Editorial Review

The exquisite circularity of the roundelay has always been an attractive cinematic device, but never has it been used with more delicacy and canny insight than in Read more

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Reviews (4)

A movie once seen you'll never forget it

Still entrancing over 50 years later
My high school French teacher took the whole class to see this picture and I found it charming and fell in love with Danielle Darrieux. I enjoyed it even more a half century later, I was impressed with the excellent picture quality. All the actors spoke beautiful French,clear enough to make it an excellent teaching lesson. I admire the courage of my French teacher given some controversy at the time. The music in the VCR soundtrack seems rather poorly preserved, perhaps a DVD recording at some time could help improve the music quality.

A feast for the eyes
"La Ronde" succeeds on many levels.The screenplay, adapted from the play by Arthur Schnitzler, is witty and provocative.It has a lightness of touch and delicate irony that is peculiar to the French.The performances are excellent-especially Danielle Darrieux's portrayal of an adulterous wife.However, the real distinction of this movie is it's visual style.The black and white cinematography is anything but flat. There are layers and textures in this film that are a feast for the eyes.The sumptuous set decorations are beautifully ornate-almost baroque."La Ronde" is replete with camera angles reminiscent of "Citizen Kane."There is a fantastic overhead shot of a young courtesan whose head is in the center of hanging light fixture-or chandelier.This aspect is that of a poet who is idealizing her.It is an absolutely brilliant moment. Ophuls has a wonderful sense of movement.The long tracking shots and circular motion complement, instead of detract from, the action and emotion of the story. Particularly dazzling are the carousel scenes where circles run counter to one another.One might say that the omnipresent narrator is rather intrusive, but he grows on you.He's French, after all...... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Foreign    2. Foreign Film - French    3. Instructional / Educational    4. International    5. Movie   

Editorial Review

The long, long story of evolution is told very well in this extensive eight-hour series originally shown on Read more

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Reviews (36)

From Darwing to God.
From Darwing to God. This piece is an excellent work to track evolution. It starts with the Darwing's revolutionary ideas of evolution. Presents the cycles of extintions and emergences of species, having humans the roll of the last potential species to trigger the next mass extinction in the history of life on earth. The transformation of species as a result of its interation with their environment, is as well shown, having us, humans, involved in a battle between organisms. This is discussied under the threat of microorganisms to our own existence, bringing to the viewer instances from the real life. Finally, the documentary shows the battle between creationism and evolution. The struggle humans have with these new ideas of evolution and the existence of God. In order to overcome this paradoxe, a new idea of an intelligent life is proposed. This new concept states the existence of an entity embedded in the universe, as the creator and responsible of this magnificent universe.
Evolution Boxed Set
Quite interesting, and well worth viewing, if vaguely irritating in its exposition of religious belief in the final program, though I wouldn't say this segment is out of place or inappropriate as included with the other material.The series is well-done and certainly expounds its material with clarity and concision; some of the subjects in the final segment look silly, that's all.Perhaps, as has been said many times by many people, such subjects would be more benignly tolerated if they themselves were more tolerant of others, and learned once and for all to cease attempts, by a variety of means, to "force" everyone else to live as they do.I might have placed the evolution/religion program in the middle of the series, rather than concluding with it, so as not to end on so meaninglessly contentious a note.
Well-executed, fascinating presentation of real science.
I rented this series via Netflix and can only say Bravo! to the people who produced it.They made fascinating television out of what can be a dry, esoteric subject (which is probably the real reason so many people are succeptible to the creationists' psuedo-scientific drivel).Since evolution is, in fact, the foundation and cornerstone of the modern life sciences, a grounding in the subject is essential and this series accomplishes that goal quite well.
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Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Gift Set    3. Movie   

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Reviews (2)

Excellent choice for the younger children
My daughter (2yr) has been obsessed with whales and dolphins ever since our trip to Sea World this summer.We checked out some videos at thelibrary for her to watch - but all we found were dry, documentaries thateven I found boring.So I took a chance and ordered this video for her. She loves it!We've watched it every day since it arrived at least once. She's even renamed her Shamu doll because of the video. My kids love this video:educational and entertaining
THis is a great video about whales and dolphins.Trainers at Sea World talk about whales and dolphins, explaining why they are mammals, how they live in the ocean, etc.The trainers show lots of tricks that they can do,and also have various footage of the narrator and kids giving thedolphins/whales signals. My kids love this video and watch it over andover, even my 1 1/2 yr. old daughter.There is some great music and somegreat songs on the video and the narrator (Casey) has a lot of greatenergy.I like it too! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children    2. Children's Video    3. Childrens    4. Family    5. Instructional / Educational    6. Movie   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (1)

Excellent!
I advise you to get Junior Jazz by Rosemary Boross. It's a very interesting and professionally built lesson. You will like it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. How To - Miscellaneous    2. Instructional / Educational    3. Movie    4. Special Interest   

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Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie   

Editorial Review

Engineer Dave shows us around old and new trains, takes control of a freight train going top speed, and introduces us to steam engines, locomotives, and an old caboose. Plenty to see, lots of location shooting, big action for tykes interested in moving machines. Dave's banter might go over the heads of some of the target audience, but you can ignore that. Read more

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Reviews (23)

Great Series
This is great. My train lover three year old loves it. It is funny and yet it is educational. They even throw in the train safety comments about staying off of tracks and so on. I particularly like that they show women and men and people of all ethnicities doing a good job. These are normal people who are proud of their work. The humor is slapstick that young kids can relate to and enjoy. This video appeals to a wide range of ages and is something that parents can enjoy.
A Train
Our daughter likes the truck one better...so far we are pleased with this series. Dave is always silly and a good educator for kids...his silliness is probably why they learn!!!
over and over
this series is our childrens favorite. We bought the dvd collection, though..and I think it's a better value.Even adults love to watch them. Just be ready to see them over and over and over. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Video    2. Childrens    3. Instructional / Educational    4. Movie   

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• Original recording reissued
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Reviews (5)

Amazing Grace with Bill Moyers
I cannot believe there is an Amazing Grace adult T-Shirt and that there is a plethora of Amazing Grace beauty products. Nothing is sacred, except perhaps this video.
Truly Amazing
Amazing Grace with Bill Moyers is almost as inspiring as the song itself. The interviews with people from all backgrounds, races, genders and ages are a testament to this song and its overwhelming and widespread effect on all who hear it. It will make you laugh, make you cry and help you see the hope of grace.

OUTSTANDING
I purchased this video right after it came out, and placed it in my church library.It is an excellent history of probably the most famous hymn ever written. There audio clips from MANY singers who have sung it well, and some who butchered it (lovingly).If you are a music buff, a Bill Moyers fan, or a child of the 60s who loved Judy Collins' version, you'll love this video! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Educational History   

Editorial Review

Mastering the alphabet involves much more than recognizing capitalletters. Read more

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Reviews (31)

May not be perfect, but my [...] is finally learning to talk.
I agree with most of the other reviewers regarding MOM OF MANY MUNCHKINS review. She was way too critical! For hating the dvd so much, she has it memorized. She is correct about the "uh" sound, but my son has started talking so much since we got this dvd from our local library. He has even started saying complete sentances! Brainy Baby may not be perfect, but they are obviously doing something right. He also watches it from beginning to end without getting bored, and even giggles when the babies giggle. It is very cute! I think they did a great job. We have to remember that this video was made for babies and toddlers, not grown up adults.

My TWO year old knows his letters, but he's learning the sounds wrong!!
This review was very difficult for me to write as I have mixed feelings toward the video. As a first grade teacher, I am very critical of anything that requires the very particular and accurate use of phonemic awareness. Unfortunately, as the mom in the last review pointed out, this video has many inconsistencies when the narrator and little girl say their letter sounds. First of all, when saying letter sounds, one NEVER wants to add the sound -uh after any letter!! For example, when saying the sound for "T" we don't say "TUH", we simply whisper it by dropping our tougue from the roof to the bottom of our mouth. Or, we say "W" not by saying "WUH" but by forming the W with our lips, then holding the W sound like wwwwww. Though most of the sounds in this video are correct, they occasionally slip into the "-uh" trap! How on earth are our children supposed to read if they add -uh to every consonant....tell me....for instance, what the heck is puh-a-tuh! (translation without the -uh and you get the word "pat"!)
Brainy Baby - ABC's
Believe it!... This is a great video. Brainy Baby just seems to really know how to connect with children when it comes to teaching. The lady who gave this a one star and wrote a book about her feelings, is a bit over the top and has way too much time on her hands. We also homeschool our children and found that this video really helped them when they were younger to learn the alphabet. Remember, this is a PRESCHOOL video! Your children are being introduced to learning situations, not studying for a college exam! We have found that all the Brainy Baby videos are top quality and do an excellent job of teaching. Our boys knew the entire upper /lower case and all the letter sounds around 16-18 months! It was amazing and I KNOW that these videos played a big part in that. I am also impressed that all of their videos have a very specific educational outline that all my teacher friends say is excellent for teaching preschoolers. After doing a little research, I found a little known fact that it was Brainy Baby that created the first set of "infant-preschool" videos over 10 years ago (way before the Einstein series). So, that really gave me confidence that the producers at Brainy Baby really had the experience and track record. My advice, I don't see how you could go wrong for a mere $15 investment in your child's future. I own all of them and wish Brainy Baby would make more!
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Subjects:  1. Childcare & Parenting    2. Children's Video    3. Childrens    4. Educational    5. Kids & Family    6. Movie    7. Special Interests   

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Reviews (5)

A reviewer in Florida
This tape went way too fast to understand or practice the moves. Being on VHS vice DVD made it too hard to back up and review the steps.Cuban style was covered on the cha-cha which was good and hand movement instruction on the waltz and rhumba were useful.

Doesn't really teach
If are interested in actually learning steps, I found this tape almost useless.The whole thing seems hurried and it doesn't really teach well.Probably the worst tape I've seen for that.I would see one use for thistape: after you've become an intermediate level dancer, this tape may giveyou some ideas on how to dance properly, to "flow."Theinstructors are obviously very skilled and professional.

Good tape
It covered about four different steps for each of six different dances and was quite clear and understandable. I think it's very useful as a beginning/intermediate tape.Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. How To - Beauty/Fashion    3. How-To    4. Instructional / Educational    5. Movie   

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Reviews (7)

Fun Tap Video
This tap dance video teaches you some basic steps that when put together make a nice, little routine.It's only 30 minutes long and a nice workout.I personally thought it was fun to do and as one person already commented, her light blue tap shoes really are cool! This tape is short, basic and easy with uncomplicated tap steps!Very nice for beginners!

Waste of Time
This very short video (30 minutes at most) does little to teach you about tap dancing.There's no description of the steps, so you don't know what it is you're learning.You're taught a routine, but nothing that will help you go on from there.The demonstrator dancer is either facing you or you see her from the side, which makes it very difficult to follow her.All in all, not worth the time or money.

Beautiful dancer, please turn around.......
Because the dancer is facing the audience, the learner is always on the wrong foot or struggling to dance opposite her.Additionally the tape is too short for the money.Mr. Le Tang's instruction, however, is quite clear and the dancer is a joy to watch, if all you want to do is watch. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. How To - Miscellaneous    3. How-To    4. Instructional / Educational    5. Movie   

Editorial Review

In this 1992 Read more

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Reviews (3)

a great documentary
THis is one of the best documentary videos about giant kodiak bears. I really love this film and I see this video pretty recently. This video really gets indiscussion about these great bears like their habitats and the food that they eat. Some of the good scenes where there are two titan in a mock battle in front of a large female bear. It would have been really awesome to see a polar bear and a kodiak bear wrestle. This video was great I am hoping to buy it someday in the near future.

Intimate portrait of Kodiak island, bears & people together
The primary focus of this video is, of course, the giant Kodiak grizzly bear, the largest subspecies of the brown bear alive today (the plains grizzly was larger, but hunted entirely to extinction;) however, the film also spends a good deal of time discussing and portraying the Alutiiq people of Kodiak Island, who have lived together with the bear for thousands of years. One of the best of National Geographic
What can one say about the largest bears south of the Arctic Circle? This National Geographic film says a lot, and it is all well worth the time to view. Many who still think bears are carnivores will be surprised at thevariety of foods bears eat. We also learn much about bear/human relationssome of which may be disturbing for younger viewers. All in all this pieceportrays the bears well. Showing both sides of bear personalities toperfection. As with most Geographic pieces this one will be watched manytimes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie    3. TV Shows   

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Reviews (15)

Not bad but mediocre video quality and sound
Don't expect the high quality video of the Baby Einstein or Wiggles videos.This was shot on some low budget equipmen but otherwise the pronunciation and format are good for exposing children to basic Chinese.I'd recommend this for kids in the 2 to 4 year range, not much older.

good for learning pronunciation
I thought this video was as excellent learning tool.It gives a method of teaching that is sometimes forgotten in second language learning -- the importance of both seeing and hearing the pronunciation of words.Except for the very young, simply hearing the pronunciation of a word in a new language, is often not totally effective.You can repeat over and over again and still be repeating the word both incorrectly and unintelligibly.
My 2 year old loves it!
My 2 year old loves this video.She requests to watch it and it keeps her mesmorized.Even more important she is learning...after watching it just a few times she was able to count to 5 and was saying hello in Chinese...now she's able to count to 10 and sings along with the songs as well.She loves watching the little girls and hearing them speaking.This video is also done in a very 'real-life' manner and proceeds slowly - which I feel removes most of the dangers of TV watching for this age. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Educational    2. Instructional    3. Kids & Family    4. Special Interests   

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Reviews (9)

My 4 & 5 year old preschool group loved it!
My 4 & 5 year old preschool group of 20 love this video.I was looking for something to get them moving on days we couldn't go outside and they ask for it all the time!It's fun, they love the movements and it great for following direction skills.

Well worth the $$$
I love this video and my three-year-old daughter loves it too. She asks me to play it literally everyday and does the entire thing from beginning to end, all by herself. It's a great way for me to get some uninterrupted time to myself and to also have her doing something that's good for her. And what a great way for her to get exercise on rainy days! My only complaint is that I wish they had an advanced version. I know that my daughter will grow out of this and will want something more challenging. But I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of this video! I'm back to buy another one for my niece.

Very Satisfied!
I've been looking for a way to get my plump 4 year old to be more active, so I bought this video. She LOVES it! We move the coffee table & do it together. She wants to do it everyday- it definitely met my expectations.I like this video better than Elmocize(I bought both at the same time) because it is produced with a focus on fun exercise in mind rather than focusing more on entertainment. If we have this on, my daughter is moving. With Elmocize, she can just watch it without being enticed to get up & move. The only reason for 4 stars instead of five is editing/directing could have been better. My four year old could care less, but these little details irritate me a bit. It is quick the first few times you watch it, but my daughter got the hang of it right away(faster than I did!). Now we know the routine & have a ball! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Video    2. Educational    3. Fitness    4. Kids & Family    5. Special Interests   

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• Animated
• Color
• NTSC

Subjects:  1. Cartoons & Animation    2. Children's Video    3. Movie   

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• Black & White
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Reviews (2)

Very Well Done
Kristian Berg proves once again how talented he is as a writer/director/producer! "The Scottsboro Boys" is a very well done piece of work. I highly recommend it. Kristian has done wonderful work over the years, with my personal favorite being "The Dakota Conflict", the story of the Sioux (Dakota} indian uprising in the Midwest.

Horrific tell well told...
This documentary is still shown on Court TV as part of its "Crime Stories" series hosted by "Law and Order's" Richard Belzer.It was originally produced for a documentary series called "Greatest Trials of All Time" and hosted by Tony Award-winning actor James Naughton.Writers James Goodman and Dan T. Carter appear on camera as does civil rights leader Julian Bond.It moves a little fast, because there is alot of story to stuff into a commercial hour (46 minutes with commercials).There were six sets of trials for nine defendents... all young black men wrongly accused of raping two white women while "riding the rails" through the deep south during the Depression.This case galvanized people who would lead the civil rights movement in the 1960's. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crime & Criminals    2. Drama    3. Educational History    4. History    5. Special Interests   

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Subjects:  1. Health/Nutrition    2. Instructional / Educational    3. Movie   

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Reviews (12)

Great Learning Tool!
My 2� year old son LOVES this video and has actually learned his ABC's from it.He is a huge train fan and he really connected with the concept of this video. He asks to watch it every day.

Great Video... Poor Quality
This is a fabulous video and my four year old son loves it, unfortunately it is really poor quality and from day one we had tracking problems.Now I wont even use it because it keep getting stuck in the VCR.

Mom of 2 and 4 year old boys
Bought it for my 4 and 2 year old sons.LOVE it would buy it again in a heartbeat.My husband and I even enjoy it and have learned from it.A must buy for train lovers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Educational Reading/Writing   

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Reviews (1)

There goes a racecar
My two sons love this video. It is entertaining and keeps their attention throughout the entire show. It is educational, teaching children about engines, safety, and many aspects of racing. As the children watch it over and over, they learn more details. It is a video that can be watched for years to come. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Video    2. Childrens    3. Instructional / Educational    4. Movie   

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Reviews (4)

A throwback to more pleasing times - a WONDERFUL Woman!
I can't get enough history on Tasha Tudor. This video takes a look at a wonderful lady who enjoys the SPIRIT of Christmas, working with her hands on Natural gifts provided with the help of Mother Earth. This video WILL leave you feeling good. Ms. Tudor takes you back to the days when Christmas meant family being together; taking the time to enjoy each other's company and adoring the wonderful naivety of the Child.
CHRISTMAS TOPPER
THE WHOLE FAMILY CAN GATHER ROUND AND WATCH THIS MOST MOVING AND BEAUTIFUL PIECE ON TASHA TUDOR..IT IS A TRUE CHRISTMAS CLASSIC..WE HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WATCH EVERY YEAR WHILE DRINKING COFFEE AND TEA..IT JUST RELAXES EVERYONE AND THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS IS FOUND..NOT PREACHY OR SO SERIOUS JUST , INTERESTING AND COMTEMPLATIVE..MUST SEE BY THE WHOLE FAMILY...

Back in Time
This is a beautiful movie, a glimpse into a time when Christmas was not the commercial blow-out that it is today. Instead, it focuses on the real things that count in life, handmade gifts which are really the gift of our time, the closenes of friends and family and special Christmas traditions...making the advent wreath,bringing in the tree,reading the Christmas story, special food for the animals who have the gift of speech on Christmas Eve, as well as cooking the feast. There are also some great closeups from some of her favorite books including Corgiville Fair. All of this is interspersed with scenes of the lovely Vermont surroundings in which Tasha Tudor lives in her 1830's style house..a gentle retreat from todays world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Artists    2. Educational    3. Kids & Family    4. Special Interests   

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Reviews (2)

Educational, Entertaining and Effective!
Meet the Numbers is a very clever video that taught my 21 month old son to recognize numbers zero through 10 and to count.He watched Meet the Letters for three weeks and learned ALL of the letters of the alphabet.He began to point at letters everywhere we would go but would become frustrated when he saw number characters.I bought Meet the Numbers and within 2 days he knew numbers too!The first section of the video is designed for children to learn number names.The number characters only say their own name while they are doing something that has to do with that number.For example, "zero" blows bubbles that pop before they form.This is such a clever way to represent zero!"One" rides a unicycle, and "two" blows out two birthday candles.The second section of the video is the counting section.Each character counts to get to their number.When my son counts he always imitates the characters voices.The third section gives the kids a chance to test what they have learned.A series of familiar objects appear and the child counts out loud.Then the number character pops up on the screen.The video ends with a counting segment that my son wants to watch over and over again.I showed this video to my preschool and now they show it in all of their classes along with Meet the Letters.I only wish these videos were available when my first two children where toddlers.
Meet the Numbers is amazing!
These Preschool Prep Series videos are truly amazing!After watching Meet the Numbers a handful of times, my twins can recognize numbers zero to ten.They get so excited when I put it on for them.These videos are best teaching tools that moms can buy for their toddlers and they are so entertaining.Thank you, thank you, thank you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animation    2. Educational    3. Kids & Family    4. Special Interests