mini series

War and Remembrance: The Complete Epic Mini-Series
$129.98
"War and Remembrance"(the complete epic) is powerful movie-making with a profound message for modern generations. Set amidst the loves and lives of the fictional Henry family, this story places you right in the middle of World War II and all of its brutality. There were significant casting changes from the original cast of "Winds of War", which take some getting used to - the abscence of Jan Michael Vincent and Ali McGraw in particular. However, the cast is ultimately overshadowed by the enormity of the historical events, especially the Holocaust, which Producer/Director Dan Curtis shows with unflinching realism. Using a mix of archival footage and very realistic dramatic scenes, he shows us the horror of the Holocaust juxtaposed with the seemingly normal day to day life of the German soldiers who were "just following orders". Everyone alive now, and particularly those under age 40, need to understand the magnitude of these events and why the WWII generation was indeed "The Greatest Generation". Today we are faced with a multitude of Holocaust deniers and people willing to use appeasement as a tool to deal with terrorists - it didn't work 40 years ago, and it won't work today. Watch this mini-series with your family so that you all can understand that these things can happen, are even happening now, when good people fail to speak up or take a stand against tyranny. "War and Remembrance" is a gut-wrenching history lesson that the World needs to listen to, wrapped up in an engrossing dramatic story. The holocaust scenes are graphic and disturbing, but considering much of the gratuitous nudity and violence that children are exposed to today, I think children(12+)especially need to see this to understand exactly why the Nazis had to be stopped at all costs. Be sure to watch "Winds of War" before you watch this one, or you will miss a lot.

Count Dracula (BBC Mini-Series)
$14.98
There have been so many, many versions of Dracula portrayed on film. I first saw this film when I was 10 years old (38yrs today)and it still leaves me stunned. On Halloween night, in 1981 as a kid, I sat down in a typical Halloween costume and was glued to the tube, searching for a good scare. I always looked for films in the Hammer Studios type-produced horror films portraying Dracula as with Christopher Lee. But never had I seen a full length version devoted to the entire storey. Everything from the journey to and from England and Transylvania, was incredible to watch. Even the music scared me..lol.. Louis Jourdan played the best of all Dracula characters ever!!! Yes Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee are wonderful...but, Louis Jourdan really made my jaw drop! This film was shown on Channel 8 in Atlanta,GA with mostly programs dedicated to the BBC. When this film was finally placed on DVD....my heart skipped because finally a well made version had come back to life for me to own. Since purchasing this film upon its release to DVD, I have kept it as a rare jewel and even purchased more copies to hand out as gifts when friends-fans alike wanted a great version of Dracula.
The whole film, coming from a horror fan here, was just beautiful and frightening all together.

Every Halloween Season, I get out this film as a tradition to get a good scare.lol

John Adams (HBO Miniseries)
$59.99
Though most people may be drawn to this HBO miniseries for its look at the founding fathers and events of our nation in the early years of existence, I would like to add another reason (well, two actually): the gritty realism that the period is portrayed in, and the incredible acting that really brings the characters to life.

Now, don't get me wrong...this series is indeed a fascinating look at the formative years of the United States of America through the prism of John Adams' existence. Though those events now take on an air of legend, viewers will quickly take pleasure in seeing the events not portrayed as overly epic (unless they actually were!) but as the real-life struggles of some pioneer thinkers.

However, what continues to stick in my mind after viewing the entire series is how "real" the entire experience seemed. From the macro level (like the general living conditions and attitudes towards women/slavery) to the micro level (the crude nature of medicine and the sound of flies that can be heard buzzing in almost every scene), it felt as if I really had been transported to that time period.

Also not to be overlooked is the incredible acting throughout the series. Paul Giammatti (Adams) is one of the most underrated character actors of the modern day, and yet he is matched word for word by Laura Linney (Abigail Adams). The actors portraying such characters as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington are even able to bring forth the traits of the real-life luminaries they are portraying.

Thus, I would recommend this seven-part miniseries to pretty much any viewer who has any interest in historical topics whatsoever. Experts on the period will enjoy the realism of the series, while more casual viewers will just be transported away to a life that, while difficult, produced men and women that turned the U.S. into a nation to be reckoned with.

Porgy and Bess/Opera Journeys Mini Guide Series
$9.75
The Opera Journeys Mini Guide Series is just wonderful; it's like a "Cliff Note" of the opera, and extremely informative and educational. I particularly like the size; these guides are not cumbersome and fit right into my shirt pocket. The ladies will find sufficient room in their pocketbooks.The story narrative with the music examples is excellent. I prefer it to a libretto; indeed, it's a much easier way to follow the essence of the story. The essay is magnificent; very well written, not pedantic, and extremely insightful and comprehensible. I congratulate Burton Fisher for a job very well done and Amazon for making these handy, information-laden booklets available. The Opera Journeys Mini Guide Series is a wonderful contribution to opera education and opera appreciation.My tip: acquire the entire collection because you will be in easy reach of superbly presented opera guides consisting of story analysis, principal characters in the opera, story narrative with music highlights, background, analysis, and commentary.Heinz Dinter, Ph.D.