WORLD CINEMA LIST
Videos and Films from Around the World
Note: Some of these films may have mature themes.
Africa
Afrique, je te plumerai (by Jean-Yves Teno): a fabulous documentary from Cameroon. It examines the legacy of colonialism in Africa, and mixes footage from French colonial newsreels with commentary and interviews from today (available from California Newsreel in SF). It's very subtle but at the same time very, very illuminating. It is one of the best films on colonialism.
Boesman and Lena - South African/French film about a South African couple evicted from their land.
Chocolat (the 1988 Claire Denis film, not the new one with Juliette Binoche): set in French colonial Cameroon, focusing on a French settler family and their servants. Isaach de Bankolé's performance as their "boy" Protée is masterful, and gets at the psychological devastation of colonialism. The film focuses on the relationship between Protée and the young daughter in the family.
Jit - fun movie about man trying to raise the bride price to secure marriage to the dream of his life. Zimbabwe 1990
Flame - This Zimbabwean film vividly portrays the trials of 2 teenage girls who join the guerilla fight against the racist Ian Smith regime and for the independence of their country.
Guimba: the Tyrant - A film from Mali
Shaka Zulu (dir. William C. Faure, 1986)
Zulu (1964 - Roarke's Drift battle)
Keita (The Heritage of the Griot) - Keïta creates a unique world where the West Africa of the 13th Century Sundjata Epic and the West Africa of today co-exist and interpenetrate. Director Dani Kouyaté frames his dramatization.
Le Grand blanc de Lambarene (dir. Bassek ba Kobhio, 1995), Albert Schweitzer in Gabon
Mabo Keïta - contemporary boy from Burkina Faso, learning the history of his family. During the film, Mabo and his distant ancestor, Sundjata, engage in parallel quests to understand their destinies, to "know the meaning of their names
Master Harold and the Boys (1985 - South Africa)
The Kitchen Toto - Kenya in the 1950s. A servant boy is caught between loyalties.
The Battle of Algiers (1965 "La Battaglia di Algeri" - North Africa)
Le Grandd Bloanc de Lambarene (The great white man of Lambarene) - Story of the German doctor who dedicated his life to provide healthcare in Cameroon as told from an African perspective. Great insights into the mind of the "friendly imperialist" 1995 93 min
Lumumba: Death of a Prophet - Documentary on life of the charismatic leader in The Congo's fight for independence. An excellent film to get an idea about the Belgian exploitation of the Congo. 1992 70 min
Mortu Nega - Film from Guinea Bissau telling about the struggle for liberation and the difficulties of post-colonial reconstruction.
Neria - explores the difficulties of widow resolving property rights disputes when tribal customs come into conflict with the modern legal system. Zimbabwe
Sango Malo- the confrontation between village headmaster and idealistic new teacher explores problems of modernization in Senegal.
City Lovers, Country Lovers: The Gordimer Stories. (use the Country Lovers segment) - Excellent portrayal of life under apartheid. A little risqué but worth the comments.
Cry Freedom (Richard Attenborough) - Story of Stephen Biko the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement that spurred the anti-apartheid struggle. Hollywood at its best on the reality of life under apartheid in S. Africa.
The Money Order (Le Mandat) - Story of a man who tries to cash his money order and must swim through a web of bureaucracy in post-colonial Senegal. (Dr. Ousmane Sembene 1968, 90 min)
Camp Thiaroye (Camp de Thiaroye, Ousmane Sembene 1987, 152 mins) - Story of Senegalese who were enlisted to fight in WWII on behalf of French - a critique of the colonial relationship involved.
Khartoum (1966) - General Charles "Chinese" Gordon fights and ultimately loses to the Mahdi and the Dervishes in The Sudan.
Ceddo (dir. Ousmane Sembene, 1977) - Islamic and Christian expansion into Senegal
The Americas
Argentina / Chile
The Motorcycle Diaries 2004 - Brilliant film cataloguing the journey that Ernesto "Che" Guevara takes all over South America right before he graduates from medical school.
Son of the Bride 2201 - Oscar nominated film depicting the hectic life of a restaurateur in Buenos Aires as he juggles to make his business and life succeed in an Argentina on the brink of disaster, as always. Captivating story line.
The Official Story - Argentina. Dramatization of the "disappeared", those who were taken away by the government during the military junta that ruled in Argentina during the 1980s.
Missing - Excellent dramatization of the 1973 Pinochet coup in Chile. American-made film starring Jack Lemon and Cissy Spacek.
Brazil
Bananas is my Business - Fresh and original documentary on the famous Brazilian singer, dancer and movie star, Carmen Miranda
City of God (2002) (Cidade de Deus) Busca-Pe (Alexandre Rodrigues) lives in Cidade de Deus (City of God), a housing project reputed to be one of the most dangerous parts of otherwise magical Rio de Janeiro. He's frightened he'll end up like the countless others around him -- troubled, violent or dead. A disturbing film mirrors many of the problems of poverty. R rated.
Gaijin - A film about Japanese immigration to Brazil that took place during the early 1900s
How Tasty My Little Frenchman -- A Brazilian film about the conflicts between French and Portuguese in colonization of Brazil and the ways Indians dealt with Europeans. (Mature themes)
Paraguay
The Mission (1986) - Portuguese & Spanish slave traders in 18th century Paraguay are delayed and battled by members of the Jesuit missionary order attempting to Christianize the Guarneiri peoples of the Paraguay/Brazilian border region.
Mexico / Central America
The Garden of Eden (El Jardin del Eden) 1994 -- Looking for a better destiny for their lives, a group of people arrives in Tijuana, at the Mexico-USA borderline. An informative look at the city where the poverty of Mexico meets the promise of USA.
In the Country Where Nothing Happens (En el pais de no pasa nada) - 1999 - An imaginative story about a bored housewife and her unfaithful husband which touches upon the middle class realities of everyday life in Mexico in a humorous way.
Life According To Muriel -1997. Directed by Eduardo Milewicz. Critics' favorite in its native Argentina, Life According to Muriel is a moving drama with warm touches of humor. An abandoned wife leaves the hectic life of Buenos Aires behind her, taking her nine-year-old daughter with her to the country.
Like Water for Chocolate - Mexico 1991 114 minutes - Set during the Mexican Revolution this is the story of love, revolution and cooking all wrapped together. (R Rated)
Perros Amores - Mexico 2001 - This films depicts the sometimes brutal life of people and dogs living in Mexico city from the perspective of the dogs. (R rated)
Cabeza deVaca - A Mexican film that tells the story of a Spanish conquistador stranded in Florida forcing him to encounter Indians which leads to his adopting the ways of the Indians.
The Crime of Padre Amaro - 2002. A young Father is sent to a village where he ends up falling in love. R rated
The Summer of Miss Forbes 1988 - Directed by Jaime H. Hermosillo -- Two children plot to kill their nanny in this delightfully twisted black comedy, written by Nobel prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Directed by Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, one of Mexico's premier filmmakers. Spanish with English subtitles. 85 Minutes
El Norte - Brilliant portrayal of a brother and sister's journey from Guatemala to the US.
La Paz 1994 Directed by Jose Sanchez -- A respected Bolivian heart surgeon returns to his native Bolivia during the summer of 1980, just as a coup has threatened the lives of thousands. He finds himself trapped by a curfew in the very classroom where a mentoring teacher once helped him. As he ponders the now dead teacher, a committed woman journalist appears. Spanish with English subtitles. 25 minutes.
Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War -- 1 hour, 56 minutes - Color - 1999 Documentary. William Randolph Hearst, yellow journalism, popular music, race, economics, the Maine, imperialism and altruistic ideals of supporting freedom were all factors in the war which propelled the United States in 1898 from an isolated nation to a world power. PBS video uses sources from the US, Cuba and the Philippines to chronicle a pivotal moment in American history. Narrated by Edward James Olmos.
North America
The Fast Runner - 2002 - Cannes Festival Award winning Inuit (Eskimo) film about two brothers (Amaqjuaq, the Strong One, and Atanarjurat, the Fast Runner) who struggle to hold their nomadic tribe together when the arrogant son of the chief, Oki, creates havoc in his quest of the beautiful Atuat. A long movie but great for understanding the character of nomadic Arctic life. R rated.
Black Robe (1991) In 1634, Jesuit missionary Father Laforgue arrives in the Canadian wilderness to convert the Huron and Algonquin Indians to Catholicism. Although the Algonquin chief offers guidance and friendship, Laforgue doesn't endear himself to the natives. On a journey up the St. Lawrence River, a devastating chain of events causes Laforgue to question his beliefs and forever changes the natives' way of life. Rated R, parental permission required.
I Will Fight No More Forever (1975 - TVM) - The Nez Perce nation of the Pacific Northwest attempt to retain their lands and avoid being placed on government reservations during the 1870s.
Asia
China/Hong Kong/Taiwan
Beijing Bicycle - China 2002 - Bittersweet story about a bicycle courier in Beijing and his valiant attempt to succeed in business.
Shower - China 2000 - About the dilemmas of modernizing China. A son goes away to an economic zone and makes it rich but leaves behind his father and brother who run an old public baths in Beijing. When they are reunited the story begins..
To Live -- Engrossing story of a family living through Revolution, Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution.
The King of Masks - Hong Kong 1995, 101 min: A touching story of the life of a destitute child and an elder guardian in pre-Revolutionary China of the 1930s.
The Last Emperor: The story of Emperor Pu Yi - the titular head of state during pre-Revolutionary China. Spans war with Japan to Cultural Revolution but time sequence can be confusing for students.
The Blue Kite - A story about life during the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution.
Xiu Xiu the sent down girl - story of a girl who is sent to live in rugged countryside to raise horses during the Cultural Revolution.
YiYi (A One and a Two - Taiwan 2000, 173 min) The insightful story of a Taiwanese family facing various challenges.
Raise the Red Lantern (Da hong deng long gao gao gua) - 1991 - China in the 1920's. After her father's death, 19 year old Songlian is forced to marry Chen Zuoqian, the lord of a powerful family. Fifty year old Chen has already three wives, each of them living in separate houses within the great castle. The competition between the wives is tough, as their master's attention carries power, status and privileges. Each night Chen must decide which wife to spend the night with and a red lantern is lit in front of the house of his choice. And each wife schemes and plots to make sure it's hers.
House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) 2004 Near the end of the Tang Dynasty, police deputies Jin (Kaneshiro) and Leo (Lau) tangle with Mei (Zhang), a dancer suspected of having ties to a revolutionary faction known as the House of Flying Daggers.
Hero (Ying xiong) 2002 In ancient China, before the reign of the first emperor, warring factions throughout the Six Kingdoms plot to assassinate the most powerful ruler, Qin. When a minor official defeats Qin's three principal enemies, he is summoned to the palace to tell Qin the story of his surprising victory.
Qiu Ju Goes to Court (Qiu Ju da guan si) - 1992. Pregnant peasant woman seeks redress from the Chinese bureaucracy after the village chief kicks her husband in the groin in this comedy of justice. As she is frustrated by each level of the hierarchy and travels farther and farther away from the countryside the viewer is also provided with a look at the changing Chinese society
South Asia / India
Lagaan - great film about a cricket match to settle a score between a village and an ambition agent of the British Empire.
Monsoon Wedding - An enchanting film about a wedding and 2 other subplots set in a very modern India.
Kol…Mil Gaya 2003 - The ET of modern Indian cinema. An adventure comedy about an Indian family who makes contact with extraterrestrial.
Salaam Bombay - Follows the life of a child living in poverty on streets of Bombay, India.
Asoka - An enhanced account of the life of one of the most important Indian Rulers, Asoka, from the Mauryan Dynasty.
Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough - the well told story of the Mahatma. Includes segment on his experiences practicing law in South Africa.
The Middleman - A Satyajit Ray film from India about the futility of trying to make a living in India.
Earth - 1998 - Based on the autobiographical novel, Cracking India by Bapsi Sidwa, this is a story of the torment caused by the break up of India in 1947 when Pakistan was formed. Second in Deepa Mehta's trilogy, Fire is first and Water is yet to be made.
Fire - 1996 - Two women are stuck in loveless marriages and this is the story of their attempt at coping with it by finding love for each other. Was very controversial in India due to its lesbian theme.
Himalaya - 1999 - Karma goes on a journey and returns with news that Tinle's son was killed in an accident. Tinle thinks he is lying And this tears apart the tribe in its annual drive of the yaks to market. Filmed in Tibet with wonderful respect for nomadic people.
Indonesia
Mother Dao the Turtlelike -- a documentary on the Dutch factories and plantations in Indonesia comprised of historical films made by the colonialists in early 1900s. Hard to find.
Iran/Iraq
Children of Heaven - Iran, 1999. Heart-wrenching story about boy who looses his sister's only pair of pink shoes.
A Time for Drunken Horses - Iran, 2000. 77 min - Poignant story of a poverty-stricken family's quest to find medical attention for a child during a harsh winter on the Iran-Iraq boarder.
Voices of Iraq 2004 - Innovative film made by hundreds of Iraqis who were given video cameras to document their lives. Cameras and filming jump from one person to another each with their own perspective on the dilemma of post-war Iraq.
The White Baloon - 1995 - Touching film of a young girl's expedition in the bazaar of Tehran.
The Color of Paradise - 1999 - Blind 8 year old Mohammed returns home from school to the love of his sister and grandmother and the disdain of his father. Very touching.
Osama - 2003 - Afghanistan film about a girl who dresses as a boy to earn a meager living.
Baran - 2001 - The story takes place at a construction site in Iran where many Afghani refugees are working. A worker breaks his leg and attempts to have his daughter disguised as a male take his place.
Control Room 2004 - Award winning documentary about how Al Jazeera, the Arab news network, covered the Iraqi War.
Israel/Palestine
Over the Ocean - 1992 Directed by Jacob Goldwasser A poignant comedy about a struggling family whose lives are interrupted by the sudden possibility of success. Winner of nine Academy Awards in Israel. Hebrew with English subtitles. 89 Minutes
Kippur - Israeli film about he Yom Kippur War of 1973.
Tale of Three Jewels - 1995 frontline portrait of Palestinian life in Gaza strip following experiences of 12 year old boy.
Japan
Rhapsody in August 1991 92 min Film recounting the atom bomb dropped in Nagasaki by Akira Kurosawa, Japan's famous director.
Shall We Dance? 1995 134 min Clever and amusing film about a Japanese businessman who seeks to escape his monotonous life by taking dancing lessons on the sly.
Yasujiro Ozu's Good Morning (1959) Depicting suburban Tokyo in the 1950s and the ordered social structure of Japanese culture, this film tells the story of two Japanese boys who beg their parents for a television set, nagging incessantly until they're ordered to be quiet. The children take the command literally and refuse to speak -- at all. Their disobedience and bad manners begin to take a toll on their family as well as the community in which they live.
Ikiru (1952) After finding out he's terminally ill, a government official (Takashi Shimura) quits his job and prepares to face his last year alive. Determined not to die alone, he heads to a bar to get drunk for the first time. Hoping to drink himself to death, he instead meets an artist who takes him all over the city, and a female co-worker who sways him on the value of leaving a legacy.
Korea
Teacher Kim - Charming story of a corrupt teacher from Seoul who is sent to the countryside to teach in a small rural school.
JSA - exciting story of a Korean inspector from the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission who investigates the murder of 3 soldiers at the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea)
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004) Jin-Tae (Jang Dong-Gun) shines shoes, hoping to save enough money to send his younger brother, Jin-Seok (Won Bin), to university. Their mother runs a noodle shop and wishes the best for her two sons, even though things have been tough since her husband died. But all bets are off when the Korean War erupts and Jin-Seok is unwillingly conscripted into the war, which forces Jin-Tae to enlist just so he can save his brother.
Shiri - An espionage thriller about a secret agent who comes from the North to infiltrate the South's intelligence community.
The Way Home - Sang-Woo, a spoiled S. Korean boy, is spending the summer with his mute grandmother who lives in the mountains. This is a story of self-discovery and appreciation for those who love us.
Chihwaseon (Painted Fire) - 2002 - Biography set in Chosun period about a famous Korean painter, Chang Sung-up who created his masterpieces only when drunk. Won Cannes award for best director. Brilliant cinematography. R rated - need parent approval.
Vietnam
Regret to Inform -2000 - 70 minute film documenting a VN war widow's journey to see where her husband, and millions more, died. Though is shows the horrors of war, it also shows the rebirth of VN and Americans as they learn from the war.
The Return - 1994 - The regrets and contradictions of Vietnam's new materialism are explored in the story of a teacher.
The Scent of Green Papaya 1993 Directed by Tran Anh Hung this moving and undeniably brilliant film by the talented Vietnamese-exile filmmaker Tran Anh Hung is set in 1951. A young woman enters a life of servitude, working for a wealthy family. The film follows in exquisitely lyrical detail the quiet beauty and stoically accepted hardships of her life as ten years later, she starts a love affair with her next employer. Vietnamese with English subtitles. 104 mins.
Indochine - French-made love story taking place during the colonial period of Indochina and the rise of anti-imperialism
Vietnam: a Television History - path-breaking documentary on the American war in Vietnam. The first episode provides an excellent overview of French colonialism in "Indochina" and the origins of the war.
Australia / New Zealand / Pacific Islands
Burned Bridge 1994 - Fabulous TV miniseries starring Cate Blanchet as a divorcee who flees Sydney to the countryside and ends up living next to a community of Aboriginals. Compelling stories about the difficulties stemming from racist colonial pasts.
Once Were Warriors (1994) A disturbing drama directed by Lee Tamahori and based on Alan Duff's novel of the same name. Her marriage a shambles and her psyche bruised and betrayed, a Maori woman fights tooth and nail to keep her family intact.
Whale Riding - Beautiful story of a Maori girl from New Zealand who seeks to gain respect with her grandfather and community.
Flirting - Two "misfits" at a boarding school, a bullied stutterer and a Ugandan girl, find solace in each others company and intellect.
Walkabout (quite a bit of nudity), Nicolas Roeg 1970 - coming of age film with European and aboriginal adolescents encountering each other briefly.
The Last Wave - Peter Weir - about aborigines in Australia and how Europeans misunderstand them.
Picture Bride - young Japanese girl decides to marry a Hawaiian farmer on the basis of a photo, only he is much, much older than his picture seems. The story unfolds on the sugar plantations of Hawaii of the 1910s. Excellent film for story and history.
The Carribean
Sugar Cane Alley - On the island of Martinique in 1930 a grandmother is determined to see that her grandson gets the education he needs to break away from a life as a sugar plantation worker
The Harder They Come - Classic Jamaican film about how a reggae artist resists being exploited by the Jamaican recording industry.
Buena Vista Social Club - documentary about Cuban music that give flavor of the culture and predicament of today's Cubans.
Up to a Certain Point 1985 director Tomas Gutierrez Alea, 72 mins. A married, middle-aged screenwriter is researching the problem of machismo in Cuban society when she suddenly falls under the spell of a strong young dockworker, in this clever social comedy.
Burn - staring Marlon Brando in role as Sir William Walker, a British agent sent to a Caribbean island to foment rebellion against Portuguese in order to help British gain control.
Bitter Sugar 1996 Directed by Leon Ichaso. This visceral, energizing look at contemporary Cuba is an impassioned love story set against the political and economic tensions of Havana. Spanish with English subtitles, 102 minutes.
Fabulous story of the Cuban Cigar 1999 - Documentary on the history of tobacco in the Caribbean and the famous Cuban smoke.
Europe
British Isles / Ireland
Charlotte Grey - Story of a young Scots woman who can speak French fluently and gets persuaded to serve as a secret courier in Occupied France sending messages to the anti-Nazi resistance.
Land and Freedom - An English member of the Communist Party goes off to Spain to defend the Republic against the dictatorship of Franco during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39)
The Land Girls - Three women from the city help on the home front during WWII by working as farm laborers and find romance in the process.
Veronica Guerin 2003 - Dramatization of the life of a courageous journalist in Dublin who commits her efforts to tracing down drug dealers who are destroying her community.
Germany
Nowhere in Africa - 2001 - A Jewish family moves from Germany to Kenya when Hitler is rising to power. Their life unfolds in colonial Kenya as WWII takes place. Beautiful film which shows the grandeur of Kenya and the complexity of world history. Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. In English, German and Swahili.
The Nasty Girl - 1990 -- When a young woman investigates her town's Nazi past, the community turns against her. A quirky film about the fear and hatred elicited when a courageous girl tries to uncover scars from the past.
Greece
Z (1969) Based on true events, director Costa-Gavras's Oscar-winning film chronicles the overthrow of the democratic government in Greece. The edge-of-your-seat action closely parallels the real-life assassination of Gregorios Lambrakis, a Greek doctor and humanist whose murder in 1963 led to an abortive public scandal. Part mystery and part thriller.
Scandinavia
The Man with No Past - The main character is mugged and left with no memory. A quirky film about his attempts to reestablish his life in the margins of Finnish society.
Eastern Europe / Russia
Cuckoo - 2002 - A few days before Finland pulls out of WWII, Veiko, a Finnish sniper, is chained to a rock and forced to wear a German uniform as punishment for being a reluctant fighter. At the same time a Russian solder, Ivan, is sent to trial for writing
Pacifist poems on the front. Both these enemy soldiers end up being saved by a Lapp woman living on her own in the vast wilderness. Dialogue is in Lapp, Finnish and Russian (all subtitled). Fascinating for cultural interaction and view on war.
The Thief - 1997 - Katya and her son Sanya are coming home from the war in 1952 after their husband/father dies. Katya falls in love with a charming and mysterious Tolyan which begins the story.
East Side Story - A documentary on the making of musicals during the Cold War. Shows excerpts from many popular musicals largely from East Germany, USSR and Czechoslovakia. Entertaining and educational.
Kolya - 1996 - The Czech comedy is about a cellist in the philharmonic orchestra who is forced to playing funeral to make a living.
East-West - 2000 - It's 1946 and the USSR sends a message to ex-patriots around the world that they can come back and help rebuild the USSR. A young couple from France decides to do this with unfortunate results. Film was made jointly by French, Russian and Bulgarian filmmakers.
Goodbye Lenin - 2003 - Alex Kerner's Mother, Christine, has a heart attack just as monumental changes are taking place in East Germany. She ends up in a coma for 8 months during which time the Wall is torn down along with other major changes leading to
German reunification. When Christine regains consciousness, Alex tries to protect his mother from all the tumult by pretending nothing happened. Funny and poignant.
The Return (2003) (Vozvrashcheniye) -The sudden reappearance of a man (Konstantin Lavronenko) who left his family 12 years earlier stirs up some mixed emotions in the household. His sons know him only from photographs, and while teenage Andrey (Vladimir Garin) is content to accept the unexplained turn of events, his younger brother, Ivan (Ivan Dobronravov), wants answers.
Where to find World Cinema
Le Video, Video Rental Shop located on 9th Avenue 1/2 block from Golden Gate Park's Hall of Flowers entrance; an superb place to find and rent world cinema. International section is categorized by country. www.levideo.com
California Newsreel - a fabulous source for African films and other high caliber world cinema. Online at http://www.arabfilm.com
Excellent reference book - Time Out Film Guide 1400 pages of film listings and reviews from all over the world. 22.95 in paper
Netflix - http://www.netflix.com An internet means of ordering and viewing films. Costs $24.00/month.
Where to find World Music - http://www.worldmusic.com and http://www.putamayo.com
Films about Nomadic Lifestyles
The Fast Runner
Himalya
Films about Colonialism
Aguirre: The Wrath of God - 95 min 1972, German - Vivid portrayal of Spanish conquistadors seizing control of Andes.
Charge of the Light Brigade - 1936 - Hollywood treatment of the 1854 Crimean War between the imperial powers of Great Britain and Russia. Stars Errol Flynn, David Niven, Nigel Bruce and Olivia DeHavilland.
Gunga Din - 1939 - Hollywood injects a Wild West view of British imperialism in India around the time of the Indian Mutiny/Sepoy Rebellion of 1857. Stars Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Victor McLaglen and Joan Fontaine.
Mr. Johnson - Pierce Brosnan is a district officer in colonial Nigeria. Can be used for illustrating the colonial apparatus.
Life and Debt - Documentary made in 2001 to show the damage that the World Bank has had on Jamaica.
The Man Who Would Be King - 1972 - A lively meditation on imperialist power starring Michael Caine and Sean Connery.
The Exiles of Caudel Tango -- French/Argentine film on the tragedy of living life in exile. Argentine artists in exile living in Paris, weave a tale of their lives with the creation of their tragedy.
De Acá de Este Lado [From Here, From This Side] - Video Cassette - 25 minutes - Color - 1988 - The relationship between Mexico and its rich neighbor to the north has always been ambiguous. Incorporating texts by Octavio Paz and others, images from Mexican melodramas and Hollywood movies, Gloria Ribé 's video considers the question of cultural imperialism from "the other side."
Contrary Warriors: A Story of the Crow Tribe - Video Cassette - 1 hour - Color - 1985 - Filmmakers Connie Poten, Pamela Roberts and Beth Ferris' documentary chronicles the Crow Indians' century-long battle for survival, focusing on the life of Robert Yellowtail, a 97-year-old tribal leader who was instrumental in preserving Crow lands and traditions. Narrated by Peter Coyote.
Images of Indians: The Great Movie Massacre - Images of Indians Series - Video Cassette - 29 minutes - Color - 1979 This five-part series examines the American Indian stereotype in Hollywood movies, and how it affects people's understanding of real Native Americans. This episode traces the Indian Warrior stereotype from the dime novel and Wild West shows to modern films. The myth of Buffalo Bill and the historical inaccuracies in John Ford westerns are highlighted. Written, produced and directed by Phil Lucas and Robert Hagopian; narrated by Will Sampson.
Images of Indians Part 2: How Hollywood Wins the West - Images of Indians Series - Video Cassette - 30 minutes - Color - 1979 - This five-part series examines the American Indian stereotype in Hollywood movies, and how it affects people's understanding of real Native Americans. This episode explores the one-sided presentation of American history in Hollywood film, perpetuating the philosophy of Manifest Destiny with exciting - but inaccurate - battle scenes. Written, produced and directed by Phil Lucas and Robert Hagopian; narrated by Will Sampson.
Japan Past and Present: 4. The Meiji Period ( 1868-1910 ) - Japan Past and Present Series - Video Cassette - 53 minutes - Color - 1989 - The arrival of Commodore Perry in 1854 set the stage for Japan's leap from the Middle Ages into modernity. Edo became Tokyo, education became a national passion, and the dichotomy between ancient shared values and new imported styles and forms deepened as the Japanese spread their influence and their sovereignty in Formosa and Korea.
Zulu - 1964 - Fairly accurate Hollywood portrayal of the British loss at the Battle of Roarke's Drift during the Zulu Wars of the 1870's. Stars Michael Caine, Jack Hawkins and Stanley Baker.