Return Journey

A dramatic recreation of Dylan Thomas' last tour of America, starring actor Bob Kingdom as the Welsh poet. Originally a successful stage production, the show was adapted for this recorded version by renowned actor Anthony Hopkins (in his directorial debut). Dylan Thomas was one of the twentieth century's greatest poets. He was born in the Uplands district of Swansea in 1914 and died in New York in 1953 at the age of 39. Towards the end of his life, Dylan Thomas toured America, performing his works before sell out audiences across the country. The film features the poems "Fern Hill"; "Do Not Go Gently into that Good Night"; "A Poem in October"; "And Death Shall Have No Dominion"; "A Story (The Outing)" and "Return Journey" .

Francois-Xavier Demaison : Di(x)vin(s)

Ten bottles of wine serve as the common thread in this fourth show by François-Xavier Demaison, which combines personal anecdotes and colorful characters. The year or origin of these vintages serve only as a pretext for a journey through time and space, from 1973 to the present day, from Catalonia to New York. The actor's memories mingle with those of the audience, and the tasting becomes a reflection on a strange era.

Niger: Magic and Ecstasy in the Sahel

A celebration of life in the Sahel region of Africa, this film showcases many of Niger’s venerable music styles. Tuareg Electric Guitar trance rock, Bori cult dance ceremonies, Fulani Folk, and Roadhouse Gospel Rave-ups are some of the segments included in this latest "Folk Cinema" classic from Sublime Frequencies! Filmed in December of 2004 on location in Niger, Hisham Mayet delivers a spontaneous, raw, and inspiring collection of images, music, and ceremony (again with a single camera presentation) from a nation mired in poverty and continual post-colonial disappointment. Quoting from Mayet’s liner notes: "This is not music as commodity, this is music as survival. There is a saying in Niger that goes, "when we die we know we are going to heaven because we already live in Hell" well I think its more like the purgatory that we all live in and they sure have managed to transcend with an incredible natural resource: Music. Dig it!"

Neil Hamburger: Western Music and Variety

Neil Hamburger is a two-bit stand-up with a bad comb-over--an aging, phlegmy jokester with a penchant for cheap celebrity jabs. He's also the brilliantly odd creation of Gregg Turkington, a decidedly more gifted comedian who has found a loyal cult following for his Tony Clifton-esque character. In this concert release, Hamburger performs a handful of twangy country tunes alongside the Too-Good-For-Neil-Hamburger Band, a name that speaks the truth: the back-up group includes veteran rockers Prairie Prince, David Gleason, and Atom Ellis.

John Fahey: Live at Audimax Hamburg

"Shot live for TV by the legendary German music show “Rockpalast” this DVD represents the earliest example of a complete Fahey concert performance. The multi-camera filming features detailed close-ups of Fahey’s playing style giving fans a rare insight into what Pete Townsend has called the William Burroughs of the guitar. Fahey’s 1978 visit to Europe saw him in fine wild form performing an 11 track set and as an incredibly rare bonus a short interview with the maverick iconoclast.

The Musical Marvel