Saturday, May 18, 2013

BILL MOYERS: BEYOND HATE DVD Review




 

Provocative PBS documentary features wide-ranging discussions
About racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and sectarianism

BILL MOYERS: BEYOND HATE
On DVD from Athena May 14, 2013

“Uplifting…profound”The Baltimore Sun
“Poignant”USA Today
“Provocative”Austin American-Statesman
“Fascinating”Chicago Tribune

Silver Spring, MD — Examining the roots of hate and how to cope with it, the critically acclaimed documentary, Bill Moyers: Beyond Hate, debuts on DVD from Athena on May 14, 2013. Legendary journalist Bill Moyers (Moyers & Company, PBS) travels across the country and around the world, from Jerusalem to South Central, Los Angeles, from Elie Wiesel’s Anatomy of Hate conference in Oslo, Norway, to a classroom in Brooklyn, New York to tackle critical discussions about racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and sectarianism. Praised for its in-depth reporting on a difficult topic, the DVD Single includes the bonus program, Facing Hate with Elie Wiesel and Bill Moyers (58 min.), 12-page viewer’s guide with articles on overcoming histories of hate, biographies, quotes, and more  (87 min., $34.99, AcornOnline.com). Beyond Hate debuted on PBS in 1991 and is Athena’s fifteenth release from Moyers’ acclaimed library of programs.

As ancient as Cain and Abel and as recent as yesterday’s headlines, hate has many faces: racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, sectarianism, domestic violence. But do we really understand its roots, and are there practical ways to cope with it? What is hate doing to us? And what does hate do for us?  In Beyond Hate, award-winning journalist Bill Moyers seeks to answer these and other questions. His search takes him around the world to talk to those whose lives have been shaped by hate and those who have dedicated their lives to going beyond it, including Elie Wiesel, Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Václav Havel, and others.

In a broadcasting career spanning 40 years, journalist Bill Moyers has distinguished himself at Newsday, NBC, CBS, and PBS. His many honors include lifetime achievement Emmy® and Peabody awards.

BONUS FEATURES: Bonus program Facing Hate with Elie Wiesel and Bill Moyers (58 min.); 12-page viewer’s guide with articles on overcoming histories of hate, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and going beyond hate in Europe; Bill Moyers biography and select participant updates.
Street Date: May 14, 2013                            SRP: $34.99  
DVD Single:  Approx. 87 minutes, plus bonus program – Documentary - SDH Subtitles
Contains coarse language and violence

Athena has released several programs with Bill Moyers, including Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth, on Faith and Reason, Genesis-A Living Conversation, In Search of the Constitution, A World of Ideas—Writers, The Language of Life, God & Politics, The Wisdom of Faith with Huston Smith, On Our Own Terms, Amazing Grace, Capitol Crimes, On Addiction: Close to Home, A World of Ideas—Great Thinkers, and Becoming American.   

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Acorn Media/Athena DVD Release Calendar (DVDs available upon request):
Apr. 16: Shakespeare: A King’s Man and Sugartown
Apr. 30: The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Syndicate, and The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries: Complete Collection
May 7: Doc Martin Special Collection: Series 1-5 + The Movies, A Fine Romance: Complete Collection, and Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy
May 14: Bill Moyers: Beyond Hate
May 28: George Gently, Series 5 and George Gently Collection: Series 1-4
June 4: Vexed, Series 2 (U.S. Debut), The First Churchills, and The Politician’s Wife

Best British TV streaming service Acorn TV is featuring a free 30-day trial for complete access to the 18 different series plus marathons. Thereafter, a subscription is just $2.99/mth or $29.99/yr. Each week three new seasons are added and three are removed. The press login/password for complete access is readily available upon request. Currently streaming programs include: Pie in the Sky Marathon starring the late Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter films), the U.S. debut of Honest starring Amanda Redman (New Tricks), the black comedy Dirty Tricks starring Martin Clunes (Doc Martin), epic Australian drama Cloudstreet starring Essie Davis (Miss Fisher), a marathon of the hit Victoria-era detective series Murdoch Mysteries (Seasons 1-5, 65 episodes), the star-studded drama The Sinking of the Laconia, and the romantic afterlife series Shades, the U.S. premieres of Jack Taylor starring Iain Glen (Games of Thrones, Downton Abbey) as a self-destructive Irish private detective, and Toby Stephens (Jane Eyre, Black Sails) in the amusing cop series Vexed, Series 2. Press access readily available upon request. acornonline.com/TV

An RLJ Entertainment, Inc. brand (NASDAQ: RLJE), Athena releases provide an authoritative and entertaining learning experience through high quality, informative, non-fiction programming. Athena’s 2013 releases include: Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth: 25th Anniversary Edition, She-Wolves: England’s Early Queens, Missions That Changed the War: The Doolittle Raid, Shakespeare: The King’s Man, The Story of Math Collection, and Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy.

An RLJ Entertainment, Inc. brand (NASDAQ: RLJE), Acorn specializes in the best of British television on DVD and Blu-ray. 2013 releases include: Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Jack Taylor, Falcón, Jack Irish, Dirk Gently, Doc Martin Special Collection, The Syndicate, North & South, Tales of the City: 20th Anniversary Edition, Prime Suspect on Blu-ray, and more episodes from Foyle’s War, George Gently, New Tricks, Murdoch Mysteries, Midsomer Murders, Above Suspicion, Vexed and Vera.

Acorn’s and Athena’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn at (888) 870-8047 or AcornOnline.com. Select series are streaming at Acorn TV, the first British TV-focused streaming service, at AcornOnline.com/TV
 My Thoughts

This is such a powerful documentary. Bill Moyers explores  hatred, bigotry and racism throughout time and how it was effected the people of the world. He goes as far back in time to Cain and Abel but also ventures into modern day classrooms to see how hate has effected the human race as a people. Hate is not innate within us. It has to be taught. Bill searches for the answers across the borders of the world to find out where and why things like anti-Semitism and homophobia originated and how it has shaped people's lives. Why do people feel the need to hate each other?  The documentary also focuses on some of the great people in history who have tried to overcome  this hatred, including Nelson Mandela and Jimmy Carter. When you watch this series, you will feel a little more confident in the human race as a whole and our ability to eventually overcome our fears and paranoia. If nothing else, Bill Moyers shows us that our similarities are far greater than our differences.

If you love a good documentary as much as I do or you are a poet at heart, than this is the box set for you. You can order Bill Moyers: Beyond Hate for only $49.99 at Acorn Media.



***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a sample of the product to try in order to write a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. *** 


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