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THE ANT BULLY (2006)
Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul Giamatti, Regina King, Bruce Campbell and Lily Tomlin star in THE ANT BULLY, written for the screen and directed by John A. Davis, based on the book by John Nickle. Produced by Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and John A. Davis.
Synopsis: 10-year-old Lucas Nickle (Zach Tyler Eisen) can’t get a break. Recently moved to a new city with his family, he hasn’t made a single friend. He gets nothing but grief from his teenage sister, Tiffany (Allison Mack), and not a whole lot of attention lately from his parents (Cheri Oteri and Larry Miller), who are busy planning their big anniversary weekend trip to Puerto Vallarta. Meanwhile, his loving but kinda kooky grandmother Mommo (Lily Tomlin) spends all her time trying to protect the family from those space aliens she’s been reading about in the grocery store magazines. To make matters worse, Lucas has become the number one target of neighborhood bully Steve, who never misses an opportunity to push him around. In turn, Lucas delights in destroying ant hills in his yard—venting his frustration on the defenseless mounds of dirt and their tiny inhabitants by kicking them, stomping them and squirting them with the garden hose. But, unbeknownst to Lucas, there is a whole world alive and busy just underneath his feet, and what he sees as “just a bunch of stupid ants” are actually members of a complex society, with names and relationships, responsibilities and emotions. They’re getting mighty tired of having their homes trampled by Lucas The Destroyer. And they are ready to fight back. The magic potion that Wizard Ant Zoc (Nicolas Cage) has long been working on is finally finished. One drop in Lucas’ gigantic human ear and he is instantly shrunken down to ant size and taken deep below the ant hill to stand trial. The Queen Ant’s wisdom in handing down his unique sentence also proves beneficial to the ants. Knowing her subjects are eager to punish Lucas the Destroyer for the floods and earthquakes he’s brought upon them, she opts instead to make him live in the colony like one of them. “It’s an inspired decision,” says Meryl Streep, voice of the Queen, acknowledging that, from this point, everything changes. “It’s a pivotal moment; without it there would be no story.” While the Queen rules her colony with absolute authority, to carry out the details she relies upon her venerable Head of Council, here voiced by Ricardo Montalban, whose unmistakable resonance lends gravity to the tiny ant with such monumental responsibilities. He proclaims Lucas guilty of crimes against the colony. Sentenced by the wise Ant Queen to live among the ants and learn their ways to earn his freedom, Lucas finds himself in an incredible landscape suddenly teeming with life—and peril—that he never noticed or even imagined before, and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
Age 7 in America
DocumentaryMeryl narrated this adaption of the British TV series. This documentary chronicles the lives of a group of economically, racially & socially diverse 7-year olds living throughout America in 1990.
Ancient Tower: Rainer Maria Rilke
AudioRilke's poetry narrated by Meryl Streep, with music by The New York Voices.
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NewYorkVoices.com
Arctic Refuge: A Vanishing Wilderness
DocumentaryIn late spring each year, the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the site of an extraordinary animal gathering. Now the oil and gas industry wants to drill on this same 100-mile stretch, the last remaining north coast wilderness. Narrated by Academy Award winning actress Meryl Streep.
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A.I. (2001)
Directed by Steven SpielbergA mother and father grieving for a child locked in cryogenic freezing because of a currently incurable disease. It is into this home that David, the robot child, is introduced. The mother struggles with her need for a child but can she love something artificial? And what about her son lying frozen and alone in a hospital waiting for a cure? Can David, the artificial intelligence, cope with being thrust into a world that he loves but may not love him in return? What follows is an exploration of love and loyalty, prejudice and hope, fantasy and reality. The Blue Fairy was Meryl's beautiful voice.
Babar the Elephant (Released 9/15/96)
Mother Goose SuiteProceeds benefit The Audrey Hepburn Hollywood for Children Fund. Narrated by Meryl Streep, this Babar CD contains music by Poulene and the Mother Goose Suite by Ravel as recorded by Mona & Renee Golabeck and the New Zealand Symphony.
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The John Cheever Audio Collection (Released June 2003)
John Cheever's first novel, The Wapshot Chronicle, won the 1958 National Book Award. In 1965 he received the Howells Medal for Fiction from the National Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 1978 The Stories of John Cheever won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Shortly before his death in 1982, he was awarded the National Medal for Literature from the Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. This CD features archival recording of the author reading, with the author's preface read by Benjamin Cheever, and featuring the voice talent of Meryl Streep, Edward Herrmann, Blythe Danner and others. Meryl reads The Enormous Radio and The Sorrows of Gin.
Chrysanthemum
The little mouse is thrilled about her name - until she starts going to school and the others all laugh at her except for Mrs. Twinkle, the music teacher, who also thinks that Chrysanthemum is an absolutely fabulous name! Meryl Streep provides the narration and all the voices about a little girl named Chrysanthemum—her parents are taken with her perfect name, and initially so is she, but the other kids at school think that it's too long, too weird, and just plain goofy. Mrs. Twinkle, the music teacher, gives little Chrysanthemum a boost, and soon her classmates change their tune. One of the great pleasures of this story is Meryl Streep's vocal performance, providing a dozen or so perfect little characterizations. Winner Certificate of Merit, Animation, Adult Jury Chicago International Children's Film Festival, 1999.Related Link:
Harold Clurman: A Life of Theatre (Released June 16, 1993)
Meryl Streep narrates this video which profiles the career of celebrated director/producer Harold Clurman. A man known for his passionate commitment to working with actors, Clurman devoted his life to the theatrical arts, serving not only as a director and producer, but as a respected critic as well. The program features footage of Clurman on the job delivering thought-provoking lectures and helping actors construct roles. Stella Adler, Karl Malden, Julie Harris and other noted artists are interviewed. Harold Clurman has been called the most influential figure in the history of the American theater. Between 1935 and 1980, he directed over forty plays, including Jean Giraudoux's TIGER AT THE GATES, Eugene O'Neill's TOUCH OF THE POET, and Arthur Miller's INCIDENT AT VICHY. He authored seven books, and from 1953 until his death in 1980 he was a drama critic for THE NATION. As the passionate and talented leader of the Group Theatre, Clurman invigorated American theater with his political and artistic idealism. VHS. 56 mins.
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Fifty Poems of Emily Dickinson (Audio)
After Emily Dickinson's death in 1886, her sister discovered 1,775 poems bound in small packets - a collection that is now considered some of the best poetry in the English language. Only 7 of these, however, were published before her death in 1886. The others were first published in 1890, attracting unexpected attention in literary circles. With spare, precise language, Emily Dickinson conveyed a penetrating vision of the natural world and an acute understanding of the most profound human truths. Ms. Dickinson's poems come alive beautifully in these collections:
Volume I. These works -- sometimes witty, sometimes sorrowful - - are read by a talented group of actresses, including Stephanie Beacham, Glenda Jackson, Sharon Stone, and Meryl Streep. The first volume includes such selections as "Forbidden Fruit," "I Had a Guinea Golden," and "Love's Baptism." There are several pieces about one of her favorite themes, the sea, which she describes as "an everywhere of silver."
Volume II. Fifty of Dickinson's most penetrating and insightful works are gathered in the next volume of this praiseworthy series. Among the many treasures in this collection are "Angels in the Early Morning" and "Your Riches Taught Me Poverty." Read by award-winning actresses Jill Eikenberry, Nancy Kwan, Melissa Manchester, Sharon Stone, Jean Smart, Meryl Streep, and Alfre Woodward, these poems radiate with a burning intensity and gentle understanding seldom found in literature.
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King of the Hill (Animated Series)
(Original Air Date: November 14, 1999)A Beer Can Named Desire: Meryl Streep plays Bill's Cajun Aunt Esme and the Dixie Chicks voice three "desperate, childless widows" in an episode in which Hank can win a million dollars by throwing a football through a target. En route to the event in New Orleans, Hank's minivan full of friends and family visits Esme, who lives with the widows -- each of whom makes a play for Bill, and it gets complicated! At the SuperDome, Hank must decide whether to go for it all or let Don Meredith (as himself) make the throw for $100,000.
What Should I Tell My Child About Drinking?
DocumentaryHosted by Meryl Streep, this video offers viewers advice both about good parenting and how to discuss alcohol. Developed by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD).
For Our Children (CD)
(10th Anniversary Edition)Meryl performs Gartan Mother's Lullaby on this collection of traditional and original children's songs.
Proceeds benefit the Pediatric AIDS Foundation:The Pediatric AIDS Foundation
2407 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 613
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(213) 395-9501
Freedom: A History of US (PBS)
"Freedom" is the overarching theme of this sixteen-part series, based on the award winning books by master storyteller Joy Hakim. Freedom is what has drawn to America countless human beings from around the world; it is what generations of men and women have lived and died for; it is, in a profound sense, our nation's highest calling. This is also the story of the chief obstacles to American freedom -- the "unfreedoms" that have littered our national story, and in some cases have called its very integrity into question. But despite all the mistakes and all the tragic setbacks, there is an overarching positive message to this series. This is a history of the United States as the unfolding, inspiring story of human liberties aspired to and won. Hosted by Katie Couric. Creative consultant: Christopher Reeve. Freedom's glittering cast includes: Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Tom Hanks, Richard Gere, Brad Pitt, Joanne Woodward, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Robin Williams, Dana Reeve, Ralph Fiennes, Anthony Hopkins, Matthew McConaughey, Billy Crystal, John Lithgow, Julia Roberts, Sean Connery, Angela Bassett, and many others.
Meryl's Characters:
Episode 1: Abigail Adams (1744-1818) Abigail Adams was one of the most learned and vital women in all of America.
Episode 10: Mother Jones (1837-1930) Mary Harris Jones (aka Mother Jones), was an American labor leader who helped to found the Social Democratic Party and the Industrial Workers of the World.
Episode 13: Margaret Chase Smith (1897-1995) served as U.S. representative (1940–1949) and senator (1949–1973) from Maine.Related Link:
ASSIGNMENT: RESCUE
The Story of Varian Fry and the Emergency Rescue Committee
Narrated by Meryl Streep.France, 1940: In the unoccupied southern part (Vichy), several thousand refugees are trapped in Marseilles and in French camps to be "surrendered on demand" to the Gestapo. Varian Fry is sent by the newly-formed Emergency Rescue Committee to Marseilles for three weeks to rescue 200 of the most famous intellectual refugees. USA, 1940s: The State Department and the U.S. Consulate in Marseilles oppose Fry's mission, yet, he persists for 13 months and rescues over 2,000 refugees, until he is expelled from France. Follow the link below to the Holocaust Center to learn more - you can also order the video at their website.
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Ginevra's Story (1999)
Solving the Mysteries of Leonardo da Vinci's First Known PortraitLeonardo da Vinci painted only three portraits of women, and the earliest, a painting of Ginevra de' Benci that now hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is the subject of this entertaining documentary narrated by actress Meryl Streep. The story of who Ginevra was and how she came to know the young Leonardo is told as sites from their lives are visited. The painting itself is examined carefully, and experts from the staff of the National Gallery of Art, which produced the video, speak about some of the more peculiar aspects of the painting, including the fact that Leonardo painted the wooden panel containing the painting on both sides. A fascinating look at an enigmatic work of art.
I Will Sing Life: Voices from the Hole in the Wall Gang
HoleInTheWallGang.orgPaul Newman and Joanne Woodward have released this collection of personal stories told by seven children who attend Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp and other stories told by Hollywood stars. The six-hour recording features Danny Aiello, Karen Allen, Jacqueline Bissett, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Michael Douglas, Whoopi Goldberg, Dustin Hoffman, Rhea Perlman, Sidney Poitier, John Ritter, Linda Ronstadt, Sharon Stone, Meryl Streep, Cicely Tyson, Robin Williams, B.D. Wong and Michael York. The recording went on sale September, 1995. It is six hours long on four cassettes. Proceeds go to Newman's Teddy Bear Fund, which distributes contributions to various charities, including the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for terminally ill children near Disney World in Florida.
The Living Sea
(DVD)This magnificent film features songs and music by Sting and is narrated by Meryl Streep.
The Living Sea is a voyage of discovery through a colourful and vibrant underwater world. Filled with exotic creatures and seafaring adventures, the film focuses on the fragile relationships between the ocean, its inhabitants and people.
Monet's PalateTM
Introduction by Meryl Streep
MonetsPalate.comMonet's Palate is a gastronomic view from the gardens of Giverny, with a special introduction by Meryl Streep. Come explore the food of Normandy and impressionist art through the eyes of Claude Monet. Featuring great chefs discussing and preparing the cuisine Monet adored. Special thanks go to Aileen Boardman for all her support! Now available through Amazon.com. If you love art, you'll definitely not want to miss their website, it's fabulous.
PBS Documentary on Lyme Disease (1999)
DocumentaryConnecticut Public Television (CPTV) has produced a 60-minute documentary on Lyme disease, narrated by Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep. The documentary emphasized that Lyme disease is an emerging infectious disease and present a comprehensive strategy for its prevention and control. It highlights practical prevention and control steps that persons can take themselves to avoid the disease and its costly and potentially disabling complications. According to producer Mary Ann Shanahan, "Narration by Meryl Streep, Connecticut resident, actress, and mother of four children, will add warmth and credibility to the documentary." For ordering information, please contact Connecticut Public Television and Radio at (860) 278-5310.
The Philadelphia Chickens
("Those Chickens of Swing")
The Original Cast Recording of the Unforgettable (though completely imaginary) Stage Spectacular
BoyntonFordMusic.com
(download audio samples and buy the CD)The new Book/CD features music by Sandra Boynton and Michael Ford; Lyrics and Illustrations by Sandra Boynton; in a new collection of original songs sung by an incredible line-up of stars including Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Natasha Richardson and The Bacon Brothers. Meryl sings "Nobody Understands Me."
Poetry Society of America Reading (May 21, 2003: at 7:30 p.m.)
The Great Hall, 7 East 7th Street at 3rd AvenueMeryl Streep isn't a big poetry reader. Like everyone else, she has too much to do. Another thing: The ''endless yammering'' of commercials makes her want to shut out words, not a good thing for an actor, she says. But when ''someone sits me down'' and gives her a poetry book -- like Neil Astley's Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times, a new collection that's a hit in England -- she thinks: ''That's why I'm here, that's why I am alive -- to get the printed word out into the air.'' Suddenly, she says, everything is ''pulled up short,'' into perspective.
Her love of words, of poetry, is sated. At Yale, Meryl Streep took a course in sonnets (ostensibly a voice course), where she learned to read a short poem and sustain a single thought in one breath. ''No one ever taught me anything like that.'' You'd have to hear Meryl's lyrical voice as she then says, in one long breath: ''I understood that poetry, like music, has this amazing ability to move from the center of your being out through the body into someone else -- communication that's spiritual and deep and lasting.'' Meryl Streep is joined by Claire Danes, Liev Schreiber, Lucille Clifton, Sharon Olds, Philip Levine, Charles Simic, and Paul Muldoon as they read poems from a poetry anthology of great humanness and urgency: Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times.
Power Struggle (1985)
DocumentaryNarrated by Meryl Streep, the film POWER STRUGGLE was re-edited for schools and split into two parts: ENERGY SUPPLY and ENERGY EFFICIENCY. Each film stands alone and comes with a Teacher's Guide. ENERGY SUPPLY surveys the problems posed by our continuing reliance on conventional energy sources - particularly nuclear power and coal - and investigates the possibility of solving those problems through broader reliance on current renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaics, solar "power towers," wind farms, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and cogeneration. ENERGY EFFICIENCY covers how great a part can the latest improvements in energy efficiency play in meeting this country's energy needs. Amongst the areas investigated are standards for automotive fuel efficiency, appliances, and buildings; new housing designs, weatherization, and home energy conservation; and breakthroughs in commercial lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation.
Ribbon of Sand (2008)
DocumentaryThe famed Outer Banks of North Carolina are a slim and moving line of sand in the open Atlantic and a destination for vacationers seeking beaches, sun and surf. Many travelers think they know these islands, but south of Ocracoke Inlet rises a luminous bar of sand sixty miles in extent with no roads, no bridges and no hotels. These wild, remote beaches of Cape Lookout National Seashore are one of the few remaining natural barrier island systems in the world. At once exaltation and elegy, Ribbon of Sand profiles this seascape and the transitory islands doomed to disappear.
As environmental pioneer Rachel Carson notes in her 1954 article The Real World Around Us, "The more clearly we focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction." More than half a century after she wrote these words, North Carolina's Outer Banks are imperiled by rising sea levels due to global warming. Carson's writing, full of wonder and warning, frames Ribbon of Sand, a lyrical and beautifully filmed natural history documentary produced by award-winning filmmaker John Grabowska. Acclaimed actress Meryl Streep interprets the writings by Rachel Carson, and Academy Award winner Todd Boekelheide composed an original orchestral score for the film.
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Rings of Passion
Five Emotions in World Art: Love, Anguish, Awe, Triumph and JoyThis website was fantastic, and featured beautiful poetry readings narrated by Meryl, in Real Audio. You were able to explore the many other features of the site, including an area where you can curate your own art exhibit discuss your feelings and how you relate to these works of art, and much more. The Rings of Passion site has been retired from pbs.org.
SCHOOL: The PBS Series
Premiered September 3-4, 2001, 9:00 - 11:00 P.M. ET
Series narrated by Academy Award winner Meryl StreepSCHOOL: The Story of American Public Education, is a dramatic four-part documentary series that chronicles the development of our nation’s public education system from the late 1770s to the 21st century. Ten years in the making, SCHOOL journeys through history and across the nation, weaving archival footage, on-site coverage, rare interviews and expert commentary into an unprecedented portrait of America’s great education experiment. Designed to place today’s issues into historical context, SCHOOL takes viewers on a 200-year journey, from colonial times to the present, in four chronological episodes. Throughout the series are interviews with witnesses, both famous and relatively unknown, who play key roles in public education’s dramatic story. Leading experts in education history also lend their insights to each episode of SCHOOL, illuminating the issues and their implications.
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The Simpsons (Episode 2F04: Bart's Girlfriend)
Guest Starring
as Jessica LovejoyBart Simpson falls in love with Reverend Lovejoy's daughter Jessica. When Jessica fails to notice him, he re-enrolls in Sunday school and sits next to Jessica, hoping to impress her by behaving. Before long, Principal Skinner nabs Bart in a detention sting operation, and Jessica takes pity on him.
Jessica: Hi, Bart. I saw the way they set you up. That was really unfair!
Bart: [groans] Oh. . .
Jessica: Want to have dinner at my house tonight?
Bart: Really? Uh, sure . . .
Jessica: Great. [giggles] We eat at 7:00. [walks off]
Bart: There's only one thing to do at a moment like this. Strut.
["Stayin' Alive" starts playing]Jessica invites Bart to her home for dinner, and during dinner Bart uses the word "butt" and is promptly kicked out of the house. Jessica finds herself attracted to Bart and the pair travel through Springfield causing trouble. . . but believe it or not, Bart turns out to be no match for Jessica's insatiable appetite for mischief.
Jessica: Hey, Bart. [Bart looks away] What? What's wrong?
Bart: Well, Jessica. . . I don't think we should hang out together anymore. You're turning me into a criminal when all I want to be is a petty thug.Bart finds himself in trouble for things Jessica talked him into doing (Jessica is never suspected because she is the Reverend's daughter). When Jessica steals money from the collection plate at church, the congregation immediately suspects Bart, who becomes a pariah throughout Springfield. Determined not to allow her brother to take the blame for something he didn't do, Lisa addresses the congregation and urges them to search Jessica's room for the missing money. After members of the church rush to Lovejoy's house and recover the money, Jessica admits her guilt, and explains that all she really ever wanted was attention.
Bart: Hi Jessica.
Jessica: Hi Bart. Come to watch me suffer?
Bart: I just wanted to let you know that even though this was a difficult experience, I really learned a lot. I'm a little wiser, and a little less naive.
Jessica: Well, I learned that I can make men do whatever I want.
Bart: Well ... don't you see, Jessica, then you really haven't learned --
Jessica: Um, would you finish scrubbing these steps with me?
Bart: [enthusiastic] _Will_ I?
Boy: [riding up on bike] Hey, Jessica!
Jessica: Coming! [runs over to him; they ride off]
Bart: Poor sucker. It's amazing what some guys will do for a pretty face! Not me, though. [sly] Wait till she sees the second-rate job I do on these stairs. [laughs to himself]This episode can be found in Season 6, now available on DVD.
Orchestra of St. Luke’s Highlights Central Park 9/11 Gathering
Guest Artists include Meryl Streep, Billy Joel, and Lincoln Center Jazz OrchestraWith the moon shining on the Great Lawn, the stars came out Wednesday night for a reflective and stirring program featuring New York’s Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Eric Stern and several distinguished guests. The performances capped a day of commemorative musical events marking the September 11 anniversary across the five boroughs, including the Brooklyn Philharmonic performing in Prospect Park, the Bronx Arts Ensemble in Van Cortland Park, the Queens Symphony Orchestra at Flushing Meadows Park, and the Staten Island Symphony at Snug Harbor. An affirmative, patriotic strain ran through the evening’s symphonic selections, highlighted by an inspired rendition of Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, with Meryl Streep narrating the stentorian verses honoring Abraham Lincoln. Other selections included Bernstein's "Simple Song" (from Mass) with tenor soloist Kurt Ollman, a selection from Hanson's Symphony No. 2, and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, featuring piano soloist Andre-Michel Schub. The jazzy mood set in place by Gershwin continued as the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra took to the stage with a hard-swinging reading of Ellington’s “A Tone Parallel to Harlem.” Receiving the biggest applause was a grizzled yet animated Billy Joel who performed his signature tune, “New York State of Mind,” with the LCJO’s Wynton Marsalis joining him on trumpet.
Karen Silkwood Tribute (December 12, 1999)Meryl Streep sang "Amazing Grace" during the 25th anniversary commemoration of the death of Karen Silkwood. Ms. Streep played the title role in the 1983 movie, Silkwood and sang "Amazing Grace" in the film. "Karen Silkwood touched all of our lives," said Ms. Streep in a letter to other participants in the tribute. "She showed incredible bravery against impossible odds, and those of us who knew her through her union work or from the portrayal of her struggle in the film 'Silkwood' will always be moved by her courage." Ms. Silkwood worked in a lab at a now-closed Kerr-McGee Corp. plutonium processing plant in Oklahoma. An environmental and union activist, she was on her way to see a New York Times reporter when her car careened off a highway Nov. 13, 1974. She died in the crash. An autopsy showed she was contaminated with plutonium prior to the accident. Police declared it a single-car accident but her supporters contend she was bumped off the road by another car. Proceeds from the tribute - which also features appearances by folk singer Toshi Reagon, the film's director Mike Nichols and Ms. Silkwood's father Bill - benefit the Just Health Care Campaign, a union-sponsored health-care reform program.
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Stolen Childhoods
Documentary Narrated by Meryl StreepStolen Childhoods is told primarily in the words of laboring children, who live on four different continents across the globe, but who share a common fate. It also hears the voices of their parents, people working daily to help them, policy makers and government officials. Children are shown working in dumps, quarries, brick kilns, making charcoal, on fishing platforms, picking tobacco, coffee or vegetables, working in sweatshops, as domestics, making rugs, and selling their bodies on the street. The film places these children’s stories in the broader context of the worldwide struggle against child labor. Stolen Childhoods provides an understanding of the causes of child labor, what it costs the global community, how it contributes to global insecurity and what it will take to eliminate it. Shot in 7 countries; Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal and the United States, the film includes slave and bonded labor footage never seen before. It has framing interviews with US Senator Tom Harkin (the leading legislative advocate for global action to eliminate child labor) and includes human rights advocates for children; Bruce Harris, Pharis Harvey, Inderjit Khurana, Wangari Mathai and Kailash Satyarthi. The film shows best practice programs that remove children from work and put them in school. The programs range from efforts to save migrant children from toxic exposure to pesticides, to Bolsa Escola, a model Brazilian educational subsidy, now in place in seven other countries, that reimburses families for wages lost when children go to school. In the words of the children, we see the effects of public policy, poverty, prejudice and multinational profit on the lives of our most helpless and exploited global work force. The film chronicles both stolen childhoods and the lucky former child laborers who can teach us how to create a more equitable world.
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The Velveteen Rabbit
VHS and CDNarrated by Meryl Streep, music by George Winston. The Velveteen Rabbit was written by Margery Williams in 1922 and more than a million and a half copies of this wonderful story have been read since. Its message about the power of love is universal and ageless. "Meryl Streep's reading recreates the intimacy of a mother reading to a child." The 20th Anniversary Edition includes for the first time in the U.S. a new Set 2 consisting of the entire piano solo soundtrack after the narration. The enhanced CD also includes printable sheet music for the song The Velveteen Rabbit, and a new solo piano bonus track Night Thoughts.
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VERMEER: MASTER OF LIGHT (PBS)
February 17, 2002This documentary is a visual pilgrimage in search of the style that makes a Vermeer work a "Vermeer." Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, the program explores the secrets of Vermeer’s technique, guiding viewers into each painting’s compelling use of light and composition. Stereo. 1 Hour.
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Voices That Care
(CD)Meryl participated in VOICES THAT CARE, a CD single created as a tribute for the troops in Operation Desert Storm, as one of the "voices that care" on the CD. Other voices (to name a few): Peter Cetera, Celine Dion, Garth Brooks, Michael Bolton, Mark Knopfler, Kenny G., Paul Anka, David Cassidy, Chevy Chase, Kevin Costner, Cindy Crawford, Billy Crystal, Sheena Easton, Whoopi Goldberg, Harry Hamlin, Mariel Hemingway, Al Jarreau, Carol Kane, Jon Lovitz, Ali MacGraw, Kathy Mattea, Dudley Moore, Donny Osmond, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helen Reddy, Kenny Rogers, Kurt Russell, Katey Sagal, Jane Seymour, William Shatner, Brooke Shields, Sissy Spacek, Stephen Stills, Linda Thompson Jenner, Tiffany, Michael Tucker, Blair Underwood, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Luther Vandross, Lindsay Wagner, Henry Winkler and James Woods. Music: David Foster and Peter Cetera; Lyrics: Linda Thompson Jenner.
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