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December 5, 2019 March 28, 2020 / Artifacts and Objects, Beings and Entities, Deaths, Murders, and Disappearances, Demons and Possession, Folklore and Folktales, Halloween Stories, Myths and Legends, Occult, Magic, and Witchcraft, Strange and Unexplained / animals, antiques, artifacts, beings, curses, deaths, decorations, demons, dogs, dybbuk box, dybbuks, entities, Halloween, Halloween decorations, Halloween night, haunted artifacts, haunted objects, hauntings, J.M. Cennamo, Jewish, Jewish folklore, nazis, occult, puppets, rural, strange, unexplained / 19 minutes of reading
Estimated reading time — 14 minutes
Moving day. A chance to start fresh in a new place. New opportunities, new community, new home. Home. Not just a house. To Eric Sherman, this was a place he could finally call home. No ex-wives to hound him for alimony. No disapproving parents to question his absence of faith and Atheist lifestyle. No bitchy neighbors threatening to call the authorities about his "over the top" Halloween displays.
No, this house was different. For one, it was in a more rural and secluded county. There was no HOA to worry about. His nearest neighbor was almost half a mile away. Before Eric had moved in, he made it a point to go and meet him and ask some questions about the community. "So, how long have you lived around here Mr. Holt?" Eric asked.
"Ah hell," the old man began, "Call me 'Henry'. Everyone else 'round these parts does." Henry took a long drag from his cigarette, "But to answer yer question, been here my whole life. I inherited the house and little farm from my Pa after he passed in '75." Henry extinguished what was left of his cigarette in a small glass ashtray before slipping another one out of its wrinkled pack.
"You grow anything on the farm?" Eric asked. Henry gestured over his shoulder, swirling smoke through the air with his newly lit cigarette.
"Just some squash and the like. In the Fall I grow pumpkins and let the city folk come and pick'em for Halloween. You like Halloween Son?" Eric's eyes lit up. Ever since he was a boy, Halloween had been his favorite holiday. He enjoyed being scared and using his extensive collection of decorations and props to scare others.
"Yes sir, I do. At my last house, my ex-wife and I would put up quite a display. Sometimes we would even make a little haunted walkthrough in our yard. Some of the neighbors said our displays were 'too intense' and 'made too much noise'." Henry chuckled and took another long drag.
"Well," Henry began, "you don't have to worry about that round here. I'm yer closest neighbor and I love all that spooky shit. Noise won't be a problem neither. My hearin's been going these past few years. So, if you wanna rile up the folk that come out this way for pumpkins and trick or treatin', I say have at it." The two men chatted for a few more hours. Eric told Henry about some of his more gruesome Halloween displays and Henry told Eric about which shops were closest and had the best prices.
"Well, Henry," Eric said as he shook the old man's hand, "I look forward to living up the road from you."
"Same here son," Henry replied. "Treat that old house good. Like all old things, handle'er with care, and she'll treat ya right." A week later, Eric was finishing unloading the boxes from the moving truck and into the old country house. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, gazed up at his new home, and let out a satisfied.
The farmhouse was huge, much bigger than Eric's last house, and more than enough for a bachelor and his dog, a border collie named Cirice. Eric wasn't bothered by the extra space. More room to store props and decorate with macabre knick-knacks. Horror and grotesquities were not reserved solely for Halloween. Eric enjoyed adorning his shelves, mantles, and countertops with skulls, bones, old crumbling books, and other bizarre curios he acquired over the years.
As he was carrying the last of the Halloween boxes up to the attic, Eric stumbled sending the box crashing to the floor. He frantically pulled open the cardboard flaps and sighed with relief. Nothing had broken. He then turned to see what had caused him to lose his footing. There, at the base of the attic steps, was a noticeably loose floorboard.
Eric grabbed a hammer, nails, and flashlight from his toolbox and made his way back to the attic doorway. He clicked the flashlight on to find the best place to hammer the board down when he noticed something tucked away just under the loose board. Using the claw end of the hammer, Eric pried the other nails out of the floorboard.
The space beneath the floor had an old, musty smell. The kind of odor one expects to smell in a second-hand shop or antique store. As the beam from his flashlight scanned the dust-caked alcove, Eric finally saw what had caught his eye. Before him sat a small, antique black trunk. Eric lifted the box from its hiding place and wiped the dust from it with his shirt sleeve. The box was made of very sturdy wood that had been painted black by its creator. The lid was slightly domed and secured with a large antique lock. Emblazoned across the front of the lid were letters that Eric instantly recognized as Hebrew: לִדבּוֹק.
Eric rubbed his stubbled chin as he tried to make out the letters. He had taken Hebrew lessons as a child, but hadn't studied or read anything in the language since his Bar Mitzvah. Now, in his late thirties, the letters seemed alien to him. He thought about calling his mother and asking her what it said, but their relationship had been rocky ever since she told him she could not accept that he had "abandoned his faith".
At any rate, Eric knew he had to see what was inside. He went back to his toolbox and returned once again, this time with a pair of bolt cutters. Eric placed the cutters on the lock and with one firm squeeze, the lock snapped in half. He removed the remnants of the broken lock from the latch and, without warning, the lid flew open with a horrible screech.
Eric jumped back from the sudden noise. After taking several deep breaths, he clutched his chest and laughed a bit to himself. He walked back over to the now opened trunk and peered inside. Eric's eyes lit up as they had at Henry's when he mentioned Halloween. Inside there was an assortment of bizarre trinkets: A small jar filled with teeth, five rusted nails fastened together with twine, a desiccated frog, a small jar of what looked to be rock salt, but among the various oddities, the most impressive was an antique jester marionette.
The puppet glared up at Eric with lifeless blue eyes and a sardonic grin that was thinly framed by a pair of blood-red lips. Eric reached toward the limp figure to inspect it when, with a loud wooden snap, its mouth popped open. "Oh, shit!" Eric gasped as he recoiled and withdrew his hand from the marionette. His heart began racing and the sound of pumping blood filled his ears. From the downstairs living room, Cirice had begun to bark. "It's alright, girl!" Eric shouted. "Daddy was just being a wuss." As courage crept its way back into Eric's body, he noticed a small piece of paper in the puppet's mouth. He slipped the paper out of the doll's open maw and found the same Hebrew lettering on it. "Must be your name," Eric wondered aloud. With that, he placed everything back into the trunk and decided he would ask Henry if he knew anything about it tomorrow morning.
Eric sat on Henry's porch as the blazing autumn sun beat down on them. Though it was still early in the morning, the temperature had already reached an uncomfortable 91 degrees. This heat and the accompanying humidity were not uncommon for the area, but it was more than Eric was used to. Sweat drops had already formed on Eric's forehead and his clothes began to cling to his body with sweat.
The mysterious trunk sat on the small patio table in between the two men. "Any idea what it could be?" Eric asked Henry as the two studied the box and its contents.
"Looks like a lotta weird shit," Henry replied. "Hell, son, thought you was into all that spooky stuff." Eric chuckled. Henry had a good point. This was the exact type of thing Eric would go out of his way to find at antique stores and estate sales. Eric was about to reply, when Henry gestured to the inscription on the trunk, "Ain't those them Jewish letters?" Henry asked. Eric nodded as he took a sip of water from his bottle.
"Yeah," Eric replied, "Hebrew. Was the previous owner Jewish?" Henry let out a deep sigh and shook his head solemnly.
"Now, my Pa and I always had our suspicions about Kertz," Henry began, "the old feller that lived in that house before you. Mean ole bastard. Thick German accent. Bought the place yous livin' in around 1950. Pa always said to keep away from'em. Told me, 'Only good Nazi is a dead Nazi.' That ole bastard musta stole this offa someone poor Jewish fella thinkin' it'd be valuable someday." Eric looked at Henry with a steady gaze. He swallowed the lump that had built up in his throat.
"My family is Jewish Henry…they, uh…they escaped the Nazis in Poland and fled to America when the war was over." Henry placed a hand on Eric's shoulder and gave a reassuring smile.
"Son, I know it might seem strange living in that place knowin' what you know now," replied Henry, "But, maybe this is restitution of sorts. That ole prick is dead and buried. Now you live in his house and you've reclaimed somethin' that belonged to yer kin. Yessir, this is just your people reclaimin' what is rightfully theirs." Eric forced a smile and looked down at the box. The puppet met his gaze with its own cruel smile. Eric turned back to Henry.
"But why wouldn't the realtor have said something about this?" Henry let out a laugh.
"Boy, even if they knew the ole fool's history, do you really think that would be somethin' they'd advertise?" Henry replied. Eric knew he was right. No sane person would stop on a real estate listing that read: Rural farmhouse. Country living. Former Fascist occupant. Eric thanked Henry for his time, gathered up the trunk and its inhabitants, and started to walk down the dirt road that led to his house. Henry called after Eric, "Whatcha gonna do with that creepy puppet?" Eric turned and replied,
"Well, Halloween is in a couple of weeks. I think he'll look pretty good on my mantle."
Before long Eric had started putting up his Halloween display. He had spent years purchasing and collecting the most grotesque and gory pieces he could find. His once scenic front yard was now an abattoir littered with limbs and heads, festooned with intestines, and manned by blood-soaked, animatronic clowns. Henry came by a few times a week to see how the display was coming along. Each time he would ask Eric if it was finished and each time Eric would tell him there was always room for more.
Inside, the farmhouse was more tame by comparison, but still had its fair share of horror. Actual skulls and bones Eric had acquired from various collectors adorned his walls. Antique surgery tools and dental phantoms sat proudly on his end tables and counters. Preserved rodents, bats, and spiders occupied his mantle along with the contents of the trunk – the marionette taking center stage. Eric had decided to name the marionette Jerry. Both he and Henry agreed the puppet's angular features, rectangular head, and broad smile made it look like a medieval Jerry Seinfeld.
Eric had just finished putting up a few more decorations and lights when he decided to turn in for the evening. The heat was still pretty intense during the day and all of the outdoor decorating had drained the energy out of him. He took Cirice on her nighttime walk, making sure to pick up after her (though dog feces can be quite scary, they were not welcome in his display). Eric and Cirice came back inside and Eric told her it was time for bed. The dog curled up on her favorite wingback chair, put her head down, and blew air out of her nose the way a disappointed child would respond if you told them it was time for bed.
Eric crossed the living room toward the stairs leading up to his room. As he reached for the light switch, he turned toward his dog, "Goodnight Cirice. You were such a good girl today." Cirice did not get up or even open her eyes, but her tail began to wag energetically to show him she understood. Eric then turned toward the mantle, "Goodnight Jerry. Keep an eye on the other decorations for me will yeah?" As if in response, Jerry's mouth snapped open with that distinct wooden click sound.
Cirice began to whimper and growl in her sleep as the hair on her scruff bristled. Eric felt all of the little hairs stand up on the back of his neck as he stared at the puppet in shocked disbelief. Calm down, he thought to himself, It's just an old doll. He made his way cautiously over to the mantle, his eyes locked in a staring contest with Jerry's. Eric reached out with a trembling hand to close the puppet's mouth, expecting the thing to spring to life at any minute. He placed a finger on Jerry's chin and slowly pushed its mouth closed. Eric sighed with relief and made his way back to the light switch, never taking his eyes off of Jerry. "I'll find some wood glue in the morning and take care of that jaw problem you've got there Jerry," Eric joked, "Maybe even give you a fresh coat of paint." With that, Eric turned out the lights and went to his room to have one of the most troubling sleeps of his adult life.
That night, Eric could not sleep. His dreams were a labyrinth of nightmares that he struggled to escape. Images of Jerry and his terrible grin haunted Eric's every wakeless second forcing him to jolt awake and scan the room for the demonic doll. Every creak, every tap, every subtle noise caused Eric to spring awake. It was getting to the point where he wasn't sure if it was better to just stay awake and try and take a nap in the morning.
At around 6 AM a new noise had shocked Eric from his bed. Downstairs, he could hear the distinct sounds of Cirice barking and snarling. Eric felt a knot form in his stomach. Maybe it's just a rat, Eric hoped as he climbed out of bed. The dog's barking grew louder and more fierce. Eric knew he had to go downstairs and investigate, but fear slowed his movements to a glacial pace.
The stairs from the second floor creaked with unease as he crept downstairs to see what Cirice was barking at. Eric peered through the living room doorway. However, what he saw was more annoying than startling. His mantle display had been knocked down and strewn about the floor. Broken display boxes and animal specimens littered the area rug that was below the mantle and in front of the fireplace. The one startling aspect of the scene was that Jerry did not fall all the way to the ground. His marionette controls and strings had snagged the edge of the mantle causing the puppet to hang and sway like a corpse on a noose. Jerry's mouth hung open as Cirice barked and snarled at him.
"Cirice!" Eric yelled. "What did you do!?" Despite Eric's accusations, the dog continued to bark and lunge at the dangling puppet. Eric grabbed Cirices collar and dragged her toward the kitchen. He told Cirice to sit and stay, shutting the door behind him as he returned to the mess she had left.
Eric got a broom and began to sweep the broken glass from the rug. From the looks of things, he would not be able to save any of these pieces. Once he was sure he had cleaned up all of the glass, Eric untangled the marionette string and sat Jerry back on the mantle. "I guess Cirice thinks you're creepy too," Eric said aloud to the doll. As he turned to let Cirice out of the kitchen, Eric felt a sharp pain in the bottom of his foot. "Fuck!" Eric screamed as he grabbed his foot to see what he had stepped on. A small piece of glass protruded from his heel, glistening in the light as a tiny red stream of blood began to trickle from the wound.
Eric hobbled over to the couch and examined his injury. He pushed on the skin around the glass to force it to the surface. He plucked the shard from his foot as blood began to stream faster from the puncture. Eric hopped over to the bathroom, cleaned his wound, and covered it with a bandage.
Upon returning to the living room, Eric found Jerry slumped over and lying on his side. Eric limped over to the mantle not wanting to put pressure on his foot. As he reached for the puppet, Jerry's mouth snapped open again. Eric quickly recoiled his hand. Before he had time to register this new fear, h was startled again by a loud bang at his front door. Eric cried out in surprise. "Eric, you in there?" Henry's familiar voice called from the front door. Still slightly panicked, Eric hobbled over to the front foyer and answered the door.
Eric smiled a weak smile at Henry. "Hey Henry," Eric said, "How's it going?" Henry looked Eric up and down. He could tell things were out of the ordinary.
"I was just goin' for my mornin' stroll and decided to see how the display was comin' along," Henry replied, "But from the looks of things, you've had quite a mornin'." Eric nodded and explained to Henry what had transpired since the dog had made the mess. Henry shook his head, "Guess that dog a yers hasn't taken a shine to ole Jerry yet huh? Well, at any rate, I just wanted to say yer yard decorations are gettin' pretty sick, even fer my taste." Eric gave Henry a quizzical look.
"Henry, I haven't added anything to the outside display." Henry looked confused and the two men stepped outside onto the front porch. Dangling from the trees were dozens of dead mice and birds, swaying lazily in the light breeze. Eric swallowed hard. He was suddenly aware the strings that were wrapped around each animal were identical to the ones that were on Jerry. "H-H-Henry," Eric stammered, "I didn't hang these." Henry gave Eric a stern look.
"Listen, boy," Henry started, "I'm all fer a good scare here and there, but this may drive business away from my farm. I'm askin' as a friend, please take'm down." Eric, not looking down from the ghoulish menagerie, nodded silently. Henry patted him on the shoulder, "I am happy yer gettin' into the spirit of things, but don't go gettin' carried away." With that, Henry started back down the dirt road toward his house.
Eric retrieved a ladder from the shed and began the grim task of removing the lifeless creature from his trees. As he finished taking the last morbid ornament down, he heard Cirice barking from inside the house. Eric climbed down the ladder and burst through the front door. To his horror, he found Jerry sitting upright in Cirice's chair. Eric rushed over to the puppet, snatched it off the chair, and chucked it into the fireplace. He then shoved some newspaper and scrap wood under Jerry and struck a match. As he set the ghastly pyre ablaze, Jerry's mouth fell open once again with a hideous click.
That night, Eric gathered what remained of the trunk's contents and threw them in the trash. He snapped a picture of the box with his phone and, begrudgingly, sent it in an email to his mother. He hated contacting her after their falling out, but she knew how to read Hebrew. As he hit send, He glanced over at the fireplace. The fire continued to blaze, but all remnants of Jerry had become smoldering ash.
Eric had just walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water when he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. He pulled the phone out of his pocket. The caller ID simply read "Mom". He took a deep breath and answered, "Hey, ma."
"Hello, Eric," she responded, "I just got your email. What exactly am I looking at?" Eric did not want to tell her all that had happened since he found the trunk.
"It's this really old box that was left by the previous owner. I can't make out what the Hebrew says on the lid." Eric heard his mother sigh.
"You don't even remember enough Hebrew to read a short word like that?" his mother scolded. "Well, at any rate, I hope you left that thing alone." Eric began to feel the hairs on his neck stand up.
"Why?" Eric asked. "What does it say?"
"Dybbuk," his mother responded. "Old superstition. They are like demons or spirits. The word actually means 'adhere' or 'cling'." Eric took a deep breath, but before he could respond, he heard a sharp yelp from the living room.
"Mom, I'm going to have to call you back." Eric hung up the phone and bolted into the living room. The sight that greeted him sent his head spinning. Cirice was thrashing about on the floor in front of the fireplace. Protruding from the ashes was a long, sickly pale arm. Its skeletal fingers were firmly wrapped around the dog's neck. "Cirice!" Eric shouted. With that, the arm gave a quick twist, breaking the dog's neck with a terrible snap. The arm raised Cirice's lifeless form into the air. Then, with one swift motion, threw the dog toward the front door.
Eric stood frozen in horror not knowing what to do or where to run. Before his senses could fully return, all of the lights suddenly snapped off and the fire went out. Eric groped behind him for the kitchen door, eyes fixated on the unlit fireplace. BZZZZZZZZ! Eric's phone buzzed violently in his hand. The screen illuminated. The caller ID said "JERRY". Before he could do anything, the phone accepted the call and switched to "speaker" mode. A shrill, unearthly screech emanated from the device as images of an eyeless, gaunt face in jester paint flashed on the screen. Suddenly, the phone went dark and the screeching stopped. In the darkness, Eric heard something slump onto the floor in the direction of the fireplace. As he turned to run into the kitchen, he heard the sickening thumping of the creature crawling toward him.
Henry stood in Eric's yard. An old cigarette clung to his lips. He shook his head. "Mr. Holt, I'll ask you one more time. What were you doing in the deceased's yard so early in the morning?" Henry took a long drag from his cigarette.
"I told you, officer, me and him had become very close. We was fixin' to be partners 'round Halloween time. He'd spook the youngins and city folks and I'd sell'm pumpkins. Poor kid. I knew he was in a bad place. Told me 'bout his wife leavin'm. Told me 'bout not bein' on good terms with his folks. I knew somethin' was off but never guessed he'd do somethin' like this." The two men turned around to reexamine the horror of which they spoke. In a tree, high above the Halloween grotesquities, hung Cirice, a coarse rope pulled tight around her neck. Hanging beside her swung Eric, face made up to resemble the marionette sitting upon the branch suspending them.
Credit: J.M. Cennamo
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Wow! So many changes since the last report. First, the streams in the Smokies are mostly in good shape except after rain events. Water has been a bit on the high side in some drainages but overall conditions are very good. Our early hatches are giving way to lighter colored bugs now. Light Cahills, Pale Evening Duns, Blue-winged Olives, March Browns, and Hendricksons have all been on the water at times. The huge Black Stoneflies are around now as well and providing some big bites for hungry trout. Sulfurs should be starting fairly soon, especially with all of the nice weather we are having. Little Yellow Stoneflies are just starting to show up now as well and will get much stronger as May approaches. The yearly pinnacle of spring dry fly fishing is quickly approaching!
Tailwaters are starting to fish well. The Caney Fork is still blowing a LOT of water. That should change fairly soon if we don't get too much rain. I'm thinking we might start seeing some opportunities in early May if things hold steady, maybe sooner. The Clinch has been fishing extremely well. Big hard fighting rainbow and brown trout are the target here on light tippets and tiny flies. Bring your A game or go home disappointed. Sulfurs should start to really take off shortly along with more caddis than we have already been seeing.
Fishing is all about having fun which should mean just getting out and enjoying the time on the water. Sometimes I just want to catch some big fish though. This summer I've been hoping to find a good brown out feeding. So far it hasn't happened but the fish I'm catching keep getting larger, slowly but surely. I've been consistently catching rainbows up to around 10 inches with some slightly larger, and last night I caught a better than average brown.
It was around sunset and I was on the last pool of the day. I leisurely fished my way up through the pool, catching a couple smaller rainbows before getting up to the head of the pool. An overhanging tree limb was in my way but I decided to force the issue. There was a rock with a deep slot up against the far bank which just looked fishy. Carefully I checked behind me for trees before picking up my line. The forward cast was perfect as I punched it far up under the branches to the upper end of the good lie. Suddenly there was a swirl as something took the dry and it was game on. The brown gave my 3 weight rod a good workout running up and down the pool but in the end I prevailed. Carefully I snapped a quick picture as the 11 inch brown came to hand, then I gently picked him up and held him facing the soft current. Apparently the fish still had some energy and after a couple seconds, he bolted back to the shadowy depths of the pool called home.
Nice! We've got some pretty amazing brown trout water close by. My brother fishes is quite a bit - 20+ inchers are pretty common...it can really be a lot of fun and a great way to spend an evening after work!


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Home / Blackstone Valley Surgicare / History
Blackstone Valley Surgicare was one of the first freestanding outpatient surgical facilities in Rhode Island. It was founded by Paul Healey, MD on School Street in Pawtucket in April of 1976. Since that time the facility has gone through many changes. It has brought on new specialties and added new technology through the years to maintain its cutting edge services to the community. Blackstone Valley has been the leader in outpatient services for over thirty years and has maintained its commitment to offer high quality low cost outpatient surgical services to the Rhode Island Community.
In October of 2003 the facility was granted a relocation by the Department of Health and was moved to its present site in Johnston. Although no longer in the Blackstone Valley it was decided to keep the name to preserve the long standing presence in the community.
In 2016 BVS was acquired by CharterCARE Health Partners, a regional coordinated care health system.
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Sixties generation
Masthead created by Good & Associates
OnVideo's Guide to DVDs
Links to DVD news, information and sales sites.
Catalogs of DVDs released 1999 -- 2006
Ancient Aliens: Season Three (2011) Four-disc set with 16 episodes. The third installment of the otherworldly, hit History series delves even more deeply into the 75 million years of the most credible alien evidence found on Earth. $29.95. Formats: DVD. (A&E).
Anonymous (2011) Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Sebastian Armesto, Rafe Spall, David Thewlis, Edward Hogg. Read more about "Anonymous" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD. Extras: Commentary with director Roland Emmerich and Writer John Orloff, deleted scenes, "Who Is the Real William Shakespeare?" Blu-ray adds extended scenes, "More Than Special Effects" featurette, "Speak the Speech ..." featurette, "Anonymous PS3" wallpaper/theme. (Sony).
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation -- Grave Danger (2005) Two-part Season Five finale directed by Quentin Tarantino. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, $24.99. Extras: "CSI: Tarantino Style." (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount).
Dangerous Liaisons (1988) Dir.: Stephen Frears; Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie Kurtz, Keanu Reeves, Uma Thurman. Extras: Commentary by Frears. (Warner).
Downton Abbey Season 2 (2012) Three-disc set: DVD, $44.99 and Blu-ray, $49.99. As the Great War rages across Europe, discord is sown even into the serene Yorkshire countryside. Simmering tensions behind the gates of Downton Abbey are beginning to come to a boil as the men and women of Downton do their part on both the front lines and the home front. What's more, the brutality and intensity of war seem to inflame more familiar passions -- love, loss, blackmail, and betrayal - leaving family and staff alike to struggle in an ever-changing world, against a host of new demons. Extras: "House to Hospital" featurette, "Romance in a Time of War" featurette, "Fashion and Uniforms" costumes featurette. (PBS Distribution).
Ethos (2011) Hosted by twice Oscar nominated actor and activist Woody Harrelson, "Ethos" lifts the lid on a Pandora's Box of systemic issues that guarantee failure in every aspect of our lives, from the environment to our democracy and our own personal liberty. From conflicts of interest in politics to unregulated corporate power, to a military industrial complex that just about owns our government, the film explains how our country is controlled by some very wealthy families and not our chosen government; these families control the main pillars of our society which include politics, corporations, banks and the media. We cannot change our system until we know how it works and this film, with interviews from some of today's leading thinkers, will show you how to make meaningful and sustainable change. With interviews from influential thought-leaders including author and activist Noam Chomsky ("Manufacturing Dissent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media"), Chalmers Johnson ("Blowback: The Sorrows of Empire"), Oscar-winning documentarian Michael Moore and Howard Zinn ("A People's History of the United States"). Formats: DVD Digital.(Cinema Libre Studio).
Father Dowling Mysteries: The First Season (1987-88) Two-disc set with eight episodes, Formats: DVD. (Paramount).
Fireflies in the Garden (2008) Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Julia Roberts, Ioan Gruffudd, Hayden Panettiere. A family is devastated by an accident that takes place on the day their matriarch is due to graduate from college -- decades after leaving to raise her children. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: "A Flash of Life: The Making of Fireflies in the Garden" featurette. (Sony).
Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred (2011) Lucas Cruikshank, Jake Weary, Siobhan Fallon. Nickelodeon movie follows the titular hero on his quest to expose his new music teacher Mr. Devlin as an evil vampire. (Lionsgate).
Geek Charming (2011) Sarah Hyland, Matt Prokop, Sasha Pieterse. Disney Channel original movie about a high school film geek who makes a documentary on the school's most popular girl. Extras: Ten Episodes of Disney Channel's "Shake It Up!" (Disney).
The Hour (2011) Set behind the scenes of the BBC newsroom just as a new investigative program is launched, the drama plots the personal lives and professional interplay between an aspiring but renegade journalist, a beautiful ambitious young producer with whom he is in love, and his handsome rival, the face and lead anchorman of this rising television news team. "The Hour" plays out as a riveting thriller set against the backdrop of the Cold War. Two-disc set with 12 episodes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Behind the Scenes at The Hour," "Creating The Hour." (BBC Home Entertainment).
The Jazz Singer (1959) A rare dramatic performance by Jerry Lewis, produced as a special for NBC's Lincoln-Mercury Startime TV series, never rebroadcast or distributed in any home format since its original 1959 airing. Included are the transfer of a B&W kinescope of the broadcast and an extremely rare video recording, one of the earliest surviving examples of color television. Formats: DVD. (Inception Media Group).
Lady and The Tramp Diamond Edition BLU-RAY DEBUT (1955) Available in a three-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) for $44.99, a two-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) for $39.99 and a one-Disc DVD for $29.99. (Disney).
La Jetee and Sans Soleil BLU-RAY DEBUT One of the most influential, radical science-fiction films ever made and a mind-bending free-form travelogue: "La Jetee" (1963)and "Sans Soleil" (1983) couldn't seem more different-- �but they're the twin pillars of an unparalleled and uncompromising career in cinema. A filmmaker, poet, novelist, photographer, editor, and now videographer and digital multimedia artist, Chris Marker has been challenging moviegoers, philosophers, and himself for years with his investigations of time, memory, and the rapid advancement of life on this planet. These two films -- �a tale of time travel told in still images and a journey to Africa and Japan-- �remain his best-loved and most widely seen. Restored high-definition digital transfers, approved by director Chris Marker, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks. Extras: Two interviews with filmmaker Jean-Pierre Gorin; "Chris on Chris," a video piece on Marker by filmmaker and critic Chris Darke; two excerpts from the French television series "Court-circuit (le magazine)": a look at David Bowie's music video for the song "Jump They Say," inspired by "La Jetee," and an analysis of Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and its influence on Marker; "Junkopia," a six-minute film by Marker about the Emeryville Mudflats; booklet featuring an essay by Marker scholar Catherine Lupton, an interview with Marker, notes on the films and filmmaking by Marker, and more.(The Criterion Collection).
Love Story BLU-RAY DEBUT (1970) Ryan O'Neal, Ali MacGraw. Extras: Commentary by director Arthur Hiller, "Love Story: A Classic Remembered." (Paramount).
New Tricks, Season 6 (2011) Retired cops solve cold cases in this smash hit, ongoing BBC series seen on public television. Combining compelling stories, likeable characters, and a top-notch cast, this long-running series stars Amanda Redman, Dennis Waterman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam as a team of semi-retired and somewhat curmudgeonly detectives investigating cold cases. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).
The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall (2011) In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," Cameron Mackintosh produced a unique, spectacular staging of the musical on a scale which had never been seen before. Inspired by the original staging by Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne, this lavish, fully-staged production set in the sumptuous Victorian splendor of London's legendary Royal Albert Hall features a cast and orchestra of over 200, plus some very special guest appearances. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Universal).
Project Nim (2011) Dir.: James Marsh. The remarkable story of a chimpanzee taken from its mother at birth and raised as a human child to tragic consequences. Extras: Commentary and two behind-the-scenes featurettes. This is the story of Nim, the chimpanzee who became the focus of a landmark 1970s experiment to show that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child. But as Nim's natural instincts take over and the humans around him fail to protect him, Project Nim uncovers the unflinching and extraordinary journey of one animal thrust into human society. (Lionsgate).
The Rebound (2009) Catherine Zeta-Jones, Justin Bartha. A newly single mother with two kids moves from the suburbs to New York City, where she gets involved with a younger man. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Cast and crew interviews. (Fox).
Rocko's Modern Life: Season Two (1994-95) Two-disc set with 22 episodes, $19.93. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Trash-O-Madness" original pilot version, "Behind the Characters with Joe Murray." (Shout! Factory).
The Song of Lunch (2011) Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson star in this arresting fusion of poetry and drama. "The Song of Lunch" is based on award-winning author Christopher Reid's narrative poem following the story of an unnamed book editor who is meeting his former love 15 years after their break-up for a nostalgic lunch at the Soho restaurant they used to frequent. The woman is now living a glamorous life in Paris, married to a world-renowned writer. The unnamed editor has failed in his writing career, detests his mundane publishing job and regrets the end of their love affair. Formats: DVD. (BBC Home Entertainment).
Stormhouse (2011) Grahame Fox, Martin Delaney, Katie Flynn. The military has captured and imprisoned a supernatural entity ... and now it wants to play. (Lionsgate).
The Sunset Limited (2011) Tommy Lee Jones, Samuel L. Jackson. Based on Cormac McCarthy's play that mixes humor and pathos to examine the relationship between strangers brought together by desperate circumstances. Set in a New York tenement apartment, the story focuses on two very different men -- a deeply religious black ex-con (Jackson) who thwarts the suicide attempt of an asocial white college professor (Jones) who tried to throw himself in front of an oncoming subway train, The Sunset Limited. The men lock themselves in a passionate philosophical exchange of opposing views, each seeking the language and inspiration that will convert the other. The conflict reaches a shattering conclusion. Extras: Commentary by star and director Jones, Jackson and McCarthy' "The Making of The Sunset Limited" featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (HBO).
The Valentine's Collection ... Featuring One Zillion Valentines (2012) Five stories about friendship from top children's authors. When Marvin shows Milton how to make valentines, they decide to make one for each person in their neighborhood in "One Zillion Valentines," an animated adaptation of Frank Modell's sweet book about random acts of kindness and generosity. The additional stories featured include "Goggles," Ezra Jack Keats' Caldecott Award-winner, "A Letter to Amy," "Will I Have A Friend" and "Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge." The DVD also includes Scholastic's read-along function. $14.95. Formats: DVD. (Scholastic).
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011) Kal Penn, John Cho. Read more about "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, 3D Blu-ray, VOD, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Extended cut (Blu-ray only), "Through the Haze With Tom Lennon," "Bringing Harold & Kumar Claymation to Life," deleted scenes. (Warner).
Vision Quest (1985) High school wrestler Louden Swain is a man obsessed, trying to shed 23 pounds in a dangerously short time and take on Shute, the undefeated, tough-as-nails 168-pound champion who's the best wrestler in the state. Matthew Modine stars as the mop-headed student undeterred in his Vision Quest ... until the day a sexy drifter (Linda Fiorentino) threatens to pin Louden and his dreams to the mat of unrequited love. The much-in-demand film returns to DVD for the first time in it's widescreen version. Formats: DVD. (Warner).
Yakuza Weapon (2011 -- Japan) Tak Sakaguchi. A hard-hitting maverick returns to Tokyo to discover his Yakuza father murdered, his family headquarters turned into a shady loan shop, and a powerful gang leader attempting to overthrow the entire criminal underworld. With rival gangs jacked up on "hyperdrug," he must becomes a one-man, butt-kicking army -- and things only get wilder when he loses an arm and a leg, only to have them replaced with more firepower than the entire Japanese military. Extras: "The Making of Yakuza Weapon" featurette, director�s discussion, Tokyo stage greeting, spinoff film: "Takuzo Weapon." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Well Go USA).
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) Dir.: Bill Condon; Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Anna Kendrick, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Billy Burke, Lee Pace. Read more about "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Six-part making-of documentary, wedding video, "Jacob�s Destiny" featurette, commentary with director Bill Condon, two fast forward features for scenes with Edward or Jacob. (Summit).
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Dir.: Lewis Milestone; Louis Wolheim, Lew Ayres. Extras: Introduction by Turner Classic Movies host and film historian Robert Osborne. BLU-RAY DEBUT in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack with a 40-page book. Read more here. (Universal).
All Things Fall Apart (2011) Dir.: Mario Van Peebles; 50 Cent, Mario Van Peebles, Lynn Whitfield, Ray Liotta. A drama centered around a promising football running back during his senior year in college.Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Image Entertainment).
Beavis and Butt-Head: Volume Four (1994) Two-disc set with 12 episodes, $21.99. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc (Paramount).
The Dead (2011) Rob Freeman, Prince David Osei. When the last flight out of war-torn Africa crashes off the coast, Lt. Brian Murphy is the sole survivor in a land where the dead are returning to life and attacking the living. When he crosses paths with local solider Daniel Dembele, a man frantically searching for his son, they join forces. Two desperate men from two very different cultures fight side-by-side to survive across the incredible vistas of Africa as the world around them succumbs to the deadliest of viruses. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary by writer-producer-director Howard J. Ford and writer-director of photography/co-director Jon Ford; "Unearthing The Dead: Behind the Scenes" featurette, deleted scene. (Anchor Bay).
The Debt (2007 -- Israel) Gila Almagor, Oded Teomi, Itay Tiran, Yehezkel Lazarov, Edgar Selge, Neta Garty. Three ex-Mossad agents must protect a lie in Asaf Bernstein's acclaimed Israeli thriller, that received an English language remake in 2011. Formats: DVD. (IFC).
The Devil's Rock (2011) Craig Hall, Matthew Sunderland, Gina Varela. On the Eve of D-Day, two Allied commandos sent to destroy a German gun installation uncover a secret occult lair where the Nazis are hiding a deadly she-demon, whom they plan to use to turn the tide of the war. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
Dr. Seuss's The Lorax (1972) Classic TV special that tells the tale of how an enterprising but greedy villain named the Once-ler strips a forest of its lush Truffula trees, bringing them to near extinction for the sake of profit, and how the Lorax, an endearing and wise little forest creature, tried to warn him that his greed was making him crazy. Extras: Two bonus Dr. Seuss animated classics" "Butter Battle Book" and "Pontoffel Pock & His Magical Piano." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
Doctor Who: The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe (2011) The 2011 "Doctor Who Christmas Special." Matt Smith, Claire Skinner, Bill Bailey, Arabella Weir, Alexander Armstrong. It's Christmas Eve, 1938, when Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel as she cycles home. He promises to repay her kindness -- all she has to do is make a wish. Three years later, a devastated Madge escapes war-torn London with her two children for a dilapidated house in Dorset. She is crippled with grief at the news her husband has been lost overseas, but determined to give Lily and Cyril the best Christmas ever. The Arwells are surprised to be greeted by a madcap caretaker whose mysterious Christmas gift leads them into a magical wintry world. Here, Madge will learn how to be braver than she ever thought possible. And that wishes can come true. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe Prequel," "The Best of The Doctor" special, "The Best of The Companions" special, "The Best of The Monsters" special. (BBC Home Entertainment).
Doctor Who: The Sensorites The First Doctor (William Hartnell), Ian, Barbara and Susan land on a spaceship orbiting a distant and mysterious world, where a human crew lies frozen somewhere between life and death. The planet is the Sense-Sphere, home of the Sensorites, beings of immense intelligence and power. Unable to leave, the Doctor and his companions must deduce the Sensorites' intentions. Formats: DVD. (BBC Home Entertainment).
Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani Special Edition On the cave-riddled world of Androzani Minor, the Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) and Peri inadvertently find themselves enmeshed in a war fought between the ruthless General Chellak and the sinister Sharaz Jek and his army of androids. Two-disc set. Formats: DVD.(BBC Home Entertainment).
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010 -- Brazil) Wagner Moura, Irandhir Santos, Andre Ramiro, Milhem Cortaz. The sprawling slum that surrounds Rio de Janeiro is one of the most dangerous places on earth, so as the head of Rio's Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE), Captain Nascimento has seen his share of intense situations. When a BOPE mission to stop a jail riot ends in the violent death of a gang leader, Nascimento finds himself accused of a massacre ... but the citizens of Rio, tired of the crime and drugs that plague their city, embrace him as a national hero. Brazil's official submission for Best Foreign Picture in the 2012 Academy Awards. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. (Flatiron Film Company/New Video).
Family Matters: The Complete Second Season (1990-91) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $29.98. Formats: DVD. (Warner).
Ghost Hunters International Season 2: Part 1 (2011) Three-disc set with 13 episode, $24.98. (Image Entertainment).
The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (2011) Laurence R. Harvey, Ashlynn Yennie, Maddi Black. The first film's evil Dr. Heiter has inspired a real-life protege, the sickly, disturbed security guard Martin. Martin decides to re-create the sick feat of the original film -- in which Heiter sewed three kidnap victims together to form one long, continuous digestive tract. Martin plans to up the ante for his piece de resistance: a 12-person human centipede of his own. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Interview with filmmaker Tom Six, commentary by Six and Laurence R. Harvey, set tour of warehouse, foley sound effects, making the poster, deleted scenes. (IFC Midnight/MPI Media).
Killer by Nature (2010) Ron Perlman, Armand Assante, Zachary Ray Sherman, Lin Shaye, Haley Hudson, Svetlana Efremova. Horrific murders that once lived only in a young man's nightmares suddenly begin occurring in chilling reality in his hometown. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (MTI Home Video).
The Marriage Chronicles (2012) Vivica Fox, Jazsmin Lewis, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Mel Jackson, Terri J. Vaughn, Persia White, Clifton Powell. When three married couples trying to spice up their marriages go on a retreat at a tranquil Malibu estate run by sexy psychologist, Dr. Jalen Masters, their vows are sorely tested. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
The Mortician (2011) Edward Furlong, Method Man, Dash Mihok, Wendell Pierce, Blake Michael. Urban thriller about an inner city mortician whose life is changed when a woman's body arrives at his table and stirs up memories of his past. Meanwhile, he finds a young boy hiding in the morgue, on the run from his father, who wants him dead. Determined to help him, the mortician takes on the role of personal protector and will stop at nothing to end the cycle of abuse. (Lionsgate).
Mozart's Sister (2010 -- France) Marie Feret, David Moreau, Marc Barbe, Delphine Chuillot, Clovis Fouin. A gorgeous, music-filled tale of the early life of Maria Anna "Nannerl" Mozart, Wolfgang's overshadowed older sister and a musical prodigy in her own right. An accomplished singer, harpsichordist and violinist, Maria Anna "Nannerl" Mozart (Marie Feret) is originally her family's featured performer. But Nannerl gives way to her five-years-younger brother Wolfgang (David Moreau) as the main attraction, as their strict but loving father Leopold (Marc Barbe) tours his talented offspring in front of the royal courts of pre-French Revolution Europe. It is as Nannerl approaches marriageable age that her father bows to social strictures and forbids her from violin playing or composing, while privately conceding her talent to his wife. Though she is restrained by the limitations imposed by her time and gender, Nannerl's friendship with the son and daughter of France's Louis XV offers her ways to challenge the established sexual and social order of the day. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital). Extras: Original soundtrack musical CD with original score by Marie-Jeanne Serero. (Music Box).
Nude Nuns With Big Guns (2010) Asun Ortega, David Castro, Perry D'Marco. Shortly after entering a convent, Sister Sarah becomes enslaved and victimized by drug-pushing predators that lurk within that haven. Suddenly there is only one message that matters to Sarah -- and it isn't a divine on. Seeking revenge against those who would desecrate her heavenly refuge, she becomes a sister of no mercy. Changing her spiritual vows to earthly vengeance, Sarah goes on a rampage against the unholy men and their profane partners in crime, a gang known as Los Muertos. Packed with sex, violence, and unhallowed havoc. (Image Entertainment).
Ocean Heaven (2011) Wang (Jet Li in his first dramatic role), a maintenance man at an Ocean Park-style water theme park, lives with his 20-year-old son, David (Wen Zhang). David suffers from autism and is unable to function independently in the outside world. He is a competent swimmer and regularly joins Wang at work, where he is allowed to play in the large aquariums with the dolphins, turtles and other tropical fish. However, when Wang discovers he has terminal cancer and only a matter of months left to live, he must help David assimilate into normal society, or risk him being incarcerated in a hellish mental asylum. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Jet Li Interview about Autism, deleted scenes, photo gallery. (Well Go USA).
Paranormal Activity 3 (Single DVD) (2011) Christopher Nicholas Smith, Lauren Bittner, Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown, Dustin Ingram, Maria Olsen. Formats: Single DVD. Blu-ray/DVD Combos were released Jan. 24. Extras: Lost Tapes. (Paramount).
The Rum Diary (2011) Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli, Amber Heard, Richard Jenkins, Giovanni Ribisi. Read more about "The Rum Diary" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital Download. Extras: "A Voice Made of Ink and Rage: Inside The Rum Diary" featurette, "The Rum Diary Back-Story" documentary. (Sony).
Storage Wars: Volume 2 (2011) Single-disc with 14 episodes, $19.95. Formats: DVD. (A&E).
Swinging With the Finkels (2011) Martin Freeman, Mandy Moore, Jonathan Silverman, Melissa George, Angus Deayton, Paul Chowdhry, Daisy Beaumont, Jerry Stiller. A suburban couple decide to shake up their marriage by "swinging" with another couple. Formats: DVD, VOD. Extras: "Sex With The Finkels," the short film on which the feature film is based. (Freestyle Digital Media).
Take Shelter (2011) Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Kathy Baker, Katy Mixon, Shea Whigham, Tova Stewart. Read more about "Take Shelter" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, Q&A with actors Michael Shannon and Shea Whigham, commentary with Michael Shannon and writer-director Jeff Nichols, behind- the-scenes featurette. (Sony).
Three Outlaw Samurai (1964) This first film by the legendary Hideo Gosha ("Sword of the Beast") is among the most canonized chambara (sword-fighting) films. An origin-story offshoot of a Japanese television series phenomenon of the same name, "Three Outlaw Samurai" is a classic in its own right. In it, a wandering, seen-it-all ronin (Tetsuro Tamba) becomes entangled in the dangerous business of two other samurai (Isamu Nagato and Mikijiro Hira), hired to execute a band of peasants who have kidnapped the daughter of a corrupt magistrate. With remarkable storytelling economy and thrilling action scenes, this is an expertly mounted tale of revenge and loyalty. High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Extras: Booklet featuring an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Tiny Furniture (2010) Lena Dunham got her start making YouTube videos, but she emerged as a major talent thanks to the breakthrough success of this exceptionally sharp comedy, which garnered the 24-year-old writer-director-actor comparisons to the likes of Woody Allen. The filmmaker herself plays Aura, a recent college graduate who returns to New York and moves back in with her mother and sister (played by their real-life counterparts). Though Aura is gripped by stasis and confusion about her future, Dunham locates endless sources of refreshing humor in her plight. As painfully confessional as it is endlessly amusing, "Tiny Furniture" is an authentic, incisive portrait of a young woman at a crossroads. New digital transfer, with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Extras: Director Lena Dunham talks about filmmaking and autobiography in a new interview with writer and filmmaker Nora Ephron; new interview with writer-director Paul Schrader; "Creative Nonfiction," Dunham's first feature film; four short films by Dunham; booklet featuring an essay by critic Phillip Lopate. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
VIPs (2010 -- Brazil) Wagner Moura, Emiliano Ruschel. Marcelo, an average teenager, always wanted to be someone ... else. Always impersonating those around him and dreaming of traveling the world and living the high life as a pilot like his father, he runs away from home. But what begins as just another flight of fancy will send him from seamy criminal underworld to the glamorous world of high society. Based on the true story of one of the world's most legendary con men. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
Woody Allen: A Documentary (2011) In 2010, iconic writer, director, actor, comedian, and musician Woody Allen allowed his life and creative process to be documented on-camera for the first time. With this unprecedented access,filmmaker Robert Weide followed the notoriously private film legend over a year and a half to create this ultimate film biography, which chronicles the trajectory and longevity of Allen's career from his teenage years furnishing jokes for comics and publicists, his work in the 1950s-60s as a TV scribe for Sid Caesar, stand-up comedian and frequent TV talk show guest, to a writer-director averaging one film each year for more than 40 years. Two-disc set. (Docurama).
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) A virtuoso James Stewart plays a small-town Michigan lawyer who takes on a difficult case: That of a young Army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) accused of murdering the local tavern owner who he believes raped his wife (Lee Remick). This gripping, envelope-pushing courtroom potboiler, the most popular film from Hollywood provocateur Otto Preminger, was groundbreaking for the frankness of its discussion of sex -- �more than anything else, it is a striking depiction of the power of words. With its outstanding supporting cast -- �including a young George C. Scott as a fiery prosecuting attorney and legendary real-life attorney Joseph N. Welch as the judge -- �and influential jazz score by Duke Ellington, "Anatomy of a Murder" is a Hollywood landmark; it was nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture. New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Extras: New interview with Otto Preminger biographer Foster Hirsch; critic Gary Giddins explores Duke Ellington's score in a new interview; a look at the relationship between graphic designer Saul Bass and Preminger with Bass biographer Pat Kirkham; newsreel footage from the set; excerpts from a 1967 episode of "Firing Line," featuring Preminger in discussion with William F. Buckley Jr.; excerpts from the work in progress "Anatomy of Anatomy: The Making of a Movie"; behind-the-scenes photographs by Life magazine's Gjon Mili; trailer, featuring on-set footage; booklet featuring an essay by critic Nick Pinkerton and a 1959 Life magazine article on real-life lawyer Joseph N. Welch, who plays the judge in the film. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Borgia Faith and Fear: Season One (2011) Three-disc set with 12 episodes, $39.98. Extras: "The Making of Borgia Faith and Fear" featurette, Borgia Diaries. (Lionsgate).
Fort Apache BLU-RAY DEBUT (1948) Dir.: John Ford; John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, Pedro Armendariz, Ward Bond, George O'Brien, Victor McLaglen. Extras: Commentary by F.X. Feeney, vintage featurette "Monument Valley: John Ford Country." (Warner).
Honey 2 (2011) Katerina Graham, Randy Wayne with moves from some of America's top dance crews, including Quest Crew, Beat Freaks, Strikers All-Stars, Super Cr3w and Fanny Pak. Recently released from juvenile detention, talented dancer Maria Ramirez finds an outlet for her passion with a new dance crew. Available as a Blu-ray Disc combo pack with UltraViolet and on DVD. (Universal).
I Ain't Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac (2011) Documentary on the acclaimed comedian, who died in 2008. The film unearths early footage and never-before-seen performances courtesy of Bernie's friends and family, and includes better-known work, such as the Kings of Comedy Tour, "The Bernie Mac Show" and several of his feature films, as well as fascinating behind-the-scenes memories. (Image Entertainment).
J. Edgar (2011) Dir;: Clint Eastwood; Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Judi Dench, Naomi Watts, Josh Hamilton, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Lea Thomspon, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Lucas, Ken Howard.Read more about "J. Edgar" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital Download, UltraViolet (cloud). (Warner).
Lawrence Welk Classic Episodes, Vol. 1-4 (1960) Four-disc set of classic Lawrence Welk shows. Hosted by iconic musician, accordionist and band leader Lawrence Welk -- whose style came to be known as "champagne music" -- "The Lawrence Welk Show" first aired locally in Los Angeles from 1951-55, broadcast from the Aragon Ballroom in Venice Beach. (The show debuted nationally in July 1955, taping at the Hollywood Palladium for 23 of its 27 years on air). Joining him here are his "Champagne Lady" of 22 years, Norma Zimmer, polka musician Walter "Li'l Wally" Jagiello and many more. $34.98. Formats: DVD. (Film Chest).
London Boulevard (2010) Dir.: William Monahan; Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley, David Thewlis, Anna Friel, Ben Chaplin, Ray Winstone. The directorial debut of William Monahan, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "The Departed" is a stylish crime thriller. An ex-con trying to make a fresh start enters into a relationship with a reclusive actress, but the star-crossed lovers run afoul of one of London's most vicious crime bosses. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital Download. Extras: "Making-of" featurette. (Sony).
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) Elizabeth Olsen, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Hugh Dancy, Maria Dizzia, Julia Garner, John Hawkes. Read more about "Martha Marcy May Marlene" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Mary Last Seen," the chilling short film by writer/director Durkin. Blue-ray adds "Spotlight on Elizabeth Olsen," "The Story" featurette, "The Making of Martha Marcy May Marlene," "A Conversation With the Filmmakers," "The Psyche of a Cult," "Marcy's Song" music video by John Hawkes. (Fox).
Matlock: The Seventh Season (1992-93) Three-disc set with 14 episodes, $54.99. Formats: DVD. (Paramount).
The Mighty Macs (2011) Carla Gugino, Marley Shelton, David Boreanaz, Phyllis Somerville, Ellen Burstyn. Inspiring true story of the underdog women's basketball team at tiny Immaculate College that went on -- against all odds -- to win the national championship. Formats: DVD.Extras: Deleted Scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette. (Sony).
Nurse Jackie: Season Three (2011) Single-disc with 12 episodes, $39.98. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentaries, "Inside Akalitus" featurette highlighting the career of Anna Deavere Smith, "Jackie's Guys" featurette, gag reel. (Lionsgate).
On the Bowery: The Lionel Rogosin Collection Volume 1 Three films by 1950s political filmmaker Lionel Rogosin. For songwriter Woody Guthrie, his guitar was a machine that "kills fascists." For Rogosin, the weapon of choice was a movie camera, and his first battle was waged on the streets of New York City. Exploring the underworld of the city's skid row, Rogosin developed his signature style. After months drinking with men he met on the Bowery, he worked with his buddies to write a screenplay that reflected their lives -- and then cast them as themselves. This technique of making films "from the inside" allowed Rogosin to film ordinary people caught up in universal problems. His films explored alcoholism, homelessness, racial discrimination, war, labor conflict, and poverty with great compassion and honesty. "On the Bowery" chronicles three days in the drinking life of Ray Salyer, a part-time railroad worker adrift on New York's skid row. When the film opened it 1956, it exploded on the screen. Now gloriously restored by the Cineteca di Bologna, "On the Bowery" is both an incredible document of a bygone era and a vivid and devastating portrait of addiction that resonates today just as it did when it was made. With an introduction by Martin Scorsese. Also included in the set: "Good Times, Wonderful Times," Rogosin's powerful anti-war film released during the height of Vietnam conflict, that juxtaposed footage of war atrocities from national archives with scenes of a London cocktail party; and "Out," never before released in the U.S., a documentary made by Rogosin for the United Nations that tells the plight of Hungarian refugees fleeing to Austria in the aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. Read more here.(Milestone/Oscilloscope Laboratories).
Retreat (2011) Cillian Murphy, Thandie Newton, Jamie Bell. Three inhabitants of a remote island off the coast of Scotland are cut off from civilization when a deadly virus infects Europe. As they fight for survival, it becomes clear the virus is not the only thing they need to be concerned about. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, photo gallery.(Sony).
The Son of No One (2011) Channing Tatum, Tracey Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta, Juliette Binoche, Al Pacino, Jake Cherry. A second-generation cop gets in over his head when he's assigned to re-open a double homicide cold case in his Queens neighborhood. An anonymous source feeding new information on the long-unsolved murders to a local reporter leads to evidence suggesting a possible cover-up by the former lead detective who was on the investigation. As he digs deeper into the assignment, a dark secret about the case emerges, which threatens to destroy his life and his family. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo. (Anchor Bay).
The Space Between (2010) Melissa Leo, Anthony Keyvan, Brad William Henke, AnnaSophia Robb. Montine McLeod, a world-weary flight attendant, and Omar Hassan, a prematurely wise 10-year-old Pakastani-American boy, connect with one another amidst the chaos of September 11, 2001. When Montine discovers the boy's direct personal link to the terrorist attacks, she instinctively embarks on an unsanctioned cross-country road trip to help Omar discover his uncertain future. Formats: DVD. (Inception Media Group).
Stellaluna (2012) Based on the best-selling children's book by Janell Cannon, the fun-filled animated feature follows a spirited young fruit bat who finds friendship, love and acceptance in the most unexpected places. $12.95. Formats: DVD. (Scholastic).
That Show With Joan Rivers, Vol. 1-3 (1968-69) Three-disc set of Rivers' first talk show, which aired weekdays in syndication from 1968-69 on NBC. $24.98. Formats: DVD. (Film Chest).
Tower Heist (2011) Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Stephen Henderson, Judd Hirsch, Tea Leoni, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe Read more about "Tower Heist" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD; Blu-ray Disc Combo with DVD, Digital Download, UltraViolet (cloud); VOD. Extras: Commentary with director Brett Ratner, editor Mark Helfrich and co-writers Ted Griffin and Jeff Nathanson; two alternate endings; deleted and alternate scenes; gag reel; "Plotting Tower Heist" featurette. Blu-ray adds "Tower Heist Video Diary" �and Universal's second Screen interactive storyboard, behind-the-scenes and music features. (Universal).
Track 29 (1988) Dir.: Nicolas Roeg; Theresa Russell, Gary Oldman, Christopher Lloyd. (Image Entertainment).
Underdog: Complete Collector's Edition (1964-67) Nine-disc set with more than 20 hours of content, including the show's three seasons comprised of 62 four-part episodes, the original shorts featuring the characters Go Go Gophers, Klondike Kat and Commander McBragg as well as all-new extras; $69.97. Extras: Bonus Cartoons: "Tooter The Turtle" and "The Hunter," alternate episode openings and closings, featurette, commentaries. (Shout! Factory).
Unforgiven 20th Anniversary Blu-ray Book (1992) Dir.: Clint Eastwood; Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, Frances Fisher. Extras: Commentary by Eastwood biographer Richard Schickel; "All on Accounta Pullin' a Trigger," featuring interviews with Morgan Freeman and others; "Eastwood ... A Star"; "Eastwood & Co.: Making Unforgiven"; "Eastwood on Eastwood": A career retrospective from Time critic/biographer Richard Schickel; "Maverick" TV series episode "Duel at Sundown" (1959), in which Eastwood plays a virtual younger incarnation of his "Unforgiven" role. The Blu-ray Book contains 54 pages of behind-the-scenes filmmaking insight, rare Eastwood observations, photos, trivia and more. (Warner).
War of the Arrows (2011 -- South Korea) Hae-il Park, Moon Chae-Won. The best archer in 17th century Korea is forced to go up against the Qing Dynasty in order to save his younger sister from Mongolian invaders. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD combo. Extras: Actor and director interviews, "The Making of War of the Arrows," deleted scenes. (Well Go USA).
Weeds: Season Seven (2011) Single-disc set with 13 episodes, $39.98. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentaries, "Uncle Andy's Tricks of the Trade" mockumentary, "Puff Puff Pass" Q&A, "Growing Up in the Weeds" featurette, gag reel, deleted scenes. (Lionsgate).
World on a Wire (1973) "World on a Wire" is a gloriously paranoid, boundlessly inventive take on the future from German wunderkind Rainer Werner Fassbinder. With dashes of Stanley Kubrick, Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K. Dick, as well as a flavor entirely his own, Fassbinder tells the noir-spiked tale of a reluctant action hero, Fred Stiller, a cybernetics engineer who uncovers a massive corporate conspiracy. At risk? (Virtual) reality as we know it. Originally made for German television, this recently rediscovered, three-and-a-half-hour labyrinth is a satiric and surreal look at the weird world of tomorrow from one of cinema's kinkiest geniuses. New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Extras: Fassbinder's "World on a Wire: Looking Ahead to Today," a 50-minute documentary about the making of the film by Juliane Lorenz; new interview with German-film scholar Gerd Gemunden; trailer for the 2010 theatrical release; booklet featuring an essay by film critic Ed Halter. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
ZAAT (The Blood Waters of Dr. Z) (1971) Marshall Grauer, Wade Popwell, Paul Galloway, Gerald Cruse, Sanna Ringhaver, Dave Dickerson. An obsessed scientist, Dr. Kurt Leopold -- who has been scorned by his peers -- is convinced he can transform humans into fish. In his isolated backwoods laboratory, he proves his hypothesis by turning himself into a horrible, vengeful creature that is part man, part walking catfish. Armed with his mutagenic chemical compound, ZAAT, the monster is bent on revenge, determined to turn the tables on humanity by making his fishy friends the dominant species on Earth. All that stands in his way are a small town sheriff, a dedicated young biologist and a couple of swinging agents from the Inter-Nations Phenomenon Investigations Team. Restored and remastered in HD. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Commentary by cast and crew, original 35mm trailer, television spots, outtakes, radio interview, before-and-after restoration demo, an original movie art postcard. (Film Chest on the CULTRA and HD Cinema Classics labels).
Puss in Boots (2011) Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, Amy Sedaris, Constance Marie, Guillermo del Toro. Read more about "Puss in Boots" in the February Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack, Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack, Digital Download. Extras: "Purr-fect Pairings: The Voices Behind the Legends," additional scenes, "World of DreamWorks Animation" featurette. (DreamWorks/Paramount).
The Angry Beavers: Season 3, Part 1 (2011) Two-disc set with the first 13 episodes of Season 3, $19.93. Formats: DVD.(Shout! Factory).
Answers to Nothing (2011) Dane Cook, Julie Benz, Zach Gilford, Elizabeth Mitchell, Barbara Hershey. Ensemble melodrama of personal stories that intersect during the search for a missing girl in Los Angeles. Their lives will be forever changed as the young girl's life hangs in the balance. Formats: DVD, Digital Download, VOD. Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes, music videos. (Lionsgate).
Beneath the Darkness (2011) Dennis Quaid, Tony Oller, Aimee Teegarden. High school kids are pitted against a psychotic killer in a community where adults blindly refuse to see the ominous dangers right before their eyes. Dennis Quaid plays Ely, the well-respected mortician of rustic Smithville Texas, where he was once a heralded high school football star. Among the kids, however, he is legendary for a more sinister reason -- rumors that his house is haunted. The truth is, this pillar of the community is actually a flesh-and-blood monster who buries his victims alive; a sociopath who befriends adults and police while openly flaunting his murderous intentions to the youths. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Image Entertainment).).
Bounty Hunters (aka Bail Enforcers) (2011) WWE Women's Champion Trish Stratus, Boomer Phillips, Frank J. Zupancic, Joe Rafla, Andrea James Lui. A group of down-on-their-luck bounty hunters hit the jackpot one night when they pick up an informant with $100,000 on his head. When the local mob boss offer them a million dollars in exchange for the informant, they refuse, and the Mafia unleashes a trio of assassins who use all their power to bring the bounty hunters down. Formats: DVD. (MPI Home Video).
Enemies of the People (2009 -- U.K./Cambodia) Award-winning investigative documentary presents exclusive interviews, confessions, revelations, and chilling footage behind Cambodia's "killing fields" of the 1970s. Extras: Six hours of bonus features (deleted scenes, extensive interviews, more) plus a 28-page booklet. (Old Street Films).
Hugo (2011) Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Lee, Jude Law, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone. Read more about "Hugo" in the February Calendar. Formats: Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, DVD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Shoot the Moon (The Making of Hugo)." Blu-ray adds "The Cinemagician, Georges Melies," "The Mechanical Man at the Heart of Hugo," "Big Effects, Small Scale," "Sacha Baron Cohen: Role of a Lifetime." (Paramount).
I Melt With You (2011) Jeremy Piven, Rob Lowe, Christian McKay, Thomas Jane. Centers on a foursome of men approaching middle age, burdened by the responsibilities of their respective jobs and families. To get away from their day-to-day lives, the group attends an annual weekend retreat, but it becomes increasingly clear this trip will be unlike the rest. Fueled by excess during three days of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, the men are forced to take a hard look at their lives and the choices they have made. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scene featurettes. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
Johnny English BLU-RAY DEBUT (2003) Rowan Atkinson, John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia, Tasha de Vasconcelos, Ben Miller. Extras: "The Making of Johnny English," deleted scenes, spy tips, character profiles, observation test. (Universal).
Johnny English Reborn (2011) Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West, Richard Schiff, Ben Miller. Read more about "Johnny English Reborn" in the February Calendar. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, DVD, Digital, VOD. Extras: Deleted/extended scenes, gag reel, "The Wheelchair Chase" stunt featurette, commentary by director Oliver Parker and screenwriter Hamish McColl. Blu-ray adds "The English Files: The Making of Johnny English Reborn," "Working With Rowan," "Gadgets" featurette, "English in Hong Kong" featurette. (Universal).
Justice League: Doom (2011) Voices of Nathan Fillion, Tim Daly and Michael Rosenbaum. Latest DC Universe Animated Original Movie. "Justice League: Doom" finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight's "contingency plans" for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid's much-heralded "JLA: Tower of Babel." Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Featurettes, commentary, digital comic book. (Warner).
King of Triads (2010 -- Hong Kong) Simon Yam, Kenneth Low. When the boss of a ruling Hong Kong triad is arrested and executed in China for counterfeiting money, mayhem ensues as the mob's leading contenders circle the throne. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital Download. (Lionsgate).
Law & Order: The Tenth Year (1999-2000) Five-disc set with 24 episodes. (Universal)
Mandrill (2009 -- Chile) Marko Zaror, Celine Reymond. Mixing breathtaking action sequences with sultry romance, "Mandrill" centers on Antonio (Zaror), a man on a quest to avenge the murder of his parents. Working as a ruthless bounty hunter with the code name "Mandrill," Antonio's only weakness is women. When he's hired to capture a powerful Mafioso casino owner, he soon discovers that this is the man he has searched for all these years. But upon meeting Dominique, the casino owner's beautiful daughter, he begins an impossible romance that ends up being only obstacle to his revenge. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Magnolia Home Entertainment's Magnet Label).
Midsomer Murders, Set 19 (2009) John Nettles stars as the unflappable DCI Tom Barnaby, with Jason Hughes as his earnest, efficient protege. Includes "The Made-to-Measure Murders", "The Sword of Guillaume," "Blood on the Saddle" and "The Silent Land." Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Acorn Media).
Mission: Impossible: The '89 TV Season (1989) Four-disc set with 16 episodes, $42.99. Formats: DVD. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount Home Entertainment).
The Myth of the American Sleepover (2010) Claire Sloma, Marlon Morton, Amanda Bauer. Four young people navigate the suburban wonderland of metro-Detroit looking for love and adventure on the last weekend of summer. Formats: DVD. (IFC).
Top Gear 17 (2011) Three-disc set with the complete six-episode, 17th U.K. season. Extras: Bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes chats. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
Vanya on 42nd Street (1994) In the nineties, Andre Gregory mounted a series of spare, private performances of Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" in a crumbling Manhattan playhouse. These treasures of pure theater would have been lost to time had they not been captured on film, with subtle cinematic brilliance, by Louis Malle. In "Vanya on 42nd Street," a stellar cast of actors -- including Wallace Shawn, Julianne Moore, Brooke Smith and George Gaynes -- �embark on a full read-through of "Uncle Vanya" (adapted into English by David Mamet); the result is as memorable and emotional a screen version of Chekhov's masterpiece as one could ever hope to see. This film, which turned out to be Malle's last, is a tribute to the playwright's devastating work as well as to the creative process itself. New high-definition digital restoration, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Extras: New documentary featuring interviews with Andre Gregory, the play's director; actors Lynn Cohen, George Gaynes, Julianne Moore, Larry Pine, Wallace Shawn, and Brooke Smith; and producer Fred Berner; booklet featuring an essay by critic Steven Vineberg and a 1994 on-set report by film critic Amy Taubin. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
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Go Back to Shop All Categoriesshaolin chan
HomeBlogshaolin chanThree Section Staff
Three Section Staff
shaolin chan
1 Three Section Staff
1.1 How to practice Three Section Staff
1.2 Three Section Staff several holding practice methods
1.2.1 Features of the three-section Staffs
The three section staff is one of the soft instruments of martial arts. is a Chinese Ancient flail weapon . It consists of three short staff of equal length connected by iron rings in the middle, also known as the "three-sectional staff" and "3 section staff" . There are also long three-section stick and short three-section stick, the full length of the three-section stick is equal to the height of the practitioner upright straight arm up to the fingertips, and the folk martial artist's three-section staff has "stretch a zhang" said. Therefore, it can be used as a long instrument, and can be used for long-distance striking. Folding is a short stick, about the same length as the arm, very convenient to carry, often used for self-defense and defense of the belongings.
How to practice Three Section Staff
Because the three-section staff is connected to three sections, the section can be used. And three sections interchangeable, both offensive and defensive, can be long or short, far and near to take into account. The stick method has split, sweep, swing, strike, poke, strangle, frame and various dance flowers, etc., very rich. And has a free stretch, in and out of the difficult to prevent, soft and hard with each other, the characteristics of change, by the practitioners of martial arts love. But because the 3 Sectional Staffs is hard with soft instruments, the direction is easy to change, it is not easy to master, coupled with its running speed, power fierce, often have fear when learning the psychology. I practice three section staffs once several times by the tip of the section hit the head, summer practice, the two ribs are often chains pinch out blood marks.
In order to facilitate learning, reduce the psychological burden, according to the author's experience, the beginning of the equipment can be reduced to light, the tips of the two ends of the soft things such as cotton wrapped; or bamboo rod knocked into a filament after twisting wrapped up into a practice three section staffs. Familiarize yourself with the performance of the three-sectional staffs by practicing some simple and basic methods first, and find out its running rules. Then practice method by method and move by move, from a single and coherent, and then comprehensive practice to master.
The versatility of the use of the 3 section staff depends on the flexibility of its grip. One hand or both hands hold a tip section, then a free section is available; two hands hold two tip sections, then all three sections can be used; one hand or both hands hold the middle section, two free sections can be used together. It can be seen that the different parts of the grip form the colorful practice and usage of the three-section stick.
Three Section Staff several holding practice methods
Hold two knuckles, using two knuckles and the middle knuckle method. This method of holding is a way to hold two knuckles in two hands and use all three knuckles. Hand holding two tip section is like two short sticks like two arms lengthened, when using an attack and a defense with each other; or left paddle right fight, or right frame left poke; using the middle section is to frame, pressure, frame, push and other defense method, up and down left and right hands run at the same time. The three sections are used for each other, fast and agile, with many different methods. Because the grip is safe to use and easy to operate, it is often combined with tumbling and jumping, legwork and so on.
One hand holds the tip section, the other hand holds the middle section, using the free section method. The method is mostly left hand holding the tip section, as a match, the right hand holding the middle section to operate the free tip section. With the right arm force, up and down, left and right, front and back swing, with the body method of twisting, turning, turning, so that the free tip section quickly complete the point, chopping, smashing, sweeping, grabbing, hanging and other methods. Sometimes it is the big arm swinging and swinging, sometimes it is the small arm or wrist turning and flinging. Because the free section is through the middle section of the force, iron ring transmission, so the direction is variable, up and down, left and right conversion flexible, sudden use, consistent and intensive. In practice, we should pay attention to the coordination of the body, arm and wrist, the force through the tip of the free knuckle, and make good use of the rebound and swing of the free knuckle, so that the method is compact and smooth, the conversion is free. This method accounts for a large proportion of the three knuckle stick, should seize the use of the method with regularity, repeatedly learn the skill.
Hold the middle section with two tip section method. When holding the middle section is mostly held in both hands, sometimes also single-handedly hold the middle section. This method is based on a variety of dance flowers, including lifting flowers, standing dance flowers, head flowers, back flowers, chest flowers, leg flowers and ground trip flowers, etc.. Whether two-handed dance flowers or one-handed dance flowers, methods are similar to the dance flowers of the stick, but because the three-section stick hard with soft, so more difficult. A little carelessness or improper method will touch themselves. Therefore, the practice of three knuckle stick dance flower in addition to boldness and carefulness, we must do: start flower to be smooth, dance flower to be right, stop flower to be right, the method is reasonable and appropriate, body arm coordination, two hands with a comfortable, natural conversion articulation. Dance up to as straight as a stick general whirring wind, dense impermeable, like a water splash, beans do not enter the momentum. Dance flower practice must first have a relatively simple flower to start, after repeated practice, to overcome the timid mentality, master the operation method, figure out its rules, skilled in its skills, and then change the action. The method of holding the middle section can also be dialed left and right, with the middle section of the force, the two tips at the same time shaking dialing.
Holding a tip section, with a free middle section and tip section method. This is a method of long striking distance. With one hand or both hands to hold a tip section, the free middle section and the tip section together, for long-distance striking, swinging sweep, smashing. To complete the method, you must give full play to the swinging and swiveling of the upper arm, so that the force can penetrate the free tip section. This method is quite powerful. But because of the swinging action amplitude is large, the instrument put the long requirements of the force to be rapid, released to suddenly, to close the stick to fast, accurate striking. In this way, the power of the method can be reflected.
Features of the three-section Staffs
Three knot staffs three sections can hold and can be used. Dance up to three sections of interchangeable, varied methods, near and far, both soft and hard, fierce and agile movements, the momentum is compelling. Therefore, when practicing the two hand grips must be stable in the live, live in the change. When you start to learn, you should first learn the method by moving, and then grasp the essence of each method, the law of motion, and the characteristics of the force. On this basis, then practice various combinations of grip changes.
Hook Swords
Contents hide 1 Hook Swords 1.1 The structure of hook is complex 1.2 Hook Sword Characteristic Hook Swords The hook sword, (tiger hook swords) is a Chinese weapon traditionally associated with northern styles of Chinese martial arts and Wushu weapons routines, While sometimes called an ancient weapon and described as dating from the Song dynasty...
Shepherd kungfu whip
Contents hide 1 Shepherd soft long kungfu whip 1.1 Features of the Shepherd kung fu whip Shepherd soft long kungfu whip The pole whip was created by tie Gai, a shepherd in the Han Dynasty. When Gai was shepherding, some wolves attacked the sheep and Gai beat the hungry wolves with the whip. After the...
Buddha beads bracelet
What is a Buddha bead? Buddha beads were first introduced in Buddhism and have been handed down for nearly a thousand years. Buddha beads are strung with a certain number of beads, which are used to keep track of the number of beads when chanting the Buddha's name or holding...
Collapsible bo staff
What is Collapsible bo staff ? A collapsible Bo staff is one of the most marvelous martial arts equipment and is quite popular among the entire martial arts community nowadays. Collapsible staff are usually made to facilitate the storage of weapons, so they are usually only used as weapons in...
What is Bo Staff ? Bo Staff, also known as the "stick", is a type of Chinese martial arts instrument and is a long weapon. The length is about 1.3-2.6 meters (Qimei stick, 7-foot stick, 9-foot stick), and some are as long as 4 meters (zhangji stick, also known as...
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Home ■ History ■ Palaeontology ■ Australopithecus species as human ancestor?
8 May 2019 /
Australopithecus species as human ancestor?
Claim distant cousin of 'Lucy' was true origin of species dismissed.
Fossil casts of Australopithecus afarensis (left), Homo habilis (centre), and Australopithecus sediba (right). Credit: Matt Wood, UChicago
A very early hominin species has been ruled out as a direct ancestor of Homo sapiens.
The ape-like Australopithecus sediba was first discovered near Johannesburg in South Africa in 2008. Since then, hundreds of bone fragments from the same species have been unearthed, all dating to approximately two million years old.
A few years ago, a team of palaeontologists made the suggestion that the species was an ancestor of the genus Homo.
The claim was greeted with scepticism by some others in the field, primarily because the numbers didn't seem to add up.
The age of the A. sediba fossils meant the species was around as early as 200,000 years before the earliest uncontested member of the Homo genus, H. erectus. However, two other disputed members of the group, H. rudolfus and H. habilis, were likely around at the same time as the australopithecine.
Another piece of evidence that seriously challenges the idea of A. sediba as Homo ancestor came to light in 2015, with the discovery in Ethiopia of a jawbone that is unmistakably Homo, but dates to 2.8 million years ago.
The fossil species has yet to be named, but, argue Andrew Du and Zeresenay Alemseged, both from the University of Chicago in the US, its existence represents a strong challenge to the claim that A. sediba is ancestral.
For the A. sediba assertion to be true, it would mean that the early Homo's ancestor remained extant for 800,000 years after the emergence of its own descendent.
Such an occurrence, the researchers concede, is not impossible, but it is extremely unlikely. Calculating just how unlikely formed the basis of their analysis.
First, however, Du and Alemseged had to make one critical assumption. They assumed that at some point in its history a sub-population of A. sediba became isolated from the rest of the species and (presumably in an environment with very different challenges) evolved into a separate creature.
In the jargon, they assume that Homo "cladogenetically budded" from A. sediba. Without that assumption, they note, "this analysis would be unnecessary, and the argument for A. sediba being ancestral to Homo would be illogical (because the A. sediba fossil horizon postdates the earliest Homo horizon)".
The researchers then conducted an analysis, assessing the probabilities of recovering further fossils from both species to assess how likely it was that A. sediba's eventual extinction post-dated that of its putative descendent, the early, unnamed Homo.
The analysis revealed that the chance of A. sediba being a direct ancestor was 0.09%. "That's next to nothing," says Du.
As a further check, he and Alemseged combed through the anthropological literature to see if they could find any other instances where hominin ancestors survived into the time period in which their descendants lived.
In reviewing 28 hypothesised ancestor-descendent hominin pairs, they found just one example – in which a fossil of Homo erectus was found to date to about 100,000 years after the emergence of the species' descendent, Homo antecessor.
"Again, we see that it's possible for an ancestor's fossil to postdate its descendant's," Du says. "But 800,000 years is quite a long time."
In conclusion, the researchers suggest that weight of evidence shows the real ancestor of the Homo lineage to be another australopithecine, Australopithecus afarensis, the species to which the famous "Lucy skeleton" belongs.
The research is published in the journal Science Advances.
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