TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

The 1994 film A Christmas Romance , starring the great Olivia Newton-John , is a heartwarming story that reminds us of the true spirit of the holidays and is currently streaming on TheArchive ! Directed by Sheldon Larry , the film follows Julia Stonecypher, a widow with two young daughters struggling to make ends meet and face eviction. Then comes Brian Harding, a bank vice president who arrives to foreclose on Julia's home. Fate intervenes when Brian is injured and stranded at Julia's house, forcing him to spend Christmas with her family. What begins as an icy encounter transforms into a tender story of redemption, love, and the power of community. Olivia Newton-John's portrayal of Julia brings warmth and resilience to the screen. Her determination to create joy for her daughters despite their financial struggles is a testament to the holiday spirit. Also, Gregory Harrison’s character transforms from a cynical banker to a man elated by the kindness and joy Julia and her ...

Hanukkah- or Chanukah- officially begins on the evening of Thursday, December 7th. For those celebrating Hanukkah , the Festival of Lights, the first night marks the beginning of an eight-day event that is filled with meaning. The central Hanukkah custom revolves around the nightly lighting of the menorah. This symbolic object draws inspiration from the Temple lampstand and takes the form of a candelabra. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after a successful revolt by the Maccabees, a group of Jewish warriors, against the oppressive rule of the Seleucid King Antiochus IV. According to the story , when the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, they found only enough consecrated oil to light the menorah for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days.  It is a Jewish holiday that centers around unity, reflection, and resilience. Celebrate the beginning of Chanukah with us by watching the documentary It Is No Dream , narrated by Ben Kingsley ...

As Hanukkah and its festival of lights fills Jewish homes across the world, TheArchive shares  just eight of our many titles that celebrate that illumination: the perseverance of the Jewish people and the light brought to the world through their countless contributions even in their senseless passing. I Have Never Forgotten You , narrated by Nicole Kidman,  provides an intimate portrait of famed Nazi hunter and humanitarian, Simon Wiesenthal, looking closely at the sacrifices made by one of history's bravest men. Oscar winning documentary,  The Long Way Home , depicts the plight of Jewish refugees after World War II who contributed to the creation of the State of Israel.   The film examines the horrific conditions for Jewish refugees even in post-war Europe, as antisemitism was still prevalent and poverty the norm.  The formation of the State of Israel is explored, along with the ensuing debates around its formation. Narrated by Morgan Freeman,  ...