Six Degrees of Recommendation: January 2014

The staff is flexing their filmography muscles to find new ways to explore our fabulous DVD collection and make recommendations.  The rules of our game were simple: ONE - only DVDs from Edwardsville; TWO - each selection must be based on something, anything from the previous DVD; and THREE - only 48 hours per choice (get that list moving!).  The results are explained below.  Links between selections are highlighted in purple.

(1) Alana T.: The Complete Cadfael Collection (1994)  A fantastic BBC series based on the mysteries of Ellis Peters.  Stars Derek Jacobi as a wise, but tough monk living in a 12th century monestery. (2) Judy T.:  Foyle's War (2002-present)  Another great British DVD series Set along the coast of England during WWII, these episodes, written by Anthony Horowitz, are a wonderful blend of history and mystery  (3) Jacob D.: The Train (1964)  Also set during WWII, Burt Lancaster stars as a French resistance header charged with stopping the Nazis from leaving France with a train full of stolen artwork. (4) Cary H.: Das Boot (1981)  In keeping with the tension and great characters of the previous choices, watch the gripping action unfold on a German U-boat during WWII patrols while stalking the British Navy.  A classic. (5) Melissa G.: The Tempest (2010)  A movie adaptation of Shadespeare's play, Prospera (portrayed as a female) and her daughter are stranded on an island by her brother. Twelve years later, Prospera gets her revenge by causing a storm on the sea where the brother is sailing with the King of Naples. (6) Gwen B.: Nim's Island (2008)  I wanted to stay with the island theme.  Nim Rusoe lives on an isolated island with her father; when he goes missing, the adventure begins. (7) Allyson G.: Castaway (2002)  I like the island theme and instantly thought of this movie.  Chuck is in a plane crash and is stranded on an island and makes friends with a volleyball. (8) Kayla S.: The Shining (1980)  The isolation theme continues! A man and his family are isolated in a cursed hotel over a six month winter. (9) Jacob V.:  The Road (2009)  Keeping the isolation them alive!  After an unspecified cataclysmic event all but wipes out the human race, a father and son embark on a journey to the coast eluding cannibals and struggling to retain their humanity.  Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy