From the dawn of civilization to the 20th century, A HISTORY OF BRITAIN re-animates familiar tales and illuminates overlooked aspects of England's past. Written and hosted by historian Simon Schama (the bestselling author of Rembrandt's Eyes and The Embarrassment of Riches), this monumental The History Channel®/BBC co-production has been hailed by critics for its colorful-and controversial-approach, which discards timelines and tiresome lineages for a lively look at the personalities and cultures that infuse British history. From India to Ireland, the Norman Invasion to the American Revolution, Schama spotlights the epic themes and towering figures that transformed an island "at the edge of the world" into the greatest empire on earth, examining the impact of this extraordinary heritage on the modern nation. What do you get when you combine the resources and ethos of the BBC with the literary panache of one of the world's best narrative historians? The answer is Simon Schama's History of Britain television series. In this well-written and thoughtfully crafted survey, Schama, the bestselling author of books on European cultural history such as The Embarrassment of Riches and Citizens, has managed to be both conventional and provocative. He tells the official version of Britain's story-Roman Britain, the Norman Conquest, the struggles of the Henrys and Richards, Elizabeth I, Scottish rebellions and the English Civil Wars, the American Revolution, the growth of the British Empire, Queen Victoria, the industrial age, and Winston Churchill. But while sticking to a script familiar to anyone who sat up and listened during history class, Schama brings it all alive with memorable prose and presence-Simon de Montfort's rebel parliament is described as inaugurating the "union between patriotism and insubordination"; with Henry VIII, Schama says, "you could practically smell the testosterone. " Schama is also particularly enlightening on the symbolism of buildings, memorials, language, and ceremonies, and on the complex relations between England and its Celtic and Catholic neighbors. If history must have gloss, then let it be presented like this. -Miles Taylor.

Go where the fish are biting with Trout Unlimited's Tim Linehan in Great American Trout Streams - Season II. Exploring up and down the west coast of the U. S. , Linehan ventures out to streams in California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska to meet the locals and get wet. In between casts, he chats with conservation stars who are working to preserve the streams and trout from environmental damage, a welcome and often deeply engaging angle. The scenery is stunning, from California's John Muir wilderness to southwest Washington's Lewis River. The viewer is treated to mountains, lush forests, and still-pristine rivers full of rainbows, steelhead, and more. The host is congenial and knowledgeable, the production encompasses the sport and its context, and the photography is first-rate. If you can't go fishing, Great American Trout Streams-Season II will tide you over and whet your appetite for the next trip. -Rob Lightner.

A collection of space documentaries filmed in the expansive IMAX format: Hail Columbia, The Dream is Alive, Blue Planet, Destiny in Space, and Mission to MIR.

This six-tape boxed set focusing on wars of the 20th century takes an unusual approach by utilizing seldom seen films and newsreel clips while eschewing the conventions of historical documentaries. There are no historians interviewed on camera providing perspective, and what background information is offered appears in occasional screens of scrolling text. For the most part, vintage black and white newsreels shot by Britain's Pathe News serve as the mainstay of the presentations, though the first video, which focuses mainly on World War I, actually uses a fairly lengthy theatrical silent film produced in the 1920s to illustrate the horrors of warfare in the trenches. Two videos showcase newsreel footage of World War II, and one tape each is expended on the Cold War, the conflict in Korea, and Vietnam. The content varies considerably, as some footage was shot under combat conditions and is intrinsically dramatic, while other film clips may have been interesting to audiences of the day, but their immediacy has sharply faded with the passing of decades. There are some obvious drawbacks to this approach of packaging newsreels (and even some U. S. government propaganda and Civil Defense films), and while this collection doesn't stand up very well as a comprehensive history of the century's wars, it does have its moments and shows how warfare was covered by the newsreel cameramen and presented to a curious world. -Robert J. McNamara.

When North Korea surged across the 38th Parallel into the south on July 25, 1950, it marked the first full-scale confrontation of the cold war. In the years to come, Korea's divided country would became a global political chessboard with the communists backing the offensive North and the U. S.  and United Nations supporting the defensive South. What would follow were among the most brutal battles in the history of global warfare: the Pusan Perimeter, the Inchon Invasion, Pork Chop Hill, the Iron Triangle, and Heartbreak Ridge. The Korean War: Fire and Ice, the four-part History Channel series, explores the historical factors, political entanglements, and military strategies of this pivotal struggle in exceptional detail. Rare black-and-white footage is combined with a diverse and knowledgeable group of veterans to paint a gripping, complete perspective of the Korean conflict. From its politically intertwined beginnings through the brutal battles and the unsettling truce that would leave more than 2 million lives in its wake, the Korea conflict would set the standards of East and West relations for the next 50 years. In spite of its political, historical, and military significance, the Korean War remains one of the least examined incidents in modern warfare. The Korean War: Fire and Ice is an excellent telling of military history as it was encountered by those who were there. [+]

These seven brilliant programs by America's foremost documentary filmmaker comprise a glorious anthem to a great nation and its people. "Brooklyn Bridge" and "Statue of Liberty" chronicle the conception and building of these magnificent structures that grace New York Harbor. "Empire of the Air" is an absorbing history of radio and the men who created it, while "The Congress" is a fascinating portrait of this unique American institution. Opposites in almost every way, artist "Thomas Hart Benton" and politician "Huey Long" are portrayed in compelling biographies. "The Shakers" is a moving tribute to the most enduring religious experiment in American history.

The history-making visit of Pope John Paul II to North America captured the hearts of a nation and made him one of the most beloved of world leaders. Now you can share the experience of his life and liturgies in this unforgettable two video set. If there is one must-see documentary on Pope John Paul II's life and ministry, this is it. In a way, the first tape, Do Not Be Afraid, is a summary of the Pope's pursuit of God, of love, and of light for all people. Interspersed with an English-language interview with him are footage and quotes from some of his 20-plus years of tenderness for people of all nations, ages, races, and faiths. Aside from the Pope's personal journey, however, this documentary offers a profound and ironically new manner of looking at our times. Amid surprisingly graphic footage of the events of the 20th century, clips of the Pope's visits to the war torn, the oppressed, and the needy accumulate to a moral critical mass where all the pain of the century cries out for an answer. We see Pope John Paul II present that answer as a kind of balm to every crisis he seeks out: peace to the oppressed, peace to the oppressors, peace to the dying, and peace to the young. Facing all the terrors of our time with an answer so simple is a task of faith and courage. Yet the presentation is so riveting and so powerful, it indeed commands, "do not be afraid," and indeed we believe. [+]

For those who long for that singularly decadent confection known as royalty, this three-tape boxed set will induce a pleasing sugar high. A blend of media clips, home-video footage, photographs, and interviews with journalists, biographers, and royal genealogical experts, Royal Families of the World profiles 13 modern-day monarchies whose cultural, political, and/or societal influence remains deeply felt within their respective nations, and whose benevolence, glamour, and wealth enchant people around the world. Each of the three 90- to 115-minute tapes outlines the lineal rights and historical events that set the stage for the current figureheads' dignified position, covering such notable families as England's familiar Windsors, Belgium's Saxe-Coburgs, Monaco's House of Grimaldi, Spain's House of Bourbon, the Austrian Habsburgs, Thailand's House of Chakri, Morocco's Alouite Dynasty, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Of course, extra-special attention is given to those oh-so-sweet slices of the royals' lives: their romances (perhaps the most delicious being that of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly), weddings, fashion tendencies, residences, and philanthropic endeavors. While mediocre production values and the repetition of clips and photos in each segment ultimately make this indulgence only mildly intoxicating, Royal Families nevertheless gives buzzworthy access to the uniquely privileged, high-profile, and fascinatingly formal worlds of high nobility. -Rebecca Wright.