FILM, VIDEO, DVD: ALPHABETICAL LISTINGS
A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Film, Video, DVD: L
A Lady Named Baybie ED-210
60 min / b&w / 1980 / DC / 16mm, VHS
High school through adult
Sixty-four-year-old Baybie Hoover and her closest friend, Ginger Brown, both born blind, “pitched” their way from Wichita, Kansas, to New York City by singing religious music on the street with tin cups in hand. The film is a loving portrait of Baybie’s warm, wise, ever-enduring spirit. Mistreated by her stepmother, made pregnant by her uncle, forcibly separated from her child, and sterilized by the state, Baybie has faced trials that would have broken the spirits of other less-determined characters. As an intimate portrait of a woman who has refused to be a victim of life, this film celebrates the human spirit without artificial sentiment.
Suggested Classroom Activity: Have students write a portrait of someone in their community whom they have previously overlooked; discuss together how taking a close look at someone can change one’s perspective.
L'age d'or EX-7
63 min / 1930 / DVD
College through adult
Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali collaborated on this quintessentially
surreal film a year after their notorious Un Chien Andalou (see
WA-535). Meant to be scandalous, shocking, and subversive in
its time, it well achieved its goals. Even today, still, it rings
a corrosive note as the dreamlike images and irrational premises
challenge religion, politics, morals, and symbols.
Lakota Quillwork: Art and Legend: A Story of Sioux Porcupine Quilling:
Past and Present
ED-493
27 min / 1990 / SUN / VHS
High school through adult
This is a look at the nearly lost art of quilling. Through historic footage, special effects, and the paintings of Sioux artist Oscar Howe, the film portrays the legend of Double Woman who first brought the art of porcupine quilling to Lakota women from the spirit world. Then it moves to a contemporary setting and Alice Blue Legs and her daughters, masters of quilling.
The Landscapes of Frederic Edwin Church WA-386
29 min / color / 1989 / NGA / VHS
High school through adult
Narrated by Nicolai Cikovsky, Jr., Curator of American Art at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., this video traces Church’s career from his early studies in the Catskills and the Hudson River Valley with the eminent landscape painter Thomas Cole. The program continues through Church’s maturity, when his grand, all-encompassing paintings of the great natural wonders of the Americas made him one of the nation’s most celebrated landscape painters of the 19th century. The program includes live footage of the Catskills and of Church’s “final work of art,” Olana, his splendid house overlooking the Hudson River.
Lascaux: The Prehistory of Art WA-609
60 min / 1996 / DVD
College through adult
This is a definitive tour of the Lascaux cave complex that gives
a richly descriptive analysis of these Paleolithic paintings and
drawings as not seen before. Style, technique, range of colors,
substances, and applicator tools are all explained. Hundreds
of images are shown using modern video technology to isolate and
enhance segments hardly discernible until now. All the various
interpretative theories are discussed.
The Lascaux Cave: A Look at Our Prehistoric Past WA-373
23 min / color / 1990 / IFB / VHS
The Lascaux cave in southwestern France contains some of the most stunning and significant art of the Old Stone Age, painted by our ancestors 17,000 years ago. This program, written and narrated by Leslie G. Freeman, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Chicago, uses rare footage of the paintings taken before the cave was closed to the public in 1963 to investigate not only the paintings themselves but the lives of the prehistoric artists and the communities in which they lived.
Lascaux Revisited ED-410
35 min / color / 1989 / CRYS / VHS
High school through adult
A rare study of the 17,000 year old Lascaux Cave paintings in France shot by a French crew after the caves were closed off to the public. In much detail, the filmmakers cover almost the entire extent of paintings and carvings.
Legacy of the Mound Builders ED-430
17 min / color / 1994 / CAM / VHS
Elementary school through adult
This is the story of a lost civilization born in the heartland of America in the Ohio region, the Hopewells, an advanced people with an elaborate trade network and builders of thousands of mounds and mile upon mile of earthen embankments over 2000 years ago. Scholars believe the system of mounds to equal the structures of other better known ancient cultures.
Legacy: Origins of Civilization
60 min each / color / 1990 / AMBROSE / VHS
Middle school through adult
Host Michael Wood traces the rise of both Asian and Western civilization in one global perspective in these thought-provoking videos. From the crumbling ruins in the Iraqi desert to those of Greece and Rome, viewers contemplate thriving cities and complex societies that have vanished, a reminder that other nations prospered for thousands of years. Now all that remains is their legacy.
- 1. Iraq: Cradle of Civilization LEG-1
After thousands of years as a hunter/gatherer, man built the first cities 5,000 years ago on the banks of the Euphrates River. Civilization as we know it began with the glorious cultures of Ur, Nineveh, and Babylon.
2. India: The Legacy of Hinduism LEG-2
Ancient India is with us today in the living tradition of the Hindu religion, the basis of Indian culture. The traditions that are honored by millions of Hindus in the present were born in the Indus valley 5,000 years ago.
3. Ancient Egypt: Land of the God Kings LEG-3
Ancient Egypt was the first great nation on earth and endured for thousands of years. The godlike Pharaoh was the rock on which this civilization was built. Ancient traditions come together in the Moslem culture that is the Middle East today.
4. China: The Great Innovator LEG-4
Many breakthroughs on which the modern world is based were discovered in China long before the West became aware of them: iron-casting, gunpowder, even printing. When introduced to Europe, these things changed Western civilization. This episode presents the synthesis of East and West.
5. Central America: The Burden of Time LEG-5
Isolated from the rest of the world, the Mayans and Aztecs created sophisticated civilizations that in many ways paralleled ancient Mediterranean empires. Godlike kings and a priestly ruling class dominated splendid cities of temples and pyramids.
6. The West: Triumph of Greece and Rome LEG-6
This final episode traces the origins of Western culture through Greece and Rome and how it triumphed, not only through its own genius, but by borrowing from the legacies of the original 5 old world civilizations.
The Legendary Waters of Ireland ED-380
60 min / color / 1993 / CTC / VHS
Middle school through adult
In this masterfully told documentary, the history of Ireland unfolds through its stories of conquest and religious conversion. Through footage shot from boats traveling the Grand Canal, the Boyne and Shannon rivers, and the lakes of Killarney, viewers can gaze at the rolling hills and shoreline locales and imagine the invaders who landed on these shores. From Tara, the center of the Earth in Celtic lore, to the cities of Dublin, Galway, and Limerick, fascinating tales are told. These external influences have had a profound effect on the art and culture of this beautiful country, shaping its history to produce the Ireland we know today.
Leo Castelli: XXXth Anniversary ED-263
29 min / color / 1988 / AA / VHS
High school through adult
What is it like to be one of the world’s foremost art collectors and dealers? The interviewer asks this and more of Leo Castelli as he prepares his world-renowned gallery for a retrospective exhibition that celebrates 30 years in business. Castelli reminisces about leading artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, and Claes Oldenburg, and discusses 2 prominent art movements he helped to promote: Minimalism and Conceptualism.
Leonardo da Vinci WA-410
52 min / color / 1993 / NDV / VHS
Middle school through adult
One of the great figures in human history, Leonardo is among a very small group of persons whose genius has universal relevance. Leonardo changed the way all who succeeded him viewed the world. This program illuminates all facets of his abiding genius from his paintings, anatomical studies, theories of light, military and mechanical engineering projects, sculpture, and the host of natural phenomena that his vastly fertile mind embraced during half a century of continuous research. Recommended for classes in art, art history, Renaissance history, biography, and science.
Leonardo da Vinci: Inventors of the World ED-510
23 min / 2002 / CRYS / VHS
Elementary through middle school
Leonardo, from the village of Vinci, was a “one man show”. He could do just about everything. This fun video uses an actor to bring Leonardo to life and colorfully explore his vision as artist, inventor, musician, and scientist through photographs, archival images, and actual drawings and materials.
Let’s Draw People’s Faces! AME-1 NEW!
22 min/2000/ VHS
Elementary school
Children are carefully and patiently shown how to draw the human face in a step-by-step lesson by artist/teacher Patricia Robinson. She maps out the proportions of the face and teaches in a gentle way that even the youngest can appreciate. Part of the “Art Made Easy series.
Let’s Explore Watercolors! AME-2 NEW!
24 min/2000/ VHS
Elementary school
Artist Patricia Robinson plunges students into the world of color as they learn how to handle the brush. As well, students learn how to mix paints, color control and selection, how to blend, AND how to clean up afterwards. Part of the “Art Made Easy series.
Liberty! The American Revolution series
6 parts; 60 min ea / 1997 / PBS / VHS
Middle school through adult
This is a lively 6-part series about the American Revolution and our fight for freedom. This critically acclaimed series chronicles the events leading up to the declaration of war and the lasting effects these events had on shaping our country today. In stunning dramatizations, notable actors recreate the people who figured prominently in our early history.
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1. The Reluctant Revolutionaries LIB-1
In 1763, American colonists seem to be happily British but a firestorm is forming. Colonists see their liberties and power threatened. Benjamin Franklin finds himself in the center of controversy as relations between England and America begin to unravel.
2. Blows Must Decide LIB-2
By the fall of 1774, British troops occupy Boston. Its port has been closed. Thirteen colonies take faltering steps toward unity. Thomas Paine’s tract, Common Sense, helps turn the tide to independence. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence is ratified and starts a political revolution.
3. The Times That Try Men’s Souls LIB-3
The title, uttered by Thomas Payne, fits the dark days at the start after Washington and his rag tag troops suffer a number of defeats to the well-mounted British regulars. By Christmas, 1776, the General knows he must achieve a major victory. With guts and strategy, he takes an army across the half-frozen Delaware River to beat a surprised garrison of Hessian mercenaries.
4. Oh Fatal Ambition LIB-4
Benjamin Franklin is dispatched to France to request financial and military support. King Louis XVI is reluctant without proof that the young republic can win the war. British General John Burgoyne tries to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies but is soundly defeated at Saratoga, NY. France pitches in to our efforts.
5. The World Turned Upside Down LIB-5
England tries to exploit the contradictions of Americans fighting for liberty yet maintaining slavery in the South. This fails. General Washington’s army traps a weary British army led by Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. Two years later, the treaty of Paris is signed. The Revolutionary War is over.
6. Are We To Be A Nation? LIB-6
Peace brings a new set of challenges to the new nation. The young Constitution is fiercely debated weighing the power of the Federal versus States. In the end, it is ratified and includes a Bill of Rights. James Madison says, “Americans have accomplished a Revolution which has no parallel in the annals of human society.”
Lichtenstein in London WA-135
21 min / color / 1968 / RC / 16mm, VHS
Middle school through adult
By blending actual film of people viewing Roy Lichtenstein’s works with comments by them at a 1968 opening in London, this video gives an often humorous slant by revealing just how people react to art. As well, comments by the artist are included to give serious insight into Lichtenstein’s approaches as a major force in Pop Art and graphics oriented painting and sculpture.
Life After Île Ste-Croix ED-569
63 min/ 2006/ DVD
High school through adult
Île Ste-Croix, a tiny island between Canada and the United States, was the locus where French Acadians founded a settlement in 1604, predating Jamestown. In 2004, three cultures claiming history there came together for a commemoration. Francophones, Anglophones, and the abandoned and forgotten Passamaquoddy natives partcipated. This video presents the human face of history with the people who engage with both their pasts and their present.
Life & Art of William H. Johnson ED-586
30 min/ 1991 / DVD
Middle school through adult
William H Johnson, an African-American, was born in Florence, South Carolina in 1901 and studied painting and drawing in New York and Europe. He led a fascinating life as a young artists in Paris in the 1920s. Sadly, after his wife’s death in 1944, Johnson’s spirit and career declined. He died in near obscurity in 1970. Miraculously, over 1000 paintings survived and he now can be recognized for his important contributions to the art world.
Life and Death of Frida Kahlo ED-277
40 min / color / 1966 / OWF / VHS
College through adult
Frida Kahlo (1910-1959), who was usually eclipsed by her famous husband, muralist Diego Riviera, emerges in this film as one of the most articulate, creative, and masterful of South America’s artists. This haunting documentary opens with scenes from Kahlo’s funeral in 1959, and includes interviews with people who knew and loved her: friends, peers, teachers, and fellow artists. They recount the tumultuous events (operations, illnesses, divorce) that befell this extraordinary woman. Suggested for South American and women’s studies, as well as classes in art history.
Life in Tudor Times ED-571
1996/ CD-ROM
Elementary through adult
This interactive disk brings the vanished world of Tudor and Elizabethan England to life with material filmed and photographed at Hever Castle, home of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s ill-fated Queen, as well as much detailed factual information about all the major events and personalities that shaped the destiny of England from the end of the War of the Roses to the death of Elizabeth I. The story of the Tudor Kings and Queens, descriptions of major events such as the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the lives of key personalities such as Sir Walter Raleigh are all illustrated by colorful and attractive paintings. The social side of Tudor England is explored through four main areas: Arts and Architecture, Life at Sea, Court Life, and Life in Town and Country.
Light, Darkness, and Colours NEW!
52 min /1998/ DVD
College through adult
Using Goethe’s 1810 Theory of Colours as a point of departure, three contemporary video directors use Goethe’s method to explore human sensory perception with strikingly beautiful time-lapse cinematography. Goethe had reproduced experiments by Sir Isaac Newton and found a new group of colors calling it the “light—darkness polarity”. The theory greatly influenced artists but was virtually ignored by science.
Light of the Gods WA-314
28 min / color / 1988 / FI / VHS
High school through adult
Colleen Dewhurst narrates this exploration of the parallel development of Greek arts and philosophy from the ancient Geometric period to the full flowering of the classical Greek tradition. Light of the Gods contains on-site footage of historical locations such as Delphi and Olympia, and highlights a series of important artworks. Excerpts from performances of Greek tragedy are included, as well as selections from the poetry of Sappho.
The Lilith Summer ED-173
28 min / color / 1986 / AIMS / VHS
Middle school through adult
Based on the novel of the same name by Hadley Irwin, The Lilith Summer is a story of meeting-and bonding-between young and old. Lured by the opportunity to earn enough money to buy a bicycle, Ellen, age 11, reluctantly agrees to be a companion and helper to 77-year-old Lilith. To be able to afford new porch screens, Lilith agrees to “sit” Ellen. Their tolerance of each other is given a severe test when they discover they’re part of a plot by Ellen’s mother and Lilith’s daughter to solve 2 “companion” problems with one stroke. The film is a sensitive exploration of inter-generational relationships that may help young viewers to avoid the trap of prejudice that they so often develop against the elderly.
Lillian Thomas Pratt’s Fabergé: WA-486
Shopping, Collecting, Remembering
30 min / color / 1996 / VM / VHS / DVD
High school through adult
The royal families of Russia’s last imperial rulers lived in a world of fabulous delights. Court jewelers to the Czars, the master craftsmen of Peter Carl Fabergé created fantastic objects in gold, silver, rock crystal, and gemstones. This intimate documentary unveils the world-renowned Lillian Thomas Pratt Collection of Fabergé at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts as it has never been seen before. Through the perseverance of Lillian Thomas Pratt, a passionate collector not born to wealth, a world-class collection of Russian imperial jewels was acquired during the 1930s and ‘40s. In this video, family members, friends, and curator David Park Curry recalls both collector and collection, while stunning photographic close-ups of dazzling Fabergé objects reveal exquisite details usually seen only by museum curators and conservators.
A Line Is a Line Is a Line ED-33
5 min / b&w / 1972 / IFB / 16mm, VHS
High school through adult
An animated film by Swiss artist Urs Graf, made by drawing directly on the film. The screen becomes a blackboard, and the drawn white lines create a rapidly changing variety of images. Lines change to distort the drawings and transform them into representations of other things. Meanings and associations fluctuate as a line curves, twists, and straightens-creating different images while remaining essentially the same: a line.
Lineage ED-127
30 min / color / 1979 / SBC / 16mm
High school through adult
In this fascinating animation-essay, George Griffin acknowledges the artistic heritage of hand-drawn cartoon film and examines his own formal concerns about filmmaking. The film explores trends in film animation, and is excellent for film study groups.
Linnea in Monet’s Garden ED-383
30 min / color / 1993 / AA / DVD /VHS
Elementary school through adult
The charming tale of a little girl’s love affair with the paintings of Impressionist Claude Monet is brought to life in full animation. Join Linnea and her friend Mr. Bloom as they set off to Paris and Monet’s garden in Giverny, France. Watch with delight as they discover the real places that served as inspiration for their favorite paintings. Marvel as the paintings and the garden come to life. Linnea in Monet’s Garden is a unique blend of imagination and education. It teaches children about the art and life of one of the most important artists of the 20th century, while entertaining them with the mystery and beauty of art and nature.
Listening to the Silence: African Cross Rhythms PE-58
33 min / color / 1996 / FFHS / VHS
Middle school through adult
“Africans listen to the silence and use it as a dimension in which they can improvise,” observes John Collins, an English musician and host of this program. Inspired by rhythms in nature and the simple routines of the workday, this program explores a kaleidoscope of musical examples from Ghana: children’s games and their musical bands; traditional drums; sensual dances; trance dances; animated funeral music; and many other examples from the Ewe, Asanti, Ga, and Frafra peoples of Ghana. Throughout the program, the emphasis is the social participation and the strikingly complex rhythmic sensibilities of the people.
A Little Bit of Magic Revealed: William Fox Talbot’s Discovery ED-431
26 min / color / 1985 / FFH / VHS
Middle school through adult
A creative account of the man who many consider the inventor of photography in 1835, William Fox Talbot, is shot on location on the grounds of his English ancestral home. Talbot discovered the negative/positive process and, though a home-grown scientist, he went on to prove himself a most artistic and thought-provoking photographer.
Little Dancer Aged 14 WA-663
50 min / 2006 / DVD
College through adult
Until now, Edgar Degas’ wax sculpture of the beautiful Little Dancer and the girl who modeled for it was enigmatic and mysterious. This video presents a thorough exposé of its history. Interesting dramatic recreations of period, a variety of commentators, high tech forensic x-rays, engaging music, a visit to Paris ballet practice, and demonstrations of sculpting techniques in wax and bronze reveal so much heretofore unknown. Noted in this program is VMFA benefactor Paul Mellon’s purchase of the entire array of wax Little Dancers
A Little Girl and a Gunny Wolf ED-177
6 min / color / 1971 / AIMS / VHS
Preschool through adult
The inner-city kindergarten children of a California elementary school used cutout paper designs to illustrate a story based on The Gunniwolf by Wilhelmina Harper. The little girl ignores her mother’s warning to stay out of the forest and the Gunny Wolf, a fabulous and terrifying creature, captures her. She soothes him to sleep with a nonsense song, and runs safely back home. The film, narrated by black children in their own idiom, is of particular interest to young viewers and is useful in encouraging them to draw of their own versions of their favorite fairy tales.
The Little Men of Cromagnon ED-190
8 min / color / 1971 / IU / 16mm
Preschool through adult
Children will delight in this introduction to the primary colors and their combinations-an animated film in which little elflike creatures make all the discoveries. They emerge from 3 circles painted red, yellow, and blue. When they venture into a circle of another color, they find that they, too, change color. Their every movement and posture is designed to both amuse and educate.
The Little Prince ED-149
27 min / color / 1979 / BBF / 16mm
Middle school through adult
Based on the famous story of the same title by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, this film uses clay animation to tell the story of a prince from a tiny planet who travels to Earth to find the secrets of happiness. Through his sensitive animation technique, filmmaker Will Vinton has managed to capture the eloquent charm and profound simplicity of the original story.
Little Red Riding Hood: A Balinese/Oregon Adaptation ED-147
17 min / color / 1980 / TEXFLM / 16mm, VHS
Elementary school through adult
In this fresh and enchanting version of one of the most famous legends in children’s literature, the familiar characters appear in Balinese-type masks (carved in the extraordinary opening sequence). The tale is enacted through mime, in a magnificent Oregon forest. In the tradition of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, a musical instrument personifies each character. Like all great tales that children love to hear again and again, the tale remains spell-binding. This film, by David Sonnenschein, is an excellent companion to Hansel and Gretel: An Appalachian Version.
Littlechild WA-501
24 min / color / 1991 / FWA / VHS
Middle school through adult
George Littlechild’s paintings are works of bold colors and graphic forms depicting powerful images that grab the memory. He commits to canvas, paper, and animal hide the drama of his personal quests-historical, creative and spiritual-in a way that compels the viewer to join the journey. His paintings now show around the world, and he is proud of his source of strength-his Native heritage.
The Lively Art of Picture Books ED-375
57 min / color / 1964 / CF / VHS
Middle school through adult
In this classic documentary featuring interviews with Robert McCloskey, Maurice Sendak, and Barbara Cooney, author John Langstaff describes how picture books are created. Also included is a discussion of the Caldecott Medal and how this prestigious award came into being. Two picture books, The Snowy Day and Time of Wonder, are also shown to complete this peek into the creative process.
Living Color ED-368
27 min / color / 1994 / ND / VHS
High school through adult
Color is much more than merely a decorative element in life. Narrator David Suzuki looks at the communicative value of color in this program from The Nature of Things television series. Color is instrumental to the survival of many species of plants and animals. It also influences how we feel, think, and express ourselves.
Living Memory: Six Sketches of Mali Today ED-538
53 min / 1993 / VHS, DVD
Middle school through adult
This video explores Mali's ancient and contemporary cultures,
their interaction, and each culture's position in the country
today. It is constructed in six segments: Ritual Arts, Culture
on Display, Style, Architecture, Contemporary Artists, and Music.
Produced by Susan Vogel, founder of the Museum for African Art
in New York.
Loie Fuller’s Fire Dance ED-577 NEW!
45 min/2003/ DVD
College through adult
This is a contemporary recreation of Loie Fuller’s 1890s Fire Dance by performer Jessica Lindberg. Born in the U.S., Fuller became an icon of the Paris Art Nouveau movement and spawned many imitators. Special features on this disk are documentaries about Fuller’s life, about the dance reconstruction, and actual archival film of Fuller and imitators.
The London of William Hogarth WA-24
26 min / b&w / 1956 / IFB / 16mm
Middle school through adult
With penetrating insight and satire, William Hogarth’s engravings vividly portray mid-18th-century London. The film captures the spirit of the times through Hogarth’s biting caricatures of the nobility, the bourgeoisie, and the beggars, and scenes of the theater and the fair.
The Look of America, 1750-1800 WA-165
26 min / color / 1977 / PFP / 16mm
Middle school through adult
The richness and diversity of our historical heritage are brought to life in this beautifully crafted film. Wilderness settings, virtually unchanged in 200 years, are blended with live-action reenactments of craftsmen and settlers at work, to convey a sense of what life was like in early Colonial times. The spartan character of Puritan New England, the bustle of Philadelphia, the sweeping elegance of Carolina plantations, and the stalwart pioneer settlements pushing westward are compared and contrasted in an informative portrait of our emerging nation. A film by Charles and Ray Eames.
The Loon’s Necklace ED-387
10 min / color / 1949 / EBEC / VHS
Preschool through adult
This haunting Native American legend comes from the Pacific Northwest coast and tells how the loon received its distinctive markings. Authentic ceremonial masks of the Northwest tribes, striking in design and color, are used to dramatize the intriguing story.
Lord Have Mercy: Olger’s Store ED-405
35 min / color / 1998 / SW / VHS
High school through adult
Join filmmaker R. Stanley Woodward as he explores the wonderful world of the general store. In this delightful glimpse of Americana, we meet Jimmy Olger of Sutherland, Virginia, self-proclaimed “King of Brunswick Stew,” who shares his special recipe for this Southern dish. Olger proudly tells the secret of his success; he cooks his stew to a state of perfection in the old-fashioned way, in a black kettle over an open fire, stirring the ingredients with a wooden paddle for that extra flavor. We tour Olger’s museum, which he converted when the country store closed in 1988, and learn the history of his family and why he stays in this small Virginia community. This documentary is a touching tribute to rural life and Southern traditions.
Lord of the Sky ED-324
12 min / color / 1992 / NFBC / VHS
Elementary school through adult
In this animated, environmental parable, we find a people living in harmony with nature until carelessness leads to the ravens’ revenge. We follow an Indian boy as he journeys to the spirit world to find the only one who can save them-Lord of the Sky. Animators Ludmila and Eugen Spaleny, in a dazzling combination of 3-D models, puppets, special effects, and cut-out paper animation, create a film that reflects the natural environment and cultural heritage of the Pacific Northwest. Suitable for environmental studies, language arts, myths and legends, creative storytelling, native studies, animation, and film techniques. Closed captioned.
Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise WA-302
30 min / color / 1989 / TREC / VHS
College through adult
Florence during the 15th century was not only a leading center of the Renaissance movement, but was also home to one of the greatest Renaissance bronze sculptors, Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455). Ghiberti’s early career is discussed, including his competition with the architectural genius Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) over the commission for the bronze doors of the Baptistry of Florence. Ghiberti won and later was commissioned to design a second set of doors for the Baptistry, the famed Gates of Paradise. He is represented as a formidable artistic force who bridged the transition from the Gothic period to the Renaissance.
Suggested Classroom Activity: Have students design doors for a public building that, like the Gates of Paradise, represent events that occur inside.
Lost Civilizations
48 min each / color / 1995 / TIMEL / VHS
High school through adult
Combining state-of-the-art technology with powerful storytelling and classic documentary film techniques, this series transports viewers across the ages into the heart of ancient cultures. Events, rituals, and places not seen in thousands of years live again in all their exotic and sometimes shocking reality.
- 1. Ancient Egypt: Quest for Immortality LOST-1
The discovery of Tutankhamen’s undisturbed burial chamber provided an unprecedented glimpse into a civilization that continues to tantalize us in a manner that transcends mere historical interest. In this program, viewers explore the timeless allure of a culture in which everyone believed that eternal life was not an abstraction, but a natural right. Learn how archaeologists are penetrating Egypt’s long-buried mysteries and experience the intriguing texture of past lives in a world where every death was a new beginning.
2. Maya: The Blood of Kings LOST-2
Explore ancient Mayan ruins reclaimed from the jungles of Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala and discover the power at the center of this glittering civilization. The answers now being uncovered in sites all across the region spin a remarkable archaeological detective story of a society in thrall to the divinity of their rulers that climaxed in the dark ritual of royal mutilation and human sacrifice.
3. Mesopotamia: Return to Eden LOST-3
The great world religions of the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths all trace the roots of their civilizations to the river valleys of Mesopotamia’s Fertile Crescent. Archaeologists are now unearthing physical clues to the truths behind ancient stories, such as the Jewish exodus into Babylon, the barbaric reign of the fearsome Assyrians, and the dawn of civilization itself amid the first cities of ancient Sumer.
4. Aegean: Legacy of Atlantis LOST-4
Intriguing new data discovered by archaeologists suggests that the site of the mythical empire of Atlantis may be the Greek isle of Thera, where 3,000 years ago a highly advanced culture was destroyed by the most violent volcanic eruption in human history. Viewers visit this island and also sail to Crete, Turkey, and the Greek mainland to search for Homeric heroes and the origins of western culture.
5. Greece: A Moment of Excellence LOST-5
Journey back to Athens, the world’s first democracy, as Pericles helps usher it into a golden age of unparalleled achievement in philosophy, science, and art. Discover the role of the gods in classical Greek society and the Greeks’ pursuit of both intellectual and physical superiority, from the fine arts to the development of the Olympic games.
6. China: Dynasties of Power LOST-6
Join Western and Chinese archaeologists in rediscovering the powerful dichotomy haunting China’s past, where the ruling elite lived in opulent splendor while peasant masses endured unimaginable hardships. Trace the rise of China’s earliest dynasty, the Shang; witness the dawn of the golden age of philosophic enlightenment during the dynasty of the Chou; followed by the rise of Ch’in Shihuang Di, China’s first emperor, who raised the great wall on the blood and sweat of his vast slave-labor armies. From the stunningly lifelike, full-sized terra cotta soldiers buried by the thousands at Xi’an to the vibrant imperial court of the fabled Forbidden City, glimpse the majesty and savagery of China’s ancient world.
7. Rome: The Ultimate Empire LOST-7
From humble beginnings on the banks of Italy’s Tiber River, Rome’s formidable combination of military prowess and political discipline transformed this small tribal village into an unassailable military colossus bestriding the known world. Join researchers in discovering the very essence of what it meant to live as an ancient Roman, from the pleasure dens of Pompeii to the empire’s farthest frontier at Hadrians’ Wall. Finally, see how the awesome military empire crumbles.
8. Africa: A History Denied LOST-8
The hidden legacy of Africa’s great coastal kingdoms and their mysterious counterparts in the heartland of Zimbabwe and southern Africa unfolds in this program. Reclaiming their past from a long tradition of racial prejudice and neglect, the descendants of these lost cultures are only now discovering the extraordinary achievements of Africa’s indigenous civilizations.
9. Inca: Secrets of the Ancestors LOST-9
Join researchers as they unravel the enigmas of the Inca ancestors-the Moche, the Nazca, and the Paracas-and witness the amazing engineering feat that is Machu Picchu, lost for centuries until an American archaeologist fought his way through the jungle and uncovered its majestic beauty in 1911. Travel the 15,000-mile Inca road system, marvel at the magnificence of Inca architecture, and observe the haunting ritual of ancestral mummy worship. Then witness the devastating encounter between the Inca and the Spanish conquistadors who brought about the tragic demise of this once-invisible empire.
10. Tibet: The End of Time LOST-10
Steeped in the mystical ideals of Buddhism, the Tibetans centered their lives on selfless altruism and the perception of the world as an endlessly repeating cycle of life, death, and rebirth. As the world’s last surviving theocracy, Tibetans voluntarily abandoned their warlike past to a worship of their ruler, the Dalai Lama, as the living manifestation of God on Earth. Viewers witness the outside world’s impact on a people totally devoted to the quest for peaceful coexistence, inner knowledge, and the ultimate spiritual bliss of nirvana. Above all, see how the great arc of civilization rises and falls in a living process that continues today in this ethereal mountain domain.
Lost to the Revolution WA-136
28 min / color / 1981 / PFI / 16mm, VHS
Middle school through adult
A look at the final years of Imperial Russia, through the legacy of Peter Carl Fabergé, the renowned jeweler who created many designs for the Romanovs during the reigns of Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. The history of some of Fabergé’s greatest creations is viewed in the context of the ominous social and political upheavals that preceded the Russian Revolution, with the resulting loss of a complex, intricate society to a new order. Much attention is focused on the close-knit Romanov family and the beautiful gifts they exchanged-symbols of their deep love for one another, reflected in the creations of the genius Fabergé.
The Lost Tomb of the Sons of Ramses II WA-404
15 min / color / 1993 / CTC / VHS
Middle school through adult
Located just outside the ancient city of Thebes, now Luxor, is a vast complex of burials known as the Necropolis. Kent Weeks, professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, takes the viewers on a journey to this city of the dead. Weeks has initiated a project to aid in the preservation of this site and has uncovered Tomb #KV5, built by Ramses the Great (1292-1225 B.C.) for his sons. Although identified by explorers in the mid-19th century, this tomb has never been explored and was assumed to have been abandoned midway through construction. Now, for the first time, this introductory program allows viewers the rare opportunity to witness the initial discoveries of this century in the Valley of the Kings.
Louis Kahn: Silence and Light AR-1
59 min / 1995 / BPI / VHS
College through adult
Architect, educator, and philosopher Louis Kahn was one of the 20th century giants. This video gives tribute to Kahn and his buildings of profound, quiet power. It features Kahn speaking and teaching and fellow architects commenting. Six of his most significant structures are examined: Salk Instiutute, Kimbell Art Museum, Center for British Art at New Haven, library at Philips Exeter Academy, Indian Institute of Management, and Parliament Buildings of Bangladesh.
The Louvre WA-60
45 min / color / 1964 / EBEC / 16mm
Middle school through adult
This film, produced by CBS and narrated by Charles Boyer, relates the history of “the golden prison,” the Louvre, from its beginnings as a king’s hunting lodge to its glory as one of the world’s greatest museums. Brilliant closeups of some of the Louvre’s magnificent art treasures highlight the story.
Louvre 200: A Bicentennial Celebration
59 min each / color / 1993 / FI / VHS
Middle school through adult
This series explores one of the greatest inventions of the modern Western world: the museum. The idea of gathering works of art from different civilizations to be housed in one facility is unique in the last 200 years. Celebrate the bicentennial of France’s premier museum, the Louvre, with its staff and examine the workings of this astonishing museum. Discover how, in the course of 2 centuries, it has changed our vision of art and time.
- 1. The Louvre: A Museum in Time L200-1
This first episode traces the extraordinary history of the world’s largest museum through 2 centuries. Established during Napoleon’s reign, the Louvre grew in the 19th century. By using a model of the original exhibition salon, viewers can experience the Louvre as it gained its collection.
2. The Louvre: Selected Places L200-2
This illuminating program is a guided tour of the new Grand Louvre in its totality. Places never before seen by the public are visited, including the immense sculpture courts, the new installation of Taureaux of Khorsabad, the gilded apartments of the Duke de Morny, the ancient offices of the Finance Minister, and the round gallery of the Seasons of Poussin. In the ancient Louvre, viewers experience the splendor of the Victory of Samothrace and its stairway, the Great Gallery, the Medieval Castle, the Egyptian antiquities, the Venus de Milo, and the Mona Lisa.
3. At the Louvre with the Masters L200-3
All through the 19th century, painters visited the Louvre. For them, the museum was a school, a studio, a salon, a laboratory, a reservoir of techniques and, above all, a source of inspiration. This last program is a tour of the Louvre with 3 great 19th-century painters: Courbet, Degas, and Cezanne. Through evidence found in their notebooks, paintings, and studios, these inventors of modern painting display how the museum played an essential role in the formation of their ideas. Other artists, such as Ingres, Delacroix, Zola, Manet, and Picasso, also are seen in this unique and enlightening dramatization.
Love in the Cold: Strings ED-365
24 min / color / 1991 / NFBC / VHS
Middle school through adult
“I knew I wanted to deal with a bath. A bath is a world both safe and in which we are vulnerable." So says Wendy Tilby, animator for the Academy Award-nominated short film Strings. In this interview she describes in detail how she wrote the storyline for her film, outlining both the form and content of this sensitive portrait of interpersonal relationships. Tilby also explains the technique she used to create the images in Strings, which we see in its entirety, as well as excerpts from her other works.
Love Songs off the Miao in China OA-33
45 min / color / 1993 / FL / VHS
Middle school through adult
This richly photographed film captures the lifestyle of the Miao who live deep in the mountains of southern China and preserve the traditions of the past in their daily life, unaffected by the changes of modern China. As a result, their songs and time-honored customs marking each phase of life continue with the same importance. The Miao’s courtship rituals are particularly interesting because of the emphasis placed on love songs. We watch young men and women woo one another with their soulful songs. Each year there is a regional festival called Pa-Po-Jeh where the young go in search of marriage partners from other villages. The film focuses on a seventeen-year-old girl who attends the festival and her family’s everyday life within their village. This is a rare opportunity to see life in a remote area of China where foreign film crews have rarely been allowed.
The Lowly Pencil AT-57
19 min / color / 1994 / Lucerne / VHS
Elementary school through adult
Lead pencils were used during the Renaissance, but today they are made of powdered graphite and clay. This video tells the story of the different types of pencils and how to access the full range of possibilities for tone, line, and texture. Using examples from artists such as Grant Wood, a series of step-by-step demonstrations reveals the basic techniques for drawing with surprising innovations. Artistic terms are explained in detail, and there is even instruction on using the eraser. This video is a great introduction for the beginning artist.
Lullaby ED-195
5 min / color / 1981 / PFI / VHS
Preschool through adult
Intricate dough sculptures, folded paper, and textured fabrics are blended together in this beautifully animated story of a little dove. In this simple tale, a baby’s pet dove, harassed by a cat, escapes out a window, where it encounters the perils of the open world. This is an excellent film to inspire collage activities and to introduce classes in dough or clay sculpture.
Luma Nocturna ED-75
4 min / color / 1974 / SBC / 16mm
Elementary school through adult
The use of overlapping dissolves and luminescent light transports Dennis Pies’s imagery into a world beyond description. Brilliantly colored night lights drift gracefully on a velvet black field. The changing images in the film suggest many possible interpretations.
Suggested Classroom Activity: Younger children can be encouraged to make up their own explanations of the images, while older children may use the images as a basis for poems or short stories.
Lumaaq: An Eskimo Legend ED-81
7 min / b&w / 1976 / NFB / 16mm
Preschool through adult
This film is about a legend widely believed by Canada’s Inuit Indians. The story follows a young Indian boy and his family during hunting season. Filmmaker Co Hoedeman used paper cutouts to animate the tale; the results are like Eskimo prints in action. Together, music and artwork present an encompassing view of a different culture.
The Lump ED-342
8 min / color / 1991 / NFBC / VHS
Elementary school through adult
Short, homely George is a loser until a curious medical condition changes his physique. Suddenly he’s a social success, and finds himself thrust into politics and elected to the highest office of government by an easily duped public. This humorous animated satire by Oscar winner John Weldon makes a sardonic commentary on the role of personal appearance in achieving popularity and power.
Luna, Luna, Luna ED-252
13 min / color / 1981 / NFB / 16mm
Elementary school through adult
A child sleepwalks into the forest. A black vastness inhabited by night creatures throbs and chirps, croaks and gurgles. As the child wades deeper into the shimmering night, the real forest and the imaginary one dissolve into each other. Apparitions and phantoms begin their nocturnal dance. The atmosphere becomes charged, and witches come shrieking to life. When the fear of the night reaches its peak, the moon rises and the final lunacy begins. This animated film about a child’s reaction to the mysteries and magic of the night is a superb stimulus for drawing, painting, and creative writing.
Luxo, Jr. ED-257
3 min / color / 1986 / DC / VHS
Elementary school through adult
Luxo, Jr. is a 3-minute sample of technically advanced animation produced by the laboratory group PIXAR, which develops special effects for the Lucasfilm company. In this Academy Award-nominated short feature, two Luxo drafting-table lamps become father and son in an emotionally charged episode in which they play with a beach ball. Curiosity, sadness, and joy are articulately expressed by movements of the lamps in combination with a minimal sound track. This delightful short is recommended for animation, film, and computer classes.
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