Greetings from Amazon.com Delivers Television Video Editor, Jenny Brown FEATURED IN THIS E-MAIL: * Word for Word: "Absolutely Fabulous" * New Releases for Sale: "A Woman of Substance," "World at War," and "The Twilight Zone" * This Month's Top Picks--The Literary Life: "The Singing Detective," "Dash and Lilly," "Biography: William Shakespeare," "Intimate Portrait: Maya Angelou," and "Mark Twain Tonight!" * At the Edge of Sci-Fi * Pledge Breaks--PBS's Musical Showcases * Advance Orders: Coming to your home soon! WORD FOR WORD: "ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS" ************************************ "Darling, if you want to talk bollocks and discover the meaning of life, you're better off downing a bottle of whiskey. At least that way, you're unconscious by the time you start to take yourself seriously." --Joanna Lumley as Patsy Stone in "Absolutely Fabulous" You can find "Absolutely Fabulous" at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6304179073/entertainmentsit NEW RELEASES FOR SALE ********************* "A Woman of Substance" (NR) starring Jenny Seagrove, Liam Neeson, Deborah Kerr, and Barry Bostwick; directed by Don Sharp http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000INCI/entertainmentsit A tale of vengeance and desire, pride and ambition, Barbara Taylor Bradford's bestselling novel is transformed into the Emmy-nominated miniseries, "A Woman of Substance." Reminiscent of "Upstairs Downstairs," this movie delves into the social issues and events of its time (the 1890s-1930s): poverty, illegitimate children, anti-Semitism, World War I, and more. Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr share the role of Emma Harte (Seagrove as the youthful Harte, Kerr as the matriarch), and Liam Neeson is dashing as Irishman Blackie O'Neill. "The World at War" (NR) starring Laurence Olivier; produced by Sir Jeremy Isaacs http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0783107986/entertainmentsit Laurence Olivier narrates this 1974 masterpiece miniseries, "The World at War." More than a decade before Ken Burns made TV documentaries all the rage, producer Sir Jeremy Isaacs created this definitive visual history of World War II, using plenty of footage (much of it in color) from the war years. HBO has just rereleased the 26-volume set on 9 videos, finally making it accessible for everyone. "Twilight Zone" (R) starring Rod Serling; directed by Jus Addiss and William Asher http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JS7W/entertainmentsit "My name is Talky Tina... and I'm going to kill you" is just one of the many memorable lines from this volume of rereleased "Twilight Zone" episodes. In "Living Doll," Telly Savalas stars as the evil stepfather trying unsuccessfully to throw away a young girl's toy. Two other volumes available separately also include such memorable episodes as "After Hours," "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up," and the postapocalyptic "Time Enough at Last." This collection is a nostalgic look at "the fifth dimension" and a wonderful introduction for generations too young to have seen it on TV. THIS MONTH'S TOP PICKS--THE LITERARY LIFE ***************************************** Television doesn't always mean the death of literature. While it may seem contradictory, TV has actually done a lot to expose us to literary figures through dramatizations, stage shows, and documentaries that reveal the imaginative, unpredictable, and always entertaining lives of infamous writers. "The Singing Detective" (NR) starring Michael Gambon; directed by Jon Amiel http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0793970113/entertainmentsit Writer Dennis Potter redefined television drama, using the medium to explore concepts and create work that was both challenging and entertaining. "The Singing Detective" was his greatest achievement, a dazzlingly complex study of a writer's mind as he struggles to recover from physical illness and mental collapse. Fantasy and memory combine in this intricate six-hour puzzle, held together by Michael Gambon's powerful central performance and by the unstoppable energy of Potter's writing. "Dash and Lilly" (NR) starring Judy Davis and Sam Shepard; directed by Kathy Bates http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767018257/entertainmentsit Dashiell Hammett was as hard-boiled as his characters; Lillian Hellman was the steely author of "The Little Foxes." The true story of their literary romance is as exciting as any fiction they could concoct. The original A&E movie "Dash and Lilly," directed by Kathy Bates and starring Sam Shepard and Judy Davis, gives intriguing insight to the highs and lows of their volatile literary temperaments. "Biography: William Shakespeare" (NR) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6304340206/entertainmentsit We'll refrain from the tired allusions as we recommend A&E's enlightening "Biography: William Shakespeare" (although the desire to declare "To watch or not to watch, that is the question" is somewhat overwhelming). Little is known about the world's most influential writer, but A&E pieces together documentation, historical accounts, and interpretations of Shakespeare's work to re-create his life story. Discover the man behind the work in this captivating portrait. "Intimate Portrait: Maya Angelou" (NR) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6305255091/entertainmentsit Oprah Winfrey narrates this inspiring look at one of the most prominent writers of the 20th century. "Intimate Portrait: Maya Angelou" chronicles the difficult life of the poet--from her rape at age 7 (which caused 6 years of muteness) to her life as an unwed mother at age 16 to her jobs as a showgirl, an actress, and San Francisco's first black streetcar conductor. Yet we also see her triumphs and achievements through her work, her awards, and the honors bestowed upon her in this moving show. "Mark Twain Tonight!" (NR) starring Hal Holbrook; directed by Paul Bogart http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000IPGJ/entertainmentsit Hal Holbrook's one-man show "Mark Twain Tonight!," which originally aired on CBS in 1967, is a delightful re-creation of the works of Twain that still feels fresh today. Weaving together Twain's writings--on everything from religion, politics, and slavery--with an improvisational-feeling commentary, we are treated to a glimpse of the opinions and thoughts of one of the great American writers and humorists. AT THE EDGE OF SCI-FI ********************* "The X-Files" seems innovative and edgy, but decades before Mulder and Scully, sci-fi television programming tested the limits of the imagination. "The Twilight Zone" and "The Outer Limits" are still as eerie and thought provoking today as they were when they first aired. Amazon.com contributor Rob Lightner peers into the past dimension of sci-fi TV. Science Fiction & Fantasy PLEDGE BREAKS--PBS'S MUSICAL SHOWCASES ************************************** The mainstream networks may have abandoned concerts and musicals, but America's public broadcasters have made staples out of gala concert specials and musical theater programming. From light classics and international music to Broadway triumphs, we've rounded up some audience favorites worth a second look. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search/?keyword=pbs+musicals&tag=entertainmentsit ADVANCE ORDERS ************** "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (NR) starring John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, and Terry Jones http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JMPA/entertainmentsit (set 1) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JMPB/entertainmentsit (set 2) And now it's time for something completely different. You know what we're talking about: nudge-nudge, dead parrots, and of course, singing lumberjacks. We present the first season of the total oddness and hilarity known as "Monty Python's Flying Circus." Available September 28. "Joan of Arc" (NR) starring Leelee Sobieski, Neil Patrick Harris, and Peter O'Toole; directed by Christian Duguay http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6305535582/entertainmentsit The dramatic NBC miniseries of the martyred 15th-century heroine comes to home video. Leelee Sobieski gives a moving performance at the 19-year-old girl who transforms from a peasant girl to the "Maid of Orleans." Available September 28. "Into Thin Air: Death on Everest" (NR) starring Peter Horton, Nat Parker, and Christopher MacDonald; directed by Robert Markowitz http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767814908/entertainmentsit "Extreme adventure. Extreme danger"--that's the tagline for this TV-movie adaptation of the bestselling book by John Krakauer, which chronicles the tragic 1996 Everest climb. Available October 5. ****** To help you kick off the fall TV season, we're offering complimentary delivery on every 30-inch or larger TV in our catalog, plus selected 27-inch sets. You can find the complete list of TVs covered by this special offer at Televisions ****** You'll find more great videos, articles, and interviews in Amazon.com's Television & Documentary Video section at Television & Documentary
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