A while back, this "documentary" was being discussed here on JWD, so I took a look at the site of the director, and asked to be e-mailed on updates. I wanted to see the show since many people here had strong opinions of it. I haven't been able to view it in my area, so now it seems they are promoting a DVD version. Here is the e-mail:
KNOCKING DVD SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
August 21, 2006
www.knocking.org
ORDER DVD NOW
Go to
www.knocking.org and click on the "ORDER DVD NOW" button found in the upper left corner of the screen. Get 15% discount on orders of three or more DVDs.
SPECIAL DVD FEATURES
The DVD contains a 63-minute film festival version that is 10 minutes longer than what will be broadcast nationally in the United States on PBS in May 2007. The feature presentation is Closed Captioned in English. The DVD is "All Region" and will play on newer DVD players in Europe and Australia (it will not be compatible every DVD player outside North America, especially older models).
We’ve spent many months putting together lots of extra features on the DVD.
There are more than 3 hours of additional material, including:
* Short film about Jehovah's Witnesses and free speech cases at the U.S.
Supreme Court
* Behind-the-scenes interviews with the directors
* Segment on "Street Witnessing"
* Special lecture series. The lecture series features expanded interviews with leading experts in the areas of civil liberties, medical ethics and Holocaust history. Each expert comments on the contributions of Jehovah's Witnesses. There are also rare, official interviews with representatives of the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses
* Study and discussion guide. A printed 48-page booklet comes with each DVD, providing in-depth historical and social analysis. Extra copies can be opened and printed from the DVD on your computer.
AWARDS
KNOCKING has played at a number of film festivals and has won several awards. It will be broadcast nationally in the United States on the PBS series "Independent Lens" in May 2007. Get your own sneak preview by ordering the DVD now.
Film Festival awards:
*Best Documentary, Jury Award, 2006 USA Film Festival (Dallas) *Best Documentary, Jury Award, 2006 Trenton Film Festival (New Jersey) *Best Documentary, Audience Award, 2006 Indianapolis International Film Festival *Best First Film, Jury Award, 2006 Long Island International Film Expo (New
York)
*Official Selection, 2006 Cleveland International Film Festival
WHAT WAS WATCHTOWER’S ROLE?
The New York-based Watchtower Society directs the worldwide ministry of Jehovah's Witnesses. It publishes the Watchtower magazine and other religious books and journals distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses. Viewers who would like to know more about the role of the Watchtower Society in the production of KNOCKING may call Watchtower at 718-560-5600 (weekdays between 8am and 5pm Eastern time). KNOCKING is an independent film production.
Watchtower cooperated with the film's producers, providing them with archival material, granting interviews and permitting their cameras access to Watchtower's headquarters. KNOCKING's camera crews were also allowed to film at a district convention of Jehovah's Witnesses, inside local Kingdom Halls and accompany Witnesses in the door-to-door visitation work.
Watchtower had no editorial control over the program, but the producers provided an advance courtesy screening of the completed film.
WHAT ARE VIEWERS SAYING?
"I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I think KNOCKING would be a favorable screening for Witnesses and non-Witnesses alike. I had the pleasure of being at the screening of your documentary in Trenton, New Jersey at our city's recent film festival. I found KNOCKING to be fresh, enlightening and fair."
Terri Taylor
New Jersey
"KNOCKING was a knockout! It was fair, honest and factual. You couldn't have picked better subjects than the Kempler and Thomas families. Best of all, it was told by non-witnesses. Congratulations."
Ellen Williams and Anna Turner
Long Island, New York
"We wanted to let you all know that we really appreciated the fair depiction of Jehovah's Witnesses contained in your film. Four of us from Cleveland, Ohio traveled to Flint, Michigan to see it, and it was wonderful. We all cried as we watched the movie! Once again, thank you for an accurate and interesting portrayal of Jehovah's Witnesses. We look forward to seeing the DVD."
Marla Roberts, Lashella Carroll, Sonya Parker and Paulette Murray Cleveland, Ohio
"I just got in from the Long Island screening of Knocking and I had to write to express my feelings. It was wonderful! As one of Jehovah's witnesses for
35 years, I was a little wary when I first heard about this film. I've been used to inaccurate reports from the media over the years and was thrilled to experience your fair and accurate documentary. I shed a few tears during the sections dealing with Seth Thomas and his father, and of course the experiences of Joseph Kempler. Thank you for your film and for being fair and accurate about our beliefs and way of life."
Alick C. Samuels
Cambria Heights, New York
"I was very impressed with your film and its four perspectives: 1) the blood issue; 2) our relationship with non-JW family members; 3) JWs & the Nazis;
4) JWs and civil rights. The delivery of these very important issues was nicely demonstrated in the film. When I returned home I immediately told my friends and family about this wonderful film. Thank you for your fairness and good research."
Helen Cole
New York
"Thank you so much for giving our beliefs a fair shake."
Luanne Longan
Retired English professor, Gadsden State Community College
WHAT ARE PROFESSIONALS SAYING?
"Riveting and illuminating. KNOCKING takes us inside the world of Jehovah's Witnesses in a way that is utterly surprising and moving."
-- Anderson Cooper, CNN
"A compelling documentary. KNOCKING affirms the principle that in a free society, the protection of religious liberty and the advancement of personal freedoms need not be competing values."
-- Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union
"A thoughtful telling of an important, often-overlooked story about essential American issues."
-- Jon Meacham, Managing Editor, Newsweek
"KNOCKING contains a wonderful surprise: It shows how science and religion, with worldviews that rarely overlap, can reach a common goal
– the use of less blood in medicine – even if for very different reasons."
-- Arthur Caplan, Chair, Department of Medical Ethics, University of Pennsylvania
"An absorbing account of a misunderstood religious movement and its relationship to contemporary culture. KNOCKING raises important questions about how we know and how we consider the religious "other," and through its own presentation, causes us to re-think the way media represent them."
-- Stewart M. Hoover, Director, Center for Media, Religion and Culture, University of Colorado
BULK DISCOUNT
Receive a 15% discount when purchasing 3 or more DVDs. Regular price of each DVD is $29.95.
LIMITED FIRST RUN
Guarantee your copy. We are making a limited first-run of DVDs to assess interest. If you want one of these first DVDs, best to pre-order now.
Pre-orders will be shipped between Sept. 15-30. If interest is high, we will produce more DVDs.
HOW TO PAY
We accept most credit cards through a secure online shopping cart. Checks and money orders are also accepted. Go to
www.knocking.org and click on the "ORDER DVD NOW" button found in the upper left corner of the screen to begin the secure online ordering process. Only the "regular shipping" option is available for this pre-order period. DVDs will be shipped between Sept.
15-30.
I thought the "reviews" provided by those who went to screenings were so biased since many are witnesses. I understand that you are not going to have bad reviews when you are selling something, but I wondered if anyone here has seen it, are have some other feedback.
Karen