If the economy is getting you down, and the staycation concept is starting to wear a little thin for you, then be of good cheer, world traveler in the making, for I have a treat for you. The folks out at Acorn Media sent out a copy of the Visions of Europe box set, and if you want to really show the power of a home theater system, and its ultimate value, then you must have a copy of this.

Visions of Europe is a massive travelogue of a different sort. While many travelogues would subject you to a chipper, cheerful host (Samantha Brown, I’m looking at you) who can get a little annoying at times as they walk throughout the various places they wish to show. But Visions of Europe takes a whole different path, instead going by helicopter with a faceless narrator who takes you to all the great sights of a variety of European lands.

Set to some absolutely unbelievable music, and treating us to some breathtaking scenery, Visions of Europe is, quite literally, the next best thing to being there, as you get to see all the great tourist attractions, as well as a variety of other sights, from an angle precious few people get to see it from: above.

You will see magnificent sights with Visions of Europe, but you will also learn a great number of things about a variety of different places. You’ll learn about the history and the current culture of major cities, but also lesser known places like Lipara and Bavaria, among literally a host of others.

And just in case the learning and the beauty aren’t sufficient for you, then there’s another good reason to have this one around, and that’s as a showpiece for your home theater system. If you want to see just how potent your hardware is, you put this on. And when you can hear each octave of the classical and popular scores, and see each ocean wave ripple and leaf wave in a passing breeze, you know you’ve got some serious home theater gear that will utterly destroy anything the theater can bring out.

Admittedly, if you’re not interested in seeing the great cities of Europe and the relevant sights, then this will bore you to tears. But as a show of beauty, as an educational device, even as the new measure by which your home theater quality can assert itself, Visions of Europe will serve so many purposes it’s hard not to like it.

The Screenhead Ten Scale gives Visions of Europe a full ten out of ten for managing to do so much in one six blu-ray set. It’s thoroughly amazing stuff, and if you have any interest in seeing the amazing sights Europe has to offer, then this is the place to start looking.

Into the Deep: America, Whaling, and the World 

Equal parts fantastic sea adventure, mythic saga of man versus beast, and cautionary economic and environmental tale, Ric Burns’ Into the Deep is the thrilling, epic story of three centuries of whaling and the unique relationship between American whalers and the giant creatures they hunted. These mysterious, mammoth beings — revered and reviled — fueled the expansion of the American economy and enabled Nantucket, a backwater Massachusetts colony settled by religious refugees, to become a capitalist power on a grand and global scale. 

At the height of the whaling industry, U.S. whale ships encircled the globe, a massive state-of-the-art fleet crewed by highly-skilled mariners whose ever-widening search for prey enabled them to chart the seven seas. Once slaughtered for the precious oil that filled their massive heads — a high-quality illuminant that lit the drawing rooms of Europe and greased the wheels of the Industrial Revolution — these magnificent creatures once again have a role to play in the new struggle to supply to our energy needs. As man continues to exploit resources and hunt species out of existence, this look at whaling’s past is a stark reminder of not only the volatility of the global marketplace but the danger of viewing the planet and its creatures as commodities. 

Screenhead has three copies of the PBS DVD.  Post your name and email address. We will pick the winner September 9, 2010.

The folks out at PBS actually sent me something, which is a bit of a surprise.  They sent on a copy of Through a Dog’s Eyes, and frankly, I’m glad they did.  This little beauty is really going to impress you if you have even a vague affection for dogs.

Through a Dog’s Eyes, you see, is all about service dogs.  That’s not just seeing eye dogs, though they’re certainly part of the equation.  These are dogs that do all manner of things for people, including turning on light switches and picking up dropped objects.  But it’s a lot more than the mechanical aspects, it’s also about the emotional side of things too.  And that’s exactly what we’ll be seeing with Through a Dog’s Eyes.

For one hour, you’ll be led by Neil Patrick Harris as you watch these incredible dogs get trained, almost literally from birth, until the day in which they choose the people they’re going to work with.  And it’s true, they do a lot of the choosing themselves.

There are a lot of surprising tidbits in here, all sorts of things you’ll likely be hearing for the first time, and a few things you may have heard already, just not lately.  It’s an incredibly educational little packet, and at the same time, it’s not dull.  It keeps moving along at a good clip, and that speaks in its favor by quite a bit.  There are some sad moments, more than a few good laughs, and plenty of things that will make you think.  You’d never guess that people who aren’t capable of speech can command a dog with just as much effectiveness as people who can say “sit” clearly.

Although I’m not sure I approve of Neil Patrick Harris as the narrator choice–several better choices spring to mind right away–it’s really a small quibble in the midst of a great overall title.

It’s surprising that, in this hour of spending time with these people and these dogs, you’ll both learn so much and never be bored with what you’re seeing.  That may well be one of the best measures of any movie experience, and Through a Dog’s Eyes does a great job of living up to that ambition.

Thus, the Screenhead Ten Scale hands over a full ten out of ten to Through a Dog’s Eyes, a fast, easy, and high quality look at an area of life most of us have never even considered.  And because it engages and educates all at once, it meets its goals and does so well.

The Cranford Collection and Return to Cranford are available on DVD this week. The story is set in the early 1840s in the story bound village of Cranford in the county of Cheshire in North West England.

The single and widowed middle class female inhabitants are the main focus of the story. The women are comfortable with their traditional way of life and place great importance on propriety and maintaining an appearance of gentility.

The domestic detail throughout the series amazes me at every moment. Of course, these women represent the female gossip mongers of their day with bonnets and the like. Overall the story is well orchestrated and nicely staged for the viewer with funny moments plotted along the way, as is shown in this clip.

Fillmore: The Last Days (Trailer) – NOW ON DVD! – Rhino Entertainment

The Last Days is part of special programming that airs on PBS stations in May and June 2009 (please check local listings).

The film stands as a vivid time capsule that captures an era in rock history when music had become a major industry and for some a huge headache. It delivers a gritty, behind-the-scenes look at the music business at a time when many artists were growing jaded by their success, demanding more and more. Disillusioned by the change, Graham decided to get out, pulling the curtain down with five days of concerts that ended on July 4, 1971.

In the end, the frantic preparations paid off with a host of marvelous performances from a range of artists who made up what was called “The San Francisco Sound.” Fillmore: The Last Days features highlights from all five nights, including songs by the Grateful Dead (“Casey Jones,” “Johnny B.Goode”); Santana (“Incident At Neshabur,” “In A Silent Way”); Quicksilver Messenger Service (“Mojo,” “Fresh Air”); Jefferson Airplane (“Volunteers”/”We Can Be So Good Together”); along with performances by Cold Blood, Hot Tuna, and Lamb. Author and original Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres wrote the liner notes for the DVD.

The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation was formed in November of 1991 following the death of legendary rock impresario, Bill Graham. The goal of the Foundation is to continue Bill’s good work in assisting those whose needs are oftentimes not noticed or served by larger philanthropic organizations. Currently, the Foundation awards grants primarily in the areas of music, the arts, and education, while also supporting social work, environmental protection, and spiritual and compassionate projects in the community.

Screenhead has the Fillmore: The Last Days available for giveaway. Post your name and we will pick the winner Sunday, June 28, 2009.

 Timothy S. (130) is the winner!!!  Congratulations!!

Hosted by Billy Crystal and narrated by Amy Sedaris, Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America is a documentary series chronicling more than a century of the funniest moments in American entertainment. Recorded in high definition, the set also includes exclusive bonus footage. The series began January 14, and for the following two Wednesdays, the series premiered on PBS; check local listings for exact broadcast times. 

Make ‘em Laugh melds performances, biographical portraits, and American history to illustrate how comedy has mirrored the political and social changes in American society. Each hour-long episode focuses on a different genre of comedy, from slapstick and satire to stand-up and sitcoms.

Make ‘Em Laugh compiles the most popular routines, the most ingenious physical shtick, the snappiest wisecracks, and the most incisive, biting satirical jokes to have come out of American culture. The list of influential comedic talent featured and/or interviewed for the series includes: Charlie Chaplin, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Sid Caesar, Judd Apatow, Woody Allen, Larry Wilmore, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Richard Lewis, Jon Stewart, and many others.

I sat down, watched and laughed. The talented and very funny Billy Crystal exhibit impeccable comedic timing while hosting a belly full of laughs that is endless as time itself. Make ‘em Laugh belongs in your library.

You can win this DVD set by posting your name and Screenhead will pick the winners Sunday, February 15, 2009.

If you live in LA, watch this great documentary about the brothers of Warner Bros. September 29 at 9PM.

The Brothers Warner a feature-length documentary written and directed by Harry Warner’s granddaughter, Cass Warner Sperling, and produced by her production company, Warner Sisters is a completion of a promise to herself and her grandfather.  It’s an intimate portrait of the four brothers who pioneered the film industry–an ultimate rags-to-riches story of a family run business and the challenges they overcame to create a major studio with a social conscience.

Barry Meyer, Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. recently screened The Brothers Warner.  In his own words, “The Brothers Warner is a well-made, fascinating documentary.  Cass has not only honored her grandfather’s legacy with this work, she’s also paid homage to one of the guiding principles of the four Warner brothers who founded the studio by producing a film that will educate, entertain and enlighten audiences.”

Tune in Folks – September 29, 9PM, KCET Los Angeles.