(Return to Foreign Language Resource Center page.)
(These films are of interest for culture, travel or grammar, but not to be used for the personal response paper requirement
for the French 1L or 2L lab courses. They DO, however, count toward your 24-hour requirement.)
A Vous la France (French and English)
This BBC-produced video uses scenes from French life to teach how to get food and lodging in France and how to buy stamps and postcards. It also explores foreign languages spoken by the French people and introduces the French region of Chartreuse.
La Belle et la Bête, Disney's animated version of "Beauty and the Beast," dubbed in French, is the timeless story of the power of love to overcome evil. (Video in French with no subtitles, 90 minutes, Rated G.)
Cathedral (English, 60 minutes)
Using spectacular location sequences and cinema-quality animation, author David Macaulay hosts this video celebrating France's most famous cathedrals. Travel back in time to 1214 to explore the design of Notre Dame de Beaulieu, a fictional but representative Gothic cathedral. Examine the creation of the vaulted arches, the elaborate stained-glass windows, and the dizzying cathedral ceilings. More than just an informative narrative on construction, Cathedral tells tales from the period, revealing fascinating stories of life and death, faith and despair, prosperity and intrigue.
Cézanne in Provence (English, 57 minutes)
Paul Cézanne was one of the most influential painters in the history of art. He remained an enigmatic figure, devoted above all to his work and to his native Aix-en-Provence, until his death in 1906. This production explores the indelible link between Cézanne and his beloved home. Through breath-taking Provençal landscapes, rendered vividly on Cézanne's canvases, commentary by leading Cézanne scholars, and Cézanne's own words, Cézanne in Provence reveals the creative genius behind the masterpieces.
A Daring Flight (English, 60 minutes)
This DVD captures the thrilling formative years of flight, when the French were mad about airplanes and tried everything to fly. It describes the 1909 flight of Louis Blériot, the French aviator who took off from the French coast and landed on the white cliffs of Dover, England, 37 minutes later, pulling off the first long-distance flight over water, crossing the English Channel, la Manche. The DVD also is a story of present-day dreams as Blériot's grandson decides to recreate his grandfather's epic flight in a nearly identical, antique airplane.
Degas and the Dance: The Man Behind the Easel
More than half of the works by Edgar Degas is devoted to the activities of ballet dancers and dance students of late 19th-century Paris. These paintings, drawings, and sculptures are featured in this documentary which explores Degas' intimate connection to the Paris Opéra, where for years he attended performances and watched ballet classes. (DVD In English/French with French/English subtitles, 66 minutes, Not Rated.)
Discovering France
Explore the country where love, art, and pleasure are considered national treasures. Visit the northern regions, with stops at Chartres Cathedral and Normandy's World War II battleground. See Paris, the city of light, and the royal palace at Versailles. Tour the vineyards of Champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Watch French chefs prepare mouth-watering delicacies. View the spectacular French Alps and the pastoral region of Provence. DVD Extras: Romantic Paris, Carnival at Limoux, and Favorite Cities and Regions. (In English, 120 minutes, Not Rated.)
Edith Piaf: A Passionate Life
Edith Piaf, the little sparrow, was one of the most popular female singers of all time, with a unique voice and talent that conquered the hearts of admirers around the world. This documentary includes film clips of Piaf performing some of her most famous songs, as well as rare footage of her life, career, and loves. (DVD In English/French, 50 minutes, Not Rated, Black and White.)
France from Within (in French)
This videotape is intended as a supplement to beginning and intermediate classes (although the beginning student will want to wait until part way through the semester). There are a variety of segments dealing with such things as the T.G.V (high-speed train), the marché, salade niçoise, boules, and café life. Other themes include family life, the role of education, professions and job satisfaction.
France Revealed
From the Discovery Channel, France Revealed explores the history, culture, and geography of this spectacular country, with its unique citizens serving as guides. Meet an explosives expert, a radical chef, a man who scales skyscrapers without ropes, and a bullfighter, as they share their country, their lives, and what it means to be French.
The French Revolution
This documentary encapsulates this tumultuous period in Western civilization, when an angry mob of Parisians stormed the Bastille and seized the king's military stores. A decade of idealism, war, murder, and carnage followed, bringing about the end of feudalism and the rise of a new world order. With dramatic reenactments, paintings from the era, and revealing accounts from journals and expert historians, The French Revolution vividly unfurls in a maelstrom of violence. King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Maximilien Robespierre, and Napoleon Bonaparte lead a cast of thousands in this definitive program from the History Channel. (DVD in English; 100 minutes)
Globe Trekker: Paris
From the Globe Trekker series, Justine Shapiro leads the viewer through France's romantic capital of Paris, its gastronomic centers, an evening cabaret, the city's shopping streets and museums, Disneyland Paris, and some of Paris' distinct neighborhoods. (DVD in English, 60 minutes, Not Rated)
Hell on Wheels
Le Tour de France, the toughest bicycle race of all, recently celebrated its 100th birthday. Year after year, this spectacular event fascinates millions of people worldwide. But within the beauty of the French countryside and the tensions of the race, Academy Award Winner Pepe Danquart chose to illustrate the torture and the pain, the fear and the courage of the riders of the Tour. He captures the thrill of the race, the essence of the stunning landscape, and shines light on the Tour's supporting cast.(DVD in German with English subtitles, 123 minutes, Not Rated)
Histoires d'enfants sages
This is a video of children's stories in French. The stories are: 1) Zunik, 2) L'arbre aux ballons, 3) Quel est ce bruit?, 4) Mélanie, and 5) Ching Chiang et la danse du dragon.
The Impressionists: The OTHER French Revolution
They ignited a revolution with an explosion of color and movement. Their vibrant canvases confounded critics, defied conventions and sparked scandal. A century and a half later, they are among the most revered and influential artists of all time. Volume I opens with a look at the men who formed the core of the movement: Degas, Pissarro, Renoir and Monet. Despite their disparate backgrounds and temperaments, they were drawn together by a belief that painting needed to change. In cooperation and in conflict, they defined what shape that transformation should take. Volume II visits some of the world's leading galleries and museums to trace the development of the movement and artists during the tumultuous years when the Impressionists defied tradition by organizing their own expositions, gradually gaining world-wide acceptance. (2-DVD Set, volumes I and II, in English, 100 minutes + supplements, Not Rated)
Linnea in Monet's Garden.
The popular children's book has been animated as an introduction to the work of impressionist painter Claude Monet. Linnea, a vibrant little Swedish girl, is intrigued by the paintings of gardens she sees in a book in the home of a friend, Mr. Bloom. Together they go to Paris, where they visit the Marmottan, a little-known museum with an exceptional collection of Monets. Linnea learns some of the secrets of impressionist painting. The next day they go to Giverny to walk amid the scenery that Monet painted. (DVD in English, 30 minutes, not rated)
The Louvre.
Before this film, no one else, including the French, was ever permitted to film the Louvre Museum. The priceless treasures and incomparable art are shared through the eyes of award-winning filmmaker Lucy Jarvis. Set against the panoramic history of France, and hosted by Charles Boyer, the Louvre, regal palace and home to so many of the world's great gifts of art, becomes The Louvre, an acclaimed film, so rich in its story that even the Mona Lisa smiles. (DVD in English, 57 minutes, not rated)
Lust for Life. Kirk Douglas plays the role of the tormented artist, Vincent Van Gogh. The film explores Van Gogh's troubled relationships with his brother Theo, and artist Paul Gauguin, and the excitement of 19th-century Paris when the Impressionist movement was born. (Video in English. 123 minutes; Not Rated.)
Pas de Problème! An Introductory French Video.
Twelve modules of small scenes and dialogues which introduce the vocabulary for day-to-day living in France. (2 copies available.)
Le Pays Basque / Basque Country
This DVD explores the mysterious origins and popular traditions of the Basque people who live amid the Pyrénées on the border between France and Spain. An ancient race of Pyrenean people, the Basques have steadfastly resisted assimilation and have proudly managed to retain their unique culture, language, and heritage. In this film, you will be introduced to the Basque people and to their way of life and learn about Basque myths, legends, superstitious beliefs, and the never-ending Basque struggle for autonomy. The narration is in simple French. (DVD in French, 23 minutes)
Provence: The Experience (French)
This film, shot in 2002, shows some of the highlights of Provence, including the markets of Nice and Aix-en-Provence, the famous bridge in Avignon, the yachts and shops of St Tropez and Monaco, the horses and bulls of the Camargue, the lavender fields of Haute Provence, candy-making in Carpentras, the breath-taking calanques in Casis, the boardwalk and seaside of Nice and Cannes, the arenas of Nîmes and Orgon, hilltop villages, and the Roman architecture and aqueduct of Arles. (DVD, 28 minutes)
La Provence Romaine / Roman Provence (French and English)
Explore the regions of France which were once the provinces of ancient Rome: Provence and la Côte d'Azur. With accompanying tapescript.
The Splendors of France
From the Hidden Treasures: Europe to the Max series. Join Rudy Maxa, host of the award-winning PBS series, in a toast of champagne producers both large and small in wine country. In Normandy, honor World War II's D-Day Landing. Take in the castles and peaks of Carcassonne and the Pyrénées, and cruise the lovely Dordogne and Lot Rivers. Just for fun, Rudy shares his picks for a variety of entertaining and exhilarating European adventures, including hot-air ballooning, mountain luge rides, golf, puppetry, amusement parks, country mazes, hiking, or just lazing on a sunny beach. (DVD, in English, 175 minutes)
Standard Deviants' Introduction to the French Language
An entertaining and instructive look at basic vocabulary, grammatical concepts, and pronunciation of beginning French. May be useful for students at all levels of French. These lessons are intended to supplement, not replace, classroom instruction.
Standard Deviants' Flaky Pastry World of French
A lively introduction to vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. Useful for students at all levels of French. These lessons will also present phrases to help keep the conversation flowing.
Standard Deviants' Parlez-vous français? Learning French: the Basics
Using a functional approach to French, this is a language lesson f or the MTV Generation, full of clever graphics, funny skits, transcriptions and translations to help you learn the language. These lessons start with the pronunciation of the French alphabet and then cover -er verbs, gender, articles, adverbs, être, adjectives, pronouns, avoir, numbers, aller, and faire.
Standard Deviants' Parlez-vous français? Learning French: Beyond the Basics
Using a functional approach to French, this DVD uses fun graphics, humorous skits, transcriptions and translations to help you learn the language. These lessons are intended to supplement, not replace, classroom instruction.
Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) is renowned for his painting and posters inspired by the rowdy, edgy spectacle of entertainment in late 19th-century Paris. He found his subjects in the dance halls, cabarets, circuses, and brothels of the Montmartre neighborhood, where middle-class visitors came for a whiff of excitement laced with danger. This film traces the avant-garde culture of Montmartre, using works of art by Lautrec and his colleagues, rare archival footage and sound recordings, period photographs, and interviews with contemporary scholars. (DVD, in English, 30 minutes, Not Rated.)
The Triplets of Belleville
This is a wildly inventive animated feature crowded with colorful characters and fantastic imagery. Kidnapped by mysterious henchmen, a Tour de France cyclist is spirited across the ocean to a teeming metropolis. His grandmother and faithful dog follow his trail and are taken in by a trio of eccentric jazz-era divas. Together they follow the clues to an underground betting parlor and the chase is on! (DVD, in "English," 81 minutes, Rated PG-13.)
The True Legend of the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower was erected to last no longer than tyhe Paris World Exposition of 1889. But how was it built? And how did it become the most visited building in the world? An epic undertaking, the building of a 300-meter tower seemed impossible until a design by renowned engineer and architect Gustave Eiffel made it a reality. This well-researched docu-drama blends archive footage and computer graphic imagery with factual accounts to recreate the events leading to the building of one of the world's most famous landmarks. (DVD, dubbed in English, 90 minutes, Not Rated.)
Visions of France: The Riviera
and
Visions of France: Provence
Some of the most popular travel destinations in France unfold from a bird's eye view. See the breathtaking beauty of southeastern France from a spectacular vantage point. Shot in high-definition from a helicopter-mounted camera, these programs afford dazzling views of the world-famous Mediterranean wonderlands, Provence and the Riviera. In The Riviera, see the sun-splashed Côte d'Azur, playground of the rich and famous, from the sparkling cobalt waters of fashionable beach resorts to rugged Alpine retreats. Follow along scenic roads that curve sharply along the coast for unparalleled views of Cannes, Nice, St. Tropez, Monaco, and more. In Provence, travel from the mountains of Luberon to the Grand Canyon of Verdon, to Arles, Avignon, and Aix, to great Romanesque cities, hilltop towns, and bustling fishing ports. The distinctive palette that inspired Van Gough, Cézanne, Saint-Exupéry --- and countless others --- is on full display as you take flight over olive groves, lavender fields, vineyards, and winding rivers. (DVDs, in English, 100 minutes each)
A Year in Provence (in English)
This series introduces the viewer to British writer Peter Mayle and his wife who leave behind the rat race of London to live in a small village in rural Provence. The four videos recount their hilarious, but insightful, experiences through their first winter, spring, summer, and fall, living in rustic Provence. Dramatized BBS production based on the best-selling book by Peter Mayle. (available on four VHS video tapes or on two DVDs.)
Yves Saint-Laurent (in English)
This DVD contains two documentaries about fashion designer Yves saint-Laurent. His Life and Times (77 minutes) follows his career from the debut of his first line at age 22 to becoming one of fashion's most creative and unorthodox designers. 5 Avenue Marceau (85 minutes) takes you to the behind-the-scenes production process of the creation of a line from inital drawings all the way to the final climactic runway show. (DVD in French with English subtitles)
(Return to Foreign Language Resource Center page.)