Editorial Review

Though Shakespeare is heralded as the world's most influential and admired writer, little is known about the man himself. That didn't stop A&E Read more

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It's ok...
As an English teacher about to teach several of Shakespeare's works, I purchased this video in the hopes that it would provide a short history of his life.In actuality, it proved to be just that--short.I was left with many questions. Nevertheless, it is a good buy since it does cover most of the basic info and is only 50 min in length (my class meets for 45 min).

Informative and Helpful Resource for Shakespeare
This video by A and E contains a 50 minute biography about the life and works of Shakespeare. What is gratifying is that this is not a video that tries to portray only the good of Shakespeare, but also the conflicts and controversies that presented themselves during his time. Some controversial topics are thrown in (whether you can choose to believe or not believe), such as the possibility that Shakespeare was bisexual and the idea that Shakespeare "borrowed" material from other written fiction. Still, this is a great film that can be used as an introduction to Shakespearean works (I am an English teacher, and use this before a drama unit with Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, or Julius Caesar).
Maybe not.
After whetting our appetites with the observation that little is known about the man behind the plays, the A&E team provides a bland, surprisingly unengaging "5-act" biography of William Shakespeare.As the story proceeds, the producers rely more and more on quotations from the plays rather than on any "extrinsic" evidence.The result is a program that confirms what we already knew, or should have known, all along--the life of William Shakespeare is at best a mere footnote to the life of the plays themselves.Credit the producers for not indulging in this series' customary approach and sensationalizing the records (by claiming Shakepeare was really Queen Elizabeth, etc.).On the other hand, teachers and students of Shakespeare, as well as fans of the Bard, may find it difficult to justify an investment of money in a video this slight when, say, Olivier's "Henry V" orBranagh's "Much Ado About Nothing" are available at a comparable price. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

This biography collection of five American poets who wrote during theearly 1900s through the 1960s examines men who are as diverse as their work.Each of the five 56-minute tapes explores the lives and work of a poet throughinterviews with friends, publishers, critics, scholars, and sometimes the poetsthemselves. Readings of their poems are interspersed throughout--someillustrated, some dramatized. Although similar elements are repeated within thisset, the biographies are not formulaic: some have more readings, some morediscussion of the poet's work, and some more dramatic portrayals. Anothercomponent that varies is the amount of personal information included: RobertFrost's and Robert Lowell's family lives are explored while the private lives ofLangston Hughes and Wallace Stevens are barely mentioned. In the case of T.S.Eliot, it is his inner life that is explored more thoroughly than the othersbecause it so deeply affected his poetry (and because he revealed it therein).The thoroughness of the representations of each poet's life and work should satethe appetite of both poetry lovers and students. Read more

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Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Literature    3. Movie   

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mark twain adventures
this movie was a great learning expeirience for me because it was very discriptive and told me about the amazing adventures of mark twain. it shared his events in life and told about his characters, overall i enjoyed this film very much

a half-hearted attempt for an american classic
the graphics are weak, using book illustrations to illustrate much of the narrative, they didn't even pick a wide variety, nor the best, but instead we see some of the same sub-standard illustrations over & over. The voice of "Mark Twain" sounds like a geriatric Forrest Gump. And the explanations of his life and decisions are superficial, glossing over the deep contradictions of this intelligent and tormented genius. Still, the interviews with Twain scholars are informative, and one's appetite is whetted to learn more of the this influential american classic. ... Read more

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Molto Buono! Very Good!
Ok, If your buying the first series, just pick this one up also! These are OUTSTANDING! The second will teach alot also, and is just as much catchy as the first. We (my two yr old and I) just love these, she alittle bit morethan myself, shes wanted to watch it at least twice a day since we gotit!;o) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. How To - Language    2. Language & Literature   

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Thoreau's Walden
Great video for anyone who wants to learn more about Thoreau and Walden Pond. Excerpts of the book are illustrated with outstanding nature photography of Thoreau's famous retreat in Concord, MA. The video is like a field trip to Walden Pond! As a long-time Thoreau fan and teacher, I received the video as a gift. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys nature. Could also be an excellent tool for teaching Thoreau in the classroom. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. International Documentaries    2. Nature & Wildlife    3. Special Interests    4. Television & Documentary   

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All Shakespeare should be made like this.
This fabulous animated version of Shakespeare's play is second only to Orson Welles.Naturally it is freed from the constraints of the stage and real actors, and there is an exciting paciness impossible in more ponderous live action.But it is also freed from the text; rather, it translates Shakespeare's vivid word-painting into actual visuals, releasing the playwright's multi-layered, intricately textured art from a verbosity unlikely to be understood without studying the play beforehand.Visually, the film is a startling mixture of Greek tragedy, dark Gothic and violent hallucination, and there is a satisfying goriness about the murder scenes, with their dripping aftermaths, you just can't get with clever angles and chocolate sauce.

Remarkable!
A wonderful animated adaption of the bard's play (Though it may not be entirely suitable for children). The film's startling animation perfectly matches the tone of the play. It is truly a pity that it is no longer onvideo. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Video    2. Childrens    3. Drama    4. Literature    5. Pop   

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Excellent Marteials for Teaching Poems
Excellent marteials for teaching and learning poems in Colleges and Graduate Schools. Tapes provide students with a different view from ordinary classes.

Poetry as it was meant to be experienced; a joy to own
This is a set of eight (8) one-hour videos of contemporary poets who share with us their lives:their hopes and triumphs, their laughter and pain, their sorrows and joys.The setting is the 1994 Geraldine R. Dodge PoetryFestival in Waterloo, New Jersey, and Bill Moyers not only provides hisaudience with a wonderful glimpse into the various activities of thefestival, but also shares with us his thought-provoking conversations witheach of the featured artists.The programming is beautifully done, andprobably even more exciting by virtue of the skillful editing than if we'dbeen there to see and hear it in person.Read more

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An Intimate Portrait Of A Literary Legend
F. Scott Fitzgerald defined a generation.His extravagant lifestyle and unsurpassed talent as a writer made him one of the twentieth centuries most intriguing figures.Yet underneath the glitzy persona lie a vulnerable man with a frail ego and a tendency toward self-destruction.A & E Biographies takes a candid look at this multi-faceted man in the well-researched video presentation of F. Scott Fitzgerald:The Great American Dreamer. It's worth your time, teachers
I usually show this video before or during my unit on The Great Gatsby; doing so makes the time period of the '20s come a little more alive and the type of characters Fitzgerald writes about a little more understandable and believeable.Especially strong is the characterization of Zelda -- it's easier to teach the "Fitzgerald heroine" concept after they've seen the type of woman to whom Fitzgerald was attracted.An added plus is Edward Herrmann (Klipspringer in the Redford/Farrow video) and his commentary, as well as commentary by Scott and Zelda's granddaughter. ... Read more

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Very simple portrait of a very complex man...
This is a 30 minute videotape that intends to give a concise overview of Pushkin's life. In this goal it fails quite miserably. I was surprised to find so many inaccuracies about Pushkin's in this documentary such as statements that Nikita Kozlov was one of Pushkin's tutors ("guvernant" in Russian) when he was in fact Pushkin's life-long serf servant.
Disappointing But Worth Watching
Although not as tightly, or as beautifully, constructed as the Dostoevsky tape in the Great Russian Writers series, this tape does a good job of presenting Pushkin in his historical and geographical setting. It doesnothing, however, to expand the viewer's knowledge of his works or hispivotal role in the development of Russian literature. It is simply afactual (as opposed to interpretive) biography.Read more

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Editorial Review

This tutorial about the great love tragedy opens with an actorwho portrays Shakespeare providing some of the bard's autobiographical factsthat set the tonefor this video. Other actors in costume provide factual background about theplay, speaking directly to the camera, and scenes from the play are performed and framed by an academic discussion. The specialists on Shakespeare, who sit in director's chairs on a talk-show set, elaborate on the play, scene by scene. There is nothing flashy about the production, but the discussion, while serious, is energetic enough to hold the interest of a student. Before each scene is performed, the three professors (and a moderator) make note of the motivations of specific characters and call attention to specific portions of dialogue. The entire play is not performed in this production, but the most noteworthy scenes are acted by the young cast (who seem to be collegiate performers). The scenes that are not shown on the video are briefly summarized by the academic experts.This tutorial is not intended to be a substitute for reading the play or for seeing a complete performance, but the academic discussion does cover the major points, and those studying the play, or Shakespeare in general, would benefit from viewing it. Read more

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A Jewel
What a find!This video is a great benefit to students studying Shakespeare.Romeo and Juliet is required reading in most schools and this video lays it all out and explains everything clearly.It's also goodentertainment.The actors who portray Romeo and Juliet are very good andthe supporting actors, especially Friar Laurence, are excellent. The panelof experts explain everything that's happening and give valuable insightinto meanings of words and background information that enhances theappreciation of the play. I recommend it for students and for ordinaryviewers who would like to get more enjoyment out of a Shakespeare play.

Wherefore art thou?
Students of English literature and those who understand the language used by Shakespeare cringe when people interpret "Wherefore are thou, Romeo?" to mean "Where are you, Romeo?"In Shakespeare'stime the word wherefore meant why.Juliet was asking why must it be thatyou are a Montague and I am a Capulet, families who hate each other. Thisis one of the tidbits of information contained in this two-hour video.The main through-plot scenes of the play are presented and intertwined withcommentary from a panel of Shakespearean scholars from U.C.L.A. andCalifornia State University, Northridge. It's not a Kenneth Branaughextravaganza.The budget obviously wasn't $30 million, but the acting isgood (watch the fine performances of Ben Slack as the good friar andLillian Byrd as Nurse)and the commentary provides insight into motivationsand meanings. ... Read more

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Annoyingly Loud Music
The background music in this video is annoyingly loud. If Voltaire were alive today, he would make fun of this kind of incompetence. To vastly improve the video, its producers should either get rid of the background music or turn it down.

Famous Authors - Voltaire
The video was worth watching but for the price it could have been more video and less still shots.The same pictures were shown many times with a narrative.I thought that less time could be spent on descriptions of Voltaire's acquaintances and more time spent on Voltaire himself.I would have liked to see more scenes of Fernie and his previous homes and less time on the still shots of him that are readily available on an internet search.There was not a very thorough deception of any of his writings.I'm glad I bought it only because it is the only video I found about him. ... Read more

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Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie   

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Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie   

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Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie