Release date: 2002-01-15
Run time: 14 min.
List Price: $29.95
Price: $29.95
Review Malcolm X:After serving prison time, Malcolm X became a spokesman for the Nation of Islam and drastically increased its membership. He promoted complete segregation of whites and African-Americans and he was the founding symbol of the Black Militant Movement. Learn what events in his life changed his view on segregation and his religion.
Actors & Directors
- Hi Fi
- Black and White
- 60 Minutes
- Xenon Home Video
Price: $49.95
Review Malcolm X El Hajj Malik El Shabazz / Xenon Home Video 1991:Considered on the of 20th Century's most charismatic and controversial civil rights leaders, Malcolm X wielded extrordinary power influencing the way American society perceived the role of the Black Man during his short political life. This video traces the incredible odyssey from a Harlem street hustler to a militant Muslim convert.
Actors & Directors
- Muhammad Ali
- Rocky Marciano
- Joe Louis
Run time: 211 min.
List Price: $44.98
Price: $33.99
Review Boxing's Best Champions Boxed Set (Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey) / Hbo Home Video:
Creator: Olympiad Series
Review Jesse Owens Returns to Berlin The Olympiad Series / Olympiad Series:
Review An Evening with the Rat Pack : Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. / Summit LLC:
Actors & Directors
- Southern Christian Leadership Conference
- Race relations
- Civil rights
Review Eyes on the Prize II: Two Societies / PBS Video:Against the backdrop of the long hot summers of the mid-60's, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Leadership Conference went to Chicago in an attempt toapply southern movement tactics to the urban north. Their strategies were tested as they come up against the powerful political machinery of Mayor Richard Daley. A year later, in Detroit, frustration and anger built to urban violence as blacks and law officers clashed on city streets and America appeared to be a nation out of control.
Actors & Directors
- Chris Tucker
- Chorgemeinschaft Germania
- D. L. Hughley
- Martin Lawrence
- Eddie Griffin
Run time: 275 min.
List Price: $79.99
Price: $79.99
Review Russell Simmon's Def Comedy Jam 5 Volume Set:
Run time: 18 min.
Creator: ABC News Classroom Edition
Price: $39.95
Review The Civil Rights Movement : Part Five, Beyond Martin Luther King, Jr. / ABC:Hear black Americans discuss the impact of Malcolm X on race relations. Meet Judge Frank Johnson, who Governor Wallace called an "integratin', carpetbaggin', scalawaggin' boldfaced liar" for desegrating Alabama's schools, parks, libraries, and state police force. Explore Dr. King's wide-ranging legacy, from the United Farm Workers to diverse black leaders of today.
Release date: 2000-09-05
Run time: 315 min.
List Price: $29.98
Price: $39.94
Review Shaft Gift Set (Shaft / Shaft's Big Score / Shaft in Africa) / Warner Home Video:ShaftGordon Parks (The Learning Tree) directed this 1971 detective story about John Shaft (Richard Roundtree), an African American private eye who has a rocky relationship with cops, an even rockier one with Harlem gangsters, and a healthy sex life. The script finds Shaft tracking down the kidnapped daughter of a black mobster, but the pleasure of the film is the sum of its attitude, Roundtree's uncompromising performance, and the thrilling, Oscar-winning score by Isaac Hayes. Parks seems fond of certain detective genre clichés (for example, the hero walking into his low-rent office and finding a hood waiting to talk with him), but he and Roundtree make those moments their own. Shaft had a couple of sequels and a follow-up television series, but none had the impact that this movie did. -Tom Keogh Shaft's Big ScoreWhen a pal of detective John Shaft is murdered in a bombing (and $250,000 in cash turns up missing), New York's coolest private eye finds himself caught in the middle of a power struggle between black and white gangsters over the numbers racket in Queens. Directed by Gordon Parks (who does a brief cameo as a croupier in an illegal casino) and written by Ernest Tidyman (both of whom did the original Shaft), this film lacks the pacing of its progenitor. Roundtree is at his best when he's questioning a woman he's just met about a suspect while at the same time beguiling her into the sack (ah, those lazy, crazy days of the sexual revolution). The finale-a shootout in a cemetery, followed by a car-boat-helicopter chase through Queens and up the Harlem River-is preposterously drawn out: Shaft, impervious to machine-gun fire, winds up tripping, spraining his ankle, and limping while running from the chopper; two shots later, he's sprinting like a halfback. Look for late Muhammad Ali trainer Drew Bundini Brown as a wisecracking mobster. -Marshall Fine Shaft in AfricaThe second sequel to the hit Shaft, this film foreshadows itself early on when Shaft, asked to go undercover in Africa to halt modern-day slave trade, claims that he's not James Bond but strictly Sam Spade. [+]Bond, however, is the operative model here, with John Shaft masquerading as an Ethiopian to infiltrate the slave business and bring it down. Yet everyone he encounters seems to know who he is and wants to kill him-but the string of dead bodies he leaves in his wake across two continents proves that no one is able to stop everyone's favorite hip private eye. Written by Stirling Silliphant, the film is long on action set pieces that are filmed with more energy than in Shaft's Big Score. Given contemporary practices involving smugglers of illegal Chinese and Mexican immigrants, the plot isn't all that far-fetched. Roundtree, as usual, is the picture of unflappable cool-but don't get him mad. -Marshall Fine.
Release date: 1996-05-30
Run time: 58 min.
List Price: $25.00
Price: $25.00
Review Tuskegee:Living Black and White:How did the Civil Rights era affect Tuskegee, Ala. , where Tuskegee Institute had given black citizens more prominence than they had in other Alabama towns? People who grew up in Macon County, including producer Michael Letcher, remember the turbulent times that divided the community.
Actors & Directors
- Robert Christian
- Jack Smight
- Roy Poole
- Janet MacLachlan
- Larry B. Scott
- Claudia McNeil
Run time: 95 min.
List Price: $9.98
Price: $79.72
Review Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry / Live / Artisan:
Creator: Biography
List Price: $14.95
Price: $29.99
Review Biography-Colin Powell / A & E Home Video:
Creator: Schlesinger Media
Review Holidays for Children: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY / Schlessinger Media:Martin Luther King, Jr. Day commemorates the life of a man who fought for equality and justice for all Americans. In Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, join the kids from the community center as they honor the memory of this amazing man by volunteering their time to serve others. Through stories, songs and crafts, students learn about how this holiday is celebrated, in addition to discovering more about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his role in the Civil Rights Movement. Interviews with volunteers and community leaders emphasize the importance of serving others as a way to celebrate this special holiday. Grades K-4.
Actors & Directors
- Edward R. Murrow
- Charles J. Correll
- Freeman F. Gosden
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Richard Nixon
Run time: 999 min.
List Price: $149.88
Price: $39.88
Review Jazz - A Film by Ken Burns / Pbs Home Video:Accompanied by a menagerie of products, Ken Burns's expansive 10-episode paean, Jazz, completes his trilogy on American culture, following The Civil War and Baseball. Spanning more than 19 hours, Jazz is, of course, about a lot more than what many have called America's classical music-especially in episodes 1 through 7. It's here that Burns unearths precious visual images of jazz musicians and hangs historical narratives around the music with convincing authority. Time can stand still as images float past to the sound of grainy vintage jazz, and the drama of a phonograph needle being placed on Louis Armstrong's celestial "West End Blues" is nearly sublime. The film is also potent in arguing that the history of race in the 20th-century U. S. is at jazz's heart. But a few problems arise. First is Burns's reliance on Wynton Marsalis as his chief musical commentator. Marsalis might be charming and musically expert, but he's no historian. [+]For the film to devote three of its episodes to the 1930s, one expects a bit more historical substance. Also, Jazz condenses the period of 1961 to the present into one episode, glossing over some of the music's giant steps. Burns has said repeatedly that he didn't know much about jazz when he began this project. So perhaps Jazz, for all its glory, would better be called Jazz: What I've Learned Since I Started Listening (And I Haven't Gotten Much Past 1961). For those who are already passionate about jazz, the film will stoke debate (and some derision, together with some reluctant praise). But for everyone else, it will amaze and entertain and kindle a flame for some of the greatest music ever dreamed. -Andrew Bartlett The story, sound, and soul of a nation come together in the most American of art forms: Jazz. Ken Burns, who riveted the nation with The Civil War and Baseball, celebrates the music's soaring achievements, from its origins in blues and ragtime through swing, bebop, and fusion. Six years in the making, this "soundbreaking" series blends 75 interviews, more than 500 pieces of music, 2,400 still photographs, and over 2,000 rare and archival film clips. The 10-part musical journey spotlights many of America's most original, creative-and tragic-figures, including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis.
Release date: 1998-05-19
Price: $14.95
Review Men Who Sailed the Liberty Ships, The / Pbs Home Video:This look at civilian sailors who served in the U. S. merchant marine during World War II is informative, entertaining, and at times deeply moving. The men aboard the Liberty Ships, the famed cargo vessels that were manufactured at an astounding pace to keep America's troops and its allies supplied during the war, faced long ocean voyages made impossibly dangerous by the constant threat of being torpedoed by a Japanese sub or a German U-boat. Veterans of the merchant marine discuss their ordeals in interviews filmed aboard the Jeremiah O'Brien, the last surviving unaltered Liberty Ship, and their reminiscences, combined with well-chosen archival footage, range from humorous to heartbreaking. It's shocking to learn that American conservatives of the day denounced the civilian sailors as "cowards" and "bums," and the issue of how the men of the merchant marine were shabbily treated by American politicians during and after the war is discussed frankly. After relating harrowing tales of danger at sea, the veterans sadly recount how they were denied the government benefits accorded to other World War II vets for decades. The men aboard the Liberty Ships played a vital role in the Allied victory in World War II, and this thoughtful documentary is a fitting tribute to their contributions to their nation. -Robert J. McNamara.
Creator: Afromation
Review Afromation Volume 8 Jesse Owens Muhammad Ali with Mary Ann Williams / Afromation:
Actors & Directors
- Elizabeth Patterson
- Juano Hernandez
- Porter Hall
- Clarence Brown
- David Brian
- Claude Jarman Jr.
Run time: 87 min.
Price: $19.98
Review Intruder in the Dust / MGM (Warner):
Release date: 2003-12-02
List Price: $7.98
Price: $45.00
Review Dr. Martin Luther King - His Perspective / Xenon/Umvd Visual Entertainmen:
Actors & Directors
- Michael Jordan
- Charles Barkley
- Magic Johnson
Review Michael Jordan: Air Time:Michael Jordan had won two championships and lived through two small scandals when this documentary-lite was made in 1993. During his 1991-1992 season, the unauthorized book The Jordan Rules accused the player of being a bossy, hot-tempered team captain, and questions about Michael's off-court gambling habits arose. Still, as the level-headed Jordan notes, he had decided that year that the only person who could knock him off his pedestal would be himself-not a book author or media folks. In short, Michael matured. And while watching Air Time, it's hard not to believe in a guy who's had to believe in himself so often-especially when you see the endless stream of media pressure and public attention the man faced every day. It puts Jordan's love for golf in a new light, as a serene escape from the NBA circus. While the video sprinkles Jordan's commentary throughout, it covers the Chicago Bulls' first two championships (with downright cool footage of the 1992 playoff series against the Knicks); Michael's second Olympic experience; his commercial endorsement work; and a music video with the ever-ghoulish Michael Jackson. Sneak peeks into Jordan's home life with Juanita and the kids are also tossed in. What's most engaging, though, is not walking down memory lane into the Bulls' glory days against L. A. [+], Portland, and every other NBA team, but learning what a truly stable and genuine off-court demeanor Jordan has. In an age when young players proudly sport their arrogant, entitled attitudes, Michael's authentically gracious ways are those of a dying breed. After all, what red-hot player today-when given the opportunity to be captain of a Dream Team featuring Magic Johnson and Larry Bird-would defer without hesitation to his elders? Latrel Sprewell, he's not-and thank goodness. -Karen Karleski.
Actors & Directors
- Story of Gospel Music-Power in
Run time: 90 min.
List Price: $4.98
Price: $35.00
Review Story of Gospel Music / BBC Warner:From Mahalia Jackson to Aretha Franklin to Shirley Caesar, these performances offer a fascinating look into the origins of gospel music. Vintage recordings and modern performances highlight this song-filled history of an American art form.
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Malcolm X, Malcolm X El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, Boxing's Best Champions Boxed Set (Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey), Jesse Owens Returns to Berlin The Olympiad Series, An Evening with the Rat Pack : Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Eyes on the Prize II: Two Societies, Russell Simmon's Def Comedy Jam 5 Volume Set, The Civil Rights Movement : Part Five, Beyond Martin Luther King, Jr., Shaft Gift Set (Shaft / Shaft's Big Score / Shaft in Africa), Tuskegee:Living Black and White, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Biography-Colin Powell, Holidays for Children: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY, Jazz - A Film by Ken Burns, Men Who Sailed the Liberty Ships, The, Afromation Volume 8 Jesse Owens Muhammad Ali with Mary Ann Williams, Intruder in the Dust, Dr. Martin Luther King - His Perspective, Michael Jordan: Air Time, Story of Gospel MusicTop headlines: Heart says RNCs Barracuda use is fishy: Heart singers Ann and Nancy Wilson said a cease-and-desist letter has been sent to the Republicans asking them not to use the song. ›19:54 5 Sep, Fri Capital Sources: Mike Huckabee, Unplugged: The former Arkansas governor struggles to raise money, lags behind the GOP presidential front runners in the polls and has been maligned by Bushs former counsel. Why he keeps on keepin on. ›18:16 11 Oct, Thu Fans line up to see 'Rent' one last time: After the final performance on Sunday night, Rent will have played 5,124 performances and 16 previews, making it the seventh longest running show in Broadway history. ›17:28 5 Sep, Fri Hugging lion video inspires movie: Sony Pictures aims to bring the story of "Christian the Lion" and two men who bought him from a London department store to the big screen after millions viewed video of their reunion on YouTube. ›09:02 5 Sep, Fri Can the Youth Vote Save Obama?: With the Hillary juggernaut growing in strength every day, Barack Obama is hoping Iowas youth can help keep him in the game. ›14:47 8 Oct, Mon Tracing your own family roots: Talk about icing on the cake. A slice of royal wedding history was sold for 1,000 pounds ($1,830) at an auction. The piece of wedding cake from Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's ceremony in 1981 was sold by a former royal servant, who had kept it wrapped in clingfilm in an attic for 27 years. ›13:56 29 Aug, Fri Europe's downturn deters African migration: Europe's economic downturn is deterring would-be migrants in Africa from making the often perilous journey to the continent in search of work, migration experts said. ›12:19 5 Sep, Fri U.S. spied on Iraqi leaders, book says: Journalist's new book reveals sharp dissent within administration and points to "groundbreaking" covert techniques that shaped course of the war. ›11:55 5 Sep, Fri Terror Watch: Gonzales Lawyers Up: Still under investigation by Congress and Justice Department lawyers who once worked for him, the former attorney general has turned to a leading Washington attorney to help him beat the rap. ›18:12 10 Oct, Wed First Drive: 2008 Cadillac CTS: With style in spades, Cadillac's second-generation sport sedan adds performance and refinement. ›07:00 15 Oct, Mon Video: Hanna, Ike packing a one-two punch: Sept. 5: Hurricane Ike, still several days from landfall in the U.S., weakened slightly Friday but still threatens to hit the oil-producing Gulf of Mexico and Miami. The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore reports.(Nightly News) ›22:47 5 Sep, Fri The 'Dog Whisperer' Wins Another Convert: A few minutes with Cesar MillanTVs Dog Whispererwas all it took to win back a skeptic. ›18:28 10 Oct, Wed Doris Lessings Nobel Prize: The unpredictable curmudgeon has written about everything from feminism to sci-fi to cats (twice). ›15:18 12 Oct, Fri 2007 Tokyo Motor Show: Top 10 Wacky Concept Cars: MSN editors pick the 10 craziest concept cars at the Tokyo show. ›07:00 29 Oct, Mon Karma? Bug eviction ends with blazing temple: A Japanese monk trying to rid his temple of a hornets' nest panicked when the hornets attacked him and dropped a torch, burning his temple to the ground, police said Thursday. ›11:55 4 Sep, Thu More watched RNC than DNC on TV: In terms of drawing a television audience, John McCain and Barack Obama are in a virtual dead heat. And for a change, political speeches were an even bigger draw than "American Idol's" finale, the Academy Awards, or the Olympics opening ceremonies. ›21:10 5 Sep, Fri For Chinas new Midases, gold tableware: Aiming at Chinas newly rich, a Japanese jeweler is selling a tableware set made entirely of gold for $1 million. The 13-piece set includes goblets, plates, chopsticks and cutlery, each engraved with a dragon, a symbol of youth and health in China. ›15:28 3 Sep, Wed Daisy Martinezs traditional sausage dish: Keep dinner simple yet delicious by preparing dishes that will please everyone. Daisy Maria Martinez, author and host of PBS television series "Daisy Cooks," shares an affordable and easy-to-make Latin specialty choripan, a unique take on sausage. ›15:13 4 Sep, Thu Video: Networks join forces for Stand Up to Cancer event: Sept. 5: NBC's Brian Williams reports from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, where all three network evening newscasts will broadcast a special report to support the fight against cancer.(Nightly News) ›23:06 5 Sep, Fri Preview: 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser: Toyota's iconic machine gets more grunt, a smoother ride and sweeter duds. ›07:00 18 Oct, Thu Pakistan restores 3 ousted judges: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday reinstated three judges ousted by Pervez Musharraf, cementing political divisions in the country a day before it elects a new president. ›14:57 5 Sep, Fri TV listings: Bite out of crime? Sandwich bribe alleged: Iowa City police said a man who was driving drunk tried to bribe a police officer with a sandwich. ›21:40 2 Sep, Tue allDay: Palin spark new mommy wars?: Author Stephenie Meyer, writer of the best-selling young adult "Twilight" books, has put the fifth and final installment on hold after a partial draft was posted on the Internet. "This has been a very upsetting experience for me," she wrote. ›13:28 3 Sep, Wed |
