawing on the writings of Cervantes, Quevedo, and Alemán, this production defines the quintessentially Spanish pícaro—his role in society, his relationship to his master and mistress, his reliance on his own wits and his ability to outsmart others, his sense of humor, and his alienation. An RTVE production. Dramatization in Spanish with English subtitles. (30 minutes)

Geisha

Optomen Television

Their world is ruled by a strict code of privacy and silence, and in Japan their title is a byword for exotic allure. Called "entertainers" by some and "prostitutes" by others, the geisha are a secretive sorority in high demand by members of Japan's wealthy elite. Filmed in collaboration with Arthur Golden, author of the best-selling Memoirs of a Geisha, this program captures the geisha mystique while documenting the experiences of two maiko, geisha-in-training. Additional interviews with clients, patrons, and others offer insights into contemporary Japanese culture and a profession that is slowly fading away. (51 minutes)

Behind the Scenes in TV/Film Production

In the Line of Fire

What is it like to work in one of the world's most exciting communications industries? Going behind the scenes on the set of the TV show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, this program provides an inside look at careers in television and film. Interviews with industry professionals provide a clear picture of the training, duties, and job opportunities offered by the positions of producer, assistant producer, director, assistant director, stuntperson, special effects technician, makeup artist, wardrobe specialist, camera operator, lighting technician, audio technician, gaffer, grip, and best boy. A Meridian Production. (26 minutes)

Ten Great Writers: The Seminar

Deutsche Grammophon GmbH

In this lively round-table discussion, moderator Melvyn Bragg; the late writer and critic Anthony Burgess; Professor George Steiner, author of Language and Silence; literary critic Hermione Lee; and writer and series consultant Professor Malcolm Bradbury debate what constitutes modernist writing. New literary themes generated by the era’s political and social upheavals are also discussed, including time, the unconscious mind, alienation, the changing role of women, and the consequences of two world wars. In addition, the panel suggests that the atrocities of the post-modern world led writers to reject modernist narrative techniques and seek a new syntax and vocabulary. (53 minutes)

Ennio Morricone: The Man Behind the Music

INDIGO FACTUAL LTD

One of the most celebrated composers in international cinema, Ennio Morricone has written scores for more than 400 classic and contemporary films. In this timeless program, Morricone describes how he got his start in show business, the challenges of composing for film, and his experiences working with big-name directors and musicians. Directors Brian De Palma and Bernardo Bertolucci, producer David Puttnam, and many others offer insights into Morricone's genius for composition-scoring, conducting, and mixing his own soundtracks-and his lifelong fascination with music and sound. Scenes from numerous films, including Oscar-nominee The Mission, provide vivid examples of his art in action. (54 minutes)

Antoine de Saint-Exupery et Le Petit Prince

Institut National de L’Audiovisual

A consideration of the book and its importance, which reaches far beyond that of a children's fable, interwoven with dramatic readings from it and with details of the author's life and his search for spiritual meaning in flight. (French, 33 minutes, b&w)

Shakespeare on the Silver Screen

NBD Television Limited

Effortlessly making the leap from stage to cinema, the plays of William Shakespeare have enjoyed decades of popularity in theaters on both sides of the Atlantic. This program combines clips from significant movie productions with an eclectic group of interviews to demonstrate the Bard's uncanny ability to fire the modern imagination-especially through the medium of film. Excerpts from Julie Taymor's Titus and Kenneth Branagh's musical Love's Labour's Lost as well as classic footage from Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet, Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, Peter Brook's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Othello with Laurence Fishburn are included. (50 minutes)

Romeo and Juliet

CTE Carlton

A brilliant video release and a particularly effective version for study of the play, with Laurence Harvey as Romeo and Susan Shentall as Juliet, with an unforgettable Flora Robson as the Nurse. (2 hours 18 minutes) Romeo.............................................Laurence Harvey Juliet...............................................Susan Shentall Nurse....................................................Flora Robson Paris.............................................Norman Wooland Friar Laurence..............................Mervyn Johns Capulet........................................Sebastian Cabot Benvolio...............................................Bill Travers Lady Capulet.............................Lydia Sherwood

The Hungry Eye: Walker Evans

NewsHour Productions

The stark, deceptively simple photographs of Walker Evans have become a part of America's collective memory, forever capturing the places and faces of times long gone. In this program, NewsHour correspondent Ray Suarez outlines Evans' life while talking with Jeff Rosenheim, curator of photography at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Evans' close friend William Christenberry, about the late photographer's approach to his art, his collaboration with writer James Agee on Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, his love of advertising signage, and other topics. (15 minutes)

Julio Cortazar

EDITRAMA S.L.

Influenced by Jean Cocteau, Jules Verne, Alfred Jarry, and Jorge Luis Borges, it is not surprising that Julio Cortazar created a body of surrealist literature that depicts the world as a phantasmagoric maze. In this program, the late author reflects on his view of reality, the creative process, his sentimental nature, and other topics. In addition, he talks about several of his books, including Rayuela, a significant contribution to the novel and paradigmatic of the Boom; the politically charged El libro de Manuel; Octaedro; Las armas secretas; Historias de cronopios y famas; and Los premios. (Spanish, 2 parts, 74 minutes and 50 minutes, b&w)

Ibsen: Hedda Gabler

Granada Media

Diana Rigg is the manipulative Hedda, who will not or cannot conform to what society considers "normal" for a woman. The arrival of an ex-lover on the scene gives her the opportunity to determine someone else’s fate—but of course that is not what Ibsen was writing about. With Denis Lill and Philip Bond, in the adaptation by John Osborne. (78 minutes)

Joyful Complicity: Billy Wilder and Marilyn Monroe

Lagardere Studio Distribution

As an investigative journalist in Austria-Hungary, Billy Wilder espoused ideals that would be the themes in his later films: a play of ambiguity; changes of identity; and a fascination for America. This compassionate program explains how Wilder used these themes to craft Marilyn Monroe’s performances in The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot. Their joyful complicity is best illustrated in Wilder’s Fedora, sequel to his masterpiece Sunset Boulevard and made 16 years after Monroe’s untimely death; the film is his dedication to the actress whose talent and charm he argued would never be duplicated in Hollywood. (30 minutes, color and b&w)

Myth Makers: John Ford and John Wayne

Lagardere Studio Distribution

They helped to instill the mythic qualities of the cowboy in American cinema. This powerhouse program focuses on the friendship of John Wayne and John Ford, beginning with their first meeting in 1928 and spanning their collaboration over 130 pictures, 14 of which were made without a contract—unheard of in 21st-century Hollywood. The program analyzes chiefly their work in Stagecoach and Red River, as well as Fort Apache, one of the first pro-Native American films, and The Alamo, which Wayne directed. Their efforts in World War II—Wayne’s at home, Ford’s abroad—and the war’s effect on their later work are also considered. An ideal resource for the American film historian. (28 minutes, color and b&w)

The Candid Image: A Portrait of Erich Salomon

Radio Netherlands Television

His camera hidden in his hat, he sat in a courtroom and photographed two accused murderers being sentenced; photographed Von Hindenburg from a bathroom window across from the presidential palace; hid his camera in a music stand to photograph Toscanini in performance. But he had artistic talent as well as nerve. This program tells Salomon's story, the famous photos augmented by some of the negatives hidden from the Nazis and now restored. Salomon was killed in Auschwitz, but his astonishing documentation of the 20th century survives. (50 minutes)

Visual History Testimonies

USC SHOAH FOUNDATION INSTITUTE

After filming Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg established the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation with an urgent mission: to videotape and preserve the testimonies of Holocaust survivors and witnesses. This gripping program—a moving collection of some of the nearly 52,000 that comprise the Shoah Foundation archive—is an outstanding tool for promoting dialogue on the suffering caused by hatred and on approaches to building bridges of understanding and tolerance. (45 minutes)

Entertainment in the Digital Age

Window to the World Communications

Is show business a contradiction of terms? In this program, CBS Television's president and CEO, Leslie Moonves-named Most Powerful Man in Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly-and Alex Yemenidjian, chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, tell all as they consider the evolution of entertainment as Hollywood goes digital. In addition, MBA students and faculty from The Anderson School at UCLA ask questions about increasing the racial diversity among TV/film executives, dealing with actor and writer strikes, and career options for MBA graduates in the movie industry. (57 minutes)

The Art of Film

Digital Rights Group Limited

This program studies the art that underlies the craft of filmmaking-a painstaking process that culminates in the take, that shared moment of concentration when everything comes together. Twelfth Night director Tim Supple and his first assistant director, production designer, director of photography, costume designer, stunt coordinator, and others offer their insights into set design, the culture of the film set, creating a look through costuming, choreographing the action, creating moods with lighting, and the nature of directorial vision. (25 minutes)

Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado

Colony Media

"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." So speaks Montresor in this faithful rendition of Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling story of a murderous trap irresistibly baited with fine wine and flattery. Strong performances and outstanding cinematography make this classic program—an object of considerable critical acclaim at film festivals—an excellent introduction to the work of the master of the American gothic genre. (17 minutes)

Dylan Thomas: Portrait of the Artist in a Passing Cloud

10 Francs

In hindsight, Dylan Thomas’ precocious use of romantic but morbid imagery—epitaphs, worms, an early death—proved a self-fulfilling prophecy. This program traces the poet’s life and works, artfully blending manuscripts, first editions, family photos, and location footage with interviews and readings of his poems and letters. Highlights include Thomas reading many of his poems, such as "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"; interviews with actress Nancy Wickwire and childhood friend Daniel Jones; and clips from the film version of Under Milk Wood with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Peter O’Toole. (47 minutes)

Art and Life: Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth

Lagardere Studio Distribution

After the veritable riot that ensued from his 1938 radio directorial effort, "The War of the Worlds," Hollywood recognized the extraordinary genius of Orson Welles. A contract with RKO Studios and full creative control over his masterpiece Citizen Kane soon followed…and then he married Rita Hayworth. This robust program juxtaposes the biographies of Welles and Hayworth. Career pressure led to the end of their marriage: Hayworth’s iconic portrayal in the title role of Gilda, and Welles’ The Stranger are discussed, among others, as well as the testimony to their only collaborative effort, The Lady from Shanghai. (27 minutes, color and b&w)

All Too Wonderful: Frank Capra and James Stewart

Lagardere Studio Distribution

In 1940s American cinema, they were made for each other. This magnificent program captures how Frank Capra used James Stewart to project a message of an ideal America, perhaps best illustrated in their 1946 collaboration, It’s a Wonderful Life. It also details their biographies and first meeting on the set of 1939’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Stewart’s later career is examined—primarily his collaborations with Hitchcock on Rope, Rear Window, and Vertigo—but the program argues that Stewart’s time with Capra produced a cinematic "ideal vision of what man could be." (27 minutes, color and b&w)

Psychology and Method: Elia Kazan and Marlon Brando

Lagardere Studio Distribution

Brando and Kazan: two dynamic forces of heightened realism who used each other to further their aims. This valuable program goes behind the scenes of some of their best-known collaborations—A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront—to illustrate how Kazan was like a father figure to Brando, challenging him to excel. Both men’s careers leading up to their first meeting at Lee Strasberg’s Actors’ Studio are highlighted. The program also conveys Kazan’s socially conscious political philosophy and how he integrated it into the films of his later years, particularly The Last Tycoon. (28 minutes, color and b&w)

Othello

Deutsche Grammophon GmbH

“John Kani’s Othello is a fine and masterful performance that should make every white actor think twice before blacking up for the Moor,” wrote The Guardian of this raw and powerful interpretation of the play. The production marked the first time an African actor had been cast in the title role opposite a white Desdemona before a multiracial audience in Johannesburg, South Africa. With Tony Award winner John Kani as Othello, Joanna Weinberg as Desdemona, and a contextual introduction by director Janet Suzman. (187 minutes)

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

Digital Rights Group Limited

Filmed in Gothic monochrome and recited in lively fashion by British actor Joss Ackland, Edgar Allan Poe's classic short story of premeditated evil comes alive in this engaging program. Supplementing the dramatization, writer and film director Neil Jordan discusses the story's powerful imagery, particularly that of the eye and the heartbeat, along with Poe's lasting influence. (25 minutes)

Digital Movie Maker: Guidance from an Expert

Jancy Movies

Help students build their shooting, lighting, and recording skills with this detailed guide to professional-quality video production. This program focuses on the real-world techniques of producer Bill Cote, a 25-year veteran of the television industry, who uses footage from a recently wrapped film to demonstrate proper equipment operation. Divided into four main chapters covering preproduction, camera work, lighting, and audio recording, the program explains shooting schedules, shot lists, storyboards, camera exposure, shutter speed, lenses, filters, three-point lighting, time code and logs, shotgun mics, lapel mics, mic levels, audio ambience, and much more. (58 minutes)

Fidel Castro: History of a Commander-in Spanish

Television Federal

The life of Cuba's Communist leader reveals much about the Cold War, 20th-century Latin American history, and the political and military dimensions of revolutionary movements. This program reaches into all those subjects as it explores the rise and decades-long rule of Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz. Interviews with Latin American experts-including Argentine columnist Oscar Raul Cardoso, historian and psychologist Mario Pacho O'Donnell, and Dr. Roberto Quinones, expatriate son of famous Cuban dissident Dr. Hilda Molina-are included. After outlining Castro's early years, the film guides viewers through his alliance with Che Guevara, his ascension to head of state, his prolonged reign, and his transfer of power to his brother Raul. (Spanish, 45 minutes)

Pocahontas: Her True Story

BBC Worldwide Learning

As the tale goes, Pocahantas, age 12, saved the gallant John Smith from the "savages" in her tribe. The relationship blossomed into love, and Pocahontas went with Smith to London, where British society undoubtedly perceived her as an exotic creature. This program holds that legend up to historical scrutiny by examining questions such as: How gallant was John Smith? Who were these so-called "savages"? How could Pocahontas, from a culture with strict hygienic standards, possibly have tolerated Smith's Elizabethan aversion to bathing? And, what of her marriage to John Rolfe? Interviews with Pocahontas' descendants provide a new perspective on the life and times of this revered Native American heroine. A BBC Production. (50 minutes)

Paris: 1900 (in French)

Reseau Canope

It is the turn of the century—fin de siècle. This program captures that magical period in all of its glory on archival film by the renowned Lumière brothers. Take a personal tour of the World’s Fair, attend the Opéra Comique, view Rodin’s Gates of Hell, visit with Picasso and the Impressionists. This is Paris at the end of a major cultural epoch. (14 minutes) French

Nietzsche

BBC Worldwide Learning

Vehement repudiation of Christian and liberal ethics; the detestation of democratic ideals; the celebration of the "superman"; the death of God; and a life-affirming "will to power" are the philosophical legacies of Friedrich Nietzsche. In this program, world-renowned author and professor Bryan Magee and Nietzsche philosopher J. P. Stern discuss these concepts as the genesis of existentialism, and as the root philosophies of fascist political movements. A BBC Production. Part of the series Great Philosophers. (46 minutes)

Japanese Education in Crisis

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

This documentary explores sobering developments linked to Japan's emphasis on intense academic pressure and conformity: 2,000 teen suicides per year, a 60 percent increase in crime since 1994, and the phenomenon of hikikomori children-those who have collapsed emotionally and withdrawn from society. Gritty footage shot in chaotic classrooms and dysfunctional homes, combined with commentary from counselors, parents, and dispirited young people, depicts a nation unprepared for radical social change and, in spite of recent educational reforms, lacking a consensus on whether to crack down or loosen up. (Portions in Japanese with English subtitles, 20 minutes)

The True Image of the Earth

ZDF

Galileo's recantation in 1633 opened a gap between Christianity and science, a separation that widened as the first great age of European exploration came to a close. This program studies the second great age ushered in during the latter half of the 18th century amidst a thickening web of French and British colonialism-an age in which maps and charts facilitated political and economic objectives far more than religious concerns. In this program, the voyages of James Cook, the mapping of the Sahara, and the arbitrary partitioning of the Middle East clearly demonstrate the use of cartography in the service of empire. (30 minutes)

Spirits of the State: Japan's Yasukuni Shrine

John Nelson

Tokyo’s Yasukuni shrine honors and venerates the spirits of Japanese soldiers and officers—including convicted and executed war criminals. This program explores the history of the Shinto shrine, the complexity of its functions, and the controversies generated when political leaders appear there. Interviews with visitors, an inside look at the shrine’s adjacent museum of war memorabilia, and a discussion of what has become known as “state Shinto” create a context in which reverence for the enshrined may be understood. A rare view of Japanese nationalism and the political use of religious traditions, Spirits of the State offers valuable insight into the continuing and contested legacies of World War II. (28 minutes)

Hollywood's Role in Shaping Values: David Puttnam

Doctoroff Media Group

Those who stand outside our culture often view it with a lens made more accurate by distance and perspective. An Englishman on intimate terms with America, film producer David Puttnam (Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields ) sees in our movies the reflection of a nation at odds with itself. In this age of the visual image, popular culture can make attractive the vice or virtue that politics then imitates. During his tenure as chairman of Columbia Pictures, he was known as the conscience of Hollywood, a champion of quality and moral standards in an industry corrupted by money. In this program with Bill Moyers, Puttnam discusses the stories we tell about ourselves in the movies and how watching them reflects and shapes our society. (52 minutes)

Our Infatuation with Fame: Leo Braudy

Doctoroff Media Group

The image of fame permeates America: celebrity athletes, movie stars, stars of rock music and television. Celebrity is a code we all learn to read. A name can sell a product, or stand for an idea. If, as Andy Warhol contended, everyone gets to be famous for 15 minutes, Leo Braudy can tell us why. Braudy, who is a professor of literature at the University of Southern California, has focused on the history of fame since ancient times and the phenomenon of celebrity in 20th-century America, and has traced how our collective attention has shifted from political leaders like Abraham Lincoln to television personalities like Vanna White. In this program with Bill Moyers, Braudy discusses the concept of fame in America and its recent further explosion in our culture. (30 minutes)

Dying to Be Thin

Medstar Television

This program profiles a young woman obsessed with the desire to be thin. It has taken her four hospitalizations and years of outpatient therapy to help her overcome her problem. Doctors in this program discuss the characteristics of anorexia nervosa and bulimia and identify those most likely to be affected by these disorders. Self-starvation and binging and purging can lead to cardiac problems and a cessation of the menstrual cycle. And although great efforts have been made to educate people about eating disorders, they continue to represent a nationwide problem. (18 minutes)

John Osborne: Look Back in Anger

Fremantle Home Entertainment

Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson star in this production of one of the great classics of post-war British drama. The play's protagonist is Jimmy Porter, who, as a child, watched his father die poor and alone and has grown up to be an angry young man who despises the establishment and vents his bitterness and frustration on his wife and her upper-class background. The playwright himself hailed Kenneth Branagh as "the best Jimmy Porter ever." Emma Thompson plays the wife who must be made to feel pain equal to Jimmy's so that their marriage can survive. (114 minutes)

One Percent of Us

Granada Media

This program continues the story of the five mentally handicapped children. Now aged between 25 and 31, they and their families find there is a change in society’s attitude toward them. Despite their handicaps, they are leading full and active lives and appear to have fulfilled much of their potential. (52 minutes)

Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles

KCET TV

The genre of the hard-boiled detective story, which is Raymond Chandler's contribution to the history of American literature, was derived from his observations of life in Los Angeles during the 1930s. Using period newsreels and clips from feature films made from his stories, this program shows the excesses of a frontier town shedding conscience in pursuit of possessions-the crime and corruption that provided the backdrop and inspiration for Chandler's work. (28 minutes)

Eating Disorders

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

An estimated six million people have eating disorders-a complex disease that has no one cause, which involves biological, social, and emotional problems, and in which the pressure to be thin plays a major role. This program from The Doctor Is In covers the personality profiles of those likeliest to develop anorexia, explains their perceived need to be thin and inability to acknowledge that they are thin enough, shows how anorexia develops and demonstrates its symptoms, and explores with former anorexics how they were cured. It also explains that many anorexics move from one eating disorder to another throughout their lives; that overexercising can be as dangerous as a limited diet; and that purges can be even more destructive. Those suffering from eating disorders are usually aware that something is wrong but may not know where to go for help, or feel too ashamed to tell someone. The program indicates how friends and families can help, what treatment consists of, and what steps are being taken at some schools to forestall problems. A Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center production. (26 minutes)

Oscar Wilde: Spendthrift of Genius

RTE Commercial Enterprises DAC

This portrait of the multi-talented and self-destructive fin de siecle genius follows Wilde's meteoric rise and fall. Portraying the many circles-academic, social, theatrical, literary-in Dublin, Oxford, London, and Paris-in which Wilde circulated, and generously sprinkled with Wilde's infamous bons mots, the program also includes the only known recording by Wilde (of "The Ballad of Reading Gaol"). Written by Richard Ellmann, produced by Radio Telefis Eireann. (60 minutes)

Nelson Mandela: The History of a Struggle

Reuters Television

On July 12, 1964, a South African court sentenced Nelson Mandela to life imprisonment. This program covers his life and activities up to that time, the background against which they occurred, and the events in the struggle against apartheid that led to his release. (30 minutes)

Robots: An Important Place in World Industry

Meridian Education

Learn what a robot is and how it compares to human workers. View robots at work performing a variety of jobs; examine the benefits and liabilities of robots and the need for worker safety. (11 min.) A Meridian Production.

A Tale of Two Cities

Eagle Rock Entertainment

"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times...." Dickens' tragic tale of love, friendship, and sacrifice begins against the backdrop of the French Revolution. Using affecting dramatizations of key passages, Dickens experts Professor Margaret Reynolds and Professor John Rignall analyze the many nuances and themes of this work. Topics discussed include dualism in characterization and plot; the impact of the ideas of the French Revolution; the rights of women in 18th-century England and France; and society's ambiguous attitude toward violence. Dickens' dual personality is revealed in the characters of Sidney Carton and Charles Darnay. Although Dickens takes aim at both aristocratic tyranny and revolutionary excess, it is the latter that is precisely conveyed by the character Madame Defarge. The work's lasting importance is analyzed within the context of its emphasis on the irreplaceable value of each human life. (30 minutes)

Hispanic Entrepreneurs: Against All Odds

MG Perin

In this program, Geraldo Rivera and a host of Hispanic American executives discuss how they overcame racial and financial discrimination to turn their fledgling businesses into million-dollar corporations. The executives include construction mogul Linda Alvarado, owner of the Colorado Rockies baseball team; the developer of the Simpsons and Garfield cartoon programs; the owner of Dial-a-Mattress; and others. Executives from Chase Manhattan Bank speak candidly about the practice of loan discrimination against Hispanic minorities. Measures being taken to counter inequities are examined. Hosted by actor Hector Elizondo. (44 minutes)

Kate Chopin: The Joy That Kills

Rathborne Productions

This is the widely heralded adaptation of the short story by Kate Chopin, the late-19th-century writer whose work is only now receiving the major recognition it deserves. The setting is Kate Chopin’s own world—the world of the upper-class Creole society that dominated New Orleans in the 1870s, a world with a strict code of behavior, one of whose strongest tenets required a wife to subordinate her will and her very being to her husband. Produced and directed by Tina Rathborne. (56 minutes)

Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper

BBC Worldwide Learning

Touted as one of the first major feminist writers, Charlotte Perkins Gilman spent her life fighting to liberate women from the yoke of domesticity. This is a stunning BBC dramatization of Gilman’s autobiographical account of a woman driven to madness by the repressive mores of Victorian culture. Stephen Dillon as the husband, John, and Julia Watson as the despondent heroine give stellar performances in this production directed by the BBC’s John Clive. (76 minutes)

Film History

Planet Pictures

The Lumiere brothers and Thomas Edison would definitely be impressed if they could see how far the medium created with the invention of the movie camera has evolved. This program examines the history of film, from its beginnings in the late 19th century to the invention of VCRs. Filmmaking's roots as an entertainment and storytelling medium are examined, along with the emergence of Hollywood, the studio star system, and birth of the talkies. Film industry regulation, including censorship, is also discussed, along with the blacklist and competition from cable and broadcast television. (28 minutes)

The Life of the Buddha

BBC Worldwide Learning

Called a religion, a philosophy, and a science of mind, Buddhism is the way for hundreds of millions throughout the world. Who was the historical Prince Siddhartha, and where did he undergo the events that shaped his perceptions of the human condition? This remarkably accessible program dramatizes the life of the one who, beneath a tree at Bodh Gaya, transcended life's misfortunes and sufferings and became known, forevermore, as Buddha. Scholars, researchers, and monastics provide illuminating insights into Siddhartha/Buddha's experiences, his teachings, and the rapid spread of Buddhism after his death. A BBCW Production. (51 minutes)

Olivier's Henry V

CTE Carlton

Is there a Shakespeare lover who does not know this superb film? Two entire generations were introduced to Shakespeare by this expansive production, which is as fresh and dramatic and deeply touching today as when first it ushered in the contemporary style of Shakespearean production and taught us to see the vast and rich panoply beyond the lines of Shakespeare’s Henry V. (2 hours 16 minutes) King Henry V.....................................Laurence Olivier Ancient Pistol...................................Robert Newton Katharine...........................................Renee Asherson Constable of France..................................Leo Genn The Dauphin.................................................Max Adrian

Matador

S4C International

A poetic and authentic look at the bullfighter and his bull?the importance of bullfighting in Spanish society; the breeding, rearing, and training of the bull; the human side of the matador; and the countryside and people who have provided a home for bullfighting for countless centuries. The program culminates at a bullfight at the Feria de Abril in Seville. Also available in English. (50 minutes)Spanish

The Great Hamlets, Program 1

ABC News

In the first program, each actor comments on the major scenes of the play, and, through excerpts from productions that range from the silent film era to the modern stage, we see various interpretations of those scenes. Trevor Nunn then interviews each actor about the source of his interpretation. The program includes both traditional and avant-garde productions. (56 minutes)

The Generation of ’27—in Spanish with English Subtitles

Films for the Humanities & Sciences

At the heart of the Generation of ’27 lies experimentation with a host of popular artistic as well as political “isms” including neo-Gongorism, Ultraism, Creationism, Surrealism, socialism, and communism. In this program, renowned experts profile key members of this post–World War I group. Dramatic readings include excerpts from Luis Cernuda’s Donde Habite el Olvido, Rafael Alberti’s “Cita Triste de Charlot,” Ramón Gómez de la Serna’s Flor de Greguerías, Pedro Salinas’s La Voz a Ti Debida, and Federico García Lorca’s Romancero Gitano, Bodas de Sangre, Poeta en Nueva York, and “Romance Sonámbulo.” A Films for the Humanities & Sciences Production. (Spanish with burned-in English subtitles, 50 minutes)

The Picaresque Novel

Films for the Humanities & Sciences

Originating in Spain, the picaresque novel abandoned idealized literary approaches and exposed the harshness of reality and human nature. This program presents the history of the narrative art form, tracing its development through Mateo Aleman, Cervantes, and Defoe, all the way to Kerouac and subsequent writers. Beginning with the anonymous publication of The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes, the video analyzes examples of fictional outsiders struggling to survive in a corrupt and hypocritical society. Guzman de Alfarache, Moll Flanders, Huckleberry Finn, and several other works are discussed, all with a recognition of their artistic antecedent: the unflinching exploits of the Spanish picaro. (English, 23 minutes)

JFK: A Personal Story

Biography Channel

This episode of Biography examines the life of the charismatic John F. Kennedy, from his birth to his final fatal day and the legacy he left to posterity. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (90 minutes)

Loch Ness (How the Earth Was Made)

History Education

This program traces the extraordinary story of Loch Ness, from the 3 billion-year-old bedrock of Northern Scotland, to the giant glaciers that carved out the loch, to the possibility that Nessie, if it exists, is a descendent of North American dinosaurs. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series How the Earth Was Made. (45 minutes)

New York (How the Earth Was Made)

History Education

In this program, viewers will learn how New Jersey and North Africa were once neighbors, how the rocks New York is built upon are the remains of prehistoric mountains once as tall as the Himalayas, and how Long Island is covered in rubble that accumulated as Ice Age ice sheets retreated 10,000 years ago. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series How the Earth Was Made. (45 minutes)

Yellowstone (How the Earth Was Made)

History Education

Yellowstone National Park houses one of the most dangerous geological features on Earth: a hidden super-volcano. This program examines the volcano’s migration hundreds of miles to its present location—a journey of 16.5 million years—and speculates on when that sleeping giant may erupt. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series How the Earth Was Made. (45 minutes)

Grand Canyon (How the Earth Was Made)

History Education

Immense tectonic forces. Millions of years of erosion. This program explains how the Grand Canyon—nearly 300 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep—came to be. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series How the Earth Was Made. (45 minutes)

Birth of the Earth (How the Earth Was Made)

History Education

This program investigates the most fundamental geological mystery of all: the first billion years of Earth’s existence. Experts illustrate how the planet first formed from the dust of the solar system, molten rock solidified to become land, oceans filled with water, and life first arrived on the planet. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series How the Earth Was Made. (45 minutes)

From Independence to the Alamo (Mexico)

History Education

For 300 years after the conquistadors’ triumph over the Aztecs, Mexico was the crown jewel of the Spanish colonial empire. But the injustices of the feudal system Spain had imposed together with the excesses of the Inquisition sparked the fires of revolution. This program returns to colonial Mexico, where the Catholic Church was the dominant force in daily life. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (43 minutes)

A Midsummer Night's Dream: Young Actors in Training

Stagescreen Productions

Shakespeare's comedic tale of mischief and enchantment is, in a sense, the prototype of today's giddy big-screen romances. At any rate, that is one comparison to emerge from a handful of young actors invited to the Globe Theatre to rehearse and perform Midsummer's Act III, Scene 2. This program documents their work and the discussion that follows, giving viewers a front-row seat at their physical, emotional, and intellectual processes. There are few better ways to study Shakespeare's magical tale, especially this portion of it, in which Helena and Hermia squabble over a boy. Part of the series Training for Shakespeare: Young Actors' Workshops at the Globe Theatre. (15 minutes)

Romeo and Juliet: Young Actors in Training

Stagescreen Productions

It is perhaps the most famous love story in history, so famous that it needs no introduction. Even so, its tragic aspects are worth discussing. Although it shares many of the qualities of tragedy in the classical sense, it concerns a love that is doomed not for any fault in the hero or heroine but because their love is too good for their world. This play follows young drama students who prepare, perform, and share their thoughts on Act II, Scene 2, from Romeo and Juliet-the legendary balcony scene. Is there a better way to explore the most romantic passage in English literature than through the youthful discovery of its power on the stage? Part of the series Training for Shakespeare: Young Actors' Workshops at the Globe Theatre. (15 minutes)

Confinement: A Modern Retelling of The Yellow Wallpaper

John McCarty

In this retelling of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Kathy, deemed “too sensitive for her own good” and told to control herself, is confined to a child’s bedroom with barred windows and garish décor by her well-meaning husband. As the enforced idleness of a rest cure begins to drive her mad, Kathy imagines there is someone imprisoned within the wallpaper, and she works to set the shadowy figure—and herself—free. Gilman’s short story was a commentary on the passive, infantilized role that women of her era were urged to adopt and is now considered a classic of feminist fiction. Stars Colleen Lovett and Tony Pallone. (30 minutes)

Zoot Suit Riots

American Experience

In June 1943, Los Angeles erupted into the worst race riots in the city to date. For ten straight nights, American sailors armed with makeshift weapons cruised Mexican-American neighborhoods in search of “zoot-suiters”—hip, young teens dressed in baggy pants and long-tailed coats—symbols that blurred cultural lines and pushed the boundaries of race and class. Their posturing and self-assurance made Anglos nervous and soon a violent street battle ensued. When it was over, scores of Latinos and servicemen were in hospital beds. Zoot Suit Riots, an episode from the PBS American Experience collection, is a powerful film that centers on the story of an unsolved murder that occurred during these strange and turbulent days. It explores the influx of new immigrants, the booming wartime economy, the complicated racial tensions, and the changing social and political landscape that led up to the explosion on L.A.'s streets in the summer of ’43. Distributed by PBS Distribution. (55 minutes)

Russia: A Closer Look

History Education

A&E’s miniseries Russia: Land of the Tsars illuminates the imperial past of the world’s largest nation. Russia: A Closer Look examines the making of that miniseries through interviews with the filmmakers and select segments of footage. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (20 minutes)

The Texas Rangers (The Real West)

History Education

As America moved westward during the 19th century, a frontline of armed men defended advancing settlements against Indian attacks and other threats. In Texas, a unique breed of volunteers signed on to protect the settlers. It was said that these men could ride like Mexicans, trail like Indians, shoot like Tennesseans and fight like the devil. This is the story of the men whose unmatched record of service helped tame the West. A part of the series The Real West. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Unsung Heroes of Pearl Harbor

History Education

Filmed as a long-overdue tribute to the defenders of Pearl Harbor, this A&E Special illustrates that the infamous Imperial Japanese sneak attack was so overwhelming in its surprise and force that practically every American soldier, sailor, and Marine who rallied himself to resist it inevitably became part of a doomed and heroic last stand. The program describes how badly these unsung heroes were let down by luck, circumstance, and bureaucracy—and in so doing shines an even brighter light on their valor. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Gravity (The Universe)

History Education

This program studies gravity—the force that keeps people’s feet on the ground and tethers Planet Earth to the Sun—and how science managed to discover, quantify, and overcome it. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series The Universe. (45 minutes)

Jupiter: The Giant Planet (The Universe)

History Education

This program visits the largest planet in the Solar System: Jupiter, with its more than 60 moons. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series The Universe. (45 minutes)

Parallel Universes (The Universe)

History Education

In this program, leading physicists uncover evidence showing what they believe are universes other than our own. How might alternate dimensions change our lives, our planet, and science itself? Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series The Universe. (45 minutes)

Stopping Armageddon (The Universe)

History Education

In this program, scientific experts analyze the threat of a giant space rock wiping out civilization and share their proposals on how to prevent such an Armageddon. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series The Universe. (45 minutes)

1929 (Year by Year: 1929-1967)

History Education

This episode of Year by Year examines 1929, the fateful year that changed the world with the great Stock Market crash. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

1932 (Year by Year: 1929-1967)

History Education

1932 was marked by Franklin Delano Roosevelt's election and Amelia Earhart's historic flight across the Atlantic. Year by Year also looks at Al Capone's sentence to jail. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

1943 (Year by Year: 1929-1967)

History Education

Year by Year takes us to 1943 to explore Hollywood’s influence on World War II and the movie stars who went to war. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Victor Hugo (A Concise Biography)

Academy Media

This program from the Famous Authors series provides an overview of the life and writings of Victor Hugo, author of the novels The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables. The video contextualizes Hugo's childhood as the son of an officer in Napoleon's army during the French Revolution. As a schoolboy, Hugo began cultivating his talents as a journalist and poet, and his older brother nurtured these talents and arranged for the publication of his first book of poetry. By his early 20s, he enjoyed much public recognition, and the video illuminates the connections between the tumultuous political developments in France and Hugo's personal life and literary production. (47 minutes)

D. H. Lawrence (A Concise Biography)

Academy Media

In this overview of D. H. Lawrence's life and work from the Famous Authors series, viewers are introduced to the conditions of the mining town in England in which Lawrence was born and to his relationship with his mother, both of which reappear in Sons and Lovers and his other fiction. The film follows Lawrence and his wife Frieda through their many moves, the inspiration he gained from their travels, their struggles with money, literary success, the public scandal of censorship trials, and political scrutiny. (36 minutes)

Eugene ONeill (A Concise Biography)

Academy Media

In this introduction to Eugene O'Neill's life and work from the Famous Authors series, viewers are given a close look at O'Neill's theatrical family and mother who developed a morphine addiction. He struggled with this and his renouncement of Catholicism, a blow to his Irish parents, and escaped into reading voraciously. He went to Princeton, but was unfocused and left for a life of drinking and revelry.Eventually he began writing, took a playwriting class at Harvard, and later saw his plays performed by the Provincetown Players. We follow his subsequent successes and failures, through to his last days and the legacy of his work. (33 minutes)

Edgar Allan Poe (A Concise Biography)

Academy Media

In this introduction to Edgar Allan Poe's life and work from the Famous Authors series, viewers follow Poe's early life and fortunate adoption by the Allans. Poe's relationship with Frances Allan was tender, but he and John Allan did not get along. His stepfather sent him away to university and then cut him off completely. In response, Poe went to Boston and joined the army, but persisted writing. Eventually being dismissed from West Point, he went to live with Poe relatives in Baltimore and continue his writing and publishing. There he fell in love with his young cousin Virginia and brought her to Richmond, Virginia and later to New York and Philadelphia, to live with him throughout his literary ups and downs. (36 minutes)

Indigo

BayView Entertainment LLC.

Through the eyes of a child, the world can be a wondrous place. Through the eyes of an indigo child, a more enlightened path can be embarked upon. This poignant film co-written by and starring Neale Donald Walsch (author of the bestselling Conversations with God) weaves the journey of a troubled family with the search for understanding that can bring them together. An estranged grandfather, his unprincipled business world in collapse, finds himself uncomfortably entrusted with his 10-year-old granddaughter’s safety. Together they flee from her unstable father, embarking on an extraordinary passage of self-discovery in which this exceptional child gradually gains his love and guides her family to a place of unity. The ability of indigo children to communicate in unique ways with each other to heal and even foresee events is well-documented. This inspirational film, Indigo, from producer Stephen Simon (Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come) serves as an affirmation of spiritual principles universal to all humankind. Starring Neale Donald Walsch. Written by James Twyman and Neale Donald Walsch, and directed by Stephen Simon. Rated PG-equivalent. (89 minutes)

General Omar Bradley

Biography Channel

Five-star General Omar Bradley was one of the main American field commanders in Europe and North Africa during World War II. This episode of Biography follows his distinguished military career from West Point, to the invasion of Normandy, to the Battle of the Bulge, and on to victory. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

R. H. Macy: Merchant Prince

Biography Channel

R. H. Macy had the vision to build a one room shop into one of the world's largest retail stores. Each year the holiday season kicks off with the parade that bears his name and his store has become a mecca for shopping, immortalized in the classic movie "Miracle on 34th Street." From his early days as a Nantucket whaler to his adventures as a world class merchant, R. H. Macy remains one of America's great success stories. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

The Great Wall (In Search of History)

History Education

Said to be the longest human-made construction on Earth, the Great Wall of China was built at the cost of thousands of workers’ lives. This program examines the history of “The Wall of Tears.” Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Battle of the Bulge: The Lost Evidence (Battleline)

A&E

Known as the Battle of the Bulge—after the initial German incursion into the Allies' line of advance as seen in contemporary maps—this German offensive in the winter of 1944–45 took place in the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Belgium. This program uses a combination of CGI animation and soldiers’ own accounts to tell the story and examines 60-year old aerial reconnaissance photographs that captured the carnage. Distributed by A&E Television Networks.

Alien Invasion

PBS

Sometime in the 1940s a brown tree snake hitched a ride aboard a U.S. Air Force plane in New Guinea traveling across the Pacific to the island of Guam. As a result, Guam lost all its native bird life. More recently, an African fungus crossed the Atlantic to cause a damaging disease in Caribbean coral, and the European gypsy moth has been steadily transforming America's forests. However, these occurrences are far from unique and are in fact becoming more common with each passing year. In Alien Invasion, a part of the PBS Scientific American Frontier series, host Alan Alda examines how globalization of trade and travel has brought increased threats from alien species: plants, animals, insects, and diseases that wreak havoc in defenseless regions. Distributed by PBS Distribution. (60 minutes)

Alien Invaders

Northwest Film Center

This video explains the problem and its possible solutions through a compelling futuristic drama reminiscent of Hollywood science fiction. Viewers meet a time traveler from the eco-distressed distant future who returns to the present to find out what went wrong. Through her work with a young scientist, viewers learn how species invasions occur, about their impact and control, and how citizens at the local level can make a difference. A terrific aid for science teachers who want to bring this important and timely topic into the classroom. (30 minutes)

Solitary Confinement

History Education

Inside the walls of the supermax prisons, America's fortresses of punishment, a growing number of inmates are spending 23 hours a day, seven days a week, locked alone inside cells that measure a mere 80 square feet. This edition of Investigative Reports examines the use of solitary confinement in supermax prisons by going inside the grim walls of Arizona State Prison and Pelican Bay State Prison. The question that emerges is clear: does confinement in these circumstances constitute cruel and unusual punishment? Even with the help of psychologists, prison instructors, activists, and mental health experts, the answer remains elusive. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

James Bond Gadgets (Modern Marvels)

Modern Marvels

To be a spy requires courage, daring, and the best toys technology can offer. Real life spy gadgets often inspire the bewildering array featured in motion pictures and vice versa. From rocket packs to James Bond's car collection, take a look at how technology helps carry spies around the world in style. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Lincoln

History Education

Burdened by a tragic family life, suicidal urges, and unsettled sexuality, Abraham Lincoln was able to employ his powerful wit and innate charm to transform his inner demons. Filmed as if through the president’s own eyes, this episode of Biography captures the dark soul behind one of history’s brightest lights. Interviews with leading Lincoln biographers such as Gore Vidal, Jan Morris, and Harold Holzer are also included. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (136 minutes)

The Rape of Nanking: Massacre on a Monumental Scale

History Education

On December 13, 1937, Japanese troops overran Chinese forces and occupied the city of Nanking. This A&E Special unflinchingly documents the death and destruction that ensued as, over the following two months, more than 350,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians were murdered. So sickening was the spectacle that John Rabe, a Nazi representative in the city, was moved to save a quarter million Chinese. The Rape of Nanking draws extensively on Rabe’s 1,200-page diary for a unique perspective on the events of that period, while interviews with descendants of the victims and eyewitnesses to the crimes—along with gruesome photos—testify to the grim facts of one of the most horrifying episodes of the 20th century. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (44 minutes)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (The Real West)

History Education

By the 1890s the West was changing fast; the century was about to turn and the old way was dying, even bands of outlaws were being pulled into the modern world. Butch Cassidy's “Wild Bunch” was the last of the great Western desperado groups, but rather than going quietly into the night, they clashed with the modern world using daring, innovation, and cunning. This is the story of a different breed of outlaw. Where others bragged about being the fastest, the meanest, the toughest, Butch is remembered as the funniest, most popular, least violent, and brainiest of all the West's legendary bad men. He and his sidekick, the Sundance Kid, brought an end to the era known as the Wild West. A part of the series The Real West. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Elizabeth Custer (The Real West)

Biography Channel

Elizabeth Bacon Custer was the wife of General George Armstrong Custer. After his death, she became an outspoken advocate for her husband's legacy through her popular books and lectures. Largely as a result of her endless campaigning on his behalf, Custer's iconic portrayal as the gallant fallen hero amid the glory of “Custer’s Last Stand” was a canon of American history for almost a century after his death. A part of the series The Real West. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Spartacus (Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire)

History Education

This program profiles Spartacus, a gladiator with a gift for leadership who conducted a tremendous slave revolt against the Roman Republic. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire. (45 minutes)

Dark Matter (The Universe)

History Education

What, exactly, is dark matter? In this program, scientists theorize as they struggle to understand dark matter’s unique properties. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series The Universe. (45 minutes)

The Day the Moon Was Gone (The Universe)

History Education

What if the Moon suddenly disappeared? This program paints a grim picture of a desolate Earth characterized by very little daylight, pitch-black nights, mega-hurricanes, and virtually no complex life. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series The Universe. (45 minutes)

1938 (Year by Year: 1929-1967)

History Education

Year by Year looks at 1938. Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of War of the Worlds panicked Americans across the country. In the U.K., Neville Chamberlain delivered his famous speech, “Peace in Our Times.” Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

The Future of Reading

Rebel Media Ventures Interational

In this program, host Alberto Manguel uses the history of the written text-from hand-copied codex, to machine-printed book, to digital document-as a vehicle to address large-scale efforts to preserve the world's literary heritage, a dual challenge involving a rapidly deteriorating corpus of old books and an overwhelming proliferation of blogs and other significant writings on the Internet. In addition, the implications of cell phone fiction and interactive online novels are discussed; the One Laptop per Child initiative, bringing online reading to the developing world, is praised; and concern over Google's proprietary book digitization project, which would make the company the de facto owner of the planet's largest cache of published writings, is expressed. A part of the series Empire of the Word: A Reader's Journey. (Portions in other languages with English subtitles, 52 minutes)

The Big Picture: Pictorial Report No. 2

Nat'l Archives & Records Administration

This episode of the U.S. Army’s The Big Picture television series showcases several stories of interest from Korea and the United States. This video from the National Archives and Records Administration features the story of a Quartermaster Aerial Supply Company and the story of the 8209 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. (30 minutes)