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I.M. Pei: Building China Modern

I.M. Pei: Building China Modern


I.M. PEI: BUILDING CHINA MODERN

Directed by Anne Makepeace

Architect I.M. Pei returns to his home city of Suzhou, China to build a modern museum that complements the architecture of the 2,500 year-old city and sets a course for modern Chinese architecture.

I.M. Pei has been called the most important living modern architect, defining the landscapes of some of the world's greatest cities. A monumental figure in his field and a laureate of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, Pei is the senior statesman of modernism and last surviving link to such great early architects as Le Corbusier, Gropius, and Mies van der Rohe.

Entering into the twilight of his career and well into his eighties when the project began, Pei returns to his ancestral home of Suzhou, China to work on his most personal project to date. He is commissioned to build a modern museum in the city's oldest neighborhood which is populated by classical structures from the Ming and Qing dynasties. For the architect who placed the pyramid at the Louvre, the test to integrate the new with the old is familiar but still difficult. The enormous task is to help advance China architecturally without compromising its heritage. In the end, what began as his greatest challenge and a labor of sentiment, says Pei, ultimately becomes "my biography."

Reviews
  • "A moving and intimate portrayal of I.M. Pei's lifelong quest to define modern architecture that is true to its cultural roots. Building China Modern follows I.M. Pei's eight year journey and his challenges to define Chinese modern architecture in the Suzhou Museum--to make it, in his Chinese words, 'Su he xin,' meaning 'Suzhou yet new.'" - Shirley Young, Governor and founding member, Committee of 100

  • "Striving to balance architectural advancement with respect for the grandeur of China's heritage, Pei works on his most challenging--and most personal--task yet...Highly recommended." - The Midwest Book Review

  • "Its real subject is the rapid change sweeping China and the tensions between modernity concomitant with change...The filmmakers could not have found a better subject than Pei through which to tell this story of how one reconciles such tensions...[The film is] a loving tribute to a second-generation modernist." - Sharon McHugh, World Architecture News

    Award
  • CINE Golden Eagle Award

    Item no.: NG02560718
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 53 minutes
    Copyright: 2010
    StdBkNo: 1594589666
    Price: USD 295.00

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    ITALIAN CATHEDRALS: THE HEART OF FLORENCE

    The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower, the central cathedral of Florence, was constructed over eight centuries. Under the supervision and funding of the Wool Merchants' Guild, generations of Florentine artists and architects dedicated their lives to the project, setting in stone changes in the aesthetic ideals of the time and advances in engineering. The biography of Filippo Brunelleschi, the brilliant self-taught master who introduced the technique of one-point perspective, designed the cathedral's dome as well as machinery necessary for its construction is intertwined with the story of the cathedral and the city itself, his career, which was full of professional rivalry and inspiration to future artists and engineers. Restoration workshops still follow the traditional techniques of the master sculptors who adorned the cathedral's interior and facade.

    Item no.: ZV00161525
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2011
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 225.00

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    ITALIAN CATHEDRALS: THE SOUL OF VENICE

    After the Fall of the Roman Empire, an Eastern Roman province of Venetia survived the conquest by the Franks. It gradually grew to become a crucial trade center between the Byzantine Empire and Europe. Saint Mark's Basilica was built in place of an older church and from the very start, became a symbol of the economic and political power of Venice. The design, a mix of Eastern and Western basilica, its ornaments¡Xan imposing display of Byzantine mosaics and altar pieces, Gothic sculptures and lavish treasures stripped off the buildings of the old empire. The famous bronze Horses taken from Constantinople's Hippodrome stood for centuries as symbols of Venice's unruly defiance, and a legend of empires falling whenever they were moved, grew around the monumental sculptures. The Most Serene Republic of Venice fell to Napoleon's conquest, and the Basilica has had to face the challenges of age, negligence and tourism.

    Item no.: ZS00161526
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2011
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 225.00

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    HAIRY GUY, THE

    Steven Holl is one of America's most renowned and innovative architects, and the winner of many outstanding awards. The Building, opened by Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit in August 2009, the Hamsun Center, off Norway's northwest coast, is one of his most prestigious international achievements and a worthy runner-up to the Oslo Opera House.

    In this program, Holl explains how his admiration of Nobel laureate Knut Hamsun's works inspired him to place this controversial, strangely skewed building, with its spiked punk "fringe," in the heart of northern Norway's rugged, unspoiled landscape. The cornice is edged with 2,500 bamboo canes specially imported from China. Each approximately 10 feet in length, they are an allusion to the traditional turf and thatched roofs of rural Norway.

    Item no.: DS00161317
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 19 minutes
    Copyright: 2010
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    RENAISSANCE, THE

    What happened in Europe at the time of the renaissance and how has it influenced modern man? This historical documentary takes us back to one of history's most intriguing and crucial chapters of Europe's history when doors opened to whole new worlds; when man explored the stars, and traveled to the ends of the earth. The geniuses of the renaissance created a completely new understanding of the world and of mankind. This film tells the story of how it unfolds, and how the ideas came to affect the lives of Europeans. The Renaissance began in Italy during the 14th & 15th centuries where the perceived belief that all things great and small are controlled by God, was challenged. The thirst for knowledge prevailed and everything between heaven and earth was questioned. The next 200 years, this spread across Europe, leaving deep tracks in the fields of art, politics and ideas. However during this period, humanism and its ideals concerning the individual's rights and reciprocal respect and tolerance between people existed side by side with widespread persecution and intolerance. Until a few years ago the period has been presented as a pronounced break with the Middle Ages' gloomy church autonomy and narrow-mindedness. Today, we know there are many more sides and that the true story of this unique chapter in history has to be made up of the light and the dark.

    The program takes us on a journey through the renaissance; from Florence in the South, to London and Amsterdam to Scandinavia in the North. It discusses the influences of great thinkers such as from Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci to Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and Luther.

    Item no.: PK00161300
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2010
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 225.00

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    BIRD'S NEST, THE

    Experience the birth of the "Bird's Nest," Beijing's iconic National Stadium which played host to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Swedish designer, Thomas Herzog, conceptualized this marvel, which is not only functional, but architectural and cultural. Explore the creation of this magnificent structure from the beginning stages through the construction and completion. You'll hear from the designers, architects and welders who each played a part. The Bird's Nest stands apart from any other stadium as a one of a kind structure unique in its design and social significance. Like humans, buildings have life. The Bird's Nest will forever be a piece of Beijing's history and Chinese culture.

    Item no.: CJ00161100
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 51 minutes
    Copyright: 2009
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    MEGAWHEEL

    The World's Tallest Observation Wheel.

    The Singapore Flyer is a giant observation wheel sometimes referred to as "The Flyer." It officially opened to the public on March 1, 2008. Megawheel documents the incredible engineering feat it took to create the world's largest Ferris wheel, even taller than the famed London Eye.

    Reaching 42 stories high, the Flyer comprises a 492 ft diameter wheel, built over a three-story terminal building, giving it a total height of 541 ft. This exceeds the Star of Nanchang by 16 ft and the London Eye by 98 ft. Each of the 28 air-conditioned capsules is capable of holding 28 passengers, and a complete rotation of the wheeltakes approximately 30 minutes.

    Located on the southeast tip of the Marina Centre reclaimed land, it offers broad views of the city center and beyond including the Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan, and Johor, Malaysia. With engineers from London, France, Japan, and The Netherlands, and construction done in Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and China, this is truly a work of the world come together.

    Item no.: SN00161130
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 46 minutes
    Copyright: 2009
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    REAL LIFE 101: HOME IMPROVEMENT

    This episode features careers that let you get your hands dirty while creating beautiful results to please your customers. Visit a house that is being given an addition and speak with a man who works in home remodeling. Find out about the contracting business from a man who started from scratch as a house painter. See how an interior designer gets a new house looking great so it can be easily sold. Finally, meet the guy we call when the water pipes break or the toilet overflows in our homes - our handy plumber.

    Item no.: PS00161145
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 24 minutes
    Copyright: 2009
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    SUZUKI DIARIES, THE: SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION

    Directed by Kenton Vaughan

    David Suzuki and daughter Sarika travel to Europe to visit inspiring people and projects that give hope for a sustainable future.

    For the past 30 years, geneticist and science broadcaster, David Suzuki, host of CBC's "The Nature of Things," has been warning television audiences around the world about the dangers of taking nature for granted. He has urged us to change our consumer lifestyles, and to put brakes on an economic system that values unlimited growth above all other considerations.

    THE SUZUKI DIARIES takes a different path. It follows Suzuki and his youngest daughter, Sarika, as they travel to Europe to explore what a sustainable future might look like, and to see if two different generations can find reason for hope.

    As they travel through Germany, Denmark, France and Spain, father and daughter begin to see what is possible as they meet the people who are working towards restoring the equilibrium between human needs and planetary limits.

    Amongst the projects the people and projects they feature are: in Germany, Hermann Scheer, politician and author of the innovative and influential feed-in tariffs that created vibrant renewable energy industry; Berlin's photovoltaic-powered central railroad station; the newly renovated Reichstag Building; and Studio 7.5 which designed the fully recyclable Mirra chair.

    In Denmark, they visit Preben Maegaard, president of World Wind Energy Association. Denmark leads the world in the proportion of energy use that comes from wind. They also look at Copenhagen's traffic where 40% of the population bicycles to work or school.

    In France they tour the farm of Nicholas Joly, a banker turned organic farmer who is producing biodynamic wine.

    And in Spain, they check out a major concentrating solar power project by Abengoa Solar and the new high-speed rail network, where 190-mph trains will hopefully make carbon-intensive air travel between the major cities obsolete.

    Reviews
  • "Highly recommended
  • ecologically friendly energy solutions are already in use on a wide scale across the pond." - The New Resilient

  • "This is a remarkable journey--into beautiful places, but also into the future. We need good solid hope right now, and here it is, in living color." - Bill McKibben, Author, Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet

  • "The most personalized episode
  • Revealing. Sarika explains how, as a child, her parents' harangues about eco-politics left her feeling helpless. When she told her father, he says he began to understand the need to focus on practical solutions, not just on doomsday threats
  • That is inspirational." - Bruce Kirkland, Winnipeg Sun

    Award
  • Chris Award, Columbus International Film and Video Festival

    Item no.: YM01110623
    Format: DVD (Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 45 minutes
    Copyright: 2009
    StdBkNo: 1594589046
    Price: USD 250.00

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    WORLD'S DREAM STAGE, THE

    Beijing, the capital of China, has rapidly grown into a city of architectural genius. With the opening of the National Center for Performing Arts designed by world famous French architect Paul Andreu, (Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport,) Beijing now hosts the largest ellipsoid in the world at over 6 million square feet.

    Complimenting "The Bird's Nest, Beijing's Olympic Stadium, the silver dome-shaped grand theatre is affectionately dubbed "The Egg," and is covered with 2000 titanium panels and 1000 pieces of shining glass. It is strategically built on Beijing's Chang-an Avenue, an area filled with architectural history spanning 600 years. This "Dream Stage" is surrounded by a magnificent clear sky and a man-made lake. The highly sophisticated Center seats 6,500 people and is made up of three performance halls: the Opera Hall, Concert Hall and Theatre Hall. No only is it an architectural marvel, but also a landscape wonder with pleasant gardens, and expertly designed engineering. From sound engineering to structural engineering. "The World's Dream Stage" will take you on a personal tour and in-depth presentation of this magnificent landmark in the capital city of China.

    Item no.: CV00161167
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 54 minutes
    Copyright: 2009
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    BUILD GREEN

    David Suzuki reports on a wide range of green buildings, from large community developments to mini-homes.

    Directed by Paula Salvador

    In a refreshing hour, Build Green shows how by taking advantage of the sun, the wind, and the rain, as well as dirt, straw and waste, homeowners and developers can reduce their personal contribution to climate change by building structures that are healthier for the occupants, economical to run, and even fun to live in.

    David Suzuki sets out across Canada to discover the latest in green construction. On British Columbia's Salt Spring Island, Suzuki visits the rammed earth house of rock star Randy Bachman. Rammed earth is a traditional building technique that, with modern advances, has become viable and popular in many different climate regions. The technique minimizes site disturbance, the importation of construction materials and and the use of toxic substances.

    In Build Green, Canada's best architects show us round their latest green projects. From retrofitting an aging Montreal housing complex with state-of-the-art sustainable energy systems, to laying up hay for strawbale houses, to building transportable "mini-homes" with their own small power plant, Build Green takes a close look at the materials and technologies we'd be foolish not to adopt as standard practice in construction.

    Reviews
  • "A tour de force, showing beautiful design and addressing tough issues with clearly explained, implementable solutions." - Alexis Karolides, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute

  • "Informative...A well-researched film which will inspire viewers to rethink today's construction techniques and understand the urgent need to adopt green construction in order to protect our environment as well as to save energy and money
  • This objective film will be of interest to environmental studies classes." - School Library Journal

  • "Well-edited and informative documentary
  • Recommended for high-school, college and public libraries." - Barbara Butler, University of Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Educational Media Reviews Online

  • "Good production values and an inspiring subject make this of interest to public libraries." - Library Journal

    Item no.: RK02560594
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 44 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 1594587612
    Price: USD 250.00

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    EDENS LOST AND FOUND - LOS ANGELES: DREAM A DIFFERENT CITY

    Directed by Harry Wiland

    Is it possible that the City of the Angels can tell a story to the world about environmental rebirth?

    LA made smog and pollution into household words. No longer. Its citizens have said enough. TreePeople, founded by Andy Lipkis, is leading the campaign to plant one million trees in the next decade. Friends of the LA River and the Rivers & Mountains Conservancy are reclaiming the Los Angeles River. They are determined to see the return of steelhead salmon in their lifetimes.

    To everyone's surprise, Los Angeles is discovering mass transit. Darrell Clarke, Executive Director of Friends of the Expo Line has spent 17 years finally convincing the city to begin building the first east-west light rail-line in Los Angeles in 50 years.

    Girls Today Women Tomorrow mentors the girls of Boyle Heights, teaching them about nutrition, exercise, and their Latina culture. The community-based program also provides college scholarships in a neighborhood where the drop-out rate is close to 50%.

    Los Angeles is even planning a 26-acre downtown park thanks to the philanthropic generosity and vision of Eli Broad. Other green projects are being promoted by its 24/7 Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, who understands that environmental justice, public health and quality-of-life go together in order to dream a different city.

    Reviews
  • "[Eden's Lost and Found] Los Angeles: Dream a Different City inspires and instructs everyday citizens to tackle the big problems of sustainability, bit by bit, with effective grassroots initiative. It covers a wide range of angles: from light rail to urban forestry, restoring the L.A. River to developing sustainable lifestyles, and restoring toxic brownfields to developing farmers markets and urban gardening. A terrific resource for classrooms and community meetings alike, for those who live in well-off neighborhoods to those struggling to create environmental justice in areas once devastated by landfills and junkyards." - Carmen Sirianni, Chair, Sociology Department, Brandeis University

  • "In a day of increasing environmental awareness, the film hits home. It was especially relevant to us here in San Jose, California, just a few hundred miles north [of Los Angeles] and the 10th largest city in the U.S. It causes for some introspection of our personal actions and behaviors. I am considering biking to work in the future." - Dave Taylor, Physics teacher, Lynbrook High School

    Award
  • Amigo de los Rios Community Advocacy Award

    Item no.: TJ02790523
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned, With 45 Pages Teachers' Guide)
    Duration: 57 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 159458396X
    Price: USD 250.00

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    EDENS LOST AND FOUND - SEATTLE: THE FUTURE IS NOW

    Directed by Harry Wiland

    Recognizing that the human community is growing faster than the aging infrastructure, the city of Seattle created an Office of Sustainability and Environment.

    Seattle is synonymous with environmental awareness. Some have called it the city of the future. It leads the nation in the search for alternate fuels (Seattle Biodiesel) and was one of the first locations to create community-based biodiesel distribution co-ops.

    The High- Point mixed-use housing development is the first planned sustainable neighborhood in a major American city. It garners visitors from around the world. High- Point has even restored streams that are critical to the region's salmon migration.

    Salmon is an indicator species for the North West and it is an integral part of our story. We follow the plight of this remarkable species from the releasing of eggs into Lake Washington by schoolchildren, to a trip into Elliot Bay with an enlightened fisherman and, finally, with a visit to native American commercial fisheries that adhere to sustainable practices.

    Also related to water, there is a heated debate on how to provide access to Seattle's remarkable shoreline. Will its aging Viaduct Highway be torn down and replaced with a tunnel? The issue is still being discussed.

    Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, a citizen movement fails. Such a cautionary tale describes our final story, the 10-year battle to fund and build the citizen-inspired Monorail.

    Reviews
  • "[Eden's Lost and Found] Seattle: The Future is Now provides a wonderful resource for teaching in classroom and community settings. It provides portraits of everyday citizens, activists, and professionals who are genuine innovators: protecting and restoring watersheds, developing green building practices, reducing dependency on the automobile, transforming public housing, and developing sustainable transportation. It is at once visionary and practical and doesn't shy away from the difficult issues of costs and controversy, as in the monorail project. A very valuable civic resource for helping to imagine and inspire work for a sustainable city." - Carmen Sirianni, Chair, Sociology Department, Brandeis University

  • "This is a well-produced, broad-reaching, and optimistic film. Easily accessible to almost any audience, it highlights some of the innovative practices and projects being implemented in Seattle. This would be a valuable introduction to people in cities that have not yet begun to develop environmentally sustainable practices." - Branden Born, Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington

    Item no.: HN02560525
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned, With 45 Pages Teachers' Guide)
    Duration: 57 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 1594583986
    Price: USD 250.00

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    EDENS LOST AND FOUND - CHICAGO: CITY OF THE BIG SHOULDERS

    City Hall and grass roots groups in Chicago are working on open space, green buildings and an educated citizenry to create a sustainable city.

    Chicago is a dynamic and fascinating city with spectacular architecture and a dramatic setting on the shores of Lake Michigan. The largest metropolis between the coasts, it has the biggest population, the most problems...and the greatest potential.

    Edens Lost & Found tells Chicago's story by threading together the stories of a diverse group of its active and committed citizens including volunteers, professionals, students and community leaders -- among them, the city's mayor, Richard M. Daley. During his tenure, Chicago made a powerful commitment to open space with the creation of the 24-acre Millennium Park built atop a parking garage in the heart of downtown. The city has also become a laboratory for green architecture with the award-winning City Hall Roof Garden and Green Roof Initiative.

    Whole neighborhoods are getting involved in the effort to create more livable communities. Eden Place is a prime example of grassroots determination to reclaim for themselves pieces of Eden that had been lost to generations of apathy.

    And out in the suburbs? An Elgin High School environmental instructor convinced the school board to set aside adjacent land as an outdoor classroom and nature preserve. Here, her students are learning to become leaders in the movement to create sustainable ecosystems.

    Reviews
  • "Positively redemptive" Philadelphia Inquirer

  • "There's something positively redemptive about Edens Lost & Found, the new PBS series about the transformation of dismal urban spaces into gardens and parks, villages and murals that are green and welcoming." - Virginia A. Smith, Philadelphia Inquirer

    Item no.: PF02790102
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 57 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 1594584001
    Price: USD 250.00

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    EDENS LOST AND FOUND - PHILADELPHIA: THE HOLY EXPERIMENT

    Faced with severe budget limitations, Philadelphia's rebirth is being brought about by a network of community-based volunteer organizations.

    Philadelphia is a historic city responding to many challenges, including suburban development, that threaten to decimate the core city. Faced with severe budget limitations (a universal reality), it created a vast network of community-based volunteer organizations who have brought about rebirth through volunteerism and community outreach. Some of those organizations include The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, The New Kensington Community Development Corporation and The Philadelphia Water Department.

    City government hasn't been sitting still, either. Mayor John F. Street created the Neighborhood Transition Initiative (NTI) program as part of a coordinated plan to save the city from the impact of "moving up and moving out." NTI was assigned to come up with practicable and affordable solutions to remove blight, promote quality restoration, stimulate investment in new housing, and improve how the city delivers services to its businesses and residents. The challenge is to make neighborhoods more attractive so families will stay and become stakeholders.

    Philadelphia has many tales to tell about how it is dealing with challenges being felt around the planet: creation of a sustainable society, economy, and ecosystem in a thriving urban environment.

    Reviews
  • "Positively redemptive" Philadelphia Inquirer

  • "There's something positively redemptive about Edens Lost & Found, the new PBS series about the transformation of dismal urban spaces into gardens and parks, villages and murals that are green and welcoming." - Virginia A. Smith, Philadelphia Inquirer

    Item no.: AS01110103
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned, With 45 pages teachers' guide)
    Duration: 57 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 1594583943
    Price: USD 250.00

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    GAUDI: LIFE AND WORKS

    This unique program describes the life and work of Antoni Gaudi, an extraordinary architect whose works are displayed throughout Barcelona. Presented in the guise of an autobiography, "Gaudi: Life and Works" invites us into the mind of a creative revolutionary. The film reveals Gaudi's unusual perspectives and his extraordinary architectural vision. It highlights his personality, his sensitivity and the images of his art. Revealed are the lesser known facts of his professional and personal life from his earliest works through his final days living in poverty in Barcelona. Upon graduation, the director of Gaudi's Architecture school said, "We have granted the title of architect to a genius or a madman." Gaudi was greatly inspired by nature and religion which manifested in his works including his most famous, the Sagrada Familia-a cathedral which he began at age 31 and remains unfinished to this day.

    "Gaudi: Life and Works" brilliantly brings to life perhaps the greatest architectural visionary of the century.

    Item no.: PE00160943
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 225.00

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    GLORIES OF ISLAMIC ART PART 1: UNMAYYADS AND THEIR CAPITAL DAMASCUS

    Presenter: Akbar Ahmed

    The first program in the series looks at the achievements of the first Islamic dynasty, the Umayyads, who established their capital at Damascus. Their regime spread throughout greater Syria and they left a rich architectural heritage. This includes two of the great surviving Islamic buildings, the Great Mosque of Damascus and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The program emphasises how the early Islamic builders and architects used ideas and materials inherited from their Byzantine predecessors - for instance columns and capitals are clearly "borrowed" from earlier buildings and earlier ages. In just the same way, Islam inherited a strong Christian tradition in the Middle East and adapted Christian tenets and beliefs within their new faith. Christianity may have been to a large extent superseded in the Middle East - it was still respected. For instance, in the middle of the prayer hall of the Damascus mosque stands the burial shrine of St. John the Baptist. Umayyad achievement is seen also in Spain, where the family's descendants ruled long after they had lost power in Syria. In Spain too they left the great legacy of Andalusia - al-Andalus. Akbar Ahmed goes on to talk about the influence of Salah-al-Din, Saladin, the revered warrior who defeated the Crusaders. He is remembered in the region as much for his piety and integrity as his prowess in battle. Saladin and his successors started their own regime, the Ayyubids, which left its own architectural influence on the face of the region. This program does not just deal with mosque or religious architecture. At Jericho we see the remains of one of the Arab conquerors' luxurious desert palaces, with its famous gazelle mosaic that has become an icon of Islamic visual art. From the Ayyubid period we see the mighty citadel of Aleppo, only really conquered by Tamerlane himself.

    Item no.: ST00160944
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 45 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    GLORIES OF ISLAMIC ART PART 2: TWO ISLAMIC REGIMES IN CAIRO

    Presenter: Akbar Ahmed

    This episode moves on to Cairo, the cockpit of the early Islamic struggles between Sunni and Shi'a faiths. Cairo displays the glories of two of the great Islamic regimes - the Shi'ite Fatimids who swept in from the North African desert - and the Mamluks, slave soldiers who overthrew their masters to set up their own Sunni dynasty. Both have left behind impressive evidence of their strength. The programme introduces a colourful cast of characters. The rebel governor Ibn Tulun spent all his tax takings on building one of the earliest and finest mosques, named after him, instead of passing them on to his masters in Baghdad; the caliph Hakim won widespread Shi'ite admiration despite his cruel and despotic rule. This included whimsical decrees such as ordering his subjects to wear summer clothes in winter and vice versa. In contrast Sultan Hassan was a little known ruler whose reign ended in a pathetic inter-Mamluk squabble. Even his body was lost in the fighting - yet he left behind a magnificent mosque complex, the design of which has influenced modern Chicago. One building was specially holy to both lines of Islam - albeit at different times. This was the Al-Azhar Mosque, built by the Fatimids but today a pillar of Sunni orthodoxy. But Al-Azhar in many ways transcends these divisions - it is renowned throughout Islam as the world's oldest university. It is still regarded as a major guardian of religious knowledge and wisdom, whose opinions are respected all over. This introduces a main theme of the programme - how Islam, for centuries, has held a special respect for knowledge and learning - "ilm" in Arabic. Professor Ahmed argues that it was when this respect for learning was weakened, so was the force of the whole religion. He finds cause for optimism in the huge modern library built at Alexandria, on the site of the old Hellenic library. It is a magnificent building where the most sophisticated computer data-banks go sit near precious manuscripts of medieval poets. Cairo was also a centre for glassware and ceramics. The city's influence spread throughout - even modern Sicily displays evidence of the time when the Fatimids ruled the island.

    Item no.: BE00160945
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 45 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    GLORIES OF ISLAMIC ART PART 3: THE OTTOMANS AND THEIR CAPITAL ISTANBUL

    Presenter: Akbar Ahmed

    The final programme of the three deals with the last great Islamic dynasty, the Ottomans, and their great capital at Istanbul. The Ottomans continued the theme of borrowing from, or adapting, the work of their Byzantine predecessors. The two dominating buildings of historic Istanbul are the Blue Mosque and Haghia Sophia. The latter is a converted Christian cathedral, still containing the images of Jesus and Mary alongside the motifs of the early caliphs. The man mainly responsible for the conversion was the pre-eminent architect of Islam, Sinan. He was lucky enough to win the patronage of Suleiman the Magnificent, among the richest and the most powerful of Ottoman rulers. Sinan built and built
  • through all the Islamic world. He was the main developer and exponent of the cascading domes which glorify traditional Turkish religious architecture. But Sinan's mark was not just on religious buildings. He designed the harem, the secretive inner court buildings within the beautiful Topkapi Palace. The palace itself shows off the marvellous and colourful Iznik tilework - the trademark of the Islamic middle ages. This episode also looks at calligraphy, the peculiarly Islamic artform which grew out of the careful copying of the word of God. Akbar Ahmed also considers Sufism, a warm and attractive branch of Islam which focuses on meditation, inner strength and religious passion. There is something of a revival of Sufism in Turkey; in Istanbul the dances of the whirling dervishes often first bring this gentle and thoughtful movement to the tourist's attention. The influence of Sufism can be found too in modern Turkish painting: some of today's artists are trying to reconcile traditional religious themes with difficult concepts such as homo-eroticism.

    Item no.: WY00160946
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 45 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    GREENING OF SOUTHIE, THE

    The story of Boston's first LEED-certified residential green building, and the people who made it possible.

    Directed by Ian Cheney

    In the traditionally Irish-American working-class neighborhood of South Boston, MA, a new kind of building has taken shape. From wheatboard cabinetry to recycled steel, bamboo flooring to dual-flush toilets, the Macallen building is something different: a leader in the emerging field of environmentally friendly design.

    But Boston's steel-toed union workers aren't sure they like it. And when things on the building start to go wrong, the young developer has to keep the project from unraveling.

    Building Boston's first LEED Gold-certified building turns out to be harder than anyone thought. Yet among the I-beams and brickwork emerges a small cadre of unlikely environmentalists who come to connect their work with the future of their children

    Reviews
  • "I cannot recommend this film enough to anyone who is or wants to be a part of green building." - Joel Bittle, GreenBuildingElements.com

  • "This inspiring film...argues for widespread adoption of green building practices, while still presenting the contradictions and quandaries...and revels in the greening of southern Boston's construction workers, born skeptics who rise to the occasion." - True/False Film Fest Program

  • "A balanced but incisive look at a complex issue that affects us all." - Bostonist

  • "An engaging documentary that offers an exciting glimpse into the future of Earth-friendly construction...Literally a globetrotting affair that forcuses on the materials and personnel involved in the design and construction of the Macallen building...Recommended." - Video Librarian

  • "Recommended for those interested in the environmental aspects of city planning." - Library Journal

    Item no.: WB02790598
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 72 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo: 1594587663
    Price: USD 295.00

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    TOWERS: SYMBOLS AND EMBLEMS OF MODERNITY

    At the crossroads where architecture, urbanism, economics and sociology meet, this film profiles some of the most well known skyscrapers in the world and provides commentaries and analysis from their engineers and some of the world's greatest contemporary architects such as Norman Fisher, Jean Nouvel, Christina de Partzamparc and Paul Andreu.

    Creating the tallest structure is the culmination of an ancient dream, from the mythical tower of Babel to the Eiffel Tower. For over two centuries, these skyscrapers have defined the cityscapes of New York, Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and other great cities. Today in Asia, towers are now shattering previous height records. A building nearly a mile high is being planned in Malaysia. Far from going out of fashion, this architectural challenge has become essential in the planning of contemporary urban landscapes; especially in cities where land is extremely scarce.

    Towers all over the world symbolize economic growth and success. In Paris or New York, towers crowd the business districts. In Dubai and Shanghai these concrete and steel giants have radically transformed their cityscapes.

    Everywhere, architects rival each other in originality, and all have their special place in the field of modern architecture.

    Item no.: HN00160951
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 225.00

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    AMERICAN MASTERS: JOHN JAMES AUDUBON - DRAWN FROM NATURE

    The life story of one of America's singular pioneers, artist and naturalist John James Audubon.

    The story of John James Audubon is a dramatic and surprising one. He saw more of the North American continent than virtually anyone of his time, and came to stand for America-the America of wilderness and wild things. Audubon was a self-taught artist and a self-made man whose life was rife with action and contradiction. He played the debonair European when he visited the American frontier, and then the wild woodsman in the drawing rooms of Europe.

    As an artist and a naturalist his achievements are monumental. The Birds of America-an astonishing collection of 435 life-size prints-was the largest book printed in the 19th century. Audubon was not only the artist; he was the writer, publisher and promoter. His early subscribers included the kings of England and France.

    Audubon continued to draw, creating a smaller folio of even more birds, and embarking on a major study of mammals. This book, The Viviparous Quadrupeds of America, was only half-done in 1846, when he turned the work over to his son. His eyesight was failing, as was his mind.

    Reviews
  • "Visually stunning and totally engrossing
  • The program easily moves between realistic dramatizations, scenic outdoor footage, pans of bird prints, and interviews with authors, artists, and museum curators, who offer intriguing insight into the man who 'was a drama waiting to happen.' The artist's personal and professional life, including his failed struggles as a merchant who declared bankruptcy before temporarily leaving his family in 1820 on an epic quest to paint and identify all the birds in the U.S., are gloriously revealed in this riveting program that emphasizes Audubon's creative genius and lasting legacy." - Booklist, Editors' Choice

  • "John James Audubon: Drawn From Nature explores Audubon's magnificent Birds of America in light of his riches-to-rags-to-riches life, a tale embellished and exploited by the artist himself. The film lingers over lush, crisp details that will impress even Audubon aficionados. In addition to the classics, we are treated to close views of some less familiar prints showing avian victims of human violence. Expert commentary provides a clear bridge between Audubon's indiscriminate "collecting" practices, his eventual witness to species' decline, and late nineteenth-century identification of the Audubon name with conservation. The film is especially valuable for explication of his technique: don't miss the special feature with contemporary artist Walton Ford's reenactment of Audubon's original working methods. Drawn From Nature is enlightening for the general public and it will prove a fine classroom resource sure to elicit serious discussion." - Dr. Linda Dugan Partridge, Associate Professor, Art History, Marywood University

  • "This film offers an accurate, compelling, and thorough critical account of the life and career of nineteenth-century America's premier ornithologist and one of its most accomplished environmental artists and writers. The biography is remarkably comprehensive, yet not rushed. Audubon's achievements as an artist are clarified by the contrasting illustrations of Alexander Wilson, by the fluid movement from films of live birds to Audubon's paintings of the same species, and by the careful explanation of the painstaking processes of engraving, printing, and hand-coloring the plates of The Birds of America. The re-enactment by artist Walton Ford of Audubon's method of posing the birds he drew is especially welcome and helpful because it teaches us a greater appreciation of the art by deepening our understanding of Audubon's method. Also welcome is the considerable attention given to the importance of Lucy Audubon to her husband's life and work. By embracing the various paradoxes of Audubon's character, andby drawing appropriate parallels between the development of Audubon's thought and the rapidly changing environment in early America, this film succeeds in not oversimplifying a cultural moment of great cultural significance." - Daniel Patterson, Coordinator of Graduate Studies, Department of English, Central Michigan University, Editor of Early American Nature Writers: A Biographical Encyclopedia

  • "This well produced biographical narrative provides one with an insightful and balanced portrayal about the paradoxical American artist, writer, publisher and promoter- John James Audubon. Visually beautiful and historically compelling, this film presents noteworthy information about the production of the 435 life-size print collection titled Birds of America, as well as the sacrifices Audubon made in order to fulfill his life long dream. This impressive film, Drawn From Nature, sheds light not only on Audubon's passionate dedication to the project but also presents a rich contextual background about art in the 19th century-a pre-photographic era when mechanical reproduction technology was very limited. I sincerely found it a relevant narrative and an educational documentary." - Elaine A. King, Professor, History of Art, Theory and Museum Studies, Carnegie Mellon University

  • "The writing, production, and presentation is first-rate. The recounting of Audubon's life, particularly in the context of America's adolescence and westward expansion, is stirring and evocative. This title is highly recommended for academic, public and school library collections." - Christopher Hollister, University at Buffalo Libraries, State University of New York, Educational Media Reviews Online

  • "A visual feast, combining exquisite nature footage with a graceful appreciation of Audubon's artwork
  • An exceptional film about an exceptional man, this is highly recommended." - Video Librarian, Editor's Choice

  • "This documentary profiles a man who was larger than life, providing beautiful detail of Audubon's artwork as well as a portrait of the states of art, science and environmental awareness in the first decades of the 19th century. The environmental legacy of our forefathers and Audubon's impact on the conservation movement of today are also examined." - Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital Program

  • "The life of great American nature artist Audubon, born the bastard child of a French sea captain and a Haitian servant girl, was a study in contradictions as he took great pains to hide his shameful origins even as he was rigorously devoted to exquisitely truthful detail in his art. An engaging and extravagant personality
  • " - Critic's Choice, Henrietta Walmark, The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

  • "The person that emerges here is an appealing and fascinating character." - Nancy Dewolf Smith, The Wall Street Journal

  • "Reveals a larger-than-life character who reflects both the promise and excess of the young American nation." - Kevin McDonough, United Features Syndicate

  • "Completely absorbing
  • looks at a genius we've come to take for granted, and restores wonder and drama to a remarkable life." - Joanne Weintraub, Milwaukee Sentinel Journal

  • "Eye-opening
  • fascinating
  • Audubon left behind a stunning visual legacy that, in filmmaker Lawrence Hott's words, opened 'a window onto a time and place that otherwise would be lost to us.'" - Alex Strachan, Regina Leader- Post

  • ""Audubon" demonstrates what was so great about Audubon's accomplishment." - Ken Mahar, The Oregonian

  • "While many people are familiar with John James Audubon's remarkable series of paintings Birds of America, his 'American Masters' biography, 'Drawn From Nature,' reveals a larger-than-life character who reflects both the promise and excess of the young American nation." - Times Union

  • "It's a great story, beautifully told." - Gannett News Service

  • "Drawn From Nature delivers lessons truly worth applying to your own life, like try stepping into nature and taking a good look; or, if at first you don't succeed, sail to England and see if they'll publish your book; or, take care to notice and record every intricate detail of the natural world around you, because it will look quite different in a century." - Plenty Magazine

  • "Absorbing
  • A spectacular DVD film
  • Highly recommended, especially for public school and library collections." - The Midwest Book Review

    Awards
  • Editors' Choice Selection, ALA's Booklist
  • CINE Golden Eagle
  • Silver Chris Award, Columbus International Film & Video Festival
  • Best Environmental Art Film, EarthVision International Environmental Film Festival
  • Best of Festival List, Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival
  • Merit Award, International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula
  • Honorable Mention, Montana CINE
  • Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital
  • Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival
  • Greendance Film Festival

    Item no.: YL02560345
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 54 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo: 1594586616
    Price: USD 250.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - BARCELONA

    Within its walls Barcelona encloses architectural treasurers of which the greatest curiosity is the Church of the Sagrada Familia.

    Item no.: VZ00160934
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - BRASILIA

    The Experience of a capital created from nothing forty years ago on a desert plateau in Brazil.

    Item no.: NT00160927
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - DUBAI, MANAMA, DOHA

    Along the Persian Gulf flourishes a chain of tourists cities with futuristic architecture heralding the look of the 21st century.

    Item no.: FL00160928
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - LONDON

    The rediscovery of a city that cares more about the art of living than its monuments.

    Item no.: PH00160929
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - MANHATTAN

    Around Central Park, discovering the city that is the most representative of the architecture of the 20th century.

    Item no.: EN00160930
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - PARIS

    Paris, a capital playing on the contrast between tiny popular streets unknown to tourists and the beautiful buildings along the Seine.

    Item no.: LR00160931
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - RIO DE JANEIRO

    The most agreeable city in Brazil was also the site of the most successful architectural creations of the 20th century.

    Item no.: TV00160932
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    WALKS WITH AN ARCHITECT - SHANGHAI

    In the new China open to the West, Shanghai is developing apace in a 21st century architectural style.

    Item no.: CG00160933
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2006
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    ABORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE: LIVING ARCHITECTURE

    Directed by Paul M. Rickard

    New structures in seven North American Native communities that reinterpret traditional forms for contemporary purposes.

    ABORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE LIVING ARCHITECTURE offers a fascinating in-depth look into the diversity of North American Native architecture. Featuring expert commentary and stunning imagery, this program provides a virtual tour of seven Aboriginal communities -- Pueblo, Mohawk, Inuit, Crow, Navajo, Coast Salish and Haida -- revealing how each is actively reinterpreting and adapting traditional forms for contemporary purposes.

    Everyone is familiar with certain types of Aboriginal architecture. Traditional igloos and teepees are two of the most enduring symbols of North America itself. But how much do we really know about the types of structures Native Peoples designed, engineered, and built?

    For more than three hundred years, Native communities in North America have had virtually no indigenous architecture. Communities have made do with low-cost government housing and community projects designed by strangers in far away places.

    Thankfully, across the continent, political, financial, and cultural changes have created a renaissance of Native design. Modern Aboriginal architects are turning to ancient forms, adapting them in response to changes in the natural and social environment, and creating contemporary structures that hearken to the past.

    Employing old and new materials and techniques and with an emphasis on harmony and balance, Native designers are successfully melding current community needs with tradition. The resulting buildings are testaments to the enduring strength and ingenuity of Aboriginal design.

    Reviews
  • "Aboriginal Architecture is enlightening, innovative, informative; It has great educational significance in connecting traditional Native values with contemporary lifeways. It is so exciting to show the impact of Native contributions to the rest of the world; that we are 'more than bows and arrows'. The film definitely has a role in our educational programming at our museum." - Trudie Lamb Richmond, Director of Public Programs, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center

  • "[Aboriginal Architecture] is very effective in demonstrating how cultural traditions can be expressed in modern architecture. The technical quality of the film is superb
  • This film would be a very useful addition to collections supporting coursework in Native American Studies or the architecture of indigenous peoples. It would also be suitable for younger audiences studying Native American cultures. Highly Recommended." - Sandy River, Architecture and Humanities Librarian, Texas Tech University, Educational Media Reviews Online

  • "This documentary
  • is an extraordinary testament to the architectural talents of aboriginal people from across the Americas. In vivid, often breathtaking footage, the film takes an in-depth look at the varied and ingenious ways in which indigenous builders adapted their structures to the cultural needs of their daily lives and to the landscape around the
  • I recommend it highly." - Michael Thompson, Tribal College Journal

    Awards
  • Native American Film + Video Festival, National Museum of the American Indian
  • FIFA, International Festival of Films on Art, Montreal
  • Denver Indigenous Film Festival
  • imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
  • Dreamspeakers Film Festival

    Item no.: HA01110512
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 93 minutes
    Copyright: 2005
    StdBkNo: 0772212090
    Price: USD 295.00

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    THIS IS DANIEL COOK 2: AMAZING ART

    Directed by J.J. Johnson

    Daniel makes felt art, paints with watercolors, makes a self-portrait, draws a turtle, and makes a paper mache monster.

    This series features seven-year old Daniel Cook. Well-mannered, inquisitive and intelligent Daniel explores the world around him through his own candid questions. Simple, pure, and honest, this is a series that allows children to view everything from Daniel's perspective, seeing what he sees and learning what he learns.

    Each segment is six minutes long and they have been aggregated thematically into 13 half-hour episodes, each with 5 separate segments.

    The five 6 minute segments in Amazing Art are:

    1) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING FELT ART- Daniel has been invited to join a local artist and create felt art. Daniel learns how to use a little bit of water to fuse different colorful pieces of felt together to create a picture.

    2) THIS IS DANIEL COOK PAINTING WITH WATERCOLORS- Daniel learns how painting with watercolors can liven up a picture. Daniel sits down with an artist and sketches a picture using a pencil before adding watercolor paint to liven up his artwork.

    3) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING A SELF- PORTRAIT- Daniel meets an artist before sitting down in front of a mirror to paint his own portrait. Daniel learns how to mix different colors to get the color of his skin tone and how to use different paintbrushes for different effects.

    4) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING A PAPER MACHE MONSTER- Daniel joins a local artist to create his very own paper mache creation. Daniel learns how to mix flour, water and salt to make the paste for his paper mache monstrosity.

    5) THIS IS DANIEL COOK DRAWING A TURTLE- Daniel joins Franklin illustrator Brenda Clark and learns how to draw turtles. Daniel watches Brenda draw before creating his own turtle picture. (Special Guest: Brenda Clark)

    Review
  • "What a delightful collection! It is a terrific variety of appropriate topics nicely grouped and with distinct parallels to the primary curriculum. Besides the value for children, I think the positive modeling of channeling the energy, focusing the interest and taking advantage of the curiosity is terrific! There is a lot for parents, caregivers, and teachers to learn from this series." - Sandi Zwaan, Educational Consultant

  • "[This is Daniel Cook] is a fun, entertaining, and quite interesting set of adventures
  • These videos are great for pre- K levels. Additionally, kids from fourth grade and under might find them somewhat intriguing. The ideal library niche for this set is a public library or early childhood learning center that might use them for both entertainment and inspiration." - Educational Media Reviews Online

    Item no.: ZZ02790550
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 30 minutes
    Copyright: 2005
    StdBkNo: 1594585598
    Price: USD 195.00

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    THIS IS DANIEL COOK 2: SPECIAL THINGS TO MAKE

    Directed by J.J. Johnson

    Daniel builds his own robot and makes a birdhouse, an animal totem, a puppet, and soap.

    This series features seven-year old Daniel Cook. Well-mannered, inquisitive and intelligent Daniel explores the world around him through his own candid questions. Simple, pure, and honest, this is a series that allows children to view everything from Daniel's perspective, seeing what he sees and learning what he learns.

    Each segment is six minutes long and they have been aggregated thematically into 13 half-hour episodes, each with 5 separate segments.

    The five 6 minute segments in Special Things To Make are:

    1) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING A BIRDHOUSE- Daniel joins a bird enthusiast and learns how different types of birds live in different types of environments. Daniel uses this knowledge to build a birdfeeder for his favorite type of bird: the robin.

    2) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING AN ANIMAL TOTEM- Daniel listens to the history behind the craft and chooses his own animal guide before sitting down to build his totem creation.

    3) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING A PUPPET- Daniel works with a puppeteer and learns how to use his hand and cutouts to create various puppets.

    4) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING SOAP- Daniel visits a soap shop and gets to mix all his favorite ingredients and smells to make his very own soapy creation.

    5) THIS IS DANIEL COOK BUILDING A ROBOT- Daniel has been invited to the science center to build his very own, customized robot. Daniel learns about the different pieces that go together to build a robot and gets to compare his creation with a real police robot.

    Review
  • "What a delightful collection! It is a terrific variety of appropriate topics nicely grouped and with distinct parallels to the primary curriculum. Besides the value for children, I think the positive modeling of channeling the energy, focusing the interest and taking advantage of the curiosity is terrific! There is a lot for parents, caregivers, and teachers to learn from this series." - Sandi Zwaan, Educational Consultant

  • "[This is Daniel Cook] is a fun, entertaining, and quite interesting set of adventures
  • These videos are great for pre- K levels. Additionally, kids from fourth grade and under might find them somewhat intriguing. The ideal library niche for this set is a public library or early childhood learning center that might use them for both entertainment and inspiration." - Educational Media Reviews Online

    Item no.: NK02560558
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 30 minutes
    Copyright: 2005
    StdBkNo: 1594585555
    Price: USD 195.00

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    CHAVEZ RAVINE: A LOS ANGELES STORY

    Don Normark's haunting photographs bring back to life a Mexican American village razed in the 1950s to build Dodger Stadium.

    CHAVEZ RAVINE tells the bittersweet story of how an American community was betrayed by greed, political hypocrisy, and good intentions gone astray.

    In 1949, photographer Don Normark stumbled on Chavez Ravine, a closely-knit Mexican- American village on a hill overlooking downtown Los Angeles. Enchanted, he stayed for a year and took hundreds of photographs, never knowing he was capturing on film the last images of a place that was about to disappear.

    The following year, the city of L.A. evicted the 300 families of Chavez Ravine to make way for a low-income public housing project. The land was cleared, homes, schools, and church razed to the ground. But the real estate lobby, sensing a great opportunity, accused the LA Housing Authority's Frank Wilkinson of being a communist agent. The city folded and instead of building the promised housing, it sold the land to baseball owner Walter O'Malley, who built Dodger Stadium on the site.

    Fifty years later, Normark's haunting black-and-white photographs reclaim and celebrate a lost village from a simpler time.

    Reviews
  • "Heartfelt
  • well-shot and sharply edited
  • it's Mechner's sense of people and place, more than moral outrage, that makes his work compelling." - Three Stars MicrocinemaScene

  • "This bittersweet tale recounts a lost village, Dodger Stadium, and the miraculous moment of time that lay between them." Florida Film Festival Program

  • "Powerful and moving
  • a gripping revival of the forgotten history behind the land which today holds L.A. Dodger Stadium." The Daily Sundial, California State University

  • "Using historic photographs of the families as well as contemporary interviews -- and with a surprising twist -- Mechner tells a cautionary story of community, deception, and loss." Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Program

  • "Chavez Ravine is a unique and fascinating contribution to the unknown history of Latino people in California. It relates beautifully to every dislocated community; it connects in a surprising and important way to the McCarthy Era; it is composed of oral history and historic photographs, woven seamlessly with a beautiful score and narrative. I cannot recommend it highly enough to all teachers because it shows the relevance and power of history for all. My own students raved about it." Lauren Coodley, History Dept., Napa College, Author of "Napa: the Transformation of an American Town" and "Land of Orange Groves and Jails: Upton Sinclair's California"

  • "Chavez Ravine is a poignant and painful look at race, politics, and displacement in Los Angeles. This documentary tells the story of Mexican communities that were removed first by City Hall and then, by the L.A. Dodgers. The film, though, also tells a story of memory and resistance as the publication of old photographs brings people together and in some ways keeps the communities of Chavez Ravine alive. This film would be ideal for courses dealing with communities of color, urban politics, race, and the politics of memory." Maria Elena Garcia, Asst. Prof. Of Anthropology, Sarah Lawrence College

  • "Chavez Ravine is an important work of historical recovery that visually retrieves a strand in the lost history of Los Angeles. It is a beautifully produced account of the human costs of urban displacement and of the complexities of urban politics." Michael Kowalewski, Carleton College

    Awards
  • National PBS Broadcast on "Independent Lens"
  • Margaret Mead Film Festival
  • Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
  • InFact Documentary Theatrical Showcase
  • Tribeca Film Festival
  • AFI Film Festival
  • Kodak DocuFest
  • IFP Market
  • Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
  • Silver Lake Film Festival
  • Artivist Film Festival
  • Roxbury Film Festival
  • Fact vs. Fiction Film Festival
  • Short-listed for Best Documentary Short, Academy Awards
  • Best Short Documentary, International Documentary Association Awards
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Short, Florida Film Festival

    Item no.: NA02790049
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 24 minutes
    Copyright: 2004
    StdBkNo: 1594582467
    Price: USD 195.00

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    DESIGNERS - SHOPPING COMPLEX

    The work of architects and interior designers is highlighted in this program. They plan and supervise the building of a new suburban shopping complex, with all the design considerations that entails.

    Item no.: ZL00160202
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 15 minutes
    Copyright: 2004
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    DESIGNING A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD: BEHIND THE SCENES AT HOLIDAY

    To people driving past the old Holiday Drive-In Theater site in Boulder, Colorado, it might seem like a new neighborhood has sprung out of the ground overnight. But those who worked on the project's development know better. Collectively, hundreds of thousands of decisions and choices were made to create the 330-home neighborhood, where affordability and sustainability are primary goals. It wasn't exactly a simple mission.

    In DESIGNING A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, director David Wann follows the progress of the Wild Sage Cohousing Community project, where future residents participate in the design of their own neighborhood. The stated architectural goal at the Wild Sage site in Boulder is a "zero emissions" neighborhood in which solar energy, energy efficiency, and changes in behavior eliminate the need for fossil fuels.

    The master site developer, The Boulder Housing Partners (BHP), has a vision for creating affordable neighborhoods that are also lively, efficient and pedestrian friendly. More than 400 people with low and middle incomes will live at Holiday, many as first-time homeowners.

    Reviews
  • "Finally, a film that goes beyond green building to address the comprehensive benefits of green neighborhood design! By prioritizing quality over size, we can achieve better neighborhoods for people in all stages of life and income brackets. The market for great neighborhoods will flourish once people know what's possible, and can 'vote with their dollars.' Developers, governing officials and the public need to see this film!" - Alexis Karolides, AIA, Principal, Green Development Services, Rocky Mountain Institute

  • "'People don't really understand there are choices about how you build and where you live,' says Wann. 'This story enables them to see an example of something different to make them happier, save them money and save the environment. It's a lay person's look at what green building means.'
  • Higher density, a community garden, walkable and interconnected streets, nearby shops and even shared car rentals encourage a sociable existence." - The Denver Post

  • "[Designing a Great Neighborhood] shows an excellent community development initiative that is grounded in many of the core principles of sustainability
  • the documentary clearly shows the TIME this process takes to engage the community, work with a designer and developer, and then build the project
  • Developers and builders could take some serious lessons on community engagement and local partnership building from this video
  • [Designing a Great Neighborhood] -- as far as being a tool for demonstrating a community engagement process and the environmental AND economic benefits that can be derived from sustainable development -- is excellent, informative and very well done." - Martin L. Harris, Director, National Association of Counties, Center for Sustainable Communities

  • "Designing a Great Neighborhood gives a marvelous insight into the integrative design process. It is a vivid demonstration of the way development should take place, with emphasis on the experience of the homeowner, the development of a true community, and attention to environmental impacts ranging from water pollution to traffic congestion. It follows city officials, developers, architects, future residents, and other stakeholders through the four-year process from conception to habitation; the path is not always easy, nor is the end product without fault, but the result is still outstanding. If all developments focused on creating houses that would give residents such a high quality of living, we all would benefit. This film will inspire all towards this very end." - Will Clift, Energy and Resources Services, Rocky Mountain Institute

    Item no.: WH02790091
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 54 minutes
    Copyright: 2004
    StdBkNo: 1594582505
    Price: USD 250.00

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    THIS BLACK SOIL: A STORY OF RESISTANCE AND REBIRTH

    Chronicles the successful struggle of Bayview, VA, to pursue a new vision of prosperity.

    This inspiring and provocative new film chronicles the successful struggle of Bayview, Virginia, a small and severely impoverished rural African- American community, to pursue a new vision of prosperity.

    Catalyzed by the defeat of a state plan to build a maximum-security prison in their backyard, the powerful women leaders and residents created the Bayview Citizens for Social Justice, a non-profit organization, secured $10 million in grants, purchased the proposed prison site land and are now building a new community from the ground up.

    Under the leadership of visionary women, this new rural village challenges all conventional ideas of community development and includes not only improved and affordable housing, but a sustainable economic base to earn a living wage, a community center for educating its residents, a daycare center, laundromat, and a community farm, which not only provides jobs and income for the organization, but returns them to their roots, working on the land.

    Reviews
  • "The tendency of today's policymakers to serve up prisons as the answer to rural America's economic plight comes with devastating consequences
  • The story of Bayview, Virginia provides a much-needed example of what can happen when indigenous rural leaders reach beyond the boundaries of race, class, and geography to fight back against the prison industrial complex. Teresa Konechne's inspired and inspiring chronicle of one community's successful struggle to defeat a plan to locate a prison in their town and pursue a sustainable future instead should be in the toolkits of all educators, organizers, economic developers, advocates for justice, and founders of innovation across the nation seeking an answer to the question: 'If not prisons, what?'" Tracy Huling, Author, "An Analysis of the Economics of Prison Siting in Rural Communities",- Founder/Co- Director, National Resource Center on Prisons and Communities

  • "This is the story of people who help themselves and destroy the myth that being poor means ignorance, apathy or surrender." - Cleveland International Film Festival

  • "Teresa Konechne puts the Bayview residents at the center of her documentary, telling their hard won story without the intrusion of a narrator. We see both the obstacles and victories, making this an inspiring primer of grassroots organizing from the bottom up. This film is truly an example of what REAL democracy looks like!
  • this black soil honors the struggle of 'ordinary' people seeking economic justice, improving their lives and discovering their own power through activism." - Lydia Howell, Print/Radio Journalist

  • "A model for grassroots organizing, but it also speaks to the importance of local governance
  • This sort of human triumph makes for an inspiring experience, but Konechne ensures that her doc also provides the tools for others who wish to follow in the footsteps of Bayview's activists." - Caroline Palmer, City Pages (Minneapolis/St. Paul)

  • "A potentially incisive template for social activism, Teresa Konechne's This Black Soil spans almost a decade and stands as a heartening shot across the bow for everybody who imagines the poor can't come together to seize power." - Central Standard Film Festival Program

  • "This black soil is unique in that the filmmaker is able to document a decade long process of American activism at the grassroots level. It serves as a motivational and inspirational story for all social activists. Highly Recommended" - Monique Threatt, Educational Media Reviews Online

    Awards
  • Director's Citation, Black Maria Festival
  • Audience Award, Best Documentary, Central Standard Film Festival, Minneapolis
  • Second Place, Documentary, Big Muddy Film Festival
  • Bronze Plaque, Columbus International Film & Video Festival
  • Finalist, Best Short Documentary, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
  • Cleveland International Film Festival
  • San Francisco Black Film Festival
  • Planet in Focus: International Environmental Film & Video Festival- Toronto
  • Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival
  • Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival
  • The Green Film Festival, Washington DC
  • Bulldozed! Film & Video Festival
  • James River Film Festival
  • Downstream International Film Festival

    Item no.: MZ02560282
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 58 minutes
    Copyright: 2004
    StdBkNo: 1594580863
    Price: USD 250.00

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    THIS IS DANIEL COOK: CREATING ART

    This series features six-year old Daniel Cook. Well-mannered, inquisitive and intelligent Daniel explores the world around him through his own candid questions. Simple, pure, and honest, this is a series that allows children to view everything from Daniel's perspective, seeing what he sees and learning what he learns.

    Each segment is six minutes long and they have been aggregated thematically into 13 half-hour episodes, each with 5 separate segments.

    The five 6 minute segments in Creating Art are:

    1) THIS IS DANIEL COOK AT THE ART GALLERY- Daniel learns about priceless paintings and hundred year old sculptures as he explores an art gallery.

    2) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING PLASTICINE ART- Daniel joins artist Barbara Reid and learns how to create plasticine art. Together, Barbara and Daniel create a tornado plasticine scene.

    3) THIS IS DANIEL COOK PAINTING GIRAFFES- Daniel joins painter Robert Bateman and learns how to paint animals. Together, Robert and Daniel paint a giraffe eating from a tree.

    4) THIS IS DANIEL COOK DRAWING DRAGONS- Daniel joins artist Michael Martchenko and learns how to draw a dragon. Daniel watches Michael before creating his own three-headed robotic dragon.

    5) THIS IS DANIEL COOK MAKING A CLAY DRAGON- Daniel learns how to work clay into a dragon shape. Daniel paints his clay dragon before putting it in the kiln.

    Reviews
  • "A delightful collection!...appropriate topics nicely grouped and with distinct parallels to the primary curriculum." Sandi Zwaan, Educational Consultant

  • "What a delightful collection! It is a terrific variety of appropriate topics nicely grouped and with distinct parallels to the primary curriculum. Besides the value for children, I think the positive modeling of channeling the energy, focusing the interest and taking advantage of the curiosity is terrific! There is a lot for parents, caregivers, and teachers to learn from this series." Sandi Zwaan, Educational Consultant

  • "[This is Daniel Cook] is a fun, entertaining, and quite interesting set of adventures
  • These videos are great for pre- K levels. Additionally, kids from fourth grade and under might find them somewhat intriguing. The ideal library niche for this set is a public library or early childhood learning center that might use them for both entertainment and inspiration." Educational Media Reviews Online

    Award
  • Grand Prize for Best Program, Alliance for Children and Television's Awards of Excellence

    Item no.: WA01110287
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 30 minutes
    Copyright: 2004
    StdBkNo: 1594583021
    Price: USD 195.00

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    TINA IN MEXICO

    The story of renowned photographer Tina Modotti, acclaimed for her innovative and impassioned depiction of social issues.

    A new independent feature documentary by acclaimed Canadian director Brenda Longfellow, TINA IN MEXICO follows the tumultuous and epic story of Tina Modotti, revolutionary, bohemian spirit and renowned photographer, acclaimed for her innovative and impassioned depiction of social issues.

    Longfellow's film weaves archival footage, the luminous photographs of Tina Modotti and Edward Weston, the murals of Diego Rivera, and lyrical re-enactments, to conjure up the political, artistic and intimate spaces of their lives in Mexico during the 1920s. Drawing on Edward Weston's daybooks, the collected letters of Tina Modotti and imaginative recreations, TINA IN MEXICO is told through the voices of Tina, Edward, and their contemporaries.

    A new independent feature documentary by acclaimed Canadian director Brenda Longfellow, TINA IN MEXICO follows the tumultuous and epic story of Tina Modotti, revolutionary, bohemian spirit and renowned photographer, acclaimed for her innovative and impassioned depiction of social issues.

    Longfellow's film weaves archival footage, the luminous photographs of Tina Modotti and Edward Weston, the murals of Diego Rivera, and lyrical re-enactments, to conjure up the political, artistic and intimate spaces of their lives in Mexico during the 1920s. Drawing on Edward Weston's daybooks, the collected letters of Tina Modotti and imaginative recreations, TINA IN MEXICO is told through the voices of Tina, Edward, and their contemporaries.

    Reviews
  • "For pure aesthetic allure and the kind of eroticism that's about life energy, nothing comes close to Brenda Longfellow's graceful and elegiac TINA IN MEXICO-impeccable work, a reminder of how the resonances of artfulness and mortality pervade black-and-white photography and film." - Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe and Mail

  • "Longfellow seamlessly weaves together archival footage, phenomenal photographs and dramatic reenactments (most in black and white, a few in shockingly lush color) which recreate famous photos, in motion. Others dwell on her life and surroundings, the camera gliding lazily over gorgeous still lifes: Modotti smoking pensively, the walls of a convent, dining tables groaning with fruit, the camera constantly moving, framing objects and figures with a refreshing obliqueness
  • one is left with a succession of images that sear the soul." - Jason McBride, Toronto Life

  • "Longfellow's access to Modotti's diary and Weston's original photos gives her a close-up view of what these two Bohemian souls were experiencing during the devastating revolution that's hardly ever spoken of outside Mexico." - Now Toronto

  • "A beautifully intimate portrait that reveals not only the images, but the thoughts and words of these two great artists." - Gregorio Luke, Director of the Museum of Latin American Art

  • "Tina in Mexico splices together new and old documents, archival and recreated footage, personal and public experiences and events, to breathe even more life into Modotti's story
  • Longfellow achieves a good balance in presenting Edward Weston and Modotti's artistic and personal life together. Much too often, in order to preserve Weston's value in art history, some go to great lengths to construct an uneven relationship between him and Modotti, with the latter's role relegated to that of assistant and lover. Never denying Tina's apprenticeship with Weston, and his obvious influence on her work, Longfellow's documentary marks Tina her own woman
  • Much as Modotti saw 'maps of a history of exploitation' in the faces of the Mexican people she photographed so, in this documentary, we can discern, on the face of Longfellow's Modotti, the map for a history of exemplary cultural activism." - Prof. Pasquale Verdicchio, Dept. of Literature, University of California, San Diego Organizer of the 1996 InternationalConference on Tina Modotti, UCSD, in conjuction with the exhibition Dear Vocio

  • "More than being merely beautiful, this film is intensely interesting. It gives us an intimate view of what life was like in Mexico during the Mexican revolution from the point of view of a passionate political activist and artist. [Tina in Mexico] is highly recommended for college students and other adult audiences." - Susan Boatright, Educational Media Reviews Online

  • "This unusual documentary is true to the creative soul of its subject
  • Anything but a standard, linear biography, Tina in Mexico does draw from a timeline of Modotti's life, but is more interested in understanding her as an artist, a woman, and an activist, and in looking at how these facets often clashed and overlapped
  • Longfellow does a fine job of measuring Modotti's influence on Mexican art and politics, as well as the reasons for her eventual expulsion from the country and departure from photography. Recommended." - Video Librarian

    Awards
  • Golden Rose Winner, Rose D'Or, Switzerland
  • Best Arts/Entertainment, Best Cinematography and Best Script, Golden Sheaf Awards
  • Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival
  • Victoria Independent Film & Video Festival, Canada
  • Bronze Plaque, Columbus International Film and Video Festival
  • Best Arts/Culture Documentary, New Latin American Cinema Festival, Cuba

    Item no.: GT02560300
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 60 minutes
    Copyright: 2003
    StdBkNo: 1594580715
    Price: USD 250.00

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    BLUE VINYL

    With humor, chutzpah and a piece of vinyl siding firmly in hand, Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Judith Helfand and co-director and award-winning cinematographer Daniel B. Gold set out in search of the truth about polyvinyl chloride (PVC), America's most popular plastic. From Long Island to Louisiana to Italy, they unearth the facts about PVC and its effects on human health and the environment.

    Back at the starter ranch, Helfand coaxes her terribly patient parents into replacing their vinyl siding on the condition that she can find a healthy, affordable alternative (and it has to look good!).

    A detective story, an eco-activism doc, and a rollicking comedy, BLUE VINYL puts a human face on the dangers posed by PVC at every stage of its life cycle, from factory to incinerator. Consumer consciousness and the "precautionary principle" have never been this much fun.

    Reviews

  • "Funny and irreverent! One of Sundance's best documentaries." - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun- Times

  • "That rare muckraking film with a sense of humor." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

  • "Directors Helfand and Daniel Gold brilliantly link unlikely stories and characters across continents, race, and class." - Caroline Libresco, Sundance Film Festival.

  • "Scary and hilarious!" - Elvis Mitchell, The New York Times

  • "The Green Building Movement may have just acquired its first cult film." - Environmental Building News

  • "Blue Vinyl hits your psyche like a ten-ton brick. If you care at all about the future you'll see this film." - Theo Colborn, author, Our Stolen Future

  • "Blue Vinyl is highly recommended for upper level high school students, colleges and the general public. School media centers, college/university libraries and public libraries would benefit by having this video in their collections." - Ronald E. Saskowski, Educational Media Reviews Online

  • "The kind of movie you could name an ice cream after." - Ben Cohen, President, TrueMajority.org, Co- Founder of Ben and Jerry's

  • "Kudos to Helfand for her five-year struggle to get her parents -- and us -- to see the light." - Now Toronto

  • "Frightening and funny! Blue Vinyl has left audiences lingering in the hallways for hours to debate and question." - Sharon Waxman, The Washington Post

    Notes
  • Emmy Awards nominee (Best Documentary, Best Research)
  • Distinguished Documentary Achievement nominee, International Documentary Association

    Awards
  • Excellence in Cinematography Award, Sundance Film Festival
  • Epic Award, The White House
  • Best Documentary, Bermuda Film Festival
  • Audience Award, Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema
  • Audience Award, Santa Cruz International Film Festival
  • Environmental Messenger of the Year, Environmental Grantmakers Association
  • "Nice Modernists" National Award, Dwell Magazine
  • Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary, High Falls Films Festival (Rochester, NY)
  • South by Southwest Film Festival
  • Cleveland International Film Festival
  • Maryland Film Festival
  • Seattle Jewish Film Festival
  • Taos Talking Picture Festival
  • Hot Docs International Film Festival
  • San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
  • Encounters: South African International Documentary Film Festival
  • Melbourne International Film Festival
  • Athens International Film Festival
  • Green Screen Environmental Film Festival, San Francisco
  • Planet in Focus: Toronto Environmental Film and Video Festival
  • Sheffield International Documentary Festival
  • Human Rights Watch Film Festival
  • Green Mountain Film Festival
  • DocAviv Festival
  • Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival
  • Artivist Film Festival
  • The Wine Country Film Festival
  • Black Bear Film Festival
  • Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival
  • PINE Film Festival, Portland, OR

    Item no.: PW02790034
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 97 minutes
    Copyright: 2002
    StdBkNo: 1594580979
    Price: USD 295.00

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    CELESTIAL EMPIRE, THE: PATH OF THE DRAGON - PART 18: ARCHITECTURE OF CHINA

    Architecture is usually a function of the raw materials available, geology and social standards. Architcture and design have undergone many changes in China, but have always been categorized into four classes: palaces, temples, residential houses and pavilions. This program covers the 7000 year evolution and variances of Chinese archetecture throughout time, place and function.

    Item no.: GS00160083
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2002
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    NEXT INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, THE

    William McDonough, Michael Braungart & the Birth of the Sustainable Economy

    Architect Bill McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart bring together ecology and human design.

    While some environmental observers predict doomsday scenarios in which a rapidly increasing human population is forced to compete for ever scarcer natural resources, Bill McDonough sees a more exciting and hopeful future.

    In his vision humanity takes nature itself as our guide reinventing technical enterprises to be as safe and ever-renewing as natural processes.

    Can't happen? It's already happening
  • at Nike, at Ford Motor Company, at Oberlin College, at Herman Miller Furniture, and at DesignTex
  • and it's part of what architect McDonough and his partner, chemist Michael Braungart, call 'The Next Industrial Revolution.'

    Shot in Europe and the United States, the film explores how businesses are transforming themselves to work with nature and enhance profitability.

    Reviews
  • "This film is an inspirational look at a hopeful vision of the future. It does an excellent job of presenting both theory and real world examples of a design revolution that has the potential to re-make our world." - James Gustave Speth, Dean, Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

  • "One of the most informative, brilliant and hopeful films about the transformation of industrial and economic activities that will lead to a healthy, just, socially stable and environmentally sustaining society for all current and future generations. By showcasing the visionary philosophy and unprecedented work of Bill McDonough with outstanding colleagues and a variety of society's most influential institutions, the film is a critical educational vehicle for changing our collective mindset to achieve these goals. It's a 'must see!'" - Anthony Cortese, Sc.D., President, Second Nature, Inc.

  • "This video should have a profound effect on the way future architects are educated and how they practice. Every student and faculty in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, or urban planning should see it. We are all students of the environment." - Marvin E. Rosenman, ACSA Distinguished Professor of Architecture, Ball State University

  • "Inspirational! This video is a must for all-consumers, educators, health professionals, business and government leaders. Our current systems of production and habits of consumption are harming our health and the health of the planet. McDonough offers a practical vision and gives us hope for a future that is safe for our grandchildren." - Polly Walker, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

  • "Provides a vision that is simultaneously radical, yet pragmatic. It offers concepts and proven examples to show how that vision can be put into practice. This video can spark the type of thoughtful dialog and quantum leap planning that will enable any organization to accelerate its progress toward creating a sustainable organization." - Thomas C. Tuttle, Ph.D., Director, University of Maryland Center for Quality and Productivity

  • "It's rare to find a film about environmental issues that makes you feel better about the world after you watch it than you did before
  • And while the filmmakers acknowledge the dire situation our planet is in, they also understand a little hope and a lot of determination can go a long way." - Christopher Riley, Director, Cornell University Environmental Film Festival

  • "Superbly produced video
  • High school, college and university students will find here a pragmatic and ecologically sound vision of sustainability, and examples of the proactive work that sometimes succeeds while disaster hits the headlines. McDonough has a knack for putting the message in a pithy and hard-hitting form without being confrontational." - Green Teacher

  • About Bill McDonough "There are very few visionaries who are practical -- Bill McDonough is one of the most profound environmental thinkers in the world." - William Clay Ford, Jr., Chair, Ford Motor Company

  • "His utopianism is grounded in a unified philosophy that -- in demonstrable and practical ways -- is changing the design of the world." - Heroes for the Planet, Time Magazine

    Awards
  • First Place in Category, EarthVision Environmental Film Festival
  • Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital
  • Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival
  • Siskiyou Environmental Film Festival
  • The Green Festival, Washington DC
  • The Chris Award, Columbus International Film & Video Festival

    Item no.: PH02790204
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 55 minutes
    Copyright: 2001
    StdBkNo: 159458107X
    Price: USD 275.00

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    SAVORING THE WORLD PART 10: BAHIA - THE SOUL OF BRAZIL

    The Bahia is a region known as the soul of its country. African, Portuguese and indigenous roots have fostered a durable people with unique religious and social habits. Legends, music and a hearty cuisine have taken root in the soil of this vast area. Bahia lies in the north-east of Brazil, blessed with a 540 mile Atlantic coast and a typography composed of rain forests, mountains, massive dry plateaus and huge rivers. It includes the capital, Salvador, the coastal fishing communities and the rugged interiors cattle rearing and farming villages. Its African roots are resplendent most noticeably in the local food, the local religion - condomble and the local martial art - the breathtaking capoeira.

    Item no.: JY00160104
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright: 2001
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    CIRCLE WITHIN A SQUARE

    The stunning visual legacy of Islams greatest architect... The genius of Mimar Sinans classic Ottoman style is illustrated in this profile of his life and work. His magnificent mosques and palaces, bridges and hundreds of public buildings have influenced architecture through the ages. The great 16th century architect Mimar Sinan rose from humble beginnings to become chief architect to the Ottoman ruler Suleyman the Magnificent. This beautiful film traces the development of Sinans unique Islamic style in the context of his times- and highlights some of the 500 known buildings he designed during his amazing career. The famous domed structure of his masterpiece - the Selimiye Mosque in the Turkish town of Edirne- is recognized throughout the world as the solution to the classic architectural puzzle of the Circle Within the Square.

    Item no.: TJ00160158
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2000
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 195.00

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    COMING TO LIGHT: EDWARD S. CURTIS AND THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS

    An in-depth portrait of Edward S. Curtis, the preeminent photographer of North American Indians.

    Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) was a driven, charismatic, obsessive artist, a pioneer photographer who set out in 1900 to document traditional Indian life. He rose from obscurity to become the most famous photographer of his time, created an enormous body of work -- 10,000 recordings, 40,000 photographs, and a full length ethnographic motion picture -- and died poor and forgotten. His work was rediscovered in the 1970s and is now synonymous with photography of Indians.

    Coming to Light tells the dramatic story of Curtis' life, his creation of his monumental work, and his changing views of the people he set out to document. The film also gives Indian people a voice in the discussion of Curtis' images. Hopi, Navajo, Eskimo, Blackfeet, Crow, Blood, Piegan, Suquamish, and Kwakiutl people who are descended from Curtis subjects or who are using his photographs for cultural preservation respond to the pictures, tell stories about the people in the photographs, and discuss the meaning of the images.

    In 1900, Curtis attended a Piegan Sundance, a ceremony that had recently been outlawed. Curtis believed this would be the last Sundance, and it was this experience that set him on his path to document traditional Indian cultures. Eighty years later, some of Curtis' photographs inspired the Piegans to revive the ceremony, and it is still going strong today. The documentary begins with footage shot at a contemporary Piegan Sundance last year intercut with Curtis' 1900 photographs that led to its revival.

    When Curtis began photographing Indians, he believed that their cultures were vanishing. When he finished in 1930, his own work vanished into obscurity, then was rediscovered in the 1970s and helped to inspire the revival of traditional culture on many reservations.

    Coming to Light presents a complex, dedicated, flawed life, and explores many of the ironies inherent in Curtis's story, the often controversial nature of his romantic images, and the value of the photographs to Indian people and to all Americans today.

    Reviews
  • Offers an extraordinary experience of living history. It cannot be praised enough." - Alan Trachtenberg, Neil Gray Professor of English and American Studies, Yale University

  • "COMING TO LIGHT tells more than the story of its main subject, "Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indians." It tells, too, of the tragedy of cultural loss and hopes for recovery of memory. The film honors the great achievements of Curtis by placing his pictures in a vibrant frame of sorrow, desire, and promise. In its sensitive and intelligent fusion of image, sound, and story, the film offers an extraordinary experience of living history. It cannot be praised enough." - Alan Trachtenberg, Neil Gray Professor of English and American Studies, Yale University

  • "The Odyssean photographic career and poignantly forlorn private life of Edward S. Curtis are charted with impressive sensitivity in this very welcome portrait
  • It's an outstanding subject, one that
  • emerges compellingly in documentary form." - Todd McCarthy, Variety

  • "Beautifully filmed, skillfully edited and well-paced, Coming To Light is highly recommended for courses on North American Indians, visual anthropology, and American popular culture. Well researched and deftly touching on the complex politics of cross-cultural visual representation, Makepeace's film exhibits a balanced perspective on Curtis as a trailblazer in visual ethnography." - Harald Prins, American Anthropologist

  • "A beautifully crafted epic
  • " - David Ansen, Newsweek

  • "An unusually well-balanced view of Edward Curtis' life and works as the best known photographer of North American Indian people during the first part of the twentieth century." - Bill Sturtevant, Curator of Ethnology, National Museum of National History, Smithsonian Institution

  • "Remarkable, a fascinating and thorough look at a photographer whose 40,000 images recorded Native American life." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

  • "A phenomenal film. Well crafted, intelligent, and beautiful to behold
  • brings historical depth and cultural context to our understanding of Curtis' photographs and his monographs on Native Americans
  • I highly recommend this piece for use in Art History courses, Photography courses, Native American Studies, and especially in Anthropology." - Julia Thompson, Professor of Anthropology, Mount Holyoke College

  • "Anne Makepeace has done total justice to the myth and the man that Edward S. Curtis was. "Coming to Light" is a thoroughly researched masterpiece of its own, honoring the man whose portraits continue to honor the beauty and glory of American Indians." - Wishelle Banks, Nevada Outpost

    Awards
  • ALA Notable Videos for Adults List
  • Sundance Film Festival
  • Best Documentary, MountainFilm, Telluride
  • Best Documentary, New Jersey International Film Festival
  • Best Environmental Film, Vermont International Film Festival
  • Best Documentary, Saguaro International Film Festival
  • Musee de l'Homme, Paris
  • Double Take Documentary Film Festival
  • Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital
  • Beeldvoorbeeld, Amsterdam
  • Munich International Film Festival
  • Santa Barbara International Film Festival
  • Lake Tahoe International Film Festival
  • Nashville International Film Festival
  • Florida International Film Festival
  • Hawaii International Film Festival
  • Canyonlands Film Festival
  • Seattle International Film Festival
  • First Peoples' Festival, Montreal
  • St.Louis International Film Festival
  • Denver International Film Festival
  • Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
  • American Indian Film Festival
  • Singapore International Film Festival
  • Heard Museum Indigenous Film Festival
  • John E. O'Connor Film of the Year Award, American Historical Association
  • Gold Hugo, Chicago International Television Competition
  • Gold Award, Special Jury Prize, Houston WorldFest
  • CINE Golden Eagle
  • Audience Award, Best Documentary, Aspen Filmfest
  • Audience Award, Best Documentary, Newport Beach Film Festival
  • Grand Festival Award, Historical Documentary, Berkeley Film & Video Festival
  • Award of Commendation, Visual Anthropology Film/Video Festival

    Item no.: PN01110077
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 84 minutes
    Copyright: 2000
    StdBkNo: 1594581290
    Price: USD 295.00

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    COMING TO LIGHT: EDWARD S. CURTIS AND THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS (SHORT VERSION)

    An in-depth portrait of Edward S. Curtis, the preeminent photographer of North American Indians.

    Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) was a driven, charismatic, obsessive artist, a pioneer photographer who set out in 1900 to document traditional Indian life. He rose from obscurity to become the most famous photographer of his time, created an enormous body of work -- 10,000 recordings, 40,000 photographs, and a full length ethnographic motion picture -- and died poor and forgotten. His work was rediscovered in the 1970s and is now synonymous with photography of Indians.

    Coming to Light tells the dramatic story of Curtis' life, his creation of his monumental work, and his changing views of the people he set out to document. The film also gives Indian people a voice in the discussion of Curtis' images. Hopi, Navajo, Eskimo, Blackfeet, Crow, Blood, Piegan, Suquamish, and Kwakiutl people who are descended from Curtis subjects or who are using his photographs for cultural preservation respond to the pictures, tell stories about the people in the photographs, and discuss the meaning of the images.

    In 1900, Curtis attended a Piegan Sundance, a ceremony that had recently been outlawed. Curtis believed this would be the last Sundance, and it was this experience that set him on his path to document traditional Indian cultures. Eighty years later, some of Curtis' photographs inspired the Piegans to revive the ceremony, and it is still going strong today. The documentary begins with footage shot at a contemporary Piegan Sundance last year intercut with Curtis' 1900 photographs that led to its revival.

    When Curtis began photographing Indians, he believed that their cultures were vanishing. When he finished in 1930, his own work vanished into obscurity, then was rediscovered in the 1970s and helped to inspire the revival of traditional culture on many reservations.

    Coming to Light presents a complex, dedicated, flawed life, and explores many of the ironies inherent in Curtis's story, the often controversial nature of his romantic images, and the value of the photographs to Indian people and to all Americans today.

    Note: This version is shortened from the director's original 84-minute cut and was edited with educational and group screenings in mind, where length is an important factor.

    Reviews
  • "COMING TO LIGHT tells more than the story of its main subject, "Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indians." It tells, too, of the tragedy of cultural loss and hopes for recovery of memory. The film honors the great achievements of Curtis by placing his pictures in a vibrant frame of sorrow, desire, and promise. In its sensitive and intelligent fusion of image, sound, and story, the film offers an extraordinary experience of living history. It cannot be praised enough." - Alan Trachtenberg, Neil Gray Professor of English and American Studies, Yale University

  • "The Odyssean photographic career and poignantly forlorn private life of Edward S. Curtis are charted with impressive sensitivity in this very welcome portrait
  • It's an outstanding subject, one that
  • emerges compellingly in documentary form." - Todd McCarthy, Variety

  • "Beautifully filmed, skillfully edited and well-paced, Coming To Light is highly recommended for courses on North American Indians, visual anthropology, and American popular culture. Well researched and deftly touching on the complex politics of cross-cultural visual representation, Makepeace's film exhibits a balanced perspective on Curtis as a trailblazer in visual ethnography." - Harald Prins, American Anthropologist

  • "A beautifully crafted epic
  • " - David Ansen, Newsweek

  • "An unusually well-balanced view of Edward Curtis' life and works as the best known photographer of North American Indian people during the first part of the twentieth century." Bill Sturtevant, Curator of Ethnology, National Museum of National History, Smithsonian Institution

  • "Remarkable, a fascinating and thorough look at a photographer whose 40,000 images recorded Native American life." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

  • "A phenomenal film. Well crafted, intelligent, and beautiful to behold
  • brings historical depth and cultural context to our understanding of Curtis' photographs and his monographs on Native Americans
  • I highly recommend this piece for use in Art History courses, Photography courses, Native American Studies, and especially in Anthropology." - Julia Thompson, Professor of Anthropology, Mount Holyoke College

  • "Anne Makepeace has done total justice to the myth and the man that Edward S. Curtis was. "Coming to Light" is a thoroughly researched masterpiece of its own, honoring the man whose portraits continue to honor the beauty and glory of American Indians." - Wishelle Banks, Nevada Outpost

    Awards
  • Sundance Film Festival
  • John E. O'Connor Film of the Year Award, American Historical Association
  • Gold Hugo, Chicago International Television Competition
  • Gold Award, Special Jury Prize, Houston WorldFest
  • CINE Golden Eagle
  • Best Documentary, MountainFilm, Telluride
  • Audience Award, Best Documentary, Newport Beach Film Festival
  • Best Documentary, New Jersey International Film Festival
  • Best Documentary, Saguaro International Film Festival
  • Musee de l'Homme, Paris
  • Double Take Documentary Film Festival
  • Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital
  • Beeldvoorbeeld, Amsterdam
  • Munich International Film Festival
  • Santa Barbara International Film Festival
  • Lake Tahoe International Film Festival
  • Nashville International Film Festival
  • Florida International Film Festival
  • Hawaii International Film Festival
  • Canyonlands Film Festival
  • Seattle International Film Festival
  • First Peoples' Festival, Montreal
  • Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival

    Item no.: WG02560363
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 56 minutes
    Copyright: 2000
    StdBkNo: 1594586306
    Price: USD 250.00

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    MYSTERY OF CHACO CANYON, THE

    Unveiling the ancient astronomy of southwestern Pueblo Indians.

    This is the long-awaited sequel to Anna Sofaer's classic film THE SUN DAGGER, which changed forever our perception of America's earliest Indian peoples.

    THE MYSTERY OF CHACO CANYON examines the deep enigmas presented by the massive prehistoric remains found in Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico. It is the summation of 20 years of research. The film reveals that between 850 and 1150 AD, the Chacoan people designed and constructed massive ceremonial buildings in a complex celestial pattern throughout a vast desert region. Aerial and time lapse footage, computer modeling, and interviews with scholars show how the Chacoan culture designed, oriented and located its major buildings in relationship to the sun and moon. Pueblo Indians, descendants of the Chacoan people, regard Chaco as a place where their ancestors lived in a sacred past. Pueblo leaders speak of the significance of Chaco to the Pueblo world today.

    The film challenges the notion that Chaco Canyon was primarily a trade and redistribution center. Rather it argues that it was a center of astronomy and cosmology and that a primary purpose for the construction of the elaborate Chacoan buildings and certain roads was to express astronomical interests and to be integral parts of a celestial patterning.

    While the Chacoans left no written text to help us to understand their culture, their thoughts are preserved in the language of their architecture, roads and light markings. Landscape, directions, sun and moon, and movement of shadow and light were the materials used by the Chacoan architects and builders to express their knowledge of an order in the universe.

    Reviews
  • "Well-paced and absorbing, simultaneously poetic and analytical, this film provides a new benchmark of understanding." - Peter Whiteley, Chair, Dept. of Anthropology, Sarah Lawrence College

  • "From the pyramids and temples of Egypt, to England's Stonehenge, (ancient peoples) locked their buildings to the movements of the sky gods. Now, with a definitive study, Anna Sofaer shows that the Pueblo cultures of the southwest US deserts were a high climax to this bonding with the sky
  • Certainly Chaco was the great center of civilization in North America, long before Columbus landed." - Dr. Gerald S. Hawkins, Commissioner, History of Astronomy, International Astronomical Union

  • "A captivating look at one of the most impressive archaeological sites in North America
  • Anna Sofaer reveals the solar and lunar complexity of Chacoan buildings with impressive visual economy and clarity. In the process, we get a whole new picture of the intelligence at work behind Chacoan society and its architecture
  • The Mystery of Chaco Canyon interweaves a narrative that is both attentive to indigenous thought and values, and robustly grounded in the rigors of scientific method. Well-paced and absorbing, simultaneously poetic and analytical, this film provides a new benchmark of understanding for serious studies of ancestral- Pueblo astronomy and culture." - Peter Whiteley, Chair, Dept. of Anthropology, Sarah Lawrence College

  • "It does an outstanding job of weaving Pueblo traditions of migration and human agency into scientific accounts of the past at Chaco Canyon, affording both forms of knowledge the respect they deserve
  • helps place Pueblo people in their contemporary context, as well as explain the past
  • I highly recommend it." - Dr. T.J. Ferguson, Anthropologist/Archaeologist

  • "A stunning piece -- the graphics are astounding and the entire production is powerful." - Dr. R. Gwinn Vivian, former Curator of Archaeology, Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona

  • "I highly recommend this video for anthropological, sociological, and American studies classes." - Dr. Brad Eden, UNLV, MC Journal

  • "Make(s) a compelling case for this ancient people's astronomical prowess. The film argues that the massive multistory buildings and roads the Chacoans constructed in a forbidding stretch of what is now New Mexico were designed to form a vast, stunningly precise map of the yearly cycle of the sun and the 19-year cycle of the moon." - The Wall Street Journal

  • "A beautiful piece. The composition and photography could not have been better
  • the public
  • will eat it up and ask for more." - F. Joan Mathien, Archaeologist, National Park Service

  • "I rate this video a MUST- SEE for anyone interested in southwestern prehistory." - W. David Laird, Books of the Southwest

  • "The video, then, is a multi-leveled phenomenon, like Chaco, which embraces complexity, beauty and mystery." - Rina Swentzell, Architect, Santa Clara Pueblo

    Awards
  • Honorable Mention, The Archaeology Channel International Film & Video Festival
  • Taos Talking Picture Festival
  • American Museum of Natural History, New York
  • National Museum of National History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
  • Aboriginal Voices Festival, Toronto
  • Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
  • Heard Museum Indigenous Film Festival
  • Silver Plaque, The Chicago International Television Competition
  • Bronze Plaque, Columbus International Film & Video Festival

    Item no.: WH02560200
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 56 minutes
    Copyright: 1999
    StdBkNo: 1560299991
    Price: USD 250.00

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    YO-YO MA: INSPIRED BY BACH - THE SOUND OF THE CARCERI

    Yo-Yo Ma with Piranesi

    Yo- Yo Ma performs Bach in a virtual prison designed by Piranesi.

    THE SOUND OF THE CARCERI explores the deep relationship between music and architecture through a high-tech "virtual confrontation" between Bach and his contemporary, the architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Using a striking visual style, director Francois Girard ("The Red Violin" and "Thirty- Two Short Films about Glenn Gould") places Yo- Yo Ma within a series of computer-generated, three-dimensional recreations of Piranesi's well-known prison etchings.

    Through Yo- Yo Ma's and music producer Steven Epstein's struggle to recreate and interact with the imaginary space that Ma performs in, the film examines the complexity of illusion, of representation and reality.

    Reviews
  • "Explores the common ground between music and architecture, including tension, space, proportions and material. Computer-generated 3- D re-creations allow viewers to see Ma "playing inside a picture," while hearing how the piece would sound inside the prisons themselves." - Music Educators Journal

  • "The resulting effects are wondrous." - Richard McRae, Associate Librarian, University at Buffalo Music Library, MC Journal

    Awards
  • Outstanding Effects for a Series, 50th Primetime Emmy Awards
  • Best Visual Effects, Gemini Awards
  • DESIRABLE: California Instructional Technology Clearinghouse

    Item no.: DZ02560572
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 55 minutes
    Copyright: 1997
    StdBkNo: 1594586950
    Price: USD 150.00

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    AIR WE BREATHE, THE

    Connects asthma and other respiratory diseases with air pollution and suburban sprawl.

    This product traces the damaging connection between suburban sprawl, our addiction to the automobile, air pollution, and disturbing increases in asthma and other respiratory diseases.

    The EPA and Congress have said we must lower the allowable ozone pollution in our cities. In the past ten years hospital admissions for asthma have doubled, and air quality specialists are pointing to alarming statistics correlating smog levels with high rates of respiratory diseases as well as higher mortality rates.

    With insight and wit, THE AIR WE BREATHE examines our addiction to the automobile, the environmental consequences of suburban sprawl, and the damaging effects of commuter culture on both the air we breathe and our overall quality of life. We also hear from scientists, activists and urban planners who map out possible solutions that include alternative fuels, zero-emission vehicles, and integrated public transit plans.

    Reviews
  • "An excellent discussion of the issue from many aspects, this video will be useful in social studies, health, and environmental studies classes as well as for those seeking information on the subject in general." - School Library Journal

  • "There is an effective blend of serious and humorous material. Technical qualities were generally good to excellent. Audience level is college and general adult, although it could be shown in high schools. Usage potential is high since content is applicable to a wide range of subjects or curriculum areas." - MC Journal: the Journal of Academic Media Librarianship. Reviewed by Rachel Lohafer, Instructional Technology Center Media Library, Iowa State University

    Awards
  • Honorable Mention, Columbus International Film & Video Festival
  • UNA Film Festival at Stanford University

    Item no.: SW01110344
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 49 minutes
    Copyright: 1996
    StdBkNo: 0772212155
    Price: USD 250.00

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    I LOVE MY CITY: PART 24 - BARCELONA

    Samir and his two brothers start their summer vacation by going to comic book school to learn how to draw cartoons. This extraordinary Spanish city will be used as a background for their drawings.

    Item no.: MW00160107
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 13 minutes
    Copyright: 1996
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 149.00

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    SUN DAGGER, THE

    The astonishing discovery of an ancient celestial calendar in Chaco Canyon, NM.

    This classic, timeless film documents the extraordinary celestial calendar created by ancient North American Indians, and rediscovered by artist Anna Soafer, high on a butte in New Mexico.

    The "dagger" is presently the only known site in the world that marks the extreme positions of both the sun and moon.

    The film explores the complex culture of the Anasazi Indians who constructed the calendar, and thrived both spiritually and materially in the harsh environment of Chaco Canyon a thousand years ago.

    Reviews
  • "It changes forever history's perceptions of America's early Indian colonists. And as an astronomical and geometrical marvel, it ranks with the Pyramids and Stonehenge." - Science 84

  • "THE SUN DAGGER is a "must-buy" for school districts and public libraries." - Media & Methods

  • "The multidisciplinary nature of this film makes it possible to use it in many classroom situations. The excellent teaching guide, written by Don Reid, vastly improves the film's instructional value." - Journal of College Science Teaching

  • "Both (versions) are excellent." - Editor's Choice, Science Books & Films

    Awards
  • Blue Ribon, American Film Festival
  • CINE Golden Eagle
  • Margaret Mead Film Festival

    Item no.: BU01110275
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 58 minutes
    Copyright: 1982
    StdBkNo: 1594580898
    Price: USD 295.00

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    SUN DAGGER, THE (SHORT VERSION)

    Directed by Albert Ihde

    The astonishing discovery of an ancient celestial calendar in Chaco Canyon, NM.

    This classic, timeless film documents the extraordinary celestial calendar created by ancient North American Indians, and rediscovered by artist Anna Soafer, high on a butte in New Mexico.

    The "dagger" is presently the only known site in the world that marks the extreme positions of both the sun and moon.

    The film explores the complex culture of the Anasazi Indians who constructed the calendar, and thrived both spiritually and materially in the harsh environment of Chaco Canyon a thousand years ago.

    Note: This short version omits most of the discussion, that is in the long version, with Joseph Campbell about kivas and the more complex aspects of the Anasazi's religious beliefs.

    Reviews
  • "It changes forever history's perceptions of America's early Indian colonists. And as an astronomical and geometrical marvel, it ranks with the Pyramids and Stonehenge." - Science 84

  • "THE SUN DAGGER is a 'must-buy' for school districts and public libraries." - Media and Methods

  • "The multidisciplinary nature of this film makes it possible to use it in many classroom situations. The excellent teaching guide, written by Don Reid, vastly improves the film's instructional value." - Journal of College Science Teaching

    Item no.: HL01110762
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 29 minutes
    Copyright: 1982
    StdBkNo: 159458883X
    Price: USD 250.00

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    BUILDING THE BROOKHAVEN HOUSE

    Directed by Kirk Simon

    D.O.E.'s prototype passive solar home

    BUILDING THE BROOKHAVEN HOUSE documents the design and construction of the Department of Energy's prototype passive solar home. It shows how standard building materials and techniques can be used with a conventional design to achieve 75% savings on fuel bills.

    Reviews
  • "The film does an excellent job of showing construction techniques, especially details that are crucial to energy efficiency. Graphics and animation provide succinct illustration at appropriate points. In sum, the film shows that a passive solar home is not an impossible dream but a viable and competitive idea for constructing a building practically anywhere." - Editor's Choice, Science Books and Films

  • "From animated blueprints and diagrams, the preliminary foundation, and the frame skeleton, the evolution of an energy-efficient, passive-solar, single-family residence is traced in this smoothly wrought production." - Booklist

    Awards
  • CINE Golden Eagle
  • Best Practical Arts Film, Chicagoland Educational Film Festival

    Item no.: SC01110810
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 25 minutes
    Copyright: 1981
    StdBkNo: 1594587639
    Price: USD 59.00

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    DESIGN WITH THE SUN

    Take a tour of passive solar homes and buildings.

    Solar expert, Bill Yanda, takes viewers on a tour of selected passive solar homes and buildings across the country. With other leading experts, he describes innovative designs and building techniques that utilize passive solar principles, and pays particular attention to regional differences.

    Reviews
  • "This film's thoughtfully interpreted design considerations and amply illustrated architectural examples will provide a good background resource for advocates of passive-solar design and regional architecture in community groups and in industrial arts and design studies in community colleges." - Booklist

  • "Attention is readily maintained through high-quality photography and audio. Although the material can be considered technical in nature, every attempt appears to have been made to present it in terms understandable to general viewers. The film would be beneficial to college and university students majoring in areas of design, energy, and building construction, and to general adult viewers." - Choice

    Award
  • The Renewable Challenge Media Festival, American Section, International Solar Energy Society

    Item no.: AC01110380
    Format: DVD (Color)
    Duration: 28 minutes
    Copyright: 1979
    StdBkNo: 1594583676
    Price: USD 59.00

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    WAYS WE LIVE: EXPLORING COMMUNITY - COMMUNITY BY DESIGN

    Good design of houses and neighborhoods builds community.

    This program explores the role that design plays in community and it visits some of the most progressive thinkers on the subject.

    It goes to San Francisco to listen to "new urbanist" planner Peter Calthorpe; to Berkeley for "Eco- City Berkeley" author Richard Register; to Toronto to meet architect John van Nostrand; and to a Vancouver suburb where an unusual development called Murray's Corner has become an experiment in human-scale design. It has brought together people of different income levels into a new neighborhood -- where there are pocket-sized parks, old fashioned front porches, garages discreetly around the back, and rental units actually planned for.

    Reviews
  • "You can't keep community down. Give people a little encouragement and a few tools, and they'll recreate the sense of community spirit in any available cracks and crannies in our otherwise alienated culture...These stories...are upbeat, encouraging-and replicable." - Communities

  • "This is not an indulgent journey into nostalgia, but an exploration of the people we have become, touching on our diversity as well as our similarities." - Orion Afield

  • "What (the producers) found was a growing belief and faith in the community as the cure for social ills like poverty, crime and estrangement from other people...It is precisely because WAYS WE LIVE is politically astute, without being partisan, that it is so compelling." - Alex Strachan, Vancouver Sun

    Item no.: CV02560510
    Format: DVD (Color, Closed Captioned)
    Duration: 26 minutes
    Copyright:
    StdBkNo: 1594585024
    Price: USD 195.00

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    ***Price on web-site may not be current and is subject to modification by quotation***


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