Thigpen Library, Streaming Videos
Volunteer State Community College | Division of Academic Affairs
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General Info
These streaming video titles are available to Volunteer State Community College through the Tennessee Board of Regents Media Consortium. Requires latest version of Windows Media Player. Follow on screen instructions.
Use high speed internet connection only, like DSL, cable modem, or satellite downlink. Sorry, dial up link will not work! On campus viewing may be slow during high usage on the network.
American Literature
| Title & Link |
Date |
Description |
| Alice Walker and The Color Purple: Inside a Modern American Classic |
1986 |
This masterfully filmed interview with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author juxtaposes her comments and literary recitations with dramatic interpretations from Steven Spielberg’s film. Walker reveals the characters as actual people from her childhood. Describing the work as honoring the dignity of all people, especially black women, Walker offers the novel as an example of the power of art as a weapon against racism and sexism. The importance of interpreting literary tradition in the context of history and culture is examined. Director Steven Spielberg is also interviewed. A BBC Production. (62 minutes) |
| Alice Walker: “Everyday Use” |
2003 |
Maggie sees the old family quilt—an heirloom already promised to her—as something with practical utility as well as tradition. Her educated, social activist sister wants to hang it on the wall as folk art. With whom will their mother side? A study in class differences and the reclamation of Black history, Alice Walker’s short story "Everyday Use" is beautifully realized in this dramatization. (26 minutes) |
| Emily Dickinson |
2004 |
While many of her literary peers achieved notoriety, “the woman in white” remained virtually unknown—by choice. The self-imposed obscurity of Emily Dickinson is just one of many aspects of her life that this program explores. Blending daguerreotypes, paintings, manuscripts, excerpts from Dickinson’s letters, and readings from nearly a dozen of her poems, this program presents the biography of one of America’s most unique and influential voices in poetry. (20 minutes) |
| Eudora Welty: “A Worn Path” |
1999 |
On a “bright, frozen day” in Mississippi, 95-year-old Phoenix Jackson makes her mythic journey into town for the medicine her grandson needs. Touching upon themes of family, love, aging, and poverty, this dramatization of Eudora Welty’s classic story “A Worn Path” provides both a heroic image of the human spirit enduring against tremendous odds and a poignant commentary on the African-American experience. An interview with Welty herself by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley concludes the program. (32 minutes) |
| James
Baldwin |
1996 |
This
program covers Baldwin’s life, from his youth in Harlem to later years as an
expatriate in Paris to his death in 1987. Interviews with the author, his
contemporaries, and critics create an intriguing portrait of Baldwin the
man, the writer, and avid civil rights activist. The program explores
Baldwin’s views on the African-American experience through his writings,
which include the novels Go Tell It on the Mountain and Tell Me
How Long the Train’s Been Gone and the play The Amen Corner. A BBC
Production. (54 minutes) |
| John
Steinbeck and the American Experience |
1990 |
This
program is a comprehensive portrait of John Steinbeck and the America he
depicted, providing students with an appreciation of one of the 20th
century’s definitive literary voices. Incorporating historic events ranging
in magnitude from the devastating Dust Bowl to poignant local histories,
Steinbeck portrayed a nation ravaged by poverty and injustice, in which his
characters, often drawn from real life, grapple with conditions and events
beyond their control. (45 minutes) |
| Kate
Chopin: "The Joy That Kills" |
1988 |
This
is the widely heralded adaptation of the short story by Kate Chopin, the
late-19th-century writer whose work is only now receiving the major
recognition it deserves. The setting is Kate Chopin’s own world—the world of
the upper-class Creole society that dominated New Orleans in the 1870s, a
world with a strict code of behavior, one of whose strongest tenets required
a wife to subordinate her will and her very being to her husband. Produced
and directed by Tina Rathborne. (56 minutes) |
| Kate
Chopin: Five Stories of an Hour |
1988 |
This
program consists of five versions of the same short story, "The Story of an
Hour" by Kate Chopin, who scandalized American readers in the late 19th
century by questioning the social and marital mores of her time. The story
examines the behavior and feelings of a woman on the day she is informed of
her husband's death. The program includes a reading of the story by Zoe
Wanamaker, plus dramatizations by playwrights Kathleen Potter, David
Stafford, and Michelene Wandor. (26 minutes) |
| Langston Hughes: "Salvation" |
2002 |
"I
was saved from sin when I was going on 13. But not really saved. It happened
like this…" So begins this powerful dramatization of "Salvation," Langston
Hughes’ eloquent autobiographical story that illustrates how his aunt’s
well-meaning efforts to bring him into the spiritual fold resulted in a
moral crisis. Calmly waiting for Jesus to appear to him in the hot, crowded
church, young Langston’s anticipation changes to confusion and disillusion
when pressured to choose between being true to himself or fulfilling the
expectations of the preacher, his aunt, and the rest of the congregation.
(31 minutes) |
| Langston Hughes: His Life and Times |
2003 |
In
this program, Pulitzer Prize-winner Alice Walker and renowned Langston
Hughes biographer Arnold Rampersad talk about "The Poet Laureate of Harlem"
with award-winning filmmaker Bruce Schwartz. Together they discuss
experiences that shaped young Langston, how he came to be a writer, the
beauty of his writing style, his practice of reaching out to aspiring
writers, and the Harlem Renaissance as a literary and cultural watershed.
They also discuss the force of religion in Southern Christian
African-American communities and "Salvation," Hughes’ coming-of-age story
deftly brought to the screen by Schwartz. (26 minutes) |
| The New
England Transcendentalists |
1997 |
Expert interviews, dramatic re-creations at Walden Pond, and readings from
major works are used to explore the evolution of the American
Transcendentalist Movement in the early 19th century. The lives and writings
of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau are
examined to discover the spiritual foundations for America’s first authentic
literary voice. Experts include Harvard University Professor Lawrence Buell,
University of South Carolina Professor Joel Myerson, and the authors of
three current biographies on Emerson, Fuller, and Thoreau. (27 minutes) |
| Walt
Whitman |
2004 |
A
self-styled sketch runs, “Walt Whitman, an American, one of the roughs, a
kosmos.” He could have added journalist, carpenter, nurse, and one of the
greatest poets in English. This program presents a unique literary
biography, tracing Whitman’s childhood, various careers, and the evolution
of the masterpiece that proved his lifelong work, Leaves of Grass. A
collage of photos, paintings, and manuscripts accompanies excerpts of
letters from Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson, as well as readings from
sections of Leaves of Grass, such as “Song of Myself,” “I Sing the
Body Electric,” and “Native Moments.” (22 minutes) |
| The Yellow
Wallpaper |
1989 |
Touted as one of the first major feminist writers, Charlotte Perkins Gilman
spent her life fighting to liberate women from the yoke of domesticity. This
is a stunning BBC dramatization of Gilman’s autobiographical account of a
woman driven to madness by the repressive mores of Victorian culture.
Stephen Dillon as the husband, John, and Julia Watson as the despondent
heroine give stellar performances in this production directed by the BBC’s
John Clive. (76 minutes) |
English Literature
| Title & Link |
Date |
Description |
| A
Prologue to Chaucer |
1986 |
A
scholarly program that reaches out to students of The Canterbury Tales
to relate its characters and themes to everyday life in
late-14th-century England. Period art of exceptional richness is combined
with location photography that retraces the April pilgrimage to Archbishop
Becket’s shrine at Canterbury; excerpts are read from various tales; and the
famous beginning is heard in Middle English. Written by Velma B. Richmond,
produced by the University of California, Berkeley. (29 minutes) |
History
| Title & Link |
Date |
Description |
| Ancient
Greece |
1996 |
Whether looking at Western language, history, or institutions, no other
civilization has so greatly influenced our contemporary world. This program
re-creates the Greek world, from the morning market to the evening
symposiums, from burial rituals to the Olympics. Beginning with Homer’s
account of the Trojan War, this program explores Greek civilization using
3-D re-creations of the Parthenon and Agora, maps, and commentary by
scholars to provide insight into the daily lives of Greek citizens. (46
minutes) |
| Ancient
Rome |
1996 |
At
its zenith, the Roman Empire included North Africa, Spain, France, and
Britain. The wealth that these conquests generated allowed Roman citizens to
live in a sumptuous world of beautifully decorated homes and opulent cities.
In this program, scholars discuss Roman unification of Europe, Roman culture
and institutions, and the family structure. The role of the army as a major
force in Roman society and politics, along with its military structure and
tactics, are discussed. The Christianization of Rome and the enduring legacy
of Roman Law and institutions in Western government today are also analyzed.
3-D re-creations of the Coliseum and Pompeii allow students to see Rome as
it was before the empire collapsed. (49 minutes) |
| Birth
Struggle of the 1964 Civil Rights Act |
1964 |
This
documentary from the CBS News Archives examines the stormy passage of civil
rights bill H.R. 7152 through the House of Representatives. The program,
filmed in 1964, begins with a report on the controversial bill’s history,
from its introduction by John F. Kennedy to the eve of its debate on the
Senate floor. Following that report, Eric Sevareid moderates as Senators
Hubert Humphrey and Strom Thurmond engage in a live television debate on the
bill’s merits. Footage of John and Robert Kennedy, Justice Department
officials Nicholas Katzenbach and Burke Marshall, President Lyndon Johnson,
and the racial clashes of the early 1960s captures the tension and drama
surrounding the most comprehensive civil rights law since Reconstruction.
Produced by CBS NEWS. (55 minutes, b&w) |
| Native
Americans: Celebrating Traditions |
2001 |
Once
forced to hide their heritage, Native Americans now enjoy both an acceptance
and a celebration of their history and culture. By presenting the
experiences of Native Americans from a wide array of fields including
artisans, performers, and teachers, this program shows how many tribes are
returning to the traditions and spirituality of their ancestors. Among those
interviewed are Kevin Locke, award-winning Native American vocalist; Wilma
Mankiller, the first woman in modern history to lead a tribe; and Richard
West, Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the
American Indian. (30 minutes) |
Religion
| Title & Link |
Date |
Description |
| Christianity and Judaism |
1996 |
Because we are removed from spirituality today, Smith believes we find it
difficult to understand the true meaning of Christianity. Smith explains
that Christianity wouldn’t have existed if its “spirit had not been real and
dense and palpable and evident to everyone around.” Smith finds the intimate
relationship between the Jews and their God “a living conversation between
the human and the divine that goes on generation after generation.” Through
his son-in-law, Smith came to admire the beauty of the weekly Jewish shabbat,
and when his daughter died, he found solace in Jewish mourning rituals. (57
minutes) |
| Hinduism and Buddhism |
1996 |
This
program explores the two great religions to come from India. “The historian
of religion can find almost anything he wants in India, enacted with
intensity. What remains is to carry its insight into everyday life.” Smith
uncovered the mysteries of multiphonic chanting among Tibetan lamas,
previously unknown in the West. Characterizing these chants as “the holiest
sound I have ever heard,” Smith reveals the chanting to be a form of
meditation. Smith spent ten weeks with a Zen master silently meditating 8
hours a day, where he derived insights that help the viewer understand the
way of Zen Buddhism. (56 minutes) |
Theater
| Title & Link |
Date |
Description |
| Antigone |
1984 |
Antigone
is perhaps the most easily accessible of all the great classical tragedies,
its theme clear and up-to-date: the conflict between moral and political
law. Now the tale of Oedipus and his family comes to its end—he, his wife
Jocasta, his sons, and now, at the last, his daughter, all dead. Antigone is
not the only victim in the play; Creon too comes to a tragic
downfall—although he repents in time, bureaucratic ritual results in the
deaths of Creon's son and wife, burdening him with guilt as well as grief.
With Juliet Stevenson, John Shrapnel, and John Gielgud. (111 minutes) |
| August
Wilson: The American Dream, in Black and White |
1990 |
In
this incisive program, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August
Wilson returns home to the Hill District of Pittsburgh in 1990 to review his
life and career. Archival footage and interviews with Wilson, former New
York Times theater critic Frank Rich, fellow writers, and others provide
insights into the African-American experience, from the Great Black
Migration to more recent times. Scenes from Jitney, Ma Rainey’s Black
Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and Two Trains Running
reveal the impact of the oral tradition and the blues on Wilson’s poetic
prose, a skillful blend of art and authenticity. (52 minutes) |
| Euripides: Medea |
1982 |
The
stunning Kennedy Center production of Euripides' great classic about a woman
driven by emotion beyond the brink of rationality. With Zoe Caldwell as
Medea and Judith Anderson as the nurse. The English text is by Robinson
Jeffers. (87 minutes) |
| Hamlet: A Critical Guide |
1998 |
Shakespeare’s troubled character comes to life in this program in the
capable hands of leading scholars, as they discuss the major themes of the
play, its plot, and the actions of its main characters. Analyzing key
scenes, scholars Russell Jackson and Stanley Wells of Stratford-upon-Avon
offer insights into the underlying meaning of Hamlet’s eloquent soliloquies,
as well as the play’s eight violent deaths, adultery, ghostly haunting, and
ultimate tragic end. Death and revenge are explored as major themes of the
work, as well as Shakespeare’s playful inclusion of comedic relief. An
analysis of Hamlet’s relationships with his mother and Ophelia provides
interesting insights into his multifaceted character. (31 minutes) |
| Oedipus
the King |
1986 |
Sophocles often won the leading prize at the Dionysia, the principal
dramatic festival of Athens; but Oedipus the King was a runner-up,
winner of the second prize. Posterity, however, considers the play second to
none. The play tells the beginning of the Oedipus saga, setting the stage
and creating the characters who will continue the story to its conclusion in
Antigone. With Michael Pennington, John Gielgud, and Claire Bloom. (2
hours) |
| Shakespeare and His Theatre: The Globe |
1993 |
A
fifth of London’s population in the year 1600 were regular playgoers.
Examination of the Globe Theatre shows where they stood, how the stage was
constructed, and how the special effects so beloved by the audience were
achieved, from thunder and lightning to fairies flying through the air and
ghosts emerging from the earth. Rehearsals were minimal and there was no
producer or director—just the play, the actors, and the audience of two to
three thousand, which could be kept under control only by the interest of
the play itself. The program points out that Shakespeare himself wrote the
plays to be adaptable: to different theaters when the company was on tour,
and to different audiences, for example when an after-supper audience
wishing to go to bed would necessitate major cuts in the play. (28 minutes) |
| The
Gods Are Laughing: Aristophanes, His Life and Theatre |
1995 |
As
irreverent and bawdy as Aristophanes, but with more accessible humor, this
pseudo-biography juxtaposes elements of Aristophanic plays with the
activities of contemporaneous people to show how Aristophanes became the
father of political satire and why his theatrical innovations are still
staples of the contemporary theatre. Aristophanes is shown as an artist
living on the edge, who uses comedy to mock his enemies and wages a one-man
campaign against those Athenians who revel in war and death; he is set off
against his son, who wants to write to entertain; a coldly rational
Socrates; Cephisophon, the Laurence Olivier of ancient Greece; the dictator,
Cleon; and Aristophanes’ skeptical mother, who prefers tragedy to comedy.
Caution: contains sexual situations. (52 minutes) |
| The
Renaissance Stage |
1990 |
The
intermediate step between the modern theatre and its classical antecedents
was the Renaissance stage—an obvious, if by no means simple, step, for while
texts of classical plays were more or less readily available, there was no
knowledge of what Roman theatre had looked like and how plays had been
performed. This program traces the earliest Renaissance attempts to stage
classical drama through the application of medieval concepts of production;
follows the deductions made from Vitruvius’ De Architectura and the
impetus provided by the appearance of dramas in Italian; the building of the
Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza and the theatres in Ferrara and Parma; shows the
varying uses of perspective in scene painting and the development of
moveable scenery; and explains how, when the façade was eliminated and the
door opened to reveal the scenery behind, the proscenium arch and the
picture frame theatre were born. (30 minutes) |
| The
Role of Theatre in Ancient Greece |
1995 |
This
program looks at the theatres of Herodus Atticus, Epidauros, Corinth (where
Arion is said to have taught the dithyramb), and many others to explain the
design of the ancient theatre, the synthesis of art forms that was ancient
Greek drama, the origins of tragedy, the audience in classical times, the
comparative roles of writer/director and actors, and the use of the
surrounding landscape in many plays. (23 minutes) |
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