Considers how Anglo-Saxon England was built by many different peoples and cultures. Re-enacts important historical events. Shows authentic landmarks and historical materials from 1900 B C to 1066 A D.
Social & External
Writers and historians including Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory revisit the last days of Anne Boleyn, who in 1536 became the first queen in British history to be executed.
Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique site in southern England where amateur fossil hunters uncovered giant mammoth bones and evidence of Neanderthals. A team of paleontologists and archaeologists soon discover that the site preserves rare evidence of the extinct beasts and early human inhabitants of Britain dating to over 200,000 years ago.
In an age marked both by austerity and post-war optimism, the Labour Party (1945–1951) creates the welfare state, nationalises many business sectors and creates a fairer society for all. However, as Margaret Thatcher rises to power in 1979, virtually all of Clement Attlee's innovations are dismantled by successive governments.
Historian Lucy Worsley restages the 1840 wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Aided by a team of experts, Worsley recreates the most important elements of the ceremony and the celebrations, scouring history books, archives, newspapers and Queen Victoria's diaries for the details. She reveals how every moment was brilliantly stage-managed for maximum effect. Woven into the recreation of the wedding day is the story of Victoria and Albert's courtship and engagement, and its political importance.
Author Helen Bailey thought she'd found the perfect ending to her own story when she met Ian Stewart, but this was no fairy-tale romance; it was a story that would end in her murder. When the renowned writer of children's books was reported missing, her fiancé Ian Stewart claimed that she had simply gone to her holiday home in Broadstairs to 'clear her head'. Later, he was charged with her murder when her body was discovered in a cesspit underneath their home, killed by her fiancé who stood to inherit the 4 million estate.
Short biographical documentary about comedian Michael Palin and his early interest in acting and comedy. Includes his education at the Shrewsbury School and Oxford.
A brisk visual summary of the changing faces of the English town throughout the ages, from the ancients and their hill-forts to the Second World War -- enlivened by the appearance of ghostly denizens to defend their eras against the narrator's various strictures!
This Traveltalk series short focuses on the sights and culture that define "Old England". Included is a visit to the Cotswold Hills area, a ride on the Wye River, and visits to Tintern Abbey in Wales and Laycock Abbey in Wiltshire, England.
This MGM Traveltalk short focuses on the history of England's colleges in Cambridge, Oxford, and Eton and the towns that surround the campuses.
WITNESS 1939 : THE DAY THE WAR BROKE OUT uses the words of interviewees, to add a personal insight into the events of 1939 and the beginning of the Second World War. From a Polish soldier we hear about the invasion of Poland and his experiences on the front line; we hear from an RAF pilot who scrambled to intercept a non-existent intruder, when the sirens sounded minutes after the announcement that Britain was at war. We also hear from the pilot who, two days later, took part in the 'friendly fire' incident that claimed the first RAF casualty of the war. Others give us a child's perspective of events. And what it was like to be evacuated. Their stories are illustrated using archive film. These are the untold stories of ordinary people, whose words convey a true sense of what it was like to be living at a time of momentous events.
An investigation into the fascinating discovery of the first State Bed of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York. This fascinating bed is one of the most significant examples of Tudor furniture in existence today, and its iconography sheds new light on our understating of the Tudor Monarchy. The film represents the culmination of many years of in depth research. A team of experts, including the beds current owner, have decoded the bed’s story via its iconography and symbolism. These tell the story of the bed to academics, historians, and anyone with interest in the Tudor period.
A history of the rise of rock and roll in England from the 1950's through 1970 and its effects on American popular music. Beatles - "She loves You", "Twist and Shout", "I Saw Her Standing There", "Can't Buy Me love", "She's a Woman" Gerry & The Pacemakers - "It's Gonna be Alright", "Ferry Cross the Mersey" Brian Poole & The Tremeloes - "Do you Love me" The Hollies - "Just One Look" The Rolling Stones - "I Just Wanna Make Love To You", "I Wanna be Your Man", "Around and Around" The Animals - "The House Of The Rising Sun", We ve Gotta Get out of This Place" The Kings - "All Day and all of the Night" Freddie & the Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now" Manfred Mann - "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" Herman's Hermits - "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" Spencer Davis Group - "I'm a Men The Who - "Can't Explain", "My Generation" Yardbirds - "Heart Full of Soul" Cream - "Tales of Brave Ulysses"
This documentary-style short follows two impoverished teens performing on the streets of London in the days leading up to the London Blitz of 1940.
Kirat falls for a man she meets online, only to get swept up in a virtual relationship that upends her life for years. Her online courtship takes an unsettling turn when she learns that her romantic interest harbours a dark secret and sinister motives, leading to a harrowing ordeal, in this shocking documentary.
Delving into the background of Mick Philpott - violent criminal and media villain.Investigating the deaths of the six Philpott children, who perished due to a fire that broke out in their home in May, 2012.
Long treated with indifference by critics and historians, British silent cinema has only recently undergone the reevaluation it has long deserved, revealing it to be far richer than previously acknowledged. This documentary, featuring clips from a remarkable range of films, celebrates the early years of British filmmaking and spans from such pioneers as George Albert Smith and Cecil Hepworth to such later figures as Anthony Asquith, Maurice Elvey and, of course, Alfred Hitchcock.
A countdown of the top 40 "Blackadder" moments chosen by cast and crew members, celebrity fans and 15 genuine Blackadders.
Poet John Betjeman is shown visiting locations including Vauxhall Park, Aldersgate Street station, Camden Town and Hatfield, where he recites a handful of his poems.
Over the course of several months, 21-year-old Gemma Barker invented and impersonated three different boys, 'Aaron', 'Luke', and 'Connor', and under these three separate guises went on to seduce two teenage girls. Gemma was sentenced to 30 months in prison for fraud and sexual assault.
Explore the treasures and histories of eight of England's most splendid homes on your own private tour.
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
Al Pacino's deeply-felt rumination on Shakespeare's significance and relevance to the modern world through interviews and an in-depth analysis of "Richard III."
An astonishing journey revealing the awesome power of the natural world. Over the course of one single day, we track the sun from the highest mountains to the remotest islands to exotic jungles.
The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and the challenges faced by the Lightyear crew along the way.
A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.
A documentary detailing the epic Rogues' Gallery of DC Comics from The Joker and Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Darkseid and more, this documentary will explore the Super Villains of DC Comics.
The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.
The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.
Using the book 'Fragments', which collects Marilyn Monroe's poems, notes and letters, and with participation from the Arthur Miller and Truman Capote estates who have contributed more material, each of the actresses will embody the legend at various stages in her life.
A look at the origins, history and conspiracies behind the "Majestic 12", a clandestine group of military and corporate figureheads charged with reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology.
Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
A real-life undercover thriller about two ordinary men who embark on an outrageously dangerous ten-year mission to penetrate the world's most secretive and brutal dictatorship: North Korea.
Rising musician Jeff Buckley had only released one album when he died suddenly in 1997. Now, never-before-seen footage, exclusive voice messages, and accounts from those closest to him offer a portrait of the captivating singer.
This documentary focuses on the actors and their journey over two summers to create the remake to the original IT, by Stephen King. The documentary originally released as bonus material, bundled with IT: Chapter Two.
Mickey Mouse is one of the most enduring symbols in our history. Those three simple circles take on meaning for virtually everyone on the planet. So ubiquitous in our lives that he can seem invisible, Mickey is something we all share, with unique memories and feelings. Over the course of his nearly century-long history, Mickey functions like a mirror, reflecting our personal and cultural values back at us. "Mickey: The Story of a Mouse" explores Mickey's significance, getting to the core of what Mickey's cultural impact says about each of us and about our world.
A documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2007 fall-fashion issue.
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.