Fenton Bailey’s Pornography: The Secret History of Civilisation offers a comprehensive, detailed examination of the origins and transformations of adult media. This six-part series contains commentary from a multitude of sources, including art historians, social critics, authors, collectors, and adult stars themselves. The film tastefully tackles the taboo subject by focusing on pornography’s implications of human nature, the impact of technological advances and social evolution.

The Road to Ruin

At the site of Pompeii, once buried under the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, archeologists were astonished to find obscene adult paintings on the walls of each villa. These first forms of pornography were once not considered a form of vulgarity at all, but rather tasteful works of art found in any refined home. The Road to Ruin examines the controversy over the public exhibition of these ancient artifacts that were long hidden in undisclosed museum archives. Featured experts Dr. Simon Goldhill, Prof. John Clark, Dr. David Gaimster and others argue that our present-day conception of pornography did not descend from the sexually accepting Greeks, but rather the more conservative Victorian culture.

The Sacred and the Profane

The arrival of Christianity led to the condemnation of pornographic images and sexual acts. Images of copulation and phallic symbols in art became associated with demons and sin, resulting in firm censorship. The discovery of the printing press further complicated the circulation of adult images among those who were deemed ‘unworthy’ of them. The Sacred and the Profane details the historical events that led to selective distribution of pornography due to class differences and religiously driven cultures of the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Roger S. Wieck, Edward Lucie-Smith, Paula Findlen, and others disclose their research in the artistic documentation of sexual condemnation.

The Mechanical Eye

The invention of photography in the 1830’s brought fantasy to a new level. The capturing of nudes was both used scientifically and erotically. Glass plate negatives allowed photographic copies to be inexpensively attained, which exposed pornographic stills to the lower class. The Mechanical Eye follows photography’s transition from a blossoming innovation to a vehicle for the production of pornographic magazines reproduced for the mass market. Anne McCauley, Uwe Scheid, Linda Williams, and other experts explore this important period of pornography’s history.

Twentieth Century Foxy

Pornography was revolutionized by the arrival of motion pictures. The erotic nature of adult media became accepted by the free-spirited attitude of the hippie generation. Adult stars were revered and celebrated for their work. Twentieth Century Foxy covers the radical transition of the industry in which pornography became a mainstream phenomenon. Directors and actors of these timepieces such as Georgina Spelvin and Marilyn Chambers provide a personal account of their experiences in the rise of the adult market.

Sex Lives and Videotape

The introduction of videotape marked the dwindling popularity of adult cinemas. Pornography had become a more personal media, one that could be viewed in the privacy of one’s home with pause, fast forward and rewind features. Sex Lives and Videotape explores the rapid changes that video brought about, pornography’s ultimate controversy for directors who opposed it for its low aesthetic value but were forced to compromise for its enormous profits. With the huge commercial success of tape, directors pushed the boundaries with “tasteless” pornography, shock value videos with spectacles of extreme fetishism. Directors such as Mark Kearns, Eddy de Roo, Ron Sullivan, and Bill Higgins share their stories of a time when pornography no longer had moral limits.

Pornotopia

The Internet pushed any boundaries ever set on pornography. With the marriage of digital media and adult entertainment, viewers could gain access with complete privacy, and achieve instant gratification. Pornotopia examines the enormous impact of the World Wide Web on the way in which we respond to adult media, and how it affects our personal lives. Experts including author Bernard Arcand, social critic Con Isshow, and adult star Seymore Butts, comment on the effects of the Internet pornography trend from an economic and social perspective.

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Pornography - The Secret History of Civilisation Product Information

Grade Level: Grades 10-12, College and University
Subjects: Gender and Sexuality, Cinema
Language: English
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 312 minutes
UPC Number: 741952635291
Catalog Number: KOC-DV-6352
ISBN Number: 1417228857
 
 
Educational Prices:
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $389.00

 
 
Educational without Public Performance Rights: $249.00

 
 
 

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!

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Winner of an Academy Award© and a Golden Globe© for Best Foreign Film, The Official Story is a compelling portrait of the life of a history professor and her awakening to the evils perpetrated by her country’s government.

An Argentine teacher, Alicia (Norma Aleandro) begins to suspect that her adopted daughter may have been the child of a murdered political prisoner. When she attempts to uncover the truth, she discovers levels of political corruption so abhorrent that the illusions of her life are irrevocably shattered.

 
 

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The Official Story Product Information
 

Additional Information

• Full Reviews - Coming Soon!
• Credits - Coming Soon!

 

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Reviews

“4 Stars!…Emotionally Shattering.”
- New York Post

“Part thriller, part tragedy. Belongs on the list of films like ‘Z,’ ‘Missing,’ and ‘El Norte’.”
- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

For decades, U.S. strategists-for-hire have been quietly molding the opinions of voters and the messages of candidates in elections around the world. They have worked for presidential candidates on every continent (in Britain, Israel, India, Korea, South Africa, Venezuela, Brazil, to name a few…). Without the noise of tanks or troops, these Americans have been spreading our brand of democracy from the Middle East to the middle of the South American jungle. OUR BRAND IS CRISIS is an astounding look at one of their campaigns and its earth-shattering aftermath. With flabbergasting access to think sessions, media training and the making of smear campaigns, we watch how the consultants’ marketing strategies shape the relationship between a leader and his people. And we see a shocking example of how the all-American art of branding can affect the “spreading of democracy” overseas and its earth-shattering aftermath.

Additional Information

• Full Synopsis
• Director’s Statement
• Making the Film
• Full Reviews
• Awards
• Biographies
• Credits

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Reviews

“A fascinating glimpse of the Americanized marketing of international politics.”
– Rolling Stone

“Momentous…astounding!”
–The New York Times

“…scrupulously fair…darkly fascinating…”
- Elle Magazine

“A riveting and intellectually provocative tale of clashing ethics and ideologies.”
–Filmmaker Magazine

This riveting documentary explores the psychological transformation of the modern character. Inspired by the Greek playwright Euripides, Academy Award© winning director Jessica Yu weaves together the stories of four men consumed by personal odysseys. The narrative structure mirrors a Greek drama and the film incorporates quotes from Euripides to contextualize their personal stories. Never before has an interpretation of Euripides’ work revealed how relevant he is for audiences today.

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Protagonist Product Information:

Grade Level: AP English Literature, College and University
Subjects: Classics, Literature, Drama, Psychology, Political Issues
Set: DVD Only
Copyright: © 2006 . All rights reserved.
Total Running Time: 90 minutes + 25 min of Bonus Materials
ISBN Number: 0-9820-8141-3
Educational Prices:

 
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
 
 

Educational without Public Performance Rights: $129.00
 
 

Note: Please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 800-562-3330 if you need further assistance.

 
For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
 

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Video Librarian Review
September / October 2008
Rating: 4 Stars - Highly Recommended - Editor’s Choice

Jessica Yu’s fascinating documentary Protagonist explores psychological observations found in the plays of Euripides to illustrate the universality of human experience. The decision to have wooden puppets “recite” passages in ancient Greek that exemplify the Athenian dramatist’s concepts—as well as to act out episodes in the lives of four modern men whose extensive autobiographical recollections reveal Euripides’ continuing relevance—might have been disastrous. But Yu weaves these elements, together with animated segments inspired by Athenian pottery paintings, into a seamless whole to present an argument that is both provocative and profound. Her extensive interviews with the quartet of subjects—an anti-gay minister who finally admitted his homosexuality, a German terrorist who ultimately rejected the credo of violence, a bullied boy who found release in martial arts, and an abused child who became a bank robber—explore the same themes of obsession and potentially destructive absolutism that Euripides examined in his tragedies. The point, as Greek thinkers were fond of observing, is that human nature is unchanging: the struggles that men and women faced more than two millennia ago are essentially still being played out today. A poignant and serious meditation on human psychology, Protagonist is highly recommended. Editor’s Choice. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
 

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This entertaining and delightful film is a very unique and powerful adaptation of Euripides’ famous Greek tragedy, The Bacchae. It examines the psychological transformation of modern society through the eyes of four men of disparate backgrounds, all played by puppets in Greek chorus tradition: Hans-Joachim Klein, a notorious former German terrorist; Mark Pierpont, an evangelical minister who comes out of the closet; Joe Loya, a bank robber turned journalist; and Mark Salzman, a Kung Fu devotee picked on by others since childhood. The puppetry is phenomenal, and a fascinating way to portray the drama. Some of the special features in the video include an interview with the director, behind the scenes action related to the puppetry, title animations, and the original trailer.

This modern adaptation of a well-known Greek tragedy is striking in its ability to portray the four characters and their evolutions so dramatically, while still maintaining the Greek mask tradition. Everyone who watches this film will relate to one or more of the characters, and the issues and challenges they have to face in modern society.

-Educational Media Reviews Online

Pledge of Allegiance Blues documents the journey of Rev. Dr. Michael Newdow, the blues-singing California physician and his battle to protect the separation between church and state, a battle that took him all the way to the United States Supreme Court where he defended the landmark “under God” lawsuit. From the controversy over the Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama State Courthouse to a historical analysis about the intertwining of religion and government in American history, Pledge of Allegiance Blues is a smart and funny examination of the often tense relationship between church and state. With toe-tapping musical numbers by Newdow, a cast of characters including attorney Alan Dershowitz, publisher Larry Flynt, and radio talk-show host Sandy Rios, this critically acclaimed documentary provides a contemporary and provocative look at one man’s campaign to defend his constitutional rights.

 

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Pledge of Allegiance Blues Product Information:

 
Grade Level: AP Government & Politics, AP U.S. History, College and University
Subjects: Culture Studies, Sociology, Religion, American History, Political Issues
Copyright: © 2005 Metro Video Inc. All rights reserved.
Availability: USA and Canada
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 72 minutes
Educational Prices: (includes Public Performance Rights)

• College / University: $189.00
  
  

• Library / High School: $89.00
  
  

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Filmmaker Completes ‘Pledge of Allegiance Blues’

by Frank Luongo, Westport News, June 18, 2004

In her recently completed feature-length documentary, Pledge of Allegiance Blues, Westport filmmaker Lisa Seidenberg tells the viewer that most stories begin with either a stranger coming to town or someone going on a journey. “This has both,” the viewer hears her say.

The stranger was Michael Newdow who in the fall of 2002 came to Westport to speak about his successful challenge in federal court to the constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the saying of Pledge of Allegiance by his daughter’s elementary school class in California.

That decision was set aside Monday on Flag Day by the United States Supreme Court, which found that Newdow did not have the legal standing necessary to bring the case to court because he was not his daughter’s custodial parent.

Seidenberg attended Newdow’s talk out of general curiosity, with no intention of making a movie, but came away launching a film-journey to understand Newdow’s action and to explore the intertwining of religion and patriotism in America.

“I wanted to know what makes someone wake up one morning and sue the Congress and the president before breakfast. I also wanted to know why it bothered people so much,” she says in the film’s narration, her first appearance in one of her own documentaries.

Whether it was just good luck or a residual of good planning, the value of the timing of the Supreme Court’s decision is not lost on Seidenberg in terms of the promotion of the film, which she hopes to sell for commercial distribution.

She will be coming to the movie-market at a time when documentaries are doing well, as evidenced in the critical acclaim for Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911, which won “best picture” designation - unusual for a documentary - at this year’s Cannes Film festival and is scheduled for release nationwide June 25.

It was Newdow’s one-person stand, a kind of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” story, that interested Seidenberg. “He did it with only a computer, a printer and Google. He set a great example that anyone can go to the Supreme Court.”

Of course Newdow, as Seidenberg was quick to acknowledge, is not just anybody, and that was part of his appeal for a movie-maker.

He has a law degree, but is a physician by profession. He sued on behalf of his daughter’s rights, but was opposed by the girl’s mother, with whom he was estranged and not married. He holds a certificate of ordination for life as a minister of the Universal Life Church, which entitles him to perform weddings, subject to the limitations of state law

To top it off, Newdow wrote folk ballads and strummed a guitar, as he did at the end of his talk in Westport with a rendition of his Pledge of Allegiance Blues.

Seidenberg at once saw she could have an interesting issue, an unusual subject, “like a modern-day Woody Guthrie,” she said, and a jazzy title for a documentary, all in one package.

“A documentary must be entertaining. It can’t be a bitter pill that’s good for you. I wouldn’t watch that kind of movie either,” she said.

“When I first saw the Bill of Rights, I sure had some sleepless nights,” Newdow sings early on in the film, after a scene from an interview with Connie Chung on CNN, in which she said: “Probably a lot of people out there, our viewers in particular, think what you are doing is blatantly anti-American.”

With more than a touch of sass, Newdow shot back: “Those people don’t understand the Constitution, which says that Congress shall make no law establishing religion. I would only ask those people how they would feel if they had to say the Pledge under Sun Myung Moon, David Koresh or Jesus Christ.”

“He touched a sensitive nerve,” according to Seidenberg, and she captured this on film, moving around the country, including a stop in Montgomery Ala. for the public eruption over the removal of stone replicas of the Ten Commandments from a state court house, a furor that included derogatory references to Newdow.

“There’s a larger emotional issue at work. Removing the phrase would threaten some people’s values, even though it wasn’t in the Pledge until 1954,” Seidenberg said. “The Pledge has become an icon for those who see America under siege, alone in the world.”

Although Seidenberg has directed and produced seven documentaries and was the director of photography for six others, Pledge of Allegiance Blues is her first feature-length film.

She called this new film a “great adventure, exploring America. This was really the first time I had looked at my own country.”

Most of her experience has involved filming in China, the Middle East and Russia. Her film, Mongolia on the Edge of Time was shot in one of the remotest places on earth.

The Connecticut Commission on the Arts awarded Seidenberg a fellowship in 2002, and she earned a “Best of Fest” prize from the Rochester International Film and Video competition in 1998, as well as a Bronze Apple Award in the National Educational Film and Video Festival in 1991.

Seidenberg has more than 20 broadcast and cable television credits, including The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. She is a founder and former director of Norwalk’s SoNo Film and Video Festival and was film curator at the Westport Public Library from 1999-2001.