Vampire Island

Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. For centuries, the vampire myth has frightened cultures around the world. But in recent decades, assorted scientists, archeologists and forensic specialists have investigated the real-life inspirations behind these blood-sucking night dwellers. Their discoveries might surprise you. The intriguing and spooky documentary Vampire Island provides the facts behind the legend. The myth really took hold with the 1897 release of Bram Stoker's Dracula, a defining work that continues to thrive in publication to this day. In the years since, books, comics and cinema screens have been flooded with new takes on an old tale. Each version speaks to changes in the culture during the time of their release - from the hints of anti-Semitism in 1922's classic Nosferatu to the teen-angst love story at the center of the Twilight franchise. In truth, the models from which popular culture has based much of its vampire lore are more ghoulish than alluring. Stoker used Vlad the Impaler - a savage warrior who was born in Transylvania in the early 15th century - as the blueprint for her title character. As Prince of Wallachia, Vlad led the revolt against the Ottoman Empire as they struggled to expand across Europe. His tactics were particularly barbaric; he was known for driving the bodies of his victims through large stakes planted into the fields of combat. The punishment he inflicted on his victims eventually became prophecy as he ended his reign buried alive with three stakes pounded through his ankle, hip and throat. This is just one of the parallel stories presented during the course of the film. Over the centuries, similar urban legends have festered in countries like Australia, China and India. The filmmakers travel across Europe and beyond to explore the origins of these cultural myths. We learn the various states of decomposition which may have led frightened villagers to believe in the existence of the undead. In addition, we witness the uncovering of various artifacts which show how each community chose to combat these fears. Occasionally morbid but consistently fascinating, Vampire Island is a must-see for fans of the horror genre, as well as those who relish the macabre curiosities of world history.

The Mystery Beneath

The Baltic Sea is the final resting place for many wondrous artifacts from sunken battleships to sealed champagne bottles dating back over a hundred years. In June of 2011, a Swedish expedition company detected the outline of an object which one could literally characterize as "out of this world". If proven true, the uncovering of an unidentified flying object in Earth's waters will certainly constitute the most meaningful archeological find in human history. The thrilling documentary The Mystery Beneath traces this unprecedented underwater excavation project, and chronicles the challenges, media fervor, and anonymous threats that plagued explorers along the way. An expedition of this magnitude requires vast resources and generous funding. With this in mind, the team decided to go public with their initial findings. The scientific community understood the implications of such a discovery and was justifiably intrigued. Mass media was quick to sensationalize the discovery, and stoked the inflamed rhetoric of conspiracy theorists and fear mongerers. Could this enigmatic structure - which bore a striking resemblance to the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars in early sonar images - actually be a doomsday device in waiting? The need for answers was great, and the expedition team were soon given the tools they needed to find them. In their attempts to relocate and ultimately identify the object, the explorers must contend with the possibility of surveillance from surrounding countries, malfunctioning equipment, and a series of perilous environmental factors and safety concerns. Viewers will gain a deep respect for these treasure hunters, particularly the divers who risk death in the depths of a black sea for the chance to make history. Finding and documenting the object is only the beginning. Once the divers collect samples and visual documentation of the mystery structure, the team must work feverishly to decode even more clues, salvage their reputations amidst growing public skepticism, and defend against an increasingly antagonistic press and harrowing personal threats. The journey produces bouts of giddy wonder and deflated morale in equal measure. The Mystery Beneath is a pulse pounding adventure into the unknown, but it's also an inspiring portrait of human curiosity and resolve.

Dealers in Death

Tying in neatly with President Roosevelt's request for legislation to take the profit out of war and with the current Senatorial investigation of the munitions industry, Dealers in Death, at the Criterion, presents the case histories of the world's leading armament manufacturers with incidental excursions, via the newsreels, into past wars, present preparations for wars and a grim forecast of what wars of the future may be like. The arms makers examined in the Dealers in Death documentary feature companies such as Vickers-Armstrong, Skoda, Krupp, Remington, and Colt. Newsreel footage is used as a counterpoint to the investigation of deals made among the companies to prolong the fighting. The reality of war and the devastation of the battlefields emphasize the sinister and cynical nature of the munitions industry.

Hearts and Minds

The Oriental doesn't put the same high price on life as does the Westerner. Life is cheap in the Orient. Hearts and Minds is an Academy Award winning documentary about the Vietnam War directed by Peter Davis. The film's title is based on a quote from President Lyndon B. Johnson: "the ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live out there". The movie was chosen as Best Feature Documentary at the 47th Academy Awards presented in 1975. The film premiered at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival. Commercial distribution was delayed in the United States due to legal issues, including a temporary restraining order obtained by one of the interviewees, former National Security Advisor Walt Rostow who had claimed through his attorney that the film was "somewhat misleading" and "not representative" and that he had not been given the opportunity to approve the results of his interview. After Columbia Pictures refused to distribute the picture, Bert Schneider and Henry Jaglom purchased back the rights and released the film in March 1975 through Warner Bros.

Combat America

In 1943 actor Clark Gable served as a Major in World War II, operating out of England's Royal Air Force station Polebrook (RAF Polebrook) as a member of the 351st Bomb Group. Gable flew five missions during his term, and was tasked with producing Combat America as a recruitment tool. He worked in partnership with unit members First Lieutenant Andrew McIntire, a former director of cinematography for MGM, additional camera operators Master Sergeants Robert Boles and Merlin Toti, and Hollywood scriptwriter John Lee Mahin. Together this team of seasoned industry professionals created an energetic and educational propaganda piece intended to motivate viewers to serve their country while doing the same themselves. Produced at a time when audience patriotism was at an all-time high, the film plays to the national desire to defend fellow man and country. Opening with footage of both civilians and servicemen looking to the sky in admiration of the fighter planes as they soar overhead, viewers are transported across seas for an inspirational look at the life of a bombardier. Featuring a playfully animated narration by Gable, we are walked through the process of gearing up for flight, from checking ammunition to assessing uniforms and safety gear. Gable gives a coaching voiceover as the planes take off, advising them on how to maneuver, take flight, and avoid crashing in a fiery blaze. Conversational moments with soldiers lend a personalized perspective to hum-drum aspects of serving, such as making small talk while cleaning their service weapons or chatting casually on the airfield. The action footage picks up when we join the bombardiers in the air, as they evaluate the enemy threat and plot their course of action. Gunners are shown on alert and ready at their turrets, acting promptly on the directive to fire. Culminating in a mass air-drop, the boys deliver their payloads and return to base. An adventurous and invigorating documentary, Combat America will hold great appeal to historical buffs and World War II enthusiasts. The film serves as a time capsule back to a fight that has not gone forgotten, allowing an unaltered depiction of the servicemen and weaponry of the time.

Inside Iraq: The Untold Stories

Concerned citizens seeking to learn more about the experiences of everyday Iraqis in a time when the U.S. led war with the Middle Eastern nation shows no end of slowing get an illuminating glimpse at the true damage that bombs can do as amateur filmmaker Mike Shiley interviews people on both sides of the conflict during a two month tour of the war-torn country. A man who has received no formal training as a filmmaker or a journalist, Shiley struck a deal with his local ABC affiliate to bring back stories from Iraq, printed up a homemade press pass, boarded an airplane, and donned his bullet-proof vest. The footage Shiley captured during his stay would provide a remarkably personal face to a war that has become disquietingly impersonal to the average American citizen. From the Sunni triangle to the Shiite-controlled south, Shiley puts himself directly in the line of fire on order to speak with soldiers and everyday citizens. For anyone who ever wondered just what it would be like to be an Iraqi citizen during this extended conflict, Shiley's film affords them the opportunity to receive a firsthand answer to their inquiries.

The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns

War may be hell, but it can make for great television, as Ken Burns proves in his masterful 11-hour PBS series chronicling the deadliest war in American military history. The Civil War was a landmark TV event that held record numbers of viewers riveted to their screens and reinvented the documentary form. Taking full advantage of the fact that the Civil War was the first war to be captured extensively on camera, Burns synthesizes evocative archival photographs (among them, Matthew Brady's emblematic images of Union soldiers) with diverse and illuminating narrative voices. Well-known actors read diary entries, letters from the front, official dispatches, and speeches from the era. These voice-over readings convey the full range of human fears and hopes of those shaping and being shaped by the war, while an engaging group of historians (most notably Shelby Foote) provide historical perspective. The result is a seamless collage that illuminates, with quiet nobility, this most painful chapter in our nation's past. It's been said that history belongs to the victors; like Homer before him, Burns demonstrates that a major chunk of it belongs to the best storytellers.