Best History Movies of 1994

Lawyer Richard Goodwin discovers that 'Twenty-One', a successful TV quiz show, is rigged and decides to expose the team behind the show.

Aging King George III of England is exhibiting signs of madness, a problem little understood in 1788. As the monarch alternates between bouts of confusion and near-violent outbursts of temper, his hapless doctors attempt the ineffectual cures of the day. Meanwhile, Queen Charlotte and Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger attempt to prevent the king's political enemies, led by the Prince of Wales, from usurping the throne.

Portugal 1813. A band of deserters, including Sharpe's old enemy, Obadiah Hakeswill, have captured two women, one the wife of a high-ranking English officer, and are holding them hostage for ransom. Sharpe is given the 60th Rifles and a Rocket troop, as well as his majority to rescue the women. But while Sharpe may be able to deal with his old enemy, he has yet to face a newer threat, the French Major Pierre Ducos.

Spain 1812 The Duke of Wellington plans to lay siege to Badajoz. A murderous figure from Sharpe's past uses a beautiful woman revenge himself on Sharpe, now the father of her child. Sharpe has reason to be happy, he holds his daughter for the first time and is given command of the Light Company again, together with his captaincy. But will his happiness be short lived?

1813. Major Sharpe's old enemy, Major Ducos manipulates a beautiful young marquesa into falsely accusing Sharpe of rape. Her husband calls Sharpe out in a duel. But when the husband is found dead the next morning, Sharpe is arrested and brought before a court martial, and it seems not even Patrick Harper and the Chosen Men can save Sharpe from a hanging, or rescue his honour

Polio at age 39, president at age 50. Explore the public and private life of a determined man who steered this country through two monumental crises: the Depression and World War II. FDR served as president longer than any other, and his legacy still shapes our understanding of the role of government and the presidency. A film by award winning filmmaker David Grubin. This is the second of four parts.

In 1971, a warden at Attica Penitentiary is caught up in a hostage crisis when inmates take over the prison to demand better living conditions.

In this inspiring tale from the book of Genesis, young shepherd Jacob (Matthew Modine) falls in love with and wants to marry Rachel (Lara Flynn Boyle), the daughter of his Uncle Laban (Giancarlo Giannini). Lacking a dowry, Jacob toils seven years as his uncle's indentured servant to win Rachel's hand. But calculating Laban dupes him into another seven years of labor. Irene Papas portrays Jacob's iron-willed mother.

The "unsinkable" Titanic was a dream come true: four city blocks long and a passenger list worth 250 million dollars. But on her maiden voyage in April 1912, that dream became a nightmare when the giant ship struck an iceberg and sunk in the cold North Atlantic. More than 1,500 lives were lost in one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century. Now, using newsreels, stills, diaries, and exclusive interviews with survivors, Titanic: The Complete Story recounts the sensational history of the premier liner. In Part I: Death of a Dream, the largest ship ever built is christened in Ireland before a cheering crowd of 100,000. Witness the disaster this trek becomes as numerous iceberg warnings go unheeded and the ship sinks in the icy North Atlantic. In Part II: The Legend Lives On, over-packed lifeboats edge away from the crippled liner as a futile SOS signals flare into the night--leaving 1,500 passengers to a watery grave.

Bristol, England, early 19th century. A beautiful young stranger who speaks a weird language is tried for the crime of begging. But when a man claims that he can translate her dialect, it is understood that the woman is a princess from a far away land. She is then welcomed by a family of haughty aristocrats that only wants to heighten their prestige. However, the local reporter is not at all convinced she is what she claims to be and investigates. Is Caraboo really a princess?

CHINA: A CENTURY OF REVOLUTION is a six-hour tour de force journey through the country's most tumultuous period. First televised on PBS, this award-winning documentary series presents an astonishingly candid view of a once-secret nation with rare archival footage, insightful historical commentary and stunning eyewitness accounts from citizens who struggled through China's most decisive century. THE MAO YEARS examines the turbulent era of Mao's attempts to forge a "new China" from the war-ravaged and poverty-stricken nation.

Dr Gerald Bull was a genius at designing and building superguns (very large long range guns capable of shooting at ranges more than 100 miles). When an operational plan by the CIA to export sanctioned arms to apartheid-South Africa through him was exposed, the CIA denied all knowledge and he went to jail. He was later released, and moved to Belgium to start a subsidiary, of which a major project was to help Saddam Hussein build a new supergun capable of firing over 500 miles.

A dramatic retelling of the life of Michel de Nostredame, from his early work as a plague doctor to his time at the court of Catherine de Medici, after he became famed for his prophetic almanacs. Stars Rutger Hauer and Julia Ormond.

Documentary film focuses on the Civil Rights leader's many groundbreaking accomplishments. Footage covers Dr. King's war on poverty and his staunch opposition to the Vietnam War. Also included is his stirring "I Have a Dream" speech.

This documentary takes a look at gargoyles, the stone or cement creatures that adorn the lofty tops of buildings. Thought by some to contain the trapped souls of the condemned and believed by others to ward off evil, these adornments are sources of curiosity even today.

The Visual Bible: Acts is a 1994 Christian film that depicts the events of the Acts of the Apostles from the Bible's New Testament. All of the dialogue is word-for-word scripture, taken directly from the New International Version of the Bible.

A documentary that explores the life styles of various otakus in Japan. Various interviews are given to selected otakus who express how interesting it is to be an otaku as oppose to not being one at all. Along with various shots of various Japanese city landscapes and the inside of an average otaku home from rooms filled with videos, models, and the latest in technology.

The Jacobite Rebellion of Scotland, and thirty years after the first battle, Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army make a stand at Culloden.

The glories of Ancient Rome are explored in ROMAN CITY, based on David Macaulay's acclaimed book. This animated and live-action video recounts life in Verbonia, a fictional city in Gaul. A well-planned town with all modern conveniences, it is threatened by conflict between conquerors and conquered. Macaulay also visits Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia, Nimes, Orange, and Rome, to view actual Roman architecture and engineering greatness.

Why did Germany torpedo the Lusitania, a civilian vessel? And why did such an enormous ship sink so fast? Now, take a high-tech plunge beneath the Irish Channel and relive on of the century's most mysterious maritime tragedies: The date is May 7, 1915, just nine months into World War I. A German U-boat torpedoes the Lusitania — one of than largest and fastest luxury liners in the world. Of the 1,959 people aboard, including millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt, nearly two-thirds will die. Many are trapped inside as the great ship sinks in just eighteen minutes.

Narrated by actress Alfre Woodard, this trenchant, eye-opening doc traces the radical civil rights leader’s life from his tumultuous childhood, through his rise in the ranks of the Nation of Islam, to his 1965 assassination.

As the campaign to force Jews out of Germany ramps up, the American government blocks efforts to help rescue many of these displaced persons, and Americans' antisemitism only seems to get worse.

Documentary on the World War II invasion of Normandy by the Allies on June 6, 1944 utilizing diaries, personal letters, home movies, snapshots, period music and vintage radio broadcasts and newsreels.

The remarkable story of Earl Silas Tupper, an ambitious but reclusive small-town inventor, and Brownie Wise, the self-taught sales-woman who built him an empire out of bowls that burped. Brownie was an intuitive marketing genius who trained a small army of Tupperware Ladies to put on Tupperware parties in living rooms across America in the 1950s. She rewarded her sales force with minks and modern appliances at extravagant annual jubilees which the company filmed. her saleswomen earned thousands, even millions, selling Tupperware. And the experience changed their lives.

After the atomic obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, over 36,000 Australian men and women, part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF), marched onto Japanese soil. They were assigned the toughest and most dangerous area of Japan: Hiroshima Prefecture, which included the atom-bombed city. The Forgotten Force tells for the first time the story of Australia's role in Japan. Rare archival and private footage, photographs and eyewitness accounts from both sides vividly recreate the atmosphere of post-war Japan - the horror of Hiroshima and its aftermath; the struggle to build a new "democratic" society while under the heel of military rule; the growth from suspicion and fear to friendship and trust between foes.

The work of Lev Vygotsky is increasingly cited as we reconsider the theory and practice of constructivist education. This program introduces the life, vocabulary and concepts of Lev Vygotsky. The video illustrates four basic concepts integral to his work: Children construct knowledge, learning can lead development, development cannot be separated from its social context, and language plays a central role in cognitive development. Elena Bodrova brings an easy familiarity to these concepts. Deborah Leong’s commentary and the lively classroom examples enable students, teachers in training, and classroom teachers to incorporate these concepts into their understanding of child development.

Traces the bitter and often spirited battle over the morality and censorship of movies from the birth of the motion picture industry in the early 1900s. Describes how early censorship was local and how the original Hollywood Production Code rules dictated that kisses could last no longer than six seconds and married people must sleep in twin beds. Shows some of the most controversial film scenes of all time and discusses the relationship between movies and sex and violence. Looks at censorship from the perspective of stars, critics, and historians, as well as censors, such as the MPAA.

Originally aired as a television mini-series, this all-star filmization of Stephen King's gripping epic of good versus evil chronicles the episodic adventures of a disparate group of people who struggle to reestablish civilization after a man-made catastrophe wipes out most of the world's population. The world abruptly ends when a deadly virus accidentally escapes from a government sponsored biological warfare laboratory. Soon people are dropping like flies from the plague, but a few survive and find themselves strangely compelled to head into the West. Good-hearted people follow the voice of an ancient black woman and head for Boulder, Colorado. Bad people follow the enigmatic Walkin' Dude to Las Vegas. It is only a matter of time before the two sides are forced into a climactic battle over the final fate of humanity.

The triumphant and tragic story of the great poet, short story writer, and master of the macabre. Blessed by a genius that brought him many successes as a writer, Poe was plagued by alcoholism, gambling debts, and lost loves.

This 1994 doc takes on new relevance as Hillary's reputation once again comes under scrutiny. Her use of a private server containing state secrets is one mistake in a long line of murky, unexplained dealings. Will these most recent leaks be the final nail in the coffin?

A tour of eleven Virginia plantations: Mount Vernon, Monticello, Ash Lawn-Highland, Arlington House, Carter's Grove, Stratford Hall, Oatlands, Kenmore, Shirley, Berkeley, and Gunston Hall.

Sol Plaatje was a politician, novelist, historian, musician, translator of Shakespeare into vernacular language, and founder member of what was to become the African National Congress. In 1924, a visionary South African, Sol Plaatje, set out to bring the wonders of cinema to the community. Brandishing a few educational 16mm films under his arm, Plaatje arrives in a dusty, Blacks-only township in the Western Transvaal. He is looking for a venue which can be set up as a bioscope. Things do not seem promising, but Plaatje is first befriended by a helpful young boy. And then, despite prevailing apartheid obstacles, a room is found. The township community is excited and set to be overawed by the new celluloid world about to unfold before them.

Filmed on location at Houlgate Village near York, a working Anglo-Saxon settlement, this DVD provides incredible insight into a period of which little is known. The Dark Age is shrouded in mystery - Who were the Anglo-Saxons? How did they live? What were their customs and beliefs? With expert commentary from Ian Wood and Dave Thirlwall, and the use of detailed reconstructions, these and many more questions are answered about a relatively unknown era of British history.

Paul Robeson was a celebrated African-American Actor, Athlete, Singer, Writer, and Civil Rights Activist. Robeson's many achievements are chronicled in this program, ranging from playing with the NFL to graduating from Columbia Law School, performing on Broadway and in Hollywood films to founding the American Crusade against Lynching as well as Council on African Affairs. Robeson was one of the most talented performers of his time and a dedicated humanitarian who ultimately sacrificed fame and fortune for what he believed in. His association with Leftist Politics during the era of the Cold War, and frequent denouncing of American political parties led to his eventual blacklisting with other prominent writers and artists during the McCarthy Era. His talents in all areas are remarkable, and his dedication to attaining a peaceful coexistence between all the people of the world is truly admirable.

You have never seen the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Pacific Coastline like this before! Take to the skies for an exhilarating journey in the film Over California. Get a unique perspective on the vast and changing landscape of the Golden State through powerful high-altitude images that reveal Californias unique beauty. Soar through blue skies, among ancient redwood forests, around snow-capped peaks, over deserts and coastline, and above glittering cities all set to an original soundtrack. Over California features rare views and stunning cinematography of the states most celebrated landscapes, from deserts to vineyards and everything in between, including Disneyland and the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy the imagery as you learn all about Californias history and heritage.

In April 1794, Georges Danton, the hero of the French Revolution, is imprisoned in a Paris jail, awaiting his morning appointment with La Guillotine. His accusers are so afraid of the strength of his popular support that they have imprisoned a decoy to frustrate any attempt to rescue him. A young guard must decide if his prisoner is the real Danton - and whether it is too risky to help him.

This is a tale "after the Christ," based on the book of Acts.