Although it's unreasonable to judge every book-to-film adaptation against the first iteration of a title, when it comes to Wuthering Heights it's nearly impossible to cast out of mind William Wyler's 1939 version, especially Laurence Olivier's stormy yet affable portrayal of Heathcliff, and the Hollywood-ization of the novel's morose ending. In these two regards does PBS' 2009 rendition of Wuthering Heights most severely contrast Wyler's version.

Tom Hardy's Heathcliff is one of the darkest and most menacing screen incarnations of the character, with outstanding scenes when he's intimidating young Catherine in front of the hapless Hareton and exacting his revenge against Cathy, Edgar, and Hindley in the latter half of the film.

Running nearly 2.5 hours in length, few scenes from the novel are entirely absent, though the plot sequence has been changed, and Lockwood's character has been cut.

Thankfully, the harrowing ending of the novel is kept intact, catharsis and all. Decidedly a PBS Masterpiece presentation in its staginess, the acting is nevertheless sharp, carrying the story and its characters gracefully over the moors once again.

Want to invest in your home and make it worth more? AADL has a 24 part DVD series titled Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford. Danny has over 25 years of experience doing home renovations, and these DVDs are realistic and practical. These DVDs include step by step instructions for: kitchen expansion, siding replacement, bedroom additions, bathroom additions, garden room additions, roofing, and painting. If you are thinking of starting a home renovation project, check out these DVDs first. They are sure to make your project run smoother, and turn out wonderfully!

Farrah Fawcett, she of the wild mop of long blonde curls and a record-breaking bathing suit poster, died this afternoon after a long battle with anal cancer.

Ms. Fawcett first shot to fame in 1976 in the debut season of Charlie’s Angels. Costars Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson (both of whom have survived breast cancer) starred as beautiful, tough private eyes. Fawcett left after just one season to star in mostly forgettable films but stayed in the public eye because of her high-profile marriage and divorce to actor Lee Majors, followed by her high-profile, high-maintenance relationship with Ryan O’Neal and the ongoing legal troubles of their son, Redmond, which landed him back in jail earlier this year.

In 2007, at her initiative, Ms. Fawcett filmed her final medical journey in a moving TV documentary, Farrah’s Story, which told of her struggle with cancer. It aired last month and was seen by millions of viewers.

When she died, O’Neal was by her side, having released a statement just 2 days ago, that Ms. Fawcett had agreed to marry him.

Ms. Fawcett was 62.

It's been 12 years since Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., was shot and killed in his escort SUV in Los Angeles, yet his killer and the reason for his murder remain a matter of speculation. So instead of focusing on the legendary rapper's death, director George Tillman Jr.'s 2009 biopic, Notorious, captures the multifarious challenges of Biggie Smalls' rise from Brooklyn crack dealer to superstar MC, along with his "everyday struggle" of trying to balance a personal life with staying on top of the game.

Played capably by Jamal Woolard -- an up and coming rapper in his own right -- Wallace is a young man searching for his identity through music and the high-risk chance at monetary success on the street corners of New York City. Some of the best scenes in the film are where Biggie realizes he can gain credibility as a rapper (and possibly get out of the drug trade) by challenging neighborhood emcees to improvised rap battles, and when he takes his nuanced flow to the mixtape, which eventually falls into the hands of Sean "Puffy" Combs.

The rest is the history of East Coast rap in the '90s, as Combs' Bad Boy records, with the help of multi-platinum Notorious B.I.G. releases, Ready to Die and Life After Death, becomes the most successful label in the industry. As troubling as it is inspirational, Notorious succeeds because Tillman remembers that the life of the individual is paramount to the story, not rumors of how or why he died.

Ed McMahon, low key, affable sidekick for 30 years to Johnny Carson (late host of the Tonight Show), died just past midnight today.

McMahon, a true TV personality, was everywhere. In addition to his Tonight Show stint, he was the face of the American Family Publishers sweepstakes, co-host of Jerry Lewis’s Labor Day Telethon, and even found time to act in several films. He also wrote a couple of books – Here’s Johnny! (2005) and For Laughing Out Loud (1998).

Perceived as a modest, gentle giant, McMahon was a decorated Marine fighter pilot in both WW II and in the Korean War. In recent years, McMahon, who was known for his low-key comedic side, became the public face of a decidedly unfunny subject – he nearly lost his home to foreclosure.

McMahon, who had been in poor health for several years, was 86.

Young @ Heart is a DVD title being passed around in my family from Washington State to Dallas to New Hampshire. It provides great perspective on living life! In view of this film, pop song lyrics take on completely new meanings....

“....No! Some men are rocks, some men are islands, I’m a bloody island!” If you thought that Hugh Grant’s character in About a Boy had a pretty good deal going until he let all those people into his life, then this blog may be for you. Chronicling a series of films regarding men who, for whatever reason, said “Thank you, but I’ve had enough, and I’m going now. So long society! Goodbye culture! Hello me.”, I hope to provide those of you possessive of a wry sense of humor a peek into another, some might say superior, way of being: the way of the hermit.

We begin with About a Boy, based on the best-selling novel by Nick Hornby, and from which the opening quotation is drawn. Hugh Grant plays the character of Will, a Hip, wealthy, 30ish, London-dwelling bachelor living off the royalties of a kitschy christmas song penned by his deceased father. Will divides his day into increments of time: sleep – 10 hours; breakfast – 30 minutes; exercise – 45 minutes; video games – 90 minutes; dinner with fair-weather friends – 60 minutes. Sounds priceless, right? Alas, he lacked both the strength and the will to sustain the ideal lifestyle, and was eventually cajoled back into the existential muck of meaningful human relationships. Although his story is ultimately of the betrayal of one’s own ideals, Will proves that a hermetic lifestyle is theoretically feasible even in a dense urban environment. Click here to read more

Today, June 13, is the birthday of artist Christo, born Christo Vladimirov Javacheff in 1935 in Bulgaria. It's also the birthday of his wife, also an artist, Jeanne-Claude, born Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon in Casablanca, Morocco. They are known for their huge joint-installations like "Running Fence" in 1976, which was a fabric fence running through Sonoma and Marin counties in California, or "The Gates," pieces of orange fabric hung through New York's Central Park. All of Christo's and Jeanne-Claude's installations are temporary. Although they take years to prepare, they are often only on display for a few weeks.

Another artist whose work's life span is dependent on the forces of nature rather than human intervention is Andy Goldsworthy, whose film Rivers and Tides is a visually stunning representation of the ephemeral nature of all things.

One man. 50 marathons. 50 consecutive days. 50 different states.

Dean Kazarnes once again proves that he is the Ultramarathon Man in this documentary about his mission to raise awareness for youth obesity. Kazarnes runs 26.2 mile courses that are all used for annual marathons, but held on a different day than he runs them, or in the case of the New York City Marathon, when he runs on the day of the actual city-wide marathon event.

Athletes from several countries run the courses with the inspirational author and running enthusiast, even during torrential thunderstorms and under the 100+ degree heat of the Desert Classic Marathon course in Surprise, AZ. Karno's running toughness is matched only by his public spotlight endurance during this two month event. For upwards of five hours while running, Karno talks with fellow runners and listens to their stories, and then after the run he's shaking hands, signing autographs, and giving speeches before meeting with press and photographers, only to get back on the bus and drive to the next state. Catch up with Dean Kazarnes, the Ultramarathon Man, on DVD at the AADL.

Thinking of adding a new friend to the family? The library can help if you decide to get the dog of your dreams. We carry DVDs on pet training! Check out our Dvds Your Pup Trained Solid, and Fun to Know Dog Training. These videos offer effective ways to train your dog on behaviors of obedience, pottying, jumping on guests, and other behaviors. These are wonderful videos that will make the training transition period for you and your new pet much smoother and enjoyable for everyone.