About this product: Directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky return to the scene of the crime with this urgent follow-up to their harrowing 1996 documentary, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. That profoundly disturbing film chronicles the tragic and twisted case of three young men--Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley--who were convicted of the brutal 1993 murders of three second graders. The film suggests that perhaps their only crime was dressing in black and liking Metallica. To the townspeople, this smacked of Satanism and marked them as made-to-order suspects. Meanwhile, Mark Byars, the stepfather of one of the victims emerged from the film as a "Why-isn't-anyone-following-up-on-this?" suspect. Revelations, which, for those who missed the first film, efficiently recaps the case, and charts the trio's maddening appeals process (police browbeat a confession out of Misskelley, who has an IQ of 71, after 12 hours of questioning), as well as the efforts of a group of Internet advocates to "Free the West Memphis Three." Byers is back as well, and he is infinitely more terrifying than anything in Book of Shadows, Berlinger's Blair Witch sequel. We learn that Byers had all his teeth extracted in the years after the murders (human bite marks are among the new evidence introduced). We also learn that his wife has since died of undetermined causes. When Byers passes a suspect lie detector test, he exults, "I knew I was innocent." A further mystery is why both Paradise Lost films have not garnered the media attention or sparked the outrage that attended Errol Morris's The Thin Blue Line, which led to the release of an innocent man who was imprisoned for more than 10 years. Both films give new meaning to the concept of reasonable doubt. --Donald Liebenson
About this product: Live reunion tour concert from Bad Company, featuring Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke & Mick Ralphs performing a one night only sold-out show at The Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on August 8, 2008. Featuring 17 hit songs! Bad Company, Honeychild, Sweet Lil' Sister, Burnin' Sky, Gone Gone Gone, Pack, Live For The Music, Seagull, Feel Like Makin', Movin' On, Simple Man, Rock Steady, Shooting Star, Can't Get Enough, R & R Fantasy, Ready 4 Love, Good Lovin' Gone Bad.
About this product: "WINNER: 2004 Film Advisory Board AWARD OF EXCELLENCE!" While the process of adoption has been receiving increasingly greater attention, the feelings of those touched by adoption are often overlooked. Director and executive producer Flory G. Herman, a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys since 1994, takes an intimate look at adoption in this new must-see 47 minute documentary-style film "I Have Roots and Branches"...Personal Reflections on Adoption, a 2004 winner of a prestigious Film Advisory Board Award of Excellence, recognized world-wide for quality family/children's entertainment. The film conveys a positive, encouraging and honest message about adoption, and is most appropriate for children viewers. Viewers will find out first hand how it feels to have been adopted and discover that all kids have common experiences growing up in their homes, surrounded by the families they know and love. Families formed through adoption, prospective adoptive and birth parents and professionals in the adoption community should not miss this wonderful film. The video is appropriate for schools and libraries as a resource for adoption education.
About this product: Who says Civics has to be as dry as the Congressional Record? Now you can explain the three branches of government, the Constitution, civil rights, and civil liberties in a way your students will enjoy and understand. American Government Module 6: Three Branches - Origins of the three branches, the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch, Judicial system, checks & balances.
About this product: One of the strangest series ever to grace British television, 'Special Branch' stripped the glamour often depicted in police series and replaced it with cold hard mundanity and weary cynicism.
George Sewell plays Alan Craven, a dour, seen-it-all 70's cop, taken to walking round in a mac stubbornly looking at things.
Whether chasing down bombers, assassins, smugglers or kidnappers, his resolute demeanor doesn't change. He's craggy, his dress sense is uninspired, he's just there, rule book in hand, stoic to the last.
By modern police drama standards,(ie, ANYTHING post-'Special Branch') it's a complete plod.(!)
There's very few car-chases, a sore lack of demented, sweaty villains, Craven and his bosses get on just fine and the only hint of animosity comes with the introduction of Haggerty, an uppity inspector that represents everything Craven is not.
Even then, once the two of them get to 'understand' each other, the 'mutual respect' thing goes down, and we're back to fingerprint logging and filing cabinets.
Haggerty in his spiv waistcoats and classy flares, Craven in his mac.
So why does 'Special Branch' win? How does it overcome all it's surface drawbacks and turn out a fine series?
Well, you don't always need a dashing hero as Hitchcock proved, and while I'm name-dropping, Craven can be seen as some sort of sub-Kubrickian public servant.
Matter-of-fact and bland - there's more than a hint of William Sylvester's character in '2001,' in his methodical ungainliness.
It's brilliantly filmed,(as opposed to studio) grainy film-stock gives the impression that the London skyline is perpetually gloomy and drizzly. There's a level of realism not encountered before which works brilliantly - and as in real police work - Craven and co don't always get their man.
And hey, I've just discovered something thrillingly absorbing: Craven has TWO macs! One navy the other beige - that'll bring the raw-edge excitement to quite a head won't it?
Episodes end weirdly, sharply, leaving you thinking 'What!?' It reminds of the X-Files, with bogus Russian defectors and hippy fire-bombers instead of aliens.
Truth is, I hope we do have the likes of Craven, Haggerty and co attending to our country's security, instead of the CCTV obsessed internet sleuths I suspect we really do.
Perhaps that's it. Craven is a bloke, a real identifiable person despite his fault's. Run that Union Jack and he'll salute it, play that anthem and he'll stand.
He'll look tired and completely disinterested, but he'll do it.
AND, he's got a black girlfriend - in the early 70's !?!
Unfortunately, we just don't have enough 'heroes' like that.
About this product: The Sunnyland Seminars are funded by the Annenberg Foundation, a charitable trust dedicated to education and, in this case, education through electronic media. This entre dvd series clips right along in top-quality TV documentary fashion. It will remind older viewers of their school days when the constitution and the balance of governmental powers were routinely taught. It will interest people from about ten to ninety years of age. It will start or refresh your knowledge of our form of government and it will build or restore your confidence in it ... not in this administration or that administration but in a government that has spanned the lives of all our administrations.
This disk tells a short story of the writing of our constitution, including some facts that will surprise most viewers. It tells the story of the simple man who changed our Constitution. How he acted without the aid of an attorney, to ultimately gain every person accused of a crime the right to have an attorney provided.
Sit and watch it with your kids. It will lead to meaningful discussion. Something another vampire movie might not accomplish!
About this product: The Standard Deviants examine the head honcho, the big cheese, the top dog--POTUS: The President of the United States. Learn about the constitutional powers of the president and how these powers have grown with the country.
About this product: The Kyokushinkai style created by Master Oyama managed to make itself known around the world thanks to the extreme realism of its competition fights. Strikes are launched for real to the body, to the legs and to the head with the will to go to knock-out. No gloves, no leg protections and simple rules that aim at protecting the physical integrity of fighters. Cardio Training, Pao Work, Kumite combined in series, self development, technical improvement and strategy are the key words of this extreme training. An example to follow for all of you who are interested in the codified knock-out fighting sports. LANGUAGES : Francais English Deutsch Espanol EXTRA FEATURES : Chapters - Interactive Menus - Photo Gallery - Trailers - Handing-in of the belts - Competition Rules
About this product: Alan King, who has had a long career in show business as a comedian, actor and producer, and maintained friendships with names like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, talks about his new book, Name-Dropping: The Life and Lies of Alan King. Then, writer and personal friend of President Bill Clinton, Taylor Branch talks about his new piece for Esquire magazine, Clinton Without Apologies.
This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
About this product: Deep in the dark hollows of the Ozark Mountains in Northwest Arkansas, lies land owned by a family named the Horners. Their story consists of loyalties split by the Civil war, and cold blooded murder. Join the crew as they plunge deep into history, and look for the restless spirits of the Horners.
This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
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