Films

Following is a general list of films that might be used with Manifold Greatness programs. This is not a comprehensive list, nor is it an ALA-previewed or recommended list. It is a starter list for libraries interested in showing films. Please preview films for their appropriateness for your audience.

Each library wishing to show films or videos to the public related to the exhibition must arrange for public performance rights.

Swank Motion Pictures, Inc. now offers a Movie Public Performance Site License to libraries on an annual basis. Information is at www.movlic.com.

Films About the King James Bible:

KJB: The Book That Changed the World (2011) DVD
Hosted by award-winning actor John Rhys-Davies, this film walks viewers through history, explaining the origin, significance, and impact of the King James translation.

KJV: The Making Of The King James Bible (2010) DVD
The year 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the creation of the King James Bible. Award-winning director Jerry Griffith brings to life the fascinating history of this great work, along with its impact for us today.

The Book of Eli (2010) DVD
Eli walks alone in post-apocalyptic America. He heads west along the Highway of Death on a mission he doesn't fully understand but knows he must complete. In his backpack is the last copy of a book that could become the wellspring of a revived society. Or in the wrong hands, the hammer of a despot.

The Holy Bible - Complete King James Version - Old & New Testament (2003) DVD
Experience all of the historical drama and view a complete library filled with beautiful images of the Holy Land with KJV Bibles on DVD, narrated by Emmy winner Stephen Johnston.

Films Based on Biblical Stories:

The Nativity Story (2006) DVD
The Nativity Story is a remarkable imagining of the tale of Christ's birth as a flesh-and-blood drama actually set in Israel two millennia ago.

The Passion of the Christ (2004) DVD
The Passion of the Christ focuses on the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life. The film begins in the Garden of Olives where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Jesus must resist the temptations of Satan. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is then arrested and taken within the city walls of Jerusalem where leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation to death.

The Ten Commandments (1956) DVD
For sheer pageantry and spectacle, few motion pictures can claim to equal the splendor of Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 remake of his epic The Ten Commandments. Filmed in Egypt and the Sinai with one of the biggest sets ever constructed for a motion picture, this version tells the story of the life of Moses (Charlton Heston), once favored in the Pharaoh's (Yul Brynner) household, who turned his back on a privileged life to lead his people to freedom.

Films Based Around the Time of Shakespeare:

Shakespeare in Love (1999) DVD
One of the most endearing and intelligent romantic comedies of the '90s, the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it's absolutely irresistible. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare's overwrought battle with writer's block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will's latest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter.