Narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi - star of the landmark television series "I, Claudius" - this documentary explores art and culture around the Bay of Naples before Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. The bay was then the most fashionable destination for vacationing Romans. Julius Caesar, emperors, and senators were among those who owned sumptuous villas along its shores. Artists flocked to the region to create frescoes, sculpture, and luxurious objects in gold, silver, and glass for villa owners as well as residents of Pompeii and other towns in the shadow of Vesuvius. The film concludes with the story of the discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum from the 18th century onward.

Leonardo da Vinci finds it difficult to pursue his own dreams while serving as the Duke's court arti...

Archaeologists have just uncovered entirely new areas and villas in ancient Pompeii… the first excav...
To celebrate its 250th anniversary, this documentary tells the story of one of the world’s greatest ...

A biopic of Napoleon Bonaparte, tracing the Corsican's career from his schooldays (where a snowball ...

What does modern art mean for ordinary visitors to an exhibition?

From the legendary times of Romulus and Remus to the present day, the compelling story of the eterna...

Giuseppina Pasqualino di Marineo, better known as Pippa Bacca, was a 34 years old Italian artist. S...

The epic tale of a class struggle in twentieth century Italy, as seen through the eyes of two childh...

Casanova, a young patriot in 18th-century Sicily, upon learning that his father and sister have been...

Filmed on location in Montana and Washington State, this 1976 biography of poet and teacher Richard ...

Artist David Choe has led a life of high risk, from hedonistic excesses to being imprisoned at a max...

A found footage / object film: the colorful 1960s in Italy, a joyful time, live-giving coating of bo...

Fred Taylor displays a number of items from the Building Centre's 'Inn Sign Exhibition' held in Nove...

The Victorian era is often cited for its lack of sexuality, but as this documentary reveals, the per...

For both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians, Captain James Cook is a figure of great historic...

The story is set at the beginning of the 20th century in Sicily. Salvatore, a very poor farmer, and ...

A docu-film that traces the victorious ride of Mancini's Azzurri, from the debut match to the final ...