Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My Business; Houdini: The Great Escape; Mozart

Fame can be a double-edged electric knife: while carving one's initials in the public's mind can no doubt bring on a heady endorphin rush, for many celebrities the knife kicks back, cutting short careers and sometimes lives. Such was the case with singer/dancer Carmen Miranda, the subject of writer/director Helena Solberg's quirky biography Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My Business. The "Brazilian Bombshell" (who was actually Portuguese) rose to prominence in Brazil in the 1930's, before transporting her act to the Big Apple in 1939, where she would become an instant hit on Broadway and capture the eye of movie mogul Darryl F. Zanuck (who cast her in the 1940 hit Down Argentine Way). As her star rose in the North, however, it gradually fell in the South, where Brazilians felt their idol had become "Americanized" (in fact, Miranda made one trip back to Brazil, was jeered during a performance, and did not return for 14 years, after she'd suffered a nervous breakdown). The tragedy--one that befalls a number of Hollywood celebrities--was that Miranda became typecast quickly and was never able to break out of the mold: the singing/dancing lady who wore the bowl of fruit on her head. A vicious work schedule, an abusive husband, and various health problems eventually took their toll, and she died of a heart attack at the age of 46. Solberg's film weaves re-enactments, archival footage, and insightful interviews together in a compelling portrait of a very talented woman who was basically ground up by the system. Recommended. Audience: P. (R. Pitman)Escape artist Houdini, who barely made it into the fifth decade of his life, has been dead for seventy years, but people still hold séances on Halloween (his death date) in an effort to reach him, hoping for a sign he's escaped the ultimate prison. So far, he hasn't managed it. Yet he's such a part of 20th century culture that virtually everyone knows what it means to "pull a Houdini." And thanks to the era in which he lived, many of his most famous stunts have been recorded on film and preserved for years to come. Part of A&E's Biography series, Houdini includes lots of dazzling old footage, as well as interviews with a former Lovely Assistant and other experts on magic. Born Erich Weiss, son of a Hungarian rabbi, young Erich read the autobiography of French magician Robert Houdin, became inspired and took the stage name "Houdini" after the master. First appearing in Coney Island "dime museums," circuses and fairs, he eventually became the richest vaudevillian in the world. Ever the publicity hound, he was the first person to ever fly an airplane in Australia, in 1910. The airplane trip is a matter of recorded fact, but how he managed his "Chinese Water Torture" trick is still a tightly held secret. Except for interviews with the ever-obnoxious Penn Jillette (whom one wishes were as silent as his partner, Teller), this is an informative and enjoyable tape, certain to be welcome in most collections. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Reagan)If there were ever a Mt. Rushmore for composers, the three B's would certainly be joined by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This prolific musician, who died prematurely at the age of 32, left a musical legacy that is still the subject of awe today. Mozart, an episode in the highly-acclaimed A&E Biography series, paints a realistic picture of young Wolfgang. It might even be said that Mozart was the Kurt Cobain of his day; he lived fast, was adored by his fans, despaired of ever reaching the limits of his ambition, and dared to experiment with music in a way no other composer had. He was also popular with the women, quick to gamble, and the owner of one of the dirtiest mouths (and minds!) of all time. His letters to his girlfriends and his impassioned pleas for understanding from his domineering father are filled with scatological phrases of a kind to shock the proper minds of his day. But above all that, he could compose music that made the angels weep. The video presents contemporary musicians and biographers offering homage to Mozart, as well as generous excerpts from some of his works performed by such stalwarts as James Galway, Isaac Stern, and Joshua Bell. If you'd like to meet the man behind the magical music, this video succeeds admirably. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Carlson)