Cool website of streaming documentaries: Folkstreams.net

This wonderful site currently has just over 100 documentaries on American roots cultures. It’s a site loaded with classics including films by Les Blank, Tom Davenport, and Alan Lomax. It’s indexed by film, filmmaker, region, subject, and featured individual. If you’re interested in Dewey Balfa, for instance, you can quickly discover he’s included in Les … Continue reading “Cool website of streaming documentaries: Folkstreams.net”

This wonderful site currently has just over 100 documentaries on American roots cultures. It’s a site loaded with classics including films by Les Blank, Tom Davenport, and Alan Lomax. It’s indexed by film, filmmaker, region, subject, and featured individual. If you’re interested in Dewey Balfa, for instance, you can quickly discover he’s included in Les Blues de Balfa, Cajun Country, Cajun Visits: Visites Cajun, and Homemade American Music.

It’s a site especially rich in blues and Appalachian music though there’s much more. In addition to the films/videos, there are essays about the folk traditions and making of the films. There are also study and teaching guides, suggested readings, and links to related websites.

The creation of the site was spearheaded by Tom and Mimi Davenport in a coordinated effort with filmmakers, folklorists, web developers, and The University of North Carolina to preserve these works and provide greater exposure to them.

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WashingtonPost.com Project: On Being

This woman from WashingtonPost.com, Jennifer Crandall has been creating these three minute video profiles about different people in Washington, DC. She features a new person each week. I highly recommend checking them out, especially the one with the little kid named Gio.http://specials.washingtonpost.com/onbeing/

This woman from WashingtonPost.com, Jennifer Crandall has been creating these three minute video profiles about different people in Washington, DC. She features a new person each week. I highly recommend checking them out, especially the one with the little kid named Gio.
http://specials.washingtonpost.com/onbeing/

“Dream Deceivers” available on-line…

To those interested in seeing an excellent documentary direct your web browsers to:http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5636910946432086857 Dream Deceivers: The Story Behind James Vance vs. Judas Priest On December 23, 1985, two young men in Reno, Nevada put shotguns to their own heads after drinking and smoking marijuana as they listened to a record by the English rock group … Continue reading ““Dream Deceivers” available on-line…”

To those interested in seeing an excellent documentary direct your web browsers to:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5636910946432086857


Dream Deceivers: The Story Behind James Vance vs. Judas Priest

On December 23, 1985, two young men in Reno, Nevada put shotguns to their own heads after drinking and smoking marijuana as they listened to a record by the English rock group Judas Priest. Raymond Belknap shot himself fatally, while the other, James Vance, was grossly disfigured.

Their parents, claiming that subliminal messages in the heavy metal band’s songs mesmerized the boys into their bizarre suicide pact, filed suit against CBS Records. Centered around this non jurored trial, DREAM DECEIVERS looks at this tragedy through interviews with Vance – who later died in 1988 from a medication overdose -, his and Belknap’s parents, other Reno “metalheads”, and members of Judas Priest.

Online video discovery: AIR: America’s Investigative Reports

I’ve been captivated by the above-mentioned series on PBS in case you hadn’t yet discovered it. What I like about it is the focus is on the craft of journalism using ground-breaking current stories, such as the system-wide mismanagement of FEMA, as the context. It’s largely about following leads, digging up sources, and the collaboration … Continue reading “Online video discovery: AIR: America’s Investigative Reports”

I’ve been captivated by the above-mentioned series on PBS in case you hadn’t yet discovered it. What I like about it is the focus is on the craft of journalism using ground-breaking current stories, such as the system-wide mismanagement of FEMA, as the context. It’s largely about following leads, digging up sources, and the collaboration between journalists and editors in turning facts into stories with national impact.

It airs Friday nights at 10pm on most PBS affiliates but the episodes that have aired to date (four at this writing) can also be viewed in their entirety online on the Channel Thirteen website.

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National Archives Video on Google

This is a link to about 100 public domain newsreels produced by NASA,United Newsreel, and Department of the Interior. They range in length from 10-30 minutes. There’s a lot of interesting stuff here. Examples include 1930s titles from the Dept of Interior, 1940s war newsreels, and “Who’s out there?” a 1975 film narrated by Orson … Continue reading “National Archives Video on Google”

This is a link to about 100 public domain newsreels produced by NASA,United Newsreel, and Department of the Interior. They range in length from 10-30 minutes. There’s a lot of interesting stuff here. Examples include 1930s titles from the Dept of Interior, 1940s war newsreels, and “Who’s out there?” a 1975 film narrated by Orson Welles on the likelihood of intelligent extraterrestrial life.

Historical Nuclear Test Film Archive

The Department of Energy’s website has streaming video of about 75 nuclear tests from the 1940s to the 1970s, many recently declassified – the site is much more exhaustive than anything I’ve seen on this subject previously. link

The Department of Energy’s website has streaming video of about 75 nuclear tests from the 1940s to the 1970s, many recently declassified – the site is much more exhaustive than anything I’ve seen on this subject previously.

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PBS Frontline Online

PBS currently has fifty-four complete Frontline programs freely-available for streaming on their website. The 2006 releases available include: The Insurgency, The Meth Epidemic, and Country Boys. Frontline World is considered a separate series and that too has many programs freely-available online – about seventy currently. 2006 releases include Columbia: The Coca-Cola Controversy, Brazil: Jewel of … Continue reading “PBS Frontline Online”

PBS currently has fifty-four complete Frontline programs freely-available for streaming on their website. The 2006 releases available include: The Insurgency, The Meth Epidemic, and Country Boys.

Frontline World is considered a separate series and that too has many programs freely-available online – about seventy currently. 2006 releases include Columbia: The Coca-Cola Controversy, Brazil: Jewel of the Amazon, Iraq: Saddam’s Road to Hell, Pakistan: Cold Comfort, and India: Calcutta Calling.

Frontline link
Frontline World link