Voices and Visions, Series

Synopsis
VOICES AND VISIONS is a series in which the lives and works of 13 renowned American poets are interpreted through dramatics readings, archival photographs, dance, performances and interviews. Illustrative poems in each programme are accompanied by insights into their historical and cultural connections. The series covers the terminology of poetry and the larger role of poets in American and world literature studies.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Year of production
1988
Availability
http://www.learner.org/resources/series57.html
Notes
The series is available for free online viewing at http://www.learner.org/resources/series57.html (Windows Media Player required); sale from Octopus Pictures; or viewing at or special loan to members from the Poetry Library
Subjects
Literature
Keywords
Dickinson, Emily (1830-1886); Eliot, Thomas Stearns (1888-1965); literature - American; poetry; Frost, Robert; Williams, William Carlos; Lowell, Robert; Whitman, Walt; Bishop, Elizabeth; Crane, Hart; Hughes, Langston; Moore, Marianne; Pound, Ezra; Stevens, Wallace

Online availability

URI
http://www.learner.org/resources/series57.html
Delivery
Streamed

Distribution Formats

Type
VHS
Format
NTSC
Price
Free online
Availability
Sale
Duration/Size
60 minutes

Sections

Title
Elizabeth Bishop
Synopsis
From childhood in Nova Scotia to travels in Brazil, this programe illustrates the geographic spirit of Elizabeth Bishop’s life and works with scenes from her poems.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Hart Crane
Synopsis
Diverse locations and dramatizations of his life illustrate Hart Crane’s poetry and his greatest work, "The Bridge."
Duration
60 mins

Title
Emily Dickinson
Synopsis
Dramatic scenarios and New England landscapes illuminate the passionate genius of Emily Dickinson, whose poems represent a broad range of imaginative experience.
Duration
60 mins

Title
T.S. Eliot
Synopsis
T.S.Eliot’s life, influence, and poetry from the bold originality of "Prufrock" to the probing, meditative style of "Four Quartets" are explored with photos, archival footage, and discussion with friends, critics, and scholars.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Robert Frost
Synopsis
Robert Frost’s image as elder statesman is vividly contrasted with his vigorous, poetic exploration of the darker forces of nature and the human condition. Readings and interviews with the poet reveal compelling insights into his work.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Langston Hughes
Synopsis
Langston Hughes wrote of the beauty, dignity, and heritage of blacks in America. Interviews, music, and dance performances convey his work and influence, discussed by James Baldwin and biographer Arnold Rampersad.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Robert Lowell
Synopsis
Robert Lowell’s political passion encompasses much of his greatest poetry. Lowell himself reads from his work. Elizabeth Hardwick, Robert Hass, and others discuss his development and style as illustrated by "Lord Weary’s Castle" and "Life Studies."
Duration
60 mins

Title
Marianne Moore
Synopsis
Funny, formidable, and paradoxical, the poet Elizabeth Moore and her work are analyzed by critics and friends, including Monroe Wheeler, Grace Shulman, and Patricia Willis. Her most memorable poems display her power of observation and moral force.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Sylvia Plath
Synopsis
The creative intensity with which Sylvia Plath confronted her experiences as daughter, wife, mother, and writer is explored in documentary and archival footage intercut with visualizations of her work.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Ezra Pound
Synopsis
The most controversial of American poets — artistic catalyst, legendary confidant, and author of brilliant cantos — Ezra Pound and his poetry and role in the modernist movement are explored by friends and critics.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Wallace Stevens
Synopsis
Wallace Stevens’s flamboyant verbal technique and philosophical vision of American life are beautifully illustrated by archival footage.
Duration
60 mins

Title
Walt Whitman
Synopsis
Brilliant readings of Walt Whitman’s poems demonstrate his American vision and style and vividly convey their poignance and sheer power. Whitman’s sources, including Emerson, the King James Bible, opera, and political oratory, are revealed.
Duration
60 mins

Title
William Carlos Williams
Synopsis
"No ideas but in things," William Carlos Williams’s aesthetic dictum sought to capture, not analyze. A collage of documentary footage, interviews, animation, and dramatization capture the poet’s often visual work and intense life.
Duration
60 mins

Production Company

Name

New York Center for Visual History

Distributor

Name

Annenberg Project at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Address
USA
Name

Octopus Pictures

Email
pdoyle@att.net
Phone
+1 212 730 2224
Fax
+1 212 202 3699
Address
1501 Broadway
Suite 408
New York
NY 10036
USA

Distributor (Hire)

Name

Poetry Library

Email
info@poetrylibrary.org.uk
Web
http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/ External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7921 0943
Fax
020 7921 2049
Address
Level 5
Red Side
Royal Festival Hall
London
SE1 8XX

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