Video

In Wheat Cookin' Made Easy, host Pam Crockett takes us through the daunting task of preparing wheat so that it can be integrated into several creative dishes, such as sloppy joes and pancakes. The production quality is slightly rough, complete with several of Crockett's verbal slipups. The homemade nature of the disc complements these recipes, possibly making viewers slightly nervous about what their wheat-based sloppy joes will taste like. Crockett is a likable host, but she isn't especially comfortable in front of the camera. With its narrow topic and meager recipes, this is an optional purchase for cooking collections.—Claire Schaper, Franklin Inst. Lib., Philadelphia

This third in the Marple series for PBS's Mystery! stars Geraldine McEwan as Agatha Christie's clever spinster sleuth Jane Marple. Miss Marple seems to blend into the scenery wherever she is, all the better to observe people, their foibles, and their insecurities, to see beyond the façades, and to discover the truth, and the evil, behind the murder or murders, successfully exposing the guilty party to the police. McEwan is outstanding, appropriately nosey without being too objectionable, seemingly harmless and innocent while in fact being wise, knowledgeable, and objective enough to see the facts of a situation or relationship. The productions all have excellent period detail, effectively evoking the drawing-room murder setting. The four titles in this set are Towards Zero, Nemesis, At Bertram's Hotel, and Ordeal by Innocence and offer performances by such well-known actors as Jane Seymour, Saffron Burrows, Francesca Annis, Julian Sands, Peter Davison, and Juliet Stevenson. The special DVD features include photo galleries and an Agatha Christie bio. A thoroughly enjoyable series and an excellent purchase for public libraries.—Julie Stump, Voorheesville P.L., NY

This DVD presents the history of one of America's great indigenous art forms, the Western movie. The focus here is on the stars, many long forgotten, from Hollywood's early silents through its Golden Age. Also on prominent display is the vast landscape, almost a character itself, that served as the backdrop for most of these films. Luckily for the viewer, this well-produced documentary doesn't get bogged down in prolix film theory—the validity of the Western is a given—but, through a generous offering of film clips, allows the work to stand on its own. While early Westerns were often derided as formulaic or simplistic, this opinion is clearly not shared by the makers of this program. Theirs is an unabashedly romanticized view of the West, as portrayed through the archetypal conflict of good guys vs. bad guys. This DVD is hardly a comprehensive history of Westerns; it is, nonetheless, a fine introduction and a fit reminder of how this genre has changed the face of American cinema. Recommended for all libraries.—John Skrtic, Cleveland P.L.

The "making-of" featurette has become de rigueur on many feature film DVD releases, particularly on "special" or "deluxe" editions. But few can stand as documentaries in their own right like this warts-and-all behind-the-scenes peek at Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. Relying on secretly recorded audiotapes and 16mm footage shot on the film's Philippines set by Coppola's wife, Eleanor, Bahr and Hickenlooper have assembled an eavesdropping look at the infamously troubled production, which went on more than a year past its planned shooting schedule. Coppola is captured dealing with multiple problems, from Martin Sheen's heart attack to Marlon Brando's obesity to a sudden typhoon, not to mention an unfinished script—his own brand of egomaniacal brilliance. As an added feature, Eleanor Coppola once again tracks production of her husband's filmmaking with his most recent film, Youth Without Youth, in an hour-long making-of piece, Coda: Thirty Years Later. Long overdue for release on disc, Hearts has at last arrived—albeit in a digitally unscrubbed version that reveals all of its technical flaws. Better late (and imperfect) than never. For most collections.—Jeff T. Dick, Davenport, IA

Home Movie Day first commenced in August 2003 when a group of film archivists created a cultural outlet for the public display of private films. Similar gatherings have occurred annually worldwide. This diverse collection presents 22 amateur films, including a 16mm print of George Eastman and Thomas Edison documenting the use of Kodak's Kodacolor technology. It also contains films of utter anonymity, such as a Super 8 recording of carnival rides in action—the film's silver emulsion having decomposed so as to produce a psychedelic experience not unlike that of a kaleidoscopic acid rock video. If only commercially driven content such as America's Funniest Home Videos or "reality" TV were so curiously entertaining. Living Room Cinema's bits of personal history are engrossing because they were never intended for mass viewing. Spanning much of the last century, the films provide authentic voyeurism; conscious cinema verité this is not. Many of the clips are presented with optional commentary by various participants, family members, or discoverers of lost treasures. Alternatively, composer Donald Sosin provides original music scores recalling silent film-era accompaniment. Recommended for libraries serving film studies programs.—Eric Pasteur, Peoria P.L., IL

A couple wants to raise a stake to produce a film. Since she has had past success as a semiprofessional poker player, they decide to go on the tournament poker trail to win the money. To hedge their bets, they film the trip so that at the worst they will end up with a documentary about professional poker. This is it. What we get are interviews with poker professionals philosophizing about poker and life and explaining why it is not really a game of luck. This commentary is interspersed with our protagonist explaining why her luck was bad and she lost. What we don't see is any explanation of the games, any real table action, or any sense of the tension, pressure, and calculation involved. Perhaps everyone who watches poker on TV knows all about it, but for those who don't, there is not much here. Oh, there is some strong language, however.—Harold D. Shane, formerly with Baruch Coll., CUNY

Yoga is not only for the ultraflexible and super strong. Gentle yogic movements have been shown to improve the quality of life for everyone from cardiac patients to those recovering from major surgery. These two videos show how gentle movements can be done even by those who are confined to bed or unable to stand. Dickman goes through the movements, emphasizing the need to listen and respond to one's body signals. Even this reviewer, taking notes as she watched, found herself loosening tight muscles and flexing stiff joints. Recommended for public library and physical therapy collections.—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH

The Coulters have produced a great resource for families who have children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and siblings who are neurotypical (NT). The DVD is divided into four programs, three geared toward children of various ages and one for parents. The filmmakers brilliantly use interviews with NT siblings and parents to document the issues that exist among family members. The sections geared toward children are hosted by Jessie Coulter, who does a great job of explaining and framing sibling issues with segments of those interviews. The programs geared toward children provide excellent modeling behavior, especially when discussing the negative attention that comes with having a sibling with ASD who is seemingly behaving poorly in public. These NT high school-age interviewees show maturity beyond their years and provide pointers and coping mechanisms that will help viewers better understand their siblings. The section for parents is particularly useful, as they are forced to strike a balance between the child with special needs and those without. This program is strongly recommended for all libraries.—Corey Seeman, Kresge Business Administration Lib., Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor

This four-DVD set encompasses the entire first season of the History Channel series Cities of the Underworld, which shows the viewer areas that are either inaccessible or not readily known to the casual tourist. Who ever knew that there were tunnels underneath Portland, OR, where shanghaied sailors were taken before being shipped off to the East? Or that there is an entire city buried under modern Edinburgh, Scotland? The host gives a good overview of not only the site but the background of what led to the creation of these underground spots. The episodes cover various historical periods, from ancient Rome to more modern America. This is a solid program for anyone interested in knowing more about these lesser-known archaeological sites.—Kathleen Loomis-Sacco, SUNY at Fredonia Lib.

Warlords profiles the relationships that developed from the competing motivations, outright deception, and hidden agendas of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin D. Roosevelt as they crossed paths during World War II. This four-part series begins with Hitler and Stalin and concludes with Roosevelt and Stalin. Using a combination of writings, speeches, and private diary entries of the leaders and their closest advisors, the program makes it apparent that even when these individuals agreed to work together toward a common goal, they operated with conflicting interests. The friendly, cooperative rapport often attributed to Roosevelt and Churchill is examined in terms of those interests. Churchill's motive in fighting World War II was a means to preserve the British Empire, while Roosevelt wanted to keep the United States out of the conflict. Both leaders showed little concern for the millions of Europeans caught in the middle. This is a great psychological analysis of four key historical players. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—Michael LaMagna, Cabrini Coll. Lib., Radnor, PA

Rick Sammon is a Canon Explorer of Light representative and popular photography workshop leader. He has written 1000 articles and over 27 books, including Rick Sammon's Travel and Nature Photography and Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Digital Photography 2.0. He has hosted TV shows on the DIY network, ESPN, and Outdoor Life Network. Those credentials aside, this program illustrates the basic steps for creating great digital images, including information on exposure, lenses, lighting, and close-ups and shooting people and animals. Directed by Emmy Award-winning director/editor David Leveen, this outstanding workshop would be a welcome addition to any library.—Ravonne Green, Valdosta State Univ. Lib., GA