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vidlib@videolibrarian.com
 
Updated June 18, 2013 |
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An Original DUCKumentary  (2012) 60 min. DVD: $19.99 ($42.95 w/PPR), Blu-ray: $24.99 ($42.95 w/PPR). PBS Video (www.pbs.org). Closed captioned. ISBN: 978-1-60883-809-7 (dvd), 978-1-60883-810-3 (blu-ray). 
Ducks are adaptable, social creatures who seem to be everywhere, yet rarely stray far from water. Hatched from their eggs (and resembling diminutive dinosaurs), they quickly imprint on their mother, leave their nests, form a family, and waste little time making their way in the world. This PBS-aired Nature documentary, narrated by Paul Giamatti, covers many of the 120 species of ducks, but concentrates primarily on the common North American Wood Duck. Viewers will learn that during infancy, many ducklings fall prey to hawks, foxes, and even household cats; ducks often secure food by diving under the water, although some are content to "dabble" on the surface; and that male ducks use brightly colored feathers and elaborate courtship rituals to land a mate, yet take no part in raising the family (some male ducks are known to "harass" females, even engaging in forced copulations—perhaps explained by the fact that males usually outnumber females). Ducks often have "blended" families, laying eggs in other nests and leaving them for other ducks to raise, a possible survival hedge against predators. The documentary explains various mysteries of the duck world, such as their habit of dropping all of their flight feathers at once during the summer (when ducks are rarely seen, but can be heard quacking happily in the thick marshes). The familiar V-shaped flying formation of ducks is explained as a matter of efficiency, with most ducks flying in the slipstream, thereby minimizing efforts and conserving energy needed for the long migratory flights in search of food. Beautifully lensed and packed with informative (and often humorous) insights into the hidden life of ducks, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)
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Beware of Mr. Baker (2012) 74 min. DVD: $14.95. Vivendi Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). 
Beware of Mr. Baker strikes a memorable opening note: irate septuagenarian drummer Ginger Baker—filmed at his homestead in South Africa—bloodies the nose of filmmaker Jay Bulger. Even with his lurid biography of heroin addiction, horrible relationships, and career crackups, Baker's musical genius still shines through here. Born in England on the eve of WWII, the flame-haired, impulsive Baker became a percussion phenomenon, mixing with the early Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, and ultimately playing in the legendary "supergroups" Cream and Blind Faith, as well as his own bands. Baker defined the stereotypically feral heavy-metal rocker (think: Animal from the Muppets), but also participated in a series of high-profile jams with jazz icons (Max Roach, Art Blakey), which confirmed his roots in jazz beats. In 1971, Baker moved to Africa, performed with Fela Kuti, and set up the continent's most advanced recording studio. He also took a fancy to horses and polo, costly pursuits that contributed to his losing fortunes several times over, as gigs dried up and marriages crumbled. Here, Rolling Stone writer Bulger finds Baker at a low point, estranged from family and bitter that as a "mere" drummer he's gone without royalties he deserved as a composer-arranger. Striking animated sequences enhance the great archival rock footage and interviews with admirers ranging from Johnny Rotten to Carlos Santana, providing a fine backbeat to this transfixing and harrowing rock-and-roll saga. An SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)
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Home Movie  (2012) 60 min. In Hebrew & Russian w/English subtitles. DVD: $29.90: individuals; $115: public libraries; $300: colleges & universities. Ruth Diskin Films (www.ruthfilms.com). PPR. You can say this much for Israeli filmmaker Reuven Brodsky’s documentary: the title is a hundred percent accurate. This is a home movie, both in concept (the director’s family is the spotlight) and in subject matter (focusing on a Jerusalem apartment that belongs to Brodsky’s divorced parents). The residence has mostly housed Brodsky’s Russian immigrant father and two elderly dogs, although Brodsky’s mother visits constantly, and—despite bickering with her ex-husband—still views the apartment with warmth and tenderness. Brodsky’s precocious young son also loves the place—hanging out with his doting grandparents, playing with their pets, and banging out tunes on the piano in the living room. However, a dilemma arises: Brodsky’s dad wants to leave, and his mom is torn between renting the space out as a source of additional income or holding on to it. While a lengthy and costly renovation project is undertaken, filmmaker Brodsky prepares for his second marriage (an uneasy conversation with his first wife is part of the mix). Perhaps the making of this documentary served as some sort of therapy for Brodsky; if so, the cinematic catharsis is certainly not shared by viewers. Although an award-winner for best documentary at the Israeli Docaviv festival, this is an optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall) |
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Loving a Stranger  (2013) 52 min. DVD: $49.95: public libraries; $150: colleges & universities. Interfilm Productions (www.interfilm.ca). PPR. ISBN: 978-0-9784976-5-1. Co-directors Boris Ivanov and Julia Ivanova focus on four North American women who recount their relationships with Muslim men in this troubling documentary. Roxanne, Stephanie, and Lainie appear on camera, while Alison is only seen in silhouette or through pixelated images. If the ladies aren't rich, they're definitely better off than their suitors. The primary subject, 41-year-old mother Roxanne, travels to Morocco to marry her 25-year-old fiancé, Abdel, a man she met while on vacation. After a failed marriage to a fellow Canadian with whom she had a lot in common, Roxanne decided to take a chance on someone completely different, in hopes that she would have better luck. It seems a rather naive notion, even if Roxanne did spend two years getting to know Abdel (the disclosure that he added two years to his age doesn't bode well, although they remain together when the credits roll). Roxanne’s friend, Stephanie, also married a man from Morocco; Alison wed a Pakistani suitor; and Lainie’s husband, Akra, hails from Guinea. Only Stephanie expresses interest in converting to Islam, a point of contention for the other couples. Unfortunately, Lainie's marriage didn't last; after Akra moved to Toronto, things quickly unraveled (he says she was too controlling, but Lainie believes he was just looking for a green card, and proceeds to testify against his petition to remain in the country). In all cases, the men appear to prioritize their economic situations over the fostering of a solid bond, making for a cynical if also thought-provoking film. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy) |
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Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War (1980) 4 discs. 702 min. DVD: $39.95. StarVista Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). 
The earliest large-scale broadcast attempt to cover the history of the Vietnam War, this 26-episode Canadian series (1980-81) appeared three years before the monumental PBS-aired Vietnam: A Television History (VL-10/87). Written by Peter Arnett, who covered the war for CNN, Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War begins with an overview of |
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Discover the World: Tuscany (2011) 30 min. DVD: $29.95. Worldwide Academic Media (tel: 866-691-1996, web: www.waprograms.com). PPR. ISBN: 978-1-59163-745-7. 
Serving up a short but colorful survey of both popular and lesser-known areas of this north-central region of Italy, Discover the World: Tuscany offers a little something for everyone: as a home to incredible architecture (showing varied influences from North African to French), the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, a famed wine country, and a paradise for foodies. The narrated travelogue leads armchair visitors through Siena, with its white cathedral standing out in an otherwise terracotta town; San Gimignano, whose tall towers stretched the limits of architectural possibility during medieval times; Pisa, with its incredibly beautiful square and famous leaning tower; and Florence, still under the sway of Michelangelo’s influence and legacy. Also stressed here are the benefits of getting off well-beaten tourist paths and discovering the “unknown Tuscany,” a sometimes harsher landscape where hills are split by erosion, ancient ruins can be explored, and rocky ground has been miraculously converted to vineyard-friendly soil. And, of course, there’s lot of Chianti, pizza, and pasta. Recommended. [Note: also newly available is Discover the World: Rio de Janeiro.] Aud: P. (T. Keogh)
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Growing Change: A Journey Inside Venezuela’s Food Revolution (2011) 60 min. DVD: $49: public libraries & high schools; $119: colleges & universities. Green Planet Films (tel: 415-377-5471, web: www.greenplanetfilms.org). PPR. 
Spurred by the food crisis of 2008—when natural disasters, speculation, and agricultural policy combined to spike the price of food worldwide, causing riots in dozens of countries—Australian filmmaker Simon Cunich began researching the factors that could lead to a repeat performance, a quest that led him to Venezuela, where a national push toward food “sovereignty,” or self-sufficiency, is transforming how people live and eat. During the past century, Venezuela—like many other countries—has been caught in a costly cycle: exporting raw ingredients, and then re-importing them as expensive items manufactured by huge corporate food-processors. Despite resistance from the |
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Tom Green Live (2012) 54 min. DVD: $14.98. Image Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). 
Former MTV star Tom Green (who jokes that his career is “going well,” given his Internet series—which he shoots in his living room) has lost nothing of his talent for pointed observations that offer a wacky perspective on life. Doing his first-ever standup stage act, Green shares his thoughts about the modern world of technology and our easy access to whatever we want. Green says that Facebook is no place for married couples and advocates a return to one-phone landlines in our homes: that way a spouse knows when his or her partner is talking with another lover. He also notes that “we all go online to post pictures of our stuff. We’re a generation of Peeping Toms.” Green decries texting, advising that we all start bringing a book to whip out when a distracted friend starts thumbing keys in front of us. (“Texting is going to make our limbs shrink, and all we’ll have are blobby thumbs,” he says.). Green also does a bit of reminiscing, saying that he grew up on a Canadian army base, where tanks were actually old Volkswagens with single missiles welded on top (he also recalls his childhood fear of the Cold War Russians, and early understanding that getting under a wooden desk for protection from a nuclear blast made no sense). Green also advocates for legalizing drugs, which would reduce the population through overdoses and—in our depressed economy—open up the job market for the rest of us. The Boston audience here clearly appreciates Green’s humor, as will his fans. DVD extras include a featurette on the history of The Tom Green Show. Recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)
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