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Tennessee Williams once wrote, "Marion Davies makes up for the rest of Hollywood," and this superb documentary demonstrates why the gifted actress was so beloved in high society. Executive produced by Hugh Hefner and narrated by Charlize Theron, Captured on Film corrects the fallacy that obscured Davies's achievements since the release of Citizen Kane in 1941. Orson Welles intended no harm with his masterpiece, but the film's portrayal of a publishing tycoon--loosely based on William Randolph Hearst and his lengthy affair with Davies--painted an unflattering portrait of a talentless, drunken mistress, and Davies was quite the opposite. Among many expert interviewees, film historian Kevin Brownlow observes that Davies was truly the first screwball comedian, and vintage film clips bear him out: watch Davies impersonate such film greats as Lillian Gish and Pola Negri, and you can see her comedic gift in full bloom, undiminished by time. Her 32-year devotion to Hearst (whose wife refused to divorce him) is accurately chronicled as sincere and meaningful, and the 1927 feature Quality Street offers a worthy showcase for Davies's versatile talents. (It was remade in 1937 with Katharine Hepburn; this silent version is arguably superior.) --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Description

EBE Award Winner! Best Feature Film - International UFO Congress Film Festival. Long shrouded in secrecy, the life of Nikola Tesla is artfully illuminated in this fascinating film. His achievements led to the discovery of radio and television as well as the development of the first hydroelectric dam, remote control, radar tracking for the military, x-ray and the manipulation of matter and energy. His discoveries are also the basis for the emerging science of free energy. Encyclopedia Britannica lists Nikola Tesla as one of the most fascinating people in history. So why is he virtually unknown to the general public? This movie is a penetrating study of the life and mind of a "scientific superman" who, against all odds, dedicated his life to the task of designing and improving technology for the service and advancement of humanity. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Bland Overview
This overview of Tesla's life touches all the bases. The directing is lifeless. It often feels more like a stage play than a film, since much of the information is revealed through conversation rather than showing it happen. One flashback scene is in Serbian but if you've read a bio you know what happens. Tesla's dialogue is pretty good, a lot of the other dialogue is corny. Tesla is portrayed as depressed all the time--I think he had some humor in real life. The inaccurate conclusion of the film, that Tesla actually knew how to produce free energy but that J. P. Morgan wouldn't back him finacially in order to keep free energy from the world--is a little silly. The bulk of the film is about the contest between AC and DC, and I think they handled that pretty well considering the complexity of the topic. People who like special effects will be disappointed by the sparse pre-computer graphics optical effects.

Absorbing film which captures much of Tesla's complexity
I give this film five stars because it stays very focused on Tesla--the man, his ideas, and his interactions with important contemporaries of the time. The film has a brooding feel to it which captures the blend of genius, vision, eccentricity and mental instability that was Tesla. There are lots of night scenes which dramatically set off the electric "light-up" effects. I also liked the camera's frequent emphasis on Tesla's rapport with Nature--water, wind, lightning, the earth. The performances of the major characters (Tesla, Edison, Westinghouse, and Morgan) are all very enjoyable.

Don't buy this DVD
It's beyond doubt that Nikola Tesla was a genius. Equally it's beyond doubt that this entertaining movie is without question the most appalling transfer onto the DVD medium ever! It's not just the diabolical colour saturation or the abhorrent audio that should give this movie transfer 0 out of 1000 but on one scene the movie turns to B&W, pauses, rewinds (exactly like a VHS movie) before continuing again!!

I wish it were possible to give this DVD a negative rating as its transfer is beyond a joke. Charging $USD26.96 makes this a horrendous criminal nightmare!

A video can't replace Tesla but...
Tesla's life and history was greate and strange. Personally I felt that this video could be better. I don't understand Tesla native's lenguage and used english weren't very clear for a video intented for sale worldwide. Any way, every thing about Tesla is interesting.

A Butchered Edition
This version of the 1980 Zagreb film production is altered from its original form. A "new-age" introduction featuring a rotund Priestess presiding over a wedding and some interview excerpts with a few psuedo-science quacks spoils the openning. The original Serb language introduction and other Serb language scenes do not have subtitles as in the earlier US release prints. There has also been some reorganization of footage which doesn't improve any aspect of the film. "UFO Films" who now control the film and distribution rights should be condemned for this travesty... The original was a modest but successful first attempt at a biographical film about Tesla. It certainly won't be too long before some (hopefully capable)filmmaker revisits the subject ... Read more

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Everyone knows about the kite and the key, the Declaration of Independence, and Poor Richard's Almanac, but nonscholars will find much to learn in this documentary tracing the epic of Benjamin Franklin's life. Using actors Dylan Baker and Richard Easton as Franklin speaking his own words, the makers of this PBS offering bring his writings to life without resorting to corny dramatizations. The documentary first explores his education as a minister, career as a printer, and retirement to a life of science at the age of 47. The second part explores his transformation to revolutionary: his life in England and eventual rejection of its domination, the resulting painful split with his son, and his colonial radicalism at age 70. The final chapter of his life takes place in France, where he operates with subterfuge to win France's support against the English and more or less invents diplomacy. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Of Course It Won an EMMY AWARD
This is a superbly entertaining documentary capturing the brilliance, boldness, and bawdiness of Ben Franklin. It covers Franklin's rise to wealth as a businessman who, among other things, established perhaps the first organization for young entrepeneurs to network. It chronicles his role as a scientist (experimenting with electricity) and inventor (e.g., the Franklin stove and bifocals). Then we see how Franklin's role as diplomat helped secure the American colonies' success in freeing themselves from British rule. This documentary captures both Franklin's genius and his impishness. Franklin was a shrewd strategist who achieved his aims through calculation, perseverance, and a nimble wit. Not the typical marble statue portrayal of one of our founding fathers, "Benjamin Franklin," shows the real flesh and blood character of Franklin who was nothing if not colorful.

Fabulous Documentary - Entertaining and Informative
This is one of my favorite documentaries to date. The acting is top notch for the young Franklin, the elder Franklin, and others in Franklin's life. Re-enactments and unique footage fill the majority of scenes instead of musty paintings or drawings. The whole documentary has a fresh and witty feel.

What impressed me most, though, was how clearly and informatively the documentary sets out the life of Franklin, his character, and his effect on early America and the world. Not only is he revealed as a genius and a founding father, he is shown as a humorous man and the quintessential American. Franklin displays all the unique traits that define the American character, from the refusal to accept social status as fixed by birth to the constant search for scientific truths.

Two parts, both excellent. The documentary should have great appeal to any age with even the vaguest interest in American history.

A True Gem
Benjamin Franklin is an impressive production about an amazing person - in the Ken Burns tradition, but better.

FANTASTIC BIO!
Not only does this documentary keeps you interested, it brings it to life with wonderful acting. The script is based on all of the letters from Franklin makes this a great dvd to own because of it's uniqueness. There are times as if Ben himself was speaking to the camera, and there are moments that will have you laughing, OUT LOUD! Great perspective on a man who we know but at the same time we do not know enough (for example, out of all the "founding fathers" he was the only one who was against slavery). A great job! ... Read more

Description

The Line King tells the amazing story of Al Hirschfeld, creator of thousands of famous drawings of stars and celebrities for more than sixty years. Nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature (1996), TheLine King celebrates Hirschfeld’s many years of work for The New York Times, where his drawings were a centerpiece of the Sunday Arts section. With appearances by Lauren Bacall, Carol Channing, Joan Collins, Barbara Walters, Robert Goulet, and many others, The Line King is a fascinating portrait of the artist as a cultural icon.
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Reviews (2)

An engaging look at the popular celebrity caricaturist
If you have been enjoying Al Hirschfeld's caricature drawings of Broadway and Hollywood stars in "The New York Times" and elsewhere the last 70 years, then you will want to check out this 126-minute documentary just because you get to see his daughter Nina (for those of you totally out of the loop on this one, Hirschfeld always puts "NINA" into his drawing someplace, making her the original Waldo in a way, I guess). Susan W. Dryfoos put together this completely engaging look at one of the nation's most beloved illustrators. Do not look for any controversy in this story, because it is as much a history of New York theater for most of the last century. "The Al Hirschfeld Story" is told not only through interviews, but also through home movies and interviews with some of the celebrities who have been captured by Hirshfeld's pen. Still, the most enjoyable part of this documentary is getting to meet the quirky and compassionate man behind the legion of famous drawings. "The Line King" was first telecast on PBS in 1999.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Mr. Hirschfeld.
As fit as he is talented, Al Hirschfeld has lent his drawing skills to the faces of hundreds of theatrical actors for decades. This very enjoyable documentary captures the life and line of an American treasure. Even the most jaded artists and art lovers cannot deny the importance of Hirschfeld to 20th century American art. This piece proves that. END ... Read more

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This thoughtful PBS special examines the life and work of Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, perhaps best known for his compelling memoir, Night, in which he describes his survival in the Auschwitz concentration camp of Nazi Germany. While an hour cannot do justice to an entire life--to say nothing of a life as tumultuous as Wiesel's--interviews with Wiesel and readings from his works trace the path from his terrifying childhood to his days as a journalist in Paris, the establishment of Israel, and his later years in America, including his troubled thoughts on the current conflict between Israel and Palestine and the September 11 assaults on the World Trade Center. Weisel describes the central concern of his work as memory--ensuring that the horrors of the past are not forgotten, but honored and held up as a warning to the future. Narrated by William Hurt. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A moving portrait of a remarkable man.
Elie Wiesel's life is a miracle. He not only survived the death camps as a child, but lived to become a witness who inspired thousands of other survivors to respond to the crippling effects of memories of the Holocaust by breaking their silence. He has written essays, plays, novels exploring the greatest horrors ever visited on human beings, and of their effects on the individuals involved. And he has been a tireless defender of the rights of humans in every corner of the world to live in dignity and free of brutal oppression. Those who want the remarkable experience of spending an intimate hour in the presence of this Nobel Prize winner should see this film, and should also spend time on the companion website at www.pbs.org. ... Read more

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By lifting the veil that protected Stanley Kubrick from public scrutiny, Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures allows the world to see a genius who bore little resemblance to the eccentric persona perpetuated by the media. Essentially a professional home movie (producer-director Jan Harlan was Kubrick's long-time executive producer and brother-in-law), it is both biased and privileged in its access to Kubrick's personal archives, but Harlan's balanced approach allows room for appropriate criticism. While offering a definitive survey of Kubrick's life and 13 feature films, it's also a valentine to a devoted husband, father, and collaborator who, as critic Richard Schickel observes, crafted a private life that anyone would envy and admire. The films speak for themselves, while such luminaries as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Tom Cruise (who also narrates) offer valuable perspective. But it's the private anecdotes (such as Kubrick writing a 15-page guide to caring for his family's cats) that are most enlightening in their warmth and affection, revealing an artist whose humanity far outshined the mistaken perceptions of the outside world. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

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This hard-drinking "bantam rooster" of a painter was arguably as famous for his art-world politics as he was for his remarkable body of work, according to Ken Burns's dynamic documentary. Using the usual interviews with friends, family, critics, and historians combined with old newsreels, television interviews, and myriad paintings as backdrops, Burns has produced an unusually entertaining work. His subject matter helps: Benton embodied contradiction. A sophisticate who yearned to be simple, he observed and painted a world of factory work, saloon frequenting, and prizefighting. He mentored Jackson Pollack, but publicly lambasted abstract impressionism. In his 85 years he struggled, became the rage, and saw his oeuvre go out of style. Benton's outspokenness is augmented by Burn's unwillingness to coddle his subject. Students laud him, but critics get their say, too, calling him talentless and questioning his legacy. The DVD comes with two short "conversations" with Burns about his work. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Superb documentary of a great American painter.
"Thomas Hart Benton" is a revealing and immensely watchable biography of an artist who probably reached more Americans than any other. As Ken Burns ably proves, Benton's work captured the spirit and history of the average American man and woman.

Combining samples of Benton's work, interviews with art critics, family, friends and enemies as well as footage of Benton himself, Burns presents a perfectly balanced approach to an artist's life and his statement of America as a struggling, vibrant land.

You don't have to like Benton's art to like this film. In fact, several of the critics Burns interviewed for this one-hour documentary dismiss Benton as a serious artist. However, what they say about Benton is as revealing as the praise of critics who revere him. Perfectly balanced and entertaining. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Rockin good time
I wholeheartedly recommend this film to anyone -- it's for parents and children, not just fathers and daughters. This movie plays more like a story than what you usually think of as documentary. I liked old Blakey, though some people in the audience couldn't stand him. It made me think about my relationships with my own parents. It's very funny up until the bittersweet ending.

Excellent title. Makes you want to know what the movie's abo
This movie was very touching, honest, sad, interesting and complete. However, it leaves Tessa "without closure". She wants her father to accept her biracial boyfriend, yet he denies her the opportunity. He quickly ends the conversation as the movie ends. I noticed her tears. The ONE thing she wants him to understand is beyond his social and ethical abilities, which is sad. Money and beauty is all that motivates her father. She loves her biracial boyfriend, yet leaves him, I think, because of her father and what he thinks. Her desire to make her father happy overcomes her own desires for happiness. She does not want to disappoint her father, which is very understanding. She wants to make her father happy, yet wants to be happy herself. This film was excellent. I wish I had her personal email address, which is probably impossible. She knows, as well as I do, that money is not everything in life. Her boyfriend was very intelligent, attractive and fun. Skin color is not significant when it comes to happiness. I wish you happiness, Tessa, if you read this.

excellent
Awesome documentary. Turn the audio commentary on, you'll get a kick out of it - I loved hearing Tessa and the producer fill in the blanks! This is not just a "chick movie," my whole family loved it.

a reel pleasure
I very much enjoyed this film. Funny and SAD! made me glad to be me and have my family. At least we TALK about things!

Good movie for documentary fans
Good movie, worth seeing. Interesting storytelling, issues are presented well. Very cool soundtrack. ... Read more