ENGLISH/LITERATURE

 

VI 1027           A Raisin in the Sun.  DVD.  1998.  172 min.

Story of a family caught between the reality of their surroundings and a chance at a piece of the American dream.

 

VI 0344           400 Blows.  VHS cassette.  1992.  99 min.

This is the story of s young boy who is more or less on his own.

 

VI 0063           1984.  VHS cassette.  1984.  115 min.

Starring John Hurt and Richard Burton, the film is based on the book by George Orwell.

 

VI 0297           Acting One, Day One.  VHS cassette.  1997.  35 min.

Suitable for the beginning college acting class, this video demonstrates Robert Cohen’s four basic acting principles.

 

VI 0205           Age of Innocence.  VHS cassette.  1993.  138 min.

A brilliant adaptation of Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.  A romance about three wealthy New Yorkers caught in a tragic love triangle, the story chronicles the grandeur and hypocrisy of high society in the 1870’s.

 

VI 0085           Alice Walker.  VHS cassette.  1994.  35 min.

Alice Walker relives her journey from an impoverished childhood in rural Georgia to her present life in northern California.

 

VI 0777           American Passages.  16 VHS cassettes.  2003.  30 min. ea.

[A] Native voices

[B] Exploring borderlands

[C] Utopian promise

[D] Spirit of nationalism

[E] Masculine heroes

[F] Gothic undercurrents

[G] Slavery and freedom

[H] Regional realism

[I] Social realism

[J] Rhythms in poetry

[K] Modernist portraits

[L] Migrant struggle

[M] Southern renaissance

[N] Becoming visible

[O] Poetry of literation

[P] Search for identity.

                        This 16-part American literature instructional series places literary movements and authors within the context of history and culture.

 

VI 0359           Annie Hall.  VHS cassette.  1977.  94 min.

A romantic and sensitive comedy revolving around the diverse and diverting relationships of two nervous New Yorkers, Alvy Singer and Annie Hall. 

 

 

VI 0286           Antigone.  VHS cassette.  1989.  86 min.

The Greek tragedy of Sophocles in which King Creon orders Antigone's death for burying her slain brother against the King's desire.

 

VI 0442           Barbara Kingsolver. VHS cassette.  1997.  60 min.

This program presents an interview with the author Barbara Kingsolver.

 

VI 0356           Barton Fink.  VHS cassette.  1991.  116 min.

Set in Hollywood during the 1940’s, this film is a comic satire about creative egos, flashy movie moguls, a traveling salesman and a nasty case of writer’s block.

 

VI 1019           Bell Hooks: Cultural Criticism & Transformation.  DVD.  1997.

Bell Hooks makes a compelling argument for the transformative powers of cultural criticism. She demonstrates how learning to think critically was central to her own self-transformation and how it can play a role in the students' quest for a sense of agency and identity. Includes footage from many films and music videos, and news coverage.

 

VI 0331           Beggar’s Opera.  VHS cassette.  1985.  13 min.

The characters of this highly spirited comedy of London’s lowlife thrived on thieving, lechery, and deceit.  

 

VI 0357           The Big Lebowski.  VHS cassette. 1949. 98 min.

The Dude. One cool guy who comes home one day to find two thugs have broken in and ruined his favorite carpet--the one that made the room "hang together." They did it because he has got the exact same name as one of the richest men in town, Lebowski.

 

VI 0345           The Big Sleep.  VHS cassette.  1946.  114 min. (b & w)

Philip Marlowe is hired by millionaire Gen. Sternwood to learn who is blackmailing his young, loose daughter, Carmen, with pornographic pictures.  Hard-boiled private eye Marlowe has his hands full when he gets involved in a web of sex, blackmail and murder.

 

VI 0443           Bobbie Ann Mason. VHS cassette.  1995.  60 min.

Southern author Bobbie Ann Mason of Western Kentucky discusses her work, and reads some of her short stories.

 

VI 0410           The Canterbury Tales.  VHS cassette.  2000.  30 min.

Animated versions, in a variety of styles, of the stories told by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury.

 

VI 0152           The Color Purple.  VHS cassette.  1985.  154 min.

An award winning film, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning literary classic by Alice Walker, it is the story of a poor black woman from the south, whose friendship with two women helps her overcome the brutality of her father and husband. Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey.

 

VI 0374           Conducting Light on a Shoestring.  VHS cassette.  2000.  33 min.

Introduction to Sledgehammer Theater at St. Cecilia's (former chapel) in San Diego, California and the lighting conditions on a professional production.  Also outlines the lighting design process.

 

VI 0155           Death of a Salesman.  2 VHS cassettes.  1986.  218 min.

Dustin Hoffman stars in this adaptation of Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize-winning play that depicts the dark side of the American dream.  Willie Lowman, a traveling salesman, struggles with the conflict of family values and society's expectations of success. Film includes a candid look at the filming of the play and conversations with the actors about various aspects of film making.

 

VI 0288           Doll’s House.  VHS cassette.  1973.  107 min.

Nora, the "model wife," commits forgery and risks destruction in order to save her husband. But after he rejects her, she leaves her husband and children to begin a new life.

 

VI 0328           Doorway to Dickens.  VHS cassette, activity & resource book.  1995.  120 min. 

A resource pack for studying the life, literature and legacy of Charles Dickens.  It includes materials on his style, characterization, and the plots and themes of Hard Times and Martin Chuzzlewit.

 

VI 0371           Dreams Are What You Wake Up From.  2000.  60 min.

Carver’s second wife, Tess Gallagher and writers Jay McInerney and Richard Ford, his close friends, explore Carver’s artistic legacy; his stories and poems about the other side of the American Dream.

 

VI 0315           Educator’s guide to using the Internet in the classroom: English and Language Arts.  VHS cassette.  2000.  30 min.

Designed for teachers, this video describes uses of the Internet in English and language arts instruction.  It shows how to use the Internet for research, how to link to reference sites, how to communicate with other educators, and how to provide students with a sense of direction online.

 

VI 0287           Frankenstein.  (See under Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)             

 

VI 1052           Federico Garcia Lorca: Remembering The Earth.  DVD. 1999. 59 min.

This documentary traces the life of Federico Garcia Lorca from Fuentevagueros in Andalusia to his death at age 38 in 1936 when he was executed in Granada by nationalists at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. 

 

VI 1064           Ghosts.  DVD.  2004.  77 min.

For years, Mrs. Alving has, for appearance's sake, endured a loveless marriage to a dissolute and drunken man. She even sent her only son away from home so that he would not be corrupted by his father. But despite (or, ironically, perhaps because of) her efforts, the ghosts of the past are resurrected as her son reappears, the obvious heir to his father's sins and excesses.

 

VI 0086           Gloria Naylor.  VHS cassette.  1994.  22 min.

In this program, one of the most astute observers of contemporary African-American life discusses the value and difficulty of maintaining an African-American identity in a world dominated by whites.

 

VI 0319           The Great Gatsby.  VHS cassette.  2000.  100 min.

An A&E production of the American classic, the video stars Mira Sorvino, Toby Stephens and Paul Rudd.

 

VI 0333           Gulliver’s Travels.  2VHS cassettes. 1996.  187 min.

Starring Ted Danson, this is a tale of an 18th century physician who takes eight years to travel through a variety of fantastical lands, only to have everyone but his wife take him for a adman when he returns home.

 

VI 0055           Hamlet.  VHS cassette (b&w).  1989.  155 min.

The 1948 Academy Award wining film starring Laurence Olivier.  Considered Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, the plot involves murder, conspiracy and revenge.

 

VI 0225           Henry IV.  VHS cassette.  2 VHS cassettes. 1987.

Pt. 1     147 minutes.

Pt. 2     151 minutes.

 

VI 0067           Henry V.  VHS cassette.  1988.  136 min.

The 1944 movie of Laurence Olivier's award-winning production based on the historical play about the English king who defeated the French at Agincourt.

 

VI 0313           History of the English language.  VHS cassette.  1991.  20 min.

Uses texts of the judgment of Solomon from the Middle Ages to the present day to show how the English language has evolved over the last millennium.

 

VI 0154           House Made of Dawn.  VHS cassette.  1997.  77 min.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Scott Momaday comes to life in this deeply stirring film that tells the story of an outcast Native American and his search for destiny.

 

VI 0289           House of the Spirits.  VHS cassette.   1994.  109 min.

The core of this epic tale spanning three generations of the Trueba is the stormy, yet passionate, relationship between the supernaturally gifted Clara and her controlling husband Esteban, who resists change both politically and personally.

 

VI 0144-6       Human Language Series.   3 VHS cassettes. 55 min. each.

VI 0144 (part 1) Discovering the Human Language

VI 0145 (part 2) Acquiring the Human Language

VI 0146 (part 3) The Human Language Evolves

 

VI 0314           Ideas of Chomsky.  VHS cassette.  1997.  47 min.

Linguist and political activist Chomsky challenges accepted notions of the way in which language is learned, examines the relationship of language to experience, and discusses the philosophical nature of knowledge.

 

VI 0221           In Search of the First Language.  VHS cassette.  1994.  60 minutes.

This deals with the research that has been done on tracing the roots and families of languages, specifically the Indo-European and the Sino-Tibetan.  Also discusses the evolution and death of languages through time.

 

VI 0204           Intimate Portrait:  Maya Angelou.  VHS cassette. 1996.  45 min.

As a child of a broken home, her life had many personal tragedies.  Recipient of Emmy and Tony nominations and countless other awards she shares her full story in this video.

 

VI 0697           Jane Austen: a concise biography.  VHS cassette.  1993?  30 min.

This film traces the life and literary career of Jane Austen, generally regarded as the greatest of women novelists.

 

VI 0274           Jane Austen’s Life, Society, Works.  3 VHS cassettes.  1997.  52 min. each.

A three-part series, these videos delve into the late 18th and early 19th centuries to find the effects of the world on Jane Austen, and vice versa. 

A.    Life

B.     Society

C.     Works

 

VI 0273           Jane Eyre.  VHS cassette.  1997.  100 min.

An A & E adaptation of the book, the story tells of Jane Eyre who arrives at Thornfield Hall to take over duties as a governess and falls in love with the owner.

 

VI 0226           King Richard the Second.  VHS cassette.  1980.  157 minutes.

This version stars Derek Jacobi, Sir John Gielgud, and Dame Wendy Hiller

 

VI 0312           Language Development.  VHS cassette.  1995.  40 min.

Emphasizes the development of language in babies and young children following this development

from the first cry of an infant through that of a seven year-old.

 

VI 0444           Lee Smith. VHS cassette.  1996.  60 min.

This program examines novelist Lee Smith's upbringing and its influence on her work and explores her development as a novelist and engaging storyteller, her approach to the process of writing, and her experience and significance as a teacher and mentor of "new" writers both young and old.

 

VI 0369           Leslie M. Silko.  VHS cassette.  2000.  45 min.

Silko discusses her own background and the interrelationship between her smaller, immediate Native American world and the larger, brutal surrounding world.  

VI 0156           A Light History of the English Language.  VHS cassette.  1997.  37 min.

Professor Elliot Engel (English, No. Carolina) lectures on the origins and development of the English language.

 

VI 0358           The Limey.  VHS cassette.  1999.  89 min.

Oscar nominees Terence Stamp, Lesley Ann Warren, and Peter Fonda team up with the director of Out of Sight and sex, lies and videotape for this critically acclaimed thriller that Newsday called “a lean and mean treat for savvy action lovers.”

 

VI 0237           Literary Visions.   7 VHS cassettes.  1992.  30 min each program.

A.    Introduction to Literature; Responding to Literature; The Art of the Essay; The Elements of Short Fiction

B.     Plot and Structure in Short Fiction; Character in Short Fiction; Setting and Character in Short Fiction; Tone and Style in Short Fiction

C.     Symbolism and Allegory is Short Fiction; Theme in Short Fiction; The Elements of Poetry; Setting and Character is Poetry

D.    Words and Images in Poetry; Rhetorical Figures in Poetry; Prosody and Form in Poetry; Myth, symbolism and Allusion in Poetry

E.     Theme in Poetry; The Elements of Drama; Characters and Actors in Drama; Plot and Conflict in Drama

F.      Setting and Staging in Drama; The Language of Drama; Myth and Symbolism in Drama; Theme in Drama

G.    The Power of Literature; The Uses of Literature

 

VI 0069           Macbeth.  VHS cassette.  1948. 115 min.

The original uncut version starring Orson Wells and Roddy McDowall.  This is a classic story of murder, witchcraft and revenge.

 

VI 0353           Manhattan.  VHS cassette.  1979.  96 min.  (B&W)

This film is a wry, touching and finely rendered portrait of modern relationships against the backdrop of urban alienation.  Considered to be one of Woody Allen’s most enduring accomplishments.

 

VI 0153           Mark Twain: His Amazing Adventures. VHS cassette.  1996.  50 min.

Explore the life and career of the American humorist and writer, whose writing greatly reflected the events of his life, particularly his boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri. Part of the A&E Biography: Authors Series.

 

VI 0287           Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  VHS cassette.  1995.  123 min.

This is an adaptation of the classic horror story in which a young doctor creates life. The creature he assembles from the bodies of convicts and the brain of a brilliant scientist soon realizes that he will be rejected by society and goes on a rampage seeking revenge on the doctor who gave him life.

 

VI 0805           Ed McClanahan.  VHS cassette.  1995.  60 min.

Southern author Ed McClanahan of Kentucky discusses his works and reads from his critically acclaimed novel The Natural Man and his comic memoir Famous People I have Known.

 

VI 0227           Merry Wives of Windsor.  VHS cassette.   1982.  167 minutes.

Written by William Shakespeare, this version of his play stars Ben Kinsley.

 

VI 0206           Mystery of Edgar Allan Poe, The.  VHS cassette.  1994.  50 min.

This extraordinary program tells Poe’s complete story, from the death of his parents when he was three, to his tragic death at the age of forty.  Dramatic readings recall the devastation of his broken engagement and the loss of his child bride. 

 

VI 0355           Mystery Train.  VHS cassette.  1989.  110 min.

 

VI 0806           Marsha Norman.  VHS cassette.  1995.  60 min.

Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright Marsha Norman reflects on her early years growing up in Kentucky, her move to New York City, and discusses her spectacular hits as well some of her less successful works.

 

VI 0373           Nathaniel Hawthorne.  VHS cassette.  25 min.

Three leading Hawthorne scholars use the novel and several Hawthorne short stories to explore issues of interpretation and literary analysis.

 

VI 1070           One Step on a Journey: Tadashi Suzuki in Australia.  VHS cassette.  1995. 56 min.

Japanese theater director Tadashi Suzuki incorporates his technique and methodology in an Australian workshop and training session in preparation for the theatrical production of the "Chronicles of MacBeth."

 

VI 0284           Othello. VHS cassette.  1996. 124 min.

A great man's vanity is manipulated by a jealous aide to bring about his downfall. Betrayal,

                        deception and murder end the friendship between Othello, Desdemona, and Iago.

 

VI 0330           A Passage to India.  VHS cassette.  1993.  163 min.

This is an emotional and deeply personal story of love and class-struggle in 1928 India.  Based on the classic novel by E.M. Forster.

  

VI 0379           Performance Assessment.  VHS cassette.  2000.  29 min.

In this timeless program, Dr. Art Costa-at California State University addresses the urgent need to create viable alternative s to standardized tests that can measure creativity, problem-solving, and cooperation.

 

VI 0296           Performing Shakespeare.  VHS cassette.  1990.  120 min.

Studio exercises are presented to help the American actor best perform Shakespeare.

 

VI 0098           Peter Elbow on Writing.  VHS cassette.  1995.  43 min.

One of the leading teachers on writing reviews the process of writing.  Helpful tips are clearly presented to students and teachers.

 

VI 1035           Plagiarism: It’s a Crime.  DVD.  2004.  22 min.

Includes a definition of plagiarism and consequences, reasons why people plagiarize, types of plagiarism, and strategies for avoiding plagiarism.

 

VI 0002           Poet Laureate Rita Dove.  VHS cassette.  1994.  60 min.

Ms. Dove talks about her life and work, the relationship between poetry and power.  Also included are Dove’s reading extensive selections from her works.

 

VI 0462           Ralph Ellison: An American Journey.  VHS cassette.  2001.  87 min.

"First documentary on one of the most gifted and intellectually provocative authors of modern American literature. It establishes Ellison as a central figure in contemporary debates over art, politics, race and nationhood. ... [T]he film brilliantly presents the first scenes ever filmed from Ellison's landmark novel, Invisible man."--Container.

 

VI 0367           Raymond Carver.  VHS cassette.   50 min.

American short story writer, poet, and essayist.  In this program, Raymond Carver and Carver’s wife discuss lower-middle-class roots in the Northwest as the source of inspiration for his characters and stories.

 

VI 0329           Reading Hard Times.  VHS cassette + handbook & 25 slides.  1989.  45 min.

The video is part of a resource kit of materials for teaching and study.

 

VI 0343           Rear Window.  VHS cassette.  1954.  115 min.

Alfred Hitchcock directed this spine-tingling movie.  Confined with a broken leg, a photographer keeping a close eye on his neighborhood suspects that one neighbor murdered his wife.

 

VI 0285           Richard III.  VHS cassette. 1996.  105 min.

In 1930's Britain, in the wake of a bloody civil war, the younger brother of the new King sets in motion a monstrous scheme to claim the throne for himself.

 

VI 1053           Roots: The Saga of an American Classic.  DVD.  2003.  47 min.

For eight nights in 1977, America came face to face with slavery depicted, for the first time, from the black point of view. It was an unforgettable experience. This penetrating retrospective considers the impact of the landmark miniseries 'Roots, ' the catalyst for a long-overdue dialogue on race relations in the U.S. Interviews with producer David L. Wolper and cast members LeVar Burton, Ben Vereen, Leslie Uggams, Maya Angelou, Richard Roundtree, Sam Bennett, and Ed Asner are featured.

 

VI 0087           Scrooge.  VHS cassette.  n.d.  61 min.

The 1935 English version of "A Christmas Carol" starring Sir Seymour Hicks, three ghosts make a night visit to Scrooge and change his Christmas.

 

VI 0088           Searching for a Native American identity: Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris.  VHS cassette.  1994.  30 min.

In this program with Bill Moyers, the husband and wife team discuss faith and the search for a Native American identity in a pluralistic society.

 

VI 0354           Sex, lies and videotape.  VHS cassette.  1990.  99 min.

James Spader’s seductive performance as Graham, a long lost college friend who drifts back into town and into the lives of John, a self-involved philanderer, his angelic wife Ann and her saucy sister, Cynthia. 

 

VI 0450           The Standard Deviants Core Curriculum Series.  10 VHS cassettes, CD teacher’s guide.  2000. 120 min.

This series "combines serious academic content with a humorous presentation style to help make the rules of English more accessible.

A. Introduction to Grammar/Parts of Speech (1)

B. Parts of Speech (2)

C. Parts of Speech (3)/Sentences

D. Flexibility in English/Common Errors (1)

E. Common Errors (2)/”Acceptable Errors”

F. Introduction to Punctuation/The End Marks

G. The Wily Comma

H. The Semicolon, Colon, and Dash

I. Surrounding Information: Punctuation that comes in Pairs

J. Punctuation Potpourri

 

VI 0298           Stock Scenery Companion Videos.  4 VHS cassettes & handbook.  1994.

A.    Building s standard flat frame.  8:48 min.

B.     Flat frame fasteners.  7:12 min.

C.     Covering a flat.  8:08 min.

D.    Sizing, back painting & priming.  4:45 min.

 

VI 0003           The Stories of Maxine Hong Kingston.  VHS cassette.  1994.  60 min.

In this program with Bill Moyers, Kingston discusses new images of America as a "melting pot" to produce a new American consciousness.

 

VI 0347           Student Speeches for Analysis.  2 VHS cassettes. 199?  60 min. each.

Looks at student speeches and helps in their analysis. 

 

VI 0061           Ten Days That Shook the World.  VHS cassette. 1987.  77 min.