5 comments about Michelangelo: Self-Portrait.

1. Having just returned from Italy, I was very interested in seeing this program. I wish I had been exposed to it before my trip, I would have better appreciated Michelangelo, the person.

   When I visited the Sistine Chapel, it was a hot day in August and the first thing I remember was that it was air-conditioned, what a blessing. There were hundreds of people standing but I managed to get a seat in the middle and meditated for 1/2 hour on the beautiful ceiling and in particular Michelangelo's " Last Judgment". It was quite noisy and the loud speakers in various languages continued to tell us not to speak, take pictures etc. These announcements were worst than the people around us.

   In viewing this marvelous video, I realized that Michelangelo was about 32 when he was commissioned by the Pope to paint the Sistine Chapel . It took 7 years and afterwards, Michelangelo writes in his letters that he felt and looked like an old man. He was 21 when he sculptured "The Pieta". At the age of 60 he thought he had lived a long hard life. He lived until the age of 87.

   This program took 10 years to complete and you realize that this effort will be received with tremendous gratitude. You not only get a wonderful avenue for his paintings and most importantly, Michelangelo's sculptures but the letters that he wrote have been preserved and are delivered orally to us in a very believable manner. Having experienced this wonderful program, I am so much more appreciative of this man, Michelangelo.




2. After viewing the film, I was left with an incredible sense of hope. To see how Michael Angelo's life had changed on his journey of faith, showed me that it was in his struggle to use his gift to serve God that brought him right into the presence of the Lord.



3. Based to a large extent upon the 1950 Academy Award winning documentary "The Titan: Story of Michelangelo" which is included on the DVD, this wonderful film takes that work to a higher level and is a work of art in itself. The photography is stunning, the commentary intelligent.
   
   If you're planning a trip to Italy, be sure to view this before you go.



4. This wonderful DVD offers two complete Robert Snyder documentaries on the life and work of Michelangelo.
   
   I opted to watch the black & white, 1950 Oscar-winning "The Titan: Story of Michelangelo" first, and am very happy I did so. It runs about an hour, and provides a fairly straightforward account of the artist's life and work, while also exploring some of the regional artistic influences on young Michelangelo, and the political and religious discord that existed during the Renaissance. Narrated by Frederic March, it is highly melodramatic in places and features a dated, tinny soundtrack. The most striking and memorable footage is a recreation of David being moved through the streets of Florence (which plays very like a Spaghetti Western showdown). This original documentary is a terrific set-up for the main feature to follow...
   
   Michelangelo's work almost-literally comes to life as you see it all again (and more) in living color in the 1989 film. Obviously, there is a lot of overlap with "Titan," but this film, "Self Portrait," is narrated in first-person, using Michelangelo's letters, diaries and poetry to tell his story in a more intimate and insightful way than its 1950 predecessor. What a treat to hear Michelangelo's own descriptions of his work! It changed the whole experience for me. His personal struggle to balance Christianity and Classicism mirrored the turbulence of the Renaissance and fueled his creativity; it may also strike a familiar note in modern times...
   
   This film is much more complete than the first, both in the number of works shown and the exploration of the artist's life. It is beautifully photographed and scored, and it offers closer-than-you-can-get-in-person views of Michelangelo's sculptures and the pre-renovation Sistine ceiling and Last Judgement. No real people appear in either documentary--no narrators, curators, actors, townspeople or tourists are present to distract from the artwork or the environs. My one complaint about this is that we never get a good sense of scale as a result. Many of Michelangelo's creations are monumental, and I'm not sure that truly comes across--especially on a TV screen.
   
   Most fine art DVDs seem not to have any extra features, so the fact that this one does is a real bonus. The original 1950 documentary, "The Titan," is actually found under the Extras Menu and, as mentioned above, should be watched even before the main feature. In addition, there is a short but worthwhile interview with Robert Snyder in which he reveals where he found some of the original footage used in both films (I won't spoil it for you). Finally, there are short excerpts from a series of other Snyder documentaries featuring creative icons of the mid-20th Century: Buckminster Fuller, Pablo Casals, Anais Nin, Claudio Arrau, Henry Miller and Willem de Kooning.
   
   This is one of the most engaging and worthwhile art DVDs I've seen so far. Anyone interested in Michelangelo, Rome, Florence, Renaissance history or the Vatican should enjoy this over and over again.



5. Another fine effort to capture the ocean in a teacup! I'm sure most Michelangelo fans will welcome every frame, but again, the man and the art each need their own attention.

1 comments about The Railroad That Went to Sea - Florida East Coast Railway's Overseas Train to Key West.

1. I purchased this video not long ago and it sparked my great interest in the Florida Overseas Railraod. If you have ever driven from Miami to Key West you can still see the remnants of this railroad today. The story behind this railroad is so amazing! There is so much to this story. Take for example the hurricane of 1935... the most powerful storm to ever strike American shores and hundreds of people (even Ernest Hemingway) were in the keys waiting for an evacuation train to be sent down for them.

   Henry Flagler, a former partner of Rockefeller, was the creator of this railroad and many people think of him as the founder of Florida. I used to live in Florida and you see his name everywhere. He poured his vast fortune into improving Florida and succeeded in ways that many people of the time never even thought possible. His idea to build an overseas railroad was first dubbed "Flagler's Folly" and was later looked upon as the 8th wonder of the world.

   I recommend everyone take a trip to the Keys after viewing this video to see in person the marvel that is the many overseas railroad and highway bridges... especially the Seven Mile Bridge! Wow! This video is a must have for anyone interested in railroads. Five stars! Terrific story!

1 comments about The Trail of Painted Ponies.

1. Loved the video. The only this is that the DVD version comes with an extra 30 min of footage.

1 comments about Out of the Wilderness: The Life of Abraham Lincoln.

1. I am an 8th grade teacher and bought this video with the Lincoln bicentennial and my students in mind. It is so tedious and the narration so monotone that I could hardly get through it. In fact, I fell asleep about 20 minutes in. Part of the reason I chose this over other options was it was fairly short and could be seen in a couple class periods, but as it turns out, I did not use it at all.

No comments about Self Mastery With Deepak Chopra: Ageless Body Timeless Mind.

No comments about Mary McLeod Bethune: The Spirit of a Champion.

3 comments about Biography - Charles Manson.

1. THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER BIOS FROM A&E,IN THAT IT PROBES DEEP INTO THE BACKGROUND OF SOMEONE SO MYSTERIOUS AS CHARLES MANSON.THE VIDEO RELIES HEAVILY ON INTERVIEWS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS,INCLUDING LYNETTE FROMME, LESLIE VAN HOUTEN AND PATRICIA KRENWINKEL.TATE MURDER CASE PROSECUTER VINCENT BUGLIOSI IS ALSO FEATURED.THE FILMMAKERS ASSUME YOU KNOW LITTLE ABOUT MANSON,BUT BY THE END YOU FEEL YOUVE LEARNED QUITE A BIT IN THE 50 MINUTES IT TOOK TO WATCH IT.



2. The A&E show Biography used to be a class act. Then it discovered that the tabloid approach that worked for lesser programs could help boost its own ratings. So we get dung like "True Crime Week," "Serial Killers Week," etc. Have you ever dreamed of people buying a one-hour video biography all about you? Well, you must be too good a person, because Manson has earned it instead.

   Notice we never hear the word "infamous" anymore. In this age of anything-for-fame, nothing is bad as long as it makes you a household word. If you paid money for this video, you might as well have been back there at the Spahn ranch yourself, vowing to do anything for your master.




3. Charles Manson speaks of his life and crimes; cocky, sneering, and unrepentent to the end. Profiled is his troubled childhood, his early prison days, his "Haight Ashbury" period, and the murders. Also included are recollections from a childhood neighbor and parole officer, as well as matronly-looking Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, Leslie Van Houten, and Pat Krenwinkel. Highlights include Manson's confrontations with the parole board; even he realizes that that's a lost cause. A good show with a lot of insight into Charlie's madness.

No comments about Outspoken.

1 comments about COMPASSION IN EXILE: The Story of the 14th Dali Lama.

1. Mickey Lemle's documentary weaves the biography of the 14th Dalai Lama with a summation of the history of the Chinese government's invasion and occupation of Tibet. The stories are fascinating and tightly linked. I was moved by both the Dalai Lama's presence, leadership and vision, and I was deeply saddened by the genocidal destruction brought on Tibet's people and culture by the Chinese government. The film is extremely well made including, as I understand it, footage smuggled out of Tibet, and excellent interview footage. Highest recommendation.

1 comments about Andrew Wyeth: Self-Portrait - Snow Hill.

1. To know both art and the context of art in an intimate way is such a rare treat. In this film portrait of Wyeth I experienced the man and his creativity as if I were there painting with him. For any artist or lover of art, this film is a must to see.