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Story Archives of 'Documentary'The Trail of Secondhand ClothesBy Virginia Prescott on Monday, November 10, 2008.![]() The next time you drop off a load of clothes at the Goodwill or Salvation Army, think about where those old sweaters or jeans end up. According to a story in The New York Times back in 2002, about 2.6 billion pounds of clothes are donated to charities in America every year. And about 80 percent of it is shipped globally. Filmmakers Hanna Rose Shell and Vanessa Bertozzi were inspired by that article to research the history of recycled clothing. The result is the 24-minute documentary Secondhand ("Pepe"), which connects the used clothing sold by Eastern European Jewish immigrants a century ago to those sold at Haitian markets today. Hanna Rose Shell joins us with more on the global trade in used clothes. Watch the trailer for Secondhand ("Pepe"): (Photo by Vanessa Bertozzi) Hell DriversBy Virginia Prescott on Thursday, November 6, 2008.A year ago, America lost a legendary daredevil when motorcycle stuntman Evel Kneivel died. His death, of natural causes at a relatively ripe old age was surprising - Knievel kept the nation on the edge of its seat in the 1960s and 70s with death-defying feats. He jumped his bike over rows of cars and trucks, dangerous animals, and enormous canyons on prime time TV specials.
Today daredevils are a fading breed. Those who are left scrape by with barely enough money to fill their tanks. These diminished showmen are the subject of a new documentary by New Hampshire filmmakers Peter Koziell and Darren Garnick. It’s called Hell Drivers: America’s Original Crash Test Dummies, and it’s showing in Concord this weekend as part of the Somewhat North of Boston film festival. Darren Garnick joins us in the studio. We also turn to Amy Diaz, film reviewer for The Hippo, New Hampshire’s alt-weekly newspaper, for a preview of what else will screen at the festival. Getting Deeper In DebtBy Virginia Prescott on Thursday, October 16, 2008.Last night’s third and final presidential debate addressed a number of domestic issues - health care, education, alternative energy - but the economy topped the list. The second question of the evening from moderator Bob Schieffer was, "how would the candidates reduce America’s staggering budget deficit and national debt?"
That looming crisis inspired a prescient documentary team to make I.O.U.S.A., screening this weekend at the New Hampshire Film Festival. Showtimes are at 4:20 PM on Friday, Oct. 17, and 4:35 PM on Sunday, Oct. 19 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. The film brings us through the history of our country’s debt, from the Revolutionary to the Civil War, The Great Depression and the two World Wars, to the exploding debt of the '80s and again in the past eight years. Addison Wiggin, writer and executive producer of the film, and author of the companion book, joins us on the show. He’s also a native of Stratham, NH. As we saw the Dow plunge 733 points yesterday, the largest percentage drop since 1987, Wiggin explain the connection between our national debt and the current financial crisis on Wall Street. Watch the trailer for I.O.U.S.A.: Lee Atwater's Political LegacyBy Virginia Prescott on Wednesday, October 8, 2008.![]() The presidential election turned a corner this week. Both campaigns are on the attack. John McCain and Sarah Palin are linking Barack Obama to radical extremists, and the Obama camp is dredging up McCain’s role in the Savings & Loan scandal of the 1980s. Digging and character assassination are not new to politics, but they signal the kind of hardball tactics perfected by late GOP strategist Lee Atwater. Atwater was a master manipulator. He knew how to leak just enough information to get journalists to poke around the dark corners of an opponent’s life. He’s known for the infamous "Willy Horton" ad that kneecapped Michael Dukakis’ shot at the White House. He was a rumor-spreader, a political streetfighter, and a man who put winning elections over everything else. He’s also the subject of a brand-new documentary by filmmaker Stefan Forbes. It’s called Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story. Stefan joins us live from the studios of The Argot Network in New York. Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story will be at Red River Theater in Concord this weekend. Click here for more information and show times. And watch the preview below: Documenting A DiseaseBy Virginia Prescott on Wednesday, August 27, 2008.In September of 2002, Ben Byer was a 31-year-old actor and playwright living in Chicago, married with a young son, when he was diagnosed with the fatal neurodegenerative disease ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. There’s no known cure for ALS, and 90 percent of those who get it die within five years.
His film is an exploration of his own mortality, and our society’s treatment of the sick. Ben Byer died last month. His sister, Rebeccah Rush, produced the film, called Indestructible, and she joins Word of Mouth to tell us more about her brother. Watch the trailer for Indestructible below: (Photo of Ben Byer floating in the Dead Sea by Roko Belic) Gamers With A Second SkinBy Virginia Prescott on Monday, August 11, 2008.Your neighbor, your local cop, your checkout clerk, your grandmother, maybe even you. Millions of people around the world spend countless hours interacting in virtual worlds, playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPG’s.
It's also a major economic industry. World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade earned $96 million in one day. Compare that to the highest one-day gross for a film last year – $60 million. And Blizzard Entertainment, the company that makes World of Warcraft, has an annual gross of $1.2 billion. A new documentary called Second Skin explores the lives of those people. We meet couples who fall in love without meeting, disabled players who have found new purpose, addicts whose lives fall down around them, Chinese gold-farming sweatshop workers, and wealthy online entrepreneurs - all living in a world that doesn't quite exist. To find out more about this world we’re joined by Second Skin's director, Juan Carlos Pineiro. The film’s New York premiere is set for September 5th. We also hear from Marie Harriman from Antrim, NH. She isn’t able to leave home often due to a disability, and says that playing Second Life allows her to feel less secluded. Watch the trailer for Second Skin: Life. Support. Music.By Virginia Prescott on Thursday, August 7, 2008.
But Jason and his family refused to accept the prognosis. Their tenacity and loving attention to Jason’s recovery is the subject of a new documentary, "Life. Support. Music." The film screens tonight at Red River Theaters in Concord. Jason Crigler and director Eric Daniel Metzgar will be there for a live Q & A following the film. Both join Word of Mouth to discuss how the film was made and the vital and demanding role that Jason's family played in his rehabilitation. Here's What's Awesome: Fast Bikes, Low NotesBy Brady Carlson on Friday, July 25, 2008.
Word of Mouth is on the air Monday through Thursday, so on Fridays we'll bring you more WoM goodness online, with a new feature we're calling "Here's What's Awesome." We'll share a handful of links that caught our eyes during the week; we hope you'll share even more links in the comments. Off we go! The Ballad of Esequiel HernándezBy Virginia Prescott on Monday, July 7, 2008.Immigration is another hot topic this election season. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama both favor increasing security along the U.S.-Mexican border. But a new documentary film questions the use of the military to patrol the border.
It was the first death of an American citizen by active U.S. military since Kent State in 1970. The story of his tragic death and its aftermath is told in a new documentary, "The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández," and the film’s director, Kieran Fitzgerald, joins Word of Mouth with more. "The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández" premieres nationally on Tuesday, and airs at 11 p.m. on Sunday, July 20 on New Hampshire Public Television. Next Green Thing: Garbage WarriorBy Virginia Prescott on Tuesday, March 25, 2008.From time to time, Word of Mouth brings you "The Next Green Thing" - a look at efforts to create more sustainable and environmentally-friendly ways of living. Today, we look at Garbage Warrior, a new film about the controversial American architect Michael Reynolds, who builds so-called "earthship" buildings out of trash.
The film is being shown on Tuesday, March 25, as part of a film series called Green Screens at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City. Virginia Prescott spoke with Isa Cucinotta and Sharon Bahus, who curate the series. You can also catch the film when it airs on The Sundance Channel on April 1st. |
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