An “unforgettable documentary” (New York Daily News), Crossing the Line is the “absolutely fascinating” (Hollywood Reporter) story of James Joseph Dresnok, a US Army private who in 1962 stunned the world by walking across the violently contested DMZ that cuts Korea in two and defecting to the communist North.
Taking full advantage of access granted by the government of North Korea, the “axis of evil’s” mysterious and feared rogue state, director Daniel Gordon (The Game of Their Lives, A State of Mind) combines historical footage with contemporary interviews to both uncover the Kim-Jong Il regime and end 44 years of secrecy and rumor by allowing Dresnok to tell his own story.
Despite spending more than half his life living, working, and raising a family in North Korea, “Comrade Joe,” as Western media dubbed Dresnok when he walked into infamy at the height of the Cold War, remains a man of eternally divided loyalties. From his appalling childhood in a rural 1950’s Virginia foster home, to interviews with his fellow GI’s, to “amazing footage” (New York Post) of Dresnok playing the villain in Kim-Jong Il’s personally produced propaganda films, Crossing the Line “makes an already compelling story even more so” (Hollywood Reporter) by intimately revealing a character “worthy of Werner Herzog’s delusional hero-victims” (New York Sun).
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $189.00
For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
“Riveting.”
– Matt Zoller Seitz, The New York Times
“Astonishing… The sheer strangeness of (Comrade Joe) Dresnok’s experience makes this film absorbing; the glimpses of the North Korean way of life make it essential.”– Richard Brody, The New Yorker
Part one this BBC portrait of Charles Darwin focuses on his early life and influences tracing his maturation as a naturalist from his birth in Shrewsbury, England to the publication of his key work the Origin of Species. To provide a contextual base for Darwin’s revolutionary ideas, the program examines his key influences including Thomas Malthus and Robert Edmund Grant as well as his life changing experience as the ship naturalist on the HMS Beagle. Featuring Darwin Biographers Janet Browne, James Moore, and Adrian Desmond as well as noted scholar Robert M. Young, the program will provide students with the personal and historic background key to understanding the work and life of Darwin.
Part two of this BBC portrait of Charles Darwin focuses on the legacy of his theories on evolution and the implications of his writings. Using Natural Selection as a starting point, the program explores the often contentious implications of Darwin’s work including: Eugenics, Group Selection, Sociobiology, Evolutionary Psychology and Coevolution. While Darwin’s theories are central to these ideas, they each provide a basis of discourse on the far-reaching implications of what evolutionary thought can teach us about human nature. Featuring scholars Richard Dawkins (Oxford University), Adrian Desmond (University College, London), Robert Trivers (Rutgers Univerity), Edward O. Wilson (Harvard University), Stuart Kauffman (Santa Fe Institute), and others, the program provides an academic primer for discussions on the implications of Darwin’s still controversial work.
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Video Librarian Review March/April 2010
Rating: 3 out of 4 Stars - Recommended!
This two-part 1998 BBC series offers a judicious treatment of famed naturalist Charles Darwin’s life and influence, beginning with a fine biographical sketch, combining narration, archival material, location footage, dramatic recreations, and commentary from scholars to construct a balanced but admiring portrait of the man and his world-shaking theory of evolution through natural selection. What really distinguishes this offering, however, is the second part, which follows the evolution of the theory itself, not only in terms of negative employment in public policy through social Darwinism and eugenics, but also looking at contemporary refinements such as “punctuated equilibrium” (advanced by Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge) and the concept of co-evolution. Also considered are the theory’s applications in such fields as sociobiology, which argues for genetically based explanations of social behavior; and evolutionary psychology, which suggests that the mind has evolved along with the body—an idea that has been taken up in fields ranging from economics to political science. These extensions of Darwinian principles, it’s argued, have implications for the analysis not only of human interrelationships but also of the connections of humanity to other species and to the natural environment as a whole. Contributions to the conversation from figures such as Richard Dawkins and Eldredge himself make for a fascinating, thought-provoking treatment of how Darwin’s theory is altering the very idea of human nature. Released in connection with the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
The latest thriller from French New Wave veteran Claude Chabrol opens with a tongue-in-cheek claim that it does not depict real events, even though it’s timely and provocative account of corporate and political corruption was inspired by a real-life scandal involving a French oil giant and several top-level politicians. The stunning and accomplished Isabelle Huppert (I Heart Huckabees) stars as Jeanne, a tenacious magistrate known as “the piranha” of the judiciary system, who puts her personal life on the back burner to pursue white-collar criminals with their private hands in public pockets. After gaining fame for locking up an embezzling CEO, Jeanne pushes the limits of her intoxicating power further than ever and winds up isolated in a dangerous game of threats and intimidation.
Go behind closed doors with renowned director Raymond Depardon (winner of 3 Cesar Awards) for a rare, inside look at a Paris courtroom. The subtle details of human behavior and the issues of guilt, innocence, law enforcement and racial perceptions are highlighted in this unprecedented examination of a dozen cases before the same judge in the French legal system.
Over 40 years ago, on October 9, 1967, Ernesto Che Guevara was executed by the Bolivian army, aided by the CIA. Guevara’s diary, a detailed, personal account of his futile 11-month attempt to foment revolution in Bolivia, is the basis of this moving portrait. Che’s relationship with the mysterious Tania, his betrayal by local peasants, his constant battle with asthma, and his distress at the death of his comrades is recounted. Interviews with Bolivians who met Che during these final days, coupled with narrations from Che’s actual diaries, testify to a man who embraced sacrifice for his ideals. This is an enlightening insight into the real history of a revolutionary icon.
Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara: The Bolivian Diaries Product Information
At the center of the Middle East conflict, hearts beat in tragic comedy and deadpan irony: a sexy young Palestinian woman defies Israeli soldiers and struts through a check-point as if it were the catwalk of a fashion show, Santa Claus is chased up the sun-drenched hills of Nazareth by a gang of knife-wielding school kids, Israeli police use a blindfolded prisoner to provide directions to tourists in Jerusalem and a female ninja descends from the sky, holding the map of ‘Palestine’ as her battle shield. These are but a few of the provocative images put forth in Elia Suleiman’s critically-acclaimed satire chronicling the absurdities of life and love on both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli border.
After learning of a former infantry mate’s attempted suicide, journalist Esteban (Gaston Pauls) returns to the Falkland Islands (or as they are known in Argentina, the Malvinas) to confront the horrors he experienced as an eighteen year-old soldier. This epic film, directed by Tristan Bauer, presents the harrowing story of a group of young men sent to fight an un-winnable war and left to bear its emotional scars.
This unflinching documentary follows Ahmed and Muhammad, two of the many Palestinians who illegally cross the border into the Israeli city of Modi’in looking for work. Together they share food, belongings and stories, and live under the constant threat of imprisonment from soldiers and police. With raw, handheld images, this disconcerting yet touching film documents friendship, nostalgia and the uncompromising urge to survive.
Art of Faith is a visually sumptuous series revealing outstanding examples of the art and architecture of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The films bring to life many of the greatest and most significant religious buildings through stunning photography and interviews with the people who know and love them.
The programs are filmed in twenty-seven key locations in eighteen countries, from Russia to the USA, India to Egupt, and the UK to Hungary. The architecture and art of each building is explored by rabbis, priests and imams, as well as congregation members and art historians, who explain the history of these sacred places and, in many cases, their importance today as places of lived faith.
Art of Faith enables viewers to enter into the lives of these people and gain a deeper understanding of the three Abrahamic faith traditions as well as the history and art of these great and glorious buildings.
Featured Locations for Judaism
Synagogue, Masada • Old-New Synagogue, Prague • Synagogues, Toledo • Bevis Marks Synagogue, London
Dohany Street Synagogue, Budapest • Princes Road Synagogue, Liverpool • Central Synagogue, New York
Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue, Paris • Beth Sholom Synagogue, Philadelphia
Featured Locations for Christianity
St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai • Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna • Durham Cathedral
Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres • St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol • St. Peter’s Bascilica, Vatican City
Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, Moscow • Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, Vence
Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle
Featured Locations for Islam
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem • Great Mosque, Kairouan • Mezquita, Cordoba
Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul • Registan, Samarkand • Taj Mahal, Agra
Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking • Assyafaah Mosque, Singapore • Brick Lane Jamme Mosjid, London
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
Educational without Public Performance Rights: $229.00
Note: If you are unable to pay via PayPal, please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 212-398-3112 to order this title.
For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
Art in Faith is a series broken down into three sections Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Within each segment are nine chapters, each on a significant work of architecture within that faith. From the famous St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City to the Taj Mahal and from the earliest Synagogue at Masada built as a winter palace by King Herod, who ruled from 37 BCE to 4 BCE to the modern work of Steven Holl from 1994 to 1997 on the Chapel of St. Ignatius in Seattle, these as some of the most amazing and most significant religious buildings in the world. “Divine in form, sacred in function. Holy buildings are among the most beautiful and the most enduring achievements of mankind. They are also the most prominent symbols of faith.” They also include works from some famous architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Matisse.
“How have the passions and complexities of a religious belief been expressed in architecture? How have the most abstract mysteries been given the most concrete shapes? How over the past two thousand years have we celebrated the art of faith?” This film takes us through the history, culture and evolution of these incredible buildings. While John McCarthy, a broadcaster, narrates throughout the entire series, each segment also includes narration from those individuals most familiar with each site. We follow them as they take us on through the history of each place and the artworks included in each one. Each one just blows your breath away at its amazing beauty and sacredness that is conveyed within those walls and within those that worship there today. “Those we’ve selected are beautiful, moving and inspiring. What do each of these special places reveal about those who built them and those who created exceptional artworks for them? What feelings do they prompt in those that work and worship there now? And how do these extraordinary buildings both shape and respond to the faith that is affirmed within them every day?”
Filmed in high definition that allows the beauty of each site to just flow onto the screen. The film has offers detailed histories and insightful looks into these grand buildings. It is paced well, is engaging and engrossing with a philosophical and magical tone. Illuminations and Sky Arts did a great job of researching each site and including both animation and beautiful cinematography to captures and entrances the audience. An amazing work of art in and of itself, this is not one to be missed and will benefit every academic and public library as it follows the history of these faiths, their artworks and the timeless places of worship that each has created.
Video Librarian Review March/April 2010
Rating: 3 out of 4 Stars - Recommended!
The great monotheistic religions’ historically important places of worship are spotlighted in this three-part 2008 series from British Sky Broadcasting that was filmed in 27 locations in 18 countries. The nine Christian structures featured include such obvious choices as St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Basil’s in Moscow, but also the ancient monastery of St. Catherine’s on Mount Sinai and the medieval cathedral in Chartres. The episode on Jewish synagogues begins with the archeological reconstruction of the assembly room in the mountain-top fortress of Masada that was the last redoubt of the rebels against Rome in A.D. 73 and continues with eight temples in Europe and America. The segment on Islam proceeds from the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem through mosques in Asia and Europe, including the Taj Mahal, the Mezquita in Corboda (converted into a Christian church), and the Hagia Sophia (now a museum) and other sites in Istanbul. The photography is excellent, while the commentary—mostly by building curators but with occasional remarks from congregants, archeologists, and art historians—is both clear and engaging. The inclusion of some modern examples—Matisse’s Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary in Venice, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Beth Sholom Synagogue in Philadelphia, the Assyafaah Mosque in Singapore—shows how innovative designs can serve traditional purposes. Because of the number of sites, these are thumbnail sketches rather than thorough treatments; but as a whole, Art of Faith beautifully demonstrates the many ways in which the religious impulse can be expressed in stone and decoration. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Cosmos is the story of our long journey of discovery and the forces and individuals who helped to shape modern science, including Democritus, Hypatia, Kepler, Newton, Huygens, Champollion, Lowell and Humason. Sagan looks at our planet from an extraterrestrial vantage point and sees a blue jewel-like world, inhabited by a lifeform that is just beginning to discover its own unity and to venture into the vast ocean of space. The late Dr. Sagan’s multi Emmy and Peabody Award winning series goes beyond a guided tour through billions of stars and galaxies. Cosmos remains one of the most profound statements in exploration, crossing boundaries between science and religion.
Each of the fascinating segments attempts to deepen our understanding of how we got from there to here. Sagan guides us to the farthest reaches of space and takes us back into the history of scientific inquiry, from the ancient library of Alexandria to the NASA probes of our neighboring planets. Special Features include Carl Sagan & Ann Druyan Updates Fotografica Galactica - Images from the Hubble Space Telescope and Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn.
Episode Titles:
1. The Shores Of the Cosmos
2. One Voice In the Cosmic Fugue
3. The Harmony Of the Worlds
4. Heaven and Hell
5. Blues For A Red Planet
6. Travellers’ Tales
7. The Backbone of Night
8. Travels In Space and Time
9. The Lives Of the Stars
10. The Edge Of Forever
11. The Persistence Of Memory
12. Encyclopedia Galactica
13. Who Speaks For Earth?
This remarkable program poses all the big questions and Sagan attempts to answer them, or better yet – asks even bigger ones.
Note: If you are unable to pay via PayPal, please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 212-398-3112 to order this title.
For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
Reviews
Winner of the Emmy and Peabody Awards, 1980
“…legendary…”
-Wired magazine, December 2000
“Who but the guy who wrote the entry on “Life” in the Encyclopedia Britannica
could teach us so much about how to live it.”
– Vice President Al Gore
“Cosmos is still a delight.”
–Los Angeles Times Calendar section, Dec. 7, 2000.
“With terrestrials like Carl, who needs extras?”
– TIME Magazine
“Public television’s remarkable series ‘Cosmos’…at its long-awaited best– entertaining, informative and fascinating. Mr. Sagan and his associates have escorted their viewers through the universe, exploring the past, present and future in startling, mind-stretching ways. . .’Cosmos is…a Triumph for the American People.’”
– The Washington Post, Dec. 17, 1980.
“That voice – deep and sonorous, given to spiritual fulminations while expressing skepticism about UFO sightings and the like – is what makes ‘Cosmos’ so watchable today.”
– Jerry Schwartz, The Associated Press
“Sagan embarked on a second career to make science understandable and, more importantly, fun for the masses… Watching this nicely packaged seven-disc remastered 20th-anniversary edition of ‘Cosmos’ makes you realize just what an ambitious achievement the series was… This ambitious and informative series remains a stunning tribute to the man who created it…Cosmos…still thrills and enthralls.”
– Vern Perry, The Orange County Register, Dec 21, 2000.
“The documentary pulsates with ideas and stimulations, teaching the viewer a history of astronomy but also a history of how men have tried to comprehend the world around them and to share what they have found, something the documentary is doing with equal enthusiasm…Cosmos is likely to continue influencing those who are plotting man’s future in the universe for many years to come.”
-The DVD Laser Disc Newsletter, January, 2001
“So as we now journey into the 21st century, it’s wholly appropriate that the best thing to ever happen on television is no on DVD – Carl Sagan’s Cosmos….Sagan will always be remembered foremost as a great communicator, a man who was not content with merely delving into the mysteries of the universe, but who felt the need to reach out to the public and convey his unbounded enthusiasm for science, and also talk about his hopes and fears for our civilization…For this writer, Cosmos, has become a magnificent documentary to enjoy again and again…”
"The film juxtaposes footage ....with discussions of “soul force,” defined as the spiritually-motivated, nonviolent forms of resistance associated with Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., among others. A solid discussion starter, Fierce Light is recommended."
-Video Librarian September/October 2009
"...The Gates makes clear that a lot of folk found Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Central Park enterprise both beautiful and moving. Recommended.
-Video Librarian September/October 2009
"Narcissistic or not, the breakthroughs experienced by some of the participants seem real enough, although Morgan neglects to disclose how much individuals paid for the privilege. The Workshop is recommended for academic human sexuality studies."
-Video Librarian September/October 2009
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Cosmos is the story of our long journey of discovery and the forces and individuals who helped to shape modern science, including Democritus, Hypatia, Kepler, Newton, Huygens, Champollion, Lowell and Humason. Sagan looks at our planet from an extraterrestrial vantage point and sees a blue jewel-like world, inhabited by a lifeform that is just beginning to discover its own unity and to venture into the vast ocean of space. The late Dr. Sagan’s multi Emmy and Peabody Award winning series goes beyond a guided tour through billions of stars and galaxies. Cosmos remains one of the most profound statements in exploration, crossing boundaries between science and religion.