Video

-- Library Journal, 6/1/2005

Great Artists of the Italian Renaissance. 3 vols. color. 18 hrs. with booklets. Teaching Co., 4151 Lafayette Center Dr., Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232; 800-832-2412 (TEACH-12). 2004. DVD $149.95; VHS $129.95. Public performance. ART–GENERAL

Perhaps no period is more important to the history of Western art than the Italian Renaissance. In this ambitious course, art historian William Kloss provides a comprehensive survey of some of the most important artists and sculptors of the period, including Giotto, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Piero della Francesca, Botticelli, and Raphael, as well as masters of the high Renaissance such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian. More than 500 still images of prints, maps, paintings, drawings, sculpture, and architectural details comprise this exhaustive course. The strength of this series lies in the perceptive “readings” that Kloss provides for each of the works considered. He repeatedly emphasizes that this is a course in art history, although more cultural, intellectual, religious, and political content would have provided a context for this extraordinary flowering of genius concentrated in one place and at one time. As with many other Teaching Company courses, the approach, format, and methodology are somewhat static, which stands in stark contrast to the vivacity and excitement of the art itself. Perhaps this is deliberate, but it makes for a sometimes boring way to view a remarkably exciting subject. Kloss is, nevertheless, very knowledgeable and generously shares his expertise with the novice student. Recommended for general art history collections.—Herbert E. Shapiro, Empire State Coll., SUNY–Rochester

Yves Saint Laurent. color. 163 min. In French w/English subtitles. David Teboul, Empire Pictures, 595 Madison Ave., 39th fl., New York, NY 10022; 212-629-3097; www.empirepicturesusa.com. 2005. DVD $26.98. FASHION

This documentary follows the life and work of Yves Saint Laurent, one of the most respected and talented designers of his era. Director Teboul chronicles St. Laurent’s childhood in Algeria and his official start in fashion at the age of 16 with the house of Christian Dior. When Dior passed away, St. Laurent, just in his early twenties, took over as head designer. Using this tremendous opportunity to establish himself, St. Laurent set to work designing his first collections and quickly made a name for himself, a name that still evokes style and grace today. Split into two programs, this Collector’s Edition includes “His Life and Times,” featuring interviews with St. Laurent, his mother, and Pierre Berge, his life and business partner, among others, and “5 Avenue Marceau 75116,” an inside look into St. Laurent’s design house and the making of a collection from sketch to runway. A fascinating and engrossing look at one of the most talented designers of the last 50 years. Recommended for fashion collections.—Rachel Collins, Southampton, NY

Neil Gaiman’s A Short Film About John Bolton. color. DVD. 2½ hrs. Neil Gaiman, dist. by Docurama c/o New Video, 19 Gregory Dr., Burlington, VT 05403; 800-314-8822. 2004. DVD ISBN 0-7670-6518-2. $26.95. GRAPHIC ARTS

As a self-described oddity, Neil Gaiman’s A Short Film About John Bolton will appeal to a very limited audience. But that audience, fans of prolific author Gaiman and graphic artist Bolton, is a rabid and loyal one. Gaiman has written screenplays, and he and Bolton have teamed in print. Now they join creative forces in Gaiman’s eagerly awaited first video release. A Short Film About John Bolton is a mockumentary describing an exhibit of Bolton’s erotic female nude vampires. A radio personality gets an exclusive interview with Bolton to watch him create his she-monster paintings in his studio. Though structured as classic Twilight Zone, this film ends more Blair Witch. The DVD contains many extras, which fans will relish, including a ten-minute The Making of John Bolton; an audio feature of Gaiman reading Drawn in Darkness; and the 100-minute Live at the Aladdin, with Gaiman reading some of his classic tales. Recommended for libraries with fans of graphic novels.—Gerald A. Notaro, Univ. of South Florida Lib., St. Petersburg

Breast Cancer Legacy: Your Family History, Your Future. color. 50 min. Beth Murphy, Principle Pictures, 508-759-7300; www.principlepictures.com. 2004. DVD $21.95. HEALTH

Medical science is making great strides, not only in treating cancers but also in identifying the DNA markers that indicate a predisposition to the disease. This documentary follows three families who deal with the knowledge that breast and ovarian cancers have recurred through successive generations before and including their’s. Testing is now able to pinpoint breast cancer indicator genes, although having such a gene does not necessarily mean that cancer is inevitable (just as not having it is no guarantee of immunity). A color-coded family tree shows the overwhelming number of cancer deaths over the generations. The questions of whether or not genetic testing is advisable is discussed along with issues of privacy, insurability, employment obstacles, future children, and their children. The women share their histories, their experiences, their fears, and, ultimately, their faith in life. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH

Shanghai Ghetto. color & b/w. 95 min. + extras. Dana Janklowicz-Mann & Amir Mann, Rebel Child Prods., dist. by Docurama c/o New Video, 19 Gregory Dr., Burlington, VT 05403; 800-314-8822. 2002; 2004 release. DVD ISBN 0-7670-7690-7. $26.95. HIST

Over a ten-year period around World War II, 30,000 Jews lived in Shanghai after fleeing Germany and being refused asylum in other European countries. Shanghai had an international settlement, and these German Jews, along with Jews from elsewhere, were relegated to a section called Hongkew. Living conditions were horrendous, and the city was occupied by the Japanese, but these refugees were better off than European Jews as well as the local Chinese. They established schools, theaters, a newspaper, and sports teams andfound ways to earn a meager living. They never, however, assimilated into Chinese life or learned the language. They were generally tolerated by the Japanese and, ironically, bombed by the Americans after Pearl Harbor. At the end of the war, they all left China. These stories, told through talking-head interviews with survivors now living in the United States, are poignant yet lack drama. Some stock footage and current views of Shanghai add great visual interest. The production values are excellent. Recommended for general viewers.—Kitty Chen Dean, Nassau Coll., Garden City, NY

Streams of Gold. color & b/w. 61 min. John Tweedy, Landlocked Films, 1505 Mariposa Ave., Boulder, CO 80302; 303-447-2821; orders@landlockedfilms.com. 2004. VHS ISBN 0-9707666-1-0. $100 + $4 s/h. Public performance. INT AFFAIRS

Tracing one’s roots is an enduring, universal yearning, and filmmaker Tweedy satisfies his personal need with the creation of Streams of Gold. As Tweedy traverses Ecuador’s mountains and valleys, exhausted gold mines, and fading remnants of the company town of Portovelo, he unearths the 20th-century Ecuadoran socioeconomic relationship with the element, from monetary unit to mere industrial metal. Using vintage clips and subtitled interviews with villagers as well as conversations with aging family members, Tweedy weaves his uneasy genealogical journey, which is inextricably intertwined with Ecuador’s early attraction to capitalism and its ultimate collapse into the fatal embrace of socialism and economic decline. Streams of Gold would be a unique addition to large public libraries.—Nancy Z. Spillman, Economic Education Enterprises, Canoga Park, CA

The Last Child: The Global Race To End Polio. color. 56 min. Scott Thigpen, Red Sky Prods., dist. by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-3764; www.bullfrogfilms.com. 2004. VHS ISBN 1-59458-053-7. $250 (Rental: $85); DVD ISBN 1-59458-054-5. $275 (Rental: $85). Preview avail; public performance.
A Paralyzing Fear: The Story of Polio in America. color & b/w. 90 min. Nina Gilden Seavey, dist. by First Run Features, 153 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014; 800-229-8575; www.firstrunfeatures.com. 1998; 2005 release. DVD $24.95. MED

Using archival footage and photographs, A Paralyzing Fear traces the history of polio in the United States. In 1916, polio cases rose, and authorities had no idea how the disease was spread. Thousands of children died or were crippled. Fear and ignorance prompted quarantines, and blame was laid on everything from the influx of immigrants to poor sanitation. Interviews with and voiceovers by survivors reveal the isolation and pain of missed childhood experiences. The rush to create a vaccine or discover a cure is explored. Special DVD features include a history of polio, minidocumentaries, an archival photo gallery, an extended trailer, and biographies.

The Last Child focuses on the struggle to find and immunize all children in order to eradicate polio worldwide. This global immunization campaign involves government and local health and religious officials as well as world health organizations. It follows doctors and health workers as they battle against parents’ suspicion and resistance to a vaccine owing to their lack of education, distrust of their government, or religious beliefs. Polio outbreaks are traced to improper vaccinations or lack of follow-up. Brief interviews with children from different countries who contracted polio are included. The DVD contains bonus videos, a photo gallery, and a historical time line. These two programs are recommended for academic and public libraries.—Beth Traylor, Univ. of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libs.

Soundmix: Five Young Musicians. color. 57 min. Free Range Prods., 800-343-5540; www.fiveyoungmusicians.com. 2004. VHS/DVD $125 + $15 s/h; acad. libs. $225 + $15 s/h. Public performance. MUSIC

This hope-filled PBS documentary features five American teenage musicians brought together to share their musical cultures and somehow blend them. The intent is not how to make everybody sound alike but rather to show how musicians are nurtured in America. The disparate styles represented are New Orleans jazz (trombonist/trumpeter Troy Andrews), Appalachian “old timey” (fiddler Jake Krack), NYC Puerto Rican heritage (drummer Camilo Molina Gaetan), Western art classical music and contemporary rock (California cellist/bass player Gabrielle Athayde), and Native American flute (Hovia Edwards, of Fort Hall, ID). Whether they are successful at creating satisfying music together seems beside the point, which is to give these talented people exposure to musical styles and cultures they may never have encountered before and, as Andrews puts it, make them listen to the “different beat” each brings to the enterprise. Audiences will listen, too, enthusiastically. Recommended for public, middle school, and high school libraries and colleges with music education programs.—Bonnie Jo Dopp, Univ. of Maryland Libs., College Park

Hand to Hand. color. 30 min. William Archer, dist. by Cinema Guild, 130 Madison Ave., 2d fl., New York, NY 10016; 212-685-6242. 2004. VHS ISBN 0-7815-1054-6. $195 (Rental: $65). Public performance. POLITICS

This short film serves as an introduction to U.S. presidential election politics for an apolitical Englishman. William Archer is the son of author and politician Jeffrey Archer. Unlike his father, Archer the younger had very little interest in politics. This distaste was increased by Jeffrey’s imprisonment for fraud after an unsuccessful run for the mayoralty of London. However, William was a friend of U.S. Senator Bill Bradley and became involved in Bradley’s run for the 2000 Democratic nomination for the White House. This experience, along with meeting the late senator Paul Wellstone, began Archer’s view of politics as a positive process. While not a comprehensive study of the U.S. political system, this program is an interesting story of one man’s change of heart and willingness to participate in our democratic process. For larger video collections.—Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Parkersburg Lib.

By the Dawn’s Early Light: Chris Jackson’s Journey to Islam. color. 52 min. Zareena Grewal, dist. by Cinema Guild, 130 Madison Ave., 2d fl., New York, NY 10016; 212-685-6242. 2004. VHS ISBN 0-7815-1047-3. $295 (Rental: $75). Public performance. REL

Former National Basketball Association (NBA) standout Mahmoud Abdul Rauf, a.k.a. Chris Jackson, learned to live with Tourette’s syndrome, overcome poverty, and rise above prejudice. He also converted to Islam. A gentle man with a generous spirit, while with the NBA in 1996, he quietly refused to stand for the national anthem, perceiving it as a symbol of injustice and oppression, and was subsequently suspended. This program discusses Abdul Rauf’s convictions and the responses to his action by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. In August 2001, Abdul Rauf’s home was firebombed; however, his devotion to Islam never wavered. After September 11, 2001, prejudice and racism escalated against all Muslims in this country. Unwilling to compromise his obligation as a Muslim to speak out against inequality and domination, he paid the price with his NBA career, retiring in 2003. The technical and sound quality of this film are very good. Highly recommended.—Cheryl Abodoula, Tiverton P.L., RI

Dharma River: Journey of a Thousand Buddhas. color. 81 min. John Bush, dist. by Direct Pictures, PO Box 639, New York, NY 10276; 212-353-8520; www.directpictures. com. 2004. VHS/DVD $89.95 + $8 s/h; acad. libs. $189.95 $8 s/h. Public performance. REL

Director, cinematographer, and narrator Bush has produced some stunningly beautiful footage of Thailand, Laos, and Burma, adding some very cogent remarks about Buddhism along with good maps. Unfortunately, all that beautiful cinematography fails to capture the vibrancy of these nations. From the inclusion of the following statement, “Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of [Burma], is being held under house arrest by the military government. She has asked tourists not to visit Burma to help reinforce international sanctions against the dictatorship,” it is clear that this production is not intended for the casual traveler but for those embarking on a different sort of journey. Though there is value in seeing the beauty of Burma, especially because footage is so rare, overall this program is too long and rather dull. Perhaps comprehensive New Age collections will find some value here; for most other libraries, not recommended.—Susan Clark, Univ. of Maryland Univ. Coll. at the Yokosuka Navy Base, Japan

Dynamic Tennis Warm-Ups. color. 45 min. U.S. Tennis Assn., dist. by Human Kinetics, PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076; 800-747-4457; www.humankinetics.com. 2004. DVD ISBN 0-7360-5626-2. $29.95. SPORTS

When most people think of sports “warm-ups,” they think of performing “static”stretches while remaining stationary. “Dynamic” warm-ups are used for practice and competition and feature movement. This video includes three ten-minute modules that focus on warm-ups to prepare the body for movements used particularly in tennis: forward/backward, side-to-side, and multidirectional. The exercises are well demonstrated and explained and can be mixed to create a personal routine. Some of the exercises are quite difficult and high impact, but there is something here for all levels of player. Participants in other sports should also find these exercises of value. Mark Verstegen is an exceptional host and narrator. Highly recommended for public libraries.—Christina Hennessey, Loyola Marymount Univ., Los Angeles

How To Catch Redfish. color. 75 min. Emerge Media, dist. by Instructional Video, 2219 C St., Lincoln, NE 68502; 800-228-0164; 402-475-6570. 2004. VHS/DVD $19.99. Public performance. SPORTS

Well, fisherpersons, what we have here is perhaps the best video available on tactics for fighting sizable (5–20 lbs.) gamefish on light tackle (8–10 lb. test main line, 4–6 lb. test leaders). Though Capt. Butch Rickey, Sarasota Bay area, FL, gives a detailed accounting of everything “redfish,” from bait and flies to lure selection, tackle, and correct release, there’s even valuable information for fresh- or saltwater fishers for bass, striped bass, salmon, or steelhead (yes, even you fly rod folks). The clincher for this steelheader is Rickey and Capt. Mark Bess demonstrating how many pounds of pressure one can actually put to a fish on a light line by using the power resident in a graphite fishing rod. A bit more on rods (length, composition, flex) would have been nice, but this program is very nicely produced and edited; highly recommended for outdoor sports collections.—Cliff Glaviano, Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH

Delaware. (Discoveries...America). ISBN 1-932978-01-1.
Virginia. (Discoveries...America). ISBN 1-932978-00-3.

ea. vol: color. 60 min. Bennett-Watt HD Prods., 13021 244th Ave. SE, Issaquah, WA 98027; 800-327-2893; www.bennett-watt. 2004. DVD $24.95. TRAV

Photography, narration, background music, maps, and interviews are the pith of travel videos. Each of these programs (part of a 50-disc series) has these elements to varying degrees. Virginia excels in interviews. The highlight of the program is a disproportionately long interview with a brilliant native guitar-maker who presents his ancient art with 21st-century ease. Throughout, Virginia captivates with music, some classical, some native to the hills of the western part of the state. Rural western Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and Virginia Beach are featured along with the better-known historic sites of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown.

By contrast, Delaware glosses over its history as the First State, stressing instead bird migration and horseshoe crab cultivation as well as the industry, products, festivals, and tourism these ecological systems generate. Virginia’s narration is less engrossing than Delaware’s; however, viewers of the latter must endure wallpaper jazz as background music. Each program is well photographed and includes glances of maps that orient the viewer. Those who favor nature will find Delaware more interesting, while history buffs will prefer Virginia. Recommended, though likely more valuable to students than tourists.—Diane W. Kazlauskas, Univ. of North Florida, Jacksonville