New Videos - September/October 2007
On DVD:
Philosophy, the Social Context – DVD TAC-1516 pt. 15
London School of Economics professor Ernest Gellner discusses contemporary philosophy, its historical and social backgrounds, and its role in modern society. Gellner examines the radical expansion of scientific knowledge and its dehumanizing effect on society as expressed by sociologist Max Weber. Marxism's messianic expectation is blamed for its failure to reconstruct society. Gellner dismisses today's philosophy of relativism as unworkable.
Tristram Shandy: a Cock and Bull Story – DVD TAC-1520
A rollicking, inventive adaptation of the notoriously unfilmable 18th century British comic novel The life and opinions of Tristam Shandy, gentleman, written by Laurence Sterne. Shandy's warped tales reveal far more than any conventional autobiography.
WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception – DVD TAC-1521
There were two wars going on in Iraq, one was fought with armies of soldiers, bombs and a fearsome military force. The other was fought alongside it with cameras, satellites, armies of journalists and propaganda techniques. One war was rationalized as an effort to find and remove WMDs, Weapons of Mass Destruction; the other was carried out by even more powerful WMDs, Weapons of Mass Deception.
The Ugly American – DVD TAC-1522
As a compassionate American Ambassador to the strife-torn Southeast Asian nation of Sarkhan, Brando tries to keep Communists in the North from overrunning the weakened democracy in the South by making sure a vital road into the country's inaccessible interior goes through.
Little Caesar – DVD TAC-1523
A small-time hood rises to criminal fame and power. Adapted from W.R. Burnett's novel.
The Parallax View – DVD TAC-1524
Warren Beatty is a news reporter who, along with seven others, witnesses the assassination of a political candidate. When the other seven die in "accidents", the newsman begins to doubt the official position: that a lone madman was responsible for the crime.
The Skin Game – DVD TAC-1525
Story about a conflict between two wealthy families. One is the established gentry, the other is a progressive newcomer who buys up much of the land in the area for industrial development. Story centers on their attempts to destroy one another.
San Francisco – DVD TAC-1526
Blackie Norton is a gambler with a big heart, and Father Tim Mullin is Blackie's childhood friend. Nob Hill snob Jack Burley, vies with Blackie for the attentions of beauty Mary Blake.
1-800-INDIA – DVD TAC-1527
Over the past decade, India has emerged as the leader in the global market for white-collar "outsourcing" jobs-- a notable component of India's rapid economic growth. This documentary explores the experience of young Indian men and women who have been recruited into these new jobs requiring long hours, night shifts, and westernized work habits. Also reveals the human and cultural effect on Indian family life, the evolving cities and towns, and on the aspirations and daily lives of young Indians, especially women, entering the work force. Followed by interview with Michael Elliott, editor of Time International.
Shakti: the Power of Women – DVD TAC-1528
Taking inspiration from the spiritual concept of the supreme female deity of the Hindu religion, Shakti, this program celebrates the power of women to drive social and economic change in India. A widespread women’s movement is changing the image of India facing the 21st century. Discriminated from birth, and even before, Indian women are beginning to claim their place in society.
Soul of India – DVD TAC-1529
Examines the increasing violence between Hindus and Muslims, the rise of Hindu fundamentalism, and the crumbling of India's pluralistic society. Includes an interview with former U.S. Senator George Mitchell.
Kelo v. City of New London: 545 U.S. 469 – DVD TAC-1530
In the 1990's, New London, Connecticut faced economic problems after a large naval base closed. When Pfizer announced plans to build a new research facility in the city, New London began planning a large-scale development in the nearby Fort Trumbull area of town that involved using the City's power of eminent domain to acquire properties in the area. Susette Kelo and some of her neighbors fought the City's efforts to take their homes, leading to an important Supreme Court decision on the proper role for eminent domain. The documentary tells the story of the case through interviews with Kelo; her lawyer Scott Bullock from the Institute for Justice; members of the Coalition to Save the Fort Trumbull Neighborhood; city lawyers Tom Londregan and Edward O'Connell; and city planners Michael Joplin and John Brooks.
Barrio Cuba – DVD TAC-1531
A look at life and everyday struggles in Havana through three main stories -- when a woman dies in childbirth, the new father runs away; a lonely woman is courted by an older man, but can't forget her first love; a couple's relationship crumbles when they can't conceive a child.
In Debt We Trust: America before the Bubble Bursts – DVD TAC-1532
A documentary examining the increasing debt burden carried by millions of Americans argues that corrupt practices by financial and government institutions are fostering citizens' dependence on credit while creating a ballooning national debt that is leading the country towards fiscal disaster.
Letters from Iwo Jima – DVD TAC-1533
Sixty-one years ago, the United States and Japanese armies met on Iwo Jima. Decades later, hundreds of letters are unearthed from that stark island's soil. The letters give faces and voices to the men who fought there, as well as the extraordinary general who led them. Leading the defense is Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi. With little defense other than sheer will and the volcanic rock of the island itself, Gen. Kuribayashi's unprecedented tactics transform what was predicted to be a quick and bloody defeat into nearly 40 days of heroic and resourceful combat.
Planet Earth: the Complete Series – DVD TAC-1534 pt. 1-5
This stunning television experience captures rare action, impossible locations, and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest, and most elusive creatures.
Through Deaf Eyes – DVD TAC-1535
Explores nearly 200 years of deaf life in America. Presents the experiences of American history from the perspective of deaf citizens. Six artistic works by deaf media artists are woven throughout the documentary that compliment the core of the film.
Déjà vu – DVD TAC-1536
A ferry filled with crewmen from the USS Nimitz and their families is blown up in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. BATF Doug Carlin is brought in to assist in the recovery of evidence from the massive investigation, and gets attached to an experimental FBI surveillance unit. The unit uses technology to directly look back in time a little over four days into the past. While tracking down the bomber, Carlin gets an idea in his head: would it be possible to use the device to actually travel back in time and not only prevent the bombing but also the murder of a local woman whose truck was used in the bombing?
La nuit de la verité (The Night of Truth) – DVD TAC-1537
In an unspecified country in Africa, after ten years of bloody war, the Nayaks, the President's ethnic group, and the Bonandes, rebels supporting Colonel Theo, come together to celebrate the peace agreement. But the reconciliation festivities are overshadowed by the terrible barbarities that have been committed on both sides.
Mutual Appreciation – DVD TAC-1538
Alan's desire for success in music and love is hampered by one thing -- himself. He decides to leave his band and heads for New York City for a new musical adventure. There, he is only half-heartedly romancing radio DJ Sara and promoting his fledgling band, Mutual Appreciation. Alan tries to stay focused and manages to fend off some of his distractions.
La demoiselle d’honneur (The Bridesmaid) – DVD TAC-1539
It's love at first sight when bridesmaid Senta falls into the life of a handsome young Phillipe at the wedding of his younger sister. As passion for one another intensifies, Phillipe slowly discovers that Senta is shrouded in mystery. When one day she asks Phillipe to perform a terrible deed as proof of his love for her, Phillipe must come to terms with who his lover might really be.
Apocalypto – DVD TAC-1540
As the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, the rulers insist the key to prosperity is to build more temples and offer human sacrifices. Jaguar Paw is a young man who is captured for sacrifice, but flees to avoid his fate. He is taken on a perilous journey to a world that is ruled by fear and oppression, where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman and his family he will make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life.
Iraq in Fragments – DVD TAC-1541
Documentary in three parts. Offers a series of intimate, passionately-felt portraits: A fatherless 11-year-old is apprenticed to the domineering owner of a Baghdad garage; Sadr followers in two Shiite cities rally for regional elections while enforcing Islamic law at the point of a gun; a family of Kurdish farmers welcomes the U.S. presence, which has allowed them a measure of freedom previously denied. American director James Longley spent more than two years filming in Iraq to create this stunningly photographed, poetically rendered documentary of the war-torn country as seen through the eyes of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
Little Sister’s vs. Big Brother – DVD TAC-1542
The story of a high stakes legal drama and a small bookstore's fight for respect. Shooting since 1994, director Weissman has captured the key moments in the Little Sister's battle against censorship court decisions, book seizures, moments of personal courage and shocking violence inflicted on Vancouver's gay community. Sparked by the Little Sister's battle against censorship, a diverse group of writers, along with free speech advocates speak out in defense of the right of all Canadians to read and view what they choose.
Meeting Face to Face: the Iraq-US Labor Solidarity Tour – DVD TAC-1543
This documentary follows six Iraqi labor leaders through a tour of 25 U.S. cities (sponsored by U.S. Labor Against the War) in June of 2005, as they share their experiences of the war, and their visions for Iraq's future.
Flags of Our Fathers – DVD TAC-1544
The story of the five Marines and one Navy corpsman that were forever immortalized as a symbol of WWII by raising the American flag at the battle of Iwo Jima. When Joe Rosenthal's photograph of the event becomes a symbol of hope for the families at home, the three surviving men are pulled from combat and sent on a tour across America to raise desperately-needed bond money. It is a trip that brings out the truths of both that symbolic act, and of their lives during war.
Zaman: l’homme des roseaux – DVD TAC-1545
Zaman and his wife Najma have built their happy life together in a house of reeds. When Najma falls ill, the doctor tells them she needs surgery or some medicine he does not have. Zaman sets off in his boat and journeys to Baghdad for the cure.
March of the Penguins—DVD TAC-1546
In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family. This courtship will begin with a long journey - a journey that will take them hundreds of miles across the continent by foot, one by one in a single file. They will endure freezing temperatures, in brittle, icy winds and through deep, treacherous waters. They will risk starvation and attack by dangerous predators, under the harshest conditions on earth, all to find true love.
American Hardcore – DVD TAC-1547
Through interviews, rare footage, and performances, view the world of the '80s hardcore punk scene and the parallels between the government at the time and this new movement. Includes bands such as the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Bad Brains, and more.
The Mummy: the Legacy Collection – DVD TAC-1548 v. 1-2
The Mummy: In 1921 a field expedition in Egypt discovers the mummy of ancient Egyptian prince Im-Ho-Tep, who was condemned and buried alive for sacrilege. He is accidently brought back to life and tries to find his reincarnated lost love, Anck-es-en-Amon. The mummy's hand: Two out-of-work archaeologists, a magician and his daughter set out to uncover the burial place of Ananka who is guarded by the living mummy, Kharis. The mummy's tomb: A high priest travels to America with Kharis to kill all those who had desecrated the tomb of the Egyptian princess Ananka thirty years earlier. The mummy's ghost: In the US, Yousef Bay and Kharis break into the museum and conduct a ceremony to raise Ananka. But instead this causes Ananka’s spirit to inhabit the body of Amina Mansori who they try and kidnap. The mummy's curse: 25 years have past and Kharis is unearthed from a Louisiana bayou, Ananka's spirit has been reincarnated into another body and the high priest sent to bring them back to Egypt finds himself falling in love with her and in the process, loses control of the mummy.
Crossing Arizona – DVD TAC-1549
Examines the border crisis as seen through the eyes of Arizona ranchers, border patrol agents, politicians, farmers, humanitarians, and Mexican migrants.
Japanland – DVD TAC-1550
Take an action-packed and entertaining journey into the side of Japan that few outsiders get to see. Follow Karin Muller as she delves deep into the world of the geisha, mountain cults, samurai, taiko, swordmaking, sumo, and much more!
Naqoyqatsi – DVD TAC-1551
In this cinematic concert, the concluding film of the Qatsi Trilogy preceded by critically acclaimed Koyaanisqatsi ("Life Out of Balance"), and Powaqqatsi (Life in Transformation"), mesmerizing images reanimated from everyday reality, then visually altered with state-of-the-art digital techniques, chronicle the shift from a world organized by the principles of nature to one dominated by technology, the synthetic and the virtual. Extremes of intimacy and spectacle, tragedy and hope fuse in a tidal wave of visuals and music, giving rise to a unique artistic experience that reflects Reggio's vision of a brave new globalized world.
Mon oncle – DVD TAC-1552
A comedy in which the vague and clumsy M. Hulot, in contrast to his more wealthy sister and brother-in-law, is constantly at odds with the modern world.
Biruma no tategoto – DVD TAC-1553
An Imperial Japanese Army regiment surrenders to British forces in Burma at the close of World War II and finds harmony through song. A private, thought to be dead, disguises himself as a Buddhist monk and stumbles upon spiritual enlightenment.
The Passion of the Christ – DVD TAC-1554
Concerns the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In the Garden of Gethsemane near the Mount of Olives, Jesus is betrayed by Judas Iscariot. Jesus is condemned to death for blasphemy and brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, for sentencing. The roaring crowd demands his death, so Pilate orders his crucifixion. Jesus is severely beaten and made to carry his cross up to Golgotha, the hill outside Jerusalem, where he is nailed to the cross. With his mother looking on, he dies.
Belleville rendez-vous—DVD TAC-1555
Chiefly told without dialogue, a bicyclist is kidnapped from the Tour de France by mysterious gangsters; his grandmother travels to the city of Belleville (which has a sardonic version of the Statue of Liberty in its harbor), where she tracks him down with the help of a musical trio gone to seed, the Belleville Triplets.
The Short Life of José Antonio Gutierrez – DVD TAC-1556
The story of the Guatemalan immigrant and former homeless street child who became the first American soldier killed in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Favela Rising – DVD TAC-1557
Documents how former drug-trafficker Anderson Sa, and Jose Junior's Grupo Cultural AfroReggae are working to unite a Rio slum, or favela, against a violent drug industry and police oppression. The Grupo Cultural AfroReggae organization uses music as an instrument of change, to offer an alternative to the drug lords as role models for the children of the favela, and Sa is the lead vocalist for their band, AfroReggae.
Dare mo shiranai (Nobody Knows) – DVD TAC-1558
A critically-acclaimed and powerful, heartfelt story about four children who are forced to rely on one another after they are abandoned by their mother.
Onna ga kaidan o agaru toki (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs) – DVD TAC-1559
A young widow with family obligations, Keiko is the madam of an upstairs bar in the exclusive Ginza district of Tokyo in 1960. As she approaches 30, she realizes that her life is at a crossroads: she must either go into business and open her own bar or marry.
Sacco and Vanzetti – DVD TAC-1560
Examines the case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti through archival film, music, poetry and excerpts from the 1971 Italian feature film. Also includes interviews with historians, artists and activists as well as readings from the prison diaries of the two defendants.
Navajo Code Talkers – DVD TAC-1561
Describes the role of a select group of Navajo Marines who developed a code based on their own native language that provided a means for secure communications among American forces in the Pacific during World War II.
This Film is Not Yet Rated – DVD TAC-1562
Kirby Dick's provocative film investigates the secretive and inconsistent process by which the Motion Picture Association of America rates films. Kirby looks at some of the controversial rating decisions of the past four decades, hires a private eye to find out who these anonymous raters are and puts his own film through the rating process.
Star Wars: Episode IV, a New Hope – DVD TAC-1563
A rebel ship is being boarded by the tyrannical Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker, with his new allies, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Ben Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, attempt to rescue rebel leader, Princess Leia, from the clutches of the Empire. The conclusion is culminated as the Rebels, including Skywalker and flying ace Wedge Antilles make an attack on the Empires most powerful and ominous weapon, the Death Star.
Gandhi – DVD TAC-1564
Follows the life of Mahatma Gandhi from his days as a lawyer in South Africa to his role as India's spiritual leader by using his philosophy of non-violent but direct-action protest that helped end British rule. Centers on the extraordinary man who fought for a nonviolent, peaceful existence and set an entire nation free.
Diva – DVD TAC-1565
Cynthia Hawkins is the operatic superstar whose refusal to make a recording frustrates her adoring public. A young fan named Jules makes a secret tape and is stalked by thugs who plan to blackmail the diva. Jules also accidently acquires a tape which tells of a top mobster's role in an international sex and drug ring. Two hired killers are out to get the tape.
Yellow Brick Road – DVD TAC-1566
Documentary following a group of actors with learning disabilities, from the Drama Program of Long Island's ANCHOR organization, as they embark on a four-month-long journey to mount a stage performance of film The Wizard of Oz.
Dinner at Eight – DVD TAC-1567
A Park Avenue snob gives a dinner party for a visiting English peer. Little does she realize that her shipping magnate husband is bankrupt and that her daughter is having an affair with an older man.
Golden Venture – DVD TAC-1568
The film chronicles the ongoing struggles of passengers who were aboard the Golden Venture, an immigrant smuggling ship that ran aground near New York City in 1993. Passengers had paid at least $30,000 to be brought to the U.S. from China's Fujian Province, expecting to arrive indebted but unnoticed. But a seemingly golden opportunity quickly evolved into a hellish descent through the cruel whims of U.S. immigration policy.
La historia oficial – DVD TAC-1569
An Argentine teacher lives in blissful ignorance of the evils perpetrated by her country's government. Over time, she begins to suspect that her adopted daughter may have been the child of a murdered political prisoner. When she attempts to unearth the truth, her investigation reveals levels of political corruption so abhorrent that the illusions of her past life are irrevocably shattered.
Pennies from Heaven – DVD TAC-1570
A drifter befriends an orphaned girl and her grandfather in Middletown, New Jersey. Features music and lyrics by Johnny Burke and Arthur Johnston including "Pennies from heaven", "So do I", "Skeleton in the closet", and "Let's call a heart a heart."
Unfaithful – DVD TAC-1571
When a chance encounter with a sexy stranger erupts into a full-blown affair, passion becomes obsession, and the true price of betrayal takes a shattering toll.
Jingi no hakaba (Graveyard of Honor ) – DVD TAC-1572
A story about the life and death of Rikio Ishikawa, one of the most notorious and violent yakuza in the history of organized crime in Japan.
La placard (The Closet) – DVD TAC-1573
François Pignon, a very bland sort of man who works as an accountant in a condom factory, is about to be fired. His new neighbour comes up with an idea to prevent such a thing from happening: he creates photos and then spreads the rumor that François is gay so that the factory management might be afraid they'll be sued for sexual discrimination. Of course, nothing happens as it should, but the changes in François Pignon's life-- and other people's too - is drastic!
Connections 2 – DVD TAC-1574 pt. 1-5
James Burke back tracks the fascinating links between technological invention, social history, economics, and, well, everything.
Connections 3 – DVD TAC-1575 pt. 1-5
This humorous and upbeat science series show that history is filled with seemingly unrelated discoveries that are actually connected in the most surprising ways. Host James Burke continues to delight viewers as he explores the effects and origins of inventions and events that shape the modern world.
Narayana N. Murthy and Infosys: Reflections by the CEO of a Leading Indian Software Firm – DVD TAC-1576
On April 19, 2000, the CEO of Infosys, Narayana N. Murthy, speaks to Harvard Business School MBA students about the company he founded and chairs. Murthy reflects on the nature of the business opportunity that Infosys pursues, on differences in performance metrics tracked by stock market analysts in India and the United States and on Infosys' challenges going forward.
Baraka – DVD TAC-1577
A world wide odyssey to capture the images which transcend language to tell the story of the earth's evolution and of human diversity, interconnectedness between humans and nature, and man's impact on the surrounding world. Shot in 24 countries on six continents.
Mary Ainsworth: Attachment and Growth of Love – DVD TAC-1578
Reviews Mary Ainsworth's studies on attachment behavior and shows how attachment can lead to the growth of loving relationships. Attachment theory is cited by developmental and clinical psychologists as a framework for understanding the impact of emotional ties on individuals throughout the course of their lives. With her pioneer research into the nature of infant-caregiver attachments, Mary Ainsworth provided both the methodology and data for future investigations of how early experiences affect personality development. Includes biographical information about Mary Ainsworth, the influence of John Bowlby upon her work, and the influence ethnologists like Lorenz and Harlow had upon both of them. Includes visuals from Ainsworth's observational study of mothers and babies in Uganda in 1955, as well as segments from the Robertson hospital film and the Baltimore study. Includes commentary by Mary Ainsworth.
Not for Ourselves Alone: the Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony – DVD TAC-1579
Presents the history of women's suffrage in the United States through the dramatic, often turbulent friendship of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan Anthony. Part 1 covers the years from their youth up to the establishment of the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1868. Part 2 spans the period from 1868 to the passage in 1919 of the 19th amendment to the Constitution which gave women the vote.
Horatio’s Drive: America’s First Road Trip – DVD TAC-1580
Horatio Nelson Jackson, an eccentric Vermont doctor, drove from San Francisco to New York City in 1903 to become the first person to drive an automobile across the continent - a feat never before accomplished. It would mark the beginning of a new era in America and the end of another. It took Lewis & Clark over two years to go from the Atlantic to the Pacific - Horatio went the opposite direction, by means of the "Horseless carriage", in less than 3 months.
Thomas Jefferson – DVD TAC-1581
Examines the life of Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence.
Lewis & Clark: the Journey of the Corps of Discovery – DVD TAC-1582
Tells the story of the most important expedition in American history, led by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Includes the stories of the young army men, French-Canadian boatmen, Clark's African-American slave, and the Shoshone woman named Sacagawea who went with them.
The Plow that Broke the Plains; The River – DVD TAC-1583
"The Plow that Broke the Plains" depicts the social and economic history of the Great Plains from the settlement of the prairies by cattlemen and farmers through the World War I boom to drought and depression. "The River" traces life in the Mississippi River Valley during the previous 150 years, showing the consequences of sharecropping, soil exhaustion, unchecked erosion and floods, and concludes with scenes of regional planning, TVA development and federal efforts.
White Heat – DVD TAC-1584
In his last role as a heartless gangster, James Cagney embarks on the prison break of a lifetime in this chilling tale that features one of the most riveting finales in movie history.
Yoja nun namja ui mirae ta (Woman is the Future of Man) – DVD TAC-1585
Two friends meet after being apart for years- one in the United States studying film, and the other a professor at a university. When they start talking they realize they both loved the same woman, and decide to go find her to see if any sparks fly.
A Fish Called Wanda – DVD TAC-1586
Sexy American diamond lover Wanda and her boyfriend Otto are in England to plot alongside George and Ken the robbery of a diamond collection. Wanda and Otto want the stolen diamonds for themselves, and inform the police about George, not knowing that he has already moved the diamonds to another secret place. Wanda thinks the best way to find out is by getting close to George's lawyer, Archie Leach.
La salaire de la peur (Wages of Fear) – DVD TAC-1587
In a squalid South American oil town, four desperate men sign on for a suicide mission to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin over a treacherous mountain route. As they ferry their explosive cargo to a faraway oil fire, each bump and jolt tests their courage, their friendship, and their nerves.
Sheng si jie (Stolen Life) – DVD TAC-1588
Yan'ni starts college, but once there she immediately falls in love with Muyu. Muyu begins an intricate deception that will take Yan'ni's child and the belief in any future she has.
Maxed Out – DVD TAC-1589
Take a journey deep inside the American style of debt, where things seem fine as long as the minimum monthly payment arrives on time. Shocking and incisive, it paints a picture of a national nightmare, which is all too real for most.
Yo soy Boricua, pa’que tu lo sepas (I’m Boricua, Just So You Know) – DVD TAC-1590
Rosie Perez explores the complex history between Puerto Rico and the United States. [It] begins with the vibrant celebration of the Puerto Rican Day Parade and lingers with Perez's deeply personal perspective ... the themes of family, language, and racism are put into historical perspective as [the film] uncover[s] the side of Puerto Rico absent from U.S. history books.
On VHS:
The Age of Innocence – Videorecord TAC-1924
Three socialites become caught up in a love triangle in 1870s New York.
