Video Reviews, May 15, 2011
May 15, 2011ARTS & HUMANITIES
Good Cat in Screenland. color & b/w. 75+ min. Richard Cohen, Richard Cohen Films, www.richardcohenfilms.com. 2010. DVD $49; acad. libs. $119. Public performance. FILM HIST
The takeover of Los Angeles’s historic Culver Hotel by a pair of Chinese entrepreneurs could have made for a great documentary, or at least for some good stories. Sadly, filmmaker Cohen, a former Culver tenant, is not much of a documentarian, much less a storyteller. The Culver, which housed in 1938 the actors who played the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz, was renovated and relaunched ten years ago to some success, until its ownership by Abraham Hu and Joseph Guo was contested. Cohen includes multiple perspectives on the hotel and its significance, as well as the new owners’ reminiscences of their time in China under Communist rule and during the Cultural Revolution, but he fails to arrange these pieces into a coherent whole. Enough superficial interest is generated to keep viewers wondering about the final disposition of the Culver, but Cohen cheats by ending the film with his eviction. More successful is the 12-minute extra Good Kitty in Screenland, a short collection of interviews with and stories from a colorful handful of the Culver’s guests. Optional for Asian studies or show business collections.—J. Osicki, Saint John Free P.L., NB
The Narnia Code: Discover the Mystery Behind the Beloved C.S. Lewis Series. color. 59+ min. Norman Stone, 1A Prods. in assoc. with Odyssey Networks, dist. by Entertainment One, www.eonehomevideo.com. 2011. DVD ISBN 9781417234530. $14.98. LIT
This BBC documentary is based on C.S. Lewis scholar Michael Ward’s groundbreaking 2008 book, Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis, in which Ward claims to have unlocked the “secret” to understanding Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia (1949–54). According to Ward, each of the seven Narnia books corresponds to one of the seven planets in medieval cosmology, and read this way, they collectively make a case for a “meaning-drenched universe” that is still persuasive today. Viewers who are already familiar with Ward’s book will not encounter any new ideas in the film; those who are not will have to consult the books in order to assess the strength of Ward’s arguments, which rely too heavily on textual analysis to be convincing in such an abbreviated form. As such, The Narnia Code is best regarded as an hour-long commercial for Planet Narnia; not recommended.—Andrew Horbal, Univ. of Pittsburgh Lib.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes; The Untold Story Behind the Legend. color. 60 min. Ironhill Pictures, dist. by Kultur, 732-229-2343; www.kultur.com. 2010. DVD ISBN 9780769789736. $19.99. LIT
This documentary explores the connection between the legendary fictional Victorian detective and the Scottish physician-turned-author who killed off his most famous creation at the height of Holmes’s fame. Conan Doyle soon succumbed to public demand and revived the eccentric sleuth, but this film asks why he tried to abandon the wildly popular series of stories in the first place. Scholars and on-screen narrator Richard Jones offer several possible reasons, including the author’s ambition to transcend the literary pigeonhole he had created, his weariness with the prolific series, and, most interesting, a rejection of his personal dark side manifested in Holmes. The film raises fascinating questions about how much of the troubled author’s life and personality are expressed in his influential and enduringly popular character, but it could have dug more deeply into Conan Doyle’s interest in spirituality, his unfulfilled literary ambitions, and his unhappiness with the detective genre that he helped to popularize. Recommended for Conan Doyle fans interested in learning the Holmes backstory and the connection between author and character.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
Sweatshop Cinderella. color & b/w. 27 min. Suzanne Wasserman, dist. by Women Make Movies, 212-925-0606; www.wmm.com. 2010. DVD $89; acad. libs. $195 (Rental: $60). Public performance. LIT
The story of writer Anzia Yezierska (c.1880–1970), a Polish immigrant to New York City’s Lower East Side, is at once so stereotypical and yet still so unusual. She grew up a poor Jewish girl, with dreams of breaking away from the male-dominated culture and becoming an independent writer. But those dreams were put on hold as she worked away in sweatshops and laundries. She studied English at night and began to write stories about the life she knew, some of which were eventually published as collections (among them Children of Loneliness [1923]; All I Could Never Be [1932]). The work brought her enough attention to lure her to write for Hollywood; producer Samuel Goldwyn offered Yezierska a $100,000 contract to write screenplays. Her fame, her disillusionment, her loves found and lost, and her eventual obscurity and rediscovery sound like the journeys of other early celebrities, but Yezierska’s grit, determination, and talent make her an inspiration to women struggling today, a century later. This short film will motivate students everywhere.—Ellen Druda, Half Hollow Hills Community Lib., Dix Hills, NY
RiseUp: Stories from Jamaica’s Music Underground. color. 88 min. Luciano Blotta, RiseUp Entertainment LLC, www.i1media.com; www.riseupmovie.com. 2010. DVD $295. Public performance; home video via iTunes.apple.com. $14.99 (Rental: $3.99). MUSIC
Jamaica claims to be the country with the most musicians—and recordings—per capita. For those artists struggling to break into this incredibly competitive music scene, reaching the ears of producers, promoters, and the public can be a huge challenge. RiseUp follows the budding careers of three such talents: Kemoy, a shy girl who is first filmed reluctantly singing among friends and goats; Rastafarian Turbulence, whose music and rhymes are firmly rooted in the tenement in which he lives; and Ice Anastasia, who seems to have all of the advantages money can buy. Director Blotta does a superb job of following the three through two years of varying success and hardship as they navigate lives of violence, poverty, and comfort. The soundtrack is terrific, and viewing Sly and Robbie in the studio backing up one of the artists is a real treat. But the unforgettable core of the film is the voice and songwriting of Kemoy Reid, which are worth the price of admission. A passionate, well-made portrait of music-making in present-day Jamaica; highly recommended.—Bill Baars, Lake Oswego P.L., OR
6 Steps to a Successful Acting Career. color. 150 min. Aaron Seals, www.6stepstoacting.com. 2010. DVD UPC 626570606628. $24.95. PERFORMING ARTS/CAREERS
6 Steps to a Successful Acting Career, produced by the founder of NYCastings.com, is a close-to-perfect instructional video. Presented in a clear, straightforward, and interesting manner by directors, teachers, and working actors and actresses, the information and advice are current and easily accessible. Especially helpful is the section for kids and parents, as this is an unfortunate source of frequent fraud. Invaluable expert commentary also covers job listings, unions, acting schools, and trade papers to follow. The target audience includes the merely curious to the fiercely determined. The accompanying website has a multitude of additional info that is continuously updated. At this price, 6 Steps to a Successful Acting Career is a bargain; highly recommended for all libraries. Watch the trailer at bit.ly/f8Vz0u.—Gerald A. Notaro, Univ. of South Florida Lib., St. Petersburg
Smash his Camera. color & b/w. 90 min. Leon Gast, Got the Shot Prods., dist. by Magnolia Home Entertainment, www.magpictures.com. 2010. DVD UPC 976964003476. $26.98. Rated: PG-13. PHOTOG/SOC SCI
An American pioneer of paparazzi celebrity photography, Ron Galella arouses strong emotions among both supporters and detractors. Now nearing 80, Galella shows few signs of slowing down. This HBO documentary, directed by Gast (When We Were Kings), reviews Galella’s long, often infamous career and his tenuous relationship with his subjects. The photographer describes his start in “street journalism,” while proudly displaying his massive photo archive. Although his largest file focuses on Elizabeth Taylor, he is best known for his obsessive ten-year pursuit of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, which resulted in a lengthy court case weighing the rights of the press vs. the individual’s right to privacy. In addition to the discussion of privacy, friends and critics debate why we are so fascinated by celebrity and whether Galella’s photos are trivial or deserve respect as art. Online technology may have changed the game and ground rules of celebrity hunting, and Galella laments the decline of celebrity nightspots like Studio 54 as sources, yet he retains a childlike wonder and enthusiasm for star power. Bonus features include deleted scenes and a director’s commentary. An entertaining video that also considers some serious issues. Recommended for most libraries.—Stephen Rees, formerly with Levittown Lib., PA
The Comeback. color. 79+ min. In English & German w/English subtitles. Maximilian Plettau, dist. by Pathfinder Home Entertainment, www.pathfinderpictures.com. 2010. DVD UPC 825307924091. $24.98. SPORTS
It’s 2006, and Jürgen “The Rock” Hartenstein, former IBF Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight boxing champ, needs to make a comeback to restore his German license. He has not had a professional bout since 2003, but a fight in the United States will be sufficient for his reinstatement. This true-life Rocky quest features The Rock helping to construct a boxing gym in order to obtain additional coaching, with much of his conditioning and training taking place in public parks and dismal facilities. A lot of hard work results in a match in Philadelphia, of all places. Will all his training and sacrifice land him a victory? This beautifully filmed and edited production provides insights into boxing in Germany and the United States and into the multicultural nature of the sport. Chiefly in German with English subtitles, this knockout of a video is recommended for all sports collections.—Cliff Glaviano, formerly with Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Angel Wishes: Journey of a Spiritual Healer. color. 72 min. Teo, Angel Wishes LLC & Cool Room Entertainment, dist. by Victory Multimedia, 310-590-1388; sales@victorymultimedia.com. 2010. DVD UPC 885444180057. $39.98. BIOG
Lana Bettencourt suffered sexual abuse as a child and made bad choices as an adult. An unexplained illness led her in 1999 to a Reiki master who diagnosed her problem and helped her to channel her own spiritual healing skills. These enabled her to save her ailing husband and, later, to become a spiritual healer herself. This biographical film, narrated by Bettencourt (A Handbook of Spiritual Healing: The 7 A’s), follows her life and journeys. Actresses portray the younger Bettencourt with skill and empathy. The professionals playing her father and her second husband are particularly effective. This film will be of particular interest to people who are studying spiritual healing.—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH
Growing Greener Schools. color. 90+ min. Harry Wiland & Dale Bell, PBS Home Video, shoppbs.org/education. 2010. DVD ISBN 9781608832057. $49.95. Public performance. ED
School communities that are working to develop curricula and buildings that are environmentally sound will find this film an outstanding resource. For communities lagging behind in these areas, it will provide reasons enough for them to make changes in their philosophy and move forward. The first section is an excellent manual to creating environmental curricula, including an indispensible 132-page downloadable curriculum guide and a 40-page appendix. Part 2 focuses on designing sustainable school buildings. Both segments feature comments from students, teachers, administrators, architects, and environmental leaders, along with well-selected footage of schools and programs demonstrating green ideas and plans at work, generating excitement and offering strong support for growing better schools. This well-organized, comprehensive, and authoritative film is essential for environmental and education collections in communities where sustainability in on people’s minds.—Ernest Jaeger, formerly with North Plainfield Schs., NJ
America: The Story of Us. 3 discs. color. 9+ hrs. History Channel, 800-933-6249; shopAETV.com. 2010. DVD ISBN 9781422982198. $39.95; Blu-ray $49.95. HIST
Four hundred years of American history are streamlined into this overview of a selection of historical events. Actor Liev Schreiber’s narration is considered and reflective, Popular Mechanics’ James Meigs provides context for inventions such as the cotton gin and computers, and the various commentators (including Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, and Donald Trump) speak confidently. At times, however, the celebrity commentary seems incongruous, such as P. Diddy on the qualities of the American worker or Michael Douglas talking about pilgrims and the Jamestown Colony. The rapid-fire CGI reenactments appear tailored to captivate a younger generation rather than relate specific facts. Much actual history is omitted (mostly wars, e.g., the Korean War and the War of 1812), but then this title does seem intent on presenting a story in an entertaining manner rather than documenting history. A free teacher’s guide and other materials are available on the website (bit.ly/dfq0pk). All told, an interesting if flawed introduction to American history.—Denise A. Garofalo, Mount Saint Mary Coll. Lib., Newburgh, NY
America in the 20th Century: The Civil Rights Movement. color & b/w. 86 min. Media Rich Learning, 773-909-7142; www.mediarichlearning.com. 2010. DVD ISBN 9780974541792. $149. Public performance. HIST
Clearly aimed at classroom use, this program traces the Civil Rights Movement back to the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), emphasizing the political dimension. It follows longstanding attempts by the NAACP to chip away at the U.S. Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which legitimized the policy of separate but equal in schools and public facilities. It focuses on the various demonstrations instigated by Martin Luther King Jr., CORE (Congress of Racial equality), SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), and other groups and documents their successes. The tone turns disapproving with the advent of Black Power in the 1960s, to the point of claiming it ostensibly ended the movement. With 52 chapters in 86 minutes, coverage here is cursory. And, unfortunately, the film doesn’t link the struggle of blacks to similar movements by women, gays, and Hispanics. Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years 1954–1965 (1987) remains the gold standard on the subject, but this production makes a decent preamble, with supplemental materials available on the web. A solid introduction for schools looking for fresh material on the subject.—John Hiett, Iowa City P.L.
Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Süss. color & b/w. 99+ min. In German w/English subtiles. Felix Moeller, dist. by Zeitgeist Films, www.zeitgeistfilms.com. 2010. DVD UPC 795975112833. $29.99; public performance $139; acad. libs. $195. HIST/FILM
This engrossing and illuminating documentary explores the controversial career and turbid familial legacy of filmmaker Veit Harlan (1899–1964), director of the most popular films of the Nazi era, seen by millions in Germany and throughout Europe. The only artist to face charges for war crimes, Harlan was twice acquitted and remained, to the indignation of many, defiantly unrepentant for the remainder of his life. Despite the notoriety, he managed to make another ten films. Among the 20 productions he created under the Third Reich, the most notorious is the virulently anti-Semitic Jew Süss (1940), commissioned by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and, by order of Heinrich Himmler, required viewing for all SS members. This artfully structured production weaves a critical overview of Harlan’s life, career, and art—replete with rare archival footage and clips from his films and home movies—with interviews with nearly a dozen of his descendants, revealing a richly complicated breadth of attitudes toward Harlan and their personal relation to him. Bonus features include a very substantial interview with German writer and film critic Alexander Kluge. Recommended for all history and film collections.—Robert A. Sica, Eastern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Richmond
Bonecrusher: A Young Coal Miner and His Father Face Life with a Toughness and Camaraderie as Enduring as the Earth Itself. color. 72 min. Michael F. Fountain, WriteBrain Films & New Day Films, 888-612-6224; bonecrusherfilm.com. 2010. DVD $119; acad. libs. $249. Public performance. SOC SCI
Television producer Fountain’s (West Wing) debut full-length documentary tells the captivating story of 62-year-old ex-coalminer Luther “Bonecrusher” Chaffin and his adoring 24-year-old son, Lucas, who is stubbornly committed to carrying on the family tradition of working in the mines of Dante, VA, despite the health and safety risks. These are proud, likable, and candid men who don’t hide their emotions as they give viewers an unflinching look at the realities of life in and around the mines of their impoverished but close-knit rural town. Nothing is sugarcoated or romanticized in this raw and gritty film, which follows Luther’s battle with black lung disease and cancer and Lucas’s struggle to come to terms with his father’s mortality and the physical and mental hardships of his chosen profession. There are no happy endings here. This must-see film is one of the better recent documentaries on the American South; highly recommended for all audiences.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America. color. 64. min. Peter Cohn, Hillcrest Films, dist. by New Day Films, 888-367-9154; orders@newday.com. 2010. DVD ISBN 9781574482720. $295. Public performance; 50-min. ed. ISBN 9781574482720. SOC SCI
Director/producer Cohn follows the harrowing journey of victims of domestic violence. Kim recounts the escalating violence in her marriage and takes viewers along as she leaves her abusive spouse, Josh; enters a Duluth, MN, shelter; gets a job; and qualifies for housing. Women’s advocates, law enforcement officers, domestic abuse experts, victims, and abusers, including Josh, add context with information on patterns of abuse, causes, and treatments. Duluth’s groundbreaking Domestic Abuse Intervention Project is explored along with recent challenges to its practices. Cohn wisely focuses on Kim, who compellingly tells her story and makes a choice near the end of the film that illustrates the complexity of her situation and the practical and emotional hurdles of those who live with domestic violence. Bonus features include extra interview footage and subtitles. Power and Control would be valuable to all those interested in domestic abuse issues.—Joan Pedzich, Harris Beach PLLC, Rochester, NY
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Megamall. color. 81 min. Sarah Mondale & Roger Grange, Stone Lantern Films Inc. & Turnstone Prods. Inc., dist. by Bullfrog Films, 800-543-3764; www.bullfrogfilms.com. 2010. DVD ISBN 9781594589164. $295 (Rental: $95). Public performance; SDH captions. Public library discounts available. ENVIRONMENT
This feature-length documentary offers commentary from author James Howard Kunstler (The Geography of Nowhere), journalist Roberta Brandes Gratz, and economist Donavan Rypkema on how the enormous Palisades Center shopping mall got built in rural Rockland County, NY. According to the film, the Pyramid Companies, a mall developer, chose the location for its proximity to Manhattan. Next came promoting the benefits to towns like Nyack, with mostly negative results. Still, construction began in 1996. Residents protested that the mall was being overbuilt, but Pyramid threatened a lawsuit. Most of the new jobs generated were part-time and low wage. Soon, many local cinemas and retail stores shut down. An expert estimated that developing Palisades Center generated $100 million in profit for Pyramid. Kunstler calls the process “corporate colonialism,” which can overwhelm local governments and communities. Essential viewing for Northeast residents, but relentless “malling” will be familiar to viewers in other regions as well.—David R. Conn, formerly with Surrey Libs., BC
What Would Darwin Think? Man vs. Nature in the Galapagos. color. 30 min. Jon Bowermaster, Oceans 8 Film, dist. by Green Planet Films, www.greenplanetfilms.org. 2010. DVD UPC 880567101828. $20; public performance $49.95. NAT HIST
This short, beautiful film is not, as its title suggests, about evolution but about the effect of tourism on the Galapagos Islands, the series of islands 600 miles west of Ecuador. Ninety-seven percent of the land is protected national park land. In 1839, Charles Darwin spent about five weeks there, after which time he wrote On the Origin of Species. The text is based in part on his observations of the islands’ pristine ecosystem, which is now threatened. Over the last few decades, tourism in the Galapagos has blossomed. Ironically, tourists (usually ecotourists there to appreciate the unique isolation abundant with flora and fauna) are not the issue. The problem is political and economic, including the large numbers of service providers and profiteers who have flocked to the islands to meet tourists’ needs, the commodities required to sustain tourists as well as nontourists plus the garbage created by both, and the mainland government’s bewildered neglect of the whole situation. Filled with breathtaking views of land, sea, and wildlife, this film could stand on its aesthetic quality alone. Add the thought-provoking concepts that human life introduces, and you have a winning program suitable for any audience. Highly recommended.—Diane Kazlauskas, Univ. of North Florida Lib., Jacksonville
UPDATE Pond Hockey (Video Reviews, LJ 4/15/11, p. 63) is now distributed by Northland Films (319-621-7011; www.northlandfilms.com/libraries).
