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Content

LITERATURE

LITERATURE


HORATIO'S HAMLET

Horatio's Hamlet draws on Shakespeares text to create a unique tale of Horatio honoring the last request of his beloved Prince and confidant by reenacting the events years later. The scenes unfold in both real and unreal environments amid real, mannequin and marionette supporting cast members.

Item no.: HH00161129
Format: DVD
Duration: 21 minutes
Audience: Junior High - College
Copyright: 2009
Price: USD 195.00

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SHAKESPEARE WORKS!

Shakespeare Works! introduces the viewer to the life, time and plays of William Shakespeare. It uses a mixture of modern and traditional techniques and interpretations to demonstrate how Shakespeare has influenced modern society, culture and entertainment.

Shakespeare Works! is broken down into six sections; Shakespeare's Home, Audience, Theatre, Histories, Comedies and Tragedies.

Titus Andronicus is filmed like the modern horror film "Blair Witch Project," Twelfth Night in the style of the sitcom "Friends," and the end of Macbeth as a western shootout. Macbeth is also performed traditionally, with actors hot seating each other after killing King Duncan!

Item no.: GW00160949
Format: DVD
Duration: 46 minutes
Audience: Junior High - Senior High
Copyright: 2007
Price: USD 195.00

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SHADOW OF MARY POPPINS, THE

Pamela Travers was the creator of the universally-loved fictional character, Mary Poppins. Yet the whimsical fantasies of the sugar and spice nanny bore no resemblance to her real life childhood.

Her mother was suicidal and needy; her father, an alcoholic, died when she was seven. Pamela's imagination was her only refuge, a means of survival. And so, after virtually raising her two younger sisters, she set about re-writing her life and the characters who populated it. Reinvention became a theme for P.L.Travers. She spent her life seeking various forms of spiritual enlightenment.

After twenty years of negotiations, she signed a lucrative deal with Walt Disney which would turn out to be Disney's highest grossing film to date. Although never professing to be happy with the film, she lived comfortably on its royalties.

Always a contradictory person, Pamela Travers wrote ten other works of fiction and hundreds of poems, articles and essays, but it was her fiction of a happy childhood that cast the greatest shadow in her life.

Item no.: CF00160919
Format: DVD
Duration: 55 minutes
Audience: Senior High, College
Copyright: 2005
Price: USD 195.00

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HOLLOW PLACE, A

A contemporary adaptation of THE TELL-TALE HEART by Edgar Allan Poe.

Corliss Young waits hand and foot on a bed-ridden old man, Alban Porter. Abandoned as a child, Corliss has become maid, nurse, and cook to Porter, living in dread of his constant demands and repeated insults. Each day, Corliss methodically plots to kill the old man, sneaking into his room each night to watch him sleep.

A HOLLOW PLACE explores the emotional emptiness of a trapped young man. And how his rage finally explodes. By modernizing the story and creating contemporary African-American characters, the film brings the story of misdeeds and guilt to a new generation, capturing the vivid madness of the killer that is so engrossing in the original short story.

Item no.: BT00160177
Format: DVD
Duration: 18 minutes
Audience: Senior High, College
Copyright: 1999
Price: USD 195.00

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RAVEN, THE

Edgar Allen Poe's classic poem in a dramatic setting.

Item no.: LK00161131
Format: DVD
Duration: 13 minutes
Audience: Senior High - College
Copyright: 1997
Price: USD 125.00

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PAUL ROBESON

By 1940 Paul Robeson was the most recognized African-American in the world. Key events of his life, politics and career are presented. Robeson used his international acclaim to focus world-wide attention on racial injustices suffered by African-Americans in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

By 1950, Robeson's battle for freedom cost him his career. Footage of the legendary entertainer discussing his views, along with clips of his memorable Hollywood movie career are presented. A Morehouse College historian analyses Robeson's impact, and the turbulent times he lived in.

Item no.: TN00160588
Format: DVD
Duration: 29 minutes
Audience: Senior High - College
Copyright: 1995
Price: USD 250.00

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FOUR GIRLS AND TONI MORRISON

Toni Morrison was winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in literature and is professor of literature at Princeton University. Her life and work has meant a lot to a whole generation of young African American women.

This program reveals a personal portrait of Professor Morrison while analyzing her intentions and techniques of composition. Interwoven are scenes of four students discussing her as a role model. They ponder The Bluest Eye and Beloved, the work for which she received the 1988 Pulitzer Prize. They cite a quote from Jazz as revealing much of her authorial intent.

The students conclude that part of her significance lies in her being a black thinker and also offering to black Americans a sense of belonging here in America, as opposed to a rootlessness or searching for a vague sense of belonging in Africa.

Item no.: ZN00160280
Format: DVD
Duration: 29 minutes
Audience: Senior High - College
Copyright: 1994
Price: USD 250.00

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HAROLD BLOOM: READING THE LABYRINTH

From his assault on New Criticism to his salvos against the "school of resentment," literary scholar Harold Bloom has fused an eloquent defense of the western canon with insightful analysis and a rebel's penchant for controversy. This imaginative program, the first-ever documentary on Bloom's far-reaching contributions to literary criticism, ushers viewers through the complex world of his writings, ideas, influences, and impact. Presenting extensive commentary from Bloom himself, the film also features detailed interviews with the renowned Sir Frank Kermode, a long-time colleague and sometime rival of Bloom's, and The New School's Dr. Nicholas Birns, literary critic and former student of both Bloom and Kermode. Academics who have studied Bloom's career-including Dr. Xavier Perez Torio of Pompeu Fabra University and Dr. Raffaele Pinto of the University of Barcelona-are also included.

Item no.: HB02302683
Format: DVD
Duration: 60 minutes
Copyright: 2009
StdBkNo: 9781608250677
Price: USD 170.00

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GENERATION OF '27 ANTHOLOGY, THE

Following World War I, Spain underwent an intense flowering of art, literature, and culture-personified by a group of avant-garde poets known as the Generation of '27. This program profiles key members of the Generation, guiding viewers through their influences, writing genres, styles, and often chaotic personal lives. Rarely seen archival footage and images accompany detailed interviews with literary scholars and surviving family members to create a sweeping portrait of this unique brotherhood of the word. In total, the set's 11 segments-each devoted to one poet-feature over 2 hours of video, including a bonus segment on the role of 1920-30s cinema in establishing a new genre for expression and cementing the Generation's lasting importance.

The featured poets are:

  • Rafael Alberti, whose style ranged from playful to ominous and who spent 23 years exiled in Argentina

  • Federico Garcia Lorca, one of Spain's greatest poets and dramatists, who was murdered by Spanish fascists in 1936

  • Jorge Guillen, an adherent of "pure poetry" who established a widespread literary reputation late in life

  • Manuel Altolaguirre, admired as a poet but also lauded for his work as an editor, publisher, and printer

  • Emilio Prados, co-founder with Altolaguirre of the magazine Litoral, a highly influential publication in Spain during the 1920s

  • Ramon Gomez de la Serna, a writer and dramatist who influenced filmmaker Luis Bunuel and who pioneered a short form of poetry called the gregueria

  • Vincent Aleixandre, whose work encompassed surrealism, a love of nature, and themes of human fellowship

  • Luis Cernuda, an admirer of English poetry whose own writing, far ahead of its time, dealt openly with his homosexuality

  • Jose Maria Hinojosa, perhaps the only right-wing member of the Generation of '27, assassinated by supporters of the Republic in 1936

  • Pedro Salinas, a teacher and translator whose passions included not only literature but also law and philosophy

    Item no.: WG00272670
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 120 minutes
    Copyright: 2009
    StdBkNo: 9781608250691
    Price: USD 340.00

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    HAROLD BLOOM: READING THE LABYRINTH

    From his assault on New Criticism to his salvos against the "school of resentment," literary scholar Harold Bloom has fused an eloquent defense of the western canon with insightful analysis and a rebel's penchant for controversy. This imaginative program, the first-ever documentary on Bloom's far-reaching contributions to literary criticism, ushers viewers through the complex world of his writings, ideas, influences, and impact. Presenting extensive commentary from Bloom himself, the film also features detailed interviews with the renowned Sir Frank Kermode, a long-time colleague and sometime rival of Bloom's, and The New School's Dr. Nicholas Birns, literary critic and former student of both Bloom and Kermode. Academics who have studied Bloom's career-including Dr. Xavier Perez Torio of Pompeu Fabra University and Dr. Raffaele Pinto of the University of Barcelona-are also included.

    Item no.: HB02302683
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 60 minutes
    Copyright: 2009
    StdBkNo: 9781608250677
    Price: USD 170.00

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    NEW ENGLAND TRANSCENDENTALISTS, THE: THE AMERICAN TRANSCENDENTALISTS - CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS

    The ideas and ideals of three American Transcendentalists-Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller-initially given expression through The Dial continue to shape the discourse of literature, philosophy, and religion worldwide. This program, hosted by James H. Bride II and divided into eight chapters, traces the origins and defines the concept of Transcendentalism. It also spotlights key landmarks in and around Concord, where the Transcendental movement began, while profiling Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller in depth through readings, interviews, and dramatizations from significant Transcendentalist texts. Scholarly commentary is provided by Richard Baker, Lawrence Buell, Burnham Carter, Philip McFarland, Joan von Mehren, Joel Myerson, Wesley Mott, Robert Richardson Jr., and David Reynolds. Several dramatic passages are reenacted by Jeffrey Hyatt as Thoreau at Walden Pond.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan

    Item no.: KP02452767
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 54 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421387727
    Price: USD 170.00

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    RAISIN IN THE SUN, A: CHARACTER STUDIES CONVERSATIONS

    Hosted by Eli Wallach

    This program dissects Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun through the sharp insights of Joe Morton (Walter Lee Younger); Kim Yancey (Beneatha Younger); Phylicia Rashad (Lena Younger); Ruby Dee, Audra McDonald, Starletta DuPois, and Ernestine Jackson (Ruth Younger); Ralph Carter (Travis Younger); John Fiedler (Carl Lindner); directors Lloyd Richards and Jack Hofsiss; Broadway producer Philip Rose; and Hansberry expert Lynn Domina, author of Understanding A Raisin in the Sun: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. The first play to realistically portray the daily lives of a contemporary African-American family, Raisin-a revolutionary work about race written during the civil rights era-makes the universal statement that dreams of a better future are important to everyone.

    Item no.: NP00272346
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 60 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421386393
    Price: USD 170.00

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    SUMMONING OF EVERYMAN, THE

    When Death comes to take Everyman to his final judgment, Everyman attempts to bribe Death-and when that fails, Everyman instead tries to find a companion to accompany him on the fearful journey. In this adaptation of The Summoning of Everyman by Douglas Morse, a cast of classically trained actors, period music, opulent costumes, and captivating cinematography breathe new life into an enduring 15th-century morality play. A bittersweet story of the human condition performed with a moving earnestness. A commendable resource for courses in medieval studies, drama, and literature.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan

    Reviews
  • "It's excellent to see this great classic of human mortality brought back to life with such commitment." - Helen Cooper, Professor of Medieval and Renaissance English, University of Cambridge

  • "This is the most impressive film I have seen of a pre-Shakespearean drama in English. It not only illustrates an important moment in the history of Western theatre, but also - like the play it puts in motion - stages a breathtaking story of life and death. The cast, performances, cinematography, and locations are superb. The Summoning of Everyman is a gift to the serious student of drama, and a must-see for anyone interested in Shakespeare and the early modern theatre. Even after five centuries, Everyman's struggle to accept the fact of his own death remains uncanny in its power to move us." - Douglas Bruster, Professor of English, The University of Texas at Austin, and co-editor with Eric Rasmussen of "Mankind" and "Everyman" for the Arden Early Modern

  • "This film beautifully captures the essence of The Summoning of Everyman. Teachers of early drama will be grateful for the way the film serves the text and evokes the play's time and religious culture. All viewers will appreciate Paul Barry's moving portrayal of the central character's plight." -Harry Keyishian, "Shakespeare Bulletin," The Johns Hopkins University Press

    Item no.: AU02453178
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 53 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781604673890
    Price: USD 170.00

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    THIS IS MACBETH

    A hilarious and insightful introduction to Shakespeare's Scottish play, This Is Macbeth offers a decidedly different approach to exploring and appreciating the renowned tragedy. The program consists of amusing talk show-style interviews with the main characters interspersed with scenes from the play itself, performed in deadly earnestness by professional Shakespearean actors in a black box theater. Musical summaries help viewers keep track of plot development and themes, while an on-screen ticker spouts relevant facts and humorous asides. Ridiculous medieval "commercial breaks" round out the faux-TV experience. This Is Macbeth was created by Drs. Jeremy Sabol and Greg Watkins.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.

    Item no.: WT02450905
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 99 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781608258048
    Price: USD 200.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - 21ST-CENTURY TRENDS IN LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE

    Complacency has never been a hallmark of Latin American literature. As the 21st century dawned, many young writers-and even some who had fueled the Latin American Boom-grew disenchanted with the status quo. This program profiles the careers and the potential of literary artists at the forefront of the region's emerging narrative trends. Addressing the influence of the Crack Movement and the McOndo Group-as well as an increasing overlap between cinematic and literary concerns-the program studies the work of Cesar Aira, Ricardo Piglia, Sergio Pitol, Juan Villoro, Fernando Vallejo, Roberto Bolano, Jorge Volpi, Alberto Fuguet, Edmundo Paz Soldan, Marosa di Giorgio, and Pedro Lemebel.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: EW02302311
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 49 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377889
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - AFTER THE BOOM

    As the 1970s progressed, the political climate in Latin America became increasingly dark, with no end in sight to the proliferation of brutal dictatorships. This program analyzes the cultural impact of those developments and the tensions which gave Latin American literature of the period its energy and resonance. With insight into the challenges of writing in the face of tyranny, the program explores the work of authors from the Southern Cone region and offers perspectives on Carlos Monsivais, Elena Poniatowska, Rodolfo Walsh, Miguel Gutierrez, Oswaldo Reynoso, Julio Cortazar, Hector Tizon, and Diamela Eltit. The emergence of the urban cronica is discussed in depth.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: AC02452312
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377827
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - BRAZILIAN LITERATURE: THE 20TH CENTURY

    In the first decades of the 20th century, Brazilian avant-garde literature came into its own. This program examines the awakening of Modernismo and subsequent movements in Brazilian letters, from Sao Paulo's Week of Modern Art in 1922 to the politically focused milieu of the 1970s. Outlining historical events that helped shape the country's multifaceted culture, the program explores the writings of Graciliano Ramos, Jose Lins do Rego, Augusto Meyer, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Jorge Amado, Erico Verissimo, Clarice Lispector, and Nelida Pinon, and others. It also looks at the Brazilian literature of today as it struggles to create new styles and forms that can do justice to its turbulent history.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: MG00272313
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377865
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - BRAZILIAN LITERATURE: THE FIRST 500 YEARS

    Unified by the Portuguese language, the literature of Brazil represents the cultural synthesis of three distinct influences: indigenous peoples, European emigres, and Africans brought to the New World as slaves. This program reflects on those influences as it examines the first five centuries of recorded Brazilian writing. With an overview of ancient folklore and verse, the program highlights connections between Brazilian and Baroque traditions; it also studies the importance of Neoclassicism and Romanticism, Realism and Naturalism, and Parnassianism and Symbolism. Works by Claudio Manuel da Costa, Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, Alberto de Oliveira, Raimundo Correia, Olavo Bilac, Euclides da Cunha, and others are featured.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: VY02302314
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377841
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - CONQUEST AND COLONY

    To the European imagination, America was a tabula rasa, a virgin territory. As this program describes, narrative art forms were essential to making sense of this exotic Eden and the possibilities it offered. New Spain became a place for re-creating myths and legends of the Western literary canon, for transforming poetry, prose, and epic literature. The diaries of Columbus, Bartolome de las Casas' History of the Indies, Bernal Diaz' True History of the Conquest of New Spain, and Bernardino de Sahagun's Florentine Codex are explored along with works from indigenous authors of the early colonial period-such as Ixtlilxochitl (History of the Chichimec Nation), Munoz Camargo (History of Tlaxcala), and Alvarado Tezozomoc (Mexicayotl Chronicle).

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: NJ02452315
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 46 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377667
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - FROM ROMANTICISM TO REALISM

    The 19th century brought tumultuous political change to Central and South America. This program shows how the cultural crucible of the region fused and realigned aesthetic movements considered sacrosanct in Europe-specifically, Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism. In an eclectic matching game that became typical of Latin American literature, Realist and historical novels existed cheek-and-jowl with Romantic poetry, Romantic novels competed with the anecdotes of Ricardo Palma, and newspaper serials vied for attention with costumbrismo-a genre that depicted everyday manners and customs. Jicotencal, Jorge Isaacs' Maria, and Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda's Guatimozin, Last Emperor of Mexico are among the works discussed.

    Item no.: PN02302320
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 51 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377704
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - MODERNISMO

    It was an aesthetic movement with an ambitious program: linguistic innovation as a means of liberation from Romanticism and Neoclassicism, and as a way to clarify Latin American identity. As this program explains, Modernismo coincided with a burst of interest in stories and accounts that were tied to the creation of independent nation states. Viewers will discover valuable insights regarding this cultural tidal wave and the ways in which it transformed the novel, lyrical poetry, and nonfiction prose into highly original shapes. The achievements of Ruben Dario, Jose Marti, Manuel Gutierrez Najera, Jose Asuncion Silva, and other seminal writers are examined, along with the external influences of the Symbolists and the Parnassian Poets.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: WA00272316
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377728
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - NARRATING MODERNITY: WRITERS OF THE MID-20TH CENTURY

    The mid-20th century was an era of large-scale and often tragically violent political shifts which completely changed the face of Latin American life-and art. As this program demonstrates, the rise of military dictatorships and authoritarian regimes forced a reassessment of issues that had been problematic since Latin American countries gained their independence. These dilemmas brought intense pressure on social institutions and energized the works of Jorge Luis Borges, Octavio Paz, Pablo Neruda, Roberto Arlt, Cesar Vallejo, Alejo Carpentier, Silvina Ocampo, and Juan Carlos Onetti. The significance of the Rio de la Plata region and Angel Rama's concept of narrative transculturation also inform the discussion.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: YC02302317
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377780
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - POLITICIANS AND REVOLUTIONARIES

    The Era of Revolution severed political ties between Latin America and the Old World-but cultural independence was another matter. This program explains how the region's literature began to come into its own, relying on models and themes imported from Spain while establishing a dialogue with other literary traditions and aesthetic movements. Through the work of Jose Joaquin Fernandez de Lizardi, Esteban Echeverria, Bartolome Hidalgo, Mariano Melga, Jose Marti, Cirilo Villaverde, and other writers, viewers will become familiar with the "literature of independence" particular to Latin America-one that threads together the old and the new, the alien and the indigenous, to form its own unique creations.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: TE02452318
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377681
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - PRE-COLUMBIAN LITERATURE

    The history and social structures of Latin America's native peoples were neither simple nor peaceful before the arrival of Europeans. Wars were fought, empires were created and destroyed, and-as this program illustrates-narrative tapestries of fact and fiction were woven in the process. Underscoring the linguistic sophistication that flourished for thousands of years in the region, the program addresses the proliferation of Nahuatl and Quechua literature, the codices and quipu of Mayan and Incan societies, and other ancient forms of written and oral communication. Although mythical accounts-including the Popol Vuh, the Chilam Balam, the Apu Ollantay, and the Runa yndio-are analyzed on several levels, they are most notably linked with the agendas of pre-Columbian social hierarchies.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: EC00272319
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 45 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377643
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - REGIONALISM AND INDIGENISM

    The literature of Latin America has always defied homogeneity-and the first decades of the 20th century were no exception. This program studies artistic responses to Modernismo that accompanied a deepening appreciation of local cultural currents forming across the region-currents that, however disparate, were flowing into a shared identity. The forces that paved the way for a new avant-garde, replacing traditional means of discourse with a fractured and anxiety-ridden worldview, are analyzed. The concept of novelas de la tierra or "novels of the land" is addressed, as are the writings of Alcides Arguedas, Horacio Quiroga, Jose Eustasio Rivera, Romulo Gallegos, Martin Luis Guzman, Gregorio Lopez Fuentes, Rafael Munoz, Nelly Campobello, and numerous others.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: CG02452321
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 46 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377742
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - THE AVANT-GARDE OF THE 1920S

    After the horrors of World War I, Latin American writing turned away from what many saw as ornamental and frivolous experimentation. This program studies the so-called "criticism of Modernismo within Modernismo" in which language reached back to a simpler, more intimate, less urban-centered framework. Investigating the work of several poets and authors of the period-including Enrique Gonzalez Martinez, Julio Herrera y Reissig, Maria Eugenia Vaz, Leopoldo Lugones, Delmira Agustini, Ramon Lopez Velarde, and Cesar Vallejo-the program reveals complex dynamics of nationalism and cosmopolitanism, Western literature and indigenous voices, and the spirit of breaking with the past and of belonging to an artistic tradition.

    Award
  • Bronze Telly (2nd Place), 29th Annual Telly Awards

    Item no.: WS00272322
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377766
    Price: USD 150.00

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    FIRE AND INK: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE - THE LATIN AMERICAN BOOM

    By the 1960s, Latin America's avant-garde movements had matured into a range of literary styles that were firmly entrenched in the cultural landscape. At the same time, there emerged a new and distinctive accent to Latin American literature that was no less authentic than its forebears. This program surveys the artistic phenomenon, manifested most notably in magical realism, that came to be known as the Latin American Boom. Examining the role of journalism and the ways in which various authors stylized their reporting in the service of artistic goals, the program looks at the work of Alejo Carpentier, Augusto Roa Bastos, Julio Cortazar, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Juan Carlos Onetti, Jose Donoso, Miguel Angel Asturias, and Juan Rulfo.

    Item no.: WW02302323
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2008
    StdBkNo: 9781421377803
    Price: USD 150.00

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    EMERSON: THE IDEAL IN AMERICA (EDUCATOR'S EDITION)

    A generation after Americans had freed themselves politically and economically from Britain, it would be up to Ralph Waldo Emerson to carry the Revolution to individual men and women by exhorting them to a freedom of the spirit as well. Through a detailed recounting of Emerson's life, this program traces his vision of the ideal in America from its genesis to its flowering as the principles of Transcendentalism. Readings from Emerson's journals, addresses, and published works - including Nature and "Self-Reliance" - are interwoven throughout. Commentary is provided by Robert Richardson, author of Emerson: The Mind on Fire; Richard Geldard, author of God in Concord; and others.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan

    Reviews
  • "An efficient and engaging introduction to the overall shape of Emerson's life and thought. Recommended."-Educational Media Reviews Online

  • "Provides a comprehensive overview of [Emerson's] major contribution to American literature and the intellectual movement of the time.... Bonus materials on [DVD] explore the strong influence of women in his life, the role of oratory, the Lyceum Movement, and Eastern influences on Transcendentalism."-School Library Journal

  • Recommended by Curriculum Connections.

    Item no.: HB02452828
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 54 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 9781421380483
    Price: USD 170.00

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    GLASS MENAGERIE, THE: CHARACTER STUDIES CONVERSATIONS

    Tennessee Williams' masterpiece The Glass Menagerie is a prime example of the memory play in modern literature. In this program hosted by Eli Wallach, former cast members and directors of Menagerie discuss plot and thematic elements, the characterization of some of theater's most memorable and enduring dramatic figures, and the era in which the play was written. Commentary is provided by Ruby Dee, Olympia Dukakis, Julie Harris, and Molly Regan (Amanda); James Naughton (Jim, the Gentleman Caller); Eric Stoltz and Sam Waterston (Tom); Martha Plimpton (Laura); and directors Mark Brokaw and Austin Pendleton.

    Item no.: YH00272354
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 55 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 9781421382791
    Price: USD 170.00

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    OUR TOWN: CHARACTER STUDIES CONVERSATIONS

    In Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, the time is 1901 and the place is America's collective memory. But Thornton Wilder's Our Town is not the sentimental nostalgia piece most people perceive. This program hosted by Eli Wallach offers wide-ranging and extraordinarily deep insights into the play from those who arguably know it best: Our Town alumni who over the years have brought the play to life on stage and screen. Interviews with Paul Newman (Stage Manager); Cynthia Nixon and Maggie Lacey (Emily Webb); Paul Newman, Ben Fox, Harvey Evans, and Eric Stoltz (George Gibbs); James Rebhorn (Doc Gibbs); Frances Conroy (Mrs. Gibbs); Jeff DeMunn (Editor Webb); and Stephen Spinella (Simon Stimson) are featured. Our Town director James Naughton and Tom Jones, writer of the musical adaptation Grover's Corners, also contribute.

    Reviews
  • "A fine choice for American studies and drama classes." - School Library Journal

  • "The DVD interviews a who's who of actors of stage, film, and television, all of whom at one or more points in their career acted in Our Town. It was thrilling to listen to the insights of Paul Newman, Cynthia Nixon, Stephen Spinella, Erik Stoltz, Frances Conroy, James Rebhorn, Jeffrey de Munn, and others. Directors of adaptations of Our Town also make interesting comments about the themes of the play, its revolutionary theatrical style, and audiences' response to their productions. These theatre artists also brought the perspective of working on major revivals of Our Town at different time periods and parts of the country. It was fascinating watching these actors and directors reflect on their craft, the play's challenges, and what it teaches us about our relationships, American society, and life as a whole. The online teacher's guide would be very helpful for teaching the play and incorporating the DVD at both the high school and college levels. It contains fast facts (e.g., stats on population, life expectancy, the economy, etc.) at the time the action of Our Town takes place. There are stimulating discussion questions and learning activities, as well as photographs from the original stage production and the feature film. I intend to show the documentary to students in my Wilder course. I think theatre students will greatly value what the theatre artists say about the process of mounting a production, and the English majors will engage with the interpretation of the themes of the play." - Lincoln Konkle, Professor of English at The College of New Jersey and Executive Director of the Thornton Wilder Society; author of Thornton Wilder and the Puritan Narrative Tradition (2006)

  • Recommended by Curriculum Connections.

    Item no.: YL02301552
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 68 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 9781421366678
    Price: USD 170.00

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    REALISM: THE ARTISTIC SHAPE OF THE TRUTH

    It is a creative impulse as old as humanity itself: to depict life faithfully, accurately, in words or images. This program shows how that impulse led to Realism-a widespread artistic movement, born in the latter half of the 19th century, which rejected pretense, distortion, and sentimentality. Incorporating interviews with art historians and literary scholars, the program explores the sociopolitical origins of the phenomenon in the 1848 Revolution in France and the concurrent wave of industrialization that swept Europe and America. Luminous images by Edouard Manet, Gustave Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet, and Honore Daumier-along with the unflinching writings of Honore de Balzac, Gustave Flaubert, Emile Zola, Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Anton Chekhov, August Strindberg, and Heinrik Ibsen-are analyzed and compared with the work of Thomas Eakins, George Bellows, Mark Twain, Jack London, Stephen Crane, and others. The contributions of early photographers and filmmakers, as well as the first stirrings of feminism, are also examined.

    Awards
  • 2007 Silver Telly Award-Education (for academic use) category

  • 2007 Silver Telly Award-Cultural category

  • Bronze Plaque, 55th Columbus International Film & Video Festival

    Item no.: CC00271999
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 50 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 9781421369167
    Price: USD 170.00

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    AMERICAN POET LAUREATES

    The U.S. Poet Laureate has a unique opportunity to shape America's literary terrain-by fostering public appreciation of poetry and by continuing to produce his or her own work. This NewsHour collection profiles six such honorees at the onset of their terms. Each author reflects on experiences that have influenced his writing and describes what he hopes to accomplish during his tenure. In addition, each laureate reads a few of his own poems. Robert Pinsky delivers a compelling rendition of "December Blues," Ted Kooser movingly presents "Father," and Stanley Kunitz records a powerful recitation of "The Layers." Donald Hall, Robert Hass, and Billy Collins are also featured.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan

    Item no.: SY00272276
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 60 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421362014
    Price: USD 170.00

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    AMERICAN WRITERS ON WRITING

    Updike, Roth, Barth, Irving: their names reverberate in the halls of modern American literature. In this NewsHour program, these four literary icons - along with the highly regarded writers Frank McCourt and Susan Sontag - offer insights into their books and the heady, and sometimes frustrating, process of writing them.

    Episodes include”K

  • Irish Ashes - A Conversation with Frank McCourt: Elizabeth Farnsworth speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Frank McCourt about his Irish childhood and his best-selling memoir Angela's Ashes.

  • Art of the Story - A Conversation with John Barth: Elizabeth Farnsworth is joined by John Barth, author of epic-length novels and the shortest of short stories, to talk about storytelling and his book On with the Story.

  • From Print to Film - A Conversation with John Irving: Elizabeth Farnsworth interviews novelist/screenwriter John Irving on adapting his novels for the cinema, with a focus on The Cider House Rules.

  • Wake Up, America - A Conversation with Susan Sontag: "Be serious, be passionate, wake up." Elizabeth Farnsworth engages writer/photographer Susan Sontag on her book In America.

  • Early Years, Early Stories - A Conversation with John Updike: Jeffrey Brown speaks with John Updike about his early career as an author and his anthology The Early Stories: 1953-1975.

  • The Plot Thickens - A Conversation with Philip Roth: Jeffrey Brown and author Philip Roth talk about Roth's novel The Plot Against America.

  • Philip Roth - Looking Back: Jeffrey Brown and Philip Roth examine the creative process against the backdrop of Roth's long and prolific career as a writer of fiction.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan

    Item no.: JJ00272768
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 75 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421389905
    Price: USD 180.00

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    WILLIAM FAULKNER

    The writer who best represents 20th-century Southern narrative led an existence every bit as colorful and dramatic as his fictional sagas. This program beautifully recounts William Faulkner's life and the great literary works it produced, exploring his affinity for the tragic and whimsical aspects of a decaying, racially fractured South. Beginning with the author's birth in New Albany, Mississippi, the DVD describes his early military and romantic ambitions, his family life, alcoholism, and stints in Hollywood, and his eventual garnering of the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, and National Book Award-all within the framework of his vast literary output. Summaries of major Faulkner novels-including Soldier's Pay, Sartoris, The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, Sanctuary, Light in August, and Absalom, Absalom!-highlight the author's recurring themes of loss, faded glory, and dignity in the face of mortality. Passages from several works are read aloud and displayed visually as text.

    Award
  • Chris Statuette, Columbus International Film & Video Festival

    Item no.: HY00270776
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 24 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421366050
    Price: USD 150.00

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    BEOWULF: PERFORMED BY BENJAMIN BAGBY (EDUCATOR'S EDITION)

    With the intensity and commitment of an ancient Norse warrior, Benjamin Bagby brings the epic poem Beowulf to incandescent life. This program documents Bagby's brilliant iteration of the saga before a live audience in Helsingborg, Sweden - demonstrating the spellbinding qualities of both the poem and the performer. Reciting the entire 1,062-line Grendel story in the original Old English and accompanying himself on an authentic Anglo-Saxon harp, Bagby offers viewers an in-depth, richly textured look at the tale as it would have enthralled listeners 1,000 years ago. This edition features Bagby's complete performance.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan

    Review
  • "Bagby beautifully inflects his strong baritone, ”„acting out' the text through facial gestures that raise this offering far beyond the level of mere scholarly recitation (the optional modern English subtitles allow the viewer to savor Bagby's well-honed delivery and still understand what he's saying). Boasting excellent camera work, this 2006 live performance also features periodic shots of enraptured listeners and background landscapes to add visual variety.”K Performance art of the highest order, this is highly recommended." - Video Librarian

    Item no.: HL00272777
    Format: DVD (With English Subtitles)
    Duration: 99 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421365282
    Price: USD 200.00

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    CRITICS, THE: STORIES FROM THE INSIDE PAGES

    How do critics serve the public and the artistic community? Dr. Dwight DeWerth-Pallmeyer, director of the Department of Communication Studies at Widener University, spent several months traveling the country and interviewing prominent commentators - including Good Morning America film reviewer Joel Siegel, Time magazine film critic Richard Schickel, Nashville Scene music critic Bill Friskics-Warren, and Fresh Air book critic Maureen Corrigan. The result is an in-depth look at criticism as an art form, the social value of a critic's work, the various ways that renowned critics began their careers, and the passion and intellect with which all professional critics must approach their work. Some language may be offensive.

    Note: Only available in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan

    Item no.: YK02452807
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 75 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421360300
    Price: USD 180.00

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    MASTERS OF THE SPANISH WORD: GUSTAVO ADOLFO BECQUER

    Although he lived only 34 years, Gustavo Becquer is largely responsible for leading Spanish poetry toward the Modernist era. This program details his life and artistic journey, from his birth into impoverished nobility to his death in obscurity-and his posthumous fame as Spain's greatest post-Romantic poet. Outlining the author's education, friendships, and failed loves, the DVD focuses on the power of the Rimas and the political turmoil that prevented its publication during Becquer's lifetime. The clarity and sensitivity of his letters and the inventiveness of his prose legends are also showcased in this poignant, compelling biography.

    Item no.: HA00270565
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 22 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421327709
    Price: USD 100.00

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    MASTERS OF THE SPANISH WORD: RAFAEL ALBERTI

    Deftly interweaving political concerns into his poetry, Rafael Alberti fashioned a literary style suited to the social turmoil of the 20th century. This program shows the evolution of that style, from the highly personal Marinero en Tierra, to the balance of playfulness and melancholy in El Alba de Alheli, to the mystical and nearly apocalyptic Sobre los Angeles. Detailing Alberti's travels across Europe and to the Soviet Union, the United States, and South America-including Argentina, where he spent 23 years of his life-this energetic biography also highlights Alberti's involvement with painting and theater, as well as with the Spanish Communist party.

    Item no.: PH00270691
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 25 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421327730
    Price: USD 100.00

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    MASTERS OF THE SPANISH WORD: RUBEN DARIO

    Considered by many as the first Modernist poet to write in Spanish, Ruben Dario is a major 20th-century literary figure by any reckoning. This program explores his life and work, with attention to both verse and prose achievements. Identifying Azul as the genesis of Spanish-language Modernism, the DVD also explores Dario's Profane Hymns, which established his prominence among Latin American poets of the period. His horror story Thanatopia, his journalistic work for La Nacion, his pacifist efforts prior to World War I, and his service as a diplomat are discussed as well-reflecting Dario's importance in a time of political and artistic upheaval.

    Item no.: MC00270706
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 23 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421327723
    Price: USD 100.00

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    MASTERS OF THE SPANISH WORD: THE PICARESQUE NOVEL

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

    Item no.: LB02300671
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 23 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 9781421369136
    Price: USD 100.00

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