TV & Movies

Auto Focus

In the 1960’s one of the top rated TV shows of the time was a comedy about the unusual subject of a prisoner of war camp in Nazi Germany. The show was the story was about a group of prisoners in Stalag 13 whose mission was to conduct secret operations behind enemy lines. It was known as Hogan’s Heroes. The film Auto Focus is not about this television show but about its star who found himself in the public’s eye and being held up to public as the example of the ideal family man. His life and his actions were anything but ideal.

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Submitted by Keith C. on Thu, 2014-03-06 15:20

Auto Focus [Motion picture : 2002]

TV & Movies

Biography & Memoir

Sights and Sounds

Firefly

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“Here's how it is: The Earth got used up, so we moved out and terraformed a whole new galaxy of Earths. Some rich and flush with the new technologies, some not so much. The Central Planets, thems formed the Alliance, waged war to bring everyone under their rule; a few idiots tried to fight it, among them myself. I'm Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. She's a transport ship; Firefly class. Got a good crew: fighters, pilot, mechanic. We even picked up a preacher for some reason, and a bona fide companion. There's a doctor, too, took his genius sister outta some Alliance camp, so they're keepin' a low profile. You understand. You got a job, we can do it, don't much care what it is.” – Opening Credits

The television series Firefly is a show that many say was never really given a chance. I would have to agree. Produced by Joss Whedon for the Fox Network, the show was originally planned to have a seven year story ark. It was canceled after airing only 11out of 14 filmed episodes. It suffered from a variety of issues. Fox aired the episodes out of order and swapped the times that it aired in an ill-advised attempt to raise ratings. Those who found the show had trouble finding it again. Even with these issues, Firefly gathered such a strong fan following that with the release of the DVDs its popularity has continued to build over time.

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Submitted by Keith C. on Mon, 2014-02-17 14:15

Difficult Men

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This is an interesting book detailing the rise of what the author terms the "Third Golden Age of Television". He provides in-depth details on the development, reaction, and impact of several critically acclaimed television shows (The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Mad Men) and touches on others more peripherally (The Shield, Six Feet Under, Breaking Bad and various others). [Note: The Library may not, and probably will not, have the entirety of some of these shows, so check the catalog if you are inclined to (re-)watch any of them]. The author provides a context for how these new shows developed (going back to briefly recap the first two 'ages' on network television) and traces how this third Age was able to come about only on premium and basic cable stations.

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Submitted by mbrome on Tue, 2014-01-28 16:25

Across the Universe

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I’m not much of a purist about most things but Beatles’ songs are an exception. The idea of a movie that used the songs of The Beatles to tell a story did not really appeal to me. That the songs were not the original recordings made the idea seem even worse. However after re-reading Roger Ebert’s review of the movie “Across the Universe” I felt I had to at least give the film a shot. Jude (Jim Sturgess) has come to the United States to find his father and make his way as an artist. While here he meets Max Carrigon and his sister Lucy. From here the film follows Jude and Lucy through the turbulent sixties while capturing their up and down relationship. This happens to the beat of the accompanying background of Beatles tunes.

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Submitted by Keith C. on Tue, 2014-01-28 14:09

Oscar

One doesn't usually think of Sylvester Stallone in terms of comedy. OK, I'll admit some people think of all his acting as comedic, however most of us tend to think of Stallone as an action adventure star or as Rocky. Oscar is a departure from his normal role. This movie, loosely based on a French play of the same name by Claude Magnier, features Stallone as gangster boss Angelo Provolone trying to honor his father's wish that he would put aside his gangster ways and become an honest businessman.

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Submitted by Keith C. on Mon, 2013-11-04 14:12

The World of Downton Abbey

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My husband, who seldom brings books home from the library, surprised me recently with this one. I laughed and said, "I'm not that desperate" but after dinner I found myself browsing through the pictures. But soon I was drawn into the writing. If you're a Downton Abbey fan, you'll love this book and if not, you'll probably at least sample the series after reading it.

The World of Downton Abbey is a social history of the times--Edwardian England to shortly after World War 1. In eight essays, Fellowes describes life then. She also gives an idea of how many people worked in service in those years--more than in farming or mining. Families would rejoice when a child got hired by a wealthy landowner, especially one as highly regarded as an earl. Not only would the person have a secure job, but the family would no longer have to provide housing, clothing or food as they would have needed to if the person worked as a clerk.

This book is full of interesting facts about working in service at the beginning of the last century. There was a network of downstairs folk who spread news of job openings from place to place and also kept a black-list of rich people who mistreated their help.

Also, covered are corsets--just know you are very lucky to be spared the agony of wearing one. Even Daisy the kitchen maid had to don this straitjacket under her uniform. A woman in those days could not take hers off by