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Jacques-Louis David

   2006    Art
Painting became an important means of communication for David since his face was slashed during a sword fight and his speech became impeded by a benign tumour that developed from the wound, leading him to stammer. He was interested in painting in a new classical style that departed from the frivolity of the Rococo period and reflected the moral and austere climate before the French Revolution. David became closely aligned with the republican government and his work was increasingly used as propaganda with the Death of Marat proving his most controversial work.
Series: Power of Art

Jodorowsky Dune

   2013    Art
Alejandro Jodorowsky's daring and psychedelic films of the early 1970's, 'El Topo' and 'The Holy Mountain', cemented his status as the Godfather of the Midnight Movie. In 1974, he began work on his next film, possibly the most ambitious film ever attempted. In the pre-Star War era, Jodorowsky’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel DUNE was poised to change cinema forever. His DUNE would star Brontis Jodorowsky, Alejandro's own 12 year old son, alongside Orson Welles, Mick Jagger, David Carradine and even Salvador Dali. The team of assembled visual artists were some of the most provocative talents of the era, including H.R. Giger, Chris Foss, and Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud. The groundbreaking special effects were under the control of Dan O'Bannon and the soundtrack would be created by Pink Floyd and the French prog-rock masters, Magma.
For two years, Jodorowsky and his team of 'Spiritual Warriors' worked night and day on the massive task of creating the fabulous world of DUNE. In order to secure the necessary Hollywood funding, they created over 3,000 storyboards, numerous paintings, incredible costumes, and an outrageous, moving, and powerful screenplay. In the words of Jodorowsky’s producer, Michel Seydoux, 'It should have been enough. But it wasn’t.' Through intimate and honest conversations with Jodorowsky, filmed over the span of three years, plus interviews with legends and luminaries including H.R. Giger (artist, ALIEN), Gary Kurtz (producer, STAR WARS) and Nicolas Winding Refn (director, DRIVE and THE NEON DEMON), as well as never-before-seen realizations of Jodorowsky’s mind-blowing psychedelic space opera, director Pavich's film finally unearths the full saga of 'THE GREATEST MOVIE NEVER MADE'.

Liberty Leading the People

   2005    Art
Artists, academics, and critics discuss the historical origins, original reception, and slow climb to critical acclaim for Eugene Delacroix's painting commemorating the Revolution of 1830, 'Liberty Leading the People.'
A woman of the people with a phrygian cap personifying the concept of Liberty leads the people forward over a barricade and the bodies of the fallen, holding the flag of the French Revolution – the tricolour, which again became France's national flag after these events – in one hand and brandishing a bayonetted musket with the other. The figure of Liberty is also viewed as a symbol of France and the French Republic known as Marianne.
Series: The Private Life of a Masterpiece

Libraries Gave Us Power

   2012    Art
The story of the British Library's Royal Manuscripts collection reaches its end with the last great flowering of illumination, in the magnificent courts of the Tudors. Dr Janina Ramirez investigates astrological texts created for Henry VII, and unwraps his will - still in its original, extravagantly-decorated velvet and gold cover. She hears music written for Henry VIII, which went unperformed for centuries; and reads love notes between the king and Anne Boleyn, written in the margins of a prayer book. Nina also visits Bruges, the source of many of the greatest manuscripts, where this medieval art form collided with the artistic innovations of the Renaissance.
Series: Illuminations: the private lives of medieval kings

M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity

   2021    Art
Explore the intriguing world of M.C. Escher in this captivating documentary, which delves deep into his life and artistic journey through his own words. Narrated with excerpts from his writings, the film is visually enriched with archival footage of Escher himself and showcases his iconic drawings. Gain unique insights from interviews with his surviving family members who illuminate aspects of his personal and professional life.
Escher, who often described his work as straddling the realms of art and mathematics, admitted to not excelling in either yet found profound expression in geometry-infused art. Choosing to work in stark black and white, he embraced the challenge of conveying complex ideas without the use of color. The film explores pivotal phases in his career, including his mesmerizing explorations of the human eye and his ultimate obsession with the concept of infinity—depicted in real forms like circles and through visual illusions such as his famous never-ending staircase.
The documentary also features perspectives from admirers such as musician Graham Nash, who argues that Escher's genius remains underappreciated. This film promises not only to shed light on Escher’s innovative work but also to inspire a deeper appreciation for his unique blend of visual storytelling and mathematical precision.

Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop!

   2014    Art
Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop will take new and old fans alike through the decades of Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic expierence experience with exclusive interviews with those who lived them.
Beyond the Elements

Beyond the Elements

2020  Science
The Crime of the Century

The Crime of the Century

2021  Medicine
Wild Wild Country

Wild Wild Country

2018  Culture
The Jinx

The Jinx

  History