Larry Klein Movies

As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver on his campaign promise to combat global warming, the filmmakers at NOVA take a comprehensive look at California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's ambitious, yet controversial, plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions and promote energy efficiency. Known as AB 32 (Assembly Bill No. 32), the 2006 California law aims to rollback carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, while mandating a further eight percent reduction by 2050. No other political entity in the world has set their sites so high, but how will everyday Californians need to alter their lives in order to reach this lofty goal? By speaking with Governor Schwarzenegger, as well as the ordinary citizens and concerned businesspeople, NOVA offers equal time to both supporters and detractors of the plan. Could Governor Schwarzenegger's three-pronged approach to environmental salvation set a new standard in limiting our carbon footprint, as claimed, or will the plan ultimately sink the state's economy by forcing business people to move in order to avoid going bankrupt due to increased energy bills? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Among the many shocking images burned into America's collective consciousness after September 11, 2001, was the sight of the World Trade Center towers buckling and collapsing into dust after they'd been stuck by jetliners. How could two of the biggest and strongest commercial buildings in the world be so suddenly and dramatically reduced to rubble? Nova: Why the Towers Fell is a documentary (produced as part of the acclaimed PBS science series Nova) which looks at the engineering, design, and construction innovations that helped to make the construction of the WTC towers possible, and how these same virtues could have become deadly flaws in the wake of the attack. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

David Macaulay, the renowned author/ illustrator of The Way Things Work, has a knack for demystifying mechanical structures by explaining the engineering, physics, and human ingenuity that have gone into their design -- although in sum, his explanations usually make the man-made world seem ever more curious and phenomenal. In WGBH Boston's Building Big series, Macaulay visits the world's great architectural structures to tell their stories and the stories of the men who built them; here he discusses the unique design of the Hagia Sophia's dome, uses archival photos to literally reconstruct the Capitol Dome in Washington, DC, explains how (and why) a circus tycoon decided to build the Houston Astrodome, and explores the geodesic dome design of Buckminster Fuller. The video includes a mini dome-building exercise. ~ Sarah Welsh, All Movie Guide

David Macaulay, the renowned author/ illustrator of The Way Things Work, has a knack for demystifying mechanical structures by explaining the engineering, physics, and human ingenuity that have gone into their design -- although in sum, his explanations usually make the man-made world seem ever more curious and phenomenal. In WGBH Boston's Building Big series, Macaulay visits the world's great architectural structures to tell their stories and the stories of the men who built them; in this program he explores Boston's "Big Dig" project, explains how the first underwater automobile tunnel was built, and profiles the radical engineer who changed London's underground. He showcases the powerful machines that made construction of the Chunnel possible, and serves as guide through the tunnels beneath ancient Rome. The video also includes a mini tunnel-building activity. ~ Sarah Welsh, All Movie Guide

Fighting a high-tech war is quite different from the old methods of countless bullets and bombs. Nova travels to the testing ranges and observes as the military tries out these more effective means of destruction in Nova: War Machines of Tomorrow. During the Gulf War, the U.S. deployed "smart bombs," SCUDs, and other precision devices that could theoretically be counted upon to strike targets with certainty. Their successes and failures are analyzed. In the future, supremely accurate machines, suitable for battle in any environment, may greatly reduce the risk of losing American soldiers' lives. ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide

This video explores the many exotic smells circulating in the world around us. Who better to understand about the sense of smell than Sophia Grojsman, a master perfume designer. Grojsman invites us into her perfume lab and explains the way a successful scent is born. An effective perfume incorporates a delicate blend of top notes, middle notes, and bottom notes. Next, we follow our noses to sample a rainbow of scent, from frankincense and truffles to sweaty locker rooms. ~ Laura Mahnken, All Movie Guide