1 comments about Biography - Malcolm X: A Search For Identity.

1. I was disappointed that you rarely heard from Malcom X. I was disappointed that I heard more from James Cone. I appreciate his thoughts, but I could read his book for his thoughts. I thought the video should have captured more comments from various people such as Ossie Davis who did his eulogy. I did enjoy the comments by Peter Goldman. It is an excellent video to be introduced to Malcolm X. If you are familiar with Malcolm X then I think you will be disappointed as I was.

No comments about Biography - Vanderbilts.

1 comments about Biography - John Dillinger.

1. This is the best and most entertaining gangster episode ever from A&E's Biography series and the only Dillinger documentary I've ever seen that's totally accurate. Vintage films and rare photos enhance the program, along with great commentary and little known anecdotes from leading Dillinger historians, including the late great Joe Pinkston, coauthor of the best Dillinger biography (Dillinger: A Short and Violent Life) and founder of the John Dillinger Historical Museum formerly located at Nashville, Indiana, and Bill Helmer, prolific writer on the gangster era and coauthor of Dillinger: The Untold Story. One of the highlights is a rarely seen film (never before televised) of the aftermath of the Mason City bank robbery, showing one lucky customer who only got the seat of his pants shot out! Highly recommended!

No comments about Biography - Jean Harlow.

5 comments about A&E Biography - Dean Martin - Everybody Loves Somebody.

1. This is one of the best Biographys' in an outstanding series. It is done respectfully and yes, even lovingly. Using interviews from the likes of Jerry Lewis, Jeanne Martin, Ricci Martin, Greg Garrison and various show business acquaintences, an honest and moving portrait of Deans' rise from small town boy to legendary star is created.

   That Martin was an imperfect human is no secret, but this bio shows him to be far less phony than the usual Hollywood star and definately NOT a drunk or playboy. He never embarrassed his family and was by all accounts quiet, reserved and even a little shy. This is a man who had the whole package; looks, great singing style, comedic talent and street smarts aplenty.

   His decline into reclusiveness in his later years is well documented. Brought about by a number of things, among them addiction to prescription pills, the tragic loss of his son Dean Paul, his own ennui and failing health, Martin lived a quiet final five years of his life refusing public appearances and parties with old show business cronies in order to live alone with visits from his children, granchildren and former wife Jeanne (with whom he remained friendly with until the end).

   While justifiably proud of his accomplishements, he did not appear to miss any of it after his retirement in 1992. He lived the life of a contented loner...this son of Italian immigrants. He never forgot who he was or where he came from. He possessed a hold on his fans unlike any other star. They loved him then and now in a way that defies description. Perhaps it was that behind all the booze and girlie jokes they saw a decent, genuinely likeable, nice guy. One with no phony pretensions. Just a good guy with talent and luck who in a way represented what many of us would like to be.




2. I thought I was the only one who enjoyed his music and his TV variety shows.This tape really points out what a fine talent he was. He never really blew his own horn, he just did his thing and let the chips fall where they may.Frank always took the center stage but he didn't have the timing Dean had and I also felt Dean sang much better, altho Frank did okay with some songs. I think he got much more publicity, but Dean didn't care.I really miss the guy, thankfully there are still some great CD's out there to listen to.



3. I watched many of the Dean Martin shows when they first aired, listened to his songs when they were hits and have watched most of his movies. But, until I watched this tape, I did not appreciate how talented he really was. The stage routines that he carried out with Jerry Lewis are amazing. Unlike most other comedy teams, they are on stage interacting primarily with each other. They spent the majority of their time talking to each other, only rarely turning their heads to the audience. Jerry Lewis has long been given the majority of the credit for their joint success, but Martin was clearly just as talented in making people laugh.
   Martin was also a much better actor than he had been given credit for. There are only a few clips from his movies, but he brought the same ease to the screen that he did to the comedy stage. Where he was most amazing was as a singer. His song, "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" was the first song to knock the Beatles from number one on the charts. When I was young and going to construction sites with my uncle, the hard working, hard drinking laborers were walking around singing the lyrics to this song. It amazed me to hear that it was added to the album at the last minute, as a replacement for a song Martin didn't like.
   Unlike so many other entertainers, Martin was genuinely a nice and decent man. His producer of thirty years said that they formed their partnership by agreeing to work together and sealed it with a handshake. Nothing more was ever needed. Despite his entertainment persona as a wild living, hard drinking man, Martin was a devoted family man. His wife said that he was always home for dinner and the death of his son Dino in a military jet devastated him.
   What is probably the most incredible aspect of his career is that he did not rehearse for his television show. He showed up the day it was being taped or being performed live and carried out his role. Perhaps that explains why he was so underrated as an entertainer. He made everything look so easy; people didn't take him as seriously as they should have.
   Finally, Martin was also a true tough guy. He fought professionally, although poorly as a youth. When he ran out of money, he and a friend would charge a group of people fifty cents each to come to their room and watch them punch each other until one was unconscious.
   This is one of those tapes that show you positive sides of a person that you never knew he had. Unlike so many of the self-centered prima donnas that exist now, he never, ever seemed to believe that he was above being made fun off. He also seemed to genuinely be having a good time when he was performing.



4. I think this version is just a transfer from VHS to DVD without any updating, and that would explain the lack of information about Dean's passing on Christmas Day 1995. The reviews about the VHS version are very good so I'll touch on just some of the highlights here. The DVD doesn't have any "special features" like most do, but that doesn't take anything away from the great stuff in it. It only has 6 "scene selection" choices but this program is so good that you won't want to "pick up the action" anywhere but at the beginning. The greatest comments and insights about Dean come from Jerry Lewis. I always thought that he & Dean hated each other when they broke up in the 1950's but Jerry reveals otherwise. Greg Garrison, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Jeannie Martin and even Dean himself share some great information about Dean's life. (No Sammy Davis comments but I think he died before this came out.) Narrated by Peter Graves, he comments on Dean's life from his Dad coming to America in 1914, through Dean's struggle to find work in the depression years to his becoming the highest paid entertainer of that time. The 2 greatest scenes in the program are the reuniting of Dean & Jerry on the 1976 Labor Day telethon and Dean's 72nd birthday surprise in 1986. Each one got a surprise! First Jerry on the telethon, then Dean on his birthday. The reason; they hadn't spoken for 20 years when the telethon aired and after that meeting, they didn't speak for the next 10 years until the birthday surprise! There are clips from The Vegas Rat Pack shows, Dean's TV shows, one from the "roasting" of Jack Benny and scenes from a couple of Dean's movies. The sound & picture quality are excellent and I only wish the show was longer and included more show clips.



5. Fantastic biography, a must for any Dean Martin fan. While including life with Jerry and the Rat Pack, this story steps back and focuses on the man himself, including both his business and private life. From card shark to prize fighter this was a man of the ages. There will never be another Dean.

2 comments about Thomas Jefferson: Philosopher of Freedom (A&E Biography).

1. A&E's Biography Series has produced many wonderful video portraits. Their biography of Thomas Jefferson is no exception. Within the video's 50 minutes, it covers all of the major events and accomplishments of Jefferson's long life (83 years) and gives a look into some of his private life as well.



2. Thomas Jefferson, in his 83 years, accomplished many great things -- certainly more than a 50-minute video could ever completely cover. In addition to this, Jefferson was also a man of essential paradoxes: the brilliant political and social philosopher vs. the sometimes shockingly unpractical president; the ardent American patriot vs. the worldly, French-obsessed cosmopolitan -- and, last but not least, the "philosopher of freedom" vs. the slave-owning slave.

   With all of this in mind, Thomas Jefferson: Philosopher of Freedom, a part of A&E's Biography series, is a splendid, immaculately done portrait of the great American. In a 50-minute span, it covers all of the major accomplishments of Jefferson's public and political life, including his role in the Revolution, his writings, his political and social philosophy, his long years in political office, his architectural accomplishments, his founding of the University of Virginia, and more. It also looks at the major events that formed Jefferson's private life: his upbringing, schooling, his married life, his relationship with John Adams and other important men of his day, and more.

   That said, the video should also be commended for not falling into the easy trap of idolatry, as many such biographical portraits do. The video also examines Jefferson's faults and contradictions: his apparently paradoxical status as a slave owner, his possible liaison in Paris, and his lifelong indebtedness. It does a good job of reminding us that, for all of the idolizing that we do of these great Founding Fathers -- and great men they were -- they were also, after all, human. It is a quite well-rounded and balanced portrait of the great, but inherently human, man.

   In summary, this is a great buy if you're looking for a short, concise portrait of Jefferson, for use in your home or in the classroom. It is a beautiful portrait that nearly had me in tears at one point. If such is what you are looking for, look no further than this.

2 comments about Biography - Frederick Douglass.

1. This story being a part of history goes without challenge in my mind because, the reports as recorded cannot change what was the way of living then.This is the story of a challenged man , challenged not only by the society that he was a part of but also his own personal being. A must for history enthusiasts.



2. This accessible overview of Douglass' turbulent life from slavery and persecution to crusading newspaperman and presidential adviser should inform and inspire viewers. This biography recreates the prejudiced atmosphere where the myth of racial inferiority reigned in the South to justify slavery and in the North to rationalize indifference to human suffering. Douglass' fiery speeches still speak to our highest aspirations as Americans united by the creed that "all men (and women) are created equal."

2 comments about Biography - Beethoven: The Sound And The Fury.

1. The A&E Biography of the life and times of the famous musician and composer Beethove rules!!It's a must see video!!



2. This (along with a few other DVDs) was purchased to help some youngsters (seven and nine year olds) understand a bit about the music they are learning to play.
   
   It succeeds admirably. The treatment is brisk and, of necessity, superficial; but that's fine for the age group or for those new to Beethoven.

2 comments about Biography - Dalai Lama: The Soul Of Tibet.

1. If you know nothing about Tibet, the brutal occupation of that country by the Chinese, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, then this is a good video. If you're a Buddhist, a student of Buddhism, or more conversant with the topics above, then it might not be for you. The documentary is an A&E production, so it tends to be, IMHO, a bit shallow and inaccurate at times. The Dalai Lama is not the "king" of Tibet nor does he preside over Tibetan Buddhism in the same manner that, say, the Pope does over Roman Catholics. There is some nice footage of His Holiness as a young man, including clips from his first years as a refugee in India. A few interviews with Richard Gere, Robert Thurman, Orville Schell and others round out the footage along with a few conversations with Dalai Lama. It is always a pleasure, however, to see the Dalai Lama so I did enjoy it in spite of the critiques above. It is not what I would consider an in-depth portrait but more like a good line drawing.



2. This 45-minute program from A&E's "Biography" series is a good introduction to the Dalai Lama's life and leadership of Tibet and to the political situation of Tibet. It incorporates interesting historical footage, including footage I hadn't seen elsewhere of the Dalai Lama as a child and young man.
   
   Naturally, the film sides with the Tibetans regarding the Chinese occupation of Tibet, but it does attempt to be objective. Something I learned from this film is that the Dalai Lama was initially sympathetic to some of Mao's stated goals.
   
   Two other good videos on the Dalai Lama and Tibet are "Heart of Tibet" (available only on VHS, not DVD) and "Compassion In Exile," both of which do a better job than this video of giving a sense of the Dalai Lama as a Buddhist and as a person.

5 comments about Biography - Mother Teresa: A Life of Devotion.

1. This is one of the Biography series best. Although it is not up to date, the video is a powerful document of Mother Teresa's life. The interviews with many of her associates within and outside the Catholic Church add a great deal of insight into her work. It shows clips of her speech after winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and the passion she felt over the issue of abortion.
   The entire video has a great spiritual air about it, and leaves one feeling that they know a little more about such a great woman.



2. An excellent example of Biography when the program focused on challenging and intriguing lives - rather than 70s TV stars. This episode comes from a time when Biography was committed to thoughtful and revealing glimpses into the lives of women and men who slowly changed the world for the better. The production offers numerous interviews of Mother Teresa's contemporaries and fascinating video clips of the woman, both in her labors for the poor and among the world's powerful. Her unique spirit shines through, including moments when her overwhelming personality was perhaps not easy to take but was still admirably, relentlessly dedicated to her worthy cause. She was a personal hero of my fiance, Sidelle Rimbaud, who patterned many of her life decisions after Mother Teresa's example of self-sacrifice, and ultimately died in the line of duty. Because of this, I watched the program and was rewarded with a view of one of humanity's most noble spirits. David R. Bannon, Ph.D.; author "Race Against Evil."



3. Excellent overview of a modern saint Mother Teresa's life, espcially the footage of her holding the tiny, abandoned babies in her hands, and her personal caring of the lepers. Mother Teresa's life is a shining example of karma yoga, faith, devotion, unconditional love, compassion, and humility that we can learn and incorporate in our daily lives. I also bought the DVD of Mother Teresa, played by Olivia Hussey, which is also excellent.



4. I thought this was a very good documentary on this great saint. However, since i bought it to show a number of year 9 students it was quite boring and not student-friendly. The people who make these documentaries must make them more student/ school friendly. Overall the dvd was a good one.



5. This biography is chock-full of interesting information and especially noted for historic footage; however several long periods of interruption showing nothing more than pictures of film reels, camera lenses, and other film clips having nothing to do with the subject at hand are quite annoying and disruptive to the content. These many "fillers" are a waste of the gift of sight and the time could have been put to much better use by simply showing more still photos of Mother Teresa or her many work settings. I've seen many other tributes to Mother Teresa and this was my least favorite. I'd recommend those interested to consider other sources.