Video Librarian Highly Recommends 'Westinghouse' DVD

The Janson Media DVD Westinghouse: The Life & Times of An American Icon (1 x 112') was highly recommended in a recent review by Video Librarian. The documentary is praised for objectively chronicling George Westinghouse's career of 'unprecedented triumphs and near-tragic losses.' Well documented in the film is the long standing conflict between Westinghouse and fellow inventor Thomas Edison. The two battled over a number of developments including currents (AC vs DC), electrical rates and patents, leaving many to debate and compare their legacies. Coincidentally today also marks the anniversary of Edison's first successful trial of the incandescent electric light bulb even though it is believed that Westinghouse's alternating current prevailed over Edison's direct current. The efforts of both inventors would go on to set the stage for the future of the American electricity system.

&'The name of inventor and industrialist George Westinghouse (1846-1914) is familiar to most, thanks to the household appliances that bear his name, but much less is known about the man"s remarkable legacy of innovation and beneficent corporate management. A modest bear of a man, Westinghouse was one of the few American industrialists powerful enough to challenge and ultimately defeat Thomas Edison in &'the battle of the currents,&' resulting in the systems of electrical generation and distribution that continue to this day. Westinghouse"s story is engagingly told in this fascinating feature-length, hi-def shot documentary chronicling his rollercoaster career of unprecedented triumphs and near-tragic losses. In addition to focusing on Westinghouse"s creative partnership with pioneering scientist-inventor Nikola Tesla, Westinghouse restores its subject"s status as an inventor whose achievements matched and sometimes exceeded Edison"s. To some viewers, the glowingly positive tone here might seem like hagiography, but there"s enough objective detail to remind us of the fact that Westinghouse was truly one of the greatest American inventors. DVD extras include an audio commentary and bonus interviews. Highly recommended. Editor"s Choice. Four Stars&' -Video Librarian

Westinghouse is a feature-length documentary about the life and times of George Westinghouse, his companies, legacy, personality, partnership with Nikola Telsa, and conflict with Thomas Edison. Westinghouse may be most famous for the massive companies that he created, but the man called &'Uncle George&' was a reserved creative giant who went out of his way to treat his workforce with dignity and respect.

Video Librarian is the video review magazine for public, school, academic, and special libraries, as well as video fans who are interested in a wider variety of titles than what"s found in the average video store. Written by staff, librarians, teachers, and film critics, Video Librarian offers over 225 critical reviews per issue, alerting readers to upcoming new releases of special-interest, documentary, and video movie titles.