Tale of Ruin (1978) analyzes the issues involved in the acquisition and usage of raw materials in our market oriented society. The film features photography of seldom seen U.S. strip mining operations and open pit mines. Such large scale mining, here and abroad, has led to poverty for the workers and environmental destruction for many areas around the world. The film shows how reliance on foreign oil and mineral resouces underlies much of US foreign...

See the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan through the eyes of a visitor during the height of Aztec power, when the city's quality of life was unrivaled virtually anywhere in the world. Modern Mexico City, which is built atop Tenochtitlan, preserves isolated ruins of this grandeur.

On the frontier between Mesoamerica and the American Southwest stands a mysterious ruin: Paquime, also called Casas Grandes. Was it connected with the Pueblo culture to the north, or with the Aztecs and Tarascans to the south? Dr. Barnhart offers a fascinating hypothesis.

Buongiorno! And welcome to Globetrotting, where in this episode we take you to one of the most unforgettable countries in Europe, Italy. We visit the ruins of the ancient city Pompeii, pay tribute to the opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, and experience two of Italy's most beautiful cities, Florence and Venice. Also, we check out the festival Dei Due Mondi, a fusion of high art and ancient tradition with an elaborate backdrop and colorful costumes. Meanwhile,...

Journey to Oaxaca to explore Monte Alban, one of the most beautiful ruins in all of Mesoamerica. Chart the city plan, monuments, and art of this hilltop center of Zapotec civilization, which dominated the Valley of Oaxaca for over a thousand years.

This program takes viewers on one of the most memorable cruises a person can ever experience - a voyage through history and the Panama Canal. This 10-hour cruise from ocean to ocean is a sailing experience like none other. Here we learn how the U.S. purchased the canal from France and was able to overcome numerous dangers to create one of the greatest engineering marvels of the modern world; it officially opened in 1914. Aboard Holland America, one...

What were the last days in Pompeii like before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago? In 2021, for the first time, an ornate four-wheeled ceremonial chariot was discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, offering new insights into the lives of wealthy, high-ranking landowners who lived in villas on rich farmland outside the city.

Rome once ruled North Africa, cementing its control over the entire Mediterranean basin. Investigate Morocco, where Roman influences mixed with the indigenous Berbers to produce a unique culture. Visit the ruins of Volubilis, an ancient international hub, called the most beautiful Roman city in North Africa. Also, tour the thriving old quarter of Marrakesh.

Much of New York City's history can be viewed via its bridges--all 18 that connect Manhattan Island to its neighbors. Join us for a look at these architectural masterpieces from the age of iron and steel; and, see how they have changed destinies, linking some to opportunity, others to ruin.

In 2008, local authorities evicted 2,000 villagers from Guanzhou, a river island in Southern China, to make way for new urban planning projects. In spite of the demolition of their houses and police pressure, a handful of inhabitants returned to the island. For seven years, Boris Svartzman filmed their battle to save their ancestral land, from the ruins of the village where nature is slowly reasserting itself, to the worksites of the mega city which...