New DVDs: TV Series, Nonfiction and Feature Length Films – November 2009

An Awfully Big Adventure

An engaging comedy about a star-struck young girl lured into the grown-up world of the theater. Young Stella Bradshaw quickly discovers what it takes to make it in the theater. Cast: Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Georgina Cates, Peter Firth. (1995) Rated R

The Barefoot Contessa

With extraordinary beauty, talent and grace, Spanish dancer Maria Vargas was born to be a star. Aided by American movie director Harry Dawes, she attains great success and fortune in Hollywood’s land of dreams. But, though she gives her all for stardom, there is one thing Maria will never compromise – her soul. Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, Marius Goring, Valentina Cortesa, Rossano Brazzi, Warren Stevens, Bessie Love, Elizabeth Sellars. (1954) Not Rated

Battlestar Gallactica: The Plan

The Cylons began as humanity’s robot servants. They rebelled and evolved and now they look like humans. Their plan is simple: destroy the race that enslaved them. But when their devastating attack leaves human survivors, the Cylons have to improvise. The story of two powerful Cylon leaders, working separately, and their determination to finish the task. Cast: Tricia Helfer, Edward James Olmos, Grace Park, Callum Keith Rennie, Dean Stockwell, Kate Vernon, Michael Trucco, Michael Hogan, Rekha Sharma, Aaron Douglas, Alisen Down. Not Rated

Beyond Christmas

While three elderly businessmen are having a Christmas Eve dinner, they are visited by two kind-hearted strangers who return their wallets. The men are all killed in a blizzard, but return to Earth as the couple’s guardian angels. Cast: Harry Carey, Charles Winninger, Aubrey Smith, Jean Parker, Richard Carlson. (1940) Not Rated

The Bridge on the River Kwai

British soldiers captured by the Japanese during World War II are forced to construct a strategic railroad bridge which a commando team is instructed by the British High Command to destroy. Cast: William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald, Ann Sears, Geoffrey Horne. Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle. (1957) Rated PG

California Suite

Five couples have come to the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles for diverse reasons, and they must all confront some rather amusing personal dilemmas. Cast: Alan Alda, Michael Caine, Bill Cosby, Jane Fonda, Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Richard Pryor, Maggie Smith. Screenplay by Neil Simon. (1978) Rated PG

Call Me Claus

Lucy is a cranky, volatile producer at a home shopping network in charge of hiring the station’s on-air Santa Claus. The “real” Santa, who finds himself at the end of his 200-year contract, must convince Lucy that she is the perfect candidate to fill his shoes. Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Victor Garber, Taylor Negron, Frankie R. Faison, Alexandra Wentworth. (2001) Not Rated

Candide

Leonard Bernstein’s comic operetta is based on the classic Voltaire tale of an innocent young man’s journey through a life filled with colorful characters and unexpected life lessons. Cast: Robert Orth (Pangloss), Michael Slattery (Candide), Nancy Allen Lundy (Cunegonde), Gabriele Ribis, Rosalind Elias, Hilda Ramos. Recorded in the Teatro Argentina, Rome, Italy, June 2003.

Dogtown

This National Geographic special profiles life at Dogtown, a sanctuary for stray dogs located in Utah’s canyon country and part of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Shows how sanctuary workers transform problem dogs into well-behaved pets. (2008)

Fail Safe

A computer malfunction causes nuclear-equipped American bombers to destroy Moscow and the president of the United States has to take terrible measures to appease the Soviets and prevent all-out nuclear war. Cast: Henry Fonda, Dan O’Herlihy, Walter Matthau, Frank Overton, Edward Binns, Larry Hagman, Fritz Weaver. (1964) Not Rated

Galileo’s Battle for the Heavens

Based on the book Galileo’s Daughter by Dava Sobel and produced as an episode of the PBS television series: Nova. A dramatization of the life and achievements of 17th century Tuscan astronomer Galileo Galilei. Focuses on Galilei’s struggles with the Catholic Church over his controversial theory that the earth revolves around the sun.

Hamlet

Hamlet, a prince of medieval-era Denmark, senses treachery behind his royal father’s death. His mother is all too dangerously entangled in that treachery. This film portrays Shakespeare’s immortal tale of high adventure and evil deeds. Cast: Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonham-Carter. (1990) Rated PG

The Haunted Airman

RAF Flight Lieutenant Toby Jugg is wounded during the war and confined to a wheelchair. He arrives at a remote mansion in Wales to recuperate. While recovering he begins to suffer from terrible nightmares and visions. Toby finds that he can’t trust the hospital staff and psychologists, especially once other patients begin to die. Cast: Julian Sands, Rachael Stirling, Robert Pattinson.  Based on “The Haunting of Toby Jugg” by Dennis Wheatley. (2006) Rated R

Incredible Human Machine

Brilliantly designed and marvelous in its mechanics, the human body is incredible. With stunning footage and powerful first hand accounts, take a fantastic journey through an ordinary day in the life of the human body. Witness striking feats of medical advancement, from glimpses of open-brain surgery to real-time views of Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler’s vocal chords. Meet athletes and other unique people who push the human body to its ultimate limits.  As seen on the National Geographic Channel.

Inside Mecca

This National Geographic special examines the spiritually charged history of Mecca and its place at the center of the fastest growing and perhaps most misunderstood religion in the world.  (2003)

Inside the U.S. Secret Service

Originally broadcast on the National Geographic Channel in 2004.  In the post-9/11 world, where the stakes have dramatically escalated, the Secret Service agent is the first and last defense for the President of the United States. Agents operate in an arena where there is no margin for error. Go inside and meet the dedicated men and women who are sworn to protect the President at any cost. Get an agent’s-eye view of the daily challenges faced through the decades by Secret Service veterans, from keeping tabs on the president’s children to dealing with the privacy of the First Family.

Inside the Vatican

National Geographic, with unprecedented access, provides a rare glimpse inside the secret archives and private chapels of the Vatican.  Privileged accounts from Vatican officials, historians, and devoted individuals who work closely with Pope John Paul II provide insight into the remarkable history of the holy city and the unique traditions that have survived for nearly 2000 years.  (2002)

Inside the White House

This National Geographic documentary, narrated by Morgan Freeman, takes viewers on an in-depth tour of the White House, including its private quarters. Interviews with White House staff members as well as every President and First Lady living at the time of production are included, as is a behind-the-scenes look at a state dinner preparation.

Inspector Lewis: The Pilot and Complete First Series

Following the death in 2000 of his eponymous mentor in Inspector Morse, Sergeant Lewis was promoted to Inspector and took a two-year sabbatical in the British Virgin Isles. Newly widowed, he now returns to Oxford and soon finds himself in charge of his own murder case. But it is notes that Morse made on an earlier case which help Lewis solve his case. Cast: Kevin Whately, Laurence Fox, Clare Holman, Rebecca Front. Inspired by the Inspector Morse novels of Colin Dexter. (2006) Not Rated

Journey to the Edge of the Universe

This National Geographic production uses CGI technology created from images taken by the Hubble Telescope to present a view of outer space.

Look Back in Anger

Fierce, funny, and cathartic, John Osborne’s classic ‘kitchen sink’ drama as directed by Academy Award winner Judi Dench is a masterpiece of ensemble acting.  Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Gerard Horan, Siobhan Redmond, Edward Jewesbury. (1989) Not Rated

Love in the Afternoon

Frank Flannegan, an American playboy infamous for his scandalous affairs is smitten by Ariane, the beautiful, innocent daughter of the worldly detective, hired by a man who believes that Frank is carrying on with his wife. Frank turns out to be no match for Ariane and they stumble through one of the funniest seductions. Cast: Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier, John McGiver. (1957) Not Rated

A Month by the Lake

Two women pursue a handsome bachelor at a luxurious lakeside resort. Cast: Vanessa Redgrave, Edward Fox, Uma Thurman, Alida Valli.  Based on the novel by H.E. Bates. (1995) Rated PG

Metropolitan

When a group of young sophisticated high society friends in New York take in a new member with more humble origins, they begin to learn what life is like outside their sheltered world. Cast: Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, Taylor Nichols, Christopher Eigeman, Allison Rutledge-Parisi, Dylan Hundley. (1990) Rated PG-13.

A Midwife’s Tale

Dramatic exploration of the life of Martha Ballard, a woman who lived through the economic boom and bust, and political and social turmoil of the decades following the American Revolution. Based on the book by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. (1997) Not Rated

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Christmas is the perfect season for Clark Griswold and his family. Clark’s a disaster waiting to happen. You have to see it to believe it. There are 25,000 lights on the Griswold rooftop. An exploding turkey. And a house full of relatives. Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid, Diane Ladd, John Randolph, E.G. Marshall, Doris Roberts, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. (1989) Rated PG-13

Quartet

The quartet consists of novelist Marya Zelli, her Polish husband, Stephen, wealthy philanderer/artist H.J. Heidler and his wife, Lois. Though she has been indulgent of H.J.’s past indiscretions, Lois isn’t keen on her husband carrying on an affair with Marya under their own roof. Meanwhile, Stephen sits in prison, jailed for his various petty thefts. Once Stephen is released, he learns about the triangle. When the dust settles, it is Marya who suffers the most. Cast: Alan Bates, Maggie Smith, Isabelle Adjani, Anthony Higgins. Based on the novel by Jean Rhys. (1981) Not Rated

Roberto Clemente

This episode of the PBS series, The American Experience, tells the story of Roberto Clemente, an exceptional baseball player and committed humanitarian who challenged racial discrimination to become baseball’s first Latino superstar. Not Rated

Secrets of the Titanic

This National Geographic special documents Dr. Robert Ballard’s famous expedition, the first to uncover the passenger ship Titanic that had sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean seventy years earlier.

Shroud for a Nightingale

Adam Dalgliesh visits John Carpenter Hospital to interview an arms dealer, but while he is there, a nurse dies a horrible and violent death during a teaching demonstration. Cast: Roy Marsden, Joss Ackland, Sheila Allen, Liz Fraser, Thelma Whiteley, Andree Evans, John Vine. Based on the novel by P. D. James. (1986) Not Rated

Six Degrees Could Change the World

This National Geographic program discusses why many scientists believe that the Earth’s average temperature could rise by as much as six degrees Celsius by 2100. Explores what each rising degree could mean for the future of humanity and our planet. Illustrates how global warming has already affected the reefs of Australia, the ice fields of Greenland, and the Amazonian rain forest. Explains what’s real, what’s still controversial, and how existing technologies and remedies could help dial back the global thermometer.  (2008)

State of the Union

When an idealistic businessman is chosen to run for President, he is caught between the ruthless ambition of a string-pulling newspaper owner and the integrity of his devoted wife. Cast: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Van Johnson, Angela Lansbury, Adolph Menjou, Lewis Stone.  Based on the play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. (1948) Not Rated

A Touch of Frost: Season 14

Three episodes from the British detective series featuring Detective Inspector Jack Frost, a policeman who approaches his cases with a dry wit and sense of moral justice. Cast: David Jason, Bruce Alexander, John Lyons. Based on characters created by R.D. Wingfield. Not Rated

Twice upon a Yesterday

Victor, an out of work actor, tries to stop his ex-girlfriend, Sylvia, from marrying another man. When she refuses him, Victor is miraculously given a second chance to go back and correct the mistake which led to their break-up.Cast: Lena Headey, Douglas Henshall, Penelope Cruz, Gustavo Salmeron, Eusebio Lazaro, Mark Strong, Charlotte Coleman, Neil Stuke, Elizabeth McGovern. (1999) Rated R

Unnatural Causes

Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh investigates the bizarre murder of a man with his hands cut off found floating in a dinghy out at sea. Cast: Roy Marsden, Simon Chandler, Kenneth Colley, Mel Martin, Bill Nighy. Based on the novel by P.D. James. (1993) Not Rated

Vietnam: A Television History: The Fall of Saigon

Three episodes from Vietnam, a Television History, looks at the end of the war, peace efforts by diplomats in Paris and the American opinion of the Vietnam War.

Volcano: Nature’s Inferno

This National Geographic special explains what a volcano is, explores how volcanoes build new land mass, and chronicles past volcanic eruptions throughout the world. Features comments from leading volcanologists and visits to some of the world’s most famous volcanoes including Mount Pinatubo in the Phillipines and Mount Unzen in Japan. (1997)

Woman of the Year

In this hilarious excursion into the battle of the sexes, Tracy plays Sam Craig, the down-to-earth sportswriter of the New York Chronicle. As Tess Harding, the paper’s bright international columnist, Hepburn makes his life miserable. As soon as they start taking swipes at each other in their columns, there is little peace between them. In the office and in the bedroom the squabbling continues, until their problems are overcome by their deep love for each other. Cast: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Fay Bainter, Reginald Owen. (1942) Not Rated

New DVDs: TV Series, Nonfiction and Feature Length Films – October 2009

Amadeus

Adapted from Shaffer’s play, the film presents the life of Antonio Salieri, a mediocre 18th century Viennese composer obsessed with and jealous of the musical genius of the age: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Cast: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Simon Callow, Roy Dotrice, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones. (1984) Rated PG

Amarcord

Federico Fellini satirizes his youth and turns daily life into a circus of social rituals in this portrait of provincial Italy during the Fascist period. Italian dialogue, English subtitles. Cast: Pupella Maggio, Armando Brancia, Magali Noel, Ciccio Ingrassia. (1973) Not Rated

Barcelona

Ted Boynton is an American businessman looking for love. His cousin, Fred, is out for lust. Together, they launch an all-out attack to find the girl of their dreams in the city of Barcelona. Cast: Taylor Nichols, Chris Eigeman, Tushka Bergen, Mira Sorvino, Pep Munné, Hellena Schmied, Nuria Badia, Jack Gilpin, Thomas Gibson. (1994) Rated PG-13

Battlestar Gallactica: Season 4.5

From their initial action-packed battles against the Cylons to their desperate attempts to find the fabled 13th colony, Earth, a determined band of human survivors has captivated audiences everywhere with their desperate quest to find a new home for the dwindling numbers. Join them now as the fleet journeys into the furthest reaches of unexplored space. Starring: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell. Not Rated

Bones: Season Four

In the fourth season of this darkly comic procedural drama inspired by true events, forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) continue to crack unsolved murder cases. The season begins with a two-parter in which, during a trip to England, Brennan and Booth find themselves assisting with a high-profile investigation involving the murder of a British heiress.

Castle: The Complete First Season

A famous crime and horror novelist, Rick Castle, helps Kate Beckette of the NYPD homicide department solve crimes. Castle’s non-traditional approach to solving the crimes conflicts with Beckett’s conservative approach, leading to much tension and a hint of romance. Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic. Rated TV-PG

The Climb

Two hotshot climbers forge an uneasy friendship in order to reach their ultimate summit. Flamboyant Derrick Williams earns the climb of a lifetime, but ‘Safety Man’ Michael Harris never takes unnecessary risks. Cast: Jason George, Ned Vaughn, Kyli Santiago, Clifton Davis, Dabney Coleman. (2002) Rated PG

Criminal Minds: Season Four

The Behavioral Analysis Unit’s founding member Agent David Rossi returns with his elite team of FBI profilers to stop the country’s most twisted criminal minds before they strike again. Cast: Thomas Gibson, Matthew Gray Gubler, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook.  Not rated

Dexter: The Third Season

Dexter is back with a new take on taking life. He is ready to put the past behind him, until a high-profile case sides him with powerful Assistant DA Miguel Prado, and the pressure might be too great for even Dexter to hack. Cast: Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Michael Hall, Erik King, James Remar, Lauren Velez, David Zayas ; with special guest star, Jimmy Smits. Not Rated

Damage

A middle-aged man and his son’s fiancee are entangled in an intensely erotic affair that is as irrestible as it is destructive. Cast: Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson, Rupert Graves, Ian Bannen, Leslie Caron.  Based on the novel by Josephine Hart. (1992) Rated R

8 1/2

Fellini’s autobiographical film about a famous film director who loses his inspiration in the midst of making of film. Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimee, Sandra Milo, Barbara Steele. (1963) Italian dialogue, English subtitles. Not Rated

Eureka: Season 3.0

Make a return trip to the seemingly ordinary small town were extraordinary things happen. Reunite with the town’s hard-working sheriff, Carter, as he tries to deal with his adopted hometown’s unique geniuses, volatile experiments, and Earth-shaking secrets, all while trying to raise his feisty teenage daughter on his own. Cast: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Jordan Hinson, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Chris Gauthier. Not Rated

A Father’s Choice

After the death of their mother, Chris and Kelly find themselves in the care of the cowboy dad they have never really known. Cast: Peter Strauss, Mary McDonnell, Michelle Trachtenberg, Yvonne Zima, Susan Hogan, Roger R. Cross, Eddie Velez. Made for TV (1999) Not Rated

Fiddler on the Roof

Tevye is a poor milkman in czarist Russia, where he provides for five unmarried daughters and a sharp-tongued wife. Faced with mounting financial strain and growing anti-Semitism, Tevye strives to maintain balance despite the precarious nature of his situation. Cast: Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, Paul Mann. (1971) Rated G

The Films of Michael Powell

A Matter of Life and Death: British flyer Peter Carter survives a jump from his burning plane without parachute and wakes up in a nether world between Earth and the next life. He is informed that he should have died and must go to Heaven, where he is put on trial for his life. He falls in love with June, an American radio operator. (1946)  Age of Consent: Based on the life of controversial Australian artist Norman Lindsay. Lindsay is a jaded painter who heads Down Under looking for a way to revitalize his creative soul. His self-imposed exile is interrupted by Cora, an uninhibited young woman on her own journey of self-discovery. (1969)

The First Churchills

Tells the story of the 50-year marriage of John and Sarah Churchill, the first Churchills to make their mark on British history. John was a handsome and charismatic general who won the battles that shaped the future of England. Sarah was a fiery beauty whose passion and intellect made her a favorite at court and won the undying devotion of her husband. The turbulent history of 17th century England is seen through the eyes of Sarah, and are filtered through her love for John and their shared love of England. Cast: Susan Hampshire, John Neville, James Villiers, John Westbrook, John Standing, Margaret Tyzack, Frederick Peisley, Job Stewart, Alan Rowe. Originally broadcast by BBC1 in 1969. Not Rated

The Fish Fall in Love

Released after 20 years in prison, Azziz returns to his hometown to find that an old flame has converted his family estate into a popular restaurant. Afraid that he plans to sell the house, Atieh cooks up a plan to save her business. The Iranian drama puts a tasty spin on the classic fable The Thousand and One Nights, as Atieh decides to create an amazing new meal every day to keep Azziz coming back for more. Persian dialogue, English subtitles. Cast: Reza Kianian, Roya Nonahali, Golshifteh Farahani, Mariam Saadat. (2006) Not Rated

The French Chef with Julia Child

Chefs of all ages and abilities can share Julia’s love of fine French food and learn to cook some of her most-loved dishes with this collection of 18 episodes from her original 1960’s series. Includes downloadable recipes and a bibliography. Not rated

The Great Fever

Originally produced as an episode of the PBS series, American Experience in 2006.  In June 1900, Major Walter Reed, Chief Surgeon of the U.S. Army, led a medical team to Cuba on a mission to investigate yellow fever. For more than two hundred years the disease had terrorized the United States, killing an estimated 100,000 people in the 19th century alone.  This production documents the heroic efforts of Reed’s medical team. Eventually their discovery enabled the United States to successfully eradicate the disease among workers constructing the Panama Canal, making possible the completion of one of the most strategic waterways in the world.

Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Fifth Season

The drama continues in the fifth season of this popular and critically successful series as Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Cristina (Sandra Oh), Izzie (Katherine Heigl), George (T.R. Knight) and Alex (Justin Chambers) cope with various crises both inside and outside Seattle Grace Hospital. Professional challenges notwithstanding, the young doctors also juggle complicated personal lives. Patrick Dempsey and Chandra Wilson co-star.

The Grocer’s Son

When his father suffers a stroke, Antoine reluctantly returns home from the big city to his small mountain village to help out with the family business, a grocery that makes daily rounds to the town’s elderly inhabitants. But when Antoine’s poor manners rub the villagers the wrong way, can the lovely young Claire help smooth things over?  French dialogue, English subtitles. Cast:  Nicolas Cazalé, Clotilde Hesme, Jeanne Goupil, Daniel Duval, Lilane Rovère.  Not Rated

The Hoover Dam

An episode of the PBS series, The American Experience, tells the dramatic story of how a ragtag army of workers re-routed the mighty Colorado and erected the 700 foot high damn. More than 100 workers died building the marvel that forever transformed the West. (1999) Not Rated

House M.D.: Season Five

Dr. Gregory House pushes new boundaries in medicine while dealing with emotional chaos. Cast: Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Kal Penn, Peter Jacobson, Olivia Wilde. Originally broadcast on Fox during the 2008-2009 season. Not Rated

Italy Revealed

This Discovery Atlas video takes a look at Italy through the lives of a group individuals who live there. Narrated by Isabella Rossellini. (2006) Not Rated

Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth

Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell discuss the themes and roots of human myth which is seen as man’s attempt to relate himself to the universe. Starting with various topics Campbell shows both how man creates his universe and is controlled by the myth he has created. (1988) Not Rated

Light of My Eyes

The precarious romance between two people cast adrift in a lonely urban landscape. Antonio is a “fallen angel,” an ordinary man without direction or ambition. Maria is a single mother whose life is slipping out of her control. As Antonio is drawn deeper into her fragile situation, he discovers a sense of hope they both might not be ready for yet. Italian dialogue, English subtitles. Cast: Luigi Lo Cascio, Sandra Ceccarelli, Silvio Orlando, Barbara Valente, Toni Bertorelli. (2001) Mature themes. Not Rated

Lost Subs: Diasater at Sea

They are among the most powerful and deadly war machines ever built, and yet they are chillingly vulnerable to fickle fate, human error and the crushing, unforgiving waters of the sea. Tells the stories of four submarine disasters, including the USS Squalus and the story of the disabled nuclear-powered Soviet K-19. A National Geographic special, 2002.  Not Rated

A Mind to Murder

Investigating a savage death at an exclusive psychiatric clinic, Dalgliesh is caught in a whirlwind of political intrigue and deceit. Cast: Roy Marsden, Frank Finlay, Jerome Flynn, Robert Pugh, Christopher Ravenscroft, Suzanne Burden, David Hemmings. Based on the book by P. D. James. (1994) Not Rated

Midsomer Murders: Set 13

The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these four contemporary British television mysteries. Cast: John Nettles, Jason Hughes, Jane Wymark, Laura Howard, Barry Jackson. Based on the characters created by Caroline Graham. (2006) Not Rated

Miss Marple: Series Four

Presents four episodes of the Emmy-nominated series starring Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple. Based on the novels by Agatha Christie. Originally produced as episodes of the PBS Masterpiece Mystery! series.  Not rated

The Mentalist: The Complete First Season

Celebrity psychic, Patrick Jane, uses his paranormal talents bring killers to justice. At crime scenes across California, Patrick now helps an elite team of detectives break their toughest cases. Cast: Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Tim Kang, Owain Yeoman, Amanda Righetti. Not Rated

Mozart and the Whale

Donald and Isabelle have a form of autism called Asperger’s Syndrome. Donald, a good-natured but hapless cab driver has a knack for numbers. He falls head over heals in love with the beautiful but complex Isabelle when she joins the autism support group he leads. Cast: Josh Hartnett, Radha Mitchell, Gary Cole, Sheila Kelley, Erica Leerhsen, John Carroll Lynch, Nate Mooney, Rusty Schwimmer, Robert Wisdom, Allen Evangelista. (2004) Rated PG-13

The Music Man

Silver-tongued con artist Harold Hill hoodwinks the stubborn townsfolk of River City, Iowa into buying instruments and uniforms for a boy’s band, but his game ultimately and romantically backfires. Cast: Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Hermione Gingold, Paul Ford, Ronny Howard. (1962) Rated

The York Underground

An episode of the PBS series, The American Experience, tells the story of how New York City’s subway was built in 1900.(1997) Not Rated

One Woman, One Vote

This episode of the PBS series, The American Experience, documents the 72-year struggle for women’s suffrage which culminated in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. It illuminates the story of the fledging alliances that grew into a sophisticated mass movement. This film portrays the movement’s leaders, among them Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Carrie Chapman Catt, Mary Church Terrell, Anna Howard Shaw, and Alice Paul. Narrated by Susan Sarandon. (1995) Not Rated

Open City

Director Roberto Rossellini’s unsettling drama portrays the harrowing struggle of everyday women and children as they try to shield resistance forces from the Nazis and to maintain compassion and self-respect despite Rome’s de facto occupation during World War II’s waning days.  Cast: Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi. Italian dialogue, English subtitles. (1945) Not Rated

The Orphan Trains

An episode of the PBS series, The American Experience, examines the efforts of the Children’s Aid Society in New York, organized by minister Charles Loring Brace, which from 1853 to 1929 sent over 100,000 unwanted and orphaned children from the city to homes in rural America. Hosted by David McCullough and narrated by Stacy Keach. (1995) Not Rated

The Philadelphia Story

A sophisticated romantic comedy about a rich, spoiled socialite who learns some things about who she is and what she really wants on the eve of her second marriage. Cast: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey, John Howard, Roland Young, John Halliday, Mary Nash, Virginia Weidler.  Based on the play by Philip Barry. (1940) Not Rated

La Scorta

When a judge and his bodyguards are brutally murdered by the Mafia, four reluctant young cops are assigned to protect the new prosecutor where the only thing that lies ahead of them is more danger. Based on a true story. Italian dialogue, English subtitles. Cast: Claudio Amendola, Enrico Lo Verso, Carlo Cecchi, Ricky Memphis, Francesca D’Aloja. (1993) Mature themes, Not Rated

Snowcake

Recently released from prison, Alex offers a ride to a hitchhiker, only to have her killed instantly when they are involved in a brutal car accident. Alex then approaches the girl’s mother, and the events that unfold dramatically change both his life and those of others around him. Cast: Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Hampshire, James Allodi, Callum Keith Rennie, David Fox, Jayne Eastwood, Julie Stewart, Selina Cadell. (2007) Not Rated

Stargate Atlantis: Season Five

Forgotten worlds and parallel universes abound in the fifth season of this popular sci-fi series. Follow the continuing adventures of Lt. Col. John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), Col. Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping), Dr. Keller (Jewel Straite) and the rest of the Atlantis crew as they attempt to unlock the secrets of the Ancients and protect the Earth’s inhabitants from the threats posed by the hostile forces of the Pegasus galaxy. Not Rated

Sea Spies: Secrets Beneath the Waves

From National Geographic Television, witness how technology, commerce and conflict have shaped the struggle for supremacy of the seas – not on the surface, but at the very bottom of the ocean. Hosted by Dr. Robert Ballard. (2004) Not Rated

Submarines: Steel Boats, Iron Men

This documentary examines the special qualities and the life of naval personnel who serve on submarines, and the challenges they face. Ride along on the USS Hyman G. Rickover. (2005) Not Rated

Too Bad She’s Bad

Sophia Loren in an early role as a lusciously larcenous petty thief. Marcello Mastronianni is the naive young cabbie who tries to set her straight, while Vittorio de Sica, as Loren’s smooth con man papa make sure his not so little girl stays on the crooked and narrow. Italian with English subtitles. (1955) Not Rated

Two and a Half Men: Season Six

Harper siblings Alan (Jon Cryer) and Charlie (Charlie Sheen) continue to help Alan’s son, Jake (Angus T. Jones), navigate his teen years in this popular sitcom’s sixth season. Free-spirited Charlie never fails to keep nebbish Alan on his game, while Jake sits back and enjoys the ride. Besides putting up with their overbearing mother (Holland Taylor) and making sure Jake stays on track, the brothers try to muddle through the mine field of romance.

The Winter Guest

An inside look at the lives of eight people living in a remote and icy Scottish village. The story focuses on the relationship between a mother and a daughter, played by real-life mother and daughter Emma Thompson and Phyllida Law. (1997) Rated R

Wire in the Blood: The Complete Sixth Season

Dr. Tony Hill is a clinical psychologist with an extraordinary understanding of the criminal mind. Working alongside detective inspector Alex Fielding, Tony must race against time to profile and track down vicious murderers before they strike again. Based on the characters by Val McDermid. Cast: Robson Green, Simone Lahbib. Not Rated

New DVDs: TV Series, Nonfiction and Feature Length Films – September 2009

Air Group 16: We Came to Remember

This PBS video looks at Air Group 16, including the pilots, radiomen and gunners as they travel to a reunion and the dedication of the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. The members of Air Group 16 served on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in the Pacific during World War II. Features veterans: Paul Bonilla, Tom Bronn, T. Earl “Dupe” Dupree, Ralph Weymouth and family members.

The Alzheimer’s Project

From HBO, this Momentum in Science documentary features 25 leading scientists, a primetime state-of-the-science report revealing the most cutting-edge research advances. Three additional specials (The Memory Loss Tapes; Grandpa, Will You Remember Me? with Maria Shriver; and Caregivers) capture what it means to experience the disease, to be a child or grandchild of one who suffers, and to care for those who are affected. Rated TV-PG

Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna

Until the day she died in 1984, Anna Anderson claimed she was truly Grand Duchess Anastasia, the sole surviving child of Russian Czar Nicolas II. Many believed her. Even for those who did not, her story of royalty, flight from execution and years of struggle to reclaim her heritage was a great dramatic mystery. Cast: Amy Irving, Olivia De Havilland, Jan Niklas, Nicolas Surovy, Susan Lucci, Elke Sommer, Edward Fox, Claire Bloom, Omar Sharif, Rex Harrison. Based on the book  Anastasia: The Riddle of Anna Anderson by Peter Kurth. (1986) Not Rated

Annie

The story of the comic strip character Little Orphan Annie, who is adopted by billionaire “Daddy” Warbucks. Cast: Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry, Geoffrey Holder, Edward Herrmann, Aileen Quinn. (1981) Rated PG

The Art of Vinyasa Flow: Power Sweat & Connect

Lisa Kapantais of Yogatopia leads this 60 minute routine, immersing your entire body into the rhythmic pattern of your breathe  This dynamic and vigorus practice for all levels is a complete yoga routine that melts away tension and toxins.

Black Narcissus

Plagued by uncertainties and worldly desires, five Protestant missionary nuns, led by Sister Clodagh, struggle to establish a school in the desolate Himalayas. Cast: Deborah Kerr, Sabu, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Esmond Knight, Jean Simmons, Kathleen Byron. Adapted from the novel by Rumer Godden. (1947) Not Rated

Breaker Morant

Three Australian lieutenants are court martialed for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers. Based on a play and true story. Cast: Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, John Waters, Bryan Brown, Rod Mullinar, Charles Tingwell. (1979) Rated PG

A Canterbury Tale

Follow three modern-day incarnations of Chaucer’s pilgrims – a landgirl, an American GI, and a British sergeant waylaid in the English countryside, forced to solve a bizarre village crime en route to a mythical town. Cast: Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, Dennis Price, Sgt. John Sweet, Esmond Knight. (1944) Not Rated

Death of an Expert Witness

Scotland Yard’s Adam Dalgliesh (Roy Marsden) is searching for a “back seat strangler” who has already murdered four people. When an unpopular forensic scientist is found dead in a British government laboratory, Dalgliesh discovers that almost everyone there could be a suspect. When another body is found nearby, the detective must race against time to find the killer.Roy Marsden.Based on the book by P. D. James. (1985) Not Rated

Devices and Desires

Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh retreats to an isolated town for some rest, but his isolation is shattered when he discovers he cannot escape murder. Cast: Roy Marsden, Susannah York, Gemma Jones, James Faulkner, Tony Haygarth, Tom Georgeson. Based on the book by P.D. James. (1991) Not Rated

Eureka: Season One

In the seemingly perfect, but quirky small town of Eureka, America’s brightest scientists are working on some of the government’s best-kept secrets– some lead to brilliant inventions and some to total chaos. Making sense of the mysteries is Sheriff Jack Carter, a former U.S. marshal who is stranded in the surreal small town after a random car accident. Cast: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson, Jordan Hinson, Joe Morton, Ed Quinn, Erica Cerra. (2006) Not Rated

Eureka: Season Two

Return to the seemingly perfect town of Eureka, where the hidden work of America’s brightest scientists can lead to innovative discoveries and unnatural chaos. Follow Sheriff Jack Carter as he struggles to keep a sense of normalcy amid the scientific mayhem, big brains and bigger adventure in this unusual little town in the Pacific Northwest. Cast: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson, Jordan Hinson, Joe Morton, Ed Quinn, Erica Cerra.  Originally broadcast on the SciFi Channel in 2007. Not Rated

The Flambards

In this British television drama, Christina is sent to live with her domineering, crippled Uncle Russell and her cousins Mark and William at ‘Flambards’, a rambling, decaying mansion in England in the early 1900’s. Cast: Edward Judd, Steven Grives, Alan Parnaby, Christine McKenna. Based on the novel by K.M. Peyton. (1993) Not Rated

The French Chef 2 with Julia Child

Chef Julia Child shares her recipes and techniques for French food. Originally produced as episodes of the television program The French chef between 1963-1972. Not Rated

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

At the turn of the century a young widow and her daughter move into a cottage on the English coast. Soon she learns that the cottage is haunted by the ghost of its former owner, a sea captain. When he finds he can’t scare her away, they soon fall into a most unlikely love affair! Cast: Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, George Sanders, Natalie Wood. (1947) Not Rated

The Gold Rush

This episode of the PBS series, the American Experience, explores the California gold rush that started in 1848 when most of San Francisco’s residents rushed off to dig for gold. Focusing on 5 individuals, including rare daguerreotypes and original recreations.

Golden Gate Bridge

Originally broadcast in 2004 as an episode of the PBS series, American Experience. This documentary follows the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and recounts the struggles of engineer Joseph B. Strauss to make the project a reality. Not Rated

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Mr. Chips is a shy and proper classics professor who teaches at an English all-boys school. He falls in love with a London dance-hall girl and decides to marry her. The couple makes Brookfield Academy for Boys its home and brightens the school with their unlikely union. Cast: Peter O’Toole, Petula Clark, Sir Michael Redgrave.  Based on the novel by James Hilton. (1969) Rated G

Grand Central

This episode of the PBS series, American Experience, chronicles the designing, engineering, and construction of New York’s Grand Central Station, and examines the station’s importance to present-day New Yorkers. Not rated

The Helen West Casebook

A crown prosecutor, Helen West struggles to find justice for those wronged as well as keep her own messy life in order. Cast: Amanda Burton, Conor Mullen, Nicholas Woodeson, Anthony Howell, Dermot Crowley, Rita Tushingham. Based on the books by Frances Fyfield. (2002) Not Rated

His Girl Friday

A re-make of The Front Page with the main character as a girl reporter (Rosalind Russell). The editor (Cary Grant) wants his top reporter to cover the impending execution of a murderer rather than get married and leave the job. Featuring: Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Helen Mark, Porter Hall. (1939) Not Rated

I Vitelloni

A character study of five aimless young men living in a small Italian town, based in part upon Fellini’s own experiences and those of his acquaintances. Italian dialogue, English subtitles.  Cast: Franco Interlenghi, Alberto Sordi, Franco Fabrizzi, Leopoldo Trieste, Eleonora Ruffo. (1953) Not Rated

Julia Child’s Kitchen Wisdom

A retrospective look at Julia Child’s four decades on public television. Cooking demonstrations fall in the categories: vegetables; seafood; eggs and poultry; pork and beef; and desserts. Features appearances by various culinary celebrities.Featuring Julia Child, Jacques Pépin, Charlie Gibson, Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse, Alice Waters, Jasper White.

The Last Days of Disco

Two women, recently graduated from college, adjust to life in the real world of 1980 NYC, partying the nights away at the hottest club in town.Cast: Chloë Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale, Chris Eigeman, Matt Keeslar, Mackenzie Astin, Matthew Ross, Tara Subkoff, Burr Steers, David Thornton, Jaid Barrymore, Michael Weatherly, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Beals. (1998) Rated R

M. Butterfly

A French civil service officer risks and then abandons everything in his life in his obsessive pursuit of a enigmatic Chinese opera diva. Cast: Jeremy Irons, John Lone, Barbara Sukowa, Ian Richardson. Based on the play by David Henry Hwang. (1993) Rated R

The Marine

John Triton has just been discharged from Iraq. His wife, Kate, is kidnapped by a group of diamond thieves on the run. Now Triton needs to save her and goes on a chase through the South Carolinian wilderness in order to save her. The only, and best, weapon that Triton has is himself. Cast: John Cena, Kelly Carlson, Robert Patrick. (2006) Rated PG-13

Metropolis: The Splendor of Cities throughout the Ages

Go into the very heart of ancient and medieval urban life to examine the crucial and historic steps towards civilization, in cities such as Athens, Carthage, Rome, Venice, Paris, and many more.  Episodes include:  The Power of Cities: Athens, the Rule of the People ; Alexandria, the Centre of Knowledge ; Carthage, City of Seafarers ; Rome, the Heart of the Empire. The Bright Cities of the Dark Ages: Mission to Constantinople ; Escape to Venice ; Murder in Paris. (2003, 2006 & 2007) Not rated

Midway

The dramatic personal stories of the men who fought the courageous battle that was to be the Pacific turning point for the United States. Cast: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, Toshiro Mifune, Robert Mitchum, Cliff Robertson, Robert Wagner, Robert Webber, Ed Nelson, James Shigeta, Christina Kokubo, Edward Albert. (1976) Rated PG

Miss Firecracker

Carnelle, a hellraiser, enters the Miss Firecracker contest in the old-fashioned town where she was raised. Carnelle’s not the usual contestant, but her cousin is a famous winner, and Carnelle’s determined to equal her, no matter what. Cast: Holly Hunter, Tim Robbins, Mary Steenburgen, Scott Glenn, Alfre Woodard, Veanne Cox, Ann Wedgeworth, Trey Wilson, Amy Wright, Kathleen Chalfant, Robert Fieldsteel, Avril Gentles, Greg Germann, Bert Remsen. (1988) Rated PG

My Brother Is an Only Child

The violent political unrest of 1960s Italy brings simmering tensions between two feuding brothers to the boiling point in this critically acclaimed film. Italian dialog, with English subtitles. Cast: Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio, Angela Finocchiard, Massimo Popolizio. (2006) Rated R

Notorious

A beautiful woman with a tainted past is enlisted by American agent Devlin to spy on a ring of Nazis in post-war Rio. Her espionage work becomes life-threatening after she marries the most debonair of the Nazi ring, Alex. Only Devlin can rescue her, but to do so he must face his role in her desperate situation and acknowledge that he has loved her all along. Cast: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Louis Calhern, Madame Konstantin, Reinhold Schunzel, Moroni Olsen, Ivan Triesault, Alex Minotis. (1946) Not Rated

Rebecca

Alfred Hitchcock directs this adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s classic story of suspense.  When a shy girl becomes the wife of a wealthy Britisher and moves into his house, she finds herself haunted by her husband’s deceased first wife. Cast: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Judith Anderson. (1940) Not Rated

Rebecca

Masterpiece Theatre’s rendition of Daphne Du Maurier’s classic novel.  A timid young girl marries a troubled widower only to find her new home is haunted by the memory of Rebecca, the first wife. Cast: Charles Dance, Emilia Fox, Diana Rigg, Faye Dunaway, Geraldine James, Timothy West, Jonathan Cake. (1996) Not Rated

The Red Shoes

Torn between two lovers, a young ballerina must choose either the composer who loves her or the man who can make her a great dancer. Cast: Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Moira Shearer, Robert Helpmann, Leonide Massine, Albert Basserman, Ludmilla Tcherina, Esmond Knight. (1948) Not Rated

Respiro

Grazia is a carefree mother of three, who soon becomes the focus of her neighbors’ gossip. She is not understood or accepted by the social conventions of the town, nor its strict tribal rules. Conflict arises when her husband seeks to control her spirited behavior. Cast: Valeria Golino, Vincenzo Amato, Veronica D’Agostino, Filippo Pucillo, Avy Macciano, Francesco Casis. Italian dialogue, English subtitles. (2002) Rated PG-13

Rome: Engineering An Empire

Using state-of-the-art CGI animation this History Channel documentary chronicles the spectacular as well as sordid history of the Roman Empire from the rise of Julius Caesar in 55 BC to its fall around 537 AD. The CGI animation gives the viewers an opportunity to see Rome’s greatest structures the way the ancient Romans saw them. The insights of engineers, archaeologists and historians add depth to segments on Hadrian’s Wall, Caesar’s Bridge, the aqueducts, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Baths of Caracalla, and the remains of Emperor Nero’s lavish Golden Palace for a rare look at how one of Rome’s most notorious megalomaniacs lived. Also never-before-seen footage shot on a diving expedition in the water channels underneath the Colosseum, channels once used to flood the arena for mock naval battles. (2005) Not Rated

Sick Around America

Originally broadcast on PBS’s Frontline, this documentary investigates the failures and future of the private insurance industry, examining the best and worst of U.S. healthcare by telling the gripping and sometimes tragic stories of ordinary Americans. As the national debate intensifies, the program lays bare the flaws in the system and examines the critical choices Americans face in changing a system that all sides agree needs a fundamental overhaul. Not Rated

Sick Around the World

Frontline correspondent T.R. Reid examines first-hand the health care systems of other advanced capitalist democracies, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and Taiwan, to see what tried and tested ideas might help reform the United States’ broken health care system.-

Twelfth Night

Shakespeare’s tale of Viola, shipwrecked on an unfriendly Illyrian shore, believing her twin brother is dead, disguises herself in male attire and joins the retinue of the lovesick Duke Orsino. Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant, Nigel Hawthorne, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith. (1996) Rated PG

Walt Whitman

An episode of the PBS series, American Experience. The documentary tells Walt Whitman’s life story, from his working class childhood in Long Island to his years as a newspaper reporter in Brooklyn when he struggled to support his impoverished family, then to his reckless pursuit of the attention and affection he craved for his work, to his death in 1892 at the age of 72.

Witness

An Amish boy witnesses a murder, and the cop on the case discovers it’s part of a conspiracy in his department. Includes all-new special features including a five part documentary and much more. Cast: Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas. (1985) Rated R

The Wizard of Photography: The Story of George Eastman

An episode of the PBS series, American Experience. The documentary uses early moving images and snapshots to dramatize the life story of George Eastman, exploring how his inventions helped make photography easy and affordable for everyone. (2000) Not Rated

New DVDs: TV Series, Nonfiction and Feature Length Films – August 2009

Aberdeen

A very downbeat drama about a successful-but-unhappy London lawyer who goes on a road trip with her alcoholic father to visit her dying mother in a hospital in Norway.Cast: Stellan Skarsgård, Lena Headey, Ian Hart, Charlotte Rampling. (2000) Rated R

American Dreamer

A housewife wins a trip to Paris as a prize from a mystery writing contest. Silly from a blow on the head, she begins living the fictional life of her favorite literary adventure. Cast: JoBeth Williams, Tom Conti, Giancarlo Giannini. (1984) Rated PG

Blue Murder: Set 4

This set sees Janine tackle some of her most baffling cases yet: the murders of an illegal Belarusian émigré, a suburban cheerleading coach, a rock star about to break into the big time, and more. In Blue Murder s signature style, heart-tugging domestic drama and good-natured workplace ribbing leaven each suspenseful, grimly realistic mystery. Cast: Caroline Quentin, Ian Kelsey, Paul Loughran, Nicholas Murchie, Belinda Everett. Not Rated

Buffalo Bill

This episode of the PBS series, The American Experience, explore how William “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s legendary exploits helped create a myth that endures even today. Features the life of the master showman who became part of American history. (2008) Not Rated

Cover Her Face

Scotland Yard’s Adam Dalgliesh investigates the murder of a drug dealer found dead in the basement of a book club.  Mysterious deaths occur, and the detective must deal with a multitude of suspects, evasive answers, and his growing attraction to Deborah Riscoe.  Cast: Roy Marsden, Phyllis Calvert, Bill Fraser, Julian Glover, Mel Martin, Rupert Frazer. Based on the book by P.D. James. (1987) Not Rated

Everest

Based on the true story of the first Canadians to ever make it to the top of the world’s tallest and most historic peak. Cast: Eric Johnson, John Pyper-Ferguson, Jason Priestley, William Shatner. (2007) Rated PG-13

400 Years of the Telescope

This PBS documentary features interviews with leading astrophysicists and cosmologists from the world’s renowned universities and observatories, who explain concepts ranging from Galileo’s act of revealing the cosmos with a simple telescope, to the latest discoveries in space, including startling new ideas about life on other planets and dark energy – a mysterious vacuum energy that is accelerating the expansion of the universe. Originally broadcast on PBS on 2008.  Not Rated

Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes

This episode of the PBS series American Masters, is a freeform and intimate look at the private man in the public spotlight goes behind the scenes of America’s most popular radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, and inside the imagination of the man who created it. (2009)  Not Rated

Grey Gardens

Based on the life stories of the eccentric aunt and first cousin of Jackie Kennedy, this HBO drama tells the tender, intimate story of an eccentric mother and daughter.Cast: Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, Daniel Baldwin, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ken Howard. Not Rated

High Hopes

Low-budget, cerebral British black comedy/drama about conflicts between yuppies and socialists in 1980s England. Fans of non-mainstream, slice-of-life, thought-provoking films enjoy its sharp dissection of the British class system. Cast: Philip Davis, David Bamber, Ruth Sheen, Edna Dore, Lesley Manville, Philip Jackson, Hether Tobias (1989) Rated PG

Influenza 1918

This episode of the PBS series, The American Experience, examines the influenza pandemic that broke out in 1918 and that within two years killed 30 million people. Epidemiologists discuss the odds of such a plague occurring again. (1998) Not Rated

Into Thin Air

This made for TV movie attempts to re-create the disastrous events that took place during the Mount Everest climb on May 10, 1996. Cast: Peter Horton, Nat Parker, Richard Jenkins, Christopher McDonald. Based on Jon Krakauer’s best selling book. (1997) Not Rated

Jazz & Swing Greats: Live from Lincoln Center

One amazing night in 1972, the greats of swing – Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Bennie Goodman – came together at New York’s Philharmonic Hall for a jazz blowout. Joined by Dizzy Gillespie, hosted by Doc Severinson, these jazz pioneers reveled in the numbers with which they had changed the face of popular music more than thirty years before. (1972) Not Rated

King Lear

Proposing to divide his vast kingdom amongst his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cornelia, Lear devises a test for his offspring to convince him of their suitability and compassion for rule. Goneril and Regan’s true colors emerge, they uncover a vast conspiracy of greed and cruelty within the once loyal dynasty. Cast: Ian McKellen, Frances Barber, Monica Dolan, Romola Garai, Jonathan Hyde, Seymour Matthews, William Gaunt, Sylvester McCoy, Philip Winchester. Originally broadcast on PBS’s Great Performances in 2008. Not Rated

The Longest Day

The complete story of the D-Day landings at Normandy through the eyes of all its participants. Cast: John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Rod Steiger, Richard Todd, Richard Burton, Robert Wagner, Eddie Albert, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Peter Lawford, Mel Ferrer, Paul Anka, Stuart Whitman, Edmond O’Brien, Curt Jürgens. Based on the book by Cornelius Ryan. (1962) Rated G

Mad Men: Season Two

A continuing look at the Sterling Cooper advertising agency and the lives of the people who work there. Cast: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones, John Slattery. Originally broadcast on AMC in 2008.  Not Rated

Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in The Whirlwind

Originally broadcast as an episode of PBS series, The American Experience, this documentary uses a wealth of archival film, photographs and documents to uncover the story of this Jamaican immigrant who between 1916 and 1921 built the largest black mass movement in world history. Also features interviews with people who witnessed the Garvey movement first hand. (2001) Not Rated

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy about the king and queen of the fairies and the two couples brought together by their celestial matchmaking. Cast: Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci, Christian Bale, Sophie Marceau, David Strathairn. (1999) Rated PG-13

My Life

A high-powered executive, diagnosed with terminal cancer, begins filming a home movie in which he teaches his unborn son all the things a man must know: how to shave, how to slam dunk, and most of all, how to love. Cast: Michael Keaton, Nicole Kidman. (1993) Rated PG-13

Othello

In this dramatization of William Shakespeare’s tragedy a great man’s vanity is manipulated by a jealous aide to bring about his downfall. Betrayal, deception and murder end the friendship between Othello and Iago and culminate in the tragic death of Desdemona. Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Irene Jacob, Kenneth Branagh. (1995) Rated R

Patton

The Academy Award-winning dramatization of the experiences of General George S. Patton during World War II. Based on “Patton: Ordeal and Triumph” by Ladislas Farago and “A Soldier’s Story” by Omar N. Bradley. Cast: George C. Scott, Karl Malden. (1970) Rated PG

Power Yoga

Kristin McGee presents her special blend of power yoga with this intense fitness program. Building on the yoga lessons she taught on MTV, McGee combines aerobics with soul-centering moves all accompanied by an energizing workout.

Psycho

In this Alfred Hitchcock horror film, a secretary steals money from her boss and leaves town. On the road, she checks into the Bates Motel, run by a nice young man and his mother. Cast: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Janet Leigh. (1960) Rated R

Pygmalion

Professor Henry Higgins works to make a pretty flower girl into a young lady of society. Cast: Wendy Hiller, Leslie Howard, Wilfred Lawson, Marie Lohr, Scott Sunderland. Based on the play by George Bernard Shaw. (1938) Not Rated

Spellbound

In this Alfred Hitchcock film, a psychologist falls for a suspect in a murder, which she tries to solve by unlocking the clues hidden in his mind. Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll, Rhonda Fleming, John Emery. (1945) Not Rated

Summer of Love

David Ogden Stiers narrates this episode of the PBS series, The American Experience.  It offers a look into the hippie revolution in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district during the summer of 1967, and how the free love and music turned into a life of drug use, violence, and broken dreams. (2007) Not Rated

Swann in Love

Set in Paris in the 1890s, Swann falls in love with a young courtesan, and soon finds himself tormented by his unrelenting sexual desire. Cast: Jeremy Irons, Alain Delon, Ornella Muti, Fanny Ardant, Marie-Christine Barrault, Anne Bennent, Nathalie Juvet. Based on the novel by Marcel Proust. (1984) In French, English subtitles. Not Rated

The Taming of the Shrew

A lavish screen production of the classic Shakespearean play, with Taylor starring as the wealthy Katharina and Burton as the Petruchio who tries to subdue her. Cast: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael York, Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern, Alfred Lynch, Alan Webb, Victor Spinetti, Natasha Pyne. (1967) Not Rated

Twelve O’clock High

A heroic American bomber group, based in England during WWII, is overworked and overstressed. Their empathetic leader is replaced by a severe general who begins to identify with the young fliers.  Cast: Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill.  (1949)  Not Rated

Twice upon a Yesterday

When a man tries to stop his ex-girlfriend from marrying someone else, he is magically given an opportunity to turn back the clock and correct a past mistake. Cast: Lena Headey, Douglas Henshall, Penelope Cruz, Gustavo Salmeron, Eusebio Lazaro, Mark Strong, Charlotte Coleman, Neil Stuke, Elizabeth McGovern. (1999) Rated R

Waterland

A history teacher, Tom Crick, inspires his students to embrace the past and discover the marvels and mysteries of life. Through many extraordinary stories, he takes them on an unforgettable journey into the past that changes their lives forever. Cast: Jeremy Irons, Ethan Hawke, Sinead Cusack, Cara Buono, Grant Warnock, Lena Headey, Peter Postlethwaite, David Morrissey, John Heard. (1992) Rated R

Wildfire: Season Two

Change comes to Kris Furillo and everyone at the Raintree Ranch. A near win at the Sandpiper Race puts Kris and Wildfire in the limelight, but how will she adjust to fame and how will it affect those closest to her? Cast: Genevieve Cortese, Nicole Tubiola, Nana Visitor, Greg Serano, Micah Alberti, Andrew Hoeft, Ryan Sypek. Originally broadcast on television in 2006. Not Rated

Yoga: Total Body Makeover

Alanna Zabel presents traditional, flowing yoga routines moving through sequences that target specific body parts and muscle groups. Begins with a simple warm-up and moves to lower body to lift and tighten buns, thighs and hips. Next is the sculpting arm and upper body sequence, followed by a middle-whittling core segment, finishing with a total body stretch.

More New DVDs: TV Series and Feature Length Films – June 2009

Admissions

Charming 17-year-old, Evie rebelliously sabotages her interviews at prestigious colleges. To hide her deception, Evie lies about her savant sister’s poetry writing, setting off a chain of events which include the revelation of a long buried secret. Cast: Lauren Ambrose, Amy Madigan, Christopher Lloyd, Fran Kranz, Taylor Roberts, John Savage. (2004) Rated PG

The Affair of the Necklace

In pre-Revolutionary France, a young aristocratic woman left penniless by the political unrest in the country, must avenge her family’s fall from grace by scheming to steal a priceless necklace. Cast: Hilary Swank, Jonathan Pryce, Simon Baker, Adrien Brody, Brian Cox, Joely Richardson, Christopher Walken. (2001) Rated R

The Age of Innocence

Society scion Newland Archer is engaged to May Welland, but his well-ordered life is upset when he meets May’s unconventional cousin. Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder. Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. (1993) Rated PG

Around the World in 80 Treasures

Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank embarks on a five-month, 34-country world tour visiting his selection of the 80 greatest buildings, artworks, and other man-made treasures that define human civilization. Originally broadcast on BBC in 2005. Not Rated

Barefoot in the Park

A young, newly wed couple set up housekeeping in an attic apartment near Central Park in New York City. Cast: Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Charles Boyer, Mildred Natwick. Based on the play by Neil Simon. (1967) Not Rated

Bones: Season Three

A brilliant but cynical forensic anthropologist and an ambitious FBI agent partner up to solve some of the most baffling and bizarre crimes ever. Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne, Eric Millegan, Tamara Taylor. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season. Not rated.

Burn Notice: Season Two

A former spy uses his special ops training to help others in trouble. Cast: Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar.  Not Rated

Criminal Minds: SeasonThree

Agent David Rossi, the Behavioral Analysis Unit’s most prominent agent and founding member, returns to help the team solve cases while taking care of some unfinished business. Cast: Joe Mantegna, Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, Lola Glaudini, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Paget Brewster.  Originally broadcast on CBS during the 2007-2008 season. Not Rated

Da Vinci’s Inquest: Season One

Working with police and pathologists while fighting bureaucratic resistance, Vancouver city coroner Dominic Da Vinci relies on high-tech forensic science and old-fashioned shoe leather to illuminate the murky world in which men and women commit murder. Cast: Nicholas Campbell. Originally broadcast on television during the 1998-1999 season. Not Rated

Da Vinci’s Inquest: Season Two

This crime drama series follows the adventures of Dominic Da Vinci, coroner of Vancouver, British Columbia, as he investigates suspicious deaths along side the police. Cast: Nicholas Campbell, Ian Tracey, Donnelly Rhodes, Venus Terzo, Sarah Strange. (1998-1990) Not Rated

Da Vinci’s Inquest: Season Three

Follows the adventures of Dominic Da Vinci, coroner of Vancouver, British Columbia, as he investigates suspicious deaths along side the police. Cast: Nicholas Campbell, Suleka Mathew, Sara-Jane Redmond, Donnelly Rhodes, Venus Terzo, Ian Tracey, Gwynyth Walsh, Robert Wisden. Originally broadcast on television 1999-2000. Not Rated

Daniel’s Daughter

A successful New York magazine editor begins to question the life she thought she wanted when she goes back to her hometown to spread her estranged father’s ashes. Cast: Laura Leighton, Sebastian Spence.  (2008)  Not Rated

Dead Like Me: Life After Death

Set two years after the critically acclaimed Showtime series ended, the undead reapers are introduced to their new boss, Cameron Kane, whose new agenda creates disorder within the reaper clan. Cast: Ellen Muth, Callum Blue, Sarah Wynter, Jasmine Guy, Britt McKillip, Christine Willes, Cynthia Stevenson, Henry Ian Cusick. Based on the characters created by Bryan Fuller. 2007. Rated R

Enchanted April

Two upstanding married Englishwomen rent an Italian villa to get away from it all. At the same time, they’re joined by a less-restrained, younger woman who quickly has them re-thinking their lives. Cast: Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Polly Walker, Joan Plowright, Alfred Molina, Michael Kitchen, Jim Broadbent. Based on the novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. (1992) Rated PG

Ethan Frome

The story of a man torn between his joyless marriage to one woman and his lustful desire for another. Cast: Liam Neeson, Patricia Arquette, Joan Allen, Tate Donovan, Katharine Houghton. Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. (1993) Rated PG.

Every Picture Tells a Story

U.K. art critic Waldemar Januszczak hosts a fascinating series that answers some of the most enduring questions in art history. Includes eight great paintings, such as Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson. Originally broadcasted on television in 2003.  Not Rated

The Grapes of Wrath

The story of the Joad family and their migration to California from their dust-bowl farm in Oklahoma during the Depression. Based on the novel by John Steinbeck. Cast: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon, John Carradine. (1940) Not Rated

The Great Gatsby

In 1920s Long Island, a mysterious American millionaire’s efforts to recapture the sweetheart of his youth result in tragedy. Cast: Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Bruce Dern, Karen Black, Scott Wilson, Sam Waterston, Lois Chiles, Howard Da Silva, Roberts Blossom. Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. (1974) Rated PG

Grey’s Anatomy: Season Four

Centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors. Love, lies, and family ties are revealed as the surgeons of Seattle Grace discover that their choices have major unintended consequences. Cast: Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Patrick Dempsey, Kate Walsh, Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season. Rated TV-14

The House of Mirth

The glittering yet treacherous world of New York high society comes to life in the heartbreaking story of Lily Bart, a renowned beauty of exquisite charm who seeks a wealthy husband but winds up disgraced and discarded. Cast: Gillian Anderson, Dan Aykroyd, Eric Stoltz, Anthony LaPaglia.  Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. (2000) Rated PG

Jam: The Seven Year Saga of the American Roller Derby League

Diagnosed HIV positive in 1983, Tim Patten believes his passion for Roller Derby is now the thing that keeps him alive. He invests his life savings into creating the American Roller Derby League as an attempt to make the sport a national sensation again. (2006) Not Rated

Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring

Based on the books by Marcel Pagnol. Side A. Jean de Florette: A man inherits a farm from his mother, but his powerful neighbor plots to steal it from him. Side B. Manon of the Spring: 10 years after his death, Jean’s daughter finds out about their neighbor’s treachery, and determines to take revenge. In French, English subtitles. Cast: Jean de Florette: Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil. Manon of the spring: Yves Montand, Emmanuelle Beart, and Daniel Auteuill. (1987) Rated PG

Kiss Me Goodbye

The spooky fun begins when Kay Villano is one week away from marrying the serious Dr. Rupert Baines and an uninvited guest appears on the scene; the ghost of Kay’s dead, but oh so debonair, husband Jolly. Cast: Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges, Paul Dooley, Claire Trevor. (1982) Rated PG

The Note

Following a tragic plane crash, newspaper columnist Peyton MacGruder discovers a note that was from one of the passengers onboard. She sets on a quest to find the person for whom it was intended, and discovers the life it will change is her own. Cast: Genie Francis, Ted McGinley. Based on the novel by Angela Hunt. (2007) Not Rated

The Note II

Haunted by past mistakes, Peyton hesitates to take the next step with the man she loves. But a note from a reader warns about the regret caused by passion denied.  Cast: Genie Francis, Ted McGinley, Katie Boland, Kate Trotter, John Bourgeois, Genelle Williams, Maria Ricossa, John Bregar. Based upon the characters from the novel The Note by Angela Hunt. A Hallmark Channel original movie.  Not Rated

Of Mice and Men

In Depression-era California, two migrant workers dream of better days on a spread of their own until an act of unintentional violence leads to tragic consequences. Cast: John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Casey Siemaszko, Ray Walston, Sherilyn Fenn. Based on the novel by John Steinbeck. (1992) Rated PG-13

Rob Roy

The story of the heroic Scottish Highlander who fought for family and country against the evil machinations of the British aristocracy in the 1700s. Cast: Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, Brian Cox. (1995) Rated R

Sunday in the Park with George

A splendidly filmed performance of Sondheim’s musical about artist George Seurat. Features Sondheim’s usual compositional brilliance, offering discourse on live, love, and art. A must-see for musical theatre fans. Cast: Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patankin. (1986) Not Rated

Sunset Park

Teacher Phyllis Saroka takes the job as coach of the boys’ basketball team. Entirely unqualified, she’s only interested in an extra paycheck, until she starts to see the kids inside the players and decides to help them learn to win. Cast: Rhea Perlman, Fredro Starr, Carol Kane, Terrence DaShon Howard. (1996) Rated R

Trial and Retribution: Set 1

Follow the detailed investigations of two very different police officers thrown together by a series of gruesome crimes ranging from baffling murders to terrifying abductions. Cast: David Hayman, Kate Buffery.  Broadcast on British televivion 1997-2000. Not Rated

Ugly Betty: The Complete First Season

Betty isn’t like any of her coworkers at Mode, a high-fashion magazine. She’s smart, sweet, and hardworking, but she’s not thin and beautiful. As the publisher’s son’s secretary, she earns his respect as she guides him through the world of fashion. Cast: America Ferrera, Eric Mabius.  (2006) Rated TV-14

Ugly Betty: The Complete Second Season

Betty Suarez is smart, sweet and hard working. The only problem is that she’s not thin and beautiful like all her co-workers at Mode, the high-fashion magazine where she works. The only reason the publisher hired her to be his son’s secretary is that he thought Betty was someone who Daniel would never sleep with. Betty’s hard work and determination earns Daniel’s respect as she helps him find his way through the shark infested waters of the fashion industry. Cast: America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Vanessa L. Williams, Alan Dale, Rebecca Romijn, Judith Light, Becki Newton, Ana Ortiz, Michael Urie, Mark Indelicato, Freddy Rodriguez. Rated TV-14

We Shall Remain

This American Experience series was broadcast on PBS in 2009.  The five documentaries span three hundred years tell the story of pivotal moments in U.S. history from the Native American perspective, upending two-dimensional stereotypes of American Indians as simply ferocious warriors or peaceable lovers of the land.  Narrated by Benjamin Bratt.

Wildfire: Season Three

This ABC Family series centers on the world of horse racing and a young girl named Kris Furillo who, after serving time in a juvenile detention facility, works as a stablehand and later a jockey at Raintree Farm. While at Raintree, Kris finds romance and competition with Raintree’s rivals, the prestigious Davis Farm, all while rising to stardom in the racing world. Cast: Genevieve Cortese, Micah Alberti, Ryan Sypek, Nicole Tubiola, Greg Serano. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season. Not Rated

TV Series and Feature Length Films on DVD – February 2009

Avalon

The story of several generations of a family, from the arrival of immigrant Sam Krichinsky in the suburb of Baltimore called Avalon, down through his children and grandchildren. The family goes from poverty to prosperity and the world changes around them, but their love and humor hold the family together. Cast: Armin Mueller-Stahl, Elizabeth Perkins, Joan Plowright, Aidan Quinn, Leo Fuchs, Eve Gordon, Lou Jacobi, Kevin Pollak, Israel Rubinek. (1990)  Rated PG.

 

Beulah Land

This mini-series centers around the Kendrick family, owners of Beulah Land, and those connected to the plantation by history and fate. It follows Beulah Land from its height of splendor through its destruction in the Civil War and to its rebuilding. Cast: Leslie Ann Warren, Michael Sarrazin, Eddie Albert, Hope Lange, Paul Rudd. Based on the novel by Lonnie Coleman. (1980) Not rated

 

Buffalo Soldiers

A fact-based story about the all-black U.S. Cavalry Troop H, which protected the Western territories in post-Civil War times. The story focuses on the troops’ attempts to capture an Apache warrior, Vittorio, who slaughters the settlers in New Mexico. The film examines the racial tensions that existed between the black soldiers and some of the white soldiers, and the truths about the Indian invaders. Cast: Danny Glover, Bob Gunton, Carl Lumbly, Glynn Turman, Mykelti Williamson. (Made for TV 1997)  Rated G.

 

The Cheap Detective

Neil Simon wrote this tale of a worldly, cynical gumshoe who takes on San Francisco, thugs, crooks, Nazis, femme fatales and the Golden Gate Bridge in this tribute to Bogie and the Hammett/Chandler school of hard-boiled detectives. Cast: Peter Falk, Ann-Margret, Eileen Brennan, Sid Caesar, Stockard Channing, James Coco, Dom DeLuise, Abe Vigoda, Paul Williams, Nicol Williamson. (1978) Rated PG

 

Hanover Street

An American bomber pilot falls in love with a British nurse, and then must escort her husband on a mission behind enemy lines. Cast: Harrison Ford, Lesley-Anne Down, Christopher Plummer, Alec McCowen, Richard Masur, Michael Sacks. (1979) Rated PG

In His Father’s Shoes

After his father’s death a young boy is able to travel back in time wearing his father’s shoes and learns of his father’s childhood. Cast: Louis Gossett Jr., Robert Richard, Barbara Eve Harris. (1997) Rated PG

Jakob the Liar

In Nazi-occupied Poland a poor Jewish cafe owner invents fictitious news bulletins about Allied advances against the Nazis. These lies keep hope and humor alive among the ghetto inhabitants. Cast: Robin Williams, Alan Arkin, Michael Jeter, Armin Mueller0Stahl, Liev Schreiber, Bob Balaban. (2000) Rated PG-13.

 

 

Lovejoy: the Complete First Season

Lovejoy, an antiques dealer and part-time detective, scours the murky salesrooms, auction halls and stately homes of Britain, always on the lookout for a find. And if the antiques business isn’t exciting enough, Lovejoy has a particular weakness for a good sob story or a pretty face, either of which is enough to send him off in pursuit of villains and to help victims recover their property. Whether it’s a priceless old master or a pretty young lady, his love of beauty is sure to land him in trouble wherever he goes. Cast: Ian McShane, Phyllis Logan, Dudley Sutton, Chris Jury.  Note Originally broadcast on BBC television in 1986. Not Rated

 

Miss Evers’ Boys

In 1932, Nurse Eunice Evers is invited to work with doctors on the “Tuskegee Experiment” to study the effects of syphilis. She is faced with a terrible dilemma when she learns the patients are denied treatment that could cure them. Cast: Alfre Woodard, Laurence Fishburne, Craig Sheffer, Joe Morton, Obba Babatundé, E.G. Marshall, Ossie Davis. Based on the play by David Feldshuh. (1997) Rated PG

 

Mississippi Masala

In this exotic and erotic interracial love story, an African American businessman falls for a beautiful Indian immigrant, only to encounter shock and outrage from both families. Cast: Denzel Washington, Roshan Seth, Sarita Choudhury, Charles S. Dutton, Joe Seneca, Sharmila Tagore, Ranjit Chowdhry. (1991) Rated R

 

 

The Mists of Avalon

Follows the women of Avalon from their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies in the battle between Christianity and Paganism that threatens to bring down Arthur’s kingdom. Cast: Anjelica Huston, Julianna Margulies, Joan Allen, Samantha Mathis, Caroline Goodall, Edward Atterton, Michael Vartan, Michael Byrne, Hans Matheson. Based on the novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
(2001) Not Rated

 

Nightjohn

The story of a young slave girl and the man who, at great risk to each other, teaches her to read, opening up a whole new world for her. Cast: Beau Bridges, Carl Lumbly, Lorraine Toussaint, Bill Cobbs, Kathleen York, Gabriel Casseus, Tom Nowicki, Joel Thomas Traywick, Allison Jones. Based on the book by Gary Paulsen. (1996)  Rated PG-13

 

Race to Freedom

The story of four slaves who escape from a cotton plantation in the South and travel along a clandestine network of escape routes to freedom in Canada. Cast: Janet Bailey, Michael Riley, Dawnn Lewis, Ron White, Glynn Turman, Courtney B. Vance, Tim Reid. (1994)  Not Rated

 

 

Robin Hood: Season One

Robin of Locksley heads home from the Crusades to find his people starving and brutalized under the tyrannical rule of the new Sheriff. Along with trusty companion Much, trickster Allan A. Dale and passionate Will Scarlett, Robin teams up with forest outlaws Little John and Roy, leading his gang to help Nottingham’s poor. Robin’s ally in Nottingham is Marian, the sweetheart he left behind when he left for the Crusades. The state of England is rotten and Robin and the gang will learn that doing good deeds in Nottingham is a dangerous business indeed. Cast: Jonas Armstrong, Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage, Keith Allen, Sam Troughton, Gordon Kennedy, Harry Lloyd, Joe Armstrong, Anjali Jay, Michael Elwyn, William Beck. (2006) Not Rated

 

Robin Hood: Season Two

The world is changing rapidly. The Sheriff of Nottingham has forged a pact with the black knights to kill King Richard. But first, the sheriff wants Robin dead more than ever and sets about catching him with the help of his sister and others. Marian and Edward are placed under house arrest in the castle after Gisborne burns their home to the ground. Now with Marian as castle spy, Robin and his gang can continue to help the people of Nottingham and stay one step ahead of the sheriff and Gisborne. As events begin to turn in favor of the sheriff, suspicion of a spy within Robin’s gang becomes evident. Could this change the dynamic of the gang or tear them apart for good? Cast: Jonas Armstrong, Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage, Keith Allen, Sam Troughton, Gordon Kennedy, Harry Lloyd, Joe Armstrong, Anjali Jay, Michael Elwyn. Originally broadcast on BBC television in 2007. Not Rated

 

Selma Lord Selma

Set in 1965, during the turbulent early days of the right-to-vote movement. The story of a young schoolgirl in Selma, Alabama, who is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to resist the degradation that her fellow African-Americans are suffering. Based on the book by Sheyann Webb and Rachel West Nelson. Cast: Mackenzie Astin, Jurnee Smollett, Clifton Powell. (1999) Rated TV-PG

 

Ten Days that Unexpectedly Changed America

Ten acclaimed documentary filmmakers offer a fresh, compelling look at 10 pivotal moments in American history and their often unforeseen repercussions. Episodes include: Massacre at Mystic; Shays’ Rebellion, America’s First Civil War; Gold Rush; Antietam; The Homestead Strike; Murder at the Fair, the Assassination of President McKinley; Scopes, the Battle over America’s Soul; Einstein’s Letter; When America Was Rocked; Freedom Summer. Narrators, Jeffrey Wright, Martin Sheen, Terry Kinney, Campbell Scott, Joe Morton. Originally Broadcast on The History Channel. (2006) Not Rated

 

The Trouble with Angels

Two mischievous students turn convent school upside down with their pranks. Their graduation is both a relief and a celebration for the Mother Superior. Cast: Rosalind Russell, Hayley Mills, June Harding, Binnie Barnes, Gypsy Rose Lee, Camilla Sparv, Mary Wickes, Jim Boles. (1966) Rated PG

The Tuskegee Airmen

A history of the pilots who faced discrimination in their effort to fly combat aircraft for their country during World War II. Originally broadcast on PBS in 2003.  Narrator, Ossie Davis. Not Rated

 

The Vicar of Dibley: The Immaculate Collection

The sleepy English village of Dibley is plunged into an uproar when its new vicar turns out to be a woman. And not just any woman, but the unconventional Geraldine Granger who brings her own earthy spirit and humor to the pulpit. Cast: Dawn French, Gary Waldhorn, James Fleet, Emma Chambers, Liz Smith, John Bluthal, Trevor Peacock, Roger Lloyd Pack, Richard Armitage. Originally broadcast by BBC1 1994-2000. Not Rated

 

Where Angels Go…Trouble Follows

Comedic drama centering around nuns in a convent and the conflict between the traditional, rigid values of the Roman Catholic church and the liberalism of the 1960s. Cast: Rosalind Russell, Stella Stevens, Binnie Barnes, Susan St. James, Mary Wickes, Dolores Sutton, Milton Berle, Arthur Godfrey, Van Johnson, Robert Taylor. Sequel to The trouble with Angels. (1968) Rated G

 

Words by Heart

A drama focused on the hardships endured by a black family living in the Midwest in the 20th century. With social progress still decades away, the family experiences open prejudice nearly everywhere they turn. Cast: Charlotte Rae, Robert Hooks, Alfre Woodard, Fran Robinson, Leo Geter, Rance Howard, Bobby Jacoby, Bill Zuckert. Based on the book by Ovida Sebestyen. (1988) Not Rated

TV Series, Nonfiction and Feature Length Films on DVD – January 2009

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series 4

The true-life adventures of veterinarian James Herriot in rural England. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham and John McGlynn. Based on the books by James Herriot. Not Rated.

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series Six

The heart-warming tales of James Herriot, his wife Helen and his volatile but warm-hearted partner, Siegfried Farnon continues. Based on James Herriot’s popular autobiographical books. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham. Not Rated

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series 7

The true-life adventures of veterinarian James Herriot in rural England. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham and John McGlynn. Based on the books by James Herriot. Not Rated.

Another Country

An elderly, exiled British spy remembers his days at an English boarding school in the 1930s. In school, he fell in love with a male classmate, explored his homosexuality and was exposed to Marxist ideas, both contributing to his activities as a spy. Cast: Cary Elwes, Colin Firth, Rupert Everett. (1984) Not Rated

A Bridge too Far

A dramatization of the 1944 Battle of Arnhem, tracing the failed Operation Market Garden in which Allied soldiers struggled to disable the German forces from behind enemy lines in Holland. Cast: Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Kruger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O’Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell, Liv Ullmann. Based on the book by Cornelius Ryan. (1977) Rated PG

Champagne Charlie

Founder of the greatest Champagne dynasties of the world, Charles Heidsieck falls in love with Southern belle Pauline. Cast: Hugh Grant, Megan Gallagher, Megan Follows. Based on the book by Joseph Henriot. (1989) Not Rated

The Decades Collection 1900 -1909

The dawn of the 20th century brought with it stunning new technology–technology that would change the world–and public personalities that were larger than life. Relive the heady days at the birth of the modern age, and discover its more sobering moments, with this exceptional compilation of documentaries. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Murder at the Fair: the Assassination of President McKinley : September 6, 1901 (10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America) ; The Panama Canal (Modern Marvels) ; Theodore Roosevelt: Roughrider to Rushmore (Biography) ; The Technology of Kitty Hawk (Modern Marvels) — Disc 2: San Francisco Earthquake (Mega Disasters) — The Model T (Automobiles)

The Decades Collection 1910 – 1919

In the teens, a nation still recovering from its own growing pains was thrust onto the world stage and began its rise to the status of superpower. In this collection you’ll discover the genesis of World War I and the reality of life in the trenches; walk the decks of the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic; witness the demise of a 300-year dynasty; and experience much more of this formative decade. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: WWI: the Death of Glory ; World War I (Foot Soldier); Secrets of the Romanovs (Ancient Mysteries) — Disc 2: Titanic: 90 Years Below; Albert Einstein (Biography) ; Vladimir Ilyich Lenin: Voice of the Revolution (Biography) ; Titanic Tech (Modern Marvels)

The Decades Collection 1920 – 1929

Following a decade of worldwide terror and deprivation, the Roaring Twenties were a swinging time of flappers, bathtub gin and high spirits. It was an exhilarating period when we could achieve anything, from flying across oceans, to discovering the mysteries of the past, to unlocking the secrets of life itself. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Rumrunners, Moonshiners, and Bootleggers; Ku Klux Klan: a Secret History — Disc 2: Charles Lindbergh: against the Wind (Biography) ; Howard Carter: Triumph and Treasure (Biography) ; The Monkey Trial (In Search of History) ; F. Scott Fitzgerald: the Great American Dreamer (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1930 – 1939

Today we are still feeling the effects of the Great Depression and Prohibition. The 30s, with its gangsters and work projects, breadlines and escapist pursuits (superhero comics, color movies, thoroughbred racing) was a formative period for our country. With mounting global tensions and domestic despair, the roar of the 20s faded quickly. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: The Great Depression: Part 1: The Great Shake-up ; Part 2: Face the Music ; Part 3: Striking Back ; Part 4: Desperate Measures — Disc 2: The True Story of Seabiscuit ; The Empire State Building (Modern Marvels) ; Al Capone: Scarface (Biography) ; Love & Death: the Story of Bonnie and Clyde (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1940 -1949

The forties dawned with Nazi forces in Poland. It was clear from the beginning that trouble lay ahead. This sweeping DVD presentation captures the figures that steered the globe through these turbulent waters, including Churchill, Roosevelt, Gandhi, Hirohito and others. It also offers matchless documentaries of the landmark moments of American involvement in WWII: Pear Harbor and D-Day. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Pacific: the Lost Evidence: Pearl Harbor; D-Day: the Lost Evidence; Churchill and the President (History Undercover) — Disc 2: Hirohito (Biography) ; Tokyo Rose: Victim of Propaganda (Biography) ; Evita: the Woman behind the Myth (Biography) ; Mahatma Ghandi: Pilgrim of Peace (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1950 – 1959

It was the age of hip-swingers, jet-fighters, and Ike-likers. It saw the end of the scourge of polio and the dawn of the scourge of McCarthyism. Much of what we nostalgically revere – the foundations of our pop culture – arose in the fifties. This DVD collection explores the boom-time of the post-war decade when the sky was the limit and the Cold War chilled the planet. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Korea: the Forgotten War (Parts 1 & 2) ; The Search for the Polio Vaccine (Modern Marvels) ; Eisenhower: Supreme Commander in Chief (Biography) — Disc 2: When America Was Rocked: September 9, 1956 (10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America) ; McCarthy Reconsidered (20th Century) ; Elizabeth: the Reluctant Monarch (Biography) ; The Hollywood Censorship Wars (Time Machine).

The Decades Collection 1960 – 1969

Depending on whom you ask, the sixties was all about love, civil rights, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, decadence, repression, or something else completely. It was many things to many people, and was, unquestionably, a turning point in our national experience. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Voices of Civil Rights (Save Our History) ; The JFK Assassination (Investigating History) ; Martin Luther King Jr: The Man and the Dream (Biography) ; Malcolm X (Biography) — Disc 2: October Fury (History Undercover) ; Apollo 11 (Modern Marvels) ; Bay of Pigs Declassified (History Undercover) ; Getting High: a History of LSD (History’s Mysteries).

The Decades Collection 1970 – 1979

Just outside the mesmerizing glint of the disco ball, the Seventies seem like a time of madness: war raged in Southeast Asia, America’s president was crooked, Olympic athletes were slain, cult members drank poisoned punch, and the Son of Sam stalked the night. It was, in retrospect, a terrifying time only slightly ameliorated by the distractions of a decadent nightlife culture and over-the-top pop icons. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Vietnam: a Soldier’s Diary (20th Century with Mike Wallace) ; Richard Nixon: Man and President (Biography) ; Revenge! (History Undercover) — Disc 2: David Berkowitz: Son of Sam (Biography) ; Ayatollah Khomeini: Holy Terror (Biography) ; Bruce Lee: the Immortal Dragon (Biography) ; Jim Jones: Journey into Madness (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1980 – 1989

The decade that gave us the “yuppie” was all about big business, big government and big changes. The balance in global dominance shifted as the superpowers – China, the USSR, the U.S., and England – realigned and either asserted themselves or faded away. Our world changed forever during these fateful ten years, and this captivating two-disc set clarifies the major events – and major players – that shaped our globe. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: The Iran-Contra Scandal (20th Century with Mike Wallace) ; Democracy Crushed: Tiananmen Square (20th century) ; Ronald Reagan: a Legacy Remembered — Disc 2: The Rise and Fall of the Wall (Declassified) ; The John Lennon Assassination (American Justice) ; Mikhail Gorbachev: a Man Who Changed the World — The Falklands Campaign (Greatest Raids).

The Decades Collection 1990 -1999

Still perfectly clear in the rear view mirror, the nineties loom in our collective memory. This revealing DVD collection remembers events eerily similar to our current situation: a war in Iraq, domestic terrorism, and deadly school shootings. The set also covers the touchstone trials of the decade, if not the century: O.J. Simpson and Bill Clinton. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Conspiracy: Oklahoma City Bombing; Columbine: Understanding Why (Investigative Reports) ; Attack at Waco (American Justice) ; 1993 World Trade Center Bombing (Minute by Minute) — Disc 2: Trial of O.J. Simpson: Anatomy of a Murder (20th Century) ; Desert Storm: the Ultimate War; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton (20th Century).

Gattaca

In a society ruled by a genetically elite overclass, Vincent is an “In-Valid,” who assumes the identity of an elite in order to travel into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation. A week before his mission, he is implicated in a murder and his cover slowly unravels under the scrutiny of an investigator and the woman he loves. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin, Jude Law, Loren Dean, Gore Vidal, Ernest Borgnine, Blair Underwood, Xander Berkley, Tony Shalhoub, Jayne Brook. (1997) Rated PG-13

A Gentleman’s Game

At twelve-years-old, Timmy shows the early promise of a champion in the making. When his father sends him to caddy at a local country club, he finds a world where privilege meets the working class. With the help of a golf teacher with a broken past, he learns more than just technique and sportsmanship. Cast: Mason Gamble, Dylan Baker, Philip Baker Hall, Gary Sinise, Justin Goncalves, Henry Simmons II, Linda Emond, David Zayas, Ellen Muth. Based on the novel by Tom Coyne. (2001) Rated R

Good Neighbors

A couple decides to live off the land of their suburban London home to the annoyance of their neighbors. Cast: Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Paul Eddington, and Penelope Keith. Originally broadcast on BBC-TV in 1975-1977. Not rated.

The Lords of Flatbush

A group of kids in 1950s Brooklyn form a gang and do everything together. While this makes things easier, they eventually have to face new problems. Cast: Perry King, Sylvester Stallone, Paul Mace, Henry Winkler, Susan Blakely, Renée Paris, Maria Smith. (1974) Rated PG

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Fourth Season

Join Mary and the rest of the crew from the WJM-TV newsroom for another season of the classic sitcom. This time around Mary deals with more adventures, both in the newsroom and with her romantic life. Cast: Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, Betty White, Cloris Leachman. Originally broadcast on television in 1973-1974.

Onegin

After inheriting his uncle’s country estate, playboy Evgeny Onegin travels there and meets a beautiful, passionate young girl, Tatyana. But their relationship sparks a series of events so horrifying they threaten to destroy everything the two have ever known. Based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin. Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Liv Tyler. (1998) Rated R

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Neal Page (Steve Martin) wants to fly home to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Del Griffith (John Candy) leads Page on a hilarious, cross-country, wild goose chase that keeps him from tasting his turkey. (1987) Rated R

Possession

A pair of literary sleuths unearth the amorous secret of two Victorian poets only to find themselves falling under a passionate spell. Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam, Jennifer Ehle, Lena Headey, Toby Stephens. Based on the novel by A.S. Byatt. (2002) Rated PG-13

The Presidents

This History Channel documentary is an eight-part survey of the personal lives and legacies of the remarkable men who have presided over the Oval Office. From George Washington to George W. Bush, series gathers together vivid snapshots of all 43 Commanders in Chief who have guided America throughout its history–their powerful personalities, weaknesses, and major achievements or historical insignificance. Based on the book To the Best of My Ability, edited by James McPherson. The set features rare and unseen photographs and footage, unexpected insight and trivia from journalists, scholars, and politicians such as Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, Wesley Clark, Bob Dole, and former President Jimmy Carter. Narrated by Edward Herrmann. Includes a feature-length Bonus Program “All The Presidents’ Wives”. Not Rated

The Prince of Tides

A disillusioned Southern coach reveals his tortured childhood in order to help his troubled, suicidal sister, and discovers the healing powers of love and forgiveness. Cast: Barbra Streisand, Nick Nolte, Blythe Danner, Kate Nelligan, Jeroen Krabbé, Melinda Dillon, Jason Gould. Based on the book by Pat Conroy. (1991) Rated R

Sally Hemings: an American Scandal

The story of the mulatto woman who had an affair with President Thomas Jefferson for nearly 40 years. Cast: Sam Neill, Carmen Ejogo, Mario Van Peebles, Mare Winningham, Diahann Carroll. (2000) Not Rated

The Tudors: Season 2

After failing to have his marriage to Katherine annulled, Henry appoints himself the head of the Church of England. Anne Boleyn insists that Henry remove the Queen from the picture. A royal visit to France finally prompts Anne to consummate her relationship with Henry. After failed attempts to have his marriage annulled, Henry’s patience finally wears out and he marries Anne in secret. The king and new queen are disappointed that their first child is a girl, whom they christen Elizabeth. Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Natalie Dormer, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Nick Dunning, James Frain, Jamie Thomas King, Hans Matheson, Peter O’Toole, Jeremy Northam. Showtime Production. Not Rated

New DVDs: TV Series and Feature Length Films – December 2008

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series One

In the mid-1930s, young James Herriot, fresh from veterinary school, arrives in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales to begin his career. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Carol Drinkwater. Based on the books by James Herriot. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1978.  Not Rated

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series Five

The BBC TV series continues with more of  the heart-warming tales of James Herriot, a country vet , his wife Helen  and his volatile but warm-hearted partner, Siegfried Farnon . The period is now the early Fifties, but the Dales are slow to embrace the world of tomorrow. Tristan has left the Ministry of Agriculture to return to the Darrowby practice. Even with Calum  on the team, the vets see little of the leisure that the modern age promises. Based on James Herriot’s popular autobiographical books. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham.  Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1988. Not Rated

Black  Adder: The Complete Collector’s Set

One of the best comedy series ever to emerge from England, Black Adder traces the deeply cynical and self-serving lineage of various Edmund Blackadders from the muck of the Middle Ages to the frontline of World War I. British comic actor Rowan Atkinson played all five versions of Edmund, beginning with the villainous and cowardly Duke of Edinburgh, whose scheming mind and awful haircut seem to stand him in good stead to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury–a deadly occupation if ever there was one. Among tales of royal dethronings, Black Death, witch smellers (who root out spell makers with their noses), and ghosts, Edmund is a perennial survivor who never quite gets ahead in multiple episodes. Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Patsy Byrne. Originally broadcast by BBC1 in 1983-1989.  Not Rated

Charlotte Gray

A 25-year-old Scottish woman cooperates with the French Resistance in hopes of rescuing her lover, a missing Royal Air Force pilot.  Cast: Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Michael Gambon, Rupert Penry Jones, Anton Lesser, James Fleet, Ron Cook. Based on the book by Sebastian Faulks.(2001) Rated PG-13.

First Knight

Sir Malagant declares war on King Arthur in hopes of gaining part of Camelot. In the meantime, Arthur’s young bride, Guenivere, has fallen in love with Lancelot, one of Arthur’s loyal knights. Cast: Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham, Christopher Villiers, Valentine Pelka, Colin McCormack, Ralph Ineson, John Gielgud. (1995)  Rated PG-13

The Gift

Annie has ‘the Gift’. Some fear her, others claim she’s a witch. But now, a murder has been committed and only she can solve it. On a twisted trail of open infidelity and jealous rage, she sees visions that will haunt her and discovers a truth that will tear the town apart. Cast: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Michael Jeter, Kim Dickens, Gary Cole, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank. Rated R. (2001)

The Green Berets

A Special Forces colonel leads his troops into battle against the Viet Cong. Cast: John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton, Aldo Ray, Raymond St. Jacques, Bruce Cabot, Jack Soo, George Takei, Patrick Wayne, Luke Askew, Irene Tsu. (1968) Rated G

The Horseman on the Roof

In 1832, an Italian revolutionary living in Provence is pursued by assassins. He takes refuge in a small town ravaged by a cholera epidemic, where he meets a mysterious and beautiful noblewoman. In French with English subtitles. Cast: Juliette Binoche, Olivier Martinez, Claudio Amendola, Pierre Arditi, Isabelle Carre, Francois Cluzet.  (1995)  Rated R.

Inside the Green Berets

This National Geographic production documents the daily lives and activities of the Green Berets assigned to a remote outpost in Afghanistan. Originally broadcast on television in 2007.

Radio Flyer

After their mother marries a child abuser, Mike decides to help Bobby escape by turning their Radio Flyer wagon into a magic rocket ship that will carry Bobby to safety. Cast: Elijah Wood, Lorraine Bracco, Joseph Mazzello, Adam Baldwin, John Heard. Narrated by Tom Hanks. (1992) Rated PG-13

State of Play

Stephen Collins is an ambitious politican. Cal McCaffrey is a well-respected investigative journalist and Stephen’s ex-campaign manager. En route to work on morning, Stephen’s research assistant mysteriously falls to her death on the London Underground. Rumors soon surface of an affair between Stephen and the assistant. Meanwhile, a suspected teenage drug dealer is shot to death. Revelation upon revelation pile up in the aftermath of these two seemingly unconnected events, ultimately bringing to light shady dealings between the government and major corporate powers. Friendships are tested and lives are put on the line as an intricate web of lies unfolds. Cast: David Morrissey, John Simm, Bill Nighy, Kelly MacDonald, James McAvoy. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 2003.  Not Rated

The Train Robbers

Three Civil War veterans team up with a train robber’s widow to recover a stash of gold. Cast: John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor, Ben Johnson, Christopher George, Bobby Vinton. (1972) Rated PG

Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone

Fitness Expert Leslie Sansone leads these two walking workouts: a One Mile Get Up and Get Started Walk and a Two Mile High Calorie Burn Walk.

Documentaries and Non-Fiction Films – November 2008

China from the Inside

A series of four PBS documentaries that survey China through Chinese eyes to see how history has shaped them, and where the present is taking them. Deals with the governance of China; talks about the past and future for Chinese women; looks at China’s environmental challenges; explores China’s conflict between personal freedom and governance.

Why Shakespeare?

A documentary film from the National Endowment for the Arts that examines the contemporary relevance of Shakespeare’s plays and the importance of live theater. Performers include: Christina Applegate, Ben Donenberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dana Giola, Tom Hanks, Bill Pullman, Michael Richards, William Shatner, Martin Sheen, Julie Taymore, Michael York. Not Rated