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646032036596    The Last Ridge: The Uphill Battles of the 10th Mountain Division    2008    During World War II, the U.S. Armys 10th Mountain Division embarked on a true mission impossible, giving new meaning to the phrase uphill battle. This compelling documentary recounts their remarkable history as a legendary alpine fighting force. Although 10th soldiers were superstars, they quickly learned that winter, mountains and the invincible German Army were a deadly combination. The 10th Mountain Divisions claim to fame begins with the Germans entrenched in Italys heavily fortified mountaintops, blocking the Allied advance. After losing 15,000 soldiers attempting to capture this critical high ground, U.S. Army brass called up the 10th Mountain Division, and the rest is history. The 10th Mountain turned the tide for the Allies in Italy, revolutionized winter mountain warfare, and inspired a new generation of soldiers.  Todays extreme sports have nothing on the 10th. The 10th invented extreme sports – and then used that skill and determination in battle. The Last Ridge takes an active history approach to appeal to younger viewers, weaving together re-creations, eyewitness accounts, 3-D animation, archival footage and newly discovered letters. The film also looks at how the current 10th Mountain Division continues the legacy, featuring 10th soldiers patrolling in Afghanistan, and the wounded recuperating in Army hospitals.  The 10th Mountain story begins during backbreaking training. Soldiers lived outdoors in extreme cold for weeks at a time shouldering 40 kilo backpacks at altitudes over 4,000 meters. There were no tanks, no trucks, no jeeps. Just the men, their skis and whatever they could carry.    Narrator Scott Simon  
  
646032036992    Secret World of Wellness: Ancient India    2008    The desire to live forever. The dream of eternal beauty. The search for perfect health.  This quest for harmony between body and soul has been the hallmark of humanity from the earliest days of consciousness.  In three episodes, THE SECRET WORLD OF WELLNESS brings the timeless wisdom of some of the worlds most advanced early cultures back to life:  ancient India, China and Rome.  ANCIENT INDIA    India is the cradle of many of todays most popular trends in health and wellness.  Healing knowledge from India is increasingly valued throughout the world, and has caused a sensation not just in the temples of alternative health, but in medical schools as well.  In this documentary, we discover the roots of Ayurveda, the science of longevity, in the old culture of the Indus people.  EXTRA FEATURES: Photo Gallery   Preview Ancient Rome   Preview Ancient China   
     
646032037098    Secret World of Wellness: Ancient Rome    2008    The desire to live forever. The dream of eternal beauty. The search for perfect health.  This quest for harmony between body and soul has been the hallmark of humanity from the earliest days of consciousness.  In three episodes, THE SECRET WORLD OF WELLNESS brings the timeless wisdom of some of the worlds most advanced early cultures back to life:  ancient India, China and Rome.  ANCIENT ROME    In this film we witness the extravagant pleasures of ancient Rome — a paradise of wellness. The Romans were renowned for their baths — temples of liquid luxury. They believed that water was the source of all life, and their elaborate system of aqueducts was a hallmark of their civilization. They developed hot springs over 2,000 years ago, and they took to the baths for both healing and relaxation.   EXTRA FEATURES: Photo Gallery   Preview Ancient China   Preview Ancient India 
    
646032037197    Secret World of Wellness: Ancient China    2008    The desire to live forever. The dream of eternal beauty. The search for perfect health.  This quest for harmony between body and soul has been the hallmark of humanity from the earliest days of consciousness.  In three episodes, THE SECRET WORLD OF WELLNESS brings the timeless wisdom of some of the worlds most advanced early cultures back to life:  ancient India, China and Rome.  ANCIENT CHINA    The timeless culture of China created the worlds first wellness bible– 2,500 years ago. The Chinese pursuit of a perfect balance between mind and matter, spirit and body, was nothing less than the quest for immortality.  Because of its undeniable power, this ancient medical knowledge still flourishes today.  The Chinese practice of health and wellness is based upon the observation and understanding of  Chi in the human body — the mysterious pathways of energy — the life force present everywhere in the universe.  EXTRA FEATURES: Photo Gallery   Preview Ancient Rome   Preview Ancient India  
      
646032037692    Hollywood Collection – Joan Crawford Always the Star    2009    This glamorous and hugely popular actress raised herself from brutal poverty to Academy Award-winning stardom by guts, determination and hard work. During her fifty-year career, she made over eighty films. But her obsessive perfectionism led to the later caricature of coat-hanger-wielding harridan that even the adoration of fans could not counter. Still, she has endured as one of the most popular icons of the movies, an early role model to a million young women who aspired to her image of stylish magnetic power and unquestioned independence.   She was born Lucille LeSueur on March 23, 1904 (or 1906) in San Antonio, Texas. Her father soon disappeared and she took the name of her stepfather, calling herself Billie Cassin. When Cassin, too, vanished, Billie did menial work to help her mother and brother survive. Ill-paid sales jobs bought dancing lessons and the clothes she needed to enter amateur contests. Then came a night-club contract as chorus girl – $25-a-week and eight routines a night. And so she made it into show-business, but the humiliations and insecurities of those early years would never entirely leave her. Spotted by an MGM scout, by 1925 she was under contract in Hollywood. She made the usual publicity appearaces and did Exhibition Dancing at night. Her vitality, charm and dancing talents earned her many admirers – including some powerful enough to advance her career, like William Haines, Paul Bern, Jackie Coogan, Sr. and Louis B. Mayer. After bit parts and a small role in the film Pretty Ladies, a studio-sponsored competition found her the name she at first hated: Joan Crawford.   As Crawfords acting skills developed, she became known for her independence and her resilience despite some less-than-successful roles. Her vaguely pretty and plump early looks were soon replaced by the svelte, hard-boiled beauty of hollow-cheeks, thick brows and overpainted mouth that would be her permanent image. Her capacity to inspire and wear with flair the creations of the dress designer Adrian was legendary. But most of all, she was known for her hard work on the set. Joan Crawfords personal life was characterized equally by self-discipline and the determination to better herself, banishing forever her unhappy beginnings. Four husbands included actors Douglas Fairbanks, Jr, Franchot Tone, Phillip Terry and businessman Alfred Steele. Plagued by innumerable miscarriages, she adopted four children, one of whose account of Joans unyielding perfectionism has succeded in blurring memories of the remarkable life and career of a Hollywood immortal.   Among Joan Crawfords films from which clips are included: Sally, Irene and Mary, 1925; Our Dancing Daughters, 1928; Grand Hotel, 1932; Dancing Lady, 1933; The Gorgeous Hussy, 1936; The Women, 1939; A Womans Face, 1941; Mildred Pierce, 1945; Humoresque, 1946; Possessed, 1947; Sudden Fear, 1952; Johnny Guitar, 1954 Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? 1962 and Strait Jacket, 1964.   
  
646032037791    Hollywood Collection – Shirley Temple Americas Little Darling    2009    There never was a star quite like her. Adored by adults and children alike, at four she already led at the Box Office – ahead of Gable and Cooper. Her films saved a movie studio from bankruptcy, and a President credited her with raising the morale of Depression-weary Americans. Her earliest movies gave a foretaste of her talents and soon would become the songs and dances that helped make those movies immortal. Here she is at her heart-stirring best in films like Little Miss Marker, Now And Forever,  The Little Princess, and The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer.   Also appearing: actors Caesar Romero, Alice Faye and Gloria Stuart, and former child actors Jane Withers, Darryl Hickman, Dick Dickie Moore, Marcia Mae Jones, and stand-in Marilyn Granas. Our host is an entertainment legend in his own right – Tommy Tune.    Caesar Romero,Alice Faye,Gloria Stuart,Jane Withers,Darryl Hickman,Dick “Dickie” Moore,Marcia Mae Jones,Marilyn Grana,Tommy Tune. 
 
646032038996    Hollywood Collection – Shirely MacLaine Kicking Up Her Heels    2009    Shirley MacLaine was the product of a strict middle-class background from which she and her brother, the future actor Warren Beatty, escaped into the fantasy world of show-biz. Her ballet training and her long-legged pixie charm led to rapid success on Broadway in musical comedy.  Inevitably, Hollywood called and by 1955 Shirley was cast in Hitchcocks The Trouble With Harry. It wasnt too long before the fine dramatic roles also came to her opposite the most popular leading men of the time, like Fred MacMurray, Jack Lemmon, Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood and Robert Mitchum. But Shirley was not only known for her capacity to play opposite major male stars, she also soon made it clear that women had equal importance for her, both as fellow players and as real life friends. These women included Audrey Hepburn, Julia Roberts, and former Congresswoman Bella Abzug. It was apparent that this once perky gypsy of Broadway would leave her mark as one of the finest actresses of her day, an Academy-Award winner, who is ready and able to tackle any role that seems equal to her intelligence and talent. Her widely varied interests encompass the political, the literary and the mystical.    Shirley MacLaine  
 
646032041798    Best of Civil War Minutes – Confederate    2007    Though people often remember the generals and commanders from a major war, its outcome also depends largely on the nameless soldiers in the front lines. Illuminating little known history, CIVIL WAR MINUTES  – Confederate features rarely told stories of both the famous and average Confederate soldiers in the Civil War. This film reveals the intimate details of the soldiers lives in their own words, such as their weapons of choice, their uniforms and how soldiers form fellowships during the war that last throughout their lives.  How did General Thomas Stonewall Jackson earn his nickname? How did both Union and Confederate soldiers wield Confederate General John Chambliss sword? This comprehensive documentary highlights never-before-told stories of Confederate soldiers, including accounts of the battle at Fort Sumter and a Confederate After Action Report at Gettysburg. Covering why few wartime photographs exist of General Robert E. Lee and an eyewitness account of J.E.B. Stuarts death, CIVIL WAR MINUTES  – Confederate has a wealth of facts and stories of major Confederate players in the Civil War.   
  
646032041996    Civil War Minutes – Union    2007    Personal belongings open a window into the lives of those who battle in Americas Civil War. The stories behind never-before-seen photographs, letters, artifacts and hundreds of rare paintings and engravings complete the picture of the Civil War in CIVIL WAR MINUTES  – Union. Small and unique objects, such as a drum from the Battle of Gettysburg with a hidden note inside, are pieced together to reveal the human element of war. This film also discloses the perspective of the average foot soldier through handwritten letters to family members.  The real lives of ordinary people who leave their homes and families behind to answer dutys call for this new and inexperienced nation are featured. This documentary explores soldiers everyday lives through the personal effects they carry into war.       
  
646032042696    Let’s Dance Swing    2003    Professional dance instructor John Hills charm, humor and effortless teaching style will have you up and dancing the Lindy and the Jitterbug quickly, regardless of skill level. Through easy-to-follow instructions, you will learn classic swing dance moves from beginners steps to elaborate kicks and spins all within the privacy of your own home.  The Lets Dance Swing DVD features over 90 minutes of dance instruction and interactive menus that allow you to quickly access the Swing steps you want to learn.    John Hill  
 
646032052992    Secret Life of Whitetails, The    2012    Filmed in high definition, the stunning images and absorbing soundtrack in this award-winning program will immerse you in the secret domain of the white-tailed deer. Wildlife cinematographer, Gary W. Griffen, spent three years in the field capturing extraordinary behavioral footage of this magnificent creature throughout its annual cycle.  Narrated by actor Peter Coyote, this superb wildlife documentary records in brilliant color and clarity, the life-cycle of deer amidst the breathtaking scenes and natural sounds of  the whitetails world.  White-tailed deer are one of the most adaptable large grazing mammals on earth. They are the products of countless generations of evolutionary fine tuning.  More than 38 sub-species range from southern Canada to South America..  Millions of years ago, whitetails crossed an ancient land bridge from Asia to Alaska.  Over eons, the whitetails elusive and wary behavior was forged by a changing cast of predators from saber-toothed tigers, to wolves and mountain lions.  Those that did not escape could not pass on their genes to future generations.  Once nearly exterminated from much of its original range by market hunting and loss of habitat, whitetails are now more abundant than ever.  From a low point of only 500,000 at the turn of 20th century, the deer population has increased to more than 30 million across North America, and is still growing.  Across the lower 48 states, whitetails live in a variety of habitats and climates.  Creatures of the edge, deer thrive in areas where agricultural fields border dense woods and other thick cover.  Deer can satisfy their needs for food and living space in virtually any region of the United States from the fertile corn belt of the Midwest to the more wooded and densely populated Northeast.  No other large, hoofed mammal can thrive so close to humans.  It is the trademark of white-tailed deer.  Wherever whitetails live, they are amazing creatures with extraordinary athletic ability. Good swimmers, great jumpers and fluid runners, youll see huge bucks leaping and reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour for short distances.  Because deer thrive in second-growth woods and thickets, they rely more on agility than the blazing speed of  pronghorn antelopes, which live in flat, open areas. When alarmed, a whitetail raises its tail, displaying a bright flash of white.  This signature trait communicates danger to other deer. Shy and reclusive, a wise old buck often prefers to hide or sneak away from his enemies.  Almost ghostlike, he can melt into thick cover and let danger pass harmlessly by.  Blessed with incredible senses and an uncanny ability to recognize the difference between a human that is hunting them and a homeowner that means them no harm, a deer can thrive in a variety of habitats -from the deep wilderness of northern Maine to the shadows of New York City.  This is the essence of a white-tailed deer.    Narrated by actor Peter Coyote   
  
646032054798    Nelson Mandela One Man    2013    Nelson Mandela is a shining example of what one man can do to change the world. Born into an oppressive regime, he fought to overcome prejudice and hate to unify a nation. Nelson Mandelas dedication resulted in his inauguration as the  rst black president of South Africa.  Nelson Mandela was controversial for much of his life, and right-wing critics denounced Mandela as a terrorist and communist sympathizer. He has nevertheless received international acclaim for his anti-colonial and anti-apartheid stance, having received over 250 awards, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Order of Lenin. He is held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to  as the Father of the Nation.  As President of South Africa, he established a new constitution and initiated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses, while introducing policies to encourage land reform, combat poverty and expand healthcare services.  Across the world, Mandela came to be seen as a moral authority with a great concern for truth.       

646032056990    Elephant in the Room    2008    Whether in a boxing ring or hospital, Devonne Canady has always been a fighter, either as the underdog or for the underdog.  In this Justin Ervin directed documentary, we follow the former. Watch Devonne, an Olympic boxing gold medalist/pediatric nurse/boxing coach as she mentors two inner city teenagers, Emily and Zaneta, through her non-profit gym Elephant in the Room Boxing Club. Issues arise when one of the teens absence from the boxing gym and from school is attributed to her growing personal demons.  This passion to fight for others prompts Devonne to help get the troubled teen back on the right track and eventually face the elephant in the room.    Devonne Canady,Emily Colon   
  
646032026993    Nature Connection with David Suzuki    2004    In this four-DVD set, Dr. David Suzuki leads a group of children on twelve field trips to discover different aspects of the environment and learn how we are all connected to nature. Through their adventures, the children learn to appreciate their relationship with the environment and what they can do to protect it. The collection is designed to inform, stimulate and motivate parents and their children to take up an environmental project. It encourages the natural instinct children have for discovery, and increases their awareness of the beautiful and complex web of life and our place in it. DISC I: Episode #1 Buying a Rainforest Episode #2 Urban Ecology  Episode #3 Fishing the Ocean  DISC II: Episode #4 Where Our Food Comes From Episode #5 Mervs Forest  Episode #6 Water Works  DISC III: Episode #7 The Badlands Episode #8 A Winter Walk Episode #9 Carmanah DISC IV: Episode #10 Grasslands  Episode #11 Tide Pools  Episode #12 Cattail Country    David Suzuki