Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

Jacinto Benavente-a member of the Generation of '98, the winner of the 1922 Nobel Prize for Literature, and one of the most influential Spanish dramatists of the entire 20th century-penned more than 170 plays. This program tells the story of Benavente's life and the turbulent times in which he lived as it sheds light on aspects of his writing. A critic of the bourgeois class, he nonetheless counted its members among his most loyal supporters. Readings...

After the death of Franco and during the transition to a parliamentary monarchy, Spain's cultural life blossomed once again. In this environment, the poetry movement known as "the other sentimentality"-named after the first book of Javier Egea and Luis Garcia Montero-was born, a movement known for its transformation of the personal experience into a collective one so that any reader might identify with the feelings evoked. This program discusses that...

In the fullness of time, his failings have become obvious. Yet, even after the collapse of global Communism, Karl Marx stands undiminished as one of history's most influential thinkers. This program chronicles Marx's life and intellectual development, including the publication and impact of his major writings. Beginning with his birth and religiously confused childhood in Prussia, the video traces Marx's student years and his early affinity for Hegel,...

Tennessee Williams' masterpiece The Glass Menagerie is a prime example of the memory play in modern literature. In this program hosted by Eli Wallach, former cast members and directors of Menagerie discuss plot and thematic elements, the characterization of some of theater's most memorable and enduring dramatic figures, and the era in which the play was written. Commentary is provided by Ruby Dee, Olympia Dukakis, Julie Harris, and Molly Regan (Amanda);...

Combining aesthetics, sustainability, and function is the challenge of green architecture-and 20 teams of college students from North America and Europe brilliantly rise to that challenge as they compete to design, build, and demonstrate the operation of the most attractive and energy-efficient house at the 2007 Solar Decathlon held in Washington, D.C. This program tracks the teams from the University of Maryland, MIT, The University of Texas at Austin,...

First, call 911. This program shows viewers how to respond to common medical emergencies while waiting for professional help to arrive. With demonstrations and commentary from an experienced paramedic throughout, each section describes trauma situations or symptoms of distress and the best way to address them. The video also includes relevant advice on topics such as giving yourself the Heimlich maneuver, using an epi-pen on someone having an allergic...

From his assault on New Criticism to his salvos against the "school of resentment," literary scholar Harold Bloom has fused an eloquent defense of the western canon with insightful analysis and a rebel's penchant for controversy. This imaginative program, the first-ever documentary on Bloom's far-reaching contributions to literary criticism, ushers viewers through the complex world of his writings, ideas, influences, and impact. Presenting extensive...

Muslims, blacks, gays, people with disabilities, and immigrants of every ethnicity and color: they and many other groups have stood in the spotlight glare of intolerance, easy targets for every sort of discrimination and violence. What makes people prone to irrational hate, and what steps can individuals and society take to eradicate it? In this program, psychology professors Susan Fiske, of Princeton University, and Mahzarin Banaji, of Harvard University;...

The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 2004 is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 atomic bombs, inundating coastal communities with tsunami waves up to 100 feet high. This program explains the undersea geologic forces that create tsunamis - and considers the possible consequences if a landslide-generated mega-tsunami were to strike the East Coast.

Skiing at high altitude requires experience with the equipment used and skiers that are acclimated to the altitude level. In this episode our guide Simon St-Arnaud meets his friend Jérôme Grec to prepare for their first expedition together. They plan to make the ascent in sealskin garb, followed by the extreme challenge of working their way back down through the treacherous Diablerets station, to the off-trail Verbier station, all the while trying...