TELEVISION VIDEO

Editor, Jenny Brown

  • Word for Word
    "Pirates of Silicon Valley"
  • New Releases for Sale
    "The Audrey Hepburn Story," "Britannic," and "Agatha Christie's Poirot 4"
  • This Month's Top Picks
    Summer Adventures: "Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure," "Shaka Zulu," "Sahara: A Place of Extremes," "Into Thin Air: Death on Everest," and "Outside Television: Marathon of the Sands"


WORD FOR WORD
"You say this gadget of yours is for ordinary people? What would ordinary people want with computers?"
   --a businessman in "Pirates of Silicon Valley," the story of the early days of Apple Computers and Microsoft

Our Price: $13.99 | You Save: $0.96 (6%)   

return to top


NEW RELEASES FOR SALE
"The Audrey Hepburn Story" (2000) (PG) VHS or DVD
starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Frances Fisher, and Eric McCormack; directed by Steven Robman
With her doelike eyes and charming accent, the gamine Audrey Hepburn captivated the world in movies such as "Roman Holiday," "Sabrina," and of course, "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Surprisingly, this year's television biopic is the first attempt at recounting the actress's life story. Jennifer Love Hewitt bravely portrays the adult Hepburn in "The Audrey Hepburn Story," which traces her life from her childhood in Belgium through the shooting of "Breakfast." Devoted fans will appreciate this paean to Hepburn, as we glimpse the difficulties of her early career and her budding stardom. Read more

Our Price: $16.99 | You Save: $2.97 (15%)   


"Britannic" (2000) (NR) VHS or DVD
starring Amanda Ryan, Jacqueline Bisset, and Edward Atterton; directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith
The story of the "Titanic" was well known long before Leo became the heartthrob of millions of teens. But the story of her sister ship, the "Britannic," isn't as familiar, and is the subject of this television movie of the same name. The "Britannic" sank quickly in the Mediterranean during World War II, but the circumstances of the disaster are mysterious: An unexplained explosion ripped a huge hole in her hull. Amanda Ryan stars as a plucky British intelligence operative who battles sexism as well as German spies in this story that focuses on the theory that German saboteurs were aboard the ship. Read more

Our Price: $16.99 | You Save: $2.99 (15%)   


"Agatha Christie's Poirot 4" (1995) (NR) VHS
Starring David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, and Philip Jackson; directed by David Carson and Herbert Wise
David Suchet's Poirot is back, this time trying to solve crimes before they've even occurred. In "Wasps' Nest," it's a murder--but the victim isn't the person you'd expect. In "The Million-Dollar Bond Robbery," it's the theft of American bonds en route from London to New York. The third episode involves an actual crime: A mining magnate's daughter is killed for her jewels in the somber "Plymouth Express." The series producers spared no expense with the set, re-creating mid-1930s London from Poirot's well-appointed art deco apartment to the seedy side streets where bookies and jewel thieves ply their trade. With details like these, the series brings to life not only one of the most famous detectives in fiction, but also an entire bygone era. Read more

Our Price: $34.95 | You Save: $5.00 (13%)   

return to top


THIS MONTH'S TOP PICKS--SUMMER ADVENTURE
Warm weather is finally luring intrepid souls from their cozy homes. Whether you plan on scaling peaks this summer or just watching others scale peaks, we've got a TV video that will have you on journeys to unexpected places.

  1. "Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure" (2000) (NR) VHS
    starring Michael Palin; directed by David F. Turnbull
    Intrepid ex-Python Michael Palin follows in Papa's footsteps from Pamplona to Kenya to Key West. Palin first read Hemingway as a child in northern England, and his Hemingway adventure is a warm-hearted and often funny personal tribute to this literary giant. Check out PBS's "Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure." Read more

    2. Our Price: $25.99 | You Save: $3.99 (13%)   

  2. "Shaka Zulu" (1986) (NR) VHS or DVD 3-Pack Gift Set
    starring Henry Cele, Kenneth Griffith, and Trevor Howard; directed by William C. Faure
    This epic biography tells the story of the legendary Zulu warrior-king, Shaka, in this film that was originally created in 1983 as a British miniseries and later released in theaters. The story follows Shaka's life in detail from his illegitimate birth around 1787 to a commoner, Nandi, through his tormented childhood at the Zulu court. An outstanding cast and lush photography in addition to a gripping story make this a thrilling watch. The edited version is available on VHS and the full TV series on DVD. Read more

    3. Our Price: $13.99 | You Save: $0.99 (7%)   

  3. "Sahara: A Place of Extremes" (1997) (NR) VHS
    The days are mercilessly hot and the nights can turn frigid cold. Drought and winds compete with each other to devastate the creatures trying to survive. Yet more than 3,000 square miles of this vast, inhospitable desert is actually home to a variety of animals: cats that bark, lizards that swim in sand, and gazelles that never drink. This PBS documentary takes a look at the mysterious world of "Sahara," with magnificent nature photography that will introduce you to a different way of life. Read more

    4. Our Price: $16.99 | You Save: $2.99 (15%)   

  4. "Into Thin Air: Death on Everest" (1997) (NR) VHS
    starring Christopher McDonald, Nat Parker, and Peter Horton; directed by Robert Markowitz
    This television movie, based Jon Krakauer's bestselling book "Into Thin Air," re-creates an ill-fated 1996 expedition to Everest that claimed at least five lives, including those of two world-class climbers. Only 90 minutes in length, the film jumps right into the action at Everest base camp and compresses the two-month trek into just a few days of exhilarating adventure. Periodic voice-overs by Krakauer (Christopher McDonald) provide essential background information and guide us through the invisible, intensifying effects of altitude and stress. The suspense and agony the group felt in this film will make you glad you decided to stay home. Read more

    5. Our Price: $17.99 | You Save: $1.96 (10%)   

  5. "Outside Television: Marathon of the Sands " (1999) (NR) VHS
    In "the greatest challenge the human body can endure," 600 runners from 28 countries set off on the world's most grueling race: 150 miles across the Sahara. "Marathon of the Sands" takes a look at these brave--nay, masochistic--athletes who push their bodies to the limit in this ultimate competition. You'll be both awestruck at the incredible determination of these people and amazed at their strange ambition. This documentary succeeds in finding the humor in this incredibly stressful, and suspenseful, test of endurance. Read more

    6. Our Price: $16.99 | You Save: $2.96 (15%)   

return to top


THE ART OF NOTHING: AN INTERVIEW WITH LORETTA LAROCHE
Twirling, "ta-dahing," and yelling "whoopee" are just a few of the antidotes to modern tension prescribed by the queen of de-stressing, Loretta LaRoche. LaRoche teases and cajoles her audiences (in videos such as "The Joy of Stress" and "Relax! You Only Live Once") into peals of laughter as a way of letting go of the everyday. Amazon.com's Jenny Brown spoke with LaRoche about the forgotten art of doing nothing. Read more

return to top


WEATHER GONE BAD
As Longfellow said, "Into each life some rain must fall." But sometimes it's more than just a little rain. Sometimes it's a full-fledged hurricane. Or a whipping tornado. Or a thundering earthquake. Amazon.com has the exhilarating television documentaries that show up close what happens when good weather goes bad. Read more

return to top


ADVANCE ORDERS
"The 1900 House" (2000) (NR) VHS
available June 27
A modern family must live as people lived in Victorian times, in PBS's take on "The Real World." No electricity, no indoor toilets, no modern conveniences of any type, and the family must suit up in full regalia (including corsets) and make do, with both funny and interesting results. Read more

Our Price: $25.99 | You Save: $3.99 (13%)   


"Arabian Nights" (1999) (NR) VHS or DVD
starring Mili Avital, Jason Scott Lee, and John Leguizamo; directed by Steve Barron
available July 18
Exotic romance, tempting tales, and plenty of magic abound in this television miniseries adaptation of the "Arabian Nights." Read more

Our Price: $49.98   


"Jesus" (2000) (NR) VHS or DVD
starring Jeremy Sisto; Jacqueline Bisset, and Gary Oldman; directed by Roger Young
available July 25
The network television movie shows the human side of the Jesus in this vivid and captivating retelling of the biblical story. Read more

Our Price: $20.99 | You Save: $4.00 (16%)   

return to top

All titles featured are NTSC format (VHS) and Region 1 encoded (DVD).

You'll find more great videos, articles, and interviews

in Amazon.com's Television & Documentary Video section.
Copyright 2000 Amazon.com, Inc. All rights reserved.