Documentary

Eyewitness - Jungle

The rain forest is a riot of monkeys, birds, flowers, and fruit, and nothing captures it quite like DK Vision's Eyewitness: Jungle. Explore the five zones of the jungle, from the rivers right on up to the high-rise canopy, without risking malaria (or leaving your couch). The vibrancy of tropical life is made vivid by DK Vision's trademark cutting-edge visual style, which features lunching ants and leaping lemurs as some of the many stars in an infinitely graceful ballet. The facts presented by narrator Martin Sheen are fascinating and well-ordered--for example, the word "jungle" is actually a misnomer, applied by early explorers who thought the impenetrable thickness of plant growth on the river banks extended throughout the forest, and used a Sanskrit word (jangala) meaning "dense growth." Eyewitness: Jungle promises attractions for all ages: learning, visual appeal, beauty, and just plain fun. --Rob Lightner

Sarah Plain And Tall

The most-watched made-for-television movie of the 1990s (50 million viewers upon first broadcast in 1991), this fine adaptation of Patricia MacLachlan's novel stars Glenn Close as Sarah, a Maine schoolteacher who responds to a Kansas farmer's newspaper ad seeking a bride. Set in 1910, the story follows Sarah's trial run as stepmother to the children of the widowed Jacob Witting (Christopher Walken). The tough part of the experiment is the conflicting expectations the would-be couple have over Sarah's role in the household. The kids, too, have their doubts about a substitute for their mother, and Jacob isn't ready, emotionally, for a new beginning. But in short order the strong-willed Sarah brings happiness and vitality into the house, and love and understanding eventually blossom between the two lonely adults. Everything is right about this Hallmark production, from a bright script cowritten by MacLachlan to Glenn Jordan's sensitive direction and a pair of first-rate leads making every moment worth watching. A wholesome tale from the heartland, this is a good movie for any viewing situation, from an audience of one to an entire family. --Tom Keogh

Eyewitness - Desert

Eyewitness Video is a fantastic science series that provides wonderful explanations for the mysteries of our natural world. Desert is a fascinating look at the diversity of life that struggles to survive in arid and unforgiving climates. A typical Eyewitness factoid: camels have semi-transparent eyelids that allow them to shut their eyes against a sandstorm and yet still see. Desert does a fantastic job of providing interesting graphic images and incredible video clips to keep young viewers fascinated while at the same time being highly informative. Martin Sheen provides effective narration for this video, which includes a five-minute behind-the-scenes clip that shows how these extraordinary productions come together. --Brendan J. LaSalle

Eyewitness - Pond & River

Water, water everywhere... and DK Vision's on the scene! Eyewitness: Pond & River takes us on a wide-ranging expedition to the rivers of the world, from their hidden sources to their majestic mouths, also stopping to linger in ponds and lakes along the way. Freshwater ecosystems are fascinating, and we get to see some of the better-known and rarer denizens, from the piranha to the river dolphin. DK Vision's incredible graphics make for a thrilling ride, indeed; the great waterfalls of Africa and the titanic dams of the world have never been captured so magnificently. Once again, the Eyewitness series has bridged the generation gap and created a program that appeals to all ages. Save a little on this year's travel budget and give the kids something to think about at the same time; with Eyewitness: Pond & River, everyone comes out ahead! --Rob Lightner

The Century-America's Time (Boxed Set)

Covering the entire 20th century in one video series is an ambitious project, but one that Peter Jennings and ABC News are up to. In The Century: America's Time, a 12-part documentary on six videotapes that is a companion to the book of the same name, Jennings guides us through a century of technology and advancement like no other. As he says in his introduction to episode 1, "Seeds of Change," "Unlike previous centuries where leadership was defined by royalty and other rulers, the 20th century more than any other was shaped by the will and actions of the common man." The series is a sweeping presentation of the United States of the 1900s and tries to encompass a mind-boggling amount of history. And while at moments the videos may leave you longing for more, Jennings does an excellent job of creating smooth segues between disparate pieces.

The first episode, for instance, begins with the influx of immigrants at the turn of the century and touches on Jim Crow laws, moving pictures, planes, Henry Ford, the sinking of the USS Maine, child labor, suffragettes, the Panama Canal, imperialism, and more, right up to the beginning of World War I. The archival footage is stunning and interviews with historians, veterans, journalists, POWs, politicians, authors, celebrities, and common people help bring the past to life again. Mickey Spillane discusses the speakeasies of the 1920s; Dennis Hopper talks about Easy Rider in the '60s; Tom Wolfe reads from The Bonfire of the Vanities for the episode on the '80s. Eudora Welty, E.L. Doctorow, Martin Scorsese, John Updike, Pat Buchanan, Oliver Stone, Stephen E. Ambrose, among many others, lend their voices to this documentary. Yet, despite the great names, at times the pictures and people are allowed to speak for themselves, without intrusive narration--the stark images of the Challenger explosion or the sad words of a political activist mourning the death of his partner to AIDS are more powerful because of it. This chronological tale (with the exception of the last episode, "Then and Now," which is arranged thematically) is an insightful and poignant reminder of all the marvels--and tragedies--of America in the 20th century. --Jenny Brown

The Perfect Weapon

The Compleat Beatles

The Man Who Saw Tomorrow

Orson Welles narrates an incredible look at the prophecies of Nostradamus, whose amazing accuracy in predicting the future compels us to consider what his writings foretell us. Year: 1981 Director: Robert Guenette Starring: Orson Welles: Narrator

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth (6pc)

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth is essential viewing for anyone old enough to appreciate its vital teachings. One of the greatest interviews ever recorded, this six-part, six-hour encounter between teacher- mythologist Campbell and student-journalist Bill Moyers (recorded in the two years preceding Campbell's death in 1988) covers a galaxy of topics related to Campbell's central themes: Mythology is humanity's universal method of seeking the transcendental, and "follow your bliss" is the timeless formula for spiritual satisfaction. Campbell himself is the embodiment of these themes, an erudite scholar and quintessential storyteller, recalling a wide spectrum of myths from throughout history (Japanese, Native American, Egyptian, Mayan, and many more) to illustrate humankind's eternal quest to grasp the mysteries of creation. Historical artifacts and illustrations bring these timeless stories to life.

An astute interviewer, Moyers is an acolyte in perfect harmony with Campbell-as- mentor, wording questions with penetrating perfection as their intellectual dance reaches exhilarating heights of meaning and fascination. Moyers also finds the perfect hook for a global audience, examining Campbell's admiration of George Lucas's Star Wars saga as a popular tapestry of ancient myths, and Lucas himself is interviewed in a DVD bonus segment ("I'm not creating a new myth," he says, "but telling old myths in a new way"). Campbell's seemingly endless well of knowledge reaches a simple conclusion: we need myths to survive like we need oxygen to breathe, as a life force with which to understand our existence--past, present, and future. --Jeff Shannon

Elvis Meets Nixon

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