A fascinating insight into the role of the bicycle in the First World War - from reconnaissance to transporting ammunition, historian and cycling enthusiast Jeremy Banning explores stories from the battlefield. Ollie Bridgewood discovers the role cycle scouts played in the Army Cycling Corp and rides the original bikes used in the conflict. Mark Beaumont meets the grandson of a WW1 soldier who rode for the Highland Cyclist Battalion and survived brutal combat on the front line.
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In 1939, driven by a desire for fame and fortune English amateur Tommy Godwin cycled a world record 75,065 miles in one year setting out from home each day through bitter winters and the blackouts of World War Two. He became the fastest person to cycle 100,000 miles in just 500 days. After this epic feat of endurance, Tommy had to learn to walk again and uncurl his hands! The madcap record has only been attempted by a handful of determined souls and Tommy’s record stood for 76 years making it one of the greatest, but also most overlooked sporting achievements. Ultra endurance athlete and round the world cycling record holder Mark Beaumont is on a mission to shine a light on Tommy’s ride. He delves deeper into Tommy’s story and finds out if he has the physical and mental stamina to take on Godwin’s record.
Ruth Butler, a clerk in an emporium, marries Jimmy Rutledge and thereby greatly displeases his mother, the owner of the emporium, because of Ruth's lowly origins. Renaud Graham, one of Mrs. Rutledge's friends, becomes interested in Ruth, forces his way into her apartment, and attempts to make violent love to her. Jimmy walks in on their embrace and, suspecting the worst, leaves Ruth. In the family way, Ruth finds refuge in a boardinghouse where she meets Al Bryant, an aspiring writer. Ruth tells Al her life story, and he makes it into a bestselling novel and then into a play. Jimmy sees the play and comes to his senses, winning Ruth's forgiveness.
Jacob’s dream is to be a rap artist, so he works on a song that will give him the big breakthrough. To his big frustration, his dreams are tested every time his roomie Adam gets a visit from his girlfriend Frederikke. And through a journey of unforeseen events Jacob meets additional challenges that test his working discipline.
François Marcorelle, an investigation magistrate in Chambéry, finds himself in the room of a young Polish girl that he met in a restaurant
This video is the first of a three volume documentary on the band.
Sarah Brightman's Harem tracks are brought to life in this collection of music videos, inter-woven with interviews from the artist herself. This Special is filmed in many exotic locals including Egypt and Morocco, bringing to life Sarah's desert fantasy before your very eyes.
The story behind and around famous American director Nicholas Ray's 1960s stay in SFR Yugoslavia. The celebrated director who was the toast of Hollywood only a decade earlier having made Rebel Without a Cause has fallen on hard times and is now desperately trying to re-establish his spiraling film career. On the other hand, his powerful host, Avala Film director and former Yugoslav secret service operative Ratko Dražević, is dreaming big dreams - he is trying to establish a 'Hollywood behind the Iron Curtain' of sorts.
Alone and isolated at the family ranch, Tommy and his sister June suddenly find themselves being terrorized and hunted by a pair of nomadic killers.
Set in New York, the film tells the story of the friendship between two European immigrants; Maria and Lena during one intense week, as they struggle to find happiness and test the limits of their freedom.
THE GODFATHER OF BRITISH BLUES: The film biography features contributions from John Mayall himself, his family, fellow musicians, colleagues and friends, in interviews and performances. Rare archival film from all periods of his career marks his achievements and some of the events that formed them. THE TURING POINT: The earliest 'rockumentary' of John Mayall and his musicians filmed in their homes, dressing rooms, mororways, airports, clubs, concert halls and at festivals.
When a young boy finds a key to the empty mansion down the street, he lets himself and his imagination run wild in the big house. His little adventure creates a lyrical allegory for the Yemeni revolution.
"La memoria rebelde" gives us a different version of the history of Spain from the Second Republic to the Democratic Transition. It shows to us how that period was using some oral evidences that reconstruct the events. It has a touch of defense of the democracy and the freedom, and it criticize the ones that didn't want a full democracy and the ones that put an end to the Republic and support the dictator Francisco Franco.
Two people who like each other got separated because their families are moving to different cities and before they go they want to meet each other for the last time. After so many years have passed and they enter adulthood where they have to learn to move on.
Stage-struck small town girl is invited to join a vaudeville troupe.
Documentary film about the then longest range bombing mission in history, which changed the outcome of the Falklands War.
A cinematic mountain-bike film. Featuring some of the sports biggest athletes. The ninth feature from award-winning adventure filmmakers Anthill Films. Return to Earth proves that when we lose track of time, we can make the most of it.
Before Lance Armstrong, there was Greg LeMond, who is now the first and only American to win the Tour de France. In this engrossing documentary, LeMond looks back at the pivotal 1986 Tour, and his increasingly vicious rivalry with friend, teammate, and mentor Bernard Hinault. The reigning Tour champion and brutal competitor known as “The Badger,” Hinault ‘promised’ to help LeMond to his first victory, in return for LeMond supporting him in the previous year. But in a sport that purports to reward teamwork, it’s really every man for himself.
Doctor Harold Shipman believed he was God, all-knowing and wise, a supreme being who set out to demonstrate his superiority over others through an ability to murder. His victims were usually elderly, vulnerable and trusting. Some needed help to ease the pain that came with age. Others simply sought re-assurance. All received a death sentence from the man who had taken an oath to save life. From his practice in a Cheshire market town, Shipman achieved infamy as Britain's worst ever serial killer. Officially his victims numbered 15. But he murdered at least 215 times and possibly 1,000. His own greed finally snared Doctor Death, whose evil was exposed through the love of a daughter for her mother, sending him on the path to Hell.
After the end of the First World War, another place besides Versailles stood for the reorganization of the world: not far from the Paris Palace lies the city of Sèvres. It was there that the victorious powers of France, Great Britain and the USA sealed the fate of an empire: the Ottoman Empire was to be broken up forever. The consequences of the Treaty of Sèvres can still be felt today in the form of terror.
An animated short documentary about Ernst Berliner, a Jewish track cycling manager from Cologne and his quest to launch a post-war criminal investigation into the death of his friend Albert Richter, a former amateur track cycling world champion who was killed by the Gestapo in 1940.
In 1988, Tilda Swinton toured round the Berlin Wall on a bicycle - starting and ending at the Brandenburg Gate - accompanied by filmmaker Cynthia Beatt. As Swinton travels through fields and historic neighborhoods, past lakes and massive concrete apartment buildings, the Wall is a constant presence.
The story of how Aurora Mardiganian (1901-94), a survivor of the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire (1915-17), became a Hollywood silent film star.
Harold Frederick Shipman, known to acquaintances as Fred Shipman, was an English general practitioner and serial killer. He is considered to be one of the most prolific serial killers in modern history, with an estimated 250 victims. We delve into the psychology of Harold to try and understand what turned him into such a cruel murderer and how he managed to get away with it for so long.
The Impossible Hour is a concentrated study of Ole Ritter's attempt in Mexico City in 1974 to set a new record for the hour - described in the film as "the noblest, most difficult record that can be set on a bicycle". A brief retrospective in black and white sets the historical framework, with shots of Ritter and Eddy Merckx' successful record attempts in 1968 and 1972 respectively, and a few words about former record holders such as Fausto Coppi.The film follows Ritter's three record attempts chronologically, which, accompanied by a Mexican marching band on the bandstand, all fail.
Every World Cup, Every winner.The next in the Super8 series, only bigger and better. Illusionary Lines has been with the World Cup circus for the entire journey capturing every winner of a World Cup ripping in an isolated and unique part of the globe. Travel to Africa, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Finland (Arctic circle), Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland in a never ending journey to find the Illusionary Line.
This Traveltalk series short visits an array of locations associated with England's heritage. Included are Runnymede, Windsor, Ascot, Lincoln, Wells, Salisbury, Glastonbury, and the ancient Stonehenge site.
Gallipoli from Above: The Untold Story is the true story of how a team of Australian officers used aerial intelligence, emerging technology and innovative tactics to plan the landing at Anzac Cove. It is now nearly 100 years since the landing and hundreds of books, movies and documentaries have failed to grasp the significance of the ANZAC achievement. Instead, the mythology has clouded the real story of how these two influential Australian officers took control of the landing using every innovation they could muster to safely land their men on Z beach.
In 1998 Marco Pantani, the most flamboyant and popular cyclist of his era, won both the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, a titanic feat of physical and mental endurance that no rider has repeated since. He was a hero to millions, the saviour of cycling following the doping scandals which threatened to destroy the sport. However, less than six years later, aged just 34, he died alone, in a cheap hotel room, from acute cocaine poisoning. He had been an addict for five years. This is the story of the tragic battles fought by the most important Italian cyclist of his generation; man verses mountain, athlete verses addiction, Marco Pantani verses himself.
In 1918, the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent 223 women to France as telephone operators to help win the Great War. They swore Army oaths, wore uniforms, held rank, and were subject to military justice. By war's end, they had connected over 26 million calls and were recognized by General John J. Pershing for their service. When they returned home, the U.S. government told them they were never soldiers. For 60 years, they fought their own government for recognition. In 1977, with the help of Sen. Barry Goldwater and Congresswoman Lindy Boggs, they won. Unfortunately, only a handful were still alive.
With 38 forts at stake, Verdun was highly strategic during WWI. Through rare archives, 3D animations and interviews with historians and scientists, we plunge inside the walls of these coveted fortifications.
Drama-documentary recounting the events of the 1st July 1916 and the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front during the First World War. Told through the letters and journals of soldiers who were there.
Nicknamed the "Harlem Hellfighters", these African-Americans wanted to become ordinary citizens like everyone else. They saw fighting heroically in the trenches as their chance to achieve this. In 1918, the 15th New York National Guard Regiment became the most highly decorated unit of the First World War.