Movie » History Channel Television Movies

For a nation on the brink of despair and disaster, it made the impossible seem reachable.With rural America in the grip of the Great Depression, FDR launched dozens of federal programs to steady the shaky economy. But none was so ambitious-or so successful-as the groundbreaking Tennessee Valley Authority.Charged with the task of turning a 40,000 square-mile river basin into the "Great Lakes of the South," the TVA transformed a dying agricultural region into a model for the new industrial state.Learn the complete story of the TVA and its creators through rare photographs, films and firsthand accounts of the men who worked on it. From the challenges of controlling the flood- prone Tennessee River to the construction of nearly 50 power-generating dams, take a comprehensive look at one of the most breathtaking public works projects ever attempted!

The world of the Ancient Greeks lives on today through its mythology. For countless generations prior to biblical times, tales of gods and goddesses were passed down by storytellers and interwoven into traditions and philosophies. Each city devoted itself to particular gods. But these gods also had human frailties. Where did the pantheon originate? Did any of the stories in Greek mythology actually occur? We look at new archaeological evidence that supports the possibility.

On July 14, 1789, a mob of angry Parisians stormed the Bastille and seized the King's military stores. A decade of idealism, war, murder, and carnage followed, bringing about the end of feudalism and the rise of equality and a new world order. The French Revolution is a definitive feature-length documentary that encapsulates this heady (and often headless) period in Western civilization. With dramatic reenactments, illustrations, and paintings from the era, plus revealing accounts from journals and expert commentary from historians, The French Revolution vividly unfurls in a maelstrom of violence, discontent, and fundamental change. King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Maximilien Robespierre, and Napoleon Bonaparte lead a cast of thousands in this essential program from THE HISTORY CHANNEL®. Narrated by Edward Herrmann (The Aviator, Gilmore Girls), The French Revolution explores the legacy that--now more than ever--stands as both a warning and a guidepost to a new millennium

Interviews with Islamic scholars and theologians highlight this important, illuminating look at a religion mired in controversy.

Of all the many documentaries that have been made about the Titanic disaster, this two-part, 192-minute film, produced in 1994 for the Arts & Entertainment network, remains the most thorough, authoritative, and fascinating chronicle of the Titanic tragedy. Written, produced, and directed by Melissa Jo Peltier and elegantly narrated by actor David McCallum, the film utilizes thorough research, archival films and documents, and expert testimony to span the entire history of the legendary S.S. Titanic. From blueprint design and construction in Ireland, to the ill-fated maiden voyage and the lasting legacy of Titanic's fateful sinking, no detail has been neglected in the film's meticulous description of events. Part 1, "The Death of a Dream," builds dramatic momentum to the ship's collision with an iceberg in the freezing North Atlantic, including detailed accounts of the agonizing two-hour sinking and the rescue of survivors. Part 2, "The Legend Lives On," explores the investigation into Titanic's sinking, the impact on later ship design and the dramatic rediscovery of Titanic's ghostly remains on the ocean floor. Parts 1 and 2 include abundant interviews with such noted Titanic authorities as Don Lynch and Ken Marschall (consultants on the blockbuster movie Titanic), and several Titanic survivors who have since passed away. The cumulative effect of this detailed film is a complete appreciation for the sheer irony, drama, and magnitude of the Titanic disaster. The James Cameron film was certainly entertaining, but this superior documentary proves that truth can be every bit as absorbing as fictionalized history. It's an essential addition to any Titanic buff's library. --Jeff Shannon

Based on karen armstrongs best-selling book this feature length film guides viewers along one of humanitys most elusive quests. Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 04/26/2005

Five thousand years ago--nearly two millennia before the Romans built their first mud huts--ancient Egypt s mighty pharaohs began commissioning and building monumental masterpieces whose scale beauty and sophistication still boggle the mind.Hosted by actor and art historian Peter Weller the feature-length EGYPT: ENGINEERING AN EMPIRE explores Egypt s awe-inspiring engineering accomplishments through the prism of its pharaohs indomitable personalities. As Egypt s pharaohs alternately conquered and ceded vast expanses of land they pushed their royal architects to stretch the boundaries of imagination and human potential in effect inventing the science of structural engineering. Follow the empire s development from the First Dynasty of 3000 BC through the last days of the reign of Ramses the Great in 1212 BC from dazzling obelisks to the 700-foot Great Pyramid of Giza.Through cutting-edge digital graphics and countless interviews with noted Egyptologists THE HISTORY CHANNEL® chronicles the pharaohs and feats that brought forth the world s very first superpower.DVD Features:Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes Inside Look From The Director s Chair and Everything You Wanted To Know About Egypt ; Interactive Menu; Scene SelectionSystem Requirements:Run Time: 92 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961760460 Manufacturer No: AAE-76046

After Columbus came conquest--from all corners of the world, explorers reached the shores of the New World to reap untold riches, seek new routes to the Far East, and gain the most elusive glory of all--a place in history.

Ronald Reagan: A Legacy Remembered uses interviews with Reagan's family, cabinet members, and political peers (including Mikhail Gorbachev) to paint a personal portrait as much as a political one. Home movies and photographs give clues into his difficult childhood and young adulthood, while a vast body of archival footage captures his film and television career (including commercials, in which he pitched appliances with the same smooth style he would later apply to the Republican agenda) and his political rise from governor of California to president of the United States. The program argues that Reagan was more than a handsome face mouthing the words of others, but also concedes that he led with big ideas (Communism must be destroyed, taxes must be cut) and had little interest in the details. However, the deep affection everyone around him felt is evident in every interview. --Bret Fetzer

The History Channel's MODERN MARVELS program takes viewers on an in-depth educational trek into the history of the transcontinental railroad on this fascinating program. In joining the Western and Eastern United States the transcontinental railroad was a project of unprecedented scale and import; MODERN MARVELS tells the whole story.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 733961765397 Manufacturer No: AAE-76539