To Walk Invisible: the Brontë Sisters | All Governments Lie | the Great War | Strike a Pose | Keep Quiet | Rachel Carson Scene & Heard
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July-August 2017 VOL. 32 THE VIDEO REVIEW MAGAZINE FOR LIBRARIES N O . 4 IN THIS ISSUE To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters | All Governments Lie | The Great War | Strike A Pose | Keep Quiet | Rachel Carson scene & heard BAKER & TAYLOR’S SPECIALIZED A/V TEAM OFFERS ALL THE PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND EXPERTISE TO FULFILL YOUR LIBRARY PATRONS’ NEEDS. Learn more about Baker & Taylor’s Scene & Heard team: Experience Baker & Taylor is the ELITE most experienced in the Helpful personnel focused exclusively on A/V products and business; selling A/V customized services to meet continued patron demand products to libraries since 1986. PROFICIENT Qualified entertainment content buyers ensure frontlist and backlist titles are available and delivered on time SKILLED Supportive Sales Representatives with an average of 15 years industry experience DEVOTED Nationwide team of A/V processing staff ready to prepare your movie and music products to your shelf-ready specifications KNOWLEDGEABLE Full-time staff of A/V catalogers, backed by their MLS degree and more than 43 years of media cataloging expertise 800-775-2600 x2050 [email protected] www.baker-taylor.com Spotlight Review To Walk Invisible: and the delicate reticence of Anne (Charlie Murphy)—while also portraying Branwell The Brontë Sisters (Adam Nagaitis) and their father Patrick HHHH (Jonathan Pryce) with a touching degree of PBS, 120 min., not rated, sympathy, given the obvious flaws of both Publisher/Editor: Randy Pitman DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $34.99 men. In addition to the drama surrounding Associate Editor: Jazza Williams-Wood Branwell’s troubles, the narrative explores The most significant Editorial Assistant: Christopher Pitman the almost comical difficulties that the period (1845-48) in the sisters confronted in trying to protect their Graphic Designer: Carol Kaufman lives of 19th-century “intellectual property” interests while also British authors Anne, Marketing Director: Anne Williams preserving their anonymity after their nov- Charlotte, and Emily els became wildly popular. The film ends Brontë—when they were driven by both with brief written captions covering their Contributing Writers financial need and creative impulses to later lives (which, in the case of Emily and publish their first novels under assumed Anne, amounted to only a few months, and Carson Block, formerly with names—is brilliantly dramatized by writ- not much longer for Charlotte). Featuring Poudre River Public Library District er-director Sally Wainwright in this gritty striking Yorkshire locations, convincing per- Kathleen C. Fennessy, Reviewer, BBC telefilm, which was broadcast stateside formances, and great attention to detail, this The Stranger on PBS’s Masterpiece series. While To Walk is an outstanding drama that is unlike most Invisible does portray the sisters—along Susan Granger, SSG Syndicate romanticized biographical movies about with their doomed brother Branwell—as authors—and is all the better for it. Extras Donald Liebenson, Reviewer, youngsters who used their imaginations to Entertainment Weekly, Amazon.com include the behind-the-scenes featurette “An create elaborate fantasy worlds, the central Authentic Look” and the historical segment Stephen Rees, Librarian, formerly with focus is on how as adults they reacted to “The Brontë Story.” Highly recommended. Branwell’s sad decline into alcoholism and Bucks Co. Free Library, Levittown, PA Editor’s Choice. (F. Swietek) Frank Swietek, Associate Professor its impact on their cleric father, turning to of History, University of Dallas, TX writing as a means of sustaining the family, and perhaps saving their brother from him- self. The combination here of expert writing Cover Photo: © BBC/Gary Moyes. Additional Contributors: and powerful acting superbly captures the differences between the women—the stern Note: Video Librarian editor Randy Pitman is Sean Axmaker aggression of Emily (Chloe Pirrie), the sim- on vacation. His “Final Frame” column will Charles Cassady mering pugnacity of Charlotte (Finn Atkins), return in the next issue. Jose Cruz Phil Hall TABLE OF CONTENTS Tom Keogh Lisa Martincik Michael Sandlin Video Newsbriefs 4 Food & Spirits 52 Books Into Movies 6 Beauty & Fashion 52 Mixed Media 8 Business & Economic 53 Video Movies 14 Computers & Technology 53 Video Librarian (ISSN: 0887-6851) is pub- TV on Video 38 Sports, Games & Recreation 53 lished bi-monthly by Video Librarian, 3435 NE Nine Boulder Dr., Poulsbo, WA 98370. Key to Star Ratings 40 The Arts 54 Subscriptions: $64 for one year in the Unit- ed States; $69 (US) in Canada (includes Video Reviews 40 History & Current Events 55 GST); $86 elsewhere. Address all correspon- dence to Video Librarian, 3435 NE Nine Children’s 40 Travel & Geography 57 Boulder Dr., Poulsbo, WA 98370. Period- icals Postage Paid at Poulsbo, WA and at Psychology & Self-Help 42 Biography 58 additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Video Librarian, Religion & Philosophy 44 Series Update 59 3435 NE Nine Boulder Dr., Poulsbo, WA 98370. Copyright © 2017 by Randy Pitman. Education 44 Japanese Anime 60 All rights reserved. Telephone/Fax/E-mail Law & Crime 45 Music/Dance 63 Subscriptions: (800) 692-2270 Social & Political Issues 46 Distributor Addresses 64 Editorial: (360) 626-1259 Advertising: (800) 265-7965 Nature, Math & Science 49 Title Index 66 Fax: (360) 626-1260 E-mail: [email protected] Health & Fitness 50 Advertiser Directory 66 Web: www.videolibrarian.com Relationships & Sexuality 52 JULY/AUGUST 2017 3 VIDEO LIBRARIAN Video Newsbriefs “Sid & Nancy,” “Hopscotch,” photographs tak- en by some of the “Meantime” on Criterion most celebrated August Slate photojournalists of NEW RELEASE! the 20th century; The Criterion Collection’s August historic television releases lead off August 8 with Holly- broadcasts; evoc- wood master Michael Curtiz’s unsung ative home mov- 1950 classic The Breaking Point (DVD: ies; and revelatory $29.95, Blu-ray: $39.95), a white-knuck- audio recordings le adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s from inside the charter-boat thriller To Have and Have Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon ad- Not that stars John Garfield and Pa- ministrations. With original music by tricia Neal. Coming August 15 is Brit- composer Trent Reznor and Yo-Yo Ma, ish filmmaker Ronald Neame’s 1980 among others, The Vietnam War will cat-and-mouse spy comedy Hopscotch also feature extras including additional (DVD: $29.95, Blu-ray: $39.95), starring footage, a 45-minute preview program, Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson in and more. A companion book—written a nimble tale of international intrigue by Ward, with an introduction by Burns based on Brian Garfield’s bestselling and Novick—will be published by Alfred novel. Also arriving August 15 is a new A. Knopf, Burns’s longtime publisher, on 2K restoration of Mike Leigh’s 1984 September 5. drama Meantime (DVD: $29.95, Blu-ray: $39.95), a slow-burning depiction of economic degradation in Thatcher’s En- “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” gland that stars Tim Roth and Gary Old- Complete Set Now Available man. Slated for August 22 is filmmaker BREAKING POINT: Sacha Guitry’s 1951 late-career black from Time Life THE WAR FOR DEMOCRACY comedy La poison (DVD: 2 discs, $29.95; Named by TV Guide as one of the IN UKRAINE Blu-ray: $39.95), the writer-director’s “50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time,” From Academy Award Winning first collaboration with wildly expres- Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In: The Complete Director Mark Jonathan Harris sive performer Michel Simon in a quint- Series (DVD: 38 discs, $249.95) is now essential depiction of a marriage gone available exclusively from Time Life Just days after the revolution in Ukraine, the sour between a village gardener (Simon) (www.TimeLife.com/Laughin). Serving country was invaded by Russia. Ukrainians and his wife (Germaine Reuver)—who up a fast-moving barrage of rapid-fire of all backgrounds rallied to the country’s now plan how to do away with each one-liners, ongoing sketches, musical defense, in the process creating a new sense of other. Also coming August 22 is a new numbers, and hilarious social and po- Ukrainian nationhood. Breaking Point: The War 4K digital restoration of Alex Cox’s 1986 litical satire, the show was an instant for Democracy in Ukraine is the dramatic and crash-and-burn punk romance Sid & hit following its NBC primetime debut inspiring portrait of people willing to give up Nancy (DVD: 2 discs, $29.95; Blu-ray: their private, normal lives to unite in a collective in 1968. Hosted by Dan Rowan and Dick e ort to bring the rule of law and democracy to $39.95), which re-imagines the affair Martin, the unique variety series—a their country. between Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious psychedelic take-off of a ‘60s-style hap- (Gary Oldman) and his girlfriend, Nan- pening—perfectly captured the spirit of Run time: 98 minutes cy Spungen (Chloe Webb). an era while also launching the careers English Subtitles, Closed Captioned of many a comic actor and writer, and “Mark Jonathan Harris and Oles Sanin’s Ken Burns’ “The Vietnam War” introducing hip catchphrases like “Sock astonishing documentary presents edge-of-your- it to me!,” “You bet your sweet bippy!,” seat, you-are-there footage as thousands of Series Arrives September 19 and “Here come da judge!” The comic protesters in Kiev gather. to demand the from PBS regulars included Goldie Hawn’s giggly removal of pro-Putin Ukraine president Viktor blonde, Lily Tomlin’s snorting telephone Yanukovych. Highly recommended.” PBS Distribution has announced the operator, Judy Carne’s “Sock-It-To-Me” upcoming release of a highly anticipat- girl, Jo Anne Worley’s anti-chicken-joke —T. Keogh, Video Librarian Magazine ed new documentary series directed militant, Ruth Buzzi’s perpetually-frus- by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, The trated spinster, and Arte Johnson’s Vietnam War (DVD: 10 discs, $99.99; “verrry interesting” German soldier, to Blu-ray: 10 discs, $129.99), which will name a few.