Great Books Series

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4/21/15, 8:32 PM The Learning Channel's Great Books - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 25 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Learning_Channel's_Great_Books The Learning Channel's Great Books Great Books is an hour-long documentary and biography program that aired on The Learning Channel. The series was a project co-created by Walter Cronkite and former child actor Jonathan Ward under a deal they had with their company Cronkite-Ward, the The Discovery Channel, and The Learning Channel. Premiering on September 8, 1993, to coincide with International Literacy Day, the series took in-depth looks into some of literature's greatest fictional and nonfictional books and the authors who created them. The series is mostly narrated by Donald Sutherland. Episodes feature insights from historians, scholars, novelists, artists, writers, and filmmakers who were directly influenced by the novels showcased and discussed. List of episodes Title Original air date Producer Narrator Short summary Commentators Le Morte d'Arthur September 8, 1993 Dale Minor Donald Sutherland How the theme of hero worship grew from tales of King Arthur in Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur. Included: comments from filmmaker George Lucas on how the Star Wars films evolved from the book. George Lucas, John Cullen Murphy, Geoffrey Ashe Frankenstein September 8, 1993 Jonathan Ward Donald Sutherland How Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein reflects concerns about the consequences of scientific experimentation. Anne Rice, Anne K. Mellor, Marilyn Butler, Betty T. Bennett, Forrest J Ackerman.

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Transcript of Great Books Series

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The Learning Channel's Great BooksGreat Books is an hour-long documentary and biography program that aired on TheLearning Channel. The series was a project co-created by Walter Cronkite and formerchild actor Jonathan Ward under a deal they had with their company Cronkite-Ward,the The Discovery Channel, and The Learning Channel. Premiering on September 8,1993, to coincide with International Literacy Day, the series took in-depth looks intosome of literature's greatest fictional and nonfictional books and the authors whocreated them. The series is mostly narrated by Donald Sutherland.

Episodes feature insights from historians, scholars, novelists, artists, writers, andfilmmakers who were directly influenced by the novels showcased and discussed.

List of episodes

Title Originalair date Producer Narrator Short summary Commentators

Le Morted'Arthur

September8, 1993

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

How the theme ofhero worship grewfrom tales of KingArthur in Malory'sLe MorteD'Arthur.Included:comments fromfilmmaker GeorgeLucas on how theStar Wars filmsevolved from thebook.

George Lucas,John CullenMurphy,Geoffrey Ashe

Frankenstein September8, 1993

JonathanWard

DonaldSutherland

How MaryShelley's novelFrankensteinreflects concernsabout theconsequences ofscientificexperimentation.

Anne Rice, AnneK. Mellor,Marilyn Butler,Betty T. Bennett,Forrest JAckerman.

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Origin ofSpecies

September8, 1993

MartinKilleen

DonaldSutherland

Charles Darwin'stheory of naturalselection hasprovoked acclaimand debate since itwas detailed in hisOrigin of Speciesin 1859. Explorethe book thatrevolutionizedscience andculture. Theprogram examinesevolutionarytheory from itsbeginnings withJean BaptisteLamarck, thefamous ScopesMonkey trial, andhow politicalleaders such asAdolf Hitler havetwisted Darwiniantheory and used itfor their ownpurposes.

RichardDawkins, ErnstMayr, JamesMoore(biographer),Jerry Falwell,John MaynardSmith, JohnDurant,Rebeecca Cann,Dr. Harold Neu,and Dr.Randolph Nesse.

Alice inWonderland

June 4,1994

EugenieVink

DonaldSutherland

Alice inWonderland, byLewis Carroll, isexamined.Included: state-of-the-art computeranimation,reenactments andpuppets illustratethe story.

Grace Slick,Morton N.Cohen, EdwardWakeling,SelwynGoodacre,Donald Rackin.

War of theWorlds

June 11,1994

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

A look at H. G.Wells' War of theWorlds. Also: adiscussion of theauthor's life bytwo of his

Leonard Nimoy,Michael Coren,Brian Aldiss,David C. Smith,

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biographers,David Smith andMichael Coren.

Michael Foote,Howard Koch.

The Art of War June 18,1994

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

Sun-tzu's The Artof War, a 4th-century treatise onwar and strategy,and its impact oncontemporarypolitics andbusiness.

WilliamWestmoreland,Võ Nguyên Giáp,Asher Edelman,Chin Ning Chu,Arthur Waldron.

Adventures ofHuckleberryFinn

September3, 1994

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

Mark Twain'smasterpiecegrapples with oneof the mostpowerful themesin Americanhistory—slavery.This videoexplores parallelsbetween theevents of the bookand actualhistorical events.

Victor Doyno,Justin Kaplan,Nat Hentoff.

The Odyssey September14, 1996

KarenThomas

DonaldSutherland

Take a look at theGreek myths andThe Odyssey'slessons ofmorality. Scholarsand critics discussthe impact of TheOdyssey onWestern literature,as well as the now-familiar heroictraits first seen inHomer'scharacters.

Jim Lovell, IrenePapas.

The Republic hasintrigued,provoked,

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The Republic(Plato)

September14, 1996 Jan Albert Donald

Sutherland

appalled, andinspired readerssince it waswritten in Athens2,500 years ago.Its author, Plato,has been called thefather ofphilosophy, thefirst fascist, arevolutionary, andthe originalidealist. Thequestions Platofirst posed in thisbook of ideasaddress conflictspeople continue tograpple withtoday.

Michael Savage,William Bennett,Joseph Brodsky,Thomas Pangle,MarthaNussbaum,AlexanderNehamas,Bonnie Kent.

The ScarletLetter

September14, 1996

EugenieVink

DonaldSutherland

Learn how thestory of HesterPrynne'sadulterousrelationship with ayoung ministerblows wide openthe conflictbetween privatetruth and publicappearances, thechoice between sinand salvation, andthe definition ofmoral versus good.

Nina Baym,Roland Joffé,Lawrence Buell,Carol Karlsen,CharlesHambrick Stowe.

Herman Melville'sMoby Dick waspublished in 1851to little acclaim.His great novelexploring thethemes of goodand evil, racialintolerance, and

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Moby Dick September14, 1996

JudithDwanHallet

DonaldSutherland

man's relationshipto nature was sooffensive tocontemporaryreaders that theyrefused to buy it.Discover howMelville'sexperiences as ayoung seamaninfluenced hisstory, and howMoby Dick itselfinfluenced scoresof Americanwriters.

Ray Bradbury,Hershel Parker,LaurieRobertson-Lorant, Mary K.Bercaw Edwards,M. Thomas Inge.

The Prince September14, 1996

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

A look at "ThePrince,"Machiavelli'streatise on theinglorious natureof government,which made theauthor's namesynonymous withpoliticalmanipulation.

Henry Kissinger,Hanna HolbornGray, RogerMasters, GaryHart, RobertHariman, andMark Musa.

Native Son September15, 1996

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

An introduction toauthor RichardWright and to thestory told in hisliterary portrait ofracism in America,Native Son.Authors andscholars discussthe two murdersand the symbolismbehind the fatethat white lawyerBigger meets whenhe is thrown injail.

John EdgarWideman,KenethKinnamon,MaryemmaGraham,MargaretWalker, CedricRobinson, RemiDreyfus, andMichel Fabre.

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Gulliver'sTravels

September15, 1996

JennyDurrin

DonaldSutherland

Jonathan Swift'ssatiricalmasterworkGulliver's Travelsis much more thana children'sclassic.Seventeenth-century Englandwas a country ripewith social ironies,and Swift pluckedthem all, placingthem in a storyalive withnarrative drive.Discover the innerand outer worldsof Swift and howhis prickly proseremains on targettoday.

Pat Oliphant,Mark Russell,Anthony Clare,Victor Griffin,and Roger Law.

Catch-22 September15, 1996

RayFarkas

DonaldSutherland

Interviews withthe author,dramatizations ofthe plot, andcomments fromWorld War IIveterans reveal theturbulent timesthat sparkedJoseph Heller'screative geniuswhen writing thisgreat antiwarnovel.

Joseph Heller,Bill Mauldin,Alan Arkin, MikeNichols, ArtBuchwald.

Freud's TheInterpretation September Eugenie Donald

Using a uniqueseries of dreamsequencereenactmentsbased on Freud'srevolutionarybook, experts andartists escort

Peter Swales(historian), PeterD. Kramer,

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of Dreams 15, 1996 Vink Sutherland viewers down theroad of theunconscious andinto a deeperunderstanding ofthe inner life ofhumans.

Barbara P. Jones,and RobertAltman.

Don Quixote June 28,1997

DeniseSchrierCetta

DonaldSutherland

Miguel deCervantes wroteDon Quixote outof a spirit ofdisillusionment.Yet, the novel liveson as a testamentto hope andimagination.Scholars andcritics discuss thesignificance of thisimportant work.

Mario Cuomo,Curtis Sliwa,Carlos Fuentes.

GreatExpectations

June 28,1997

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

Documentary onCharles Dickens'GreatExpectations tellsthe story of thebook, its creator,its hero, its fansand itsinterpreters. Totell the story of thenovel, freshlydramatized scenesare interwovenwith footage fromseveral movieversions as well asan on-the-set lookat director AlfonsoCuaron's versionreleased in August1997. The specialalso focuses on thecity of London

John Irving,Ethan Hawke,Alfonso Cuarón,Douglas Broyles,Michael Slater,Dr. David Parker,Linda Hooper,and GeorgeNewlin.

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which Dickensdescribes sovividly.

The GreatGatsby

September13, 1997

ElenaMannes

DonaldSutherland

F. ScottFitzgerald's novelThe Great Gatsbyfocuses on how theAmerican dreammay beunattainable, asseen through JayGatsby's desire forDaisy Buchanan.Fitzgerald and hischaracter Gatsbyhave similarfamilybackgrounds andlove lives. Theextravagance andimagery portrayedin The GreatGatsby has beenthe basis foradvertisingcampaigns, andthe novel'spopularity hasinspired severalfilm adaptations.

Richard Lehan,Karal AnnMarling, JacksonR. Bryer, SamWaterston,Henry Allen(journalist),Alfred Kazin,George Garrett(poet), RichardBausch, andTobias Wolff.

Documentaryexplores HenryDavid Thoreau'smasterpieceWalden, in whichhe describes indepth the twoyears he spentliving in a hut byWalden Pond inConcord,Massachusetts,and emphasized

Robert D.Richardson,

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Walden September13, 1997

GinnyDurrin

DonaldSutherland

the importance ofsimplicity andspirituality overmaterialism. Hiswork inspiredpeople like F.D.Roosevelt, Dr.Martin LutherKing, Jr. andMahatmasGandhi. Thespecial usesdramatic re-enactments,interviews withexperts and thosewho live byThoreau's ideals tobring Walden tolife.

ThomasBlanding,Richard Lebeaux,Elizabeth HallWitherell, VidorJorgensen, JackBorden, MichaelKellet, RayGerke, CecileAndrews,

Galileo'sDialogueConcerning theTwo ChiefWorld Systems

September14, 1997

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

Perhaps the mostvisionary andcontroversial bookof its time. Galileoasserted that theEarth was not thecenter of theuniverse.Egotisticalvisionary againstbullheaded pope.

Owen Gingerich,Maurice A.Finocchiaro,George Coyne,Charles Curran(theologian).

One Flew Overthe Cuckoo'sNest

September12, 1998

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

Follow along asauthor and 1960scountercultureguru Ken Keseyreads dramaticsequences,bringing suchinimitablecharacters asRandall P.McMurphy andNurse Ratched to

Ken Kesey, JannS. Wenner, JohnClark Pratt,Miloš Forman,Dr. FrankPittman, KenBabbs, LouiseFletcher, WavyGravy, and SaulZaentz

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life.

The Naked andthe Dead

September13, 1998

LuckySeverson

DonaldSutherland

A dissection of TheNaked and theDead, NormanMailer's post-World War IInovel about anAmerican platoonon a Japanese-held island in thePacific. Included:interviews withthe author andwith directorOliver Stone, whopaid homage tothe book in hisfilm Platoon.

Norman Mailer,Oliver Stone,Terry Teachout,Robert F. Lucid,Eugene Sledge,Sam Tanenhaus.

Lord of theFlies

February13, 1999

VickiWarren

DonaldSutherland

An examination ofWilliam Golding's1954 novel Lord ofthe Flies, aboutschoolboys runamok on a desertisland.

Patrick Reillyand Peter Green(historian).

The Red Badgeof Courage

February13, 1999

NancyLeBrun

DonaldSutherland

A century ago, a22-year-oldnamed StephenCrane wrote one ofthe greatest booksever about theCivil War.[citationneeded] This videoexamines themind of Crane,and analyzes theclassic tale of ayoung man in themidst of ahorrifying, bloodyconflict. Bybringing to lightthe fears young

Morley Safer,BruceGudmundsson

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people have whenmoving out into acold world,Crane's story isable to touch eachnew generation.[citation needed]

All Quiet on theWestern Front

May 15,1999

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

The great anti-warnovel All Quiet onthe Western Fronttakes a look atWorld War I andthe horrors ofindustrializedwarfare. Scholarsand critics discussthe impact of thisnovel and warveterans describethe thoughts andemotions of battle.

ThomasThornton, PhilipCaputo,Professor BrianMurdoch,Professor JayWinter, BerndHuppauf, andJulie Gilbert

Heart ofDarkness

August 21,1999

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

Published in 1902,Heart of Darknessrevealed a patternof exploitation,corruption, andcasual brutalitythat was to occuragain and againover the rest of the20th century. Inthis program,parallels aredrawn betweenJoseph Conrad'sharrowing novellaand the VietnamWar epicApocalypse Now.Includes clipsfrom ApocalypseNow and TurnerNetwork

John Milius,AdamHochschild,Norman Sherry,Laurence Davies,Martin Sheenand Homi K.Bhabha.

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Television's Heartof Darkness.

Dracula August 22,1999

TrishMitchell

DonaldSutherland

Documentary thatexamines BramStoker's novelDracula. An Irishwriter, Stokerclaimed that theidea for "Dracula"came to him in anightmare butliterary scholarsbelieve the rootsfor his work can befound in EasternEuropean folklore.James Hart,screenwriter forthe feature filmBram Stoker'sDracula, offersreasons for thenovels popularityand Stoker'sbiographer,Barbara Belford,gives insight intothe man whocomposed it.

David J. Skal,James V. Hart,Leonard Wolf,Nina Auerbach,Barbara Belford.

Documentaryabout JaneAusten's romanticnovel Pride andPrejudice.Originallypublished in 1813,the originalversion of thenovel was writtenin 1796–1797under the title"FirstImpressions," andwas probably in

Nora Ephron,Helen Fielding,

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Pride andPrejudice

September3, 1999

LindaDuvoisin

DonaldSutherland

the form of anexchange ofletters. DirectorNora Ephron talksabout what makesthe book one ofthe timelessromances, andHelen Fielding,the author ofBridget Jones'sDiary, discusseshow the concept ofscandal haschanged the waywe live and love.

Fay Weldon,Edith Lank, andRogerRosenblatt.

MadameBovary

February19, 2000

DaleMinor

DonaldSutherland

Gustave Flaubert'scelebrated novel ofobsessive ardorundergoes adazzling retrofitfor the screen,courtesy of Frenchneurosis-masterClaude Chabrol.The basic story (awoman's selfishquest forhappiness ends upobliterating all sheholds dear) maybe the same, butChabrol's talentfor biting throughto the darkmarrow of passionmakes this astartlingexperience, evenfor people familiarwith the sourcematerial or thenumerous othercinematic

DominickLaCapra, EricaJong, Ann-Louise Shapiro,Dalma Heyn,Victor Brombert,and Éric LeCalvez.

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adaptations.

Crime andPunishment

June 10,2000

MarijoDowd &FosterWiley

DonaldSutherland

Swayed by early-19th-centurynotions of "thegreat man,"Raskolnikovbelieves thathumanity is aweakness heroesdiscard; he willtest himself andhis philosophy bykilling an old,miserlypawnbroker.Filmed in St.Petersburg andnarrated byDonaldSutherland, thisprogram exploresCrime andPunishment,FyodorDostoevsky'sclassicexamination ofevil's intellectualappeal and itsmoralrepercussions.Dramaticreenactments andlocation footage -even of the actualroom Dostoevskychose for hisprotagonist - bringthe book to life.

Olga Meerson,Harold Bloom,Michael Dirda,DmitryDostoyevsky,EdwardWasiolek, BorisTikhomirov.

Get to know theman once deemedthe "angriest blackman in America".

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TheAutobiographyof Malcolm X

June 11,2000

LynnDoughtery

DonaldSutherland

Alex Haleynarrates MalcolmX's story of racismin America.Interviews,photos, andarchival footagetrace Malcolm X'sroots on thestreets to himbecoming one ofthe mostoutspoken andcharismaticleaders ever.

Michael EricDyson, MaritaGolden, GeorgeW. Haley, OssieDavis, MikeWallace, AttallahShabazz.

The Grapes ofWrath

September17, 2000

DaleMinor

Documentaryabout JohnSteinbeck's novelThe Grapes ofWrath. No bookcaptures thedesperation facedby Americanfarmers in the1930s better thanThe Grapes ofWrath.[citationneeded] Steinbeckencapsulates thiswrenching time inAmerican historyby following hismain characters,the Joads, as theyflee thedevastation of theOklahoma DustBowl with dreamsof a better life inCalifornia. Theprogram expandsthe scope of thenovel to reveal

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how characterslike the Joadswould have fit intothe larger pictureof Americanhistory. Usingfamousphotographs byDorothea Langeand the music ofWoody Guthrie, aswell as clips fromthe 1940 featurefilm, the programadds images andmusic to theunderstanding ofthe book and theperiod.

NineteenEighty Four

October11, 2000 Ned Judge

NickMcArdle &DonaldSutherland

A documentaryabout GeorgeOrwell's novel1984, about theimaginedtotalitarian societyof Oceania. Theprogram puts thenovel in historicaland social contextand draws on clipsfrom the 1984 filmstarring John Hurtas anti-heroWinston Smith,who falls in love asrebellion againsthis job rewritinghistory.

MargaretDrabble, BernardCrick, DavidBrin, RayKurzweil.

Documentaryabout VictorHugo's novel LesMiserables. VictorHugo's 1862masterpiece not

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Les Misérables December24, 2000

MarijoDowd &FosterWiley

UmaThurman

only reflects hisintense concernwith penal reform,but it morebroadly capturesthe burdens of thepoor and workingclass—a "first" inpopular literature—in the guise of agripping humandrama. The noveltells the epic storyof Jean Valjean, agood mancondemned tohard labor forpetty theft, and histormentedattempts to regainfreedom anddignity in theshadow of themerciless legalsystem. Theprogram exploresHugo's prolificartistry andpolitical activism.

Victor Brombert,Graham Robb,Anthony Papa,Mary Brosnahan.

The Jungle February17, 2001

DaleMinor

JamesBelushi

Upton Sinclair'sgroundbreakingexposé ofChicago'smeatpackingindustry is ahorror story ofunsanitaryconditions, foodpoisoning, andchild labor abuse.Learn what ledSinclair into thisturn-of-the-century urban

James R. Barrett,Jeremy Rifkin,Carol TuckerForeman, SaraLilygren, WilliamBloodworth,Nancy Donley,and Rev. JimLewis.

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"jungle" and howhis book promptedCongress to passthe first food-safety laws.

The Right Stuff May 18,2001

DaleMinor Fred Ward

Tom Wolfe wantedto know what"makes a manwilling to sit up ontop of anenormous Romancandle. . . and waitfor someone tolight the fuse?" Inhisgroundbreakingbook The RightStuff, his subjectswere the Mercuryastronauts whobecame caught upin America'sfeverish spacerace, and werehurled into spacenot really knowingif they would evercome back. Theirquiet couragemade themnational heroes,but the truth oftheir private liveswas carefullyhidden. Wolfe'sstyle of NewJournalismallowed him tocraft a rich textwhich capturedthe facts, whileincluding his ownemotional reactionto the situation.

Tom Wolfe, JohnLogsdon, ChuckYeager, WalterCronkite,William McKeen,Gordon Cooper,and SergeiKhrushchev

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Wolfe also brokeconventions byshowing theastronauts as theyreally were, flawsand all. But byremoving thehalos that Americahad placed upontheir heads, Wolferevealed how trulyextraordinarythese men were.

20,000Leagues Underthe Sea

August 11,2001

DaleMinor

RoyScheider

An examination ofJules Verne'svisionary 1870novel “20,000Leagues Under theSea,” a cautionarytale of howtechnology can beused for warfare,and the price ofcolonialaggression.Included:interviews withwriters andscientists.

Gavin Scott,Peter Benchley,Greg Stemm,Richard Ellis(biologist), Jean-Michel Cousteau,Jean-JulesVerne, Dr. AmyWright, Walter J.Miller, AlCharette, andBruce Jones.

Poe Tales ofTerror/Tales ofEdgar AllanPoe

October30, 2001

DaleMinor

GaryOldman

Explore thepsychology ofterror in some ofPoe's most-haunting tales.Interwoventhrough thesestories is the mosttragic tale of all —that of authorEdgar Allan Poe.Many of his talesresonate withthemes from hisown life:

Wes Craven, RayBradbury, ColinDayan (calledJoan Dayan),Gerald Kennedy,KennethSilverman,

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abandonment,sickness, and fear.Leading usthrough Poe's talesof terror are well-known horrorwriters anddirectors.

Poppy Z. Brite,Jeff Jerome.

The Bible: Bookof Genesis

December24, 2001

DaleMinor

AndreBraugher

The first book ofthe Bible isanalyzed. Jewish,Christian andMuslim scholarsadd insights andreflect on itsimpact onWesterncivilization.

Alan Dershowitz,Thomas Cahill,Jack Miles,Karen Armstrong

The Bible: Bookof Exodus

December24, 2001

DaleMinor

AndreBraugher

An examination ofthe second book ofthe Bible, Exodus,in which themes ofslavery, flight,liberation andmiracles arepresented.Included: theparting of the RedSea.

Alan Dershowitz,Thomas Cahill,Jack Miles,KarenArmstrong.

Inferno February23, 2002

DaleMinor

ChristianSlater

What are theconsequences ofour choices?Explore the darkside of humannature and theconsequences ofsin. Dante’sinterpretation ofthe afterlife hasendured as one ofthe most insightfuland scathing

Robert Pinsky,William R. Cook,RonaldHerzman,Miriam Van

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reviews ofhumanity. Thisprogram revealswhy hisfourteenth-century poem hasbecome our[who?]

defining vision ofhell.

Scott, Fr.Stephen Happel.

WutheringHeights

May 2,2002

DaleMinor

On the cold, dampmoors of Englandburned a love thattranscendeddeath. EmilyBrontë's novel ofthwarted passionand cruelty wasconsideredimmoral when itwas firstpublished. Thecentral character,Heathcliff, becamean archetype forthe modern anti-hero. Thisprogram comparesHeathcliff'scharacter toBrontë's life ofisolation andrejection

What if you woketo find yourselftransformed into agiant bug? When amild-manneredsalesman turnsinto an insectovernight, hisfamily reacts withdismay,recrimination, and

Jeff Johnson,PHD, KamakshiMurti, PHD,

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TheMetamorphosis

August 8,2002

JamesBarrat

JeffGoldblum

ultimately,murder. GregorSamsa, Kafka'sprotagonist, findsthat alienation,familydysfunction,paranoia, andbureaucracydefine life. Learnwhy the term"Kafkaesque" isstill used to definelife in the 21stcentury.

Irmgard Wagner,PHD, David ZaneMairowitz,Arnošt Lustig,Arnold Braun,Peter Rehberg,PhD, KirkBloodsworth.

The WonderfulWizard of Oz

August 30,2002

DaleMinor

RichardThomas(actor)

As a film, itbecame a belovedclassic overnight.As a book, theWonderful wizardof Oz hasgeneratedcontroversy for acentury, beingdeemed irreligiousby some andbanned by schoolsand libraries assubversive. Withreadings, movieclips, anddramatizations ofmany scenes, thisprogram exploresthe enduringattraction of L.Frank Baum'smasterpiece forchildren and thebook's innovativeillustrations byW.W. Denslow.

Discusses themes

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The StrangeCase of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde

November8, 2002

DaleMinor

MichaelMadsen

of good vs. evil,hypocrisy,sociopathy, andaddiction inRobert LouisStevenson'spsychologicalthriller. Includesdramatizations ofscenes from thetale and keymoments in theauthor's life.

Arabian Nights December5, 2002

GrahamTownsley

GinaGershon

This programbrings TheArabian nights tolife with dramaticreenactments ofsome of its mostmemorable tales.The video alsoexplores theorigins andliterary influenceof this classiccollection ofstories told alongancient traderoutes. Experts,including novelistand Arabianscholar RobertIrwin, discuss thebook and thecolorful history ofits translations byAntoine Gallandand Sir RichardBurton.

Robert Irwin(writer), ZainabBahrani, RonCampbell,Fatema Mernissi,and Justin Frank

For over threeyears Arthur C.Clarke and StanleyKubrick crafted

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2001: A SpaceOdyssey

June 20,2006

DaleMinor

WilliamShatner

what Kubrickcalled "a myth ofepic grandeur".The result was aglimpse into thefuture thatstunned ageneration. Thisprogram bringstogether a wealthof material ontheir prescientbook and film,including an in-depth look at theircollaboration andinsights into thetechnicalchallenges ofshooting themovie. Along withclips from thefilm, the programfeatures interviewswith Sir Arthur C.Clarke,commentary fromClarke biographerNeil McAleer andKubrickbiographerVincent LoBrutto,and discussion byseveral notedexperts onartificialintelligence androbotics.

Spin off

Grandes Livros premiered in 2009 and was a multi-platform release of Portugueseliterature that involves a series of 12 documentaries. Each episode was a biography and

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documentary at 50-minutes each, narrated by Diogo Infante, actor and director of theTeatro Nacional D. Maria II. The featured episodes include:

1. Os Maias (Eça de Queirós)2. Os Lusíadas (Luís Vaz de Camões)3. O Delfim (José Cardoso Pires)4. Amor De Perdião (Camilo Castelo Branco)5. Viagens na Minha Terra (Almeida Garrett)6. Sermão de Santo (António Aos Peixes)7. Aparição (Vergílio Ferreira)8. Livro do Desassossego (Fernando Pessoa)9. Mau Tempo No Canal (Vitorino Nemésio)10. Peregrinação (Fernão Mendes Pinto)11. Sinais De Fogo (Jorge de Sena)12. Navegações (Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1565821/

References

MacMinn, Aleene (December 16, 1992). "Television". Los Angeles Times(Articles.latimes.com). Retrieved November 17, 2013.""Great Books" To Be Featured on Learning Channel (May 13, 1996) - Library of CongressInformation Bulletin". Loc.gov. May 13, 1996. Retrieved November 17, 2013."'Great Books' on Learning Channel". Los Angeles Times (Articles.latimes.com). June 30,1985. Retrieved November 17, 2013."A 'Great Books' Festival on Cable's Learning Channel". Los Angeles Times(Articles.latimes.com). September 4, 1996. Retrieved November 17, 2013.Kaltenbach, Chris (September 13, 1997). "Learning Channel takes some books off the shelf".Baltimore Sun (Articles.baltimoresun.com). Retrieved November 17, 2013.Johnson, Steve (June 27, 1997). "Novel Approach". Chicago Tribune(Articles.chicagotribune.com). Retrieved November 17, 2013.Sandell, Scott (October 30, 2001). "Reenactments Make Poe's Gore All Too Vivid". LosAngeles Times (Articles.latimes.com). Retrieved November 17, 2013."Discovery Channel Videos, Software, Posters and Books". Mid-Atlantic Training. RetrievedNovember 17, 2013.

External links

Great Books at IMDBGreater Books