THE PROGRAM

Given the abhorrent nature of Hitler's Nazi regime, it goes without saying, it's not terribly difficult to imagine anyone feeling a sense of repulsion at a documentary that would paint a combatant from the Axis side of the war in a positive light. Yet, if history has properly shown us, not every soldier shares his the ideology of those higher above him and when you boil things down to their most basic levels, two soldiers from opposite sides of the line may have much more in common than one might imagine. While Hollywood may have shown this in "Das Boot," The Military Channel's "Missions That Changed the War" accomplishes the reality with their four-part, three-hour miniseries on the life and career of Günther Rall, in "Germany's Last Ace." As with the previous miniseries under the "Missions That Changed the War" banner, Gary Sinise serves as narrator, while a handful of hi...Read the entire review

THE FILM:
Most know her as the severely over the hill fashionista Patsy Stone in Jennifer Saunders' classic British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. A few may even remember her from her stint as John Steed's latest lady sidekick, Purdey, in the update of The Avengers (no...not with Iron Man and Hulk). What few may know is that Joanna Lumley was actually born in Srinagar, Kashmir, back when the area was still under English rule. When India won independence, the then infant moved to back to the UK with her military father and her mother. Always a bit of an adventurer, she became a model, fell into acting, and is now often referred to as a "National Treasure." Whatever the case, ITV decided she would make a good host for a travelogue style trip down (or should be say, UP) the Nile. Hoping to find the heart of the great river (and strike a similar stack of ratings gold ala Monty P...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers embarked on what was to be the first attack on the Japanese mainland by US forces during World War II; although the attack didn't result in a major strategic victory, the boost to US morale and the ensuing aftermath of the attack would put what became to be known as the Doolittle Raid into the history books. "Missions That Changed the World: The Doolittle Raid" was a program originally produced for the Military Channel and over the course, of four, 45-minute episodes takes viewers through history from the genesis of the raid to the ensuing legacy, including on-camera interviews with surviving members of the mission. Whether you're a history buff or not, the program is a remarkably well-paced and insightful offering at a solitary moment in history.

Narrated evenly by Gary Sinise, "The Doolittle Raid" is the quickest, three hour...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

Joseph Campbell's contributions to the study of mythology and comparative religion are impossible to fully measure. More importantly, his teachings and zest for life and knowledge have benefited humanity in ways many people don't realize. His study and interpretations of mythology from multiple cultural angles are well documented in books and lectures, many of which were filmed in the years prior to his death and released on public telelvsion and subsequently, home video. Of those, "Mythos" is a fantastic series of college lectures on both Eastern and Western myth and religion, however the running time is well above what the average viewer might be willing to invest in order to broaden his or her horizons; furthermore, Campbell embarks on fascinating tangents, including some that require a working knowledge of certain background information to fully appreciate. The year pri...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

"The Story of Math Collection" is a packaging of two, British TV documentary series' from Oxford mathematics professor, Dr. Marcus du Sautoy. The collection consists of "The Story of Math" and "The Code." I had previously reviewed "The Story of Math" a few years back and the discs presented here are identical, and as my opinion on the program is still the same, that portion of the review will be re-used.

Athena is quickly becoming one of my favorite DVD companies. When I saw the title "The Story of Math" pop up on the list of screeners, I quietly chuckled, thinking "boring." Then I saw this was an Athena release and thought back to their release of a documentary series on mapping, "The Edge of the World," that was absolutely amazing. I decided to give "The Story of Math" a shot and was pleasantly rewarded for my efforts.

D...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

In a world of numerous channels and numerous series' something like "Brave New World" could easily get lost in the shuffle. On the surface it's not all that different from the multitudes of other science documentary series that spring up from time to time, but the attachment of Stephen Hawking is cleverly employed to get skeptical viewers to take a second look, and those who do are in for a treat. "Brave New World" is a very straightforward, five-part documentary series focusing on modern, somewhat radical advancements in science and how they directly benefit humanity. For those accustomed to programs involving Hawking dealing with complex, theoretical physics, "Brave New World" is a welcome change.

With each episode running a mere 45-odd minutes, "Brave New World" does find itself immediately plagued with the conundrum of quality vs. quantity and the ensuing compromis...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

To the average fan of film or literature, the name Joseph Campbell should ring a bell. While likely most widely known for using "Star Wars" as metaphor for the traditional "hero's journey," Campbell's 60-plus year career as a scholar has provided the world with countless books, essays, and programs on the idea of mythology, the similarities and differences of mythology cross-culturally, as well as the role of religion as a separate entity and closely tied factor in these topics. "Mythos: The Complete Series" is a curious, but wholly fascinating collection of Campbell's work, told by the man himself across three separate sets of themed lectures that cover: The Shaping of Our Mythic Tradition, The Shaping of Eastern Tradition, and The Shaping of Western Tradition. Each topic consists of four to five, nearly one-hour lectures given by Campbell just a few years prior to his deat...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

Host/Narrator Andrew Marr informs viewers immediately that currently the planet has approximately 20 megacities, or a city with a population of more than 10,000,000 people. Whether this definition has more to it or the Earth's population is truly growing at an astronomical rate, currently, there are 27 cities that meet this criteria by population alone. Semantics aside, "Megacities," a three-part documentary series, introduces viewers to the concept and many associated issues that have sprung up as a result of such dense population growth, in approximately one-hour installments. Shying away from the standard method of highlighting specific cities per episode in a broad "tourist-like" fashion, "Megacities" instead quite impressively utilizes portraits of each city to illuminate and reflect on vital issues that not only affect the residents of these impressive metropolises, bu...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

The 2007 British documentary miniseries "Crisis at the Castle" presents viewers with an interesting subject: stately British castles in financial crisis and the attempts by the owners of said castles to get the finances back in the black. However, the focus of the show is not a simple case of looking at the pure economics of each situation, as the homes chosen for examination in the series have rich family histories and current occupants unwilling to just sell the estates outright to solve all financial woes. The producers of the series pack each, 55-minute episode to the brim with on-screen interviews and fly-on-the-wall looks at the day-to-day operations at Sudley Castle, Burton Court and Kelburn Castle; the result is a very objective and often uncensored look into the lives of three distinct families.

The program itself starts on shaky ground with Sudley Castle, wit...Read the entire review

THE SHOW:

I think it would be an understatement to say that the world is a wondrous place. Nature is filled with so much inexplicable beauty that we often take it for granted so as not to overload our circuitry. The Code, a BBC documentary for The Open University by way of Athena, forces a double-take by demonstrating that there is more order running through our surroundings than we can imagine; one defined by and built upon a foundation of mathematics.

Marcus du Sautoy, a professor of math at Oxford, is our fearless guide in this three part inquiry into what makes everything tick (we're talking about the entire universe here, people). He travels the globe, presenting us with amazing sights and phenomena before diving into how they derive from the same mathematical core that he's been piecing together before our very eyes. If any of this sounds boring or dense, I assur...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

"Treasure Houses of Britain" presents a simple enough and well-intentioned premise to viewers. Spend five, roughly 45-minute episodes exploring notable historical houses of Britain and in the process treat viewers to amazing, often decadent visuals, while employing host Selina Scott to inform viewers on not only the basics of each house, but appropriate historical and technical context where necessary. If you are old enough to remember it, the premise might recall distant memories of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." Fortunately, the series never sinks to the depths of being as tacky as that aged relic, but two episodes in, it quickly becomes apparent, even a modicum of spirit and vibrancy would make this very poorly paced series more easy to digest.

Beginning with "Burghley House" the series establishes a pattern it follows to completion: take viewers through the h...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM:

"Amazing Grace" is such a familiar song, and so frequently used for uplift in dramatic TV shows and movies, that most of us probably take it for granted and barely notice it, despite the unusualness of its being so familiar to so many people all over the world (regardless of their religious belief or absence thereof) for as long as anyone can remember. In 1990, the unfailingly thoughtful and curious TV journalist Bill Moyers created an hour-and-a-half special for PBS, Bill Moyers: Amazing Grace, that takes us beyond the famous hymn's goes-without-saying, uninvestigated familiarity for a journey that goes from the origins of the well-known lyrics through its various musical evolutions, crossing regional and racial lines all over the United...Read the entire review

Intriguing history documentary series. Athena has released Battlefield Detectives, a 3-disc, 9-episode boxed set representing the first season of the 2003 British doc show that was regularly seen on The History Channel. Episodes included here are Who Got Lucky at Hastings?, Agincourt's Dark Secrets, What Sank the Armada?, Trafalgar's Fatal Flaw, Massacre at Waterloo, The Charge of the Light Brigade, Custer's Last Stand, The Gallipoli Disaster, and Vietnam's Bloody Secret. Battlefield Detectives, with the aid of 3D animation and filmed recreations, takes us out of the stuffy lecture halls and classrooms and goes back to the source of these momentous skirmishes―the actual battlefields―where experts in fields as diverse as medieval firearms, meteorologists, engineers and genealogists postulate new...Read the entire review

THE FILM:

Please Note: The images used here are screen captures from the DVD edition, not the blu-ray.

In February 2010, Ben Anderson, an acclaimed telejournalist who has for years been covering the U.S. war on terror in Afghanistan, was embedded with a company of Marines who were part of a recently announced U.S. initiative to wrest control of the Southern Afghanistan town of Marjah from the Taliban. Anderson's documentation of this extremely dangerous, sometimes tragic mission was aired earlier this year on HBO Films as The Battle for Marjah, and it is a most timely and important piece of journalism, bringing us real, urgent news and showing us the things we badly need to see are happening, as we go about our busines...Read the entire review

THE SERIES:

A selection of executive branch-centered episodes from the 60 Minutes reporter's late-'90s A&E series, 20th Century with Mike Wallace: Politics and Presidents could have been more precisely entitled Politics, Presidents, and Television. Rather than beginning with the turn of the (19th) century to cover literally the entire previous century's presidential politics, it picks up just where broadcast media does: with the radio presidency of Franklin Roosevelt. But that narrower scope than might be implied by the title does not really diminish the series; it has a fair amount of insight into the role TV played in presidential politics, for better or worse, and that other, more self-reflexive story is what manages to set it apa...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

" Genius of Britain," a series consisting of five, 45-minute episodes is the perennial double-edged sword of educational programming. A product of British television, the series examines the great minds of science to come out of England and their influence on the world. While this may sound considerably narrow-minded, the selections of the series are all titans of the modern scientific world and for three of the series' episodes, it would be hard to argue against the focus on the small, but powerful nation. However, despite being a fantastic, informative series, "Genius of Britain" comes with a glaring flaw, one often associated with programming meant for a wide range of ages.

Employing various scientists, designers, and presenters to break up the flow of the series, "Genius of Britain," starts with the aptly named "Big Five," consisting of two godfathers of modern sci...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

The history and theory of modern design isn't exactly the barn burning type of topic you'd ever consider spending four hours investing yourself in. Sure, maybe a nice 45-60 minute documentary hitting all the highlights would be fun, but really, four hours of the stuff? I'd have put myself in the latter category any day of the week, even as I popped in the first disc of the BBC's four-hour documentary "The Genius of Design" which examines the impact design has on our lives. However, like any properly made documentary should, "The Genius of Design" takes that minor interest and shows me why the topic is important and does so in a relatively fascinating way.

The series spreading over the course of five, 47-minute episodes makes a made dash through the mid-to-late 18th century before ending up in the early 20th century, where many of the revolutionary innovations in design...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

The British science series "The Cosmos: A Beginners Guide" is wholly truthful, offering viewers a very introductory look at the world beyond us, in six, roughly 28 minute episodes. Hosted by Dr. Adam Hart-Davis, who is assisted by Janet Sumner and Maggie Aderin, the series offers a unique perspective on a ubiquitos subject. Rather than taking the traditional approach of going from point A to now, covering all the heavy hitters of astronomy, Hart-Davis chooses to theme episodes around subjects ranging the search for intelligent life, to the quest for inhabiting the stars and beyond.

Each episode tackles three to four relevant, modern advances in science and through looking at cutting-edge experiments, Hart-Davis and co-presenters are able to weave in historical moments and discoveries that helped scientists get to where they are, as well as provide necessary background i...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

Mark Olshaker's late 1990 documentary, "Discovering Hamlet" is perhaps the most difficult, documentary I've had to review. It's in no way, an obtuse program, in fact it's quite inviting, so much so, it's friendly, brisk nature threatens the seams with an unraveling. Running only 53 minutes, the program, narrated by the legendary voice of Sir Patrick Stewart, brings viewers into the world of a stage production of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The most curious piece though come from the identities of the director and star: Sir Derek Jacobi and Kenneth Branagh, respectively. It's a curious program, especially when viewed in the context of Branagh's own epic, film adaptation of the story, where in addition to helming the director's chair, Branagh also played the titular character, while Jacobi faced off as the villainous Clau...Read the entire review

Time was when PBS had the power to turn obscure scholars into national celebrities. In 1990, Ken Burns' series The Civil War catapulted the critically-respected, but generally-unknown historian Shelby Foote to fame and fortune. Two years earlier, similar acclaim was bestowed posthumously on professor emeritus Joseph Campbell following the airing of a six-part series of interviews with him conducted by Bill Moyers entitled Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. Though Campbell had died of esophageal cancer several months before the series aired, the resulting acclaim for the series prompted a best-selling accompanying book of the transcripts, and tremendously boosted sales for Campbell's older books on comparative mythology and religion, especially his seminal work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, first published in 1949.

Over the course of six hour-long episodes, noted journal...Read the entire review

General Overview
Energy Flow is a collection of five 10-minute workouts--Energy Flow, Sun Salutations 1, Sun Salutations 2, Chi Gong and Core & Gluteal. Though it claims to be an "energetic, fast-paced practice," this sequence is anything but. But don't knock it just yet. A calm, slower practice can be great for a beginner or anyone looking for a gentle, rejuvenating workout. If you approach it like that, you may enjoy it. But if you go in expecting "results in a short period of time," you will be disappointed.

I like the way I feel after doing this sequence, but I don't like doing it. It's slow, boring and uninspired. The addition of Chi Gong into the mix is interesting, but it'd be nice if they would explain the art a bit rather than just taking us through the motions.

The most maddening part of this DVD is that they made Savasana and Stretches the Bonus Feature. If you practice yog...Read the entire review

Author's Note: When Monarchy with David Starkey was first released on separate disc sets several years ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing one of them. With this release of Monarchy with David Starkey: The Complete Series (and after enjoying the entire series again these past few weeks), I'm going to retrofit that older review with a few new comments and observations, since it seems to sum up nicely my feelings about the show.

Quick, muscular, bold history in a fashion that very probably would have pleased the decisive (and brutal) subjects Dr. Starkey covers here. Acorn Media and 4 International have released Monarchy with David Starkey: The Complete Series, a five-disc, 16-episode collection that does restore the five UK episodes that were missing from the previous release of Set 1 (thanks to a reader for that heads-up!)...although Starkey's 2007 e...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

The History Channel's 10-part miniseries "World War II in HD" used the gimmick of never-before see, stunning and uncut footage from World War II, to bring in viewers. The result was a very pleasing look at the stories of numerous men and women who served, including those who paid the ultimate price and whose story is only told in letters home. "World War I in Color" despite being a program produced before "World War II in HD," reminds me of the latter. It sells itself on a gimmick: colorized footage of World War I. To a film fan as myself, the very thought of colorizing anything feels like blasphemy, but to the series' credit, it addresses this concern from minute one and the reasoning behind doing so, ends up being acceptable. The gimmick however, is far from the only thing this program does right.

Running six, roughly 50-minute episodes, each narrated by Kenneth Br...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

Noted Egyptologist John Romer took viewers on a fantastic journey through Egypt's past and present in "Ancient Lives" in 1984. Four years later, Romer brought viewers along for another adventure through history. This time the subject was one that could have easily ended in controversy, the Bible. Coinciding with a book of the same title, "Testament" asks you to strap in for a six-hour journey spanning seven engaging episodes and a history in time numbering many, many centuries. What's the icing on the cake? One doesn't need to be religious to enjoy the miniseries or to walk away having learned something tangible.

"Testament" may take viewers on a journey through locations key to various stories in the Bible and events in biblical history, but make no mistake, this is not "Charlton Heston Presents: The ...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

Athena delivers another "vintage" but incredibly enjoyable and informative educational miniseries. Historian Michael Wood hosts, "Legacy: The Origins of Civilization," an early 1990s, five-part miniseries originally produced for public television. Each episode runs nearly an hour in length, but is overflowing with historical facts, stories, both well known and obscure, thoughtful insight and criticism, and a noble attempt to show the connection between differing cultures.

The aspect that is most striking about "Legacy" is the pacing. While Wood is talking for the majority of each program, he isn't merely throwing random fact after random fact at viewers as one would expect from a modern program. He carefully introduces concepts that define civilization through anecdotes that either lead to ideas or key events in the history of a culture; sometimes these anecdotes serv...Read the entire review

It seems like every so often someone raises an alarm that poetry is facing extinction or, at best, irrelevancy. It's an understandable concern. Not many people read poetry outside the classroom, and those who do suffer from the stigma of being intelligent. It's true that in the last half-century poetry has suffered from the kind of flighty "anyone can be an artist" attitude that flourished in the wake of the 1960s. Form became unfashionable and rhyme is still viewed with some suspicion, backed by a fear among poets of appearing trivial. Only a deeply willful and egregiously blinkered culture such as ours would toss the poetry of Thomas Hardy onto the great bonfire of unread literature. Currently, however, there are major poets working hard to re-establish the value of formal limitations in poetry, as well as the kind of readability of which the greatest poets of their respective eras were acut...Read the entire review

THE PROGRAM

Athena is quickly becoming one of my favorite DVD companies. When I saw the title "The Story of Math" pop up on the list of screeners, I quietly chuckled, thinking "boring." Then I saw this was an Athena release and thought back to their release of a documentary series on mapping, "The Shape of the World," that was absolutely amazing. I decided to give "The Story of Math" a shot and was pleasantly rewarded for my efforts.

Despite my own background in the sciences, I've never been a big fan of math. I assume, like many others, math wasn't always presented in school as engaging. My memories of all but a handful of math classes are filled with tedious practice and concepts that remained, by and large abstract. "The Story of Math" or by it's original British title, "The Story of Maths" is a 2008 ...Read the entire review