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Breaking the Da Vinci Code Solves the 2000 Year Old Mystery

2009-11-18T00:23:04-05:00

Dan Brown's best-selling novel -The Da Vinci Code is a murder mystery which along the way poses some intriguing questions about history, Christianity, and the hidden meanings of biblical texts and Renaissance artwork. To no one's surprise, the book has proven to be controversial, and this documentary examines the history and facts behind Brown's novel. Breaking the Da Vinci Code not only explores the popular novel, but three nonfiction books which offer their own perspectives on Brown's theories and research -- -Breaking the Da Vinci Code by Darrell L. Block, -The Da Vinci Deception by Erwin W. Lutzer, and -Cracking Da Vinci's Code by James Garlow. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

JRR Tolkien Master of the Rings The Definitive Guide to the World of the Rings

2009-11-11T10:16:55-05:00

This documentary examines the social and cultural underpinnings of the trilogy of -The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, in an attempt to understand the work's phenomenal success and influence. The program looks for answers in the author's sources of inspiration, from the folk legends of Norway to the field of linguistics of which Tolkien was a lifelong student. It finds that the deep chord the story strikes owes its resonance to the author's use of archetypal imagery and language. Many examples of these recurrent themes and images are given, with readings from the work and other literature. Interviews with the book's illustrators, the brothers Hildebrandt, speak to the power of the imagery in the classic story. Scholars, Tolkien's children, and the author himself provide insight into the mythic themes and the spell they have cast over the vast readership of -The Lord of the Rings. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide

Breaking the Da Vinci Code Solves the 2000 Year Old Mystery

2009-11-09T15:19:25-05:00

JRR Tolkien Master of the Rings Special Edition

2009-11-04T11:53:23-05:00

The N Word Divided We Stand

2009-10-31T20:22:31-05:00

The biggest names in show business come together to offer their opinions on one of the most inflammatory words in the English language in filmmaker Todd Williams' revealing and thought-provoking documentary. In its long and complex history, the word "nigger" has gone from a cutting and derogatory racial slur to a term of endearment frequently used by African-American youth culture. Though the word has in a sense been "taken back" by the very people that it targeted, it still has the power to anger and enrage when taken out of its new context. As a variety of celebrities including Quincy Jones, Russell Simmons, George Carlin, Damon Dash, and Bryant Gumbel offer their opinions on this polarizing word, the taboo of language is broken to reveal an ever-changing society that is constantly attempting to make sense of a dark past while simultaneously attempting to build a brighter future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Cracking the daVinci Code

2009-10-22T17:44:31-05:00

Cracking the Da Vinci Code takes a closer look at some of the events discussed in Dan Brown's massive best-seller -The Da Vinci Code. In addition to interview footage with Brown, the film also features interviews with religious expert Dr. Stephen A. Hoeller and authors Clive Prince and Lynn Picknett, whose nonfiction work had a direct effect on Brown's fictional creation. Also included is footage of some of the locations where the action in the book transpires. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

In Search of Dr Seuss

2009-10-16T11:14:27-05:00

This is a children's video about the life and work of the author commonly known around the world as Dr. Seuss. The video also contains original musical productions based on Dr. Seuss' books, including -Oh, The Places You'll Go, -Green Eggs and Ham, and -The Cat in the Hat. On this video, you will see Dr. Seuss characters featured in original animated and live-action tales and fun games for fans of the author's books. Some of the participants featured in this video are Kathy Najimy, Robin Williams, Christopher Lloyd, David Paymer, Patrick Stewart, Eileen Brennan, Billy Crystal, and Howie Mandel, among others. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide

JRR Tolkien Master of the Rings The Definitive Guide to the World of the Rings

2009-10-08T21:22:46-05:00

JRR Tolkien Master of the Rings Special Edition

2009-10-08T04:08:36-05:00

Off the Charts The SongPoem Story

2009-10-07T19:44:20-05:00

If you've ever flipped through a supermarket tabloid, vintage comic book, or various sorts of pulp magazines, it's not unlikely you've seen ads in which a "record company" or "song publisher" claims to be looking for new, fresh material. This is the most public face of what is known to music buffs as "the song-poem industry," in which small companies will take the lyrics of amateurs of all stripes, set them to music, and produce rudimentary recordings of the results -- all for a price to the novice writer, of course. While literally hundreds of thousands of songs have been recorded and released in some form through the song-poem business, only a tiny handful have reached any sort of audience beyond the lyricist himself (and perhaps their family and friends), and most of those people who follow the work of the song-poets view them as folk art at best, and examples of the outer limits of low-grade musicianship at worst. Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story is a documentary which looks at this curious sidestreet of the music business, examining its history, the musicians who set the work of rank amateurs to music, and the lyricists who are willing to pay to have tunes like "Non-Violent Tae Kwon do Troopers," "Rip Off Fear," "Chicken Insurrection," and "The Human Breakdown of Absurdity" committed to plastic. Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story was produced and aired by PBS as part of the documentary series Independent Lens. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Da Vinci Code Decoded

2009-09-17T22:25:39-05:00

Dan Brown's blockbuster best-seller -The Da Vinci Code has intrigued millions of readers with its tale of classic paintings and their relation to biblical history. Da Vinci Code Decoded attempts to explain the factual basis for the elements in Brown's story. The film touches on such controversial topics as if Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, what are the Gnostic Gospels, and what if any influence Roman leaders had on the writing of the New Testament. The film does include interviews with Brown as well as other experts on the topics discussed. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

JRR Tolkien Master of the Rings Special Edition

2009-09-17T12:33:29-05:00

The Extraordinary Voyages of Jules Verne

2009-09-16T12:59:48-05:00

For well over a century, literature students and theorists have argued that the fantasy novels of Jules Verne mask hidden ideological subtexts; some assert that the stories share an inherently sexual meaning, while others insist that Verne buried references to hidden treasure in his literature, to be ferreted out by the most astute readers. The documentary program The Extraordinary Voyages of Jules Verne investigates these and other claims by dissecting passages in a number of Verne's novels, including -The Mysterious Island, -Around the World in Eighty Days and -Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The program also explores the many facets of the author himself. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

JRR Tolkien Master of the Rings Special Edition

2009-09-12T18:49:01-05:00

Chicken Soup for the Soul Live Vol 2 Parenting Learning and Teaching

2009-09-11T19:03:30-05:00

Adapted from stories that appeared in the best selling book series, Chicken Soup for the Soul Live!, Vol. 2: Parenting - Learning and Teaching features a selection of inspiring tales about passing on knowledge to others. The stories, presented by writers Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield, include I Am a Teacher, Will You, Daddy?, If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again, and Children Learn What They Live. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide