Channel Four (Great Britain)

The use of hypnosis in medicine has a long history. In the early days of anesthesia, surgeons often used the trance-inducing technique as a fail-safe measure-and today the concept is being revisited. This program presents a scientific investigation into the idea that hypnosis can reduce or even replace the use of anesthesia. Exploring the merits of making the procedure available to more patients-especially those too weak for, or unsuited to, conventional...

This documentary looks at the state of the Roman Empire in the first century AD and examines its many aspects by following the career of one of its finest emperors, Vespasian, from his childhood to his death in 79 AD. Through the exploration of Vespasian's life we gain an insight into the sophisticated workings and of the Roman Empire. Vespasian came to power in 69 AD, at a moment when the Empire was in grave crisis, when it's continued existence...

Produced with unprecedented access to Hamas and its operations, this program takes viewers inside Gaza's Islamic fundamentalist government in the months following its civil war against Fatah. The film observes Hamas leaders as they struggle to shape policy and follows a former militant who now heads up an Executive Force police unit-carrying out orders he doesn't agree with. Archival footage and interviews from earlier years are also included, creating...

There is no doubt that Arthur Shawcross is a psychopath. Found guilty of killing 2 children and 11 prostitutes his tales of cannibalism and mutilation have made him one of America's most notorious serial killers. That he killed 13 people by asphyxiation is certain. Similarly, that he got sexual satisfaction from the attacks. But exactly what he did to his victims and why is not at all clear. His story has changed many, many times over the years. Margaret...

Part one of Baroque begins at St. Peter's in Rome, and details the birth of the Baroque tradition as it burst forth in Italy. This program concentrates on Rome - a hotbed of Baroque art and architecture. "The Eternal City" is where the Baroque began, and here Waldemar Januszczak explores the theatricality of St. Peter's cathedral and piazza and works by Borromini. He encourages us to examine the painted ceilings of the city, including that of the...

Festivals of life nourish us with ancient rituals in a fast-changing world, covering all facets of the human condition, the changing seasons, weddings, coming of age ceremonies, births and deaths, the worship of gods and the battle against evil spirits. This film showcases Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations that unite the living and the dead in feasting, dancing and decoration. In Oaxaca City, local artists create sand tapestries and enter an altar...

In the second film of his series on the Great War's impact, historian David Reynolds looks at how the conflict gave birth to an age of turbulent mass democracy. In the immediate aftermath of war, monarchies toppled, the people rose up, and three iconic leaders-Vladimir Lenin, Woodrow Wilson and Benito Mussolini-emerged with competing visions of power that polarized much of continental Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. In Britain, the socialist Labor...

It's 1606 and in the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot, the authorities are cracking down on Catholics. Shakespeare's Macbeth captures the anxiety and obsessions of the time. King James continues to be focused on succession and legitimacy, while food riots in the Midlands create the climate for the gripping tragedy of Coriolanus.

The Crimean War (October 1853 - February 1856) was part of a long-running contest between major European powers for influence over the declining Ottoman Empire's territories. Considered one of the first "modern" wars, written reports and photographs kept the British public informed of the day-to-day battlefield realities for the first time. This series uses firsthand British, French, and Russian accounts to describe the military and logistical incompetence,...

In this program, art critic Waldemar Januszczak travels through the heart of the Middle East and beyond to study a wide range of Islamic architecture, decoration, and art objects. Providing helpful historical background on the faith-with an eye on the explosive spread of early Islamic culture-the program examines the pristine beauty of India's Taj Mahal as well as one of the world's oldest surviving mosques, and what may be its most spectacular: the...