Tragedy in the Holy Land : The Second Uprising

A documentary by Denis Mueler, this film delves into the history of a war torn Palestine. We go beyond the surface, beyond the “Holy Wars” and explore the foundations of the Israeli/Palestinian struggle. “One of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted conflicts of the last century” boils down to civil war. A fight over land. A fight for identity. No doubt about it, this was an educational and informative film but I’d be lying if I said that by the end of it, I actually cared about the plight in Palestine at all. It’s a tremendous story with roots seeping back to the beginning of written history. The conflict becoming even more perilous from a sequence of actions in World War II and leading up to now. It’s a touching story but it’s presented in such a sterile way that I just stopped caring.

The struggle of people and their land and beliefs is a story for the ages. A struggle that all can get behind, however, I instantly became bored with the economics of it all. You wanna keep my interest? Give me more history. Don’t blow through it as quickly as you did.

But the film did have it’s strong points. The archived footage in the film was chilling and accounts of actual events told by witnesses and scholars was astounding. Those parts will hold you to the T.V.

The film itself failed to keep my interest for too long. However, there was a treat waiting for me at the end. The Bonus Features on the DVD were pretty impressive. Contained are translated documents and explainations of them. You’ll find in-depth examinations of topics such as land leases, The Balfour Declaration, The Sykes-Picot Agreement, The Peel Commission, the second partition of Palestine, The Six-Day War, The War in Lebanon, The Cold War’s affect on Palestine, The Oslo Accords and post September 11, 2001 developments.

The film itself popped and fizzled but the DVD release is saved by the bonuses.

If you’re doing a project for school or are just interested in this kinda thing, I recommend you pick up the DVD. But for the casual viewer such as myself….rent it.

This DVD release gets a C+

You can buy Tragedy in the Holy Land: The Second Uprising here.

The Honeymooners Lost Episodes

I was skeptical when I first saw these DVDs. In fact, Ozzymadeo made a joke about it when I told him I had received them. “Yeah, there’s a reason they’re lost. It’s because they suck.” We had a good laugh at that. But I’ll tell ya what I had a better laugh at. The Honeymooners Lost Episodes. These shows are HILARIOUS!!! New out on store shelves are Volumes 21 and 22.

Volume 21 Stars Over Flatbush The Adoption BONUS EPSIODE: Game Called On Account Of Marriage This DVD release gets a B+

Volume 22 Catch A Star Songwriters BONUS EPISODE: Battle Of The Sexes This DVD release gets a B+

The original television sitcom that featured Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Joyce Randolph and Audrey Meadows makes a clean and perfect transfer to DVD. Each DVD contains two episodes and lists the original air date and includes a special bonus, never-before-aired episode.

For someone who follows film and theater and television as closely as I do, I found myself enthralled with the presentation of the actual show. Live, in front of an audience with no re-shoots or alternate takes. It was true entertainment. Watching Art Carney improvise on set during the opening of “Stars Over Flatbush” or flubbing some lines later in a scene with Jackie Gleason. Not that that’s all to laugh at. The shows themselves are truly entertaining and clean enough for the whole family to enjoy.

The menu screen of the DVDs seem to experience a few audio glitches here and there but the shows themselves are presented in as crisp and clear audio and video as possible.

While watching these DVDs, you’ll see where the more popular shows of recent history (Friends, Cheers, Dharma and Greg, Seinfeld etc.) may have gotten their ideas for their own plots and storylines.

No real bonuses on these DVDs but the shows themselves do the job wonderfully. However, with DVD as vast as it is, it might have benefited from a few added extras.

If you’re in the mood for a laugh and a taste of something a little different from the norm, grab these DVDs.

You can buy The Honeymooners Lost Episodes here.

Allies At War

As seen on PBS! This documentary, narrated by Brian Dennehy chronicles the conflict among the allies of the second great war. The story goes a little something like this. At the beginning of World War II, Winston Churchill met and befriended a French Officer by the name of Charles De Gaulle. So impressed was Churchill that he turned around and contacted American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, urging him to back France and England in the war effort. Not long after, Nazi Germany took France and De Gaulle was taken in my Churchill and became the leader of his own military force dedicated to the liberation of France. It’s at this time that Winston Churchill and Roosevelt become close friends and establish an alliance. However, it seems that De Gaulle is there to play both sides against each other to achieve his own ends. Not really caring abut the welfare of the free world, De Gaulle’s only concern is the freedom of his homeland. In the days of one of the world’s bloodiest wars….a struggle within a struggle.

This is possibly the greatest documentary I’ve watched since Comic Book Confidential. The presentation is easy to follow and the archived footage is astounding and vivid. Never did I realize that the Allies of World War II struggled among themselves almost as much as they struggled against their foe. The education I received watching this film is boundless. But enough of my personal opinion on the film.

The DVD transfer is crisp and clean with authentic audio from news broadcasts of the time. The story follows from when De Gaulle escapes France up through Roosevelt’s declaration of war to a few years after the war had ended. For the most part, Churchill and Roosevelt stood eye to eye on many issues concerning the war and De Gaulle’s mission to reclaim France. It’s De Gaulle who makes this whole mix interesting. Watching old news reels of Charles De Gaulle traveling to America to voice his strong passion for the U.S. right after hearing him denounce America to Churchill in England. It’s confusing and maddening yet, at the same time, you can’t help but stay glued to the screen to see what happens next.

The bonuses on the disc are sparse but worth watching. There’s a newsreel that you might have seen back in movie theaters in the 1940’s that illustrates and discusses the Nazi campaign in Europe and the efforts of the combined forces of Churchill, De Gaulle and Roosevelt to beat back their enemies.

If you’re a fan of war history, then you should probably pick up this DVD right away.

This DVD release gets a B+

You can buy Allies At War here.