5 comments about The Unknown Jesus: Revealing Perspectives on the Life of Jesus - Box Set.

1. This two volume set is excellent. The known theologians and bibilical scholars used in this film have varying points of view and this film manages to tie in all of their theories and beliefs into a well made and easy to follow documentary. They show the many sides of a history making and controversial figure--Jesus of Nazareth. The film covers his birth, and his life; leaving no stone unturned from the controversial "virgin birth" theory, his brothers and sisters and family life, his mysterious disappearance from age 15-30, his ministry, possible marriage, the controversial healings and miracles, death, and resurrection. Regardless of your religious bent you will find this film interesting and thought provoking whether you agree with it or not. I think you will learn something you did not know or think about the man called Jesus. I highly recommend this film if you would like to know more about the real, and historical Jesus these theologians have discovered with new finding in this century. This film piqued my interest for further study.



2. This is an excellent source to get a basic undertanding of what is at stake when trying to find the reality and the myth involved with Jesus the person.



3. All my life, I've had serious and hard questions no one has been able to answer about Jesus and the beliefs of Christianity. I have been doing a great amount of research on a side of spirituality that most never even touch. (But just because they do not know about it does not mean it doesn't exist.) I wanted to be able to equate what I've long felt in my heart was true to what I had been taught from a (not-so-)logical standpoint as a child.

   This video helped me do just that. I've been able to get answers to the questions that *I* have had and ponder things I had never before considered. The video does let you choose what you wish to believe. Since God gave us FREE WILL, we are free to do just that.




4. As the title states, this video focuses on the Jesus of history, not the Jesus of faith. And it does an excellent job of it. Many topics are covered, including Jesus' family life... was Jesus an only child, or not? Did he travel abroad in his youth, to India perhaps, or even Britain? Did he spend any time with the religious community at Qumran, who wrote the Dead Sea scrolls? Was he a disciple of John the Baptist? And was he married? If so, to whom?
   
   These topics, and others, are tackled by historians and theologians, though the viewer is left to draw his or her own conclusions. There are not many concrete answers here, but there is a lot to contemplate.
   
   Four stars!



5. 
   
   The assertion that Jesus Christ never existed is beyond ridiculous. Whether you accept Him as your savior or not, his existence is thoroughly documented in many sources, including from those who were hostile to him and would have preferred he didn't exist - the Romans and the Jews. We have many reliable ancient Roman and Jewish texts from the time period of Jesus that corroborate his life and the message of the Gospels.
   
   Only the most rabid, fanatical atheists deny the existence of Jesus. For factual information corroborating the existence of Jesus, I recommend "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel.

4 comments about Biography - John F. Kennedy Jr.: 1960-1999.

1. You will definitely need a box of tissues for this video. John Kennedy is exquisitely portrayed. Every John Kennedy follower must have this video



2. This magnificent man is highly portrayed in this first rate biography. It will make you laugh, cry, but most of all, it will make your heart ache. This video will bring John to life everytime you envision it's beauty.



3. This gives a good summary of JFK, Jr.'s life

   However, I was frustrated that the footage of him speaking as an adult was always cut short. This meant that I never got a good feeling for what he sounded like or how he moved as an adult.

   The people who were speaking about him were often annoying. They appeared to be trying to tell the viewer what the viewer's opinion of JFK, Jr. is as if the viewer would not be able to figure this out for him or her self.




4. It is hard to believe that John has been gone. It is hard to believe that the little 3 year old saluting his father's corpse, is no longer with us, but with his mother and his father, where he belongs. Perhaps it was that image of John as the darling shy yet full of vivacity, that has stuck into the mind of every American. So perhaps that is why it hurts so bad when I realize that John is dead. It is the little boy we all associate with John, and we ache for that little one. Yes we realize that John was 38, almost 39 when he died...but he was still that little boy. Every woman cried on that day of discovering his body...yes he was very good-looking and charming...but they werent crying because a "hunk" is no longer here...they were crying because our little boy is no longer here. Biography does a lovely job at presenting the life and very tragic death of our beloved John. Although their are some errors (such as his romance with Madonna), this is well-presented...The poignant pictures and video-vignettes of John with his father are very touching. Perhaps it is because we know John had such a short time with his father that afford such bittersweetness and somberness, perhaps because it is us, that knows John will grow up without his father and that we know John himself will succomb to an early death just like his father...I do not know the answer, but what I do know is that if you have ever felt a connection to the Kennedy family, or to John himself, then you will want to have this video in our home library. Now it is time to get the tissues, as I still cant believe he is gone.

1 comments about Tokyo Rose: Victim of Propaganda.

1. Her voice was heard through the Pacific enticing the soldiers and sailors of WWII to give up their fighting and fall into her arms. Dubbed "Tokyo Rose" by the American GI's the voice was the broadcast of over twenty Japanese women who were spilling out propoganda and music for the Japanese government. Tokyo Rose existed only in the imagination of the GI's.

   One voice, however, took on the identity of Tokyo Rose which would lead to suffering and heardship for its bearer. This is the story of that voice in the person of Iva Toguri who was tried as the traitor called Tokyo Rose.

   Born in the United States and assimilated into American ways Iva had the misfortune of being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, in the wrong war and the wrong race. A visit to Japan before the war (to help a relative) ended up in her being stranded in a country that she could not call her own. To survive she worked for the Japanese government as a clerk and went onto recording scripts to temper the morale of the GI's. Iva's naivite and the racism of the time placed in a tumultuous situation that would tear her family apart.

   Iva's story is the story of mass hysteria, the internment of United States citizens who happened to be Japanese and a woman caught in between two countries and cultures. Watching what happened during that period shows us the manipulation of forces that needed a scape goat. Tokyo Rose is America's shameful example of what a country will do to its own citizens because of their race. This video is a remarkable chronicle of the hysteria of the time and a woman's refusal to allow herself to be defeated. This is an excellent video that has social and political meaning for those who are study post WWII. I highly encourage you to witness to the power of this film.

5 comments about Ernest Hemingway - Wrestling With Life.

1. I was very excited to find a video about the life of Ernest Hemingway. What a great introduction for my eighth grade class before we began reading Old Man and the Sea...so I thought. I was very disturbed with the profanity in the video. After the first few "cuss" words, I was just looking for a section I could show, perhaps 15-20 minutes that were profanity-free, alas, it was not to be. Although Hemingway's work is peppered with profanity, I found it unnecessary for the video about his life to be littered with it. What a huge disappointment.



2. The review belows states that this video is full of cuss words. Unless you're a nun, I don't see why you didn't show 14 year old students this video. I think they can handle words like ''damn'' and ''hell''.
   This video is great. It captures the spirit of Hemmingway perfectly; a boy trying to find his masculinity. Perfect for teenage boys, to help them avoid mistakes Hemmingway may have made and realize who they are.



3. This video is a masterpiece. I love Hemingway and here the man is captured in all his in your face-tortured-life loving-woman loving glory. The language in this video is hardly disturbing which makes me think the person who wrote a review for this video claiming it was full of curse words did not actually see it. If anything this video will instill in the viewer a need to read more about the man and his work. A rare video. I've seen it a half dozen times and it never loses it hold on me. For any Hemingway fan this is a must.



4. A worthwhile and well constructed precise of Hemingway's life, most valuable for its insights from Hemingway's sons and archival moving film footage, including some sound bites of Hemingway speaking. The video relies (necessarily) on a fair amount of still photography, much of which will be familar to Hemingway aficionados, nevertheless, the presentation is compelling.



5. As a new teacher looking for material to accompany my lessons, I bought this to show to my 11th grade American Lit students. I ended up returning it only because after renting it from the library, I decided I preferred to own the more recent documentary on Hemingway's life, "Rivers to the Stream."
   "Wrestling with Life" is narrated by a very stiff and serious Mariel who looks like she's about 18. It also goes a bit too extensively into his childhood and his antipathy towards his mother. But keep in mind I bought this to view with my 11th graders so I was also watching it through their highly crticial and easily distractable eyes. Had it been the only one available, it would have done the job. But the newer DVD is much richer in my opinion. (I found the negative reviews of "Rivers to the Stream" completely unfounded;I had no problem with female narration of his short stories.)

No comments about Biography - Bill Robinson Mr. Bojangles.

2 comments about Biography - Sherlock Holmes.

1. I liked it-at the begaining the biograghy took place in a Sherlock Holmes soitey.Dr.Watson(David Burke) told his story about Sherlock Holmes.On the film there was a interfew with Sherlock Holmes's creator Sir Coman Doyle.I think it was made in the late 1920's,because sound didn't arrived in movies untill 1926-I liked it all the same!



2. At first, I was afraid to purchase this video, as I feared it might present some lame, cheesy actor to portray Sherlock Holmes. Also, I knew nothing about its contents...but I have taken my risk, and am very glad that I did.

   This 50 minute video features the remarkable David Burke, who starred as the first Dr. Watson in the Granada Television series opposite Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, playing his old role again as the good doctor in his later years. This alone is good enough reason to purchase this item, but there are many more delightful features which adds to the quality of the film, including few film footages (with sound) of commentary by the Great Author himself, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But I do not want to give away everything to take away from the unexpected delights you'll find in this video, so I'll keep my silence about the rest. Just know that if you are a Sherlockian, you will definitely not be disappointed by this film.

1 comments about Biography - Sergeant York: Reluctant Hero.

1. This superb A & E documentary serves as an excellent introduction to the real story of Sergeant Alvin C. York, who was drafted against his will (for religious reasons) but ended up being one of the greatest heroes of World War I. Born and raised in the Valley of the Three Forks of the Wolf in Fentress County, Tennessee, Alvin York was a hard-working farmer who had to help support his widowed mother with her family of eleven. Although he was a dedicated Christian who was firmly against war, he vowed to do his duty, both to God and country, after being drafted.
   
   On October 8, 1918, in the Argonne Forest in France, the legend of Alvin York was born. It was that day that York single-handedly killed 25 German soldiers and captured 132. For the rest of his life York stated that he killed those enemy soldiers in order to save lives, for the German machine-gunners had been butchering his comrades as York and his squad had been pinned down near "Hill No. 223". Alvin York was promoted to sergeant and awarded with several medals, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. After returning home to Tennessee, he dedicated the rest of his life to improving education.
   
   This excellent documentary is perfect for those who've seen the classic film "Sergeant York" and want to learn more about this brave and inspiring hero from the mountains of Tennessee. This documentary proves that some liberties were taken with Hollywood's depiction of York's life, but on the other hand it also shows that many facts were accurately shown in the film, such as the almost unbelievable story of how York's commanding officer had given him a furlough to rethink the religious questions he had about fighting in a war. York is a wonderful role model for young people today and I highly recommend this great documentary.

No comments about A&E Biography - Prince Charles the Private Man the Public Role.

4 comments about Biography - Abraham Lincoln.

1. This video documentary shows unusual depth in it's study of Abe Lincoln. Shows his dark side as well as his terrific sense of humor.

   I've watched this twice and will probably watch it a third time. There is so much information there, that you can't get it all in a single viewing.

   Some documentaries can be awfully dry, but this one is quite captivating and filled with quick bits of information that flesh out Abe's life history.

   The details about the sorrows and sadness in his life brought tears to my eyes. It says that Lincoln took two weeks off from his duties in the White House to sit by the bedside of his critically ill son. One afternoon, Lincoln walked into a room in the White House and stood by the window and told an aide, "He is gone. My boy is gone," and after a pause, Lincoln broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.

   Lots of those kind of stories that show what kind of man A. Lincoln truly was.

   Also mentioned that one of the early civil war generals (before Grant) treated Lincoln with disrespect, bordering on contempt. Someone commented to Lincoln that such behavior was intolerable and Lincoln replied, "If he'll win some battles for us, I'd gladly hold his horse."

   Great video. I highly recommend it.




2. I purchased this video at the Lincoln Memorial gift shop in Washington, DC...so, evidently I'm not alone in recommending this fine, compact biography. There are many Brady (or Brady-esque) photographs that I had never seen before, Some splendid drawings and political cartoons of the era, great narrations of Lincoln's writings; and, some uncharacteristically lively interviews with historians representing many different points of view on the great man. Like the previous reviewer, I found this to be an unusually engaging A&E. It made me laugh out loud at times, tear up with sympathy, and catch my breath in astonishment. Very worth anyone's time and a great instruction aid for home school or any teacher.



3. No one makes documentaries in such a superior research manner or beautiful presentation as A&E does. I consider these biographies as my most prescious and invaluable DVD's. Can't wait to see what's next!



4. I had a teacher in college who spent almost a whole semester on the Civil War. We were supposed to come from the Civil War to the present. She taught what she enjoyed. I always felt that if Lincoln were a great president he would have held the country together. He would have found a way to prevent north and south from fighting. Slavery had to go. We know that. I was born in Louisville, Kentucky. My son was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Kentucky remained in the Union while Tennessee was part of the Confederacy. I have driven between Louisville and Nashville over 30 years. It is my "tale of two cities." I am conscious of an invisible line between the two. Louisville looks north to Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Chicago. Nashville looks south to Atlanta and New Orleans. George W. Bush has identified with Lincoln as a fellow president who was tested. Presidents stick together. They rarely criticize one another. It is an exclusive club. I rank Lincoln #42 because even a terrible president might have prevented the Civil War.

2 comments about Biography - Benedict Arnold.

1. This video shows Benedict Arnold was not the monster history has tried to portray him as, detailing his early life as a Connecticut merchant; his daring exploits at Ticonderoga, Valcour Bay, and Saratoga that made him, aside from Washington, America's most brilliant patriot general; and tries to shed some light on the still-murky causes for his treason. Decent recreated history, although the battle reenactments in A&E's "American Revolution" are more stirring. Also has a sprinkling of historical inaccuracies, but still informative.



2. The A&E Biography series is remarkably stellar in quality, but I am compelled to take serious issue with this biography of Benedict Arnold. I'm actually rather angry about the whole presentation, as I cannot believe how positive a spin the commentators attempted to put on the life of America's most despised traitor. The very facts put forth here completely belie the stunningly radiant portrait these guys try to paint of this man.

   Did Benedict Arnold help the revolutionary cause in its early years? Yes, there is no doubt of it. According to this video, though, the Revolution would have failed were it not for Benedict Arnold. They would have us believe his very presence on the battlefield won the day for the colonists at Saratoga. A defeat at Saratoga would certainly have been a terrible blow to the cause, but it is an affront to the memory of those colonial soldiers who fought and died in that battle to imply that Arnold deserves the credit for their victory. The documentary makes much of the fact that another general took credit for the victory, but the main reason this other general accepted the sword of the surrendering general is that Arnold was in the hospital with a serious musket wound in his thigh. This thigh wound, and I agree it was a grievous wound received in battle, seems to hold some kind of mystical sway over the commentators here. Just because Arnold was wounded fighting for the Revolution does not make him a war hero who should be honored despite those pesky little mistakes he made later on. Just as General Washington decreed his name be written out of the historical records of the war, I say that any glory this man achieved is obliterated by his act of treason.

   Let's look more closely at this man; all of the important facts are right there in this video (although the commentators seem to ignore them). He was actually a deserter on the day before he became an official solder - in the French and Indian War. His initial fame and supposed heroism comes from the seizure of Fort Ticonderoga, a "campaign" that was won without a single shot. What did he do next? He led 1000 men on an arduous trek to Canada, losing many men in the process, only to fail miserably when he sought to take Quebec. His naval "victory" on Lake Champlain came at the expense of almost all his ships and men. When, following this, he failed to get a commission from the Continental Congress, he went back home - sulking all the way - with the intention of resigning. The war followed him home, though, and his return to fighting led to the commission he thought he deserved, but he decided once again to resign - why? Because he did not think several of his superiors should have a higher rank than he did. Only General Washington's appeal to him convinced him to take up arms again, and thus he fought at Saratoga (and was arrested immediately thereafter for having disobeyed orders).

   Why did he, supposedly Washington's favorite general, turn traitor? Oh, it wasn't really his fault, these commentators would have you believe. No, his new, young, Loyalist wife somehow convinced him to do it; he was just a poor little old victim of a British spy plot; the 20,000 sterling reward he sought had nothing to do with it, of course. Personally, I find the apologist treatment of Benedict Arnold in this documentary to be nothing short of appalling. Arnold didn't just act on the spur of the moment; he provided intelligence to the enemy for over a year, and - had he not been caught and the fort at West Point taken by the British - the back of the Continental Army might have been broken.

   I'm sorry, but despite A&E Biography's best efforts, I am not going to feel sorry for Arnold or attempt to commiserate with him or understand why he did what he did. He willfully betrayed the country he had bravely fought for, and he did it for purely personal, selfish reasons. The only sad thing about Benedict Arnold's fate is the fact that he escaped (running away like the coward he was) to London (where, boo hoo, he didn't get the respect and trust he thought he deserved) and avoided the ignominious fate due him at the gallows here in America.