NBD Television Ltd.
Language
English
Description
It has been written that "science fiction is the true literature of the 20th century, showing us the present through an image of the future. This documentary looks at classic films and novels, pulp fiction, B movies, and the special-effects wizardry of science fiction adventure epics. Interviews with key writers and filmmakers of the genre, such as Arthur C. Clarke and Paul Verhoeven, map out the history of science fiction. By juxtaposing newsreels...
Language
English
Description
How is the word "capital" related to "cattle"? What does the goddess Juno have to do with money? And is a "buck" related to a male deer? This intriguing documentary investigates the evolution of money and its impact on world history. Composed of a seamless flow of artwork, artifacts, archival footage, and film shot on location, the program spans 5,000 years, beginning with the agrarian settlements of the Neolithic period. The contributions of the...
Language
English
Description
Science has made leaps and bounds in its assault on AIDS-but do antiretroviral drugs guarantee a long life? Why does the disease still cause widespread suffering in Africa, despite the development of new medicines? Author and actor Stephen Fry investigates, traveling across the U.S., Great Britain, and Uganda as he studies the medical obstacles to an AIDS-free world. Fry highlights good news, such as reasonable longevity among many patients and the...
Language
English
Description
Effortlessly making the leap from stage to cinema, the plays of William Shakespeare have enjoyed decades of popularity in theaters on both sides of the Atlantic. This program combines clips from significant movie productions with an eclectic group of interviews to demonstrate the Bard's uncanny ability to fire the modern imagination-especially through the medium of film. Excerpts from Julie Taymor's Titus and Kenneth Branagh's musical Love's Labour's...
Language
English
Description
A pioneer of bebop and its first spin-off, Afro-Cuban jazz, Dizzy Gillespie-with his quick wit, puffed-out cheeks, and signature bent trumpet-was also a masterful showman who succeeded in making his complex music popular with his audiences. From his roots as a self-taught trombone-turned-trumpet player, to his legendary status as the cofounder of modern jazz, to his international travels as an ambassador of jazz, this program presents the dynamic...
Language
English
Description
A master of swing and scat with pop/jazz crossover appeal, Ella Fitzgerald could outsing just about anyone. Her 60-year career-launched at 17 when she won an amateur singing contest at the Apollo Theater-saw her rise from a life of poverty to become an enduring icon of American music. This program, an examination of Fitzgerald's captivating music within the context of her eventful life, amply illustrates why recordings of this beloved diva continue...
Language
English
Description
The musical language and highly idiosyncratic style of Thelonious Monk-so avant-garde in its day-is in many ways still considered avant-garde today. This program seeks to understand Monk's innovative music by tracing the Harlem-born jazzman's career. His childhood debut as accompanist for a touring preacher, years of searching for his own style, gradual acceptance by the public who had neglected him, eventual critical acclaim as a musical genius,...
Language
English
Description
Among new HIV cases, heterosexual patients are the majority-and high-risk behavior appears to be on the rise in many young demographic groups. What does this tell us about evolving attitudes towards AIDS? How do factors such as immigration, cultural tradition, economic disparity, and government inaction come into play? Writer and actor Stephen Fry pushes for answers, infusing this program with equal parts curiosity and outrage. Fry surveys carefree...
Language
English
Description
This poignant collage features members of the Oglala Lakota Sioux living on and off the Pine Ridge reservation who present their unself-pitying yet pointed observations on Lakota history and modern-day Lakota life. Their creation myth and their attitudes toward Mother Earth and the concept of time contribute insights into their worldview, while footage of a major powwow and a tepee-raising offer glimpses of the people's cultural heritage. Wounded...