Video
-- Library Journal, 02/15/2010
Heartland. Season 1, Pt. 2. 2 discs. 270+ min. Dean Bennett & others, Dynamo Films & SEVEN24 Films, www.iloveheartland.com. DVD ISBN 978-1-4172-3260-4. $24.98.
McLeod's Daughters: The Original Movie. color. 94+ min. Michael Offer, Australian Film Finance Corp. DVD ISBN 978-1-4172-3279-6. $14.98.
ea. vol: color. dist. by E1 Entertainment, www.e1homevideo.com. 2009. F
Tess (Kym Wilson) and Claire (Tammy McIntosh) are McLeod's Daughters, two half-sisters who battle the elements, their male counterparts, and, frequently, each other to manage Drovers Run, a vast cattle and sheep ranch near Adelaide, Australia. The action often revolves around the ability of these rough but capable "sheilas" to outwit or outwork rival blokes. Although the characters are somewhat two-dimensional and the plot lines fairly predictable, the film is entertaining, enjoyable, and often funny. Originally aired in Australia in 1996, this feature-length made-for-TV movie became the basis for a popular and long-running series. Bonus features include the first two episodes (with a different cast) of the television series.
For 15-year-old Amy Fleming (Amber Marshall), life is anything but typical in Heartland, a family saga based on a series of popular YA novels by Lauren Brooke. Amy, like her recently deceased mother, is a horse whisperer and now lives with her grandfather and older sister at Heartland, a 600-acre ranch for abused or neglected horses in the northern Rocky Mountains of Alberta. In this two-disc set, containing episodes eight to 13 of the series' first season, Amy's backstory fills in and relationships with her family, friends, neighbors, and animals begin to develop. Following a familiar conflict-and-resolution formula, the shows are beautifully photographed, with an attractive cast and an appealing soundtrack. Extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews. Both of these modern-day frontier dramas are recommended for audiences that enjoy character-driven narratives. Libraries should consider purchasing all episodes of both series.—Linda Frederiksen, Washington State Univ. Lib., Vancouver
Pie in the Sky. Series 2. 3 discs. color. 492+ min. Jim Hill & others, WitzEnd Prods., dist. by Acorn Media, 888-870-8047, www.acornonline.com. DVD UPC 0-54961-82949-1. $49.99. SDH subtitles. F
In these ten new episodes in this British mystery series, detective and chef Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths) is still juggling the multiple demands of owning a busy restaurant (called Pie in the Sky) and dealing with a difficult boss who passes along the complicated cases to his semiretired subordinate. Tensions develop both in the kitchen and on the job as Crabbe deals with restaurant reviewers, hippies, burglars, a peeping tom, a psychic, and even a customer who dies in the restaurant's restroom! Somehow, he figures it all out. These are gentle mysteries, nicely produced, with characters who are easy to like. Bonus features include cast filmographies. For mystery fans who like a touch of whimsy on the menu.—Joan Greenberg, Warminster, PA
Jacques Prévert's To Paint the Portrait of a Bird. color. 15 min. Seamus McNally, Seamus McNally Film, Loose Moon Prods., 212-213-5190; www.loosemoonproductions.com. 2009. DVD ISBN 978-0-9645078-1-4. $10 + $2 s/h. POETRY
This unique and beautifully rendered film is a cinematic adaptation of the late French surrealist poet Jacques Prévert's work "Pour faire le portrait d'un oiseau," as translated by American Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Accomplished independent filmmaker McNally successfully brings the sparse, affecting, and noncinematic poem to life, aided by Lance Horne's gorgeous original score and convincing performances by T.D. White and Antoine Ray. White, also the film's executive producer, portrays a reclusive elderly painter who stops in a forest to paint a bird in an open cage while being secretly observed by a precocious young boy reading the poem aloud. This sweet, subtle, and mesmerizing film explores the meaning of art and the rewards of a solitary life devoted to artistic creation. The DVD package includes Prévert's original French text and Ferlinghetti's English translation. Recommended for students and teachers of poetry and film.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
God on Trial. color. 86 min. Andy De Emmony, Hat Trick Prods. & WGBH-Boston, dist. by PBS Home Video, 800-424-7963; shoppbs.org/education. 2009. DVD ISBN 978-1-59375-842-4. $24.95. Closed-captioned. REL/F
Breech of contract. That is the charge when God is put on trial by inmates of the Auschwitz concentration camp who seek some way to make sense of their situation. Several firm believers passionately argue that it is the Jewish people who have broken the contract. Others are equally adamant that God is responsible for the evil they are experiencing and that He has not been faithful to his covenant. While the trial progresses, the sounds of the camp filter in through the door. The argument is not weighted toward one side or the other, but, in the end, the "jurors" come to the only verdict that seems fitting. And then they pray. This Masterpiece presentation, based on an incident recounted by Elie Wiesel, does not offer pat answers but powerfully raises age-old questions about God and evil. For viewers who prefer programming with some meat on its bones.—Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, NJ
Writ Writer: One Man's Journey for Justice. color & b/w. 54 min. Susanne Mason, Passage Prods., dist. by New Day Films, 888-367-9154; www.newday.com. 2008. DVD ISBN 978-1-57448-233-1. $129; acad. libs. $275 (Rental: $99). Public performance; closed-captioned. CRIMINOLOGY
Fred A. Cruz was a common criminal-turned-jailhouse lawyer, whose persistence to gain civil rights for his fellow prisoners began a movement to reform the Texas prison system in the late 1960s. Imprisoned for robbery, Cruz taught himself law and filed appeals on his own behalf, also writing writs of habeas corpus for other inmates. Prison officials confiscated his writing implements and paper and put him into solitary confinement, for having a copy of the U.S. Constitution. Frances Jalet was assigned to the Legal Aid and Defender Society of Travis County, TX, after attending a six-week program in poverty law. Cruz contacted her, and their partnership transformed the corrupt, often brutal Texas penal system. Using black-and-white images from prison-guard training films and archival news footage, Cruz's journals, and interviews with ex-convicts who knew Cruz (he eventually died of a drug overdose), director/producer Mason has created a profound documentary. Recommended for law school students and those fascinated by the ability of just one or two people to move mountains.—Lori Lampert, Coll. at Brockport Lib., NY
Inheritance: A Nazi Legacy, and the Journey To Change It. color. 75+ min. James Moll, Allentown Prods., dist. by Docurama c/o New Video, 800-314-8822; www.newvideo.com. 2009. DVD ISBN 978-1-4229-1048-1. $26.95. Closed-captioned. HIST
This sensitively crafted, emotionally absorbing, and unique documentary chronicles the meeting, in 2006, of Helen Jonas-Rosenzweig, a survivor of the Plaszow Concentration Camp, and Monika Hertwig, the daughter of the camp's sadistic commandant, Amon Goeth (chillingly portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in the 1993 Academy Award-winning Schindler's List). Within days of her arrival at the camp, a 15-year-old Jonas-Rosenzweig was selected by Goeth to be his housemaid in his villa residence, from which she was eventually rescued by Oscar Schindler. Born a year before Goeth's execution by a Polish tribunal in 1946, Hertwig did not learn the truth about her father until, at age 11, it was finally revealed to her by her grandmother. Director Moll (The Last Days) follows both women from their respective homes in the United States and Germany to their meeting at the Plaszow Concentration Camp Memorial, where they tour the villa. Bonus features include an interview with the director and cinematographer and a featurette on the score. Recommended for those wanting to know more about this most inhumane of human times, from young adults to academic researchers.—Robert A. Sica, Eastern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Richmond
The Romance of a Vanishing Race; The Rodman Wanamaker Expedition of Citizenship to the North American Indian; Winter Farm Life on a Crow Reservation. (Circle of Life). b/w. 66 min. Rich-Heape Films, 214-696-6916; www.richheape.com. 2008. DVD UPC 6-52645-68033-0. $149.95. Public performance. HIST
Originally produced on 35mm film, these three historic motion pictures of Native Americans in the early 1900s were recently discovered among the materials in the National Archives. They have been remastered to include an original score and soundtrack, but the picture quality has not been enhanced. Much of Romance is a reenactment of battles between Plains Indians and unidentified tribes. The participants are shown wearing generic Sioux-like costumes and seem fairly stiff. The original silent movie narration text appears on-screen. The Rodman Wanamaker Expedition offers repetitious footage of the same flag ceremony and agreement signing with several tribes in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. It would have been extremely valuable if some of the key Native American leaders had been identified. Winter Farm Life is compelling owing to its content, but the lack of narration limits its overall value. As artifacts of a lost time, these films are worthwhile for comprehensive collections. Otherwise, an optional purchase at this price.—Margaret B. Miller, Univ. of South Dakota, Vermillion
Travel with Kids: Costa Rica. 57+ min. DVD ISBN 978-1-56839-323-0.
Travel with Kids: England. 56+ min. DVD ISBN 978-1-56839-312-4.
Travel with Kids: London. 50+ min. DVDvISBN 978-1-56839-311-7.
ea. vol: Equator Creative Media, dist. by Janson Media, www.janson.com. 2009. $14.95. TRAV
The "Travel with Kids" series shows how families with small children can, with planning and the proper attitude, take vacations that interest everyone. Series hosts Carrie and Jeremy Roberts, traveling with their two rambunctious boys, take turns providing lively, mostly off-camera narration, and from time to time, a local offers introductory historical and other information. There are screen pop-ups, too, with admission prices and other facts. The London DVD covers the Tower of London, British Museum, and Buckingham Palace, among other sights. The England DVD is divided into two programs: one covers the Roman baths at Bath plus Stonehenge, the other recounts the family's stay in the Lake District. Extras include planning advice, English recipes, and craft projects.
The Costa Rica trip emphasizes ecotourism and is devoted to mostly outdoor adventures such as discovering local wildlife, river rafting, and even zip-lining through the jungle. The Roberts also point to unique opportunities, such as staying at a hotel within sight of the active Arenal Volcano. The travelog is, unfortunately, divided into two half-hour segments, with some confusing repetition of scenes. The steady but unobtrusive stream of child-friendly travel advice, such as packing snacks and scheduling downtime, is sure to make any trip more enjoyable. Libraries can check out the entire series at www.travelwithkids.tv.—Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Complete Series One. 2 vols. color. 387+ min. Christine Hall, Channel Four TV, dist. by Acorn Media, 888-870-8047; www.acornonline.com. 2009. DVD UPC 0-54961-81979-9. $24.99. SDH subtitles. COOKING
British chef Gordon Ramsay here takes us into the underbellies of failing restaurants throughout England, which will lead many viewers to think twice about dining out at any random restaurant. While his famously rough language and quick temper float throughout each segment, Series One was broadcast in 2004, before Ramsay's U.S. rise to fame, and his personality seems more subdued, with moments that reveal a softer and slightly sympathetic nature. It is a bit misleading and disappointing that the eight episodes marketed here actually include only four full episodes, each of which has a revisit to the restaurants, which are then presented individually. In actuality, the series is quite short. Nonetheless, this highly entertaining show will leave viewers fabulously frustrated with the idiotic waiters and short-sighted chefs. If you love the restaurant world, this program is for you. Bonus features include a bio of Ramsay. Recommended for general viewers with culinary tastes. [The three-volume Complete Series Two is now also available from Acorn, DVD UPC 0-54961-82639-1. $29.99.]—Claire A. Moitra, Providence
Forever Wild: Celebrating America's Wilderness. color. 55+ min.First Light Films, dist. by Video Project, www.videoproject.com. 2009. DVD $125; acad. libs. $195. Public performance.
A Sense of Wonder: Rachel Carson's Love for the Natural World and Her Fight To Defend It. color. 55+ min. Christopher Monger, Sense of Wonder Prods., dist. by Bullfrog Films, 800-543-3764, www.bullfrogfilms.com. 2009. DVD ISBN 978-1-59458-851-8. $250 (Rental: $85). Public performance; SDH captions; public library discounts available. ENVIRONMENT
Forever Wild beautifully illustrates the legacy of the federal Wilderness Act of 1964, which protected nine million acres of public land from development. The film offers a brief history of the U.S. wilderness movement and follows some volunteer groups designating further wilderness areas. Recently protected areas spotlighted are Aspen, CO, the King Range, CA, and White Mountain National Forest, ME. Bonus features include links to additional resources.
A Sense of Wonder is an affecting tribute to Rachel Carson (1907–64), the biologist author of Silent Spring (1962). Actress Kaiulani Lee portrays Carson in 1963, suffering from cancer while under attack by the chemical industry and musing on her life and writings. Viewers discover Carson's deep love of nature and how she came to blow the whistle on a dangerous overuse of pesticides. Bonus features include reflections on Carson's influence by contemporary environmentalists. Both films would appeal to students and adults with an interest in preserving nature.—David R. Conn, Surrey P.L., BC
Critical Condition. color. 83+ min. Roger Weisberg, Public Policy Prods., in assoc. with Thirteen/WNET, dist. by Docurama c/o New Video, 800-314-8822; www.newvideo.com. 2008. DVD ISBN 978-1-4229-15010. $26.95. Closed-captioned.
Life for Sale. color. 90 min. Kimberli Zou, Orb Inc. 510-659-0683; www.orb-films.com; www.lifeforsalemovie.com. 2008. DVD UPC 8-80074-12953-7. $39.95. HEALTH
Both of these films are dedicated to exposing some of the problems associated with the current U.S. health-care system. Life for Sale examines profit-making hospitals whose employees often engage in unethical behavior in order to increase revenue. Through interviews with patients, physicians, nurses, attorneys, and patient-advocate organizations, it explores premature hospital discharges, sham peer reviews, preventable medical errors, and unnecessary procedures. The film cites its numerous statistics at the end, and there is something to be said for bringing these issues to the public's attention. Unfortunately, the poor organization, sloppy editing, and extreme bias make this production fail as a trustworthy documentary or an advocacy vehicle. For instance, conversations are often presented out of context and secondhand ("…my friend who is a doctor said…") and seem like water-cooler talk rather than expert testimony. Also, the narrator repeatedly states that these problems are occurring nationwide, yet the focus is on one hospital in California and one piece of California legislation. Not recommended.
Much more successful is the top-notch Critical Condition, which deals with the struggles of the uninsured in America, focusing on four people who have fairly severe, complicated health concerns and are all without health insurance. The film reveals the plight of many Americans caught in the middle—too young for Medicare, too wealthy for welfare, yet too poor to make ends meet, particularly when unavoidable health-care costs become astronomical. One of the larger issues addressed is the cost of preventative care as opposed to treating someone well along in the disease process. Extras include two short films on similar cases and an interview with the filmmaker. This POV production will benefit everyone with health-care reform on their mind.—Lori Widzinski, Health Sciences Lib., Univ. at Buffalo
Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension. color. 56 min. Michael Schwarz & Bill Jersey, Quest Prods. & Kikim Media for NOVA, dist. by PBS Home Video, 800-424-7963; shoppbs.org/education. 2009. DVD ISBN 978-1-59375-852-3. $24.95; Blu-ray ISBN 978-1-59375-899-8. $29.95. Described video. MATH
When Benoît Mandelbrot famously asked in 1967, "How long is the coast of Britain?" he pointed out that real coastlines are irregular in a strangely regular way. That is, they look the same at all scales. Thus, you cannot tell if you are looking at a ten-mile stretch of coastline or a one-mile stretch enlarged tenfold. He coined the term fractal to describe geometric objects that exhibit this property of self-similarity. He also pointed out that nature provides numerous examples, such as tree branching, river tributary patterns, and the human circulatory system. With the aid of computers, these curious geometric structures are now playing a significant role in art and science. In a certain sense, they can be said to have fractional dimensions. That is, a sufficiently jagged line is, somehow, more than one-dimensional but not quite two-dimensional like a plane or surface. While the exact definition and proof of this is beyond the scope of a one-hour program aimed at the layperson, nevertheless, this video is fully professional, visually engaging, and well worth watching.—Harold D. Shane, Professor of Mathematics Emeritus, Baruch Coll., CUNY
These are two of the 15 films being considered for the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary. For reviews of two others, see "Top DVDs of 2009," LJ 1/10, p. 67. The winners will be announced on March 7.
The Beaches of Agnes. color. 100+ min. In French w/English subtitles. Agnès Varda, dist. by Cinema Guild, 212-685-6242; www.cinemaguild.com. 2010. DVD ISBN 978-0-7815-1312-8. home version $29.95; $99.95; acad. libs. $295. Public performance. FILM
Acclaimed French photographer and filmmaker Varda (The Gleaners) turns her camera on herself in this self-indulgent, overlong, and mostly inscrutable autobiographical documentary. The film jumps nonchronologically from archival footage of films throughout the filmmaker's long and eclectic career to heavily stylized reenactments of key moments in her life to current shots of her visiting people and places from her past and wandering aimlessly on various beaches, where she makes obtuse statements about life, love, and art. The film is at times visually interesting, but it rarely ever makes sense. The few shining moments, such as a touching tribute to Varda's late husband, fellow filmmaker Jacques Demy (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg), and an emotional trip to an exhibition of her early photographs, are, unfortunately, not enough to save this overall silly and incoherent mess. It includes lots of gratuitous full-frontal nudity and numerous bonus features as well. Reservedly recommended only for ardent and undiscriminating Varda fans and movie buffs who can tolerate extreme cuteness, abstraction, and narcissism.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
Under Our Skin: There's No Medicine for Someone Like You. color. 104+ min. Andy Abrahams Wilson, Open Eye Pictures, 415-332-3266; www.underourskin.com. 2009. DVD ISBN 978-0-9841407-0-1. home version $34.95; $95; acad. libs. $249 + $6 s/h. Public performance; closed-captioned. MED
When Lyme disease emerged in the early 1980s, it was thought to be a brief, easily treatable ailment. Now it appears that the causative bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is a spirochete similar to the one that causes syphilis and, like syphilis, can have long-term effects on those thought to be cured, or on those who never knew they were infected, including neurologic complications. Although research has proven the similarities between these two diseases, and some physicians have found that a long-term course of heavy antibiotics is effective in reversing the effects of Lyme disease, a study done by the Infectious Disease Society of America (ISDA) has reiterated the earlier protocols and issued official recommendations that not only deny the more strenuous therapy but also allow insurance companies to file complaints against doctors using it, resulting in their license revocation. This excellent film explores the connections between ISDA and various insurance and pharmaceutical firms that have an interest in denying that prolonged Lyme disease exists, let alone that it is treatable. As a result, thousands of people have needlessly suffered and died and many more will continue to do so. One hopes this film will help to raise public awareness and incite outrage; it deserves wide distribution. Highly recommended for all viewers.—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH
