These Programs will be shown during "Pledge Drives"as a membership incentive. 
 
PBS is offering One VHS for $90, two are $150, and three are $225 (either 
multiples of the same show or one of each) They will be available at retail 
(approximately $25 each) in a couple months.

I am not encouraging purchases at the premium prices, as I have been convinced 
that PBS has an anti Italian bias. 

There are however sixteen other "Italianate" VHS/DVDs available at reasonable
prices listed below, for the family library, and for family gatherings:   

(1) Italian Americans, 
(2) Italian Americans II
(3) Rome: Power & Glory
(4) The Roman Empire in the First Century
(5) Legions of Rome
(6) Roman City 
(7) Pompeii: Buried Alive 
(8) In Search of Tuscany 
(9) Florence: Power of the Past
(10) Inside the Vatican
(11) The Saints with Sister Wendy
(12) Life and Works of Michelangelo
(13) Lively World of Italian (Language)
(14) My Favorite Opera 
(15) Martin Scorsese Presents
(16) Monica Mancini..
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(1) Italian Americans, The (Video)  
The Italian Americans simmers with family, community, tradition, and amore. 
Enjoy passionate, from-the-heart recollections from baseball's Tommy Lasorda, 
actor Joe Mantegna, author Gay Talese, former vice presidential candidate 
Geraldine Ferraro, and many more. 
Length:90 minutes on 1 tape,Item Code, A5529, Availability,IN STOCK,$19.95
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(2) Italian Americans II, The: A Beautiful Story (Video)  
  Life's too short not to be Italian! For Italian Americans, life is a 
beautiful song to be lived with operatic intensity. Come celebrate this 
particularly Italian way of understanding life and the universal connections 
all Italian families share. Enjoy warm remembrances and cherished stories 
from actors Danny Aiello, Dom DeLuise, Susan Lucci, Alan Alda, and Paul 
Sorvino, New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, and many others. 
Length:90 minutes on 1 tape, Item Code, A5654,Availability,IN STOCK,$19.95 
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(3) Rome: Power & Glory (Video)  
  From its primitive beginnings through centuries of world power, the 
spectacle of Rome will keep you spellbound in this stunning six-video 
documentary. The Rise separates fact from fancy in portraying the city's 
birth, then Legions of Conquest turns to the military campaigns through which 
Rome conquered the known world. The republic becomes a corrupt setting for 
imperial dictatorship in The Seduction of Power, while Rome seals its own 
doom by mistreating conquered subjects in Grasp of Empire. Finally, The Cult 
of Order examines the long-running, bloody battle between pagan rulers and 
Christian beliefs, while The Fall portrays the empire as it crumbles and the 
capital is moved east to Constantinople. Narrated by actor Peter Coyote.  
Length:300 minutes on 6 tapes,Item Code,A4409,Availability,IN STOCK,$49.96 
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(4) The Roman Empire in the First Century: 2PK (Video)  
  Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world 
was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the 
people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time -- the emperors 
and slaves, poets and plebeians, who wrested order from chaos, built the most 
cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in 
the first century A.D.  
Length: 240 minutes on 2 tapes,Item Code, A5238, Availability, BACKORDERED, 
AVAILABLE IN, 2 to 4 Weeks, $29.98
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(5) Legions of Rome 3PK (Video)  
  They were a most remarkable fighting machine, with exploits still unmatched 
for strategy and bravery. The Roman military conquered most of Europe and 
much of Asia and northern Africa. This three-video set tells their amazing 
story through filmed re-creations, battle reconstructions, and expert 
commentary. Episodes: The Roman Invasions of Britain, The Gallic Wars, and 
The Punic Wars. 
Length:150 minutes on 3 tapes, Item Code, A5754, Availability,IN STOCK, 
$49.95 
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(6) Roman City (Video)  
  The ancient Romans built cities in the lands they conquered, linking 
Western Europe, the Middle East and North Africa into a vast, thriving 
Empire. By combining documentary footage and animated story sequences, this 
program examines how these cities helped maintain the Empire and how they 
shaped people's lives. Host David Macaulay takes you to many ancient sites to 
explain how various structures were built and how they were used. Through 
animation, watch the construction of a fictional city in Gaul. ((Page 16) 
Length:60 minutes on 1 tape, Item Code, A1239,Availability, IN STOCK ,$19.98
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(7) Pompeii: Buried Alive (Video)  
  When Mt. Vesuvius suddenly erupted on August 24, 79 A.D., it buried the 
shops, villas, markets, people and animals of two bustling towns under lava 
and ash - preserving forever a fascinating glimpse into daily life during the 
Roman Empire. Narrated by actress Kathleen Turner, this program employs the 
latest scientific techniques and most recent archaeological evidence to 
reveal the secrets of those very lives cut short by this ancient tragedy. 
(Page 15)
Length:50 minutes on 1 tape, Item Code, A1605, Availability, IN STOCK, $7.96 
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(8) In Search of Tuscany (Video)  
  The finest of Tuscany - the food, wine, people, places and heritage all 
uncovered in a tour of Italy's northern heartland. Join food critic and 
author John Guerrasio as he travels the magnificent countryside from the 
Chianti region to the finest of Florence - the cathedral, the Piazza della 
Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio as well as the celebrated vineyards and tiny 
towns of Greve and Panzan. Along the way stop in San Gimignano, Siena, Val 
d'Orcia, Pitigliano, and Montalcino. Stumble upon fascinating fresco art and 
architecture and take in the mouthwatering wines, cheeses and local cuisine 
that made this city so famous! Bonus: Exclusive sneak peek inside the town of 
Pienze - a tiny treasure that's one of Italy's best-kept secrets!  
Length:40 minutes on 1 tape, Item Code, A3583,Availability.IN STOCK,$19.98
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(9) Florence: Power of the Past with Bill Moyers (Video)  
  Guided by art historians and Florentine citizens, Bill Moyers tours the 
city's rich Renaissance legacy, seeking the sources of our common artistic, 
architectural, and cultural heritage. Through interviews with novelist 
Umberto Eco and filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli, Moyers explores the 
centuries-old roots of key contemporary ideas, such as the preeminence of the 
individual. Join Bill Moyers as he views masterpieces by Michelangelo and 
frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel -- the first look on film at these 
magnificent frescoes since they were restored.  
Length: 90 minutes on 1 tape, Item Code, A1759, Availability,IN STOCK, $19.98
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(10) Inside the Vatican: National Geographic Special (Video)  
  Vatican. For most people, the word brings to mind Pope John Paul II, the 
Roman Catholic Church and the incredible art and architecture that illuminate 
this unique place. But there is much more -- the world's smallest standing 
army, for instance, and the letter from King Henry VIII requesting a marriage 
annulment, as well as the countless individuals whose intriguing jobs help 
define the Vatican. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, granted unprecedented access to its 
hallowed halls, takes viewers beyond the tourist attractions to reveal the 
complex layers of life and history inside the territorial base of the Holy 
See.  
Length: 60 minutes on 1 tape,Item Code,A5312,Availability,IN STOCK,$19.98
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(11) The Saints with Sister Wendy (Video)  
  Sister Wendy Beckett, Britain's beloved art critic and a favorite with 
Americans as well, travels to Italy to celebrate the lives and works of the 
saints through beautiful art treasures. Sister Wendy uncovers the wonders of 
priceless illuminated manuscripts housed in the collections of the Italian 
state libraries. Sister Wendy also visits some of the churches, cathedrals 
and cities of Italy associated with particular saints, places where the men 
and women so lovingly portrayed in these illustrations lived and died. 
Length:60 minutes on 1 tape,Item Code, A2886, Availability, IN STOCK, $19.98
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(12) Life and Works of Michelangelo, The: 2PK (Video)  
  His timeless genius adorns palaces and museums of his native Italy. Enjoy a 
detailed view of the life of Michelangelo, from his childhood to his final 
architectural achievements in Rome. His sculptures and paintings, such as the 
Pieta, his David statue, the tomb of Pope Julius II, and the Sistine Chapel 
frescoes, are a feast for the eyes.  
Length:60 minutes on 2 tapes, Item Code, A5516, Availability,IN STOCK,$39.95
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(13) Lively World of Italian 
  So you don't think you have what it takes to pick up a new foreign 
language? Don't despair--the Standard Deviants are back, this time with a 
lively introduction to one of Europe's zestier languages, in The Lively World 
of Italian. Part 1 presents a quick but solid foundation in Italian 
basics--from pronunciation and the alphabet to numbers, pronouns, adjectives, 
and simple dialogues. Part 2 builds on the basics with a thorough look at 
nouns, regular Italian verbs (and the trickier irregulars), definite and 
indefinite articles, interrogatives, and cognates. Perfect for students of 
all ages! You'll wonder why you waited so long to visit Rome!  
2PK (DVD Video) Length:180 minutes on 2 discs,Item Code,V4416, Availability,
IN STOCK,$35.99
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The (Video) Length:180 minutes on 2 tapes, Item Code, A4416, Availability, 
BACKORDERED,AVAILABLE IN 2 to 4 Weeks,$34.99 
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(14)My Favorite Opera (Video)  
  Five world-famous opera performers present their favorite roles, and tell 
you why their personal choices carry such profound meaning for them. Each 
program is highlighted with generous excerpts from the performance. 
World-renowned bass-baritone Ruggero Raimondi returns to his native Bologna 
to perform the title role in Mozart's DON GIOVANNI. In Venice's Teatro la 
Fenice, hear soprano Katia Ricciarelli in rehearsal and performance clips 
from a beautiful but little-known Bellini opera. Other singers include 
Alfredo Kraus and Barbara Hendricks, along with conductor Nello Santi, in a 
series that will delight opera aficionados and newcomers alike.  
Length: 300 minutes on 5 tapes, Item Code, A2007, Availability,IN STOCK, 
$49.96
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(15) Martin Scorsese Presents: Films That Shaped The History of Cinema 
(Video)  
  Acclaimed director Martin Scorsese (TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL), presents 
four films that hold a special place in cinema history - and have greatly 
influenced his own work. His insightful introductions to each feature will 
help deepen your appreciation of the filmmaking art. Chosen for the National 
Film Registry Permanent Archive Collection, FORCE OF EVIL stars John Garfield 
as an unprincipled lawyer immersed ina world of corruption. JOHNNY GUITAR, 
with Joan Crawford and Sterling Hayden, is "an example of a minor film grown 
to achieve the status of a classic," according to Scorsese. In PURSUED, 
Robert Mitchum is a jaded Civil War hero pursued into the frontier wilderness 
by inner demons-and real killers. Ronald Colman won an Academy Award for his 
portrayal in A DOUBLE LIFE of an actor who is consumed by the character he 
plays on stage.  
Length:420 minutes on 4 tapes, Item Code,A1552, Availability, IN STOCK, $29.96
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(16) Monica Mancini...On Record: Video & CD   
  Save $3 when you buy the set. Audiences everywhere will love this video and 
CD collection with Monica Mancini featuring recordings of songs from her late 
father, Henry Mancini. Taped before an audience at UCLA's newly renovated 
Royce Hall and in the recording studio, the program is interwoven with 
touching interviews with celebrities close to the Mancini family, including 
Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Quincy Jones. Ms. Mancini's recent performances 
have won rave reviews in New York and Los Angeles. It seems only natural to 
create a recording of my father's music, as it is as much a part of me as I 
am a part of him, Ms. Mancini said.  
Length:60 minutes on 1 tape, Item Code, K3416, Availability, IN STOCK, $33.96
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