Wednesday, February 29

Cobra

In Cobra, an impoverished Italian nobleman (Rudolph Valentino) takes a job with a New York antique dealer and falls in love with the secretary.

Complications arise when he makes a date with the antique dealer's wife (Nita Naldi) who mysteriously is murdered at the appointed meeting place.

Cobra was released in late 1925, a few weeks after what proved to be Valentino's comeback feature, The Eagle. Watch below.

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Off The Grid | A Family's Journey

In 2006, Les Stroud produced a special documenting his family's journey to building an off-the-grid home.

The show, Off the Grid with Les Stroud, chronicled the process of buying property and refitting an old farm house with solar and wind power, a rain catcher and well, as well as the adjustments the Stroud family had to make to adapt to this style of living.

This films depicts their journey.

Watch below, on Google Video, or another YouTube source.

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Colosseum: A Gladiator's Story

Colosseum: Rome's Arena of Death aka Colosseum: A Gladiator's Story is a 2003 BBC Television docudrama which tells the true story of Verus a gladiator who fought at the Colosseum in Rome. Dramatized film which uses reconstructions, stunt fights and computer-generated images of ancient Rome to tell the story of Verus, a gladiator who fought in the opening games of the Colosseum in AD80. The film also tells the story of the Colosseum itself, built to accommodate a staggering 55,000 spectators for the bloody spectacle of gladiatorial combat. The film was produced by the BBC in co-production with the Discovery Channel, France 2 and NDR.

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Sunday, February 26

US History: An Overview

A short discourse on American History from the Khan Academy. You can watch the episodes directly from the Khan Academy page by clicking on the title of the episode you want to view. The first episode, Jamestown to the Civil War, is embedded below from their YouTube site.
US History Overview 1 - Jamestown to the Civil War
US History Overview 2 - Reconstruction to the Great Depression
US History Overview 3 - WWII to Vietnam

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Shattered

One of the key films of the German kammerspiel movement, this silent work chronicles the tragic repercussions of a furtive love affair between a railway worker's daughter (Edith Posca) and her father's supervisor (Werner Krauss). Subtitles in English.

Kammerspielfilm is a type of German film that offers an intimate, cinematic portrait of lower middle class life. The name derives from a theater, the Kammerspiele, opened in 1906 by a major stage director Max Reinhardt to stage intimate dramas for small audiences. Few Kammerspiel films were made, but nearly all are classics. Kammerspielfilme (the plural form) formed a German film movement of the 1920s silent film period that was developed around the same time as the more commonly known Expressionist movement in cinema. The Kammerspielfilm was known as the "chamber drama" as a result of the influence from the theatrical form of the chamber play. It is characterised by its focus on character psychology and its lack of intricate set design. Also, unlike Expressionist films, Kammerspielfilme seldom used intertitles to narrate the story.

IMDb reviewer, rmh3283, wrote This little picture is absolutely charming. There are few inconsistencies, and I would like to see a version where the "I am a murderer" scene is tinted red, as I understand it was in the original. Werner Krauss is spectacular as the bovine bourgeois, and Edith Posca, Lupu Pick's wife is extremely moving, especially in the scenes where she "throws herself" at the Paul Otto and when she vengefully confesses to her father (she reminds me of a cat in that scene). Too bad she didn't have many other acting roles ("Sylvester", also directed by Lupu Pick) is available only in Germany.

Watch below, or at The Internet Archive.

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Great Guy

Great Guy (1936) is a crime film starring James Cagney and Mae Clarke.

It's the New York Department of Weights and Measures vs. a systematic effort to cheat the public by giving them less product than they pay for...organized by crooked city alderman Marty Cavanaugh, who put the last chief deputy inspector in the hospital.

The new man, pugnacious Johnny Cave, steps on the toes of influential merchants and gets increasing pressure, both political and strong-arm, to desist. Will the luck (if not the pluck) of the Irish pull him through?

Watch below or at The Internet Archive.

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The Man Who Changed His Mind

The Man Who Changed His Mind is a classic 1936 science fiction horror film starring Boris Karloff and Anna Lee, directed by Robert Stevenson and was released in Great Britain by Gainsborough Pictures. The film was also known as The Brainsnatcher or The Man Who Lived Again.

Boris Karloff has developed a method of transferring not the brain but the incorporeal mind from one being to another.This film has all the right elements for a spooky movie ... mad scientist, crippled assistant, old dark house, beutiful innocent female and bizare experiments!

Watch below or at The Internet Archive.

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The Fourth Marriage of Dame Margaret

The Fourth Marriage of Dame Margaret, considered a rare and obscure film, is based on a true story by Kristofer Janson, a turn of the century popular and acclaimed Scandinavian author.

A rather simple story of a very poor young man, Sofren, who is selected over two other applicants to become the parson of a small rural village. According to the custom of the parish, the wife of the deceased parson, the elderly Dame Margaret, has the right to marry the new parson. Sofren, in order to obtain the position as the parson and all its fringe benefits, agrees to marry Dame Margaret who has been widowed three prior times. Sofren has been engaged for many years to a young lady,

Mari, whose father will not consent to their marriage until Sofren is made a parson. Sofren, who prefers the comforts of the parsonage but will not give up Mari, brings Mari into the parsonage by the ruse that she is his sister. Sofren and Mari seek ways to circumvent Dame Margaret while they await the elderly Dame Margaret to die. One day when both Dame Margaret and Mari are in the loft, Sofren moves the ladder leading to the loft, hoping to hasten the old ladies end but .......

Watch below or at The Internet Archives



Directed by Carl Dreyer
Produced by Svensk Filmindustri, Stockholm
First shown October 4, 1920, at the Rialto Theater in Stockholm.
Based on a true story by Kristofer Janson, a turn of the century popular and acclaimed Scandinavian author.
The print shown in the United States was titled "The Witch Woman." This print is titled "The Parson's Widow" and has English titles.
Cast: Hildur Carlberg, Einar Red, Greta Almroth, Olav Aukrust, Kurt Welin, Mathilde Nielson, Emil Helsengree, and Lorentz Thyholt.
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Earth Revealed

This series shows the physical processes and human activities that shape our planet. From earthquakes and volcanoes to the creation of sea-floor crusts and shifting river courses, Earth Revealed offers stunning visuals that explain plate tectonics and other geologic concepts and principles. Follow geologists in the field as they explore the primal forces of the Earth. This series can also be used as a resource for teacher professional development. Due to licensing agreements, online viewing of the videos for this resource is restricted to network connections in the United States and Canada. View episodes from the homepage.

1. Down to Earth
Surface conditions of the planets Venus and Mars are compared with those of Earth, and scenes of Earth's living landscapes lead into a discussion of how unique Earth truly is. Major topics addressed in the series, including plate tectonics, natural resources, seismology, and erosion, are introduced in this program.

2. The Restless Planet
Early Greek astronomers believed that Earth was the center of the universe. However, this notion changed dramatically over time, especially after the invention of the telescope. This program traces the development of astronomical theory with discussions of the discoveries of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. Unique characteristics of Earth are also discussed.

3. Earth's Interior
Oil wells do more than just produce oil — they serve as windows to Earth's interior. This program introduces the topic of geophysics, exploring methods of studying what lies beneath Earth's surface. Geophysicists use seismic wave studies, variations in temperature, magnetic fields, gravity, and computer simulations to create models of deep structures.

4. The Sea Floor
The mysteries of the ocean floor lie hidden under enormous pressure and total darkness. This program looks at the research submersibles and indirect methods used to study the bottom of the sea, providing a glimpse of volcanic activity, formations such as the continental shelf and mid-ocean ridges, and life forms that thrive at extreme depths.

5. The Birth of a Theory
In the 1960s, earth scientists developed the theory of plate tectonics. This program traces the development of plate tectonics, beginning with the contributions and methods of geologist Alfred Wegener. Sea-floor spreading, continental drift, paleomagnetism, and the primordial supercontinent Pangaea are some of the topics covered.

6. Plate Dynamics
This program examines the movement and interaction of tectonic plates, which account for a vast array of geologic formations and phenomena — from California's San Andreas Fault to the Rift Valley of eastern Africa. The program covers convergent boundaries, subduction, hotspots, and the debate over what drives plate motion.

7. Mountain Building
This program erodes the myth of the mountain as a solid, permanent structure. Animations are used to illustrate the process of orogeny (mountain building) through accretion and erosion, as well as the role of plate tectonics, the rock cycle, and how different types of rock are formed in the course of mountain building.

8. Earth's Structures
A visit to the Grand Canyon lays the foundation for this exploration of rock layers and deformation. The program covers sedimentation, major structures, the methods used to examine them, and how petroleum may be trapped inside them. It also looks at tectonic force and the different types of stress involved in the formation of geologic structures.

9. Earthquakes
Showing actual footage of earthquakes and their aftermath, this program discusses the forces that fuel these massive events. Faults, waves, and the transfer of energy from the epicenter are explained, and histories of the seismograph and Richter scale are presented. The program also describes devices being developed to study — and eventually predict — earthquakes.

10. Geologic Time
To illustrate the immensity of geologic time, the entire span of Earth's existence is compressed down to a year. The timeline of major geologic events is superimposed onto the year for a condensed view of Earth's evolution. A relationship between this timeline and that of life on Earth is established, with fossils and radiocarbon dating playing a major role in the discovery.

11. Evolution Through Time
The fossil record reveals much about the diversity and development of species. This program examines the traces left by early plants, animals, and single-celled organisms and follows the progression of life forms over time. Connections are drawn between atmospheric gases, climate change, rock formation, biological functions, and mass extinctions.

12. Minerals: The Materials of Earth
Minerals have been indispensable to human civilization. This program looks at the variety of minerals, their atomic and crystalline structures, and their physical properties such as hardness and luster. Petrologists' methods of sectioning rocks are shown, and gems, precious metals, ore excavation, and the value of silicates are discussed.

13. Volcanism
Volcanoes provide clues about what is going on inside Earth. Animations illustrate volcanic processes and how plate boundaries are related to volcanism. The program also surveys the various types of eruptions, craters, cones and vents, lava domes, magma, and volcanic rock. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens serves as one example.

14. Intrusive Igneous Rocks
Most magma does not extrude onto Earth's surface but cools slowly deep inside Earth. This magma seeps into crevices in existing rock to form intrusive igneous rocks. Experts provide a graphic illustration of this process and explain the types and textures of rocks such as granite, obsidian, and quartz. Once again, plate tectonics is shown to be involved in the process.

15. Weathering and Soils
The Cleopatra's Needle obelisk in New York City's Central Park is severely weathered after only 75 years, whereas the dry climate of Egypt has preserved similar structures in that country for millennia. This program shows how weather, climate, chemicals, temperature, and type of substrate factor into rock and soil erosion. Environmental connections are also considered.

16. Mass Wasting
Anyone undertaking a building project must understand mass wasting — the downslope movement of earth under the influence of gravity. Various factors in mass wasting, including the rock's effective strength and pore spaces, are discussed, as are different types of mass wasting such as creep, slump, and landslides. Images of an actual landslide illustrate the phenomenon.

17. Sedimentary Rocks: The Key to Past Environments
This program returns to the Grand Canyon: its exposed layers of sedimentary rock allow scientists to peer into the geologic past. The movement of sediment and its deposition are covered, and the processes of lithification, compaction, and cementation that produce sedimentary rocks are explained. Organic components of rock are also discussed.

18. Metamorphic Rocks
The weight of a mountain creates enough pressure to recrystallize rock, thus creating metamorphic rocks. This program outlines the recrystallization process and the types of rock it can create — from claystone and slate to schist and garnet-bearing gneiss. The relationship of metamorphic rock to plate tectonics is also covered.

19. Running Water I: Rivers, Erosion and Deposition
Rivers are the most common land feature on Earth and play a vital role in the sculpting of land. This program shows landscapes formed by rivers, the various types of rivers, the basic parts of a river, and how characteristics of rivers — their slope, channel, and discharge — erode and build the surrounding terrain. Aspects of flooding are also discussed.

20. Running Water II: Landscape Evolution
The Colorado River is a powerful geologic agent — powerful enough to have carved the Grand Canyon. This program focuses on how such carving takes place over time, looking at erosion and deposition processes as they relate to river characteristics and type of rock. The evolution of rivers is covered, along with efforts to prevent harmful consequences to humans.

21. Groundwater
Approximately three-quarters of Earth's surface is covered by water. But most fresh water comes from underground. Topics of this program include aquifers, rock porosity and permeability, artesian wells, the water table, cave formation, sinkholes, and how groundwater may become contaminated.

22. Wind, Dust and Deserts
Land in arid climates is shaped in particular ways. This program shows how deserts are defined by infrequent precipitation and how desertification relates to proximity to the equator, proximity to mountains, and ultimately plate tectonics. Images of landscapes illustrate how wind creates features such as dunes, playas, blow-outs, and even oases.

23. Glaciers
Many of the world's most beautiful landscapes were made by glaciers. This program shows how, explaining glacial formation, structure, movement, and methods of gouging and accumulating earth. The program provides images of glaciers and glacial landforms such as moraines, and discusses how study of glaciers may help us understand ice ages and the greenhouse effect.

24. Waves, Beaches and Coasts
This program shows the dynamic interaction of two geologic agents: rocky landmasses and the energy of the ocean. Aspects of waves — their types, parts, movement, and impact on the shore — are illustrated. The program also covers shoreline characteristics, currents, sea barriers, tides, and how the greenhouse effect could impact sea level and coastal lands.

25. Living With Earth, Part I
Scenes of San Francisco before the Loma Prieta earthquake introduce this program addressing how humans are learning to cope with earthquakes. Various groups and agencies are studying the San Andreas Fault and the damage caused along its path to better understand how earthquakes ravage the land. Methods of studying earthquakes are reviewed.

26. Living With Earth, Part II
Since the nineteenth century, humans have turned to the Earth for energy sources to fuel their industry. This program discusses where oil comes from, how it is extracted, and how it is converted into energy. The effects of oil drilling and the burning of fossil fuels are also addressed, and the potential of alternative energy sources is considered.
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Warner Brothers Bloopers

These are most of the surviving Blooper reels produced by The Warner Club an organisation comprising Warner Bros Stars and Crew.

These reels were produced most years and shown at their annual dinner to poke fun at the mistakes that had been made during that year's productions. Watch the playlist, the first episode, below, or at The Internet Archive.



Includes stars Eddie Acuff, Eddie Albert, Mary Astor, Ralph Bellamy, Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan, George Brent, Sheila Bromley, James Cagney, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Gary Cooper, Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Henry Fonda, Dick Foran, Kay Francis, John Garfield, Bonita Granville, Rita Hayworth, Hugh Herbert, Ian Hunter, Isabel Jeans, Paul Kelly, Patric Knowles, Margaret Lindsay, Gene Lockhart, Carole Lombard, Paul Muni, Pat O'Brien, Hugh O'Connell, Nat Pendleton, Mary Philips, Dick Powell, Dick Purcell, George Raft, Claude Rains, Basil Rathbone, Ronald Reagan, George Reeves, Addison Richards, Edward G. Robinson, Rosalind Russell, Ann Sheridan, Sylvia Sidney, James Stewart, Rudy Vallee, Sammy White, Jane Wyman, Walter Young.
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Les Vampires

Les Vampires (French for "The vampires") is a 1915/1916 ten-part silent film serial.

It was written and directed by Louis Feuillade and stars Musidora as "Irma Vep" a femme fatale whose name is a suspicious anagram of "vampire." The serial is set in Paris and follows the exploits of a gang of master criminals (known in the period as an "Apache gang") who call themselves "Les Vampires."

Olivier Assayas 1996 movie Irma Vep, with a story line of a director's attempt to remake Les Vampires, is both an homage to the innovative nature of the original film and a critique of the then current state of French cinema. Read more, or watch the first installment, below, or the playlist of the complete series.

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Pathé Films

Pathé or Pathé Frères films produced by the Pathé Brothers of France.

Founded as Société Pathé Frères (Pathé Brothers Company) in Paris, France on 28 September 1896 by brothers Charles, Émile, Théophile and Jacques Pathé, during the first part of the 20th century, Pathé became the largest film equipment and production company in the world as well as a major producer of phonograph records.

The driving force behind the film operation was Charles Pathé, who had helped open a gramophone shop in 1894 and then established a phonograph factory at Chatou on the western outskirts of Paris. As these became successful, he saw the opportunities offered by new means of entertainment and in particular by the fledgling motion picture industry. Having decided to expand the record business to include film equipment, Charles Pathé oversaw a rapid expansion of the company. To finance its growth, he took the company public under the name Compagnie Générale des Établissements Pathé Frères Phonographes & Cinématographes (sometimes abbreviated as "C.G.P.C.") in 1897, and its shares were listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.

Read more, and watch a playlist of Pathé Films, below, that includes Ferdinand Zecca, Max Linder, Segundo de Chomón and more!

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Saturday, February 11

My Man Godfrey

With witty dialogue and fresh performances, this one's the best of Depression Era films, and a classic by any standard.. No matter how many times I watch, My Man Godfrey makes me laugh. The values and plot eerily echo current times. A scatterbrained socialite hires a vagrant as a family butler...but there's more to Godfrey than meets the eye. Stars William Powell and Carole Lombard. Watch it on YouTube, below.

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Wednesday, February 1

The Sheik

This movie literally catapulted Rudolph Valentino into ever-lasting fame, but most people have never actually seen the movie. 


You havem't seen it? You're kidding me! Well, it's time you watched The Sheik. Afterward, you won't ask why Valentino is the reigning sex symbol of his era. 


Synopsis: A charming Arabian sheik becomes infatuated with an adventurous, modern-thinking Englishwoman and abducts her to his home in the Saharan desert. I don't want to tell you anymore, it'll ruin the movie for you. Enjoy!


IMDb information Wikipedia information 

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Manufacturing Consent

Man­u­fac­tur­ing Con­sent: Noam Chom­sky and the Media directed by Mark Achbar and Peter Win­ton­ick, partly based upon the book, presents the pro­pa­ganda model and its argu­ments, and a biog­ra­phy of Chom­sky. Chom­sky, the eighth most cited source of all time, is also con­sid­ered the "most cited liv­ing author" as well as the lead­ing critic of US for­eign policy.

Using the pro­pa­ganda model, Man­u­fac­tur­ing Con­sent posits that cor­po­rate — owned news mass com­mu­ni­ca­tion media — print, radio, tele­vi­sion — are busi­nesses sub­ject to com­mer­cial com­pe­ti­tion for adver­tis­ing rev­enue and profit. As such, their dis­tor­tion (edi­to­r­ial bias) of news reportage — i.e. what types of news, which items, and how they are reported — is a con­se­quence of the profit motive that requires estab­lish­ing a sta­ble, prof­itable busi­ness; there­fore, news busi­nesses favor­ing profit over the pub­lic inter­est suc­ceed, while those favor­ing repor­to­r­ial accu­racy over prof­its fail, and are rel­e­gated to the mar­gins of their mar­kets (low sales and ratings).

Watch on YouTube, embedded below, an alternative YouTube source, or via Google Video.

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