Beginning with Rome's fall in the fifth century, tis History Channel presentation sheds light on the Dark Ages, covering the continent-wide chaos, including raids by Vikings Vandals, and Visigoths, bubonic plague, famine, civil unrest and more. The program takes viewers from the darkest of times to the dawn of a new beginning as the turmoil besieging Europe gives rise to the Crusades, the Enlightenment, and the Renaissance.
RJ Allison
Narrator
Beginning with Rome's fall in the fifth century, tis History Channel presentation sheds light on the Dark Ages, covering the continent-wide chaos, including raids by Vikings Vandals, and Visigoths, bubonic plague, famine, civil unrest and more. The program takes viewers from the darkest of times to the dawn of a new beginning as the turmoil besieging Europe gives rise to the Crusades, the Enlightenment, and the Renaissance.
This was back when the History Channel was really good wasn't it? Now it's only Ancient Aliens, pure conjuncture, and reality television when History International turning into H2 and then fading into ID and endless murders. And now we have History Vault, which isn't polished at all, renames and re-bundles things, and is only slightly better than the current History Channel... except I just watched a documentary about the Dark Ages on History Vault and they did a good job of blaming Byzantium for NOT allowing the Muslims to invade, pillage, and conqure Constantinople without a fight. Oh how it's fallen. This isn't the Fallen though, this is actually good. It's epically good. It's the kind of Good that ranks up their with Land of the Tsars and all the other great documentaries that History used to put out once upon a time when it was a fantastic channel.
The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.
Oliver Stone charts the history of the United States from the Second World War to the present.
Former United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, discusses his career in Washington D.C. from his days as a congressman in the early 1960s to planning the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.
Experience the events of September 11, 2001 through the eyes of President Bush and his closest advisors as they personally detail the crucial hours and key decisions from that historic day.
Not since the invention of the Internet has there been such a disruptive technology as Bitcoin. Bitcoin's early pioneers sought to blur the lines of sovereignty and the financial status quo. After years of underground development Bitcoin grabbed the attention of a curious public, and the ire of the regulators the technology had subverted. After landmark arrests of prominent cyber criminals Bitcoin faces its most severe adversary yet, the very banks it was built to destroy.
A documentary highlighting the Soviet Union's legendary and enigmatic hockey training culture and world-dominating team through the eyes of the team's Captain Slava Fetisov, following his shift from hockey star and celebrated national hero to political enemy.
This documentary brings to life the stories of four people believed by their family and friends to be “DB Cooper,” a man who hijacked a 727 flying out of Seattle and jumped from the plane over the wilds of Washington State with a parachute and $200,000, never to be heard from again.
Set both in Latin America and the United States, the film explores the historic and current relationship of Washington with countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile. Pilger says that the film "...tells a universal story... analysing and revealing, through vivid testimony, the story of great power behind its venerable myths. It allows us to understand the true nature of the so-called "war on terror". According to Pilger, the film’s message is that the greed and power of empire is not invincible and that people power is always the "seed beneath the snow".
A documentary on the making of the three Godfather films, with interviews and recollections from the film makers and cast. This feature also includes the original screen tests of some of the actors for "The Godfather" film, and some candid moments on the set of "The Godfather: Part III."