Biography: Frida Kahlo

• Portrait of the Mexican artist who began painting at age 15 while convalescing from a serious accident. Frida Kahlo sent her work to the great Diego Rivera, whom she later married. Pain, which dogged her all her life, and the suffering of women, are recurring and indelible themes in her often shocking works. Characterized by vibrant imagery, many of her pictures are striking self-portraits. For

Nominated for six 2002 Academy Awards(R), including Salma Hayek for Best Actress, FRIDA is the triumphant motion picture about an exceptional woman who lived an unforgettable life! A product of humble beginnings, Frida Kahlo (Hayek) earns fame as a talented artist with a unique vision. And from her enduring relationship with her mentor and husband, Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina -- CHOCOLAT), to her scandalous affairs, Frida's uncompromising personality would inspire her greatest creations! Also starring ! Antonio Banderas (SPY KIDS), Ashley Judd (KISS THE GIRLS), Edward Norton (RED DRAGON), and Geoffrey Rush (QUILLS).Salma Hayek makes up for many bad movies with her fierce performance in this sumptuous film. Hayek plays the Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo, whose tempestuous life with her unfaithful husband, muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), drives the story of Frida. Maverick director Julie Taymor (Titus, the Broadway stage production of The Lion King) pulls out a wealth of gorgeous visuals to capture everything from the horrific bus accident that damaged Kahlo's spine to her and Rivera's trip to New York City, where Rivera's political leanings ruptured a commission from the Rockefeller family. Though the script spends too much time telling us how great Frida's painting is (rather than trusting in the power of the images themselves), Taymor's dynamic energy and Kahlo's forceful personality give Frida genuine emotional impac! t. The superb cast includes Roger Rees, Valeria Golino, Ashle! y Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Antonio Banderas, and Edward Norton. --Bret FetzerNominated for 6 Academy Awards including Salma Hayek for Best Actress, Frida is a triumphant motion picture about an exceptional woman who lived an unforgettable life. A product of humble beginnings, Frida Kahlo(Hayek) earns fame as a talented artist with a unique vision. And from her enduring relationship with her mentor and husband, Diego Rivera(Alfred Molina), to her scandalous affairs, Frida's uncomprimising personality would inspire her greatest creations! Also starring Antonia Banderas, Ashley Judd, Edward Norton, and Geoffrey Rush!Salma Hayek makes up for many bad movies with her fierce performance in this sumptuous film. Hayek plays the Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo, whose tempestuous life with her unfaithful husband, muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), drives the story of Frida. Maverick director Julie Taymor (Titus, the Broadway stage production of The Lion Ki! ng) pulls out a wealth of gorgeous visuals to capture everything from the horrific bus accident that damaged Kahlo's spine to her and Rivera's trip to New York City, where Rivera's political leanings ruptured a commission from the Rockefeller family. Though the script spends too much time telling us how great Frida's painting is (rather than trusting in the power of the images themselves), Taymor's dynamic energy and Kahlo's forceful personality give Frida genuine emotional impact. The superb cast includes Roger Rees, Valeria Golino, Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Antonio Banderas, and Edward Norton. --Bret FetzerNominated for 6 Academy Awards® including Salma Hayek for Best Actress, FRIDA is the triumphant motion picture about an exceptional woman who lived an unforgettable life! A product of humble beginnings, Frida Kahlo (Hayek) earns fame as a talented artist with a unique vision. From her enduring friendship with her mentor and husband, Diego R! ivera (Alfred Molina, THE DA VINCI CODE), to her scandalous af! fairs, F rida's uncompromising personality would inspire her greatest creations. Also starring Antonio Banderas (PUSS IN BOOTS) Ashley Judd (DOLPHIN TALE), Edward Norton (THE INCREDIBLE HULK) and Geoffrey Rush (THE KING'S SPEECH), at heart this vibrant film is ultimately a "romance for the deeply romantic" (Salon.com).

This long-awaited companion to Jonah Winter's acclaimed DIEGO features the paintings of young Spanish artist, Ana Juan. This stunning picture book is the perfect gift for art enthusiasts of all ages.

When her mother was worn out from caring for her five sisters, her father gave her lessons in brushwork and color. When polio kept her bedridden for nine months, drawing saved her from boredom. When a bus accident left her in unimaginable agony, her paintings expressed her pain and depression - and eventually, her joys and her loves. Over and over again, Frida Kahlo turned the challenges of her life into art. Now Jonah Winter and Ana Juan have drawn on both ! the art and the life to create a playful, insightful tribute to one of the twentieth century's most influential artists. Viva Frida!

Beset by one shattering ordeal after another, world-renowned painter Frida Kahlo always managed to channel her anguish into creativity. Frida, by Jonah Winter and illustrator Ana Juan, is an exquisite and playful glimpse into the artist's life and work. Filled with the folk art icons of Frida's Mexican culture--monkeys, devils, smiling skeletons, and sympathetic jaguars depicted with acrylics and wax on paper--the book describes, in short streams of text, the feisty, irreverent, fierce nature of the artist. One especially memorable illustration, based on one of Frida Kahlo's own paintings, shows Frida herself caught in a tangle of thorns against a mournful blue night sky. The text reads, "After the accident ... her body will hurt, always." Author and illustrator's notes add background information, but this stun! ning book from the author of Diego, about famed Mex! ican mur alist (and husband of Frida) Diego Rivera, is a spectacular, lush introduction to an inspiring woman and her art. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coultertitolo-fridaetichetta-deutsche grammophonn. dischi1data20 gennaio 2003supportocd audiogenerecolonne sonore-brani----1.benediction and dreamsascolta2.the floating bedascolta3.el conjevoascolta4.paloma negraascolta5.self portrait with air downascolta6.alcobShe was famous as both artist and model, infamous as political revolutionary and social libertine, and Frida Kahlo's controversial life couldn't help but seem the stuff of great musical theater. Her story is brought to the screen by director Julie Taymor, whose musical compatriot here is also her husband; Elliot Goldenthal, student of both Copland and Corigliani, shrewdly sublimates his modernism in service of the rich, evocative music and songs of Mexico and Central America. Utilizing performers that range from the contemporary (Lila Downs) to the folk-classic (Costa Rica! n legend Chavela Vargas; Brazilian star Caetano Veloso) and traditional (Los Cojolites, El Poder Del Norte, Trio Huasteca, Caimanes de Tanquin, and others), Goldenthal generously displays the true breadth of Mexican folk music, while seamlessly infusing it with the minimalist corners of his own underscore and some winning songwriting of his own. The result is one of 2002's most compelling soundtracks. The enhanced CD features include musical film excerpts, as well as a video conversation between Goldenthal and star Salma Hayek and text interviews with the composer and director Taymor. --Jerry McCulleyFRIDA chronicles the life of artist Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek), from her humble upbringing to her worldwide fame. The film shows the turbulence and controversy that surrounded both Frida and her husband, Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), from their complex and enduring relationship to her illicit and controversial affair with Leon Trotsky to her provocative and romantic entan! glements with women.

System Requirements:
Starring: ! Salma Ha yek, Alfred Molina, Geoffrey Rush, Ashley Judd, Antonio Banderas, Edward Norton, Valeria Golino, Mia Maestro, Saffron Burrows, Roger Rees, Patricia Reyes Spindola, Diego Luna, and Felipe Fulop.
Directed By: Julie Taymor.
Running Time: 123 Min., Color.
Copyright 2003 Buena Vista Home Video.Portrait of the Mexican artist who began painting at age 15 while convalescing from a serious accident. Frida Kahlo sent her work to the great Diego Rivera, whom she later married. Pain, which dogged her all her life, and the suffering of women, are recurring and indelible themes in her often shocking works. Characterized by vibrant imagery, many of her pictures are striking self-portraits.

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Lackawanna Blues

• Based on the award winning play by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, this poignant and colorful drama tells the inspirational story of a courageous woman, Nanny, whose spirit and strength served as the foundation for a struggling community trying to survive during the segregation era. Starring an exceptional ensemble cast led by Jimmy Smits, Rosie Perez, and Macy Gray, this inspiring drama from HBO Films is

EVE'S BAYOU (SIGNATURE SERIES) - DVD MovieActress Kasi Lemmons made an auspicious debut as a writer and director with this delicately handled, wrenchingly emotional drama, hailed by critic Roger Ebert as one of the best films of 1997. Eve's Bayou begins with ominous narration: "The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old." From that point the story moves backward in time and memory to Louisiana in 1962, when a young girl named Eve (Jurnee Smollett) witnesses a shocking act on the part of! her womanizing father (Samuel L. Jackson). But what really happened? And can Eve be certain about what she saw when there is more than one interpretation of the facts? Less a mystery than a study of deeply rooted emotions rising to the surface to affect an entire family, the film has the quality of classic Southern literature, with layers of memory unfolding to reveal a carefully guarded truth. --Jeff ShannonActress Kasi Lemmons made an auspicious debut as a writer and director with this delicately handled, wrenchingly emotional drama, hailed by critic Roger Ebert as one of the best films of 1997. Eve's Bayou begins with ominous narration: "The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old." From that point the story moves backward in time and memory to Louisiana in 1962, when a young girl named Eve (Jurnee Smollett) witnesses a shocking act on the part of her womanizing father (Samuel L. Jackson). But what really happened? And can Eve be certain about what s! he saw when there is more than one interpretation of the facts! ? Less a mystery than a study of deeply rooted emotions rising to the surface to affect an entire family, the film has the quality of classic Southern literature, with layers of memory unfolding to reveal a carefully guarded truth. --Jeff ShannonActress Kasi Lemmons made an auspicious debut as a writer and director with this delicately handled, wrenchingly emotional drama, hailed by critic Roger Ebert as one of the best films of 1997. Eve's Bayou begins with ominous narration: "The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old." From that point the story moves backward in time and memory to Louisiana in 1962, when a young girl named Eve (Jurnee Smollett) witnesses a shocking act on the part of her womanizing father (Samuel L. Jackson). But what really happened? And can Eve be certain about what she saw when there is more than one interpretation of the facts? Less a mystery than a study of deeply rooted emotions rising to the surface to affect an entire family, the film! has the quality of classic Southern literature, with layers of memory unfolding to reveal a carefully guarded truth. --Jeff ShannonActress Kasi Lemmons made an auspicious debut as a writer and director with this delicately handled, wrenchingly emotional drama, hailed by critic Roger Ebert as one of the best films of 1997. Eve's Bayou begins with ominous narration: "The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old." From that point the story moves backward in time and memory to Louisiana in 1962, when a young girl named Eve (Jurnee Smollett) witnesses a shocking act on the part of her womanizing father (Samuel L. Jackson). But what really happened? And can Eve be certain about what she saw when there is more than one interpretation of the facts? Less a mystery than a study of deeply rooted emotions rising to the surface to affect an entire family, the film has the quality of classic Southern literature, with layers of memory unfolding to reveal a carefully gu! arded truth. --Jeff ShannonThe story is set in 1962 Lou! isiana. The big Batiste family is headed by charming doctor Louis. Though he is married to beautiful Roz, he has a weakness for attractive women patients. One day Louis is flirting with married and sexy Metty Mereaux, not knowing that he is observed by his youngest idealistic daughter Eve, who is there by accident. Eve can not forget the incident which is traumatic for her naivete and shares a secret with older sister Cisely. Lies start to roll...Based on the award winning play by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, this poignant and colorful drama tells the inspirational story of a courageous woman, Nanny, whose spirit and strength served as the foundation for a struggling community trying to survive during the segregation era. Starring an exceptional ensemble cast led by Jimmy Smits, Rosie Perez, and Macy Gray, this inspiring drama from HBO Films is a celebration of the good things in life, no matter how tough times may be.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Audio Commentary wi! th director George C. Wolfe and writer Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Deleted Scenes
Featurette

Cool music, a wonderful atmospheric feel, and first-rate performances by a stellar cast distinguish Lackawanna Blues, a 2005, 90-minute film originally broadcast by HBO. Director George C. Wolfe's theater background (as a writer and/or director he's been responsible for The Colored Museum, Jelly's Last Jam, and Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk) is apparent; adapted by scriptwriter Ruben Santiago-Hudson from his own autobiographical play, Lackawanna Blues is less a story than a reminiscence, told by a young man (an affecting performance by Marcus Carl Franklin) raised by the indefatigable Rachel "Nanny" Crosby (an equally fine turn by S. Epatha Merkerson, known to many from her role in TV's Law & Order) in that upstate New York town. The focus is on Nanny's rooming house, which is populated by all manner of colorful c! haracters (played by the likes of Macy Gray, Jeffrey Wright, a! nd many others, with Jimmy Smits and Carmen Ejogo as the boy's wayward parents). The roomers include drunks, hustlers, ex-cons, and other shady types, but while plenty of bad stuff goes on, it's all coated with a certain patina of sentiment that tends to minimize the hard realities of life for African Americans in the early 1960s. That's fine; Wolfe, with the help of some superb editing by Brian Kates, gives the film such a delightful period vibe that it's easy to overlook its few shortcomings. The music (available on a soundtrack CD), ranging from downhome country blues to uptown swing, jump blues, and more, also makes a major contribution to the delightful diversion that is Lackawanna Blues. --Sam Graham

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Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Single-Disc Edition)

• Chipmunk singing sensations Alvin, Simon and Theodore are back for an encore in this hilarious
• But they soon face some stiff competition when they meet the Chipettes ? a beautiful, talented trio

A L V I N ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Struggling songwriter Dave Seville (Jason Lee) opens his home to a talented trio of chipmunks named Alvin, Simon and Theodore, they become overnight music sensations. But when a greedy record producer (David Cross) tries to exploit the "boys", Dave must use a little human ingenuity and a lot of 'munk mischief to get his furry family back before it's too late!Families come in many different shapes and sizes, but few humans consider rodents members of the family. Dave Seville (Jason Lee) is no exception, so when this flailing musician finds three young talking chipmunks gorging themselves in his kitchen cupboards, Dave is quick to question his sanity and then toss the o! ffending chipmunks outside into the rain and restore order. When Dave hears the chipmunks singing outside his window, he realizes that that unusual trio might just be the world's next vocal sensation and he strikes a bargain with them--the chipmunks can stay with him if they sing his songs. While chipmunks Alvin (Justin Long), Theodore (Jesse McCartney), and Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) quickly begin to see Dave as a father figure, it's strictly a business arrangement for Dave and he maintains an appropriate emotional distance. Dave's frustration with the chipmunks mounts as they unwittingly wreak havoc on his personal life, but when Dave's old friend and record label mogul Ian (David Cross) begins to exploit the chipmunks for personal gain, Dave suddenly realizes what an important part of his life, and indeed his family, the three chipmunks have become. Hilarity reins in this live action/CGI comedy with many memorable scenes--think chipmunks showering in the dishwasher, rid! ing in remote control planes, and bouncing off the walls under! the inf luence of a serious caffeine buzz. Catchy Chipmunks' songs both new and old promise to lodge themselves in the minds of viewers long after the credits roll and even those none-too-enchanted with the premise of singing chipmunks can't help but be entertained by this comical film. (Ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to mild rude humor) --Tami HoriuchiChipmunk singing sensations Alvin, Simon and Theodore are back for an encore in this hilarious “squeakquel” packed with more action and more nutty fun for the whole family! When a concert mishap lands Dave in the hospital, the Chipmunks take a break from superstardom and enroll in school to fit in with kids their age. But they soon face some stiff competition when they meet the Chipettes â€" a beautiful, talented trio of chipmunks discovered by Ian, the boys’ evil ex-manager! Dave (Jason Lee) isn't exactly the typical father figure with an average family, but he cares deeply about his adoptive chipmunks Alvin! (Justin Long), Theodore (Jesse McCartney), and Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler). While the performing life presents its own unique challenges, Dave always does his best to instill a sense of compassion and familial love into his young charges. When Alvin begins to get a little too caught up in his own stardom, Dave reminds him to share the spotlight with his fellow chipmunks, but Alvin gets carried away and ends up inadvertently injuring Dave on location in Paris. Aunt Jackie (Kathryn Joosten) steps in to look after the Chipmunks, but when her wheelchair rolls down a flight of stairs, only her irresponsible grandson Toby (Zachary Levi) is left to watch over the boys. An unemployed video gamer who lives with Jackie, Toby is completely unprepared for the responsibility of caring for the Chipmunks, but he agrees nonetheless. Starting school is not easy for the Chipmunks, and they are the target of bullying from their very first day. But Alvin eventually works his way in with the p! opular crowd, leaving Theodore and Simon to fend for themselve! s with l ittle support from Toby. The school principal (Wendie Malick) is one of the Chipmunks' biggest fans, and when the school's music department is about to be shut down due to lack of funds, she decides to enter them in a competition that will save the music program. Enter the Chipettes--female chipmunks Brittany (Christina Applegate), Eleanor (Amy Poehler), and Jeanette (Anna Faris), who are seeking their own chance for singing stardom--and the Chipmunks' dishonest ex-agent, Ian (David Cross), and the stage is set for some serious backstabbing competition. Craziness reigns as the two groups wage a musical war against one another, but in the end it all comes down to a question of what's more important--stardom or friendship. As in the first Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, the music is strangely appealing despite being performed mostly in falsetto, the characters are cute, the action is comical, and the life lessons ring true. (Ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to! some mild rude humor) --Tami Horiuchi

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Air Bud - Golden Receiver

• The creators of the original Air Bud score once again with this hilarious heartwarming hit! This time out, Buddy, the hoop-shooting, hotshot canine, tackles a new sport-football. When his teenage owner reluctantly becomes the school s new quarterback, Buddy catches the spirit and joins the team. Soon the two find themselves leading the Timberwolves to the state championship. But victory hopes a

The creators of the original AIR BUD score once again with this all-new, hilarious heartwarming hit! This time out, Buddy, the hoop-shooting, hotshot canine, tackles a new sport -- football. When his teenage owner reluctantly becomes the school's new quarterback, Buddy catches the spirit and joins the team. Soon, the two find themselves leading the Timberwolves to the state championship. But victory hopes are sidelined when two sinister Russian circus owners take a bite out of everyone's plans and dogn! ap Buddy for their star attraction. So give three cheers for Disney's AIR BUD: GOLDEN RECEIVER. Full of outrageous fun and adventure, it goes the whole nine yards for family fun.If a pig can herd sheep, then the field is wide open for animals with unusual talents, and not just on Letterman's Late Show, either. Buddy, the golden retriever who made an unexpected hit in the initial Air Bud (1997), shows just how far you can stretch one joke over the course of two movies. Which isn't as far as the makers hoped, unfortunately. While the first film--about a performing dog who runs away from an abusive clown, befriends a lonely boy, and becomes a basketball star--had its charms, this one pushes the gag to the limit. This time, Buddy the dog learns to play football, even as he foils a plan by an international group of thieves to steal animals and start their own zoo. This is one that will hold the kids' attention while the adults do something else, at ease in the kno! wledge that their children are watching an innocuously enterta! ining mo vie. --Marshall Fine

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Trollblood Pyg Burrowers Boxed Set

• Miniatures are unpainted and assembly may be required.

The Titus Crow novels are adventure horror, full of acts of nobility and heroism, featuring travel to exotic locations and alternate planes of existence as Titus Crow and his faithful companion and record-keeper fight the gathering forces of darkness wherever they arise. The menaces are the infamous and deadly Elder Gods of the work of H.P. Lovecraft. Chthulu and his dark minions are bent on ruling the earth--or destroying it. A few puny humans cannot possibly stand against these otherworldly evil gods, yet time after time, Titus Crow defeats the monsters and drives them back into the dark from whence they came. Volume One contains two full novels, The Burrowers Beneath and The Transition of Titus Crow.

The two novels contained in the first volume of Titus Crow--"The Burrowers Beneath" and "The Tran! sition of Titus Crow" (originally published in 1974 and 1975)--are a matched set marking the introduction of Brian Lumley's Sherlockian paranormal investigator, Titus Crow, and Crow's Watsonesque partner, Henri-Laurent de Marginy. Both tales are grounded in the Cthulu mythos originated by H.P. Lovecraft, but Lumley offers an effortless introduction to Cthulu for newcomers.

While Lumley is perhaps best known now for Necroscope, the Crow novels (which also include those collected in Titus Crow, Volume Two and Titus Crow, Volume Three) offer an early glimpse at the creative talents of a contemporary horror master. Crow is a fascinating character--an obsessed genius uncovering ancient gods in a late-20th-century world that is blind to its imminent destruction. At the same time, de Marginy, writing through epistles and journals, brings a naive immediacy to the narratives. Lumley's prose has a baroque feel that lends an antique patina to ! Crow's world (supposedly in the 1960s and '70s), and his blen! d of hor ror à la Lovecraft, adventure reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and techno-science fiction with shades of Asimov is always pleasantly surprising. Titus Crow makes for solid and enjoyable reading that deftly crosses genres. It's a pleasure to have these novels in a readily available form again. --Patrick O'Kelley Provides an introduction to earthworms describing their physical characteristics, habitat, young, food, predators, and relationship to people.The Dakota Territories. 1879. A handful of brave pioneers maintain isolated settlements in the badlands beyond civilization. Irish Immigrant Fergus Coffey is near to winning the hand of his beloved Maryanne when she is suddenly taken from him, her family brutally abducted in a nighttime attack on their homestead. Suspicion falls immediately on hostile Indians. Experienced Indian fighters Will Parcher and John Clay form a posse and set out to rescue the kidnapped settlers, taking along a naïve teenager ho! ping to prove himself a man, an ex-slave looking for his place, and their ranch-hand, Coffey. But as men vanish in the night, and horrific evidence accumulates with the dead and dying, the group discovers that their prey is far more terrifying than anything human, and their prospects are far more terrible than death.At first Mr. Browser and his class are puzzled by strange holes in the ground. But when Selwyn finds them in his own backyard, he meets a Burrower, and advanced underground being. First published in London in 1980 by Andersen Press Ltd. as Mr. Browser Meets the Burrowers.. Text illlustrated by Tony Ross. ISBN is 394848950.Stalwart pygs have proved invaluable as scouts, spies, and ambushers. Their endurance and size also make them consummate tunnel-diggers. Now armed with incredibly powerful slug guns, these courageous pygs burrow across battlefields to catch the enemy unaware. The massive hand-held cannons penetrate steel and the thickest hide with equal ease.
Pyg Burrowers come in a box set of 6 (PIP 71027), an! d player s may add up to two additional blisters (PIP 71028) to create a full unit of ten models. A player may have up to one unit of Pyg Burrowers for every warlock in his Trollblood horde.

Miniatures are sold in factory sealed packages. Assembly & painting required.

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The Devil Came On Horseback

• An up-close, honest, and uncompromising look at the crisis in Darfur, THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK exposes the ongoing tragedy in Sudan as seen through the eyes of one American witness. Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, the film goes on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where in 2004, Steidle became

The Devil Came on Horseback is an intense, vivid autobiographical report from the heart of violent Darfur and a call to action by a former American Marine who became a military observer for the African Union. The first extensive on-the-ground account of the genocide in Sudan, it leads us through the tragic impact of an Arab government bent on destroying its black African citizens and the frustrating complexity of international inaction. At the same time, it is a powerful memoir of one soldier's ! awakening to conscience and his awkward, heroic transformation from Marine to humanitarian. While bearing witness to unmentionable atrocities, this compelling story offers evidence that the actions of just one committed person have the power to transform the world.
This intense, vivid report and call to action
from the heart of violent Darfur, by a former
Marine working as an unarmed military
observer for the African Union, is a powerful
memoir of a young man's awakening to
conscience and the first extensive on-theground
account of the genocide in Sudan.

Former United States Marine Brian Steidle served for six months in Darfur
as an unarmed military observer for the African Union. There he witnessed
first-hand the ongoing genocide, and documented every day of his experience
using email, audio journals, notebook after notebook and nearly 1,000
photographs. Gretchen Steidle Wallace, his sister, who wrote this ! book with
Brian, corresponded with him throughout his ti! me in Da rfur. Fired upon,
taken hostage, a witness to villages destroyed and people killed,
frustrated by his mission's limitations and the international community's
reluctance to intervene, Steidle resigned and has since become an advocate
for the world to step in and stop this genocide.

The Devil Came on Horseback depicts the tragic impact of an Arab
government bent on destroying its black African citizens, the maddening
complexity of international inaction in response to blatant genocide, and
the awkward, yet heroic transformation of a former Marine turned
humanitarian. It is a gripping and moving memoir that bears witness to
atrocities we have too long averted our eyes from, and reveals that the
actions of just one committed person have the power to change the world.
This intense, vivid report and call to action
from the heart of violent Darfur, by a former
Marine working as an unarmed militaryobserver for the African Union, is a powerful
memoir of a young man's awakening to
conscience and the first extensive on-theground
account of the genocide in Sudan.

Former United States Marine Brian Steidle served for six months in Darfur
as an unarmed military observer for the African Union. There he witnessed
first-hand the ongoing genocide, and documented every day of his experience
using email, audio journals, notebook after notebook and nearly 1,000
photographs. Gretchen Steidle Wallace, his sister, who wrote this book with
Brian, corresponded with him throughout his time in Darfur. Fired upon,
taken hostage, a witness to villages destroyed and people killed,
frustrated by his mission's limitations and the international community's
reluctance to intervene, Steidle resigned and has since become an advocate
for the world to step in and stop this genocide.

The Devil Came on Horseback depicts the tragic im! pact of an Arab
government bent on destroying its black Af! rican ci tizens, the maddening
complexity of international inaction in response to blatant genocide, and
the awkward, yet heroic transformation of a former Marine turned
humanitarian. It is a gripping and moving memoir that bears witness to
atrocities we have too long averted our eyes from, and reveals that the
actions of just one committed person have the power to change the world.An up-close, honest, and uncompromising look at the crisis in Darfur, THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK exposes the ongoing tragedy in Sudan as seen through the eyes of one American witness.

Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, the film goes on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where in 2004, Steidle became witness to a genocide that to-date has claimed over 400,000 lives. As an official military observer, Steidle had access to parts of the country that no journalist could penetrate. Unprepa! red for what he would witness and experience, Steidle returned to the U.S. armed with his photographs, intent on exposing the images and stories of lives systematically destroyed.

A 2007 world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, this astonishingly propulsive and dramatic film from award-winning filmmakers Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern (The Trials of Darryl Hunt), is a heartfelt account of what this particular American witness saw and, just as important, what he did afterward.

DVD Features: Bonus Short Film: Supporting Survivors; Take Action Save Darfur: How to HelpThe Devil Came on Horseback presents a first-person account of the genocide in Darfur. Former Marine Captain Brian Steidle joined the African Union in 2004 to help monitor the cease-fire in Sudan. As he puts it, "All I had was a camera, a pen, and paper. I was totally unprepared for what I'd see." An unarmed military civilian, he describes his observations, via voice-over and audio record! ings, as filmmakers Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern alternate b! etween t heir contemporary footage and his images of slaughtered civilians and incinerated villages. When his contract ends, Steidle leaves in disillusionment. He wrote his reports and took his pictures, but nothing changed. Since reporters lacked the same degree of access, he goes to The New York Times, and they publish his photographs. The soldier-turned-activist proceeds to spread the word everywhere he can. Aside from Steidle, the film features his sister Gretchen Wallace, founder of Global Grassroots (an organization working with female victims in Sudan and Rwanda), and Senator Barack Obama, who has also made Darfur his personal mission. The title comes from a loose translation of janjaweed, the government-backed Arab militias behind the atrocities to which Steidle bore witness. (Steidle and his sister use the same title for the book they wrote together.) As in their previous documentary, The Trials of Darryl Hunt, Sundberg and Stern maintain a measured tone, but t! heir subject's horrifying images speak for themselves. The Devil Came on Horseback is accompanied by Wallace's Supporting Survivors, a short film about Global Grassroots. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

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Harsh Times

• (Action) Bale stars as an ex-Army Ranger who finds himself slipping back into his old life of petty crime and booze after a job offer from the LAPD evaporates. Honorable discharged, Homeland Security wants to recruit him for some special ops in Central America, but first he has to pass a urine test.which proves difficult. Film directorial debut for Ayer who has written such box office hits as TRA

(Action) Bale stars as an ex-Army Ranger who finds himself slipping back into his old life of petty crime and booze after a job offer from the LAPD evaporates. Honorable discharged, Homeland Security wants to recruit him for some special ops in Central America, but first he has to pass a urine test...which proves difficult. Film directorial debut for Ayer who has written such box office hits as TRAINING DAY, U-571 and THE FAST AND THE FURIOUSBleak as its South Central Los Angeles setting, Harsh T! imes is like a suicidal vortex swallowing men who ought to know better but can't stop their self-destruction. Christian Bale stars as Jim Davis, a stressed-out, former Army Ranger who becomes a very bad influence on his weak-willed buddy, Mike Alvarez (Freddy Rodriguez of Six Feet Under). Together the two meander through streets at night, getting drunk and stoned, finding trouble for its own sake and inviting danger as a ritual of machismo bonding. Mike's wife, Sylvia (Eva Longoria), a lawyer whom Mike, working as a telemarketer, put through school, is repelled by Jim and watches in pain as her spouse chooses a downward spiral over renewal and redemption with her. When Jim's application to join the L.A. police is turned down, he leads Mike into pure anarchy. An impractical change of fortune doesn't help any, and first-time director David Ayer, who wrote the screenplay for Harsh Times years before his script for Training Day, goes to some lengths, dr! amatically and visually, to convey Jim's unhinged condition. T! he drear iness of it all, and a sense that Bale has constructed--but not exactly lived in--another in his gallery of lost, misfit souls, makes it hard to connect with this film. Still, it is hard to turn away from these desperate and dangerous characters. --Tom Keogh

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