ITEMS DVD Descriptions

A Tale of Two Cities
HIS DVD0125B

Divine Intervention
HIS DVD0127

In this darkly comic masterpiece, Palestinian director Elia Suleiman utilizes irreverence, wit, mysticism and insight to craft an intense, hallucinogenic and extremely adept exploration of the dreams and nightmares of Palestinians and Israelis living in uncertain times. An Israeli checkpoint on the Nazareth-Ramallah road forces the couple to rendezvous in an adjacent parking lot. Their relationship and the absurd situations around them serve as metaphors for the lunacy of larger cultural problems. The result is a palpable rage that is both personal and political. 2002/92 minutes/not rated/color

Good Bye Lenin!
HIS DVD0128

This coming-of-age adventure blends the fall of Communism with the salient emotions of a family's love. Good Bye, Lenin! is a beautiful introduction to a whole new, free world. In 1989, Christiane Kerner has lost her husband and is completely devoted to the Socialist East German state. A heart attack leaves her in a coma, and when she awakens eight months later, the Berlin Wall has fallen and it's a whole new world. To protect her from the shock, her son alex hatches a plan to keep her in the dark. Rated: R / Approx. 121 Mins. / Color / Language: German / Subtitles: English

Forget Baghdad
HIS DVD0153

Forget Baghdad offers a rare glimpse into a commnity which is little known but extremely imporant in light of the current Middle East crisis. Those known as "Sephardis," "Mizrahim" or "Arab Jews" - that is, people of Jewish religion and Arab culture - have long found themselves caught between warring worldviews. Uprooted virtually overnight at the founding of the modern Israeli state, many Sephardis lost first their homeland and then, with the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, their very cultural identity. At a moment when the United States remains at war in Iraq and when peace in the Middle East seems more and more out of reach, this especially timely documentary offers a much-needed glimmer of sanity and hope. Color / In English, Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles / 112 minutes

Shoah
HIS DVD0157

SHOAH is a magical film about the most barbaric act of the 20th century. Previous commentaries on the Holocaust, with its ravished skeletons and corpses, have left us shaken, but now for the first time, we experience it in our heads, in our flesh. Claude Lanzmann spent eleven years spanning the globe for surviving camp inmates, SS commandants, and eyewitnesses of the Final Solution- the Nazi's effort to systematically exterminate human beings. Without dramatic enactment or archival footage, but with extraordinary testimonies, SHOAH renders the step-by-step machinery of extermination: the minutiae of timetables and finances, the logistics of herding victims into the gas chambers and disposing of the corpses afterward, the bureaucratic procedures which expedited the killing of millions of people without mentioning the words "killing" or "people". Through haunted landscapes and human voice, the past comes brilliantly alive. SHOAH is a work of genious, a heroic endeavor to humanize the inhuman, to tell the untellable. It is an immensly disturbing, even shattering experience, yet in its solemnity and beauty not a morbid or disheartening one. There are few works of art which leave one with such a deep appreciation for the preciousness and meaning of life. Special Features: Director's Bio, Scene Selections, & Bilingual Menus 9 hours 26 minutes/color/English, French, Polish, German, Hebrew, Yiddish and Italian with optional English or French subtitles

NOSFERATU: A Symphony of Horror
HIS DVD0158

A long time ago in middle Europe, a decrepit, forbidding castle stood...Casting an ominous shadow over the townspeople who dare not look upon it, the unholy dwelling is home to one Count Orlok (Max Schreck), an undead night creature with a taste for human blood. Into this picutre steps Hutter, an unwary traveler who visits the Count. He carries with him the deed for a property Orlok wishes to buy in Hutter's home town of Wisborg. That night, in preparation for the long sea voyage ahead, the vampire hastily loads his coffin aboard ship and waits... Once at sea, Orlok bares his fangs and, upon arrival is Wisborg, leaves behind a floating morgue. Now, preparing to feast on the citizens, the cadaverous Count prowls the darkness as the eerie NOSFERATU. B & W with Color Tints / 81 minutes / Not Rated

Shoah
HIS DVD0159

A magical film about the most barbaric act of the 20th century. Previous commentaries on the Holocaust, with its ravished skeletons and corpses, have left us shaken, but now for the first time, we experience it in our heads, in our flesh. Claude Lanzmann spent eleven years spanning the globe for surviving camp inmates, SS commandants, and eyewitnesses of the Final Solution the Nazis effort to systematically exterminate human beings, without dramatic enactment or archival footage, but with extraordinary testimonies, Shoah renders the step by step machinery of extermination: the minutiae of timetables and finances the logistics of herding victims into the gas chambers and disposing of the corpses afterward, the bureaucratic procedures which expedited the killing of millions of people without mentioning the words killing or people. Through haunted landscapes the human voice the past comes brilliantly alive. Shoah is a work of genious, a heroic endeavor to humanize the inhuman to tell the untellable. It is an immensly disturbing even shattering experience, yet in its solemnity and beauty not a morbid or disheartening one. There are few works of art which leave one with such a deep appreciation for the preciousness and the meaning of life. 9hrs 26 min/ color/English

Aushwitz
HIS DVD0161

Auschwitz occupies a chilling and disturbing place in the history of humankind. It began as a Nazi labor camp to terrorize the local Polish population and evolved into the site of the largest mass murder ever recorded. This six part series presents an in-depth examination of the camp's evolution and the decisions that enabled such an incomprehensibly inhuman place to come into being. The movie is the result of three years of research, drawing on teh close involvement of world experts, recently discovered documents and nearly 100 interviews with camp survivors and perpetrators, many of whom are speaking on the record for the first time. Their stories are brought to life through the innovative use of archive footage, dramatic recreations of key decision-making moments, and their extraordinary testimony. While never losing sight of the suffering of the victims, this documentary offers a unique and alarming look at the mindset of the perpetrators - killers like the Commandent of Auschwitz Rudolf Hoss, camp doctor Josef Mengele, and S.S. Commander Heinrich Himmler. 300min/color/ 2 discs

NOSFERATU: A Symphony of Horror
HIS DVD0162A

An unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, NOSFERATU is the quintessential silent vampire film, crafted by legendary German director F.W. Murnau (Sunrise) Rather than depicting Dracula as a shape-shifting monster or debonair gentleman, Murnau's Graf Orlok (as portrayed by Max Schreck) is a nightmarish, spidery creature of bulbous head and taloned claws -- perhaps the most genuinely disturbing incarnation of vampirism yet envisioned. NOSFERATU was an atypical expressionist film in that much of it was shot on location. While directors such as Lang and Lubitsch built vast forests and entire towns within the studio, NOSFERATU's landscapes, villages and castle were actual locations in the Carpathian mountains. Murnau was thus able to infuse the story with the subtle tones of nature: both pure and fresh as well as twisted and sinister. DVD / Germany 1922/ 93 Min. / Color Tinted

The Last Laugh
HIS DVD0162B

The crowning achievement of the German expressionist movement and one of the most notable artworks to arise from the Weimar Republic is Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau's THE LAST LAUGH. Emil Jannings stars in the bleak fable of an aging doorman whose happiness crumbles when he is relieved of the duties and uniform which had for years been the foundation of his happiness and pride. Through Jannings's colossal performance, THE LAST LAUGH becomes more than the plight of the single doorman but a mournful dramatization of the frustration and anguish of the universal working class, a phenomenon that was further enhanced by the contribution of the director and cinematographer Karl Freund. Murnau (Nosferatu) and Freund (cinematographer of Tod Browning's 1931 Dracula) tempered their realistic depiction of the laborer's downfall with sequences of bold expressionistic design, contorting the doorman's angst into a nightmarish spectacle of the mocking, leering faces and imposing tenement buildings that surround him on his long, shameful walk back to his apartment...a daily stroll that had once been a gratifying source of self-esteem. Germany / 1924 / 91 min. / Black and White / DVD / Full-Frame

Tartuffe
HIS DVD0162C

The most gifted visual storyteller of the German silent era, F.W. Murnau crafted works of great subtlety and emotional complexity through his absolute command of the cinematic medium. Known for such dazzling films as Nosferatu (1922), The Last Laugh (1924), Faust (1926) and Sunrise (1927), Murnau was also drawn to more intimate dramas exploring the dark corners of the human mind. In Tartuffe, he revisits Moliere's fable of religious hypocrisy, in which a faithful wife (Lil Dagover) tries to convince her husband (Werner Krauss) that their morally superior guest, Tartuffe (Emil Jannings), is in fact a lecherous hypocrite with a taste for the grape. To endow the story with contemporary relevance, Murnau frames Moliere's tale with a modern-day plot concerning a housekeeper's stealthy efforts to poison her elderly master and take control of his estate. Germany / 1925 / Color Tinted / 63 Mins. / DVD / Full-Frame

Faust
HIS DVD0162D

Fresh from the triumphant releases of Nosferatu and The Last Laugh, F.W. Murnau was given carte blanche to direct this epic fable of the supernatural. Freed from the burden of plausibility by the story's fantastic premise, Murnau summoned forth a tempest of cinematic brimstone so that every scene ripples with reckless ingenuity. Utilizing the full resources of the UFA Studios (including elaborate miniature models and experimental special effects), Faust captures the intensity of a medieval universe steeped in religious fanaticism and pagan alchemy. Black-hooded pallbearers lead a torch-lit procession through a plague-stricken village literally cloaked by the wings of Satan. Crowded landscapes materialize and vanish in wisps of smoke, daemonic creatures soar through the heavens and earthly beings are tormented by the vaporous spirits that permeate the dungeon-like homes and Caligari-esque rooftops of this shadow world. In the eye of this infernal maelstrom is the great Emil Jannings (Othello), who sets off the film's sound and fury with a diabolically engaging performance, making Faust (in the words of The New York Times) "A radiant jewel...a masterpiece!" Germany / 1926 / 116 Min. / Black and White / DVD / Full-Frame

TABU
HIS DVD0162E

Filmed entirely in Tahiti, TABU represented an unusual collaboration between legendary directors F.W. Murnau and Robert Flaherty (Nanook of the North). Two lovers are doomed by a tribal edict decreeing that the girl is "tabu" to all men. While the lovers' flight from judgment and the ultimate power of the tabu are reminiscent of Murnau's expressionist films, TABU is all open air and sunlight - the brilliant tropical light sparkles on the ocean and glistens on the beautiful young bodies of the native men and women. Murnau's tragic death in a car accident on March 11, 1931, just weeks before the world premiere of TABU, cut short one of film's most brilliant careers. The director of such classics as Nosferatu, The Last Laugh and Sunrise was a genius with an incomparable talent to dazzle the viewer. The 1931 Academy Award winner for Best Cinematography, TABU is available now for the first time since its original release in the complete uncensored version. Thanks to the UCLA restoration, TABU is again one of the most gorgeous black and white films ever made. DVD / Not Rated / B&W / 81 Min.

Napoleon
HIS DVD0167A

For nearly two decades he strode the world stage like a colossus - loved and despised, venerated and feared. From his birth on the rugged island of Corsica to his final exile on the godforsaken island of St. Helen, NAPOLEON brings this extraordinary figure to life. NAPOLEON bears passionate witness to a man whose charisma swayed an empire and sparked his exalted belief in his own destiny. He is a figure riddled with contradictions that are the essence of his glory and undoing: his youthful enthusiasm for the ideals of the French Revolution did not prevent him from crowning himself Emperor. His passionate love of Josephine did not prevent him from divorcing her to marry the eighteen-year-old Archduchess of Austria. His military genius did not save him from the disastrous invasion of Russia. His love of France was so compromised by his notions of personal glory that he repeatedly plunged his beloved country into war. Framed by the grand sweep of history, woven from intimate accounts of and by the man himself, NAPOLEON is a tale as grand as any novel, a story of passion, vaunting ambition and pride ending in exile and loss. DVD / Not Rated / approx. 4 hours / Color

Napoleon (PBS Empires Series)
HIS DVD0174B

For nearly two decards he strode the world stage like a colossus- loved and despised, venerated and feared. From his birth on the rugged island of Corsica to his final exile on the godforsaken island of St. Helena, NAPOLEON brings this extraordinary figure to life. NAPOLEON bears passionate witness to a man whose charisma swayed an empire and sparked his exalted belief in his own destiny. He is a figure riddled with contradictions that are the essence of his glory and undoing: his youthful enthusiam for the ideals of the French Revolution did not prevent him from crowning himself Emporer. His passionate love of Josephine did not prevent him from divorcing her to marry the eighteen-year-old Archduchess of Austria. His military genius did not save him from the disastrous invasion of Russia. His love of France was so compromised by his notions of personal glory that he repeatedly plunged his beloved country into war. Framed by the grand sweep of history, woven from intimate accounts of and by the man himself, NAPOLEON is a tale as grand as any novel, a story of passion, vaunting ambition and pride ending in exile and loss. color Approx. 4 hours

Guns
HIS DVD0187

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning best seller by Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel explores the fascinating connenctions between georgraphy, technology and global human development. Hosted by the author himself, this extraordinary series spans 13,000 years of struggle and conquest. From early social agricultural innovations in "Out of Eden," to the role of weapons and disease in "Conquest," to the modern interplay of geography and resources in "Into the Tropics," it's a gripping, sometimes controversial detective story revealing how human history may have been shaped by our access to Guns, Germs, and Steel. Disc 1: Disc 2: Episode 1: OUT OF EDEN Episode 3: INTO THE WOODS Episode 2: CONQUEST Special Features: *Interactive Maps *Timelines *Photo Gallery Color/ 165 Min. Widescreen

Martin Luther
HIS DVD0188

Martin Luther's attack on the all-powerful Catholic Church was a knife to the heart of an empire that had endured for over a thousand years. Nailing his treatise to the doors of the Wittenberg Cathedral, this previously obscure German monk changed the world forever, unleashing forces that plunged Europe into war and chaos. But Luther would do more than revolutionize the Church--he offered the Christian world a new vision of man's relationship with authority in general. Filmed across Europe -- from rustic rural Germany to the opulence of Vatican City -- Marin Luther is the dramatic story of the collapse of the medieval world and the birth of the modern age. Approx. 110 min/color/subtitles/not rated

The Roman Empire in the First Century
HIS DVD0189

Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the First Century, the world was ruled by Rome. The Roman Empire struggled with problems which are surprisingly familiar: violent coups, assassination, overarching ambition, civil war, clashes between the classes as well as the sexes, and questions of personal freedom versus government control. But from the chaos, the Roman Empire would emerge stronger and more dazzling than ever. Embracing hundreds of languages and religions, it would stretch from Britain across Europe to North Africa, the Middle East, and the borders of Asia, becoming the world's first and most enduring superpower. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time--of the emperors, salves, poets and peasants who wrested order from chaos, built the most cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen, and shaped the Roman Empire in the First Century. color/approx. 291 min./not rated

The Greeks Crucible of Civilization
HIS DVD0190

It was perhaps the most spectacular flourishing of imagination and achievement in recorded history. In the Fourth and Fifth Centuries BC, the Greeks built an empire that stretched across the Mediterranean from Asia to Spain. They laid the foundation of modern science, politics, warfare and philosophy, and produced some of the most breathtaking art and architecture the world has ever seen. This series, narrated by Liam Neeson, recounts the rise, glory, demise and legacy of the empire that marked the dawn of Western civilization. The story of this astonishing civilization is told through the lives of heroes of ancient Greece. The latest advances in computer and television technology rebuild the Acropolis, recreate the Battle of Marathon and restore the grandeur of the Academy, where Socrates, Plate and Aristotle forged the foundation of Western thought. The series combines dramatic storytelling, stunning imagery, new research and distinguished scholarship to render classical Greece gloriously alive. DVD/approx. 165 min/color/subtitles/not rated

Harold and Maude
HIS DVD0191

A classic cult film that features one of the screen's most unlikely pairs. It will defy everything you've ever seen or known about screen lovers. Harold, a young man bored with wealth but interested in death. And Maude, a wonderful old rascal who can see nothing but good intentions in the world. An outrageously funny and affecting film that proves love has no boundaries. 1971/color/91 min/PG

The Impressionists: The Other French Revolution
HIS DVD0193A

Today, their art draws record-breaking crowds to museums and fetches millions of dollars at auction. Yet critics once derided the same paintings as scandalous, ridiculous and even just play ugly. The Impressionists opens with a look at the men who formed the core of the movement: Degas, Pissarro, Renoir and Monet. Despite their disparate backgrounds and temperaments, they were drawn together by a belief that painting needed to change, and they worked together and found with one another, to define what shape that transformation should take. Filled with images of their earliest work and accounts of their struggles to gain acceptance in the all-important, government-sponsored Salon, this volume introduces the men who changed the way the world looked at art. Color/Approx. 100 Min

The Impressionists: The Other French Revolution
HIS DVD0193B

In 1871, the Impressionists organized an exhibition of their own in response to the conservation Salon. That same year, they welcomed the opening of the first gallery devoted to their art. Critical response, however, remained withering, and the painters would have to wait until the legendary New York show of 1886 before they were finally able to enjoy the rewards of their long labors. The Impressionists visits some of the world's leading galleries and museums to trace the development of the movement and the artists during these tumultuous years. And in the final hour, authorities such as the painter Chuck Close and the curator of the Frick Collection examine the legacy of the artists and the movement they created. Color/Approx. 100 mins.

Artists of the 20th Century - Wassily Kandinsky
HIS DVD0194

A definitive biography accompanies by spectacular images of the artist's greatest work. Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky is generally regarded as an originator of abstract painting and one of the most important innovators in modern art, both as an artist and as a theorist. He only started painting when he was 30 after training as a lawyer in Moscow, suddenly abandoning his home and profession and traveling to Munich to study art. His talent quickly tested the constraints of art school and he began exploring his own ideas. Beginning in 1903, his work was exhibited throughout Europe and often caused controversy among the public, critics, and his contemporaries. Kandinsky's unrelenting quest for new forms produced works of a great many styles. His earlier works, both abstract and figurative, are characterized by a romantic superabundance of brilliant colors and complex patterns. In the 1920's, his work took him to the extremes of geometric abstraction, with sharply etched outlines and clear patterns. In very late works, Kandinsky blended the free, intuitive image of his earlier years with these geometric forms to create a more elegant, beautifully balanced style. Color/50 min.

Metropolis
HIS DVD0195

Perhaps the most famous and influential of all silent films, METROPOLIS had for 75 years been seen only in shortened or truncated versions. Now, restored in Germany with state of the art digital technology, under the supervision of the Murnau Foundation, and with the original 1927 orchestral score by Gottfried Huppertz added, METROPOLIS can be appreciated in its full glory. It is, as A.O. Scott of the New York Times declared, "A fever dream of the future. At last we have the movie every would-be cinematic visionary has been trying to make since 1927." METROPOLIS takes place in 2026, when the populace is divided between workers who must live in the dark underground and the rich who enjoy a futuristic city of splendor. The tense balance of these two societies is realized through images that are among the most famous of the 20th century, many of which presage such sci-fi landmarks as 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and BLADE RUNNER. Lavish and spectacular, with elaborate sets and modern science fiction style, METROPOLIS stands today as the crowing achievement of German silent cinema. Kino is proud to present the definitive, authorized version of this towering classic, at a length over one third longer than any previous release, for the first time on DVD and VHS. Black & White/ 124 Min.

Conflict in Jenin
HIS DVD0202

C-SPAN was created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a public service. It provides ongoing access to the American political process, to history, and to nonfiction books. C-SPAN programming is balanced, commercial-free, and without commentary. Visit c-span.org for video copies, schedules, and more information.

Come and See
HIS DVD0205

A crowing achievement of 1980's Soviet cinema, Elem Klimov's COME AND SEE is perhaps the ultimate WWII film. This savage and lyrical fever dream of death, rage, and terror experienced through young eyes is a virtual primer for the subsequent, similarly psychedelic intensity of Terrence Malick's THE THIN RED LINE and Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Time Out New York agreed, saying "COME AND SEE's nimble balance of the sordid with the elegiac makes Peckinpah's CROSS OF IRON seem like NEWSIES." When young Florya willingly joins a group of Partisans fighting the Nazis in Byelorussia, USSR, he little suspects that he is plunging through the looking glass. Seperated from his comrades during a paratroop attack and struck deaf by German artillery, Florya - in the company of Glascha, a beguling peasant girl - wanders a battle-scorched Russian purgatory of prehistoric forests and man-made slaughter. Florya's journey takes him and us through a gallery of exquisitely poetic imagery and brutal human atrochity. Unlike traditional war films, COME AND SEE never stoops to convenient heroic catharsis or genre movie narrative symmerty. Images of a beautiful girl's impromptu dance in the rain and an SS unit's spontaneous, self-congratulatory applause at their own butchery haunt with equal power. More than any other war film, COME AND SEE unites the powerful truths and inescapable dilemmas that lurk behind both the raptures of youth and the horrors of war. 149 minutes/ COLOR/ FULL SCREEN Russian and english subtitles

Amistad
HIS DVD0211

Based on a true story, the movie chronicals the incredible journey of a group of enslaved Africans who overtake their captor's ship and attempt to return to their beloved homeland. Steven Spielberg's debut film with DreamWorks Pictures, stars Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djiman Hounsou, and Mathew McConaughey.

Its A Wonderful Life
HIS DVD0221

No one is born to be a failure. No one is poor who has friends. Simple thoughts that were the inspiration for one of the richest, most uplifting, most beloved American films ever made. Frank Capra's classic tale of George Bailey and his Christmas Eve visit with a guardian angel was nominated for five Oscars. DVD/B&W/132 minutes/Not Rated

Fateless
HIS DVD0224

Set in 1944, as Hitler's Final Solution becomes policy throughout Europe, Fateless is the semi-autobiographical tale of a 14 year-old Jewish boy from Budapest, who finds himself swept up by cataclysmic events beyond his comprehension. A perfectly normal metropolitan teen who has never felt particularly connected to his religion, he is suddenly separated from his family as part of the rushed and random deportation of his city's large Jewish population. Brought to a concentration camp, his existence becomes a surreal adventure in adversity and adaptation, and he is never quite sure if he is the victim of his captors, or of an absurd destiny that metes out salvation and suffering arbitrarily. When he returns home after the liberation, he misses the sense of community he experienced in the camps, feeling alienated from both his Christian neighbors who turned a blind eye to his fate, and the Jewish family friends who avoided deportation and who now want to put the war behind them. DVD/color/140 minutes/Hungarian with ENGLISH SUBTITLES RATED R for some disturbing holocaust images including nudity and brief strong language

Enron
HIS DVD0226

Based on the best-selling book by FORTUNE reporters. This video details the shocking inside story of one of history's greatest buisness scandals. Unimaginable personal excesses, and an utter moral vacuum that posed as corperate philosophy, led to top executives of America's seventh largest corporation walking away with over on billion dollars while investors and employees lost everything.

MASH
HIS DVD0239

Focuses on 3 Korean War Army Surgeons brilliantly brought to life . Though highly skilled and deeply dedicated, they adopt a hilarious, lunatic lifestyle as an antidote to the tradgedies of their Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and in the process infuriate Army bureaucrats.

Star Wars III
HIS DVD0240

Torn Between layalty to his member, Obi-Wan Kenobim, and the seductive powers of the Sith, Anikin Skywalker ultimately turns his back on the Jedi, thus completing his journey to the dark side and his transformation into Darth Vader.

Goin to Chicago
HIS DVD0241

Goin' to Chicago chronicles the great migration of African Americans from the rural South to the Cities in the North and West during and the after WWII. The new and dynamic urban culture they created changed America forever.

Come and See
HIS DVD0251

A crowning achievment of 1980's Soviet cinema, WWII film. This savage and lyrical fever dream of death, rage, and terror experienced through young eyes is a virtual primer for the sub-sequent, simeraly psychedelic intensity of Terrence Malick's THE THIN RED LINE. When young Floorya willingly joins a group of Partisans fighting the nazi in Byelorussia, USSR, he little suspects that he is plunging through the looking glass.

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days
HIS DVD0259

Armed with long buried historical records of her incarceration, director Marc Rothemund re-creates the last 6 days of Sophie Scholl's life: a heart stopping journey from arrest to interrogation, trial and sentence in 1943 Munich. Unwavering in her convictions and loyalty to her comrades, her crossexamination by the Gestapo quickly escalades into a searing test of wills as Scholl delivers a passionate call to freedom and personal responsibility that is both haunting and timeless.

Zoot Suit
HIS DVD0265

Part Fascinating fact, part dazzling fiction, Zoot Suit is the blistering fikm adaption of playwright Louis Valdez' critically acclaimed stage drama based on the "zoot suit riots" that rocked 1940s Los Angeles.

The Public Enemy
HIS DVD0266

Shocases James Cagney's powerful 1931 breakthrough performance as streetwise tough guy Tom Powers- but only because production cheof Darryl F. Zanuck made a late casting change. When shooting began, Cagney had a secondary role but Zanuck soon spoted Cagney's screen dominance and gave him the star part. From that moment, an indelible genre classic and an enduring star career were both born. Bristling with 20's style, dialogue and desperation under the masterful directorial eye of WIlliam A. Wellman, this is a virtual time capsule of the Prohibition era: taut, gritty, hard hitting- even at breakfast when grapefruit is served.

Forbidden Games
HIS DVD0267

A timeless evocation of childhood innocence corrupted, Rene Clement's Forbidden Games tells the story of a young girl orphaned by war and the farm boy she joins in a fantastical world of macabre play. At once mythical and heartbreakingly real, this unique film features astonishing performances by its child stars and was honored with a special foreign language film Academy Award in 1952. DVD/Black and White/85 minutes In French with optional English subtitles

Ballets Russes
HIS DVD0269

Unearthing a treasure trove of archival footage, filmakers have fashioned a dazzling and sntracing ode to the revolutionary 20th century dance troupes that performed under the Ballets Russes banner.

Throne of Blood
HIS DVD0282

Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood reimagines Macbeth in feudal Japan. Starring Kurosawa's longtime collaborator Toshiro Mifune and the legendary Isuzu Yamada as his ruthless wife, the film tells the tale of a valiant warrior's savage rise to power and his ignominious fall. With Throne of Blood, Kurosawa fuses one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies with the formal elements of Japanese Noh Theater to make a Macbeth that is all his own - a classic tale of ambition and duplicity set against a ghostly landscape of fog and inescapable doom. 109 Minutes/ B&W/ In Japanese with optional English subtitles

Ran
HIS DVD0283

With Ran, legendary director Akira Kurosawa reimagines Shakespeare's King Lear as a singular historical epic set in the 16th century Japan. Majestic in scope, the film is Kurosawa's late-life masterpiece, a profound examination of the folly of war and the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power. 2 Discs/1985/160 minutes/Color/In Japanese with optional English subtitles

Rashomon - Akira Kurosawas
HIS DVD0284

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, Rashomon is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife. Toshiro Mifune gives another commanding performance in the eloquent masterwork that revolutionized film language and introduced Japanese cinema to the world. 88 minutes/B&W/In Japanese with optional English subtitles

Seven Samurai
HIS DVD0285

A desperate village hires seven samurai to protect it from marauders in this crown jewel of Japanese cinema. No other film so seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action. Featuring Japan's legendary star, the great Toshiro Mifune, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is an inspired epic, a triumph of art, and an unforgettable three-hour ride. 207 minutes/ B&W/Monaural/In Japanese with optional Engish subtitles/DVD

The War
HIS DVD0286

The War, a seven-art documentary series directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, explores the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective by following the fortunes of so-called ordinary men and women who become caught up in one of the greatest cataclysms in human history. DVD Set/ COLOR/ Educator's Guide

Crusades
HIS DVD0287

Join Terry Jones, founding member of Monty Python, author; and Medieval expert, for this magnificent four-part chronicle of the Crusades. One of history's most epic adventures, the Crusades began as a holy mission to liberate Jerusalem, and become the largest mass migration in European history. When they ended 200 years later, the Crusades had created a mythology of knights and chivalry, and left a legacy of distrust between East and West that continues to shape our world today. Filmed on location throughout Europe and the Middle East, this acclaimed production brings the Crusades to life with an army of innovative techniques, including animated mosaics, creative anachronisms, restaged battles and extraordinary computer graphics. Produced in consultation with the world's foremost experts on history and theology, it's a witty and thoroughly fascinating account of one of civilization's most legendary and least understood chapters. 2 Disc DVD/Color/200 minutes Approx.

Rome Power & Glory
HIS DVD0292

For over a thousand years, Rome was the center of the known world. One of the most glorious empires in history, she brought to her subjects a common language, shared culture, and - for some - wealth beyond imagination. But nothing lasts forever. War, Barbarian attacks, and moral decay eventually took their toll and the empire slowly began to crumble. This 6 part series presents the complete history of Rome, from its primitive beginnings to the height of its glory and its eventual decline, as well as its legacies for today. Filmed in 10 countries, Rome: Power & Glory combines location footage of ancient monuments, detailed re-enactments, period art and writings, and insights from scholars and public figures to bring the ancient world to life. 2 discs/5 hours/DVD

I-Claudius: A Touch of Murder
HIS DVD0293A

Disc 1: A Touch of Murder - Claudius, emperor of Rome, nears the end of his life and commences to write his family's history. The incredible memoir begins before his birth, during the rule of Augustus. Augustus is married to the beautiful, treacherous Livia, who plots to have her son, Tiberius, inherit her husband's throne. Only the emperor's spoiled daughter, Julia, stands in her way. Disc 2: Family Affairs - Almost 10 years pass before Livia can realize her dream of vengeance and arrange the poisoning of Julia's husband. Now Tiberius can marry Julia, enhancing his chance of becoming emperor. But the union fares poorly. When Tiberius' brother, Drusus, dies in the care of Livia's doctor, Tiberius is driven to despair and embarks on a violent rampage that ends in his banishment from Rome. Disc 3: Waiting in the Wings - Determined to see her exiled son, Tiberius, become emperor, Livia uses blackmail and murder to eliminate rivals and end his banishment. Julia herself is banished, after Livia reveals details of her orgies to Augustus, turning him against his own daughter. Finally, Tiberius returns to Rome. But he must wait in the shadow of the against Augustus for his time on the throne, and so must Livia. Color/DVD/669 mins

I-Claudius: What Shall We Do About Claudius
HIS DVD0293B

What Shall We Do About Claudius - Only one obstacle remains between Tiberius and the throne: Julia's son and heir to Augustus, Postumus. Livia entraps Postumus in an adulterous tryst and he is arrested for rape and banished from Rome. Postumus reveals her plots to Claudius, Livia's stammering and lame grandson. Claudius, though regarded as a half-wit, is wiser than anyone suspects, hiding behind the face of a food in order to survive. Poison is Queen - Emperor Augustus grows more senile. Tiberius bides his time. But when revelations of Livia's crimes reach Augustus, the emperor, realizing he has been duped, writes a new will favoring Postumus in order to block Tiberius from gaining the throne. Livia, in her ultimate act of treachery, slowly poisons her husband. After his death, she substitutes her won version of the emperor's will and orders the murder of her remaining rivals. Tiberius rules Rome. Some Justice - Suspicions of a conspiracy involving Livia and Tiberius abound. A Senate trial must be rigged to clear the emperor's henchmen. But when the cover-up begins to unravel, one of the defendants threatens to implicate Tiberius himself in murder. He lives just long enough to regret his threat. DVD/Color/669 mins

I-Claudius: Queen of Heaven
HIS DVD0293C

Queen of Heaven - Tiberius revels in a life of erotic hedonism, living only for perverted pleasures, egged on by Agrippina's cunning son, Caligula. His former allies see his end ahead and build ties to Claudius, next in life for the throne. Livia, a mere shell of her former self, now regrets her son's savage reign. On her deathbed, she reveals the full scope of the family's crimes to Claudius - and makes him promise that she will be revered as a goddess for generations to come. Reign in Terror - Tiberius, old and frail, slowly begins killing off all who could succeed him. Fearing assassination, eh orders a purge, leaving a Senate piled high with the bodies of his enemies. Claudius survives only through cleverness. Finally, Tiberius banishes his long-hated rival Agrippina along with her son, Nero. Caligula is now in position to capture the throne. Zeus, By Jove! - On the brink of death, Tiberius names Caligula heir to the Roman throne. To win favor with the masses, Caligula spreads money left by Tiberius among the Roman people and pledges to pay off Livia's debts. A new age of prosperity seems to be beginning. But Caligula soon descents into madness. He declares himself a god and embarks on an orgy of bloodletting, murdering all who might challenge his heavenly rule - even his own sister. DVD/Color/ 669 mins

I-Claudius: Hail Who?
HIS DVD0293D

Hail Who? - Galigula, now totally mad, turns the imperial palace into a brothel with orgies and gambling. The empire is in financial ruin, though Claudius retains his dreams that one day the true Roman republic will be restored. Caligula taunts his court with ever greater wickedness. Finally, he is assassinated right in front of the eyes of Claudius. The soldiers, eager to justify their coup, give the crown to Claudius. At last he is the emperor of Rome, as had been prophesied. Fool's Luck - "Trust no one" is the advice Claudius receives from a valued friend as he assumes the throne. But the aging emperor is at the peak of his life. His beautiful young wife, Messalina, gives him a son and daughter, and Rome's finances improve. But his wife secretly lusts for the nobleman Appius Silanus and is determined to seduce him. Her cunning manipulations lead to an attempt on the life of Claudius - and an order for the death of Appius. A God in Colchester - While Claudius leads his army in Britain; his wife organizes a tournament of sex, challenging the Guild of Prostitutes to provide a champion to compete with her. Claudius returns from his campaign victorious, but his wife's infidelities have made a fool of him. When she cuckolds him by "marrying" another man in the Bacchanalian feast, his public humiliation is complete. After consulting with his advisors, Claudius signs a warrant for his wife's execution. DVD/Color/669 mins.

I-Claudius: Old King Log
HIS DVD0293E

Claudius is persuaded to remarry for his children's sake. He takes Agrippinilla, the most corrupt woman in Rome and the secret lover of his key advisor as his bride. Claudius wants only to make use of her brilliant mind while she longs for a position of power. The epic story of his family's history he has been writing is now complete. Knowing the prophesy that her son, Nero, will be Rome's last monarch, Claudius is ready to meet his death when his wife poisons him. This fascinating documentary reveals the complete behind-the-scenes story of Alexander Korda's ill-fated 1937 screen version of I, Claudius. Starring Merle Oberon, Charles Laughton, Emlyn Williams and Flora Robson, this account chronicles the rehearsals, the set construction and the financial excesses of this legendary, doomed production. Interviews with surviving cast members and poet-novelist Robert Graves provide a fitting coda to the unforgettable tale of this uncompleted masterpiece. Color/669 mins/71 mins Documentary

Japan Under American Occupation
HIS DVD0296

From the dawn of time to the epic sweep of the 20th century, from the great conflicts to the inventions that changed the world, The History Channel on DVD captures the glory, tragedy, and drama of the human experience. Brilliant specials, astounding documentaries, and vibrant dramatizations bring the past home to you. DVD/Color & B&W/50 min/ Documentary

Japans War in Colour
HIS DVD0297

Using never-before-seen footage, Japan's War In Colour tells a previously untold story. It recounts the history of the Second World War from a Japanese perspective, combining original colour film with letters and diaries written by Japanese people. It tells the story of a nation at war from the diverse perspectives of those who lived through it: the leaders and the ordinary people, the oppressors and the victims, the guilty and the innocent. Until recently, it was believed that no colour film of Japan existed prior to 1945. But specialist research has now unearthed a remarkable colour record from as early as the 1930s. Examples of these extraordinary scenes include Imperial Japanese troops in Manchuria, the visit of Prince Chichibu-Emperor Hirohito's brother-to Britain and his meeting with Adolf Hitler, Japanese aggression in China, unique colour film of the surprise attack on Pearly Harbor and vibrant scenes of life on the Japanese home front. For eight years the Japanese fought what they believed was a Holy War that became a fight to the death. Japan's War In Colour shows how militarism took hold of the Japanese people; describes why Japan felt compelled to attack the West; explains what drove the Japanese to resist the Allies for so long; and, finally, reveals how they dealt with the shame of defeat. DVD/Color/English subtitles/151 mins

Together
HIS DVD0310

Marxists and nudiest and vegans...oh my! Life goes from hippie heaven to hellish anarchy when a suburban housewife and her two precocious kids move into a 1970's commune - only to unleash a maelstrom of suburban values. But as the belligerent beatniks and commitment-phobic communitsts starts questioning their beliefs, they all begin to realize that sometimes living in harmony...can be an all-out war. DVD/2000/COLOR/1 hr 47 mins.

Pans Labyrinth
HIS DVD0311

A dark fantasy/thriller about a young girl who enters a mysterious labyrinth and finds herself at the center of the ferocious battle between Good and Evil.

Together
HIS DVD0315

Chen Kaige, director of the Oscar-nominated Farewell My Concubine, composes a richly imagined and "tender symphony" (Screen International) about love, ambition and destiny I China's high-pressure world of classical music. Surging with "warmth, humanity and a sense of humor" (The Hollywood Reporter), this lyrical, enchanting "heartwarmer" (Variety) is a "sure-fire-crowd-pleaser" (Los Angeles Times)! When violin prodigy Xiaochun and his father head to Beijing seeking fame and fortune, they soon discover a fierce world of cutthroat ambition. But when Xiaochun is "adopted" by a famous music tutor, success finally seems within reach - until a shocking discovery begins to unravel his entire world, and the boy must make the most difficult choice of his life. Can he achieve the fame his father had always hoped for without losing the extraordinary passion that sets him apart? DVD/PG/COLOR/Approx. 1hour 59 min

Akira Kurosawas Throne of Blood
HIS DVD0317

"One of the most celebrated screen adaptions of Shakespere, Akira Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" reimargins "Macbeth" in feudal Japan.

Ride with the Devil
HIS DVD0320

Ride with the Devil follows four people who are fighting for truth and justice amidst the turmoil of the American Civil War. Director Ang Lee takes us to a no man's land on the Missouri/Kansas border where a staunch loyalist, an immigrant's son, a free slave and a young widow form a unlikely friendship as they learn how to survive in an uncertain time, in a place without rules and redefine the meaning of bravery and honor. English/Color/DVD/2 hrs 19 mins

Elephant Man
HIS DVD0321

In one of his most legendary films, director David Lynch chronicles the intense emotional journey of a complex, lonely man and the dedicated surgeon who changed his life. John Merrick was born with a horribly disfiguring congenital disease, and suffered the humiliation of being a sideshow freak. Only when London doctor Fredrick Treves rescues him does Merrick began to regain the life of dignity and respect that everyone deserves. Based on a true story, the critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated film has earned its place in cinematic history. Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud and Wendy Hiller lend moving performances to an already powerful story. Visually fascinating and historically relevant, Lynch has created a haunting masterpiece of compression, beauty and ultimately, humanity. DVD/B&W/Subtitles/123 min

Secret Lives
HIS DVD0328

Before the second world war, more than 1.5 million Jewish children were living in Europe. By the end of the Holocaust, less than one in ten had survived. Secret Lives tells the emotional stories of a small number of those who were saved by non-Jews in extraordinary acts of bravery and kindess.These men and women of uncommon decency did everything from bringing jewish children into their families to securing hiding places in closets, attics, or hastly dug bunkers. Directed ny academy award winner and former hidden child Aviva Slesin, this captivating documentary reveals what happened between the children and their rescuers and shows how this experience forever changed their lives. DVD, Color and B&W, 72 minutes, Documentary, Not Rated.

The Armenian Genocide
HIS DVD0335

During World War I, over one million Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. This one-hour documentary examines what happened and why, in what has been called one of the greatest untold stories of the twentieth century. Produced by Two Cats Productions in association with Oregon Public Broadcasting. Narrated by Julianna Margulies, and featuring the voiceover takents of Ed Harris, Natalie Portman, Laura Linney, and Orlando Bloom. DVD/COLOR/60 min

Great Decisions
HIS DVD0337

Disc One: UN Reform: Pipe Dream or Possibility? Understanding Iran Global Energy Outlook Brazil: The Long Road to Economic Stability Disc Two: Asian Giants: The Rise of India and China Human RIghts in the Age of Terrorism Between Two Worlds: The Future of Turkey Global Health Pandemics: Preparing for the Worst

Westler
HIS DVD0340

Die Berliner Mauer lasst der Liebe des Ostlers Thomas und des Westlers Felix pro Woche nur wenige Studen Zeit. Mit jeder erzwungenen Trennung wachst der Schmerz, bis Thomas nur moch einen Ausweg weib: Die Flucht in den Wesen - zu Felix....Der 1985 teils in Osterberlin illegal it versteckter Kamera gedrehte bewegende Kult-Klassiker des deutschen Schwulenfilms von Wieland Speck mit Rainer Strecker, Sigurd Rachmann, Zazie de Paris u.a. Sonder - Edition mit der Kurzfilmsammlung UNTER MANNERN. DVD/COLOR/2 DISC SET (103 & 111 Minutes)/ PAL FORMAT

The Role of Theater in Ancient Greece
HIS DVD0353

This program looks at the theatres of Herodus Atticus, Epidauros, Corinth (where Arion is said to have taught the dithyramb), and many others to explain the design of the ancient theatre, the synthesis of art forms that was ancient Greek drama, the origins of tragedy, the audience in classical times, the comparative roles of writer/director and actors, and the use of the surrounding landscape in may plays. DVD/23 minutes/ color

Primo Levis Journey
HIS DVD0355

In the winter of 1945, Primo Levi, one of the century's greatest writers, was liberated form the Auschwitz concentration camp. With the war still underway, he embarked on a thousand mile journey to his home in Turin, Italy - a strange, beguiling odyssey memorialized in his book, The Reawakening. Sixty years later, director Davide Ferrario set out to follow in Levi's footsteps. Retracing his historic trip, the film weaves a path through a modern Europe that has both changed and remained the eerily same - from democratic rallies in the East to neo-Nazi demonstrations in the West. Narrated by Acadey Award winning actor Chris Cooper, PRIMO LEVI'S JOURNEY is a comic, frightening and picaresque road trip through history.

Nanking
HIS DVD0362

Nanking is a powerful reminder of the heartbreaking cost of war and testament to the courage and conviction of those few determined to stand up against its horrors. Known as "the rape of Nanking," the Japanese army in 1937 invaded China's capital city, unleashing a horrific onslaught of murder and rape. Incredibly, a small group of Westerners who stayed behind saved thousands. The film touchingly captures this controversial, fast-fading chapter in history through interviews with Chinese survivors, archival footage and compelling readings of the Westerners' letters and diaries, shared by top-level actors such as Woody Harrelson, Stephen Dorff, Mariel Hemingway and more. DVD/COLOR/90 MIN

Chicago: City Of The Century
HIS DVD1337

City of the Century tells how in just 60 years Chicago grew from a remote, swampy fromtier town into one of the most explosively alive cities in the world. It's the story of the wealthy and the indigent, the heralded and the forgotten, the shop assistants and the millionaire retail barons who together created Chicago. It describes how through innovations, ingenuity, determination and sheer ruthlessness, the captain of industry created empires in a marshy wasteland. And it explores the hardships endured by the millions of working men and women-most of them immigrants from Ireland and Northern Europe-whose labor helped a capitalist class reinvent the way America did business.

Triumph of Love
HIS DVD1342

Academy-Award Winners Mira Sorvino and Sir Ben Kingsley star in this sexy and surprising romantic comedy that is "erotic.... inventive....witty". Mira Sorvino is captivating as a princess who has fallen head over heels in love with her sworn enemy, Agis(Jay Rodan), the rightful heir to her kingdom. Driven to exile, Agis now lives with a philosopher (Sir Ben Kingsley) and his spinster sister (Fiona Shaw) who have taught Agis to hate the princess. Determined to win Agis' love, the princess travels to his secluded villa. There, armed with her incomparable talents for disguise and deception, the bold and beautiful spins and ever tangling web of seduction that will leave no passion unstirred or heart untouched.

Gung Ho
HIS DVD1411

"Gung Ho!" dramatically tells the story of the Second Marine Raider Battalion, the group formed six weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The battalion's purpose was to raid Japanese-held islands and claim them for the United States. Led by Colonel Thorwald, the men endure grueling combat training in preparation for their first mission: to annihilate the much larger and firmly entrenched Japanese garrison on Makin Island. Intense battle sequences highlight this exciting morale booster of a movie. 1943/B & W/88 minutes

Verdict on Auschwitz
HIS DVD0370

One of the most important trials of the 20th Century began in 1963, when 360 witnesses from 19 countries, including 211 Auschwitz survivors, confronted former members of Hitler's SS - many of whom had made comfortable lives in postwar West Germany - and accused them of taking part in the mass murder of millions. Using audio excerpts from the trial along with an incredible array of evidence, the filmmakers bring to life the investigation, the courtroom drama and the verdict in this historical trial involving perpetrators of the "Final Solution". DVD/ COLOR & B/W / 180 MIN/ IN GERMAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Traffic
HIS DVD0394

Traffic examines the effect of drugs as politics, buisness, and lifestyle. Acting as his own director of photography, Steven Soderbergh employs an innovative, color-coded cinematic treatment to distinguish the interwoven stories of a newly appointed drug czar and his family, a West Cost kingpin's wife, a key informant, and cops on both sides of the U.S. Mexican border. Rarely has a film so energetic and suspensful presented a more complex and nuanced view of an issue of such international importance. Instantly recognized as a classic, Traffic appeared on more than 200 critics' ten-best lists, and earned five academy award nominations. Special Edition Double-Disc Set Features 2000/147 minutes/Color/Stereo/English and Spanish with English subtitles

Trouble the Water
HIS DVD0398

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and an Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature, this astonishingly powerful documentary takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen. Incorporating remarkable home footage shot by Kimberly Rivers Roberts - an aspiring rap artist trapped with her husband on the 9th ward - directors/producers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal (producers of Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine) weave this insider's view of Katrina with a devastating portrait of the hurricane's aftermath. Trouble the Water takes audiences on a journey that is by turns heart-stopping, infuriating, inspiring, and empowering. It's not only about the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, but about the underlying issues that remained when the floodwaters receded- failing public schools, record high levels of incarceration, poverty, structural racism and lack of government accountability. 2008/96 min/ COLOR/ English

Milk
HIS DVD0400

His life changed history. His courage changed lives. Academy Award winner Sean Penn stars in this stirring celebration of Harvey Milk, a true man of the people. Based on the inspiring true story of the first openly gay man elected to major public office, this compelling film follows Milk's powerful journey to inspire hope for equal rights during one of the least tolerant times in our nation's history. With a stunning all-star cast, Including Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna and James Franco, it's the emotionally charged story that was proclaimed the Winner of The New York Film Critics Circle Best Picture Award! Rated R/DVD/2hrs 9min/Color

The Duchess
HIS DVD0414

Academy Award nominees Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes star in The Duchess: the compelling true story of a lavish world filled with smoldering passion, heartbreaking deception and stifling demands. Beloved by a nation but betrayed by her husband, Georgiana Spencer--the Duchass of Devonshire and "Empress of Fashion"--faced an agonizing choice between responsibility and love. This gripping portrayal of England's "It Girl" has won acclaim from audiences and critics alike. She was vivacious. She was heroic. She was The Duchess. BBC Films2008/Widescreen/Color/DVD/109 Min./PG-13

Angels in America
HIS DVD0443

Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson lead an all-star cast in an epic movie event directed by Mike Nichols and screenplay by Tony Kushner based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play: ANGELS IN AMERICA. 6 hours. 2 disc set.

The Greening of Southie
HIS DVD0384

The Greening of Southie is the storyy of Boston's first LEED certified residential "green" building- and the people who made it possible. In the traditionally Irish-American working-class neighborhood of South Boston, MA, a new kind of building has taken shape. From wheatboard cabinetry to recycled steel, bamboo flooring to dual-flush toilets, the Macallen building is something different: a leader in the emerging fields of environmentally firendly design. But Boston's steel-toed union workers aren't sure they like it. and when thing on the building start go wrong, the young developer has to keep the project from unraveling. Building Boston's first LEED Gold-certified building turns out to be harder than anyone thought. Yet among the I-beas and brickwork emerges a small cadre of unlikely environmenalits who come to connect their work with the future of their children- and the future of our cities. DVD/Includes 46 & 72 minute versions (both with bleeped option for classroom use) Grades 10-12, College, Adult/Color

Spirits of the State: Japans Yasukuni Shrine
HIS DVD0399

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

The Best of Youth
HIS DVD0444

In the award-winning epic tradition of The Godfather and Cold Mountain, The Best of Youth has wowed critics and earned honors at numerous film festivals worldwide. As Italy explodes in an era of social unrest, a single ill-fated incident sends the lives of equally idealistic brothers Nicola and Matteo Carati careening in opposite directions. Divided by politics but bonded by blood, the next 40 years will find the brothers' divergent paths intersecting through some of the most tumultuous events in recent history! A stunning cinematic achievement- you don't want to miss this incredible motion picture! 368 minutes.

The City
HIS DVD0385

Originally shown at the '39 World's Fair, this classic show comments on four types of cities: the New England town, the unplanned industrial community, a crowded metorpolis and the decentralized community. The video humorously and dramatically details the turmoil and quality of life in our cities. Music by Aaron Copland. 44minutes/College and Adult/Color

Novembers Children: Revolution in Prague
HIS DVD0403

November's Children is a first-hand account of the tumultuous events whic occurred in Prague during the winter of 1989, when a student-led revolution succeeded in ending the Communist domination of Czechoslovakia. Remarkable documantary footage captures the struggle, strength, and inspiration of that country's young people as they stage massive demonstrations and strikes, bringing the Communist party to its knees and ending \\generations of totalitarian rule. Interviews with the central figures of these events, including student leaders, Communist Party bosses, factory workers, and newly elected officials, illuminate the personal stories at the heart of great historical change. DVD/Color/58 Minutes

Revolution 67
HIS DVD0448

Revolution '67 focuse on the explosive urban rebellion which erupted in NEwar, New Jersey, in July 1967; a tragedy caused by similar problems that sparked "race riots" across America. What's revealed are long-standing racial, economic, and political forces which generated inner city poverty and perpetuate it today. Newar residents, police, officials, and urban commentators including writer/activist Amiri Baraka, jornalist Bob Herbert, prominent historians, and 60s activist Tom Hayed, recount the vivid day-to-day details of the uprising. But they also trace those traumatic days back to decades of industrial decline, unemployment, job and housing discrimatination, federal programs favoring suburbs over cities, police impunity, political corrupition, and the costly, devisive Vietnam War. The spark igniting this firestorm of pent-up racial rage was, as is so often the case, an encounter between a black man and the police. On July 12th, 1967, two white offices stopped a black taxi drive for a minor traffic violation, beat him, and dragged him into the local precinct. A rumor spread through black neighborhoods tha the driver had died, inciting a crowd to rampage through the streets, set fires, break windows, and loot businesses. DVD/90mins/B&W

Building The American Dream Levittown
HIS DVD0386

This historical documentary chronicles New York real estate developer William Levitt's postwar construction of affordable housing for returning WWII veterans and their families in Levittown and other Long Island communities, thereby establishing the prototype for modern suburbia. Tracing the period from 1947 to the present day, the video explores Levitt's vision of rapidly constructing inexpensive tract homes on 60 by 100 foot lots (as many as 25 to 30 homes were built in a day), Featuring rare archival footage and photos, an interview with Levitt and the reminiscences of numerous Levittown residents (including singer Billy Joel). The video shows how the federal government, banks and builders like Levitt cooperated in the early postwar years to finance and build affordable housing, reveals how a policy of racial discrimination prevented blacks from buying the homes, and traces the subsequent collapse of Levitt's construction empire. The result is a nostalgic but revealing look at the birht of the american suburb and it present-day legacy. DVD-R/Color/60minutes/

WWII in HD
HIS DVD0460

Seventy years in the making. Three thousand hours of color film footage few knew exsisted. The first documentary to show original color footage of Word War II in immersive HD, the world premiere HISTORY series WWII in HD uses the journals and accounts of those who served in the war's biggest battles to create a personal, introspective, and detailed look at life on and off the front lines. Follow 12 unforgettable Americans, and experience the war through their eyes, in their own words, as it really lookedand sounded. WWII in HD transforms their stirring journey into a tangible piece of history. Culled from rare color film found in a two-year worldwide search and converted to HD with meticulous technique, WWII in HD provides a picture of World WAR II as it has never been seen before. Color. 3 disc set. 7 hours and 35 mins. plus extras.

The Ascent of Man I
HIS DVD0405

Volume 1: Lower than Angels A multitude of evolutionary changes - anatomical and intellectual - gives rise to man's superiority among the anmials. New computer techniques illustrate humanity's evolution, while x-ray and slow motion photography of an Olympic athlete in action show the complex interweaving of mind and body. Volume 2: Harvest of the Seasons Man domesticates plant and animal life. With the Neolithic cultivators come the nomads and the roots of warfare. Cameras capture the unique lifestyle of the Bakhtiari tribe of central Iran and there recareate the war games of Genghis Khan. DVD/color/104 minutes/English subtitles/Rated G

Restoration
HIS DVD0390

Robert Merivel is a young man who seems to have everything...until a passionate affair leads to scandal, suddenly leaving him heartbroken and penniless. But it's only after losing it all that Merivel discovers who he really is and - with the love a beautiful woman - becomes the man he never dreamed he could be! DVD/color/1 hour 58 minutes

The Ascent of Man II
HIS DVD0406

Volume 3: Grain in the Stone Man splits a stone and reassembles the pieces to build a wall, a cathedral, a city. From the Greek temples of Paestum and the cathedrals of medieval France to modern Los Angeles, this film expresses humanity's faith and fancy as architect and builder. Volume 4: The Hidden Structure The Shang bronze craftsmen of China and the Samurai swordsmith of Japan are the starting point for this journey, which leads from the beginnings of chemistry to Dalton's atomic theory and our knowledge of the elements. Volume 5: Music of the Spheres Traces the evolution of mathematics and explores the relationship of numberse to musical harmony, early astronomy and perspective in painting. It follows the spread of Greek ideas through the courts and bazaars o the Islamic Empire to Moorish Spain and Renaissance Europe. DVD/color/156 minutes/rated G/English subtitles

In the Shadow of the Reich: Medicine Under the Nazis
HIS DVD0392

Nazi Medicine studies the step by step process that led the German medical profession down an unethical road to genocide. It graphically documents the racial theories and eugenics principles that set the stage for the doctors' participation in sterilzation and euthanasia, the selections at the death camps, as well as inhuman and unethical human experimentation. DVD/54minutes/b&w and color The Cross and the Star finds disturbing echoes of anti-Semitism in the otherwise profound, lyrical Gospel of St. John, the sermons of St. Augustine, the writings of Martin Luther and in the voices of the Crusaders and the Spanish Inquisitors - all of which may have helped sow the ideological seeds that developed into Nazism. DVD/55minutes/color

The Ascent of Man III
HIS DVD0407

Volume 6: Starry Messenger Here is the story of early attempts to map the forces that move the planets. Dr. Bronowski traces the origins of the scientific revolution through the conflict between fact and religious dogma, culminating the trial of Galileo. Volume 7: Majestic Clockwork In the evolution of physics, the contributions of Newton and Einstein occupy center stage. This film explores the revolution that ensued when Einstein's theory of relativity upset Newton's elegant description of the universe. Volume 8: Drive for Power Industrial and political revolutions altered the concepts of power during the 18th century. Dr. Bronowski shows why these developments were as significant as the Renaissance in our progress. DVD/Color/156 minutes/English subtitles/Rated G

White Light Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima And Nagasaki
HIS DVD0378

In August 1945, the world was transformed in the blink of an eye when American forces dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing unprecedented destruction, and precipitating the end of World War II. In this extraoridnary HBO Documentary Film, Academy Award winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki presents shocking archival footage, stunning photography and heartrending interviews - from both Japanese survivors of the attacks and the Americans who believed their involvement would help end a brutal conflict - for a deeply moving look at the painful legacy of the first use of nuclear weapons in war. DVD/color/85 minutes/No rating

The Sixties: The Years that Shaped A Generation
HIS DVD0393

It was a time when a generation rebelled and lost its innocence. From the Vietnam War to the struggle for racial equality to the birth of a counter-culture explosion, the 1960s was a decade of change, experimentation and hope that transformed an entire nation. The Sixties: The Years That Shaped A Generation traces the events of one of the most turbulent and influential periods of political and cultural change in the 20th century and the powerful impact forced on an entire generation. There is disagreement even today over the failures and accomplishments that were born from the 1960s, but one thing is certain - there has never been a time quite like it. DVD/color and b&w/120 minutes/Not Rated

The Ascent of Man IV
HIS DVD0408

Volume 9: Ladder of Creation Journey from the valleys and waterfalls of Wales to the jungles of the Amazon to explore the controversy swirling around a startling new theory of evolution developed simultaneously by Alfred Wallace and Charles Darwin. Volume 10: World within World Commencing with a visit to an ancient Polish salt mine, Dr. Bronowski looks at the world inside the atom, tracing the history of ideas that have made 20th century physics "the greatest achievemnt of the humany imagination." Volume 11: Knowlded or Certainty Dr. Bronowski offers his personal view of the moral dilemma that confronts today's scientist, contrasting humanist tradtions with the inhumanities of the Nazis, the harnessing of nuclear energy wit hthe development of the atomic bomb. DVD/Color/156 minutes/English subtitles/Rated G

The Ascent of Man V
HIS DVD0409

Volume 12: Generation upon Generation This program examines the complex code of human inheritance - from the experiments of pioneer geneticist Gregor Mendel to the discoveries of today's sophisticated laboratories. Volume 13: Long Childhood In this closing film, Dr. Bronowski draws together the many threads of the series as he takes stock of humanity's complex and sometimes precarious ascent. DVD/Color/104 minutes/English subtitles/Rated G

Made in Brooklyn
HIS DVD0455

The compelling stories of factories that flourish in Brooklyn, NY, challege the notion that manufacturing is dead in America. Workers reveal how their jobs bring not only regular pay checks, but meaningful relationships, enhanced self-estem and pride in themselves and their products. Made in Brooklyn has lessons about the economny for the entire nation. DVD/Color/55 Minutes/Not Rated

ITEMS DVD Descriptions

Unknown SoldierHIS DVD0371

Unknown Soldier
HIS DVD0371