# |
Title |
Director |
Writer |
Rated |
Year |
Studio |
Genre |
961 |
-30- (Warner Archive) |
Jack Webb |
|
Unrated |
1959 |
WB |
Television |
-30- (Warner Archive) Jack Webb
Theatrical: 1959
Studio: WB
Genre: Television
Duration: 96
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Dec 2010
Summary: EXTRA! SEE ALL ABOUT IT! From The Front Page to All the President's Men to State of Play, movies have long found a newspaper office to be a lively source of colorful characters and human drama. It's ideal for the brisk style of Jack Webb (Dragnet) - a world Webb explores in a film taking its title from the "-30-" reporters place at the end of a story. In -30-, newshounds race against the clock to fill the empty page with stories that will become part of America's next morning alongside a cup of coffee. Webb leads the way, playing the night editor of a big-city paper whose staff includes William Conrad, David Nelson, Joe Flynn and Richard Deacon. From 3 PM till midnight, they'll ride the adrenaline rush of dramas that shape the world and their own lives. Come next day, they'll gladly do it again. -30- "This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply."
- Jack Webb
- William Conrad
- David Nelson
|
962 |
.45 |
|
|
R |
2007 |
Velocity / Thinkfilm |
Action & Adventure |
.45
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: Velocity / Thinkfilm
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 97
Rated: R
Date Added: 10 Jan 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Milla Jovovich stars as Kat, a beautiful bad girl with a passion for guns and danger. Stuck in a life of crime and controlled by her ruthless, drug-dealing boyfriend Big Al (Angus Macfadyen), she wants more than what he has to offer. When Kat starts making her own deals and Big Al’s sidekick (Stephen Dorff) professes his love for her, tensions rise and jealousy explodes. Desperate to start a better life, Kat knows revenge is the only answer. Now, with help on her side, she can take down Big Al once and for all.
|
963 |
3 Extremes |
Chan-wook Park, Fruit Chan, Takashi Miike |
Chan-wook Park, Bun Saikou, Haruko Fukushima, Lilian Lee |
R |
2004 |
Lions Gate |
Art House & International |
3 Extremes Chan-wook Park, Fruit Chan, Takashi Miike
Theatrical: 2004
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 125
Rated: R
Writer: Chan-wook Park, Bun Saikou, Haruko Fukushima, Lilian Lee
Date Added: 20 Jun 2010
Languages: Japanese, Korean Subtitles: English, Spanish
Summary: The idea of unleashing three of Asia's wildest directors in the same omnibus film is a terrific one, and putting the likes of Miike Takashi and Park Chan-wook to work in the "Twilight Zone"-style mini-feature is mouth-watering for fans. (Just look at what happened when Miike made an installment of Showtime's "Masters of Horror" series--it was deemed too crazy for broadcast.) Alas, the results are a letdown. First up, "Dumplings," is from Hong Kong's Fruit Chan, and it's the most cogent (and ickiest) of the bunch. Bai Ling plays a specialist in preparing dumplings that promise to restore youth and health for her customers; the weird part is she also runs a particular clinic on her premises. Ugh. The Korean offering from Park Chan-wook is "Cut," a warp on filmmaking about a self-centered director who gets trapped at his home (or is it the set of his new movie?) by a deranged former extra. The sadistic machinations here make Hannibal Lecter look reasonable, and the segment gets points for weirdness, but Park's take on revenge fantasies is much more exciting in "Oldboy" and "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance". Miike represents Japan with "Box," which really is in the spirit of an old "Outer Limits" episode, complete with a "gotcha" ending that doesn't seem worth the trouble. Sure, twins are always a good topic for horror, but this segment is a long way to travel for not much. All three segments look good--there's little hint of the grindhouse cheapie here--but overall it's a disappointment. "--Robert Horton"
- Ling Bai
- Byung-hun Lee
- Kyoko Hasegawa
- Pauline Lau
- Tony Leung Ka Fai
|
964 |
3 Extremes 2 |
Ji-woon Kim, Nonzee Nimibutr, Peter Chan |
Ji-woon Kim, Chao-Bin Su, Ek Iemchuen, Jo Jo Yuet-chun Hui, Matt Chow |
R |
|
Lions Gate |
Art House & International |
3 Extremes 2 Ji-woon Kim, Nonzee Nimibutr, Peter Chan
Theatrical:
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 140
Rated: R
Writer: Ji-woon Kim, Chao-Bin Su, Ek Iemchuen, Jo Jo Yuet-chun Hui, Matt Chow
Date Added: 20 Jun 2010
Languages: English, Korean, Thai Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Three Extremes took you to the edge, now Three Extremes II pushes you over with three more nightmarish tales of terror from Kim Jee-Woon (A Tale of Two Sisters), Nonzee Nimibutr (Nang Nak) and Peter Chan (Producer of The Eye, The Eye 2 and Three Extremes).
- Leon Lai
- Hye-su Kim
- Bo-seok Jeong
- Suwinit Panjamawat
- Eric Tsang
|
965 |
3:10 to Yuma (1957) |
Delmer Daves |
|
NR |
1957 |
Sony Pictures |
Westerns: Classic |
3:10 to Yuma (1957) Delmer Daves
Theatrical: 1957
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Westerns: Classic
Duration: 92
Rated: NR
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Spanish, French Subtitles: English, French
Sound: Unknown
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Struggling rancher and family man Van Heflin sneaks captured outlaw Glenn Ford out from under the eyes of his gang and nervously awaits the prison train in this tight, taut Western in the "High Noon" tradition. Adapted from an Elmore Leonard story, this tense Western thriller is boiled down to its essential elements: a charming and cunning criminal, an initially reluctant hero whose courage and resolution hardens along the way, and a waiting game that pits them in a battle of wills and wits. Glenn Ford practically steals the film in one of his best performances ever: calm, cool, and confident, he's a ruthless killer with polite manners and an honorable streak. Director Delmer Daves ("Broken Arrow") sets it all in a harsh, parched frontier of empty landscapes, deserted towns, and dust, creating a brittle quiet that threatens to snap into violence at any moment. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Glenn Ford
- Van Heflin
- Felicia Farr
- Leora Dana
- Henry Jones
|
966 |
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days |
Cristian Mungiu |
|
R |
2007 |
IFC Films |
Art House & International |
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days Cristian Mungiu
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: IFC Films
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 113
Rated: R
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: ENDlanguages--> Subtitles: English
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: There was a loud outcry when Romania's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" failed to garner a 2008 Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film, and it could certainly be argued that this extraordinary movie was unfairly overlooked. At the very least, had it been nominated, it would have offered a stark contrast to Best Picture contender "Juno". Whereas the latter is a funny, touching tale of a teenage girl who decides to find more suitable parents for her soon-to-be-born child, "4 Months" is a decidedly bleak look at a time and place when one of the two alternatives to adoption (i.e., keeping the child) is beyond consideration and the other is an illegal, highly dangerous last resort. It takes a while for the viewer to realize that abortion is the subject of director Cristian Mungiu's film; for the first 40 minutes or so, all we know is that Otilia (Anamaria Marinca) and Gabita (Laura Vasiliu), college roommates in a country still controlled by the Ceausescu dictatorship, are up to something they'd prefer to keep secret. Gabita, it develops, is pregnant. She is also an innocent, scared screw-up who's unable to handle any of the necessary details involved in solving her problem, which obliges the far more capable Otilia to take care of everything from booking the hotel and meeting the abortionist to buying black market cigarettes for the pair. What follows is anything but cute, clever, or romantic. Mr. Bebe (Vlad Ivanov), the abortionist, is a straightforward but frightening character who demands more than money for his services. Meanwhile, Adi, Otilia's boyfriend, is a decent but essentially clueless fellow who insists that she attend his mother's birthday party on the very day that the two girls have checked into the hotel where Gabita's procedure takes place; the two scenes in which we meet Bebe and Adi's parents, reveal Mongiu's mastery of his medium and are at once intense, discomfiting, and completely riveting. And if Oscar voters missed the boat, many other didn't: among numerous other plaudits for the film was the '07 Palme d'Or at Cannes. "--Sam Graham"
- Anamaria Marinca
- Laura Vasiliu
- Vlad Ivanov
- Alexandru Potocean
- Ion Sapdaru
|
967 |
4D Man |
Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr. |
|
Unrated |
1959 |
Image Entertainment |
Horror |
4D Man Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Theatrical: 1959
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Duration: 85
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: He walks through walls of solid steel and stone--into the 4th dimension. Scientific whiz Tony Nelson (James Congdon) has made an amazing discovery. He has developed a method of stimulating the molecular structure of objects so that they can be joined or passed through one another. Stumbling upon this incredible secret is Tony's older brother, Scott (Robert Lansing), a fellow scientist who decides to take the experiment one step further. Soon he is able to pass himself through doors and walls. But his newfound freedom of movement has unforeseen side effects, for each time the power is used, Scott ages a bit and only by touching other living beings, thus taking their lives, can he maintain his age. In addition, this incredible force is driving him quite mad...
- Robert Lansing
- Lee Meriwether
- James Congdon
- Robert Strauss
- Edgar Stehli
|
968 |
5 Fingers |
Joseph L. Mankiewicz |
Michael Wilson |
Universal, suitable for all |
1952 |
Optimum Home Entertainment |
Classics |
5 Fingers Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Theatrical: 1952
Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment
Genre: Classics
Duration: 103
Rated: Universal, suitable for all
Writer: Michael Wilson
Date Added: 08 May 2009
Summary: This was a blind buy and I was slightly doubtful about it. But it was from the director of "All about Eve", one of my favourite directors and one of my favourite films. I needed not worry: "5 Fingers" is a great spy thriller that caught me from beginning to end. It's 1944 and the valet of the British Ambassador in Turkey starts selling top secret documents to the Germans. James Mason as the suave anti-hero of this film gives one of his best performances. You truly want him to get away with it, simply because of his charm, wit and intelligence. As for the UK DVD it has no extras which is rather annoying - especially since the French release has quite a few.
- James Mason
- Danielle Darrieux
- Michael Rennie
- Walter Hampden
- Oskar Karlweis
- Norbert Brodine Cinematographer
- James B. Clark Editor
|
969 |
5ive Girls |
Warren P. Sonoda |
Warren P. Sonoda |
Unrated |
|
Cutting Edge |
Television |
5ive Girls Warren P. Sonoda
Theatrical:
Studio: Cutting Edge
Genre: Television
Duration: 95
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Warren P. Sonoda
Date Added: 20 Dec 2010
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Five new wayward students who possess supernatural skills rebel against a father and a demonic headmistress of an all girls Catholic school. -In the style of TV’s "Charmed" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" -Featuring Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Hellboy 2)
- Ron Perlman
- Jennifer Miller
- Jordan Madley
- Terra Vnesa
- Barbara Mamabolo
- Curtis Petersen Cinematographer
- David Mitchell Cinematographer
- James P. Villeneuve Editor
|
970 |
6 Films to Keep You Awake |
|
|
Unrated |
|
Lions Gate |
Art House & International |
6 Films to Keep You Awake
Theatrical:
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 456
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 23 Oct 2008
Languages: Spanish Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: DVD Active....
The box art for Lionsgate's release of 6 Films to Keep You Awake gives zero indication as to its country of origin. I assumed at first that the set was just six horror films Lionsgate had acquired that they didn't think would survive a standalone release. When I discovered the films were Spanish in origin I assumed that 6 Films to Keep You Awake was the Spanish equivalent to the After Dark Horrorfest. A little more research revealed that the collection is more comparable to Showtime's Masters of Horror television series. Given the pedigree of the participants, and the short runtime of each film, I found myself looking forward to this experience.
The Baby's Room
A couple and their newborn arrive at their new home, a beautiful old house that has been renovated to meet their every need. However, there is an entity living in the baby's room, which can be heard over the baby's monitor, and later seen on a closed circuit camera. Is it human, a ghost, or are the tenants simply going insane?
Álex de la Iglesia's name alone was enough to make me want to watch The Baby's Room first. Iglesia is one of filmdom's best kept secrets. As a director he always brings an original and humourous flair to his projects, mixing the best elements of energetic directors like Sam Raimi and the Coen Brothers, while never stooping to style over substance shortcomings. Even in the case of this rather seriously minded and relatively realistic horror film, Iglesia is sure to inject his special brand of realistic levity. The dialogue is witty, and the thickly drawn characters act like real people would in a really bad situation.
The Baby's Room is, unfortunately, not an original story by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it's really a patch quilt mix of the plots of several other films. Things start off in the Asian Horror mode as Iglesia conjures memories of Ju-On's haunted house shenanigans, then scoots into Sutter territory for a couple potent video imagery scares. This leads into several Shinning parables, along with some sci-fi-ish elements that I won't spoil. Baby's Room also shares a lot in common with the more recent The Orphanage, though Inglesia's television film was released before Juan Antonio Bayona expertly crafted ghost drama.
The Specter
An elderly writer visits the small coastal village where he was born and raised. He reminisces of his childhood, and the beautiful, mysterious woman he's been unable to forget. As he walks through his old village he catches ghostly glimpses of the same woman, and recalls the dark story of their forbidden love affair.
The Specter (aka: Regreso a Moira, which I notice does not translate to The Specter) is an exceedingly classy movie, utilizing very few jump scares, very little gore, while exploiting very real human emotions. Even the use of nudity is slickly artistic, and never gratuitous. Director Mateo Gil isn't very well known for his directing work, but he co-wrote several of Alejandro Amenábar's better films ( Tesis, Abre Los Ojos and The Sea Inside), which in the absence of Amenábar is good enough for me.
The narrative's back and forth momentum is never difficult to keep track of, but up until the very, very end the story is engaging on a very emotional level. Even with the supernatural elements, and a few gory bits I don't think I'd call The Specter a horror film, it's more of a haunting drama. In fact, the whole story really works better when it isn't engaging itself in horror elements. For his part Gil utilizes unassuming music and repetitive procedural imagery to create artificial suspense, which leads to an overall uneasy feel that fulfills at least some of horror expectations. The Specter is a good film, but with just a bit of tinkering it could've been great.
A Real Friend
Ten-year-old Estrella spends a lot of time alone at home...or so it appears to everyone else. Like many children, she has imaginary friends, but hers are a bit different. Her friends are monsters. One day, Estrella makes friends with a new monster, a vampire that seems to be a little more real than the others.
A Real Friend is one of the more original and whimsical features in the set, and probably the only one with much E.C. Comics influence, meaning that it's kind of like a really good episode of Tales From the Crypt. This is a blessing and a curse, because even a really good episode of Tales From the Crypt is only a really good episode of Tales From the Crypt. A Real Friend moves like a padded short subject, much like many of the lackluster Masters of Horror episodes, and its twists are telegraphed.
I'm only familiar with one credit on writer/director Enrique Urbizu's C.V., and that's the screenplay for Roman Polanski's truly awful Ninth Gate. Urbizu isn't too flashy, but he explores dark spaces and suspense with a quiet efficiency, and has a charming sense of humour (the faux Leatherface that Angela dreams up is a constant source of adorable laughs). One of the weaker episodes in construction, but a fine shot at something a little different.
The Christmas Tale
A group of children playing in the woods find a woman dressed as Santa Claus who has fallen to the bottom of a well. After some armature detective work they discover their new friend is a thief on the run with a substantial haul. The kids make the trapped thief an offer--her freedom for the money. But some of the children aren't sure that they can trust the thief, and go back on the deal.
The Christmas Tale ( Cuento de navidad) is packed to the rafters with homage to childhood in the mid 1980s. The `gang of kids' set up is straight out of The Goonies (or if you prefer Monster Squad), as is the heroes' penchant for contraption and booby trap construction. Little Tito wears a Karate Kid headband, practices the moves from the film, and plays the Close Encounters them on his whistle. One of the kids sports the exact jacket that Elliot wears in E.T., and when code names are needed they use members of the A-Team, except Moni (played by Ivana Baquero one year before she'd win a Goya for Pan's Labyrinth), who is dubbed Princess Leia. You can even catch someone reading a [i]V: The Invasion comic book if you look really close.
But even as a love letter to nostalgia, director Paco Plaza and writer Luis Berdejo (whose other work I am entirely unfamiliar with) don't skimp on the plotting or character development. The audiences alliances are convincingly changed from scene to scene as some of the kids push the game too far, and later, as their captive's capabilities are reveled. I had a general idea as to where this story was going to end, but Plaza and Berdejo managed to keep me guessing with their character's reactions. I'd argue that the film even captures the essence of childhood shenanigans more honestly then Donner did in Goonies, displaying the children's lack of naiveté and innocents without making them into hateful little monsters.
The Christmas Tale is the most cleverly shot of all six films. Plaza uses the camera to explore point of view in all the characters. To better align the audiences point of view with the children, and to make their isolation from the adult world more palpable, every adult except for the antagonistic thief has his or her face obscured, like something out of a Peanuts cartoon. The visual style also assists in selling the many homage driven jokes. Despite its obvious dark side, The Christmas Tale is also the most genuinely funny of the six films, and its whimsy will surely win over even the harshest of critics.
The Blame
Ana, a respected gynecologist, invites a nurse and friend from the hospital (and her daughter) to live with her, and act as an assistant. The house, a section of which is used as a private clinic, is light, cheerful and peaceful. However, something sinister lies beneath the veneer of contentment. Once her new `family' has moved in, Ana reveals that her private practice is in fact an abortion clinic. Soon after strange events begin to transpire.
The Blame ( La Culpa) is directed by one Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, the man behind Who Can Kill a Child, a little known B-thriller that thoroughly shocked me with it's brilliant filmmaking. To Blame is not exactly brilliantly crafted, but it is very eloquently filmed, and expertly acted. I have to admit that I was a little uncomfortable with what could be construed as the film's `messages'. Dr. Ana is a fully developed character, not a thinly layered stereotype, but at her base she's still a lecherous lesbian that basically talks women into having unnecessary abortions. My socially liberal tendencies made this a little difficult to accept, but in the end my anti-politically correct tendencies won out, and I respected the filmmakers for making any kind of stand on the issue.
If Six Films to Keep You Awake is the Spanish answer to Masters of Horror, then The Blame must be the Spanish answer to John Carpenter's Pro-Life. I gave Pro-Life a decent review, but have since sort of changed my mind, as in a second viewing the joy of Carpenter's schlock kind of wore off. The Blame has the audacity of a point of view (or so I think, perhaps I'm reading too much into it), and classiness of a serious drama. The plot twists can be seen from miles away, but Serrador tosses out enough red herring to keep us on our toes.
To Let
Carolina and Tony have looked at dozens of potential apartments, and none of them have worked. When their realtor assures them that a newly refurbished and renovated apartment will be a perfect fit, they decide to check it out. Upon arrival, they find an abandoned and decrepit building without any residents in sight. They go up to the 3rd floor and enter the apartment, and find their own belongs already on the shelves.
To Let ( Para Entrar a Vivir) director Jaume Balagueró is a pretty big name in Spanish thrillers. Three of his films have even found nominal success Stateside ( The Nameless, Darkness, and Fragile), and he apparently co-directed the critically acclaimed REC with Christmas Story director Paco Plaza. I actually haven't seen any of these films, but I recognize every one of their names. To Let is one of the bloodier entries in the series, but despite some gory thrills and gritty suspense, I also found it to be one of the blandest.
The acting is sharp, especially Nuria González as the malevolent building super, the atmosphere is thick, and the suspense is taut, but Balagueró's storyline boils down to just another survival horror movie, and I'm pretty bored with survival horror. I've seen Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Hills Have Eyes, and I've seen their remakes, I really didn't need to see another crazy family tale, even if it's quite well made.
Video
All six films are comparably presented in good but not great anamorphic video, though the actual framing differs slightly from 1.78 to 1.85 in a few cases. Compression artefacts and print damage is minimal, but general sharpness is lacking. Many details are obscured by a fuzzy lack of definition (especially in A Real Friend, which often utilizes softer focus). The problem is minimal enough to ignore. Black levels are pretty weak, and the overall contrast doesn't help matters, especially in the case of Specter, which is a little more monochromatic in its presentation. The candy colours of Christmas Tale suffer a bit of muting, but are generally the most impressive of all six films.
Audio
Again, all six films are comparable in their presentation. The 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish track are all relatively average, if not even a little disappointing. It's often hard to swear that these aren't actually television friendly 2.0 mixes. All six filmmakers have their share of clever and creepy surround effects, but the aggressive stuff is few and far between. The dialogue tracks are all perfectly clean, clear, and centered, and they feature very little bleeding or volume inconsistency. Each musical score is different enough to impress, though the recordings are a bit flat, revealing a little more of the limited budget then likely intended.
Extras
Each disc features a brief behind the scenes featurette and a trailer for Brian Yuzna's Beneath Still Waters (I guess because it was filmed in Spain?). The featurettes are similar to those that adorn the Anchor Bay Masters of Horror season two releases, though with a little less structure and a little more raw behind the scenes footage. Overall I'd call them informative but fluffy.
Overall
I assumed I'd enjoy 6 Films to Keep You Awake, but found my expectations surpassed rather admirably. I wouldn't go so far as to call the collection a `must see', but it thoroughly blows our Masters of Horror series out of the water with the class of its acting, direction, cinematography, and all around production value. If offered singly I'd recommend Christmas Tale and Baby's Room above the others, but for twenty bucks or less, I'd say this one's worth owning.
Baby's Room: 7/10
The Specter: 6/10
A Real Friend: 6/10
Christmas Tale: 7/10
The Blame: 6/10
To Let: 6/10
- 6 Films to Keep You Awake
|
971 |
8 1/2 - Criterion Collection |
Federico Fellini |
|
NR |
1963 |
Criterion |
Art House & International |
8 1/2 - Criterion Collection Federico Fellini
Theatrical: 1963
Studio: Criterion
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 138
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: Italian Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Federico Fellini's 1963 semi-autobiographical story about a worshipped filmmaker who has lost his inspiration is still a mesmerizing mystery tour that has been quoted (Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories", Paul Mazursky's "Alex in Wonderland") but never duplicated. Marcello Mastroianni plays Guido, a director trying to relax a bit in the wake of his latest hit. Besieged by people eager to work with him, however, he also struggles to find his next idea for a film. The combined pressures draw him within himself, where his recollections of significant events in his life and the many lovers he has left behind begin to haunt him. The marriage of Fellini's hyperreal imagery, dreamy sidebars, and the gravity of Guido's increasing guilt and self-awareness make this as much a deeply moving, soulful film as it is an electrifying spectacle. Mastroianni is wonderful in the lead, his woozy sensitivity to Guido's freefall both touching and charming--all the more so as the character becomes increasingly divorced from the celebrity hype that ultimately outpaces him. "--Tom Keogh"
- Bruno Agostini
- Anouk Aimée
- Guido Alberti
- Caterina Boratto
- Claudia Cardinale
|
972 |
10.5 / Category 6: Day of Destruction |
|
|
Unrated |
|
Lions Gate |
Action & Adventure |
10.5 / Category 6: Day of Destruction
Theatrical:
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 339
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Sep 2009
Summary: 10.5 - Seattle, Washington: dawn. An earthquake trembles with a 7.9 magnitude. It's the biggest natural disaster to hit the West Coast in over a century. The aftershock hits Northern California, reaching 8.4, splitting the earth and swallowing a train as it cruises along the landscape. The chance of an aftershock being greater than the quake is virtually unprecedented. Dr. Samantha Hill (Kim Delaney), an expert on hidden fault lines, and the President of the United States (Beau Bridges) must race against time to save the lives of millions. CATEGORY 6 - Nature strikes out with unfathomable fury as the unimaginable becomes a terrifying reality. Three twisters descend upon Las Vegas leaving a neon wasteland in their wake. Hurricanes tear through the Gulf Coast without warning. Record-high temperatures scorch the northeast. One-hundred-mile-an-hour winds tear across the south. Lightning storms ignite the sky. Wildfires blaze out of control. For Amy Harkin, a budding Chicago anchorwoman looking for her big break, the fear of these weather anomalies is second only to the dread of the inevitable repercussions: rolling coast-to-coast blackouts and the dwindling sources needed to revive them. With the worse power breakdown on record looming, an overload could cripple the nation and leave the entire population in the dark, without communication and vulnerable to unthinkable dangers.
|
973 |
12 Angry Men |
Sidney Lumet |
|
NR |
2008 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Classics |
12 Angry Men Sidney Lumet
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Classics
Duration: 96
Rated: NR
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: French, Spanish
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Sidney Lumet's directorial debut remains a tense, atmospheric (though slightly manipulative and stagy) courtroom thriller, in which the viewer never sees a trial and the only action is verbal. As he does in his later corruption commentaries such as "Serpico" or "Q & A", Lumet focuses on the lonely one-man battles of a protagonist whose ethics alienate him from the rest of jaded society. As the film opens, the seemingly open-and-shut trial of a young Puerto Rican accused of murdering his father with a knife has just concluded and the 12-man jury retires to their microscopic, sweltering quarters to decide the verdict. When the votes are counted, 11 men rule guilty, while one--played by Henry Fonda, again typecast as another liberal, truth-seeking hero--doubts the obvious. Stressing the idea of "reasonable doubt," Fonda slowly chips away at the jury, who represent a microcosm of white, male society--exposing the prejudices and preconceptions that directly influence the other jurors' snap judgments. The tight script by Reginald Rose (based on his own teleplay) presents each juror vividly using detailed soliloquies, all which are expertly performed by the film's flawless cast. Still, it's Lumet's claustrophobic direction--all sweaty close-ups and cramped compositions within a one-room setting--that really transforms this contrived story into an explosive and compelling nail-biter. "--Dave McCoy"
- Martin Balsam
- Ed Begley
- Edward Binns
- Rudy Bond
- Lee J. Cobb
- Boris Kaufman Cinematographer
|
974 |
13 Ghosts |
William Castle |
|
Unrated |
1960 |
Sony Pictures |
Horror: Classic |
13 Ghosts William Castle
Theatrical: 1960
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Horror: Classic
Duration: 84
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Portuguese Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Thai
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: This terrific haunted-house thriller proved an unforgettable experience for 1960 audiences. Set in the mansion of a deceased scientist named Dr. Zorba, the story finds the late occult practitioner's nephew discovering a bunch of elusive spooks on the premises that can be seen only through Zorba's ghost-viewing glasses. Produced and directed by legendary showman William Castle, master of such garish, audience-pleasing gimmicks as flying skeletons and electric-shock theater seats, "13 Ghosts" was hyped with an innovative process called "Illusion-O." Movie patrons were furnished with special, red-and-blue-colored glasses that allowed them to choose to see the titular specters or not. This DVD does not provide a working replica of the Illusion-O viewer (earlier copies did), but it offers both a straight, black-and-white version of the feature (no viewer necessary) and a version with the film's original tinted scenes requiring the viewer for extra fun. Also included is Castle's own introduction, in which he explains the Illusion-O technique. "--Tom Keogh"
- Rosemary DeCamp
- Margaret Hamilton
- Charles Herbert
- Roy Jenson
- Martin Milner
|
975 |
13 Rue Madeleine |
Henry Hathaway |
|
Universal, suitable for all |
1946 |
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment |
Cagney, James |
13 Rue Madeleine Henry Hathaway
Theatrical: 1946
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Genre: Cagney, James
Duration: 95
Rated: Universal, suitable for all
Date Added: 02 Apr 2009
Summary: What a totally brilliant film. I wasn't expecting much, just a good cagney film to pass the morning by, but no, this film totally gripped me and I was on the edge of my seat the whole length of the film. James is as usual his brilliant self and the other supporting actors really stand out. I really recomend this film.
- Frank Latimore
- Richard Conte
- James Cagney
- Melville Cooper
- Sam Jaffe
|
976 |
13: Game of Death |
Chukiat Sakveerakul |
Eakasit Thairatana |
Unrated |
2006 |
Weinstein Company |
Art House & International |
13: Game of Death Chukiat Sakveerakul
Theatrical: 2006
Studio: Weinstein Company
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 114
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Eakasit Thairatana
Date Added: 12 Feb 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Intense thriller about a man who is given the chance to complete 13 challenges for the chance to win $100 million. The challenges get more and more intense, dangerous and grotesque. At what point would you draw the line and give up $100 million?
- Krissada Terrence
- Achita Wuthinounsurasit
- Sarunyu Wongkrachang
- Nattapong Arunnate
- Alexander Rendel
|
977 |
20,000 Years In Sing Sing (Warner Archive) |
|
|
|
|
Warner Bros. |
Mystery & Suspense |
20,000 Years In Sing Sing (Warner Archive)
Theatrical:
Studio: Warner Bros.
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Duration: 77
Rated:
Date Added: 06 Aug 2009
Summary: Oscar and Golden Globe-winners Bette Davis ("All About Eve") and Spencer Tracy ("Guess Who's Coming to Dinner") star in this powerful drama about a girl who commits murder to protect her honor. The girl's boyfriend, who is a hardened criminal, takes the rap to protect her. Co-starring the talented Lyle Talbot ("42nd Street") and Arthur Byron ("The Mummy"). "This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply." "This disc is expected to play back in DVD Video "play only" devices, and may not play in other DVD devices, including recorders and PC drives."
|
978 |
20th Century Fox - The First 50 Years |
Kevin Burns |
Lester Shane |
NR |
1997 |
Image Entertainment |
Documentary |
20th Century Fox - The First 50 Years Kevin Burns
Theatrical: 1997
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 150
Rated: NR
Writer: Lester Shane
Date Added: 14 Feb 2009
Summary: Darryl Zanuck was an anomaly among Hollywood moguls, a studio head who rose from the ranks of writers and producers and never lost his respect for stories or screenwriters. "20th Century Fox: The First 50 Years", a whirlwind tour through the studio that Zanuck built, never reveals much of the man but ably documents his achievements. Writer-director Kevin Burns, who has made a career chronicling the studio's fortunes, spotlights Fox's industry-shaking innovations--the sound-on-film Movietone process in the late 1920s and the widescreen CinemaScope process in the early 1950s--and dives into the crisis of "Cleopatra", which threatened to bankrupt the studio. It was saved by a little musical by the name of "The Sound of Music". To illustrate the studio's early foray into TV production, he unearths extremely rare clips of telefilm remakes of Fox classics "Laura" (starring Robert Stack) and "Miracle on 34th Street" (with Thomas Mitchell). The balance of the portrait is an infomercial for the studio's greatest hits, a montage of classic film clips only intermittently spiced with interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Narrated by James Coburn, this documentary is an entertaining look at the changing face of Hollywood and the changing fortunes of its classiest studio. Though rarely as probing as it could be, it's pleasantly informative. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Julie Andrews
- Red Buttons
- Alice Faye
- Roddy McDowall
- Don Murray
|
979 |
28 Days Later |
Danny Boyle, Toby James |
|
R |
2003 |
20th Century Fox |
Drama |
28 Days Later Danny Boyle, Toby James
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Drama
Duration: 113
Rated: R
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: The director/producer team that created "Trainspotting" turn their dynamic cinematic imaginations to the classic science fiction scenario of the last people on Earth. Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma to find London deserted--until he runs into a mob of crazed plague victims. He gradually finds other still-human survivors (including Naomie Harris), with whom he heads off across the abandoned countryside to find the source of a radio broadcast that promises salvation. "28 Days Later" is basically an updated version of "The Omega Man" and other post-apocalyptic visions; but while the movie may lack originality, it makes up for it in vivid details and creepy paranoid atmosphere. "28 Days Later's" portrait of how people behave in extreme circumstances--written by novelist Alex Garland ("The Beach")--will haunt you afterward. Also featuring Brendan Gleeson ("The General, Gangs of New York") and Christopher Eccleston ("Shallow Grave, The Others"). "--Bret Fetzer"
- Ray Panthaki
- Lisa I'Anson
- Brendan Gleeson
- Danny Boyle
- Naomie Harris
|
980 |
28 Weeks Later |
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo |
|
R |
2007 |
20th Century Fox |
Horror |
28 Weeks Later Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Horror
Duration: 100
Rated: R
Date Added: 16 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: As an exercise in pure, unadulterated terror, "28 Weeks Later" is a worthy follow-up to its acclaimed predecessor, "28 Days Later". In this ultraviolent sequel from Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (hired on the strength of his 2001 thriller "Intacto"), over six months have passed since the first film's apocalyptic vision of London overrun by infectious, plague-ridden zombies. Just when it seems the "rage virus" has been fully contained, and London is in the process of slowly recovering, an extremely unfortunate couple (Robert Carlyle, Catherine McCormack) is attacked by a small band of rampaging "ragers," and the cowardly husband escapes while his wife is attacked and presumably infected. Their surviving children (Imogen Poots, Mackintosh Muggleton) fall under the protection of a U.S. Army sharpshooter (Jeremy Renner), but nobody's safe for long as "28 Weeks Later" goes into action-packed overdrive, with scene after blood-gushing scene of carnage and decimation. The film's visuals follow the look established in "28 Days Later", this time with bigger and better scenes of a nearly abandoned London on the brink of utter destruction. The military subplot gets a bold assist from Harold Perrineau (as a daring helicopter pilot) and Idris Elba (in a too-brief role as the military commander), and their firepower--not to mention the efficient lethality of helicopter blades--turns "28 Weeks Later" into a nonstop bloodbath that's way too intense for younger viewers and guaranteed to leave hardcore horror fans gruesomely satisfied. That's all there is to it--this film is almost plotless and dialogue is minimal throughout--but as a truly terrifying vision of survival amidst chaos, "28 Weeks Later" honors its origins and qualifies as a solid double-feature with "Children of Men". Could there be another sequel? Thanks to the "chunnel," the answer in this case is definitely oui. --"Jeff Shannon" Beyond "28 Weeks Later" "28 Weeks Later" on Blu-Ray "28 Days Later" More from Fox
Stills from "28 Weeks Later"
- Catherine McCormack
- Robert Carlyle
- Amanda Walker
- Shahid Ahmed
- Garfield Morgan
|
981 |
30 Days of Night |
David Slade |
|
R |
2007 |
Sony Pictures |
Horror |
30 Days of Night David Slade
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Horror
Duration: 113
Rated: R
Date Added: 16 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: David ("Hard Candy") Slade directs this nerve-jangling adaptation of the popular graphic novel series about a mob of vampires that overruns a remote Alaskan town in the grip of "30 Days of Night". Josh Hartnett and Melissa George are the film's de facto heroes (he's the stoic town sheriff and she's his estranged fire-marshal wife) but the picture's real MVP is Slade's camera (along with cinematographer Jo Willems), which careens across the town's snowy landscape to detail the vampires' horrific assault on its inhabitants, which are quickly pared down to a hardy few. The script, co-written by the source material's creator, Steve Niles, along with "Pirates of the Caribbean"'s Stuart Beattie and "Hard Candy"'s Brian Nelson), proudly wears its influences on its crimson-stained sleeve (Bram Stoker's "Dracula", natch, but also "Salem's Lot, Night of the Living Dead", and John Carpenter's version of "The Thing") and boils down the graphic novels to a series of tense and extremely bloody standoffs between Harnett and George's band of survivors and the vaguely Slavic and ferocious bloodsuckers led by Marlow (a feral and frightening Danny Huston). And if the characters seem stock and the finale begs suspension of disbelief, the set pieces leading up to it are sufficiently supercharged with suspense and violence to please most horror fans. Standouts in the supporting cast are Ben Foster as the film's Renfield figure and Mark Boone Junior; the disturbing score by Brian Reitzell also merits a mention. "--Paul Gaita" Stills from "30 Days of Night" (click for larger image) Beyond "30 Days of Night" On Blu-ray Audio CD Hardcover Book
- Josh Hartnett
- Melissa George
- Danny Huston
- Ben Foster
- Mark Rendall
|
982 |
The 39 Steps |
Alfred Hitchcock |
John Buchan, Charles Bennett |
Unrated |
1935 |
Criterion |
Mystery & Suspense |
The 39 Steps Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1935
Studio: Criterion
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Duration: 86
Rated: Unrated
Writer: John Buchan, Charles Bennett
Date Added: 14 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Academy Ratio
Comments: His First Picture Since "Monte Cristo" ROBERT DONAT
Summary: Hitchcock's first great romantic thriller is a prime example of the MacGuffin principle in action. Robert Donat is Richard Hannay, an affable Canadian tourist in London who becomes embroiled in a deadly conspiracy when a mysterious spy winds up murdered in Hannay's rented flat--and both the police and a secret organization wind up hot on his trail. With only a seemingly meaningless phrase ("the 39 steps"), a small Scottish town circled on a map, and a criminal mastermind identified by a missing finger as clues, quick-witted Hannay eludes police and spies alike as he works his way across the countryside to reveal the mystery and clear his name. At one point he finds himself making his escape manacled to blonde beauty Pamela (Madeleine Carroll), whose initial antagonism is smoothed by Hannay's charm and the sheer rush of her thrilling chase. It's classic Hitchcock all the way, a seemingly effortless balance of romance and adventure set against a picturesque landscape populated by eccentrics and social-register smoothies, none of whom is what he or she appears to be. Hitchcock would play similar games of innocents plunged into deadly conspiracies, most delightfully in "North by Northwest", but in this breezy 1935 classic, Hitch proves that, as in any quest, the object of the search isn't nearly as satisfying as the journey. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Peggy Ashcroft Margaret, crofter's wife
- Ivor Barnard
- Wilfrid Brambell
- Madeleine Carroll Pamela
- Frank Cellier Sheriff Watson
- Robert Donat Richard Hannay
- Lucie Mannheim Annabella aka Miss Smith
- Godfrey Tearle Professor Jordan
- John Laurie John, crofter
- Helen Haye Mrs. Jordan
- Wylie Watson Mr. Memory
- Gus McNaughton Commercial Traveller (as Gus MacNaughton)
- Jerry Verno Commercial Traveller
- Peggy Simpson Maid
|
983 |
The 40-Year-Old Virgin |
Judd Apatow |
|
Unrated |
2005 |
Universal Studios |
Comedy: Contemporary |
The 40-Year-Old Virgin Judd Apatow
Theatrical: 2005
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 133
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Spanish, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: AC-3
Summary: Cult comic actor Steve Carell--long adored for his supporting work on "The Daily Show" and in movies like "Bruce Almighty" and "Anchorman"--leaps into leading man status with "The 40 Year-Old Virgin". There's no point describing the plot; it's about how a 40 year-old virgin named Andy (Carell) finally finds true love and gets laid. Along the way, there are very funny scenes involving being coached by his friends, speed dating, being propositioned by his female manager, and getting his chest waxed. Carell finds both humor and humanity in Andy, and the supporting cast includes some standout comic work from Paul Rudd ("Clueless", "The Shape of Things") and Jane Lynch ("Best in Show", "A Mighty Wind"), as well as an unusually straight performance from Catherine Keener ("Lovely & Amazing", "Being John Malkovich"). And yet... something about the movie misses the mark. It skirts around the topic of male sexual anxiety, mining it for easy jokes, but never really digs into anything that would make the men in the audience actually squirm--and it's a lot less funny as a result. Nonetheless, there are many great bits, and Carell deserves the chance to shine. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Steve Carell
- Catherine Keener
- Paul Rudd
- Romany Malco
- Seth Rogen
|
984 |
42nd Street Forever! Grindhouse Universe |
|
|
|
|
Ban 1 Productions |
Exploitation / Cult |
42nd Street Forever! Grindhouse Universe
Theatrical:
Studio: Ban 1 Productions
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Duration: 160
Rated:
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Summary: 42nd Street Forever! Grindhouse Universe - Sensational Sexploitation Limited to 1000 copies with nearly three hours of exploitation trailers remasted from 35mm prints
|
985 |
42nd Street Forever! Horror on 42nd Street |
|
|
|
|
Ban 1 Productions |
Exploitation / Cult |
42nd Street Forever! Horror on 42nd Street
Theatrical:
Studio: Ban 1 Productions
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Rated:
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Summary: This hilarious 2004 dvd from Ban 1 Productions (almost completely different from the 2005 Synapse release of the same name) is chock-full of trashy exploitation trailers from the 70's (40 total, plus extras), including Salo:The 120 Days of Sodom (German theatrical), Creature with the Blue Hand, Chatterbox, Hooker's Revenge (AKA They Call Her One Eye), Dixie Dynamite, Vigilante Force, I Dismember Mama and Blood Spattered Bride combo, Black Christmas, Food of the Gods, The Crippled Masters, Women and Bloody Terror/Night of Bloody Horror combo, Welcome Home, Brother Charles (AKA Soul Vengeance), Shantytown Honeymoon, Savage Sisters, House of Missing Girls, and many more.
Perfect late night viewing for the grindhouse fanatic in all of us.
|
986 |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 1 - Weird Wild and Crazy |
|
|
Unrated |
2005 |
Synapse Films |
Exploitation / Cult |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 1 - Weird Wild and Crazy
Theatrical: 2005
Studio: Synapse Films
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Duration: 128
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby
Summary: 42nd Street Forever: Volume 1 Over 2 full hours of fun! A weird, wild and crazy collection of exploitation movie trailer promos from around the world, including: The Undertaker And His Pals, Flesh And Blood Show, Women And Bloody Terror/ Night Of Bloody Horror, I Dismember Mama/ Blood Splattered Bride, Corruption, The Butcher Of Binbrook, Ginger, Italian Stallion, Creampuffs, The 3 Dimensions Of Greta, Hard Candy, The Centerfold Girls, Panorama Blue, Wicked Wicked, Teenage Mother, Charlie And The Hooker, Matango, The Green Slime, Destroy All Monsters, The Crippled Master, Werewolves On Wheels, The Pink Angels, The Depraved (aka Exposed), They Call Her One Eye, Maid In Sweden, Behind Convent Walls, Secret Africa, Shocking Asia, Chappaqua, Welcome Home Brother Charles, The 44 Specialist, The Bullet Machine, Death Drive (aka Hitchhike), The Raiders Of Atlantis, Star Crash, Cofessions Of A Summer Camp Counsellor, Sunset Cove, Superfuzz, Death Will Have Your Eyes, Death Has Blue Eyes, A Black Veil For Lisa, Ironmaster, The Deadly Spawn, The Devil's Nightmare and MORE!
|
987 |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 2 - The Deuce |
|
|
Unrated |
2006 |
Synapse Films |
Exploitation / Cult |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 2 - The Deuce
Theatrical: 2006
Studio: Synapse Films
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Duration: 121
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 12 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: It's baaaaackkk! The 'greatest party DVD ever' returns with an all-new compilation of some of the most incredible trailers you've ever seen! Chock full of nudity sex violence monsters and mayhem this DVD will transport you back to the days in NYC when some of the greatest exploitation films of all time played around the clock... minus the drug addicts and sticky floors of course!System Requirements:Run Time: 120 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: N/A UPC: 654930305898 Manufacturer No: SFD0058
|
988 |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 3 - Exploitation Explosion |
Various |
|
NR |
2008 |
Synapse Films |
Exploitation / Cult |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 3 - Exploitation Explosion Various
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: Synapse Films
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Duration: 101
Rated: NR
Date Added: 12 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Synapse Films presents another volume in their best-selling series of classic exploitation trailers! Another mind-numbing ball-busting fist-punching and horror filled collection from the bygone days of New York City s classic 42nd Street theatres. Hold tight to your greasy popcorn and watered down soda because you will have a blast watching these amazing film trailers! This explosive collection transferred in high-definition will blow you through the back of your home theatre! Includes: SUDDEN DEATH JAGUAR LIVES! SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHERS KING FRAT SCORCHY DEMONOID KILLER FISH THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE and MORE!Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR/KILLER UPC: 654930308394 Manufacturer No: 308394
- William Smith
- Peter Fonda
- Dennis Quaid
- Linda Blair
- Leif Garrett
|
989 |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 4 - Cooled by Refrigeration |
Greydon Clark;Lucio Fulci;Ulli Lommel;Jonathan Demme |
|
NR |
2008 |
Synapse Films |
Horror |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 4 - Cooled by Refrigeration Greydon Clark;Lucio Fulci;Ulli Lommel;Jonathan Demme
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: Synapse Films
Genre: Horror
Duration: 105
Rated: NR
Date Added: 08 Dec 2008
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Get ready for the fourth volume of classic exploitation, horror and just plain cool trailers in Synapse Films best-selling trailer compilation series. This time we ve got alien horrors, schizoid psychos, ridiculous comedies, vengeful action... and maybe even a naked woman or two... all transferred in high-definition! Chill out in front of your television and relive some of the greatest promotional trailers of all time, including: THE SYNDICATE: A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, COMBAT COPS, IT CAME WITHOUT WARNING, NO BLADE OF GRASS, YOR: THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE, SIMON KING OF THE WITCHES, THE PSYCHIC, SCHIZOID, TENDER FLESH, DIE SISTER, DIE, SILENT SCREAM, NEW YEAR S EVIL, MORTUARY, HUMONGOUS, EMBRYO, THE BOOGEYMAN, THE LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK, THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN, GRAY EAGLE, SHADOW OF THE HAWK, RUTUALS, AMERICATHON, CAN I DO IT... TIL I NEED GLASSES?, DIE LAUGHING, IN GOD WE TRUST, UNDERCOVERS HERO, THE JEZEBELS, FIGHTING MAD, MOVING VIOLATION, BONNIE S KIDS, WALKING TALL PART 2, THE KLANSMAN, MONKEY HUSTLE, THE SOLDIER, BLACKOUT, SHOUT AT THE DEVIL, MARCH OR DIE, HOG WILD, THE HARD HEADS, THE CHICKEN CHRONICLES, BEST FRIENDS, OUR WINNING SEASON, COACH, GOLDENGIRL And MORE!
SPECIAL FEATURES : - Audio Commentary featuring FANGORIA Managing Editor Michael Gingold, Film Historian Chris Poggiali and AVMANIACS Editor Edwin Samuelson - Bonus Vintage Television Spots
- Andrew Prine
- Michael Biehn
- Susan Anton
- Jan-Michael Vincent
- O.J. Simpson
|
990 |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 5 - Alamo Drafthouse Edition |
Various |
|
Unrated |
2009 |
Synapse Films |
Horror |
42nd Street Forever! Volume 5 - Alamo Drafthouse Edition Various
Theatrical: 2009
Studio: Synapse Films
Genre: Horror
Duration: 98
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 19 Aug 2009
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: WELCOME TO THE ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA, the most awesome post-modern hot spot for exploitation movie revival, deep in the heart of Texas! Home to world-famous events such as The Quentin Tarantino Film Fest, Fantastic Fest and Butt-Numb-A-Thon, the Alamo is one of the last places on earth where you can still see grindhouse classics such as THE DEVIL WITHIN HER and MAD MONKEY KUNG FU. Now, the Alamo has opened their vaults for a peek at some of the most outrageous cinematic gems from several golden ages of sleaze cinema. Digitally re-mastered in high-definition from the actual reels that show every week at the Alamo, this exciting edition of the 42ND STREET FOREVER series is the most bizarre, the most terrifying and the most hilarious one yet! FEATURING TRAILERS FROM: A LIFE OF NINJA - STING OF THE DRAGON MASTERS - THE BODYGUARD (CHIBA) - MAD MONKEY KUNG-FU - WONDER WOMEN - LUCKY SEVEN - THE SHARK HUNTER - BIRDS DO IT, BEES DO IT - LET S DO IT - CHATTERBOX - DANISH LOVE ACTS - GROUP MARRIAGE - VIOLATED - CAGED VIRGINS - MESSAGE FROM SPACE - THE TERRORNAUTS - MIND WARP - ZEBRA FORCE - BLAZING BATTLE - INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND TRAP - MACHINE GUN MCCAIN - STACEY - LIGHTNING BOLT - MISSION THUNDERBOLT - 3 SUPERMEN IN THE WEST - PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW - PUTNEY SWOPE - REDNECK COUNTY - MOONRUNNERS - THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE - THE MAGIC CHRISTMAS TREE - PINOCCHIO S BIRTHDAY PARTY - THE MAGIC OF THE KITE - THE SECRET OF MAGIC ISLAND - KARZAN: MASTER OF THE JUNGLE - THE NORSEMAN - SORCERESS - TERROR IN THE WAX MUSEUM - THE MANSON MASSACRE - THE DEVIL WITHIN HER. . . AND MORE!
Also includes a 30 minute documentary, REMEMBER THE ALAMO, documenting the Alamo Drafthouse phenomenon.
- Charlton Heston
- Sonny Chiba
- Franco Nero
- Robert Englund
- Sid Haig
|
991 |
100 Rifles |
Tom Gries |
|
R |
1969 |
20th Century Fox |
Westerns: Classic |
100 Rifles Tom Gries
Theatrical: 1969
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Westerns: Classic
Duration: 109
Rated: R
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: A bank robber and a lawman join up with a female revolutionary to help save the mexican indians from a despotic military governor.System Requirements:Running Time: 110 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: WESTERN/MISC. Rating: PG UPC: 024543238713 Manufacturer No: 2233873
- Jim Brown
- Raquel Welch
- Burt Reynolds
- Fernando Lamas
- Dan O'Herlihy
|
992 |
100 Years of Horror |
Ted Newsom |
|
Unrated |
|
Passport |
Science Fiction & Fantasy |
100 Years of Horror Ted Newsom
Theatrical:
Studio: Passport
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Duration: 750
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Summary: "What frightens me is not so much the obvious monster. What frightens me is the unknown, the fear that my mind is not in control, that there is something out there that nobody knows about." So says Roger Corman, king of the B picture, helping to set the tone for this richly detailed survey of the horror film. Introduced and hosted by veteran horror actor Christopher Lee, and written and directed by Ted Newsom (the director of "Ed Wood--Look Back in Angora"), this documentary is clearly a labor of love. There is on view a "blood feast" of film clips and sometimes priceless interviews with filmmakers. As our host, Christopher Lee offers up funny anecdotes about his days at Hammer Studios; you might be interested in knowing why being "The Mummy" was a literal pain. Exploitation film director Herschell G. Lewis is hilarious on why you shouldn't worry about opening gory films in Peoria, and how the censor board was stymied by the bloodiest of films. And John Carpenter tells how "Suspiria" director Dario Argento worked from his dreams like Luis Bunuel. Notably missing is any mention of Stephen King, Brian De Palma, or Sam Raimi. Raimi alone could have been the focus of a whole section devoted to the influence of H.P. Lovecraft on modern horror films. Also, the filmmakers seem less interested in the sections on science fiction for some reason, despite critics' estimates that half of all science fiction films fall clearly in the horror genre. Nevertheless, the interviews and film clips make this disc worth the price of admission. "--Jim Gay"
- Christopher Lee
- Sara Karloff
- Dick Miller
- Brinke Stevens
- Hugh M. Hefner
|
993 |
101 Dalmatians |
Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi |
|
G |
1961 |
Walt Disney Studio Home Entertainment |
Animation |
101 Dalmatians Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi
Theatrical: 1961
Studio: Walt Disney Studio Home Entertainment
Genre: Animation
Duration: 79
Rated: G
Date Added: 28 Feb 2009
Languages: French, Spanish, English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Back in 1961, Walt Disney got a little hip with "101 Dalmatians", making use of that flat Saturday morning cartoon style that had become so popular. The result is a kitschy change in animation and story. Pongo and Perdita are two lonely dalmatians who meet cute in a London park and arrange for their pet humans to marry so they can live together and raise a family. They become proud parents of 15 pups, who are stolen by the dastardly Cruella De Vil, who wants to make a fur coat out of them. Cruella has become the most popular villain in all of Disney; she's flamboyantly nasty and lots of fun. But it's the dalmatians who shine in this endearing classic, particularly those precocious pups. Telling the story from the dogs' point of view is a clever conceit, a fundamental flaw of the live-action remake. --"Bill Desowitz" On the DVD This two-disc platinum edition features great sound and incredibly bright, intense colors thanks to the restoration process, but its most impressive selling point is the huge assortment of bonus features designed to delight children, families, and the most serious Disney fans. Kids will have fun caring for their very own puppy in the virtual Dalmatian game for television or on DVD ROM and can find out just what kind of puppy they're most like and which human Disney character they're most compatible with in the puppy profiler game. The fun with language game is geared toward the very young preschooler and teaches numbers and the names of common household items. A modern Selena Gomez music video of "Cruella DeVil" will appeal to tweens and teens. The whole family will enjoy the "101 Pop Up Facts For Families" option which prints various movie facts like the name and author of the original book and how specific scenes differ between the book and the movie right on the screen during the movie and Disney fans will love the similar "101 Pop Up Facts For Fans" feature which supplies a wide variety of film trivia about featured voice talents, famous Disney animators that worked on the film, technical devices employed like multi-pane shots and the Xerox process, and which artists directed specific scenes in the movie. Eleven separate Backstage Disney featurettes interview a host of animators, writers, historians, producers, and story men regarding the film's contemporary feel and the groundbreaking technical processes like the then-new Xerox process utilized in making "101 Dalmatians". Also highlighted is Bill Pete's amazing storytelling contribution to the film, the technical and mechanical innovations of Ub Iwerks, the songwriting process, and the animation prowess of famous Disney animators like Woolie Reitherman, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Marc Davis, Ken Anderson, and Walt Peregoy. The 12-minute dramatization of the longstanding correspondence between author Dodie Smith and Walt Disney is intriguing and the trailers and radio and television spots provide fun historical reference for the film and its various releases. Finally, the "Music and More" feature presents a variety of deleted and abandoned songs as well as many alternate versions and takes of songs used in the final film. "--Tami Horiuchi" Stills from "101 Dalmatians" (click for larger image)
- Marjorie Bennett
- Cate Bauer
- Tom Conway
- Barbara Beaird
- Sandra Abbott
|
994 |
976-Evil |
Robert Englund |
Brian Helgeland, Rhet Topham |
R |
1989 |
Sony Pictures |
Television |
976-Evil Robert Englund
Theatrical: 1989
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Television
Duration: 92
Rated: R
Writer: Brian Helgeland, Rhet Topham
Date Added: 20 Dec 2010
Summary: 976-EVIL - DVD Movie
- Stephen Geoffreys
- Patrick O'Bryan
- Sandy Dennis
- Jim Metzler
- María Rubell
- Paul Elliott Cinematographer
- Stephen R. Myers Editor
|
995 |
1001 Classic Commercials Collection |
Various |
|
NR |
|
Mill Creek Entertainment |
Sports |
1001 Classic Commercials Collection Various
Theatrical:
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Genre: Sports
Duration: 964
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Dec 2010
Summary: Tons of fun for the whole family is in store with this comprehensive collection of the most unforgettable, exceptional, and memorable commercials to hit the small-screen! This is an entire history of American pop culture in its most eloquently simple and straight-forward form. Enjoy reminiscing about years gone by while watching all of your favorite commercials from the past! Includes legendary favorites from some of the most well-know household brands like Speedy from Alka-Seltzer, The Jolly Green Giant, Barbie, Marlboro, Chevy and more!
|
996 |
1408 |
Mikael Håfström |
|
PG-13 |
2007 |
Weinstein Company |
Horror |
1408 Mikael Håfström
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: Weinstein Company
Genre: Horror
Duration: 104
Rated: PG-13
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: As creepfests go, "1408" is right up there with "The Shining", also inspired by a Stephen King work and featuring a menacing hotel and the wobbly sanity of a writer lodging there. "It's an evil [bleep]-ing room!" intones Samuel L. Jackson, who plays the smooth but vaguely sinister manager of the Dolphin Hotel. John Cusack is stellar as Mike Enslin, a cynical Everyschlub who writes "occult travel guides," but believes in nothing, especially anything resembling an afterlife. What happens in room 1408 of the Dolphin may change Enslin forever--if he survives the first hour. The thrills range from jumpy "gotcha" moments involving mirror images, to more traditional horror fare like bleeding walls, to truly diabolical touches like the recurrence of the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun." (Shudder.) The film does a nice job of weaving the operatic horror effects with the truly heart-breaking backstory of the death of Enslin's young daughter and his marriage--perhaps the only two things Enslin has ever believed in. And thankfully, there's just enough humor to leaven the intensity at key moments; Cusack is unparalleled when it comes to delivering a self-deprecating wisecrack, even as his life passes before his eyes. Get your adrenaline pumping and check into this room. Oh, and sorry, no refunds. "A.T. Hurley"
- John Cusack
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Mary McCormack
- Tony Shalhoub
- Jasmine Jessica Anthony
|
997 |
1900 |
Bernardo Bertolucci |
Giuseppe Bertolucci |
Unrated |
1977 |
Paramount |
Art House & International |
1900 Bernardo Bertolucci
Theatrical: 1977
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 315
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Giuseppe Bertolucci
Date Added: 14 Jul 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: "1900" is one of Bernardo Bertolucci's adventures in epic filmmaking that never found the reception he had hoped for. Originally more than six hours long, it was chopped down to four hours for its U.S. release and as a result looked, well, choppy. Eventually, he restored it to five hours--but one wonders at all the effort on behalf of this alternately muddled and stunning story. The film, with a decidedly socialist agenda, examines two lives that begin the same year in rural Italy: the weak-willed son of the aristocracy (Robert De Niro) and the hardy, courageous son of peasants (Gerard Depardieu). They grow up as best friends on the same estate, until class differences pull them apart and then the era's fascist politics divide them for good. Despite strong performances by both leads, as well as Sterling Hayden, Donald Sutherland, Dominique Sanda, and Burt Lancaster, this one is strictly for Bertolucci's most avid fans. "--Marshall Fine"
- Robert De Niro
- Gérard Depardieu
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Vittorio Storaro Cinematographer
- Dominique Sanda
- Franco Arcalli Editor
|
998 |
2001 Maniacs |
Lin Shaye, Tim Sullivan |
|
R |
2004 |
Lions Gate |
Comedy |
2001 Maniacs Lin Shaye, Tim Sullivan
Theatrical: 2004
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 87
Rated: R
Date Added: 26 Jan 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Travelers who take a wrong turn wind up becoming the planned main course for the hungry residents of a strange little town. Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 02/06/2007 Starring: Robert Englund Guiseppe Andrews Run time: 8700 minutes Rating: R
- Robert Englund
- Giuseppe Andrews
|
999 |
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence |
Steven Spielberg |
Brian Aldiss, Ian Watson |
PG-13 |
2001 |
Dreamworks Video |
Action & Adventure |
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence Steven Spielberg
Theatrical: 2001
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 145
Rated: PG-13
Writer: Brian Aldiss, Ian Watson
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Comments: David is 11 years old. He weighs 60 pounds. He is 4 feet, 6 inches tall. He has brown hair. His love is real. But he is not.
Summary: History will place an asterisk next to "A.I." as the film Stanley Kubrick "might" have directed. But let the record also show that Kubrick--after developing this project for some 15 years--wanted Steven Spielberg to helm this astonishing sci-fi rendition of "Pinocchio", claiming (with good reason) that it veered closer to Spielberg's kinder, gentler sensibilities. Spielberg inherited the project (based on the Brian Aldiss short story "Supertoys Last All Summer Long") after Kubrick's death in 1999, and the result is an astounding directorial hybrid. A flawed masterpiece of sorts, in which Spielberg's gift for wondrous enchantment often clashes (and sometimes melds) with Kubrick's harsher vision of humanity, the film spans near and distant futures with the fairy-tale adventures of an artificial boy named David (Haley Joel Osment), a marvel of cybernetic progress who wants only to be a real boy, loved by his mother in that happy place called home. Echoes of Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun" are clearly heard as young David, shunned by his trial parents and tossed into an unfriendly world, is joined by fellow "mecha" Gigolo Joe (played with a dancer's agility by Jude Law) in his quest for a mother-and-child reunion. Parallels to "Pinocchio" intensify as David reaches "the end of the world" (a Manhattan flooded by melted polar ice caps), and a far-future epilogue propels "A.I." into even deeper realms of wonder, even as it pulls Spielberg back to his comfort zone of sweetness and soothing sentiment. Some may lament the diffusion of Kubrick's original vision, but this is Spielberg's "A.I." (complete with one of John Williams's finest scores), a film of astonishing technical wizardry that spans the spectrum of human emotions and offers just enough Kubrick to suggest that humanity's future is anything but guaranteed. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Jack Angel
- Keith Campbell
- Vito Carenzo
- Brendan Gleeson
- Clark Gregg Supernerd
- Janusz Kaminski Cinematographer
- David Drzewiecki Cinematographer
- Haley Joel Osment David
- Frances O'Connor Monica Swinton
- Sam Robards Henry Swinton
- Jake Thomas Martin Swinton
- Jude Law Gigolo Joe
- William Hurt Prof. Hobby
- Ken Leung Syatyoo-Sama
- Kevin Sussman Supernerd
- Tom Gallop Supernerd
- Eugene Osment Supernerd
- April Grace Female Colleague
- Matt Winston Executive
- Sabrina Grdevich Secretary
- Theo Greenly Todd
|
1000 |
A&E: Quiz Show Scandal and Other Frauds |
|
|
NR |
1995 |
A&E Home Video |
Documentary |
A&E: Quiz Show Scandal and Other Frauds
Theatrical: 1995
Studio: A&E Home Video
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 50
Rated: NR
Date Added: 22 Jun 2010
Summary: From Tawanna Brawley to the famous Quiz Show Scandals of the 1950s examine some of the most famous hoaxes in recent history. From simple greed to marketing strategies a desire for fame or fear of getting into trouble explore the surprising reasons these hoaxes were perpetrated and how they were uncovered. Herbert Stempel was a contestant on the popular '50s game show Twenty-One who suspected the fix was in. Here Mr. Stempel recalls the amazing succession of events he caused which ended with nearly all of the popular game shows of the day being taken off the air amid revelations that they were rigged. Clifford Irving had a deal to sell the "authorized" biography of Howard Hughes a sure-fire bestseller to McGraw Hill but was exposed by Hughes himself. Mark Hoffman was a noted rare documents dealer who was really one of the most accomplished forgers of recent memory. Their stories and more are told in THE QUIZ SHOW SCANDAL AND OTHER FRAUDS.System Requirements:Running Time 50 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961747317 Manufacturer No: AAE-74731
|
1001 |
Ab-Normal Beauty |
Oxide Pang |
|
Suitable for 18 years and over |
|
Palisades Tartan |
Foreign Horror Films |
Ab-Normal Beauty Oxide Pang
Theatrical:
Studio: Palisades Tartan
Genre: Foreign Horror Films
Duration: 97
Rated: Suitable for 18 years and over
Date Added: 30 May 2010
Languages: Cantonese Chinese Subtitles: English
Summary: Up until just after the half-way mark in this film I was riveted. I felt myself pulled into the downward spiral of a damaged mind, a girl abused and ridiculed as a child whose suppression and guilt has led to a morbid fascination with death. And as she gives full reign to that fascination reality starts to unravel for her, she becomes more than fascinated, she becomes obsessed and psychosis sets in. This film is a masterful study of that damaged mind and how fragile our grip on reality can be. How seductive escapism is, whatever shape it takes. How many of us yearn to disappear into the dark places we hide inside ourselves? And Jiney goes there, only to be dragged back, kicking and screaming, by the woman who loves her. A fantastic portrait of a distressed mind. But, sadly, after this point the film reverts to type. Not to say that what follows is not well made - it is and I was enthralled by it, but the opportunity to make a really powerful film about obsession and mental fragility and escapism was lost. A serial killer storyline, not unlike Saw or elements of Millennium (TV not film), appears and although well made and gripping, turns what was an outstandingly accomplished piece of psychological insight into a very well made genre piece. It's a shame. The same director's film 'The Eye' transcended the Asian ghost film genre to make a story that was truly horrifying, but because of what Mun could see and what that meant to her, rather than because of the innate scariness and terror of what was going on. In many way Pang used the ghost story genre to make his character-driven point, but in this film the last half-hour seems to run at total odds to the powerful dynamic created in the first hour. It's still a good film, worthy of viewing, but I for one felt let down by the descent into genre stereotype. There are any number of decent serial killer films, but there are very few even half-decent films about psychosis and it's very real effect on all our lives. A case of defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.
|
1002 |
The Abandoned |
Nacho Cerdà |
|
R |
2007 |
Lions Gate |
Horror |
The Abandoned Nacho Cerdà
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Horror
Duration: 98
Rated: R
Date Added: 16 Oct 2008
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: An American woman searching for her birth parents learns she has inherited a house in the middle of a forest in a remote area of Russia. It is the house where she was born. Abandoned and uninhabited for 40 years it stands in total disrepair and neglect. What she finds is more than an old house. She meets a mysterious man claiming to be her twin brother and together they find the house holds dangerous secrets to a past they don't even remember. They are forced to relive a series of horrifying events and shocking murders that occurred just after they were born and in the place where they were supposed to die.Runtime: 94 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 031398214106 Manufacturer No: 21410
- Karel Roden
- Paraskeva Djukelova
- Valentin Ganev
- Anastasia Hille
- Carlos Reig-Plaza
- Xavi Giménez Cinematographer
- Jorge Macaya Editor
|
1003 |
Abbott & Costello: Colgate Comedy Hour |
|
|
|
1953 |
Genius Entertainment |
Television |
Abbott & Costello: Colgate Comedy Hour
Theatrical: 1953
Studio: Genius Entertainment
Genre: Television
Duration: 180
Rated:
Date Added: 17 May 2010
Summary: 3 Colgate Comedy Hour Shows
|
1004 |
The Abbott and Costello Show: The Western Story |
|
|
NR |
|
SHANACHIE |
Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams |
The Abbott and Costello Show: The Western Story
Theatrical:
Studio: SHANACHIE
Genre: Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams
Duration: 110
Rated: NR
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Summary: CONTAINS 4 COMPLETE SHOWS FROM THE CLASSIC TV COMEDY SERIES (1952-53), TRANSFERRED FROM THE ORIGINAL 35MM FILM MASTERS. Featuring Mr. Fields, Mike the Cop, Bacciagalupe, Hillary, Stinky and Bingo the Chimp. The Abbott and Costello TV Show is timeless American humor, as fresh today as it was 40 years ago. All the classic routines which "the boys" performed on film, radio and stage, were captured in 1952-1953 for the new medium of television and delivered at the peak of their powers. The regular cast of characters, including Mr. Fields, Mike the Cop, Stinky, Bacciagalupe and Hillary, had worked with Bud and Lou on film and stage and each contributed memorably. These shows stand today as perhaps the finest surviving representation of the art of burlesque comedy. EPISODES - The Western Story, Barber Lou, Las Vegas, Pest Exterminators.
|
1005 |
Abbott and Costello: Africa Screams |
Charles Barton |
|
Unrated |
1949 |
Genius Entertainment |
Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams |
Abbott and Costello: Africa Screams Charles Barton
Theatrical: 1949
Studio: Genius Entertainment
Genre: Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams
Duration: 1
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 24 Nov 2008
Summary: One of my favorite memories of growing up has always been watching old movies with my father. Dad was a big fan of Abbot & Costello, Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges. When we would watch these when I was young, I always enjoyed being with my dad, just because these movies would always make him laugh. They were the type of comedies that I was able to understand and enjoy as well, and they have been a shared bond between us ever since. Needless to say, I looked forward to sharing some of our favorites with my two young sons. Call me old fashioned, but I thought I might try to pass on the tradition.
Here's the problem with my boys: like all boys under the age of ten, they don't have much of an attention span. They are more than willing to watch a movie with their dad, but one of the things I've noticed that makes them lose interest very quickly is movies that are in Black and White. Now my sons are no film snobs, they are seven and five years old. Colorized movies often touch a nerve in the film community, but in my son's case, it's purely a matter of them knowing what they like. Black and white TV or Movies just aren't as common anymore, and to them, it sort of acts like a trigger that maybe they'd rather be watching something else.
I certainly believe they will gain an appreciation for black and white cinema as they age, I don't want to force it on them. Until then, I am thankful that colorized versions of movies that I enjoyed with my dad exist. This version of Africa Screams, by Legend Films, is a completely different animal than the low quality of colorization process that I grew up with as a kid. Though it may not be Abbot & Costello's most famous comedy, it is one of my kid's favorites, and I have enjoyed the repeat viewings of it that they have demanded. The plot finds Costello unwillingly traveling to Africa as a wide variety of different people pursue giant gorillas, stolen diamonds, and even Abbot & Costello themselves. There's a good deal of fun animal scenes, including an impressive one where Clyde Beatty tames three lions. (My five year old used to find this part scary, but now it's one of his favorite scenes.) Costello's antics and buffoonery never fail to amuse my kids; he's like a human embodiment of a cartoon character. Even thought we've watched the movie together at least five times, every time they laugh at something silly that the duo perpetrates, it makes me laugh as well.
So now I've been able to convince my boys that "old" movies can be funny and entertaining, and I hope to add to our library of colorized classics that we can watch together. The only problem is now their grandfather, my dad, who I grew up watching these movies with. He doesn't like the colorized versions! Dad remains a lovable curmudgeon, firmly planted in his own time. Fortunately for me and him, the disc also contains a great black and white version on the same disc. I feel that this can be used to gradually transition my kids, once they're ready, onto other favorite movies which are only available in black and white. The other night, once the kids had gone to bed, my dad and I sat up and watched the restored black and white version. I'm thankful that the same great movie can give me a chance to share something I enjoy with my kids and with my dad.
- Bud Abbott
- Buddy Baer
- Joe Besser
- Hillary Brooke
- Frank Buck
|
1006 |
Abbott and Costello: Dance with Me, Henry |
Charles Barton |
William Kozlenko |
NR |
1956 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams |
Abbott and Costello: Dance with Me, Henry Charles Barton
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams
Duration: 79
Rated: NR
Writer: William Kozlenko
Date Added: 24 Nov 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Summary: One of the greatest comedy teams of all time keeps one step ahead of the law and the criminals in this wild and wacky farce. Abbott and Costello, together for the last time, prove they're still on first with rapid-fire timing and gags galore! All Lou Henry (Costello) wants is a happy life with his two adopted children and to run Kiddyland, the local amusement park. But the local welfare board thinks he's an unfit father, and is determined to take the children away! To make things worse, his friend Bud (Abbott), always up to his eyes in gambling debt, has now run afoul of the mob and needs Lou's help. Can Bud and Lou get back on the merry-go-round, or will they end up in a real shooting gallery?
- Bud Abbott
- Lou Costello
- Gigi Perreau
- Rusty Hamer
- Mary Wickes
- George Robinson Cinematographer
- Robert Golden Editor
|
1007 |
Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection |
William Hanna, Joseph Barbera |
|
NR |
|
Universal Studios |
Animation |
Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
Theatrical:
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Animation
Duration: 30
Rated: NR
Date Added: 24 Nov 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Get ready to laugh out loud with the most popular comedy duo of all time in Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection! Now, for the first time ever, all 28 films produced during the height of their popularity at Universal Pictures are available in one collection. Featuring their most popular movies such as Buck Privates, Who Done It? and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, this collection is filled with some of the most hilarious routines of all-time including “Who’s on First?” Loaded with hours of bonus features and an exclusive collectible book, this is the ultimate tribute to two of the funniest, and most enduring, comedians of all time!
Titles Include - One Night in the Tropics (1940) Buck Privates (1941) In the Navy (1941) Hold That Ghost (1941) Keep 'Em Flying (1941) Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942) Pardon My Sarong (1942) Who Done It? (1942) It Ain't Hay (1943) Hit the Ice (1943) In Society (1944) Here Come the Co-Eds (1945) The Naughty Nineties (1945) Little Giant (1946) The Time of Their Lives (1946) Buck Privates Come Home (1947) The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) Mexican Hayride (1948) Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949) Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951) Comin' Round the Mountain (1951) Lost in Alaska (1952) Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955) Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)
Bonus Features -
The World of Abbott and Costello: This compilation includes classic routines from 18 of Bud and Lou's most popular films.
Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld: The popular comic hosts a tribute to Bud and Lou in this insightful retrospective.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters: A behind-the-scenes look at the duo's popular series of films as they meet up with Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolf Man.
6 Feature Commentaries by Noted Film Historians
Exclusive Bonus -
Abbott & Costello: The Universal Story - 44-page book detailing the legacy of Bud and Lou plus an overview of their films at Universal including rare photos, trivia and exclusive introductions from their families.
- Bud Abbott
- Lou Costello
- Janet Waldo
- Don Messick
- John Stephenson
|
1008 |
Abbott and Costello: The Noose Hangs High |
Charles Barton |
|
NR |
1948 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams |
Abbott and Costello: The Noose Hangs High Charles Barton
Theatrical: 1948
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Comedy: Classic Comedy Teams
Duration: 77
Rated: NR
Date Added: 24 Nov 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Summary: Bud Abbott and Lou Costello deliver their "usual high quota of laughs" (The Hollywood Reporter) in this hysterically funny slapstick farce that boasts some of their most beloved comedy bits, such as the immortal "Mudder and Fodder" routine! Window washers Ted Higgins and Homer Hinchcliffe (Abbott & Costello) are mistaken for messengers and sent to collect $50,000 by a gangster who runs a gambling syndicate. But Homer inadvertently mails the cash to a woman (Cathy Downs) who spends it before they can track her down. Faced with a thirty-six hour deadline to come up with the gangster's dough, the desperate trio must act quickly or it'll be their necks!
- Bud Abbott
- Lou Costello
- Joseph Calleia
- Leon Errol
- Cathy Downs
|
1009 |
Abominable |
Ryan Schifrin |
|
R |
2006 |
ANCHOR BAY |
Drama |
Abominable Ryan Schifrin
Theatrical: 2006
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Genre: Drama
Duration: 94
Rated: R
Date Added: 12 Feb 2009
Summary: It has been sighted 42,000 times in 68 countries, a vicious creature of myth and legend called Sasquatch, Yeti, and perhaps most infamously, Bigfoot. We ve hunted it for years. But what happens when it decides to hunt us? For newly paraplegic mountain climber Preston Rogers (Matt McCoy), the horror hits home when this ravenous beast attacks a remote forest community. Will its next hot meal be a group of knucklehead hunters (including Lance Henriksen of ALIENS & Jeffrey Combs of RE-ANIMATOR), a skeptical police chief (Paul Gleason of DIE HARD), a cabin full of nubile co-eds (including Ashley Hartman of THE O.C.), or a trapped Preston himself? Rex Linn (CSI: MIAMI) and Dee Wallace-Stone (CUJO) co-star in this wild and gruesome horror shocker that Fangoria calls the best serious fright film ever made about Bigfoot!
- Matt McCoy
- Haley Joel
- Christien Tinsley
- Karin Anna Cheung
- Natalie Compagno
|
1010 |
The Abominable Dr. Phibes |
Robert Fuest |
William Goldstein |
PG-13 |
1971 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Art House & International |
The Abominable Dr. Phibes Robert Fuest
Theatrical: 1971
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 94
Rated: PG-13
Writer: William Goldstein
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: This unusually beautiful horror classic features Vincent Price in the title role of Dr. Anton Phibes, a genius who specializes in organ music, theology, and concocting bizarre deaths for anyone who wrongs him. Discovering why is half the fun, so for now let's just say that Phibes is a little mad and very, very angry. With his assistant, the lovely, silent Vulnavia, Phibes begins cutting a gory swath through London's medical community, with the dogged Inspector Trout hot on his tail. "Phibes" contains many pleasures--exquisite art direction and a dark sense of humor among them--but the real treat is in watching an old pro like Price at work. Whether he's playing his organ, staring down a victim, or drinking through his neck, Price is at the top of his game. He mixes dark menace with wry comic touches, revealing both Phibes's maniacal obsession and offhanded confidence in his own genius. Settle in for an evening of elegant gore and if an attractive, mute deliverywoman comes to the door, whatever you do--don't answer! "--Ali Davis"
- Vincent Price
- Joseph Cotten
- Virginia North
- Terry-Thomas
- Sean Bury
- Norman Warwick Cinematographer
|
1011 |
The Abominable Snowman/Shatter |
Michael Carreras, Monte Hellman, Val Guest |
Nigel Kneale |
R |
1957 |
Starz / Anchor Bay |
Action & Adventure |
The Abominable Snowman/Shatter Michael Carreras, Monte Hellman, Val Guest
Theatrical: 1957
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 180
Rated: R
Writer: Nigel Kneale
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: This two-disc re-release has been out for nearly a year, but hasn't received a proper review yet. So here goes:
Both of the films on offer were released separately by Anchor Bay several years ago. Both went out of print as individual releases, but Anchor Bay put them back into print by repackaging them together -- presumably to move stock, but also to do latecomers to the world of DVD a favor. Anchor Bay has done the same for most of their transfers of British films made by the famed Hammer Studios. (If you're familiar with MGM's similar line of Midnite Movies, you'll have a sense of what I'm describing.) Each of the titles in these two-disc sets are exactly the same as the original single-disc releases; only the packaging has changed.
The overall quality of Anchor Bay's work is fine. They almost always provide excellent progressive transfers of well-preserved film elements -- usually offering nice extras and enhanced anamorphic transfers. Both of the films here have filmmaker commentaries, theatrical trailers, and half-hour episodes from a "World of Hammer" series narrated by Oliver Reed. (The commentaries are entertaining and worth a listen, but the "World of Hammer" episodes are a waste of time, being little more than film clip compilations.)
The films themselves are not very closely related -- except insofar as both were made by Hammer Studios and both feature Hammer regular Peter Cushing.
"The Abominable Snowman" is a superb fantasy-thriller about an expedition searching for the Yeti in the Himalayas. It features excellent performances and atmosphere, and a highly intelligent script by Nigel ("Quatermass") Kneale. It's similar in style and tone to the atmospheric horror films that Val Lewton made at RKO in the mid-1940s. I highly recommend "The Abominable Snowman," as it is directed by the vastly underappreciated British B-movie master Val Guest. This film is worth the price of the set alone (and it's considerably cheaper than tracking down the out-of-print single disc).
"Shatter," on the other hand, is a lackluster attempt to cash in on the kung-fu craze. The idea is actually pretty good: A hit man is double-crossed after carrying out a job and seeks revenge in Hong Kong. But despite being shot on location, the production values are just too cheap, and the music, direction, acting, and especially the editing are simply sub-par. (It's worth watching just to come back for the commentary, which is pretty honest, but don't expect too much.)
You can find fuller reviews for each film under Amazon's listings for the out-of-print releases. I just wanted to confirm that this set does indeed carry everything the old releases did, and it offers a good deal on "The Abominable Snowman," a film I keep recommending to fans of British cinema or intelligent sci-fi/horror.
- Forrest Tucker
- Peter Cushing
- Maureen Connell
- Richard Wattis
- Robert Brown
|
1012 |
About Schmidt |
Alexander Payne |
|
R |
2002 |
New Line Home Entertainment |
Action & Adventure |
About Schmidt Alexander Payne
Theatrical: 2002
Studio: New Line Home Entertainment
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 124
Rated: R
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: While confirming Jack Nicholson's status as an American national treasure, "About Schmidt" is sure to provoke polarized reactions. Stoked by the success of "Election", director Alexander Payne and cowriter Jim Taylor have altered Louis Begley's novel to suit their comedic agenda, turning Nicholson's titular character into a 66-year-old, newly retired Omaha insurance actuary, weary from decades of drudgery and passionless marriage. When his wife suddenly dies, he attempts to reclaim his life in a king-sized Winnebago, desperate to convince his daughter (Hope Davis) not to marry the Denver dimwit (Dermot Mulroney) whose mother (Kathy Bates) has her own baggage of peculiar peccadilloes. Nicholson perfectly (and often hilariously) nails the seething anger beneath his character's façade of resignation, but Payne and Taylor convey cold-hearted contempt for these Midwestern malcontents. Think of this as "Ikiru" with bleaker humanity, until Schmidt finds meaning--and some small reward--in a quiet gesture of goodwill. Love it or hate it, "About Schmidt" is a movie you won't soon forget. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Jack Nicholson
- Kathy Bates
- Hope Davis
- Dermot Mulroney
- June Squibb
|
1013 |
Above Suspicion (Warner Archive) |
|
|
NR |
1943 |
Warner Brothers |
Drama |
Above Suspicion (Warner Archive)
Theatrical: 1943
Studio: Warner Brothers
Genre: Drama
Duration: 90
Rated: NR
Date Added: 16 Apr 2010
Summary: About to set off on his 1939 honeymoon, an Oxford don is approached by the Foreign Office. Knowing war is near, they need to get information back from an unknown source in Germany and ask for his help, which he readily offers. At first, the American couple find following the secret trail great fun but as they get deeper into southern Germany they realise real danger threatens them both.
|
1014 |
The Absent Minded Professor/Son of Flubber |
|
|
NR |
|
Walt Disney Video |
Comedy |
The Absent Minded Professor/Son of Flubber
Theatrical:
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 199
Rated: NR
Date Added: 21 Feb 2009
Summary: This classic edition Disney Double Feature 2 Disc set stars loveable Fred McMuraray in two films: The Absent Minded Professor (the original and best) and Son Of Flubber.
- Absent Minded Prof
- Son of Flubber
|
1015 |
Ace in the Hole - Criterion Collection |
Billy Wilder |
|
Unrated |
1951 |
Criterion |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Ace in the Hole - Criterion Collection Billy Wilder
Theatrical: 1951
Studio: Criterion
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 111
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: The character of newspaperman Chuck Taylor (Kirk Douglas) is best summed up by an astonished bystander (herself no soft touch): "I met a lot of hard-boiled eggs in my time, but you--you're 20 minutes!" Meet the "hero" of Billy Wilder's corrosive 1951 classic "Ace in the Hole" (a.k.a. "The Big Carnival"), a former big-time reporter whose reputation is so tarnished he's now at an Albuquerque rag, chasing down local-interest stuff. Until, that is, a local miner gets stuck in a cave--a situation that Taylor not only exploits but actually manipulates, the better to improve his career chances. Wilder got the idea for the movie from the real-life media circus that followed the Floyd Collins story (Collins was trapped in a cave for over a week in 1925). Needless to say, the opportunities for displaying greed and venality are fully drawn out by Wilder; indeed, the film looks unbelievably prescient from a modern perspective of media overload. Although Wilder had scored a success with "Sunset Boulevard" just a year earlier, he misread the public's ability to stare into the merciless mirror he held up to them in "Ace in the Hole". The movie bombed. Paramount changed the title to "The Big Carnival", thus wrecking one of Wilder's most acidic puns, but it didn't help. It also doesn't matter: "Ace in the Hole" is one of the truly grown-up movies of its time, and age has only improved it. Wilder's ear for cynical dialogue is honed to its sharpest point, and Kirk Douglas has one of his best parts, which he attacks with customary ferocity. Jan Sterling plays the hard-nosed wife of the trapped man, with Porter Hall as Douglas's publisher--the lone voice of decency in the film's cruel parade. Admirably, Wilder takes this all the way down the line: the ending of the movie might be the best in-your-face finish since "Public Enemy". "--Robert Horton"
|
1016 |
Actors And Sin: Actor's Blood, Woman of Sin |
Ben Hecht;Lee Garmes |
|
Unrated |
|
VCI Entertainment |
Drama |
Actors And Sin: Actor's Blood, Woman of Sin Ben Hecht;Lee Garmes
Theatrical:
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Duration: 82
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 14 Jun 2009
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Some of legendary writer Ben Hecht's best work comes to the screen in a two-in-one show business-themed comedy-drama that reveals what goes on when the greasepaint comes off. In "Actor's Blood," washed-up stage star Edward G. Robinson assembles all the suspects in the murder of his actress-daughter (Marsha Hunt); and in "Woman of Sin," a Hollywood agent discovers to his chagrin that a highly sought-after script was written by a nine-year-old girl (Ben's daughter Jenny Hecht)! Bonus Features: Interview by Joel Blumberg with Marsha Hunt, Original Theatrical Trailer. Product Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital; 82 minutes; B&W; 1.33;1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1951; SRP - $14.99.
- Edward G. Robinson
- Eddie Albert
- Marsha Hunt
- Alan Reed
- Dan O Herlihy
|
1017 |
Adam Had Four Sons |
Gregory Ratoff |
|
NR |
1941 |
Sony Pictures |
Bergman, Ingrid |
Adam Had Four Sons Gregory Ratoff
Theatrical: 1941
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Bergman, Ingrid
Duration: 80
Rated: NR
Date Added: 27 Dec 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Summary: Classic romance! A governess falls for her boss after his wife passes away and she stays to help raise his four sons. Stars Academy Award ® winners Ingrid Bergman, Susan Hayward and Warner Baxter, along with screen legend Fay Wray.
- Ingrid Bergman
- Warner Baxter
- Susan Hayward
- Fay Wray
- Richard Denning
|
1018 |
Adaptation |
|
|
R |
2003 |
Sony Pictures |
Action & Adventure |
Adaptation
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 114
Rated: R
Date Added: 08 Feb 2010
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Twisty brilliance from screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze, the team who created "Being John Malkovich". Nicolas Cage returns to form with a funny, sad, and sneaky performance as Charlie Kaufman, a self-loathing screenwriter who has been hired to adapt Susan Orlean's book "The Orchid Thief" into a screenplay. Frustrated and infatuated by Orlean's elegant but plotless book (which is largely a rumination on flowers), Kaufman begins to write a screenplay about himself trying to write a screenplay about "The Orchid Thief", all the while hounded by his twin brother Donald (Cage again), who's cheerfully writing the kind of formulaic action movie that Kaufman finds repugnant. By its conclusion, "Adaptation" is the most artistically ambitious, most utterly cynical, and most uncategorizable movie ever to come out of Hollywood. Also starring Meryl Streep (as Susan Orlean), Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton, and Brian Cox; superb performances throughout. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Jim Beaver
- Nicolas Cage
- Chris Cooper
- Brian Cox
- Gary Farmer
|
1019 |
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.: The Complete Series |
Andy Tennant, Joe Napolitano, Joseph L. Scanlan, Kevin Bright, Larry Shaw |
|
NR |
1993 |
Warner Home Video |
Action & Adventure |
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.: The Complete Series Andy Tennant, Joe Napolitano, Joseph L. Scanlan, Kevin Bright, Larry Shaw
Theatrical: 1993
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 1385
Rated: NR
Date Added: 10 May 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Summary: A science fiction-Western and comedy-drama with echoes of "The Wild Wild West" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.: The Complete Series" is uniquely entertaining. Anchored by the comically heroic style of likable B-movie actor Bruce Campbell, "Adventures" lasted one television season in 1993-94. But it left behind a full 27 episodes (including two two-part stories) full of classic TV Western production values and a running storyline that resembles "The X-Files" after awhile. Campbell plays Brisco County Jr., a bounty hunter and son of a legendary U.S. marshal (R. Lee Ermey) gunned down by the villainous John Bly (Billy Drago) and his band of misfits. The younger Brisco is hired by a consortium of businessmen to protect their interests from the likes of Bly, and while he's dedicated to that cause, Brisco is also determined to avenge his father's murder. Helping him do a little of both is a fussy attorney, Socrates Poole (Christian Clemenson); a rival bounty hunter, Lord Bowler (Julius Carry); a wacky inventor, Professor Wickwire (John Astin); and a sultry saloon singer, Dixie (Kelly Rutherford). Rockets, mysterious orbs, and superhuman strength are some of the delightfully out-of-their-element phenomena that find themselves alongside more conventional cowpoke ingredients, including a horse so smart he can chew the ropes binding Brisco's hands. For the most part, the stories stand alone. But as the season progresses, a lot of things get weirder, albeit in a good way: the truth about Bly and his connection to a golden orb everyone wants, for example, are certainly unexpected. But the show is always dazzling, often satiric ("Oy!" Dixie exclaims when Brisco outlines the steps involved in stopping a runaway wagon they're trapped within), yet heartening in an old-fashioned way. Special features include Campbell's reading of a chapter about the series in his autobiography. "--Tom Keogh"
- Bruce Campbell
- Julius Carry
- Christian Clemenson
- Comet
- Ely Pouget
|
1020 |
Adventures of Captain Marvel |
William Witney, John English |
|
NR |
1941 |
Republic Pictures |
Serials |
Adventures of Captain Marvel William Witney, John English
Theatrical: 1941
Studio: Republic Pictures
Genre: Serials
Duration: 216
Rated: NR
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Summary: Definitely the finest of the old-time movie serials, and the finest live action version of Captain Marvel. This movie was voted by Wizard magazine as the best comics-to-movie adaptation ever. It has decent special effects and a fine story. A classic desert adventure, including angry horde, offended god, and stalwart hero. The flying sequences are well done. The cliff hangers are appropriately dramatic. The Scorpion is a nice serial villain, complete with hooded face and ultimate weapon, and Captain Marvel remains my favorite hero. If you like serials or Captain Marvel you really can't go wrong with this.
- Tom Tyler
- Frank Coghlan Jr.
- William 'Billy' Benedict
- Louise Currie
- Robert Strange
|
1021 |
The Adventures of Fu Manchu |
|
Ronald Davidson |
NR |
1956 |
Alpha Video |
Action & Adventure |
The Adventures of Fu Manchu
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: Alpha Video
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 90
Rated: NR
Writer: Ronald Davidson
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: This set includes: "The Prisoner of Dr. Fu Manchu", "The Golden God of Dr. Fu Manchu", "The Death Ships of Dr. Fu Manchu", and "The Master Plan of Dr. Fu Manchu." I was especially interested in the last one starring Glen Gordon, Lester Matthews, Clark Howat, Laurette Luez, John George and Carla Balenda. Guest starring Alan Dexter, Steven Geray, Damian O' Flynn and Stuart Whitman. Written by Arthur Orloff and directed by William Witney. In this story, Dr. Fu Manchu (Glen Gordon) kidnaps a prominent plastic surgeon named Dr. Harlow Henderson (Alan Dexter) and forces him to change the face of the one and only arch demonized individual of all time: Adolf Hitler. Apparently, only Fu Manchu had the know how to keep him alive and in hiding. The yellow peril incarnate, Dr. Fu Manchu plans to join forces with Adolf Hitler and do nothing short of conquering the world! Unbeknownst to him, Dr. John Petrie (Clark Howat) accidentally stumbles into Fu Manchu's "evil" plot while searching for his lost friend. Dr. Petrie finds himself held prisoner and compelled to care for Henderson's most recent patient after Dr. Henderson is done away with in classic Dr. Fu Manchu style. The question is: Can Nayland Smith (Lester Matthews) stop this most deadly duo? This episode moves at a nice swift pace. It certainly has some unexpected twists and turns and is actually funny - for the most part - until one begins to understand the juxtaposition. Do some research on Fu Manchu and get a fix on what the character represents, and then all of a sudden it is not so funny.
Miguel Llora
- Glen Gordon
- Lester Matthews
- Clark Howat
- Carla Balenda
- Laurette Luez
|
1022 |
The Adventures of Marco Polo |
Archie Mayo, John Cromwell, John Ford |
Robert E. Sherwood |
NR |
1938 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Action & Adventure |
The Adventures of Marco Polo Archie Mayo, John Cromwell, John Ford
Theatrical: 1938
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 104
Rated: NR
Writer: Robert E. Sherwood
Date Added: 08 Sep 2009
Summary: Gary Cooper makes a dashing, flirtatious explorer-adventurer in "The Adventures of Marco Polo", a twinkling account of Polo's 13th century travels from his home in Venice to China, where he established a new east-west trade route. Nothing comes easy, of course, so the film's script (by author Robert E. Sherwood) finds playboy Polo barely surviving his journey only to be sabotaged in his efforts to forge a relationship with emperor Kublai Khan (George Barbier). Polo’s rival for Khan's loyalty (and the affections of the emperor's daughter, played by the exotic Sigrid Gurie) is the scheming Ahmed (Basil Rathbone), who has the ruler's ear and is wont to punish enemies by chaining them down for the benefit of hungry vultures. The story's general outrageousness extends to Polo’s banishment to a tribe of rebels, led by a henpecked strongman (Alan Hale) whose shrewish wife takes a shine to the Venetian stud and saves him from execution. Directed by Archie Mayo ("The Petrified Forest"), "The Adventures of Marco Polo" is glossy fun, led by Cooper's charming, knowing performance and highlighted by the film’s unwillingness to take anything too seriously. Scenes in which Polo is introduced to two Chinese inventions--spaghetti and gunpowder--are priceless. "--Tom Keogh"
- Gary Cooper
- Sigrid Gurie
- Basil Rathbone
- George Barbier
- Binnie Barnes
- Archie Stout Cinematographer
|
1023 |
The Adventures of Red Ryder |
William Witney, John English |
|
NR |
1940 |
Vci Entertainment |
Serials |
The Adventures of Red Ryder William Witney, John English
Theatrical: 1940
Studio: Vci Entertainment
Genre: Serials
Duration: 205
Rated: NR
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Summary: This classic 12-chapter cliffhanger, produced by republic Pictures, finally comes to Home Video! A proverbial theme of good vs. evil as Red Ryder (Don Barry) rounds up other ranchers like him to fight crooked banker Calvin Drake (Harry Worth) and his chief henchman Ace Hanlon (Noah Beery). It is the case of honest landowners being pushed off their lands by any means possible (including sudden deaths). Bonus Features: The Original Pilot for a TV Series| Original Theatrical Trailer| Lobby Card & Poster Photo Gallery| Biographies| Scene Access| Plus a special video taped interview with Don "Red" Barry. Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital Mono; 205 minutes; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1940; SRP - $19.99.
- Don 'Red' Barry
- Noah Beery
- Tommy Cook
- Maude Allen
- Vivian Austin
|
1024 |
Affair in Trinidad |
Vincent Sherman |
|
NR |
1952 |
Sony Pictures |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Affair in Trinidad Vincent Sherman
Theatrical: 1952
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 98
Rated: NR
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, French
Summary: A murder investigation sparks a passionate affair between a dancer and her new found love. "Affair in Trinidad" reunites the screen-scorching team of Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford in this romantic spy drama of international intrigue and sizzling sensuality. Hayworth stars as Chris Emery, a sexy, hip-grinding dancer who works in a Trinidad dive owned by her husband. When he's murdered by an international spy (Alexander Scourny), Chris' life is turned upside down, especially when the police draw herinto the investigation. When Glenn Ford, who plays her brother-in-law Steve, arrives in town the two are drawn deeper into the mystery and ultimately, into each other's arms. Fans of Rita Hayworth's dancing will find "Affair in Trinidad" a dream come true. Her very first scene includes a wild, uninhibited tropical dance to calypso music. Later in the picture, at a fashionable party, Rita suddenly steams things up with a sultry, sophisticated dance which devotees of hot rhythm will devour. The scenes between Ford and Hayworth are magical. The promise provided by the original movie poster, " She's back! With that man from Gilda!," proved to be all the original film audiences needed to make "Affair in Trinidad" a hit that even out-grossed Gilda at the box office by a million dollars.
- Rita Hayworth
- Glenn Ford
- Alexander Scourby
- Valerie Bettis
- Torin Thatcher
|
1025 |
After Hours |
Martin Scorsese |
|
R |
1985 |
Warner Home Video |
Comedy: Contemporary |
After Hours Martin Scorsese
Theatrical: 1985
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 97
Rated: R
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: This well-regarded cult film is a tense Kafka-esque tale concerning what happens to a likable computer guy who is in the wrong place at the wrong time in the city that never sleeps--New York. This is a New York infested with bizarre characters vividly brought to life by a once-in-a-lifetime cast. Griffin Dunne's wonderfully controlled comic performance as Paul Hackett is the glue that holds this increasingly surreal film together. Scorsese utilizes a full array of independent and underground film techniques, including special film speed manipulations, angles, and edits, deftly capturing the strange rhythms of an after-hours New York City. Many will find the jokes clever, and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. Some, however, will find the film an excruciating series of staged circumstances setting up a sadistically cruel dark nightmare of horrors. And there are a few lines of dialogue so poorly written they remind you how unbelievable the thin story really is. But forgive the film these few lapses--overall it's a wild, surreal ride. The most offbeat character is the beehive-sporting, Monkee-obsessed neurotic played to perfection by Teri Garr. And the moment when Griffin Dunne uses his last quarter to play Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is" and dances with Verna Bloom while an angry mob searches SoHo for him is an inspired bit of lunacy. "--Christopher J. Jarmick"
- Victor Argo
- Rosanna Arquette
- Larry Block
- Verna Bloom
- Tommy Chong
|
1026 |
Aftershock: Earthquake in New York |
Mikael Salomon |
Paul Eric Myers |
PG |
1999 |
Live / Artisan |
Action & Adventure |
Aftershock: Earthquake in New York Mikael Salomon
Theatrical: 1999
Studio: Live / Artisan
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 170
Rated: PG
Writer: Paul Eric Myers
Date Added: 05 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Summary: New York, the City That Never Sleeps, is trapped in a nightmare of horror and destruction when a massive earthquake rocks the unsuspecting city. Countless lives are lost, families are torn apart, and chaos runs rampant as the Mayor (Charles S. Dutton) and former Fire Chief (Tom Skerritt) race to enact a city-wide emergency plan. The two men also face personal devastation and uncertainty as their own family members lie buried in the toppled infrastructure. Sharon Lawrence, Lisa Nicole Carson and Cicely Tyson also star in this incredible story of undying courage in the face of unimaginable human tragedy.
- Tom Skerritt
- Sharon Lawrence
- Charles S. Dutton
- Lisa Nicole Carson
- Jennifer Garner
|
1027 |
The Agatha Christie Miss Marple Movie Collection |
George Pollock |
James P. Cavanagh |
Unrated |
1964 |
Warner Home Video |
Mystery & Suspense |
The Agatha Christie Miss Marple Movie Collection George Pollock
Theatrical: 1964
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Rated: Unrated
Writer: James P. Cavanagh
Date Added: 12 Mar 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: Never mind purists who bemoan Margaret Rutherford's incarnation of Agatha Christie's celebrated spinster sleuth. These four British films, produced between 1961 and 64, are jolly good, regardless of their tenuous connection with Miss Marple as written, or with Christie herself. One of the films, in fact, "Murder Ahoy", is an original screenplay credited as "an interpretation of Miss Marple." And two others, "Murder at the Gallop" and "Murder Most Foul" were based on books featuring Christie's other famed detective, Hercule Poirot." But no matter. The redoubtable Rutherford indelibly makes Marple her very own, or, as she proclaims to Inspector Craddock (Charles Tingwell), with whom she locks horns throughout all four films, "I am always myself." Rutherford makes a formidable first impression in "Murder She Said", based on Christie's "4:50 from Paddington", in which the armchair sleuth goes undercover as a servant after witnessing a murder on a train. In "Murder at the Gallop", based on "After the Funeral", where there's a will, there's murder. In "Murder Ahoy", Marple discovers a ship of thieves. In "Murder Most Foul", Marple deadlocks a jury and joins a theatrical troupe to prove the defendant's innocence. The Marple films are endearingly modest productions, redeemed by peerless performances and mostly sharp scripts. Ron Goodwin's theme music used in all four films is an irresistible piece of '60s symphonic pop that's a classical gas. None of the actors are suspect. Rutherford gets able support from her real-life husband, Stringer Davis, who portrays Marple's Watson-esque sidekick. Venerable character actors Robert Morley and Ron Moody enliven "Gallop" and "Foul", respectively. And in "Murder She Said", that's Joan Hickson, who would go on to acclaim as Miss Marple in the celebrated BBC series (also available on DVD). But it's tough to steal a scene from Rutherford, whose Marple displays a keen mind, and, in "Ahoy", surprising prowess with a sword! "--Donald Liebenson"
- Margaret Rutherford
- Arthur Kennedy
- Lionel Jeffries
- Ron Moody
- Stringer Davis
|
1028 |
The Agony and the Ecstasy |
Carol Reed |
|
NR |
1965 |
20th Century Fox |
Action & Adventure: Classic |
The Agony and the Ecstasy Carol Reed
Theatrical: 1965
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Action & Adventure: Classic
Duration: 138
Rated: NR
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Latin Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Carol Reed ("The Third Man") directed this 1965 portrait of the relationship between Michelangelo (Charlton Heston) and Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison), who commissioned the artist to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Based on a novel by Irving Stone, the script plods along, juggling the dynamics between the two men along with a somewhat perfunctory love story and distracting battle sequences. Reed seems more attuned to the nuances and great pains of the artistic process, as seen in sequences of Michelangelo working. But the overall focus of the film is unfortunately fuzzy. "--Tom Keogh"
- Charlton Heston
- Rex Harrison
- Diane Cilento
- Harry Andrews
- Alberto Lupo
|
1029 |
Air Force |
Howard Hawks |
William Faulkner |
NR |
1943 |
Warner Home Video |
Action & Adventure |
Air Force Howard Hawks
Theatrical: 1943
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 124
Rated: NR
Writer: William Faulkner
Date Added: 22 Aug 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: Director Howard Hawks casually referred to "Air Force" (1943) as his "contribution to the war effort." It's also a masterpiece, standing with John Ford's "They Were Expendable" as the best WWII films Hollywood made while the war was still on. On the evening of December 6, 1941, a B-17 flies out of San Francisco on a routine peacetime training mission to Hickam Field in Hawaii. While en route, the officers and crew overhear radio traffic of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ("Whatcha got there," somebody asks the radio operator, "Orson Welles?"). They touch down in a smoking world like a vision out of Dante, then hop from one Pacific outpost to the next as the clouds of war roil. The plane itself, the Mary Ann, is the movie's main character; the biggest star, John Garfield, actually gets last billing as her newly assigned tail gunner. "Air Force" is one of Hawks's supreme guys-doing-their-job movies, and the definitive war-movie portrait of America as a melting-pot of diverse individuals and types making common cause. The ensemble (Garfield, Gig Young, John Ridgely, Arthur Kennedy, the great Harry Carey, et al.) is superbly directed, there's a strong Dudley Nichols screenplay (with an uncredited contribution by William Faulkner) and breathtaking editing of the battle scenes (which won George Amy an Oscar), and the camerawork is by James Wong Howe in peak form. ""
- John Garfield
- John Ridgely
- Gig Young
- Arthur Kennedy
- Charles Drake
- James Wong Howe Cinematographer
|
1030 |
Airplane! |
Zucker, David, Zucker, Jerry |
|
PG |
1980 |
Paramount |
Comedy: Contemporary |
Airplane! Zucker, David, Zucker, Jerry
Theatrical: 1980
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 87
Rated: PG
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: The quintessential movie spoof that spawned an entire genre of parody films, the original "Airplane!" still holds up as one of the brightest comedic gems of the '80s, not to mention of cinema itself (it ranked in the top 5 of "Entertainment Weekly"'s list of the 100 funniest movies ever made). The humor may be low and obvious at times, but the jokes keep coming at a rapid-fire clip and its targets--primarily the lesser lights of '70s cinema, from disco films to star-studded disaster epics--are more than worthy for send-up. If you've seen even one of the overblown "Airport" movies then you know the plot: the crew of a filled-to-capacity jetliner is wiped out and it's up to a plucky stewardess and a shell-shocked fighter pilot to land the plane. Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are the heroes who have a history that includes a meet-cute à la "Saturday Night Fever", a surf scene right out of "From Here to Eternity", a Peace Corps trip to Africa to teach the natives the benefits of Tupperware and basketball, a war-ravaged recovery room with a G.I. who thinks he's Ethel Merman (a hilarious cameo)--and those are just the flashbacks! The jokes gleefully skirt the boundaries of bad taste (pilot Peter Graves to a juvenile cockpit visitor: "Joey, have you ever seen a grown man naked?"), with the high (low?) point being Hagerty's intimate involvement with the blow-up automatic pilot doll, but they'll have you rolling on the floor. The film launched the careers of collaborators Jim Abrahams ("Big Business"), David Zucker ("Ruthless People"), and Jerry Zucker ("Ghost"), as well as revitalized such B-movie actors as Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Robert Stack, and Leslie Nielsen, who built a second career on films like this. A vital part of any video collection. "--Mark Englehart"
- Robert Hays
- Julie Hagerty
- Jonathan Banks
- Craig Berenson
- Barbara Billingsley
|
1031 |
Airplane! 2: The Sequel |
Ken Finkleman |
Ken Finkleman |
PG |
1982 |
Paramount |
Comedy: Contemporary |
Airplane! 2: The Sequel Ken Finkleman
Theatrical: 1982
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 84
Rated: PG
Writer: Ken Finkleman
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Comments: For the ride of your life... All you need for Christmas are your two front seats!
Summary: The 1982 sequel to "Airplane!" is basically more of the same class-clown ironies but with a more forced feeling to the jokes. In the first film, veterans such as Peter Graves, Robert Stack, and Lloyd Bridges were feeling their way through self-parody, and the air of experimentation was part of the fun. By this film, however, everybody knows what's up, and the assuredness of new cast members Raymond Burr, William Shatner, and Chuck Connors is almost counterproductive. Still, there's lots to laugh about. "--Tom Keogh"
- Craig Berenson
- Sonny Bono Joe Seluchi
- Lloyd Bridges Steven McCroskey
- Raymond Burr Judge D.C. Simonton
- Chuck Connors The Sarge
- Robert Hays Ted Striker
- Julie Hagerty Elaine Dickinson
- Chad Everett Simon Kurtz
- Peter Graves Capt. Clarence Oveur
- William Shatner Cdr. Buck Murdock
- John Vernon Dr. Stone
- Stephen Stucker Controller Jacobs
- Kent McCord Navigator Dave Unger
- James A. Watson Jr. First Officer Dunn
- John Dehner The Commissioner
- Rip Torn Bud Kruger /
|
1032 |
Airport Terminal Pack |
David Lowell Rich, Jerry Jameson, Jack Smight |
|
PG |
1979 |
Universal Studios |
Disaster |
Airport Terminal Pack David Lowell Rich, Jerry Jameson, Jack Smight
Theatrical: 1979
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Disaster
Duration: 472
Rated: PG
Date Added: 12 Oct 2008
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: The Academy Award-nominated Airport and the sensational sequels that followed are now together in one high flying collection, the Airport Terminal Pack. Prepare to take off for non-stop thrills and edge-of-your-seat excitement as you fly to extremes with Hollywood’s royal jet set, including: Charlton Heston, Burt Lancaster, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Lee Grant, Jacqueline Bisset, Dean Martin, George Kennedy and many more.
Airport The original airplane disaster movie nominated for ten Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Airport 1975 A mid-air collision leaves a 747 without a pilot and little hope for survival.
Airport ‘77 A 747 is trapped underwater in the Bermuda Triangle. It’s a race against time and the elements to save the passengers and crew!
The Concorde: Airport ‘79 At twice the speed of sound, the Concorde must evade a vicious attack by a traitorous arms smuggler!
- Alain Delon
- Susan Blakely
- Robert Wagner
- Sylvia Kristel
- George Kennedy
|
1033 |
Alfie |
Lewis Gilbert |
Bill Naughton |
PG |
1966 |
Paramount |
Comedy: Classic |
Alfie Lewis Gilbert
Theatrical: 1966
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Comedy: Classic
Duration: 114
Rated: PG
Writer: Bill Naughton
Date Added: 29 Jan 2009
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Summary: In this extremely grim comedy, Michael Caine plays a ne'er-do-well who never does good. The rakish Alfie moves from woman to woman with the emotional maturity of Bill Clinton, and even less morality. Alternately talking up to the camera and talking down to his sexual conquests, Alfie maneuvers through the minefield of emotions by remaining aloof, until of course, he is left alone. A fine performance by Shelley Winters as the wealthy woman Alfie seeks to court rounds out this well-aimed attack on the lady's man lifestyle. Nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. "--James DiGiovanna"
- Michael Caine
- Shelley Winters
- Millicent Martin
- Julia Foster
- Jane Asher
- Otto Heller Cinematographer
- Thelma Connell Editor
|
1034 |
The Alfred Hitchcock Box Set (The Ring / The Manxman / Murder! / The Skin Game / Rich and Strange) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1930 |
Lions Gate |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
The Alfred Hitchcock Box Set (The Ring / The Manxman / Murder! / The Skin Game / Rich and Strange) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1930
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 444
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0
Summary: First the good news--we get a solid transfers of early Hitchcock with some minor and major classics early in his career. Studio Canal has done a nice job with these and while the transfers aren't scratch free, they look quite good given the age of the source material and quite a bit better than some of the earlier releases of public domain sources. This boxed set (once you open it) looks like an old bound copy of a script. The outside has a photo of Hitch (which reminds me of a deathmask)from the Universal archive.
The first two films in the set "The Ring" and "The Manxman" were made the year after the success of "The Lodger" (which would been shelved when studio executives thought it a disaster. Luckily, Michael Balcon stepped in a man who championed Hitch early in his career and the film was a wild success). "Murder!" is an early talkie (sadly the German version isn't included. It would have been nice to see for comparison sake as it was shot with a different cast on the same sets). In the early days of film alternate versions were shot for other markets where they might be popular usually with a different director. Hitch spoke German since he worked early on in that country shooting films and absorbing much of the early German expressionist styles that he would reference throughout his career)so directed it himself. "The Skin Game" and "Rich and Strange" (the latter an early Hitchcock classic) are also included. A pity that "Blackmail" (Hitch's first talkie that was also shot to be shown as a silent film) isn't included as well.
The bad news is that we don't get any feature length commentary tracks by Hitchcock historians and film scholars (which is just as well if these things bore you). We do, however, get a new 15 minute featurette focusing on Hitchcock's early life, his collaboration with his wife Alma (who is often overlooked--we must remember that it was team Hitchcock collaborating which consisted of Hitch, his wife Alma and whomever their current favorite writer was)and the development of his early style. It features interviews with USC Hitchcock Professor Drew Casper, director Peter Bogdanovich, Hitch's daughter and screenwriter/film historian Steve Haberman. We have a generous amount of clips from the set illustrating their points. I do wish that "The Lodger" had been included in this set but that's a pretty minor point (although honestly it does belong here as an example of his developing sense of style). Also missing is Hitch's "Number 17" which would have been a natural to include in this set even though the plot is a bit confusing, it's a fun ride.
This is an excellent collection of early minor classics as Hitch developed his film style. It's clear that he was influenced by seeing other directors such as Fritz Lang and FW Murnau but he had already begun to develop his own distinctive voice as a film director. This is a good set to get and is a pretty inexpense handsome package for fans.
|
1035 |
Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection (Lifeboat / Spellbound / Notorious / The Paradine Case / Sabotage / Young and Innocent / Rebecca / The Lodger) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
Unrated |
1946 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Drama |
Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection (Lifeboat / Spellbound / Notorious / The Paradine Case / Sabotage / Young and Innocent / Rebecca / The Lodger) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1946
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 594
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 11 Oct 2008
Summary: Bonus Features: Disc 1: The Lifeboat Disc 2: Young and Innocent **Commentary with film historians Stephen Rebello and Bill Krohn **Isolated Music and Effects Track **Peter Bogdanovich Interviews Hitchcock **Francois Truffant Interviews Hitchcock **Restoration Comparison **Trailers **Still Galleries Disc 3: The Lodger **Commentary with film Historian Patrick McGilligan **Featurette The Sound of Silence: The making of The Lodger, Hitchcock 101 **1940 Radio Play Directed by Alfred Hitchcock **Peter Bogdanovich Interviews Hitchcock **Francois Truffaut Interviews Hitchcock **Restoration Comparison **Trailers **Still Gallery Disc 4: Notorious Disc 5: Rebecca CE Disc 6: Sabatoge **Commentary with film Historian Leonard Leff **Peter Bogdanovich Interviews Hitchcock **Restoration Comparison **Still Gallery **Trailer Farm Disc 7: Spellbound Disc 8: The Paradine Case **Commentary with film Historians Stephen Rebello and Bill Krohn **Isolated Music and Effects Track **1949 Radio Play starring Joseph Cotton **Peter Bogdanovich Interviews Hitchcock **Restoration Comparison **Theatrical Trailer **Still Gallery **Trailer Farm Episode Description: Disc 1: The Lifeboat Disc 2: Young and Innocent Disc 3: The Lodger Disc 4: Notorious Disc 5: Rebecca CE Disc 6: Sabatoge Disc 7: Spellbound Disc 8: The Paradine Case
|
1036 |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 1 |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1955 |
Universal Studios |
Mystery & Suspense |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 1 Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1955
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Duration: 1003
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Summary: When it premiered on CBS on October 2, 1955, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" was an instant hit destined for long-term popularity. The series' original half-hour anthology format provided a perfect showcase for stories of mystery, suspense, and the macabre that reflected Hitchcock's established persona. Every Sunday at 9:30 p.m., the series began with the familiar theme of Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" (which would thereafter be inextricably linked with Hitchcock), and as Hitchcock's trademark profile sketch was overshadowed by the familiar silhouette of Hitchcock himself, the weekly "play" opened and closed with the series' most popular feature: As a good-natured host whose inimitable presence made him a global celebrity, Hitchcock delivered droll, dryly sardonic introductions and epilogues to each week's episode, flawlessly written by James Allardyce and frequently taking polite pot-shots at CBS sponsors, or skirting around broadcast standards (which demanded that no crime could go unpunished) by humorously explaining how the show's killers and criminals were always brought to justice... though always with a nod and a wink to the viewer. This knowing complicity was Hitchcock's pact with his audience, and the secret to his (and the series') long-term success. It's also what attracted a stable of talented writers whose teleplays, both original and adapted, maintained a high standard of excellence. Hitchcock directed four of the first season's 39 episodes, including the premiere episode "Revenge" (a fan favorite, with future "Psycho" costar Vera Miles) and the season highlight "Breakdown," with Joseph Cotten as a car-accident victim, paralyzed and motionless, who's nearly left for dead; it's a perfect example of visual and narrative economy, executed with a master's touch. (The fourth episode, "Don't Come Back Alive," is also a popular favorite, with the kind of sinister twist that became a series trademark.) Robert Stevenson directed the majority of the remaining episodes with similar skill, serving tightly plotted tales (selected by associate producers Joan Harrison and Norman Lloyd) by such literary greats as Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Cornell Woolrich, Dorothy L. Sayers, and John Collier. Adding to the series' prestige was a weekly roster of new and seasoned stars, with first-season appearances by Cloris Leachman, Darren McGavin, Everett Sloane, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Barry Fitzgerald, John Cassavetes, Joanne Woodward, Thelma Ritter, and a host of Hollywood's best-known character players. With such stellar talent on weekly display, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" paved the way for "Thriller", "The Twilight Zone", and other series that maximized the anthology format's storytelling potential. Packed onto three double-sided DVDs, these 39 episodes hold up remarkably well, and while some prints show the wear and tear of syndication, they look and sound surprisingly good (although audio compression will cause many viewers to turn up the volume). The 15-minute bonus featurette, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Look Back" is perfunctory at best, but it's nice to see new anecdotal interviews with Norman Lloyd, assistant director Hilton Green, and Hitchcock's daughter Pat (a frequent performer on these episodes), who survived to see their popular series benefit from the archival convenience of DVD. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
|
1037 |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 2 |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1955 |
Universal Studios |
Drama |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 2 Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1955
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Drama
Duration: 1012
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Summary: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" appears to be the guiding philosophy behind season 2 of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". Like season 1, these 39 episodes (totaling 16 hours, 52 minutes, and originally broadcast from September 30, 1956 to June 23, 1957) follow the established formula that made the series so popular, with self-contained tales of murder, suspense, and intrigue (mostly running about 26 minutes each) based on short stories from a variety of new and established writers in the mystery genre. (Many of these stories also found their way into "Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine".) By latter-day standards of intensity, most of these episodes play like tame, parlor-trick mysteries or single-room chamber pieces that accommodated the show's emphasis on budget-friendly production values. Still, modern-day viewers can readily appreciate the consistently high quality of writing, direction, and performance, along with the droll, playful introductions by Hitchcock himself, now fully established as a TV celebrity in addition to his global acclaim as "the master of suspense." (Ironically, Hitchcock's first-season jokes at the expense of series sponsors are mostly missing here; apparently Hitchcock agreed to aim his humor elsewhere.) With the release of season 2, Universal has upgraded their disc format to appease fans who complained about double-sided discs in season 1; these five discs (eight episodes each, with seven on disc 5) are single-sided, double-layered, and neatly presented with no-frills menus and easy access to episodes. (Unfortunately, cast and credits are not listed on the packaging, which includes brief plot synopses on the inside slip-case.) Picture quality is uniformly crisp and clean, and sound quality is mostly excellent, allowing for somewhat lower volume on a few episodes (so turn 'em up). Another improvement on these DVDs is the inclusion of four chapter stops for each episode. As with season 1, the season premiere ("Wet Saturday") was directed by Hitchcock, who also helmed "Mr. Blanchard's Secret," the season highlight thriller "One More Mile to Go," and "The Three Dreams of Mr. Findlater." It's no accident that these rank among the finest episodes (Hitchcock enjoyed the speed and economy of TV directing), but while there are a few misfires along the way, most of these episodes adhere to the smart, literate standard of the series. They're also an impressive showcase for new and established actors from the twilight of Hollywood's golden age: Seasoned veterans like Cedric Hardwicke, Mildred Dunnock, Henry Jones, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Edmund Gwenn, and Albert Salmi do fine work here, and the relative newcomers include Rip Torn, William Shatner, Dick York, and Robert Culp, among others. Of course, no crime could go unpunished in '50 TV-land, so Hitchcock (in closing each episode) assures us that all criminals were eventually brought to justice. All in a day's work for "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"! "--Jeff Shannon"
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
|
1038 |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 3 |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1955 |
Universal Studios |
Mystery & Suspense |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 3 Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1955
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Duration: 1019
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Three of the episodes in the third season of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS were directed by Hitchcock himself: "The Perfect Crime," "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "Dip in the Pool." The rest were overseen by a number of fine directors, including Robert Altman, Arthur Hiller and Don Taylor. MCA/Universal's large talent pool supplied the many fine actors who appeared in this and all the other seasons the show was in production.
By season #3, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS had really hit its stride. This DVD set is a terrific package of some of the finest programming the Golden Age of Televison ever produced. The first two years of the show are also available in complete season box sets.
For a fine bargain-priced compilation of Hitch's British-era movies, try the ULTIMATE HITCHCOCK COLLECTION. It offers 18 vintage titles as well as two TV episodes.
.
This program list is sequential by airdate. Included on it are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings, titles and the most prominent actors for each episode.
(9.1) (.#1) The Glass Eye (10/6/57) - Billy Barty/William Shatner/Jessica Tandy
(8.6) (.#2) The Mail Order Prophet (10/13/57) - Jack Klugman/E.G. Marshall
(8.3) (.#3) The Perfect Crime (10/20/57) - Vincent Price/James Gregory
(8.6) (.#4) Heart of Gold (10/27/57) - Daryl Hickman/Nehemiah Persoff/Mildred Dunnock
(9.0) (.#5) Silent Witness (11/3/57) - Don Taylor/Patricia Hitchcock
(8.9) (.#6) Reward To Finder (11/10/57) - Oskar Homolka/Jo Van Fleet/Claude Akins
(9.0) (.#7) Enough Rope For Two (11/17/57) - Steven Hill/Jean Hagen/Steve Brodie
(8.6) (.#8) The Last Request (11/24/57) - Harry Guardino/Cara Williams/Hugh Marlowe
(9.0) (.#9) The Young One (12/1/57) - Carol Lynley/Vince Edwards/Jeanette Nolan
(8.8) (#10) The Diplomatic Corpse (12/8/57) - Peter Lorre/George Peppard/Mary Scott
(8.8) (#11) The Deadly (12/15/57) - Phyllis Thaxter/Craig Stevens/Frank Gerstle
(8.8) (#12) Miss Paisley's Cat (12/22/57) - Dorothy Stickney/Raymond Bailey
(8.8) (#13) Night of the Execution (12/29/57) - Vinton Haworth/Pat Hingle
(8.8) (#14) The Percentage (1/5/58) - Don Keefer/Walter Woolf King/Carole Mathews
(8.8) (#15) Together (1/12/58) - Joseph Cotten/Florence MacAfee/Christine White
(8.3) (#16) Sylvia (1/19/58) - Ann Todd/Phillip Reed/John McIntire/Raymond Bailey
(8.8) (#17) The Motive (1/26/58) - Skip Homeier/Carl Betz/Kay Stewart
(8.3) (#18) Miss Bracegirdle Does Her Duty (2/2/58) - Mildred Natwick/Gavin Muir
(8.4) (#19) The Equalizer (2/9/58) - Leif Erickson/Martin Balsam/Norma Crane
(???) (#20) On the Nose (2/15/58) - Jan Sterling/Carl Betz/Holly Bane
(8.9) (#21) Guest for Breakfast (2/23/58) - Joan Tetzel/Scott McKay/Richard Shepard
(8.2) (#22) The Return of the Hero (3/2/58) - Jacques Bergerac/Susan Kohner
(8.7) (#23) The Right Kind of House (3/9/58) - Jeanette Nolan/James Drury/Robert Emhardt
(8.5) (#24) The Foghorn (3/16/58) - Barbara Bel Geddes/Michael Rennie
(???) (#25) Flight to the East (3/23/58) - Gary Merrill/Harvey Stephans
(7.4) (#26) Bull in a China Shop (3/30/58) - Dennis Morgan/Estelle Winwood/Ellen Corby
(8.6) (#27) Disappearing Trick (4/6/58) - Robert Horton/Raymond Bailey/Jack Albertson
(9.0) (#28) Lamb to the Slaughter (4/13/58) - Barbara Bel Geddes/Harold J. Stone
(???) (#29) Fatal Figures (4/20/58) - John McGiver/Vivian Nathan
(???) (#30) Death Sentence (4/27/57) - James Best/Steve Brodie/Frank Gerstle
(???) (#31) The Festive Season (5/4/58) - Richard Waring/Carmen Mathews
(7.6) (#32) Listen, Listen! (5/11/58) - James Westmoreland/Adam Williams/Kitty Kelly
(9.0) (#33) Post Mortem (5/18/58) - Steve Forrest/Joanna Cook Moore/James Gregory
(8.0) (#34) The Crocodile Case (5/25/58) - Denholm Elliot/Patricia Hitchcock
(7.9) (#35) Dip in the Pool (6/1/58) - Keenan Wynn/Fay Wray
(???) (#36) The Safe Place (6/8/58) - Robert H. Harris/Jerry Paris
(8.2) (#37) The Canary Sedan (6/15/58) - Jessica Tandy/Gavin Muir
(???) (#38) The Impromptu Murder (6/22/58) - Hume Cronyn/Doris Lloyd
(8.8) (#39) Little White Frock (6/29/58) - Herbert Marshall/Tom Helmore/Julie Adams
- Peter Lorre
- William Shatner
- Vincent Price
- Jack Klugman
- George Peppard
|
1039 |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Four |
|
|
NR |
|
Universal Studios |
Mystery & Suspense |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Four
Theatrical:
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Duration: 930
Rated: NR
Date Added: 10 Oct 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Legendary, award-winning and suspenseful, Alfred Hitchcock Presents set the gold standard for all TV mystery series to come and has remained an indelible part of popular culture. And now, the complete fourth season – all 36 episodes – is available on DVD for fans to enjoy again and again. Join guest stars Steve McQueen (Bullitt), Bette Davis (All About Eve), Claude Rains (Casablanca), Cloris Leachman (Young Frankenstein), Roger Moore (The Spy Who Loved Me), Walter Matthau (The Odd Couple), Brian Keith (Family Affair), Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched), Art Carney (Harry and Tonto), Mary Astor (The Maltese Falcon), Barbara Bel Geddes (Dallas), Denholm Elliott (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Dick York (Bewitched), Leslie Nielsen (Airplane!) and more as they act in stories of intrigue and murder … all under the watchful eye of the Master of Suspense himself. Nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy® Awards, and winner of 3 Primetime Emmy® Awards plus the Golden Globe® for Television Achievement, there’s no question why this show remains one of the most beloved classic series ever made.
|
1040 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (Box Set) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
PG |
1956 |
Warner Home Video |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (Box Set) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 965
Rated: PG
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Languages: Dutch, English, French, Italian, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection contains the DVD debut of 8 Hitchcock classics including "Strangers on a Train Two-Disc Special Edition," and the following 7 new single-disc DVDs: "Dial M For Murder," "Foreign Correspondent" "Suspicion," "The Wrong Man," "Stage Fright," "I Confess" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." The previously released "North by Northwest" is also included in the 10-disc Signature Collection. Each of the 9 films in the collection shows why Hitchcock is regarded as one of Hollywood's most esteemed and important directors, and also brings legendary stars to the digital front including Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Montgomery Clift and many others. Strangers on a Train - En route from Washington, D.C., champion tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger) meets pushy playboy Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker). What begins as a chance encounter turns into a series of morbid confrontations, as Bruno manipulates his way into Guy's life. Bruno is eager to kill his father and knows Guy wants to marry a senator's daughter (Ruth Roman) but can't get a divorce from his wife. So Bruno suggests the men swap murders, which would leave no traceable clues or possible motives. Though Guy refuses, it won't be easy to rid himself of the psychopathic Bruno. Hitchcock's daughter Patricia appears in this film. The extra features included on the DVD are: Alternate 'preview' version of the film; Commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich, Psycho screenwriter Joseph Stephano, Strangers on a Train author Patricia Highsmith and biographer Andrew Wilson; New making-of documentary Strangers on a Train: A Hitchcock Classic, with Farley Granger, film historian Richard Schickel, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell and other Hitchcock family members and colleagues recalling the making of this suspense landmark; Three intriguing featurettes: The Hitchcocks on Hitch, Strangers on a Train: The Victim's P.O.V., Strangers on a Train by M. Night Shyamalan; Alfred Hitchcock's Historical Meeting, a vintage newsreel. Each DVD will be presented in a format preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition and will include the original theatrical trailer, and subtitles in English, French and Spanish.
|
1041 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Foreign Correspondent |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1940 |
Warner Home Video |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Foreign Correspondent Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1940
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 120
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: Dutch, English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: The first of Alfred Hitchcock's World War II features, "Foreign Correspondent" was completed in 1940, as the European war was only beginning to erupt across national borders. Its titular hero, Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea), is an American crime reporter dispatched by his New York publisher to put a fresh spin on the drowsy dispatches emanating from overseas, his nose for a good story (and, of course, some fortuitous timing) promptly leading him to the "crime" of fascism and Nazi Germany's designs on European conquest. In attempting to learn more about a seemingly noble peace effort, Jones (who's been saddled with the dubious nom du plume Hadley Haverstock) walks into the middle of an assassination, uncovers a spy ring, and, not entirely coincidentally, falls in love--a pattern familiar to admirers of Hitchcock's espionage thrillers, of which this is a thoroughly entertaining example. McCrea's hardy Yankee charms are neatly contrasted with the droll, veddy English charm of colleague George Sanders; Herbert Marshall provides a plummy variation on the requisite, ambiguous "good-or-is-he-really-bad" guy; Laraine Day affords a lovely heroine; and Robert Benchley (who contributed to the script) pops up, albeit too briefly, for comic relief. As good as the cast is, however, it's Hitchcock's staging of key action sequences that makes "Foreign Correspondent" a textbook example of the director's visual energy: an assassin's escape through a rain-soaked crowd is registered by rippling umbrellas, a nest of spies is detected by the improbable direction of a windmill's spinning sails, and Jones's nocturnal flight across a pitched city rooftop produces its own contextual comment when broken neon tubes convert the Hotel Europe into "Hot Europe." "--Sam Sutherland"
- Albert Bassermann
- Robert Benchley
- Frances Carson
- Eduardo Ciannelli
- Eddie Conrad
|
1042 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: I Confess |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1953 |
Warner Home Video |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: I Confess Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1953
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 94
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, German, Italian Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Summary: Otto Kellar and his wife Alma work as caretaker and housekeeper at a Catholic church in Quebec. Whilst robbing a house where he sometimes works as a gardener Otto is caught and kills the owner. Racked with guilt he heads back to the church where Father Michael Logan is working late. Otto confesses his crime but when the police begin to suspect Father Logan he cannot reveal what he has been told in the confession.Running Time: 95 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 085393186326
- Brian Aherne
- Charles Andre
- Anne Baxter
- Nan Boardman
- Montgomery Clift
|
1043 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Mr. & Mrs. Smith |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1941 |
Turner Home Ent |
Comedy |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Mr. & Mrs. Smith Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1941
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 95
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Before Hollywood had entirely typecast Alfred Hitchcock as the master of suspense, with "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" he was allowed to fashion an elegant romantic trifle starring Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard. It probably won't replace "Rear Window" or "Psycho" in your affections, but the film is more than a curious footnote to the director's career. The two leads play David and Ann Smith, a devoted but endlessly squabbling couple who discover their three-year marriage isn't legal. When he unexpectedly hesitates to arrange a second wedding, she storms out in a huff and soon begins dating his solid, dependable business partner Jeff (Gene Raymond). The rest follows the formula laid down by such previous screwball comedies as "The Awful Truth" (1937) and "Bringing Up Baby" (1938): David employs fair means or foul to win back Ann's heart, causes all sorts of complicated mischief, then... well, three guesses what happens in the end. The intriguing thing about the movie is how Hitchcock takes Norman Krasna's paper-thin script and adds sly undercurrents of menace. Violence seems about to erupt in the recurring scenes where Ann shaves her husband (suggestively holding a razor up to his throat)--and there's a touch of "Vertigo" in one scary moment when a jammed amusement park ride leaves two characters dangling helplessly high above the ground. Montgomery and Lombard keep the mood acceptably frivolous, while indicating the flawed nature of the marital relationship. From the evidence of this one-off, Hitchcock might have been among the best comedy directors in the business, had he so wished. "--Peter Matthews"
- Pamela Blake
- Ralph Brooks
- Jack Carson
- Betty Compson
- Esther Dale
|
1044 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Stage Fright |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1950 |
Warner Home Video |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Stage Fright Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1950
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 110
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Summary: In suspense films characters frequently deceive one another. But can the "camera" tell a lie? This is one of the questions that Hitchcock takes up in "Stage Fright" (1950), and his answer has puzzled, infuriated, and delighted audiences ever since its initial release. "Stage Fright" is one of only two films Hitchcock made in Great Britain after he moved to America in 1940 (the other is "Frenzy", his late masterpiece). It is also his only picture to star Marlene Dietrich, whose character's allegiances are even more ambiguous than usual. Years after making "Stage Fright", Hitchcock claimed that because the villains were just as frightened as the heroes, the film did not carry the requisite quota of menace. But it has received a good deal of attention in recent years and is worth a fresh look. The director did admit that he was proud of the movie's most astounding plot twist, though no commercial filmmaker since has been bold enough to let the camera lie so eloquently. "--Raphael Shargel"
- Alfie Bass
- Ballard Berkeley
- Cyril Chamberlain
- Marlene Dietrich
- Helen Goss
|
1045 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Strangers on a Train |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
PG |
1951 |
Warner Home Video |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Strangers on a Train Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1951
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 101
Rated: PG
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: From its cleverly choreographed opening sequence to its heart-stopping climax on a rampant carousel, this 1951 Hitchcock classic readily earns its reputation as one of the director's finest examples of timeless cinematic suspense. It's not just a ripping-good thriller but a film student's delight and a perversely enjoyable battle of wits between tennis pro Guy (Farley Granger) and his mysterious, sycophantic admirer, Bruno (Robert Walker), who proposes a "criss-cross" scheme of traded murders. Bruno agrees to kill Guy's unfaithful wife, in return for which Guy will (or so it seems) kill Bruno's spiteful father. With an emphasis on narrative and visual strategy, Hitchcock controls the escalating tension with a master's flair for cinematic design, and the plot (coscripted by Raymond Chandler) is so tightly constructed that you'll be white-knuckled even after multiple viewings. "Strangers on a Train" remains one of Hitchcock's crowning achievements and a suspenseful classic that never loses its capacity to thrill and delight. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Alfred Hitchcock
- John Brown
- Leo G. Carroll
- John Doucette
- Roy Engel
|
1046 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Suspicion |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
Unrated |
1941 |
Turner Home Ent |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: Suspicion Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1941
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 99
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Repeated viewings can't dispel the shock of the final scene in this classic 1941 romantic mystery--a brief but disorienting confrontation that suddenly inverts the heroine's mounting conviction that she's married a murderer, forcing us to reconsider virtually every scene and line of dialogue that's preceded it. It's a masterful coup de grace for director Alfred Hitchcock, who has built a puzzle around the corrosive power of suspicion, threaded with deft ambiguities that toy with dramatic conventions and character archetypes in nearly every frame. As embodied by Joan Fontaine, who nabbed an Oscar in this second outing with the director, Lina McLaidlaw is a buttoned-up, bookish heiress whose prim exterior conceals longings for a more engaged emotional life. Her solution materializes in the darkly handsome Johnnie Aysgarth, a gambler, womanizer, and spendthrift who flirts, then pursues, and soon marries her. As Aysgarth, Cary Grant is both irresistible and sinister, capable of deceit and petty theft, as well as grander designs on his bride's impending fortune. Lina's passion for Johnnie is clouded by each new revelation about his apparent dishonesty, from clandestine gambling to real estate development schemes; more troubling are clues implicating him in the death of his best friend, and the prospect that Johnnie may be slowly poisoning Lina herself. By the time we see him ascending a darkened staircase with a suspicious glass of milk, an image made all the more indelible through the spectral glow the director captures in the glass, the evidence seems damning indeed. In fact, even as Hitchcock stacks the deck against Johnnie, and takes full advantage of Grant's skill at conveying such menace, the director also dots his landscape with visual clues to Lina's own neurotic (and erotic) obsessions. The final scene forces us to reevaluate her behavior while leaving enough of a cloud over Johnnie to rob him, and us, of a complete exoneration. It's a wicked, unsettling payoff to a brilliantly executed thriller. "--Sam Sutherland"
- Cary Grant
- Joan Fontaine
- Cedric Hardwicke
- Nigel Bruce
|
1047 |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: The Wrong Man |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1956 |
Warner Home Video |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: The Wrong Man Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 105
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Italian, Spanish, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Alfred Hitchcock was fond of telling the story about how his father discouraged his son from even the slightest criminal impulse by having young Alfred locked in a police holding cell for a brief period--a terrifying experience Hitchcock never forgot. Much of the fear from that childhood incident resonates through "The Wrong Man", which is unique among Hitchcock's films in that it is based entirely on a factual case that occurred in New York City in January 1953. As Hitchcock states in a shadowy prologue, authenticity was his primary goal--including the use of actual names and locations from the case--and the film gains considerable power from Hitchcock's semi-documentary approach (a film noir style that was still in vogue when Hitchcock shot this film in 1957). Henry Fonda is perfectly cast as the financially struggling nightclub musician who is mistakenly identified as a robber when he attempts to cash in his wife's life-insurance policy to pay for her much-needed dental work. Vera Miles is equally superb as the suffering wife, who ultimately cracks under the pressure of her husband's wrongful accusation and the drawn-out process of proving his innocence. Through all of this, Hitchcock pays close attention to the mundane details of police procedure, intensifying Fonda's desperation and the narrative tension that was Hitchcock's directorial trademark. As it happens, the strict adherence to factual detail--no matter how absurd or incredible--also renders "The Wrong Man" somewhat weaker than Hitchcock's classic plots, since in this case truth is decidedly stranger than fiction. Nevertheless, this is still a riveting film that fits quite nicely alongside Hitchcock's better-known films of the 1950s. (Interesting trivia: Miles--who would later appear in "Psycho", was Hitchcock's first choice for the Kim Novak role in "Vertigo", and Hitchcock was vocally annoyed when Miles's pregnancy prevented her from taking the role that could have made her a star.) "--Jeff Shannon"
- Laurinda Barrett
- Kippy Campbell
- Norma Connolly
- Charles Cooper
- Lola D'Annunzio
|
1048 |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Box Set) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
PG |
|
Universal Studios Home Entertainment |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Box Set) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical:
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 840
Rated: PG
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Summary: Masterpiece indeed. With 14 films, each supplemented with numerous documentaries, commentaries, and other bonus materials, "Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection" will be the cornerstone for any serious DVD library. Packaged in a beautiful, conversation-starting velvet box, the individual discs inside come four to a case, decorated with original poster art. No doubt opinionated fans will argue about what should fall under the rubric of "masterpiece" in Hitchcock's body of work, but with the bona fide classics "Vertigo", "Psycho", and "The Man Who Knew Too Much", there's plenty of timeless movie magic here. Eye-popping transfers and gorgeous sound make this set one of the must-have releases of the year. Should the Hitchcock fan have the energy for more after imbibing on the movies themselves, a bonus disc provides additional documentaries. These include a revealing interview in which the master of suspense discusses, among other things, how much he dislikes working with method actors, going so far as to name names (we're talking about you, Jimmy Stewart and Montgomery Clift). In an American Film Institute lifetime achievement ceremony, the master of suspense is praised by the likes of Stewart and Ingrid Bergman, and seems to be suffering from severe boredom as celebrities pile on the flattery. Then Hitchcock opens his mouth to accept the award, delivering an endlessly witty stream of perfect bon mots that prove once again that he was a master of high comedy as well. Revealing documentaries about the making of "Psycho" and "The Birds" round out the feast of extras. The 36-page booklet, filled mostly with stills and poster art, provides little new information about the films."--Ryan Boudinot" Films Included in "Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection" "Saboteur " Robert Cummings stars as Barry Kane, a patriotic munitions worker who is falsely accused of sabotage, in this wartime thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. Plastered across the front page of every newspaper and hated by the nation, Kane's only hope of clearing his name is to find the real villain. The script as a whole is a clever one--Algonquin wit Dorothy Parker shares a screenwriting credit, and her trademark zingers make for a terrific mix of humor and suspense. "Saboteur" is a pleasure whether you're a die-hard Hitchcock fan or just someone who likes a good nail-biter. " --Ali Davis" "Shadow of a Doubt" Alfred Hitchcock considered this 1943 thriller to be his personal favorite among his own films, and although it's not as popular as some of Hitchcock's later work, it's certainly worthy of the master's admiration. Scripted by playwright Thornton Wilder and inspired by the actual case of a 1920's serial killer known as "The Merry Widow Murderer," the movie sets a tone of menace and fear by introducing a psychotic killer into the small-town comforts of Santa Rosa, California. Through narrow escapes and a climactic scene aboard a speeding train, this witty thriller strips away the façade of small-town tranquility to reveal evil where it's least expected. And, of course, it's all done in pure Hitchcockian style. " --Jeff Shannon" "Rope" An experimental film masquerading as a standard Hollywood thriller, " Rope" is simple and based on a successful stage play: two young men (John Dall and Farley Granger) commit murder, more or less as an intellectual exercise. They hide the body in their large apartment, then throw a dinner party. Will the body be discovered? Director Alfred Hitchcock, fascinated by the possibilities of the long-take style, decided to shoot this story as though it were happening in one long, uninterrupted shot. Since the camera can only hold one 10-minute reel at a time, Hitchcock had to be creative when it came time to change reels, disguising the switches as the camera passed behind someone's back or moved behind a lamp. James Stewart, as a suspicious professor, marks his first starring role for Hitchcock, a collaboration that would lead to the masterpieces "Rear Window" and "Vertigo". "--Robert Horton" "Rear Window" Like the Greenwich Village courtyard view from its titular portal, Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Rear Window" is both confined and multileveled: both its story and visual perspective are dictated by its protagonist's imprisonment in his apartment, convalescing in a wheelchair, from which both he and the audience observe the lives of his neighbors. Cheerful voyeurism, as well as the behavior glimpsed among the various tenants, affords a droll comic atmosphere that gradually darkens when he sees clues to what may be a murder. At deeper levels, "Rear Window" plumbs issues of moral responsibility and emotional honesty, while offering further proof (were any needed) of the director's brilliance as a visual storyteller. "--Sam Sutherland " "The Trouble with Harry" A busman's holiday for Alfred Hitchcock, this 1955 black comedy concerns a pesky corpse that becomes a problem for a quiet, Vermont neighborhood. Shirley MacLaine makes her film debut as one of several characters who keep burying the body and finding it unburied again. Hitchcock clearly enjoys conjuring the autumnal look and feel of the story, and he establishes an important, first-time alliance with composer Bernard Herrmann, whose music proved vital to the director's next half-dozen or so films. But for now, "The Trouble with Harry" is a lark, the mischievous side of Hitchcock given free reign. "--Tom Keogh " "The Man Who Knew Too Much" Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 remake of his own 1934 spy thriller is an exciting event in its own right, with several justifiably famous sequences. James Stewart and Doris Day play American tourists who discover more than they wanted to know about an assassination plot. When their son is kidnapped to keep them quiet, they are caught between concern for him and the terrible secret they hold. When asked about the difference between this version of the story and the one he made 22 years earlier, Hitchcock always said the first was the work of a talented amateur while the second was the act of a seasoned professional. Indeed, several extraordinary moments in this update represent consummate filmmaking, particularly a relentlessly exciting Albert Hall scene, with a blaring symphony, an assassin's gun, and Doris Day's scream. "The Man Who Knew Too Much"is the work of a master in his prime. "--Tom Keogh" "Vertigo" Although it wasn't a box-office success when originally released in 1958, "Vertigo" has since taken its deserved place as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most spellbinding, most deeply personal achievement. James Stewart plays a retired police detective who is hired by an old friend to follow his wife (a superb Kim Novak, in what becomes a double role), whom he suspects of being possessed by the spirit of a dead madwoman. Shot around San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of the Legion of Honor are significant locations) and elsewhere in Northern California (the redwoods, Mission San Juan Batista) in rapturous Technicolor, "Vertigo" is as lovely as it is haunting. "--Jim Emerson" "Psycho" For all the slasher pictures that have ripped off "Psycho" (and particularly its classic set piece, the "shower scene"), nothing has ever matched the impact of the real thing. More than just a first-rate shocker full of thrills and suspense, "Psycho" is also an engrossing character study in which director Alfred Hitchcock skillfully seduces you into identifying with the main characters--then pulls the rug (or the bathmat) out from under you. Anthony Perkins is unforgettable as Norman Bates, the mama's boy proprietor of the Bates Motel; and so is Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, who makes an impulsive decision and becomes a fugitive from the law, hiding out at Norman's roadside inn for one fateful night. "--Jim Emerson" "The Birds" Vacationing in northern California, Alfred Hitchcock was struck by a story in a Santa Cruz newspaper: "Seabird Invasion Hits Coastal Homes." From this peculiar incident, and his memory of a short story by Daphne du Maurier, the master of suspense created one of his strangest and most terrifying films. "The Birds" follows a chic blonde, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), as she travels to the coastal town of Bodega Bay to hook up with a rugged fellow (Rod Taylor) she's only just met. Before long the town is attacked by marauding birds, and Hitchcock's skill at staging action is brought to the fore. Beyond the superb effects, however, "The Birds" is also one of Hitchcock's most psychologically complicated scenarios, a tense study of violence, loneliness, and complacency. What really gets under your skin are not the bird skirmishes but the anxiety and the eerie quiet between attacks. Treated with scant attention by serious critics in 1963, "The Birds" has grown into a classic and--despite the sci-fi trappings--one of Hitchcock's most serious films. "--Robert Horton" "Marnie" Sean Connery, fresh from the second Bond picture, "From Russia with Love", is a Philadelphia playboy who begins to fall for Tippi Hedren's blonde ice goddess only when he realizes that she's a professional thief; she's come to work in his upper-crust insurance office in order to embezzle mass quantities. His patient program of investigation and surveillance has a creepy, voyeuristic quality that's pure Hitchcock, but all's lost when it emerges that the root of Marnie's problem is phobic sexual frigidity, induced by a childhood trauma. Luckily, Sean is up to the challenge. As it were. Not even D.H. Lawrence believed as fervently as Hitchcock in the curative properties of sexual release. " --David Chute" "Torn Curtain" Paul Newman and Julie Andrews star in what must unfortunately be called one of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser efforts. Still, sub-par Hitchcock is better than a lot of what's out there, and this one is well worth a look. Newman plays cold war physicist Michael Armstrong, while Andrews plays his lovely assistant-and-fiancée, Sarah Sherman. Armstrong has been working on a missile defense system that will "make nuclear defense obsolete," and naturally both sides are very interested. All Sarah cares about is the fact that Michael has been acting awfully fishy lately. The suspense of "Torn Curtain" is by nature not as thrilling as that in the average Hitchcock film--much of it involves sitting still and wondering if the bad guys are getting closer. Still, Hitchcock manages to amuse himself: there is some beautifully clever camera work and an excruciating sequence that illustrates the frequent Hitchcock point that death is not a tidy business. "--Ali Davis " "Topaz" Alfred Hitchcock hadn't made a spy thriller since the 1930s, so his 1969 adaptation of Leon Uris's bestseller seemed like a curious choice for the director. But Hitchcock makes Uris's story of the West's investigation into the Soviet Union's dealings with Cuba his own. Frederick Stafford plays a French intelligence agent who works with his American counterpart (John Forsythe) to break up a Soviet spy ring. The film is a bit flat dramatically and visually, and there are sequences that seem to occupy Hitchcock's attention more than others. A minor work all around, with at least two alternative endings shot by Hitchcock. "--Tom Keogh" "Frenzy" Alfred Hitchcock's penultimate film, written by Anthony Shaffer (who also wrote "Sleuth"), this delightfully grisly little tale features an all-British cast minus star wattage, which may have accounted for its relatively slim showing in the States. Jon Finch plays a down-on-his-luck Londoner who is offered some help by an old pal (Barry Foster). In fact, Foster is a serial killer the police have been chasing--and he's framing Finch. Which leads to a classic Hitchcock situation: a guiltless man is forced to prove his innocence while eluding Scotland Yard at the same time. Spiked with Hitchcock's trademark dark humor, "Frenzy" also features a very funny subplot about the Scotland Yard investigator (Alec McCowen) in charge of the case, who must endure meals by a wife (Vivien Merchant) who is taking a gourmet-cooking class. "--Marshall Fine" "Family Plot" Alfred Hitchcock's final film is understated comic fun that mixes suspense with deft humor, thanks to a solid cast. The plot centers on the kidnapping of an heir and a diamond theft by a pair of bad guys led by Karen Black and William Devane. The cops seem befuddled, but that doesn't stop a questionable psychic (Barbara Harris) and her not overly bright boyfriend (Bruce Dern, in a rare good-guy role) from picking up the trail and actually solving the crime. Did she do it with actual psychic powers? That's part of the fun of Harris's enjoyably ditsy performance. "--Marshall Fine"
|
1049 |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Frenzy / Family Plot / AFI Salute to Alfred Hitchcock) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
|
|
Universal |
Mystery & Suspense |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Frenzy / Family Plot / AFI Salute to Alfred Hitchcock) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical:
Studio: Universal
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Rated:
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Summary: Three Disc Set .. Frenzy and Family Plot Discs contain bonus features and the Bonus Disc contains a Fifteen Minute portion of the AFI Salute to Alfred Hitchcock, Masters of Cinema: Alfred Hitchcock, All About "The Birds" and The Making of "Psycho"
|
1050 |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / The Trouble With Harry / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Vertigo) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
PG |
|
Universal |
Mystery & Suspense |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / The Trouble With Harry / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Vertigo) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical:
Studio: Universal
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Rated: PG
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Summary: Four Disc Set Each disc contains bonus features for each film
|
1051 |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (The Birds / Marnie / Torn Curtain / Topaz) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
PG |
|
Universal |
Mystery & Suspense |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (The Birds / Marnie / Torn Curtain / Topaz) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical:
Studio: Universal
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Rated: PG
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Summary: Four Disc Set Each disc contains bonus features for each film
|
1052 |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection: (Rear Window / Saboteur / Shadow of a Doubt / Rope) |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
PG |
|
Universal |
Mystery & Suspense |
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection: (Rear Window / Saboteur / Shadow of a Doubt / Rope) Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical:
Studio: Universal
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Rated: PG
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Summary: Four Disc Set Each disc contains bonus features for each film
|
1053 |
Alfred Hitchcock's Bon Voyage & Aventure Malgache |
Alfred Hitchcock |
|
NR |
1944 |
Image Entertainment |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Alfred Hitchcock's Bon Voyage & Aventure Malgache Alfred Hitchcock
Theatrical: 1944
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 57
Rated: NR
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Languages: French Subtitles: English
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Academy Ratio
Summary: While Alfred Hitchcock made several well-known wartime films with intrigue and ambiguous love themes at their core ("Saboteur", "Notorious"), he also made a pair of far less familiar works: two French-language propaganda shorts, "Bon Voyage" and "Aventure Malgache". The two rarely screened works were actually official productions of the British Ministry of Information, designed as tributes to the Resistance movement against the occupying Nazi forces in France. Hitchcock was paid a token fee, but they were really a labor of love for him. Despite that, "Bon Voyage" received limited play in France and "Aventure Malgache" was shelved completely by the Brits. Neither movie played in America. It's easy to see why: "Bon Voyage", the better of the two, concerns a Royal Air Force gunner whose escape from a German prison is aided by a fellow fugitive he has only just met, and by a succession of Resistance workers who help him get out of the country. Interrogated back in London, the officer discovers he was actually an unwitting dupe whose flight helped the Germans locate and destroy key links in the underground organization. Equally bleak, "Aventure Malgache" is a complex, swiftly paced remembrance by a French actor about the duplicity of Vichy collaborators in French-controlled Madagascar. The narrator, making himself up to play his own life in a staged version of past events he describes, was imprisoned by the Vichy government for his Resistance tactics. In essence, the film is about dissension among the French people when it comes to dealing with the Germans. It's a little hard to imagine why Hitchcock would have thought these two morally shaded stories would bolster freedom-fighting spirits. But they each have elements that resonate deliciously with his career-long pet obsessions and themes. "Bon Voyage", particularly, is of interest as the tale of an innocent man who unwittingly crosses the line into culpability for evil, a moral murkiness that is key to many Hitchcock films from "The Lodger" through "Frenzy". As a piece of the legacy of one of the most important filmmakers in history, this rare double bill is well worth the visit. "--Tom Keogh"
- John Blythe
- Andre Frere
- Paul Clarus
- Paulette Preney (II)
- Paul Bonifas
|
1054 |
Algiers |
John Cromwell |
|
NR |
1938 |
Miracle Pictures |
Classics |
Algiers John Cromwell
Theatrical: 1938
Studio: Miracle Pictures
Genre: Classics
Duration: 96
Rated: NR
Date Added: 09 Jan 2009
Summary: Pepe Le Moko ( Charles Boyer), a thief who escaped from France with a fortune in jewels, has lived in the impenetrable Casbah ( the "native quarter" of Algiers) for two years. A French official insists that he be captured, but sly Inspector Slimane knows he need only bide his time. The suave Pepe increasingly regards his stronghold as his prison, especially when he meets a beautiful Parisian visitor ( Hedy Lamarr), who reminds him of the boulevards to which he cannot return.
- Charles Boyer; Joseph Calleia; Sigrid Gurie; Alan Hale; Hedy Lamarr; Gene Lockhart
|
1055 |
Alice |
Woody Allen |
|
PG-13 |
1990 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Allen, Woody |
Alice Woody Allen
Theatrical: 1990
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Allen, Woody
Duration: 106
Rated: PG-13
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: "Alice" is one of Woody Allen's more grounded whimsies, though viewers with a low tolerance for feyness might miss it. Here goes Mia Farrow again as a nattering Manhattanite with a girlie-girlie voice and a well-to-do husband of 16 years (a stockbroker played by William Hurt) who doesn't always notice whether she's in the room. One day a back pain sends her up a dim staircase in Chinatown to see an acupuncturist (the valedictory role of the beloved Keye Luke). He has quite a bag of tricks--including hypnosis and a versatile assortment of herbal teas--and enough insight to recognize that Alice's troubles lie somewhere other than her sacroiliac. Under Dr. Yang's ministrations, Alice goes on a Wonderland voyage through her own life, fantasizing about having an affair with a dusky stranger (Joe Mantegna), flitting about Manhattan as an invisible spirit, and--most unlikely of all--talking straight with her various relatives, past and present. Like so many Allen films, "Alice" wavers between scenes imagined with deftness and precision (like Farrow and Mantegna's astonished mutual seduction) and other scenes and notions that are merely touched upon and then abandoned before they can develop any rhythm and complexity, persuade you they were worth including, and justify the presence of so many nifty performers--Judy Davis, Judith Ivey, Gwen Verdon, Robin Bartlett, Alec Baldwin, Holland Taylor, Cybill Shepherd, Blythe Danner, Julie Kavner, Caroline Aaron--who mostly wink in and out again as cameos. Nevertheless, almost all Woody's looking glasses are worth passing through at least once. "--Richard T. Jameson"
- Mia Farrow
- Alec Baldwin
- Blythe Danner
- William Hurt
- Judy Davis
|
1056 |
Alice Adams |
George Stevens |
Mortimer Offner |
NR |
1935 |
Turner Home Ent |
Comedy |
Alice Adams George Stevens
Theatrical: 1935
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 99
Rated: NR
Writer: Mortimer Offner
Date Added: 22 Jun 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Hollywood's ability to conjure up a bittersweet small town (on the studio back lot, to be sure) has rarely been on better display than in "Alice Adams", a gentle adaptation of a Booth Tarkington novel. For that matter, Katharine Hepburn rarely had a better chance to radiate her early youthful glow. She plays the title character, a lonely misfit who tries--too hard--to fit in with the snooty debutantes in her class-conscious town. Fred MacMurray is the suitor who miraculously feels comfortable in the front-porch swing of the faded Adams home. In the exquisitely timed comedy of MacMurray's miserable dinner with Alice's family, director George Stevens displays the tools he learned directing Laurel and Hardy two-reelers, and the sequence becomes a funny-painful classic of social embarrassment. Hepburn's performance, whether Alice is chattering pretentiously or briefly lowering her guard and revealing her loneliness, is simply incandescent. "--Robert Horton"
- Katharine Hepburn
- Fred MacMurray
- Fred Stone
- Evelyn Venable
- Frank Albertson
- Robert De Grasse Cinematographer
- Jane Loring Editor
|
1057 |
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore |
Martin Scorsese |
Robert Getchell |
PG |
1974 |
Warner Home Video |
Comedy |
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Martin Scorsese
Theatrical: 1974
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 112
Rated: PG
Writer: Robert Getchell
Date Added: 07 Sep 2009
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Having scored a critical triumph with "Mean Streets", Martin Scorsese accepted "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" as his first big-studio assignment, proving his versatility and further advancing his promising career. Hot off "The Exorcist" with her choice of projects at Warner Brothers, Ellen Burstyn sought a hot young talent (Scorsese was recommended by Francis Coppola) to direct Robert Getchell's fine, sensitive screenplay about Alice Wyatt, a newly-widowed 35-year-old lounge singer with a bratty 12-year-old son (Alfred Lutter) and a very uncertain future. Her pursuit of broken dreams lands her a waitressing job in an Arizona diner, where she befriends foul-mouthed Flo (Diane Ladd) and meets and falls in love with a divorced farmer (Kris Kristofferson). With absolute authenticity of emotion and incident, "Alice"--which earned Burstyn a well-deserved Oscar® and features supporting roles for future "Taxi Driver" costars Jodie Foster and Harvey Keitel--conveys a then-timely sense of strength and endurance from a single mother in desperate times. There have been several similar dramas made since 1974, but "Alice" (which inspired the popular TV sitcoms "Alice" and "Flo") is still the best. Trivia buffs: Look closely for Ladd's daughter--a very young Laura Dern--and Scorsese as background extras in the diner scenes. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Ellen Burstyn
- Kris Kristofferson
- Mia Bendixsen
- Alfred Lutter III
- Billy Green Bush
- Kent L. Wakeford Cinematographer
- Marcia Lucas Editor
|
1058 |
The Alice Faye Collection (Box Set) |
Roy Del Ruth, Irving Cummings |
|
Unrated |
1937 |
20th Century Fox |
Musicals |
The Alice Faye Collection (Box Set) Roy Del Ruth, Irving Cummings
Theatrical: 1937
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 410
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Summary: The brevity of her stardom might account for her relative lack of 21st-century fame, but believe it: Alice Faye was a huge star. She was the queen of Twentieth Century Fox for a few years and became the heroine of the wartime musical until she was displaced by her Fox stablemate Betty Grable. As a singer, she enjoyed a string of hits with her surprising voice, a low, mellow croon, which somehow sounds like the World War II homefront. Faye's fleshy, cornfed face had much to do with her girl-next-door persona, although the figure she shows off in a gold dress in "That Night in Rio" leaves no doubt about another aspect of her appeal. The four-disc "Alice Faye Collection" gives a cross-section of Faye's Fox career: one film as the up-and-comer ("On the Avenue"), two splashy mega-musicals ("The Gang's All Here" and "That Night in Rio"), and one expensive, serious musical biopic ("Lillian Russell"). In all, she smolders rather than burns, and rarely goes long without a song. The 1937 "On the Avenue" is an Irving Berlin spectacle with a silly streak: Broadway boy Dick Powell locks horns with the richest girl in America (Madeleine Carroll), with Faye on the sidelines as Powell's regular-gal pal. You can see why audiences loved her, and the movie itself is a snappy, sarcastic little gem, featuring some antic routines by the Ritz Brothers and a kooky collection of Berlin tunes (including "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"). "Lillian Russell", a 1940 bio of the famous Gay 90s singer, was intended as Faye's crack at a dramatic role. The movie's whitewash of Russell's real story (which, as a 20-minute documentary makes clear, made Russell the Madonna of her era) limits Faye's chances. Henry Fonda plays a long-faithful suitor, with Don Ameche and Edward Arnold (reprising his title role from the film "Diamond Jim Brady") also in her orbit. "That Night in Rio" casts Faye opposite frequent co-star Ameche again; he plays a double role, as a suave Baron and a brash nightclub impersonator. The story is nonsense, but Carmen Miranda is around to do the chica-boom, and Alice looks drop-dead sexy. And then there's "The Gang's All Here", one of Hollywood's most legendary excursions into surrealism. Don't pay attention to the plot--just check out director Busby Berkeley's lunatic staging of the dance numbers. "The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat," a showpiece for Carmen Miranda (it's the one with the giant bananas in a chorus line) looks like something dreamed up by Salvador Dali after an acid trip. Benny Goodman's swing band is also around. Some care has gone into the DVD extras: a two-part bio of Alice Faye, featuring her daughters (and giving the story of how Faye walked away from film in 1945); a charming film she made for the Pfizer drug company, extolling the virtues of keeping fit; and a 20-minute intro to Berkeley's style. The print transfers are more problematic. "Avenue" looks fine, and "Rio" looks like other Fox color films of the era. "Lillian Russell" is preceded by a disclaimer warning of the limitations of original source materials, and indeed the print here is marred by serious tears in the middle of the screen during a few sequences. "Gang's All Here" will disappoint Technicolor fans; the colors don't "pop" as they should, and the film looks dimmer and vaguer than its onetime splendor. Here's hoping a cleaner, fuller version will emerge. "--Robert Horton"
- Dick Powell
- Madeleine Carroll
- Alice Faye
- Al Ritz
- Harry Ritz
|
1059 |
The Alice Faye Collection: Lillian Russell |
Irving Cummings |
William Anthony McGuire |
NR |
1940 |
20th Century Fox |
Drama |
The Alice Faye Collection: Lillian Russell Irving Cummings
Theatrical: 1940
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Drama
Duration: 127
Rated: NR
Writer: William Anthony McGuire
Date Added: 12 Aug 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Summary: This 1940 biopic of the famed Gay '90s chanteuse was intended as a big dramatic role for Alice Faye, then at the top of her box-office run as the queen of the Twentieth Century Fox studio. And Faye, with her cornfed appeal and mellow singing voice, looks capable of delivering the goods, if only the movie had more real Russell and less romantic-biography formula. Lillian Russell was truly the Madonna of her day, a gigantic star who steered her own tough-minded path through husbands and lovers. This tale is considerably whittled down amid the period trappings and old-timey songs. Of course, the songs give Faye the chance to wrap her husky voice around some classics, including "After the Ball" and "My Evening Star." The big-time supporting cast includes Henry Fonda, as the somewhat miserable newspaper man who remains loyal to Lillian throughout her life; Edward Arnold, reprising his title role from "Diamond Jim Brady"; Don Ameche, as the frustrated composer who marries Lillian; and Warren William, as Jesse Lewisohn, another of Lillian's famous suitors. The famous vaudeville team, Weber and Fields, appear as themselves; they toured with the real Russell, and do one of their old routines (which looks like something out of an inscrutable comedy time capsule; funny once, puzzling now). It's all well-dressed and tuneful enough to keep going for over two hours, but the movie rarely breaks into living, breathing life. The DVD includes a 20-minute documentary about the real Lillian Russell, which most viewers will be curious about once they've watched the movie. The film itself is preceded by a disclaimer referring to best-available print sources; the reason becomes clear after the early reels, as some print damage (especially some obvious tears and holes) is visible. It's probably not enough to ruin the film for the average moviegoer, although purists might be frustrated. "--Robert Horton"
- Alice Faye
- Don Ameche
- Henry Fonda
- Edward Arnold
- Warren William
- Leon Shamroy Cinematographer
- Walter Thompson Editor
|
1060 |
The Alice Faye Collection: On the Avenue |
Roy Del Ruth |
William M. Conselman |
NR |
1937 |
20th Century Fox |
Comedy |
The Alice Faye Collection: On the Avenue Roy Del Ruth
Theatrical: 1937
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 89
Rated: NR
Writer: William M. Conselman
Date Added: 12 Aug 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: French, Spanish
Summary: Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 10/07/2008 Run time: 128 minutes Rating: Nr
- Dick Powell
- Madeleine Carroll
- Alice Faye
- Al Ritz
- Harry Ritz
|
1061 |
The Alice Faye Collection: That Night in Rio |
Irving Cummings |
Samuel Hoffenstein |
NR |
1941 |
20th Century Fox |
Comedy |
The Alice Faye Collection: That Night in Rio Irving Cummings
Theatrical: 1941
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 91
Rated: NR
Writer: Samuel Hoffenstein
Date Added: 12 Aug 2009
Languages: English, Portuguese, French, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Summary: "It don't make sense, the chica chica boom chic. But it's immense, the chica chica boom chic." Let us pause to ponder the immortal wisdom of these words, sung by Carmen Miranda in "That Night in Rio", and then move swiftly on to effortless enjoyment of this splashy nonsense. Here we are in Rio--well, the Fox backlot--for an absurd tale of mistaken identity and romantic trading-off. Nightclub performer Don Ameche looks exactly like a famous South American airline magnate (also played by Ameche, natch), and so doubles for him during a lavish party when the Baron is away on delicate business. Alice Faye, still the top female star at Fox at this time, takes a supporting role, slightly miscast, as the Baroness. Faye always had the down-on-the-farm appeal expressed in her all-American face, but the form-fitting gold gown she wears during the party gives evidence of another kind of appeal; she's drop-dead sexy here. The songs by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren are not copious, but Carmen Miranda has a couple of signature numbers and Faye sings "They Met in Rio." The plot had been adapted once before, as "Folies Bergere", and would later surface as "On the Riviera", with Danny Kaye. Extras include an informative 14-minute documentary about Alice Faye's life after quitting movies in 1945 (her two daughters contribute) and a deleted scene that has Faye and Ameche doing--you guessed it--"The Chica Chica Boom Chic." "--Robert Horton"
- Alice Faye
- Don Ameche
- Carmen Miranda
- S.Z. Sakall
- J. Carrol Naish
|
1062 |
The Alice Faye Collection: The Gang's All Here |
Busby Berkeley |
Walter Bullock |
NR |
1943 |
20th Century Fox |
Comedy |
The Alice Faye Collection: The Gang's All Here Busby Berkeley
Theatrical: 1943
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 103
Rated: NR
Writer: Walter Bullock
Date Added: 12 Aug 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Summary: Here's one of Hollywood's great excursions into surrealism: "The Gang's All Here", the legendarily over-the-top wartime musical. Director Busby Berkeley threw every demented idea that every swirled out of his teeming brain into this madcap affair, and decades later the film was still wowing 'em as a campy jaw-dropper. The plot is the nonsensical stuff of homefront musicals, with chorus girl Alice Faye waiting for soldier boy James Ellison to return from the war, little knowing he is engaged to another woman. But the real point here is the crazy production design and the flabbergasting numbers--most famously, Carmen Miranda's "The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat," which includes a chorus line of women dancing while holding giant bananas over their heads. It might have been dreamed up by Salvador Dali after an acid trip. Alice gets her due with the equally crazy "Polka-Dot Polka," and Benny Goodman and his orchestra are also around. So are such reliable second bananas (you should excuse the expression) as Edward Everett Horton and high-kicking Charlotte Greenwood. The DVD extras include a 20-minute documentary on Berkeley's peculiar art, plus a charming 25-promotional film featuring Alice Faye reminiscing about her old pictures and extolling the virtues of physical fitness (made for the Pfizer drug company while Faye was their spokesperson). A deleted comedy scene and two episodes from the long-running radio show Faye did with husband Phil Harris are also included. The print itself is a source of controversy; the colors lack the "pop" of the original Technicolor, and the film looks dimmer and vaguer than its original glory. Here's hoping a cleaner, fuller version will emerge. "--Robert Horton"
- Alice Faye
- Carmen Miranda
- Phil Baker
- Benny Goodman
- Benny Goodman Orchestra
- Edward Cronjager Cinematographer
|
1063 |
Alice in Wonderland |
|
|
NR |
1933 |
Universal Studios |
Kids & Family |
Alice in Wonderland
Theatrical: 1933
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Kids & Family
Duration: 77
Rated: NR
Date Added: 19 Dec 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Summary:
|
1064 |
Alice, Sweet Alice |
|
|
R |
1976 |
Henstooth Video |
Horror |
Alice, Sweet Alice
Theatrical: 1976
Studio: Henstooth Video
Genre: Horror
Duration: 107
Rated: R
Date Added: 13 Mar 2010
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Paula Sheppard is Alice, a pouty, petulant problem child at that awkward age living with her precocious little sister Karen (Brooke Shields) and single mom. When Karen is murdered during her first communion and Alice takes her place in line, suspicion immediately falls on her. Then a diminutive killer in a yellow slicker and opaque mask continues the reign of terror, and Alice's estranged father takes up the investigation to prove her innocence. Director Alfred Sole has acknowledged a debt to Nicolas Roeg's "Don't Look Now", but "Alice, Sweet Alice" is really in the Hitchcock mold, a stylish, smartly executed psychological suspense thriller. The violence is rarely graphic but often grueling and always harrowing, and the deaths reverberate through the film in genuine and sometimes hysterical outpourings of grief. Even when Sole reveals the killer's identity in a startling moment halfway through (à la "Vertigo"), the tension never lets up. The original title of the film, "Communion", better captures the Catholic elements of guilt, sacrifice, and redemption that become central to the film (another tip to Hitchcock). Only a couple of grotesque caricatures (notably an obese pedophile landlord) and a few rough moments (largely special effects scenes, likely due to budgetary constraints) mar this otherwise intelligent and well executed thriller. The DVD also features an insightful commentary track by director Alfred Sole and editor Edward Salier and an alternate credits sequence (identical but for the film's title), as well as brief biographies and filmographies and a stills gallery. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Linda Miller
- Mildred Clinton
- Paula E. Sheppard
- Niles McMaster
- Jane Lowry
|
1065 |
Alien Autopsy |
Johnny Campbell |
|
Suitable for 12 years and over |
2006 |
Warner Home Video |
Comedy |
Alien Autopsy Johnny Campbell
Theatrical: 2006
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Suitable for 12 years and over
Date Added: 27 May 2010
Summary: really good movie, very realistic and funny. Great if you like Ant & Dec.
- Declan Donnelly
- Ant McPartlin
|
1066 |
Alien Autopsy - The True Story |
|
|
Exempt |
|
Pinnacle |
Documentary |
Alien Autopsy - The True Story
Theatrical:
Studio: Pinnacle
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 82
Rated: Exempt
Date Added: 27 May 2010
Summary: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!
So at last we know the truth! I have been fascinated by this subject for years and read endless claims and stories about Ray Santilli on the internet. This is a great programme - well made and fun to watch and it tells it the way it really happened. Eamonn Holmes makes a great investigator and gets Santilli to tell his real story with humour and a slightly sinister edge. Brilliant. I wonder what the believers will make of this?
|
1067 |
Alien Contamination / Brain Machine |
Luigi Cozzi |
|
|
|
|
Horror |
Alien Contamination / Brain Machine Luigi Cozzi
Theatrical:
Studio:
Genre: Horror
Rated:
Date Added: 22 Feb 2011
Summary:
|
1068 |
Alien Raiders |
Ben Rock |
|
R |
2008 |
Warner Home Video |
Horror |
Alien Raiders Ben Rock
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Horror
Duration: 85
Rated: R
Date Added: 03 Oct 2009
Languages: English, French Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Fresh veggies on aisle 1. Fresh kills throughout the store. Something terrible is happening at Hastings Market. Something bloody. Something deadly. Something inhuman. And caught up in the grisly horror inside the market are shoppers turned hostages, unearthly alien terrors…and a dedicated commando band of raiders on a search-and-destroy mission to stop the intruders dead cold no matter where they hide. From Raw Feed, creators of the Rest Stop and Otis shockers, comes the sci-fi/horror tale Alien Raiders, a nerve-shredding battle for human survival against aliens that invade our world by invading our bodies. Be alert. Beware. Be afraid. The creatures next host could be your neighbor. Your kid brother. No its you!
- Derek Basco
- Rockmond Dunbar
- Carlos Bernard
- Bonita Friedericy
- Mathew St. Patrick
- Walt Lloyd Cinematographer
- Augie Hess Editor
|
1069 |
Alien: 20th Anniversary Edition |
Ridley Scott |
Dan O'Bannon |
R |
1979 |
20th Century Fox |
Art House & International |
Alien: 20th Anniversary Edition Ridley Scott
Theatrical: 1979
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 117
Rated: R
Writer: Dan O'Bannon
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: ENDlanguages--> Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: A landmark of science fiction and horror, "Alien" arrived in 1979 between "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back" as a stylishly malevolent alternative to George Lucas's space fantasy. Partially inspired by 1958's "It! The Terror from Beyond Space", this instant classic set a tone of its own, offering richly detailed sets, ominous atmosphere, relentless suspense, and a flawless ensemble cast as the crew of the space freighter "Nostromo", who fall prey to a vicious creature (designed by Swiss artist H.R. Giger) that had gestated "inside" one of the ill-fated crew members. In a star-making role, Sigourney Weaver excels as sole survivor Ripley, becoming the screen's most popular heroine in a lucrative movie franchise. To measure the film's success, one need only recall the many images that have been burned into our collective psyche, including the "facehugger," the "chestburster," and Ripley's climactic encounter with the full-grown monster. Impeccably directed by Ridley Scott, "Alien" is one of the cinema's most unforgettable nightmares. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Sigourney Weaver
- Tom Skerritt
- John Hurt
- Veronica Cartwright
- Harry Dean Stanton
- Derek Vanlint Cinematographer
- David Crowther Editor
|
1070 |
All Monsters Attack! |
|
|
NR |
2002 |
Image Entertainment |
Horror |
All Monsters Attack!
Theatrical: 2002
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Duration: 120
Rated: NR
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: They're colossal! They're hungry! And they're coming this way! Here's the most gigantic assortment of oversized beasts, behemoths, dinosaurs, and indescribable space creatures ever to overwhelm your video screen. See 55 classic sci-fi trailers featuring the Colossal Man, the 50-Foot Woman, a giant Frankenstein, Kronos, Gorgo, Gwangi, Varan the Unbelievable, and Yog, Monster from Space! See Chicago sacked by gargantuan grasshoppers! See Arizona invaded by big bunny rabbits! See pioneering special effects work from Willis O'Brien, Ray Harryhausen, Jim Danforth, Eiji Tsuburaya, and others from the Golden Age of sci-fi thrillers!
|
1071 |
All Quiet on the Western Front |
Lewis Milestone |
|
Unrated |
1930 |
Universal Studios |
War: Classic |
All Quiet on the Western Front Lewis Milestone
Theatrical: 1930
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: War: Classic
Duration: 132
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, German, Latin Subtitles: French
Sound: Dolby
Summary: If a classic movie can be measured by the number of indelible images it burns into the collective imagination, then "All Quiet on the Western Front"'s status is undisputed. Since its release in 1930 (and Oscar win for best picture), this film's saga of German boys avidly signing up for World War I battle--and then learning the truth of war--has been acclaimed for its intensity, artistry, and grown-up approach. Director Lewis Milestone's technical expertise is already stunning in the great opening sequence, as a professor exhorts his students to volunteer for the glory of the Fatherland while troops march past the windows. Erich Maria Remarque's novel is faithfully followed, but Milestone's superbly composed frames make it physical: the first battle scene, with the camera prowling the trenches as they fill with death and chaos, was surely the "Saving Private Ryan" of its day. The cast is strong, with little-known Lew Ayres finding stardom in the lead (Ayres became a pacifist and conscientious objector during World War II; although he served in battle as a medic, the stance harmed his career). This DVD has no extras beyond a vintage re-release trailer and Robert Osborne's useful introduction, but the main draw is the excellent picture and sound quality of the print--the movie looks better than it has in years. Those indelible images are now clear enough to cut glass: Ayres' lonely look back at the disappearing troop truck; the blinded soldier who runs into enemy fire at night; the fine pair of boots wasted on a boy with an amputated leg; and the final, devastating seconds, arguably the defining cinematic image of war in the 20th century. "--Robert Horton"
- Louis Wolheim
- Lew Ayres
- John Wray
- Arnold Lucy
- Ben Alexander
|
1072 |
All That Jazz |
Bob Fosse |
Robert Alan Aurthur, Bob Fosse |
R |
1979 |
20th Century Fox |
Musicals |
All That Jazz Bob Fosse
Theatrical: 1979
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 123
Rated: R
Writer: Robert Alan Aurthur, Bob Fosse
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Picture Format: Widescreen
Comments: All that work. All that glitter. All that pain. All that love. All that crazy rhythm. All that jazz.
Summary: Choreographer-turned-director Bob Fosse ("Cabaret", "Lenny") turns the camera on himself in this nervy, sometimes unnerving 1979 feature, a nakedly autobiographical piece that veers from gritty drama to razzle-dazzle musical, allegory to satire. It's an indication of his bravura, and possibly his self-absorption, that Fosse (who also cowrote the script) literally opens alter ego Joe Gideon's heart in a key scene--an unflinching glimpse of cardiac surgery, shot during an actual open-heart procedure. Roy Scheider makes a brave and largely successful leap out of his usual romantic lead roles to step into Gideon's dancing pumps, and supplies a plausible sketch of an extravagant, self-destructive, self-loathing creative dynamo, while Jessica Lange serves as a largely allegorical Muse, one of the various women that the philandering Gideon pursues (and usually abandons). Gideon's other romantic partners include Fosse's own protégé (and a major keeper of his choreographic style since his death), Ann Reinking, whose leggy grace is seductive both "onstage" and off. Fosse/Gideon's collision course with mortality, as well as his priapic obsession with the opposite sex, may offer clues into the libidinal core of the choreographer's dynamic, sexualized style of dance, but musical aficionados will be forgiven for fast-forwarding to cut out the self-analysis and focus on the music, period. At its best--as in the knockout opening, scored to George Benson's strutting version of "On Broadway," which fuses music, dance, and dazzling camera work into a paean to Fosse's hoofer nation--"All That Jazz" offers a sequence of classic Fosse numbers, hard-edged, caustic, and joyously physical. "--Sam Sutherland"
- Sandahl Bergman
- Chris Chase
- Kathryn Doby Kathryn
- Erzebet Foldi
- Nicole Fosse
- Giuseppe Rotunno Cinematographer
- Roy Scheider Joe Gideon
- Jessica Lange Angelique
- Leland Palmer Audrey Paris
- Ann Reinking Kate Jagger
- Cliff Gorman Davis Newman
- Ben Vereen O'Connor Flood
- Erzsebet Foldi Michelle Gideon
- Michael Tolan Dr. Ballinger
- Max Wright Joshua Penn
- William LeMassena Jonesy Hecht
- Irene Kane Leslie Perry (as Chris Chase)
- Deborah Geffner Victoria Porter
- Anthony Holland Paul Dann
- Robert Hitt Ted Christopher
|
1073 |
All the Colors of the Dark |
Sergio Martino |
|
R |
1976 |
Shriek Show |
Horror: Giallo |
All the Colors of the Dark Sergio Martino
Theatrical: 1976
Studio: Shriek Show
Genre: Horror: Giallo
Duration: 88
Rated: R
Date Added: 31 Jan 2011
Summary: A desperate and psychotic criminal targets Jane, a young woman who stands to inherit a fortune. Slashed and scarred, Jane tries to believe it’s only a nightmare but everywhere she turns – in the subway, on the street – the man with knife is there…. A mysterious woman offers to cure her by means of black magic, but the erotic rituals only aggravate her condition catapulting her into a kaleidoscope of psychedelic horror!
- George Hilton
- Edwige Fenech
- Ivan Rassimov
- Julián Ugarte
- George Rigaud
|
1074 |
All the Love You Cannes! |
Lloyd Kaufman, Sean McGrath |
|
NR |
2002 |
TROMA ENTERTAINMENT INC. |
Comedy |
All the Love You Cannes! Lloyd Kaufman, Sean McGrath
Theatrical: 2002
Studio: TROMA ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 108
Rated: NR
Date Added: 05 Sep 2009
Summary: Cannes, France! The press, the celebrities, the nude beaches…The Toxic Avenger!?! Come along to the Cannes Film Festival with legendary director and head of Troma studios Lloyd Kaufman! In this informative and entertaining "edu-mentary," Lloyd and the Troma Team set out to sell the foreign rights to Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV and market in the name of independent cinema. The chaos that ensues will have you in stitches! From battles with Warner Brothers and Jean Claude Van Damme to wars with French police and even each other, the Team tromatizes the riviera and France will never be the same again. Essential viewing for independent filmmakers everywhere, All The Love You Cannes teaches how to do Cannes on no-budget and return with a fistfull of cash from lucrative foreign market sales…and then there’s all the wonderful blood, breasts, and brawling! Features appearances by Quentin Tarantino, Roger Ebert and John Stossel.
- Mark C. Adams
- Claude Chabrol
- David Dadon
- Lee Demarbre
- Roger Ebert
|
1075 |
Alligator |
Lewis Teague |
|
R |
1980 |
Lions Gate |
Horror |
Alligator Lewis Teague
Theatrical: 1980
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Horror
Duration: 90
Rated: R
Date Added: 12 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Twelve years ago two incidents occurred that bore no similarity until now. The Kendal family decided their pet baby alligator was a nuisance and flushed him down the toilet. At the same time Slade Laboratories was conducting secret hormonal experiments with dogs and the dead dogs were disposed of in the city sewer. As the baby alligator fed on the dead dogs its body chemistry took on grotesque mutations. When several brutal murders are discovered David Madison (Forster) is put on the case. But this is no human psychopath - it is a ravaging animal-turned-monster bent on destroying everything in its wake.System Requirements:Run time: 89 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: R UPC: 012236182061 Manufacturer No: 18206
- Robert Forster
- Robin Riker
- Michael V. Gazzo
- Dean Jagger
- Sydney Lassick
|
1076 |
The Alligator People |
Roy Del Ruth |
Robert M. Fresco |
Unrated |
1959 |
20th Century Fox |
Action & Adventure |
The Alligator People Roy Del Ruth
Theatrical: 1959
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 74
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Robert M. Fresco
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: When Jane's husband disembarks from a passenger train immediately after their wedding and disappears without a trace, troubling questions are raised. How could his face, mangled beyond recognition in a plane crash during the war, have healed without any scarring? And what unspeakable acts took place on the alligator-ridden bayou plantation he left as an address? Wonderfully haunted, "The Alligator People" explores the mystery with skillful pacing, generally decent dialogue, and only intermittently laughable special effects. Miscegenation, anxiety over radiation and atomic science, homoeroticism, distrust of doctors and medicine, fear of the American South--all the major cultural obsessions of the late '50s are either tacitly or explicitly represented here; perhaps that's why the far-fetched scientific premise that underlies the plot makes a weird resonance despite its utter implausibility. The ubiquitous Lon Chaney is on hand, and his performance as a drunken swamp rat with a penchant for violence is a hoot; but the real star of the show is Beverly Garland, whose inspired lead, alternately detached and histrionic, decidedly puts to rest the myth of the inelasticity of early sci-fi and horror performers. A winner. "--Miles Bethany"
- Beverly Garland
- Bruce Bennett
- Lon Chaney Jr.
- George Macready
- Frieda Inescort
- Karl Struss Cinematographer
|
1077 |
Along Came Jones |
Stuart Heisler |
|
NR |
1945 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Cooper, Gary |
Along Came Jones Stuart Heisler
Theatrical: 1945
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Cooper, Gary
Duration: 90
Rated: NR
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: "Along Came Jones" is one of the most oddball artifacts from Hollywood's golden age. Gary Cooper (who doubled as producer) plays Melody Jones, a "common ordinary useless bronc-stomper" who moseys into the town of Payneville--or is it Painful?--just after legendary bad ass Monte Jarrad has held up the stagecoach. The townsfolk eyeball the "MJ" on Melody's stirrup, leap to hysterically wrong conclusions, and start giving him a wide berth--in some cases, the better to lie in ambush for "Jarrad" while planning how to spend the bounty money. Now, as it happens--and as his crusty sidekick George (the insuperably irreverent William Demarest) keeps reminding him--Melody can barely get his gun out of the holster without blowing his own kneecap off. All that stands between him and extinction is the quick-thinking intervention of a local maiden, one Cherry de Longpre (Loretta Young). Melody, of course, promptly becomes hogtied with love, not suspecting Cherry's the childhood sweetheart of the real Monte Jarrad (Dan Duryea).... Stylistically the film is a wild mix, with director Stuart Heisler paying close attention to down-the-gun-barrel point of view in several scenes, yet also sitting still for floaty back-projection photography so egregious that it may bring on motion sickness. Still, Nunnally Johnson's script is droll; Cooper clearly relished the chance to poke fun at his strong-silent stereotype; and he and Preston Sturges stalwart Demarest establish a sardonic comic rapport. "--Richard T. Jameson"
- Gary Cooper
- Loretta Young
- William Demarest
- Dan Duryea
- Frank Sully
|
1078 |
Alphaville |
Jean-Luc Godard |
|
|
|
Import |
Jean-Luc Godard |
Alphaville Jean-Luc Godard
Theatrical:
Studio: Import
Genre: Jean-Luc Godard
Rated:
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Summary:
|
1079 |
Altered States |
Ken Russell |
Paddy Chayefsky |
R |
1980 |
Warner Home Video |
Cult Movies |
Altered States Ken Russell
Theatrical: 1980
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Cult Movies
Duration: 102
Rated: R
Writer: Paddy Chayefsky
Date Added: 05 May 2009
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, French
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Summary: It's easy to understand why the late, great screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky removed his name from the credits of "Altered States" and substituted the pseudonym Sidney Aaron. After all, Chayefsky was a revered dramatist whose original source novel was intended as a serious exploration of altered consciousness, inspired by the immersion-tank experiments of Dr. John Lilly in the 1970s. In the hands of maverick director Ken Russell, however, "Altered States" became a full-on sensory assault, using symbolic imagery and mind- blowing special effects to depict one man's physical and hallucinatory journey through the entire history of human evolution. It's a brazenly silly film redeemed by its intellectual ambition--a dazzling extravaganza that's in love with science and scientists, and eagerly willing to dive off the precipice of rationality to explore uncharted regions of mind, body, and spirit. William Hurt made his bold film debut as the psycho-physiologist who plays guinea pig to his own experiments; Blair Brown plays his equally brilliant wife, whose devotion is just strong enough to bring him back from the most altered state imaginable. From the eternal channels of sense memory to the restorative power of a loving embrace, this movie rocks you to the birth of the universe and back again. And while it's clearly not the story that Chayefsky wanted on the screen, the directorial audacity of Ken Russell makes it one heck of a memorable trip. "--Jeff Shannon"
- William Hurt
- Blair Brown
- Bob Balaban
- Charles Haid
- Thaao Penghlis
- Jordan Cronenweth Cinematographer
- Eric Jenkins Editor
|
1080 |
Amazing Adventure |
Alfred Zeisler |
|
NR |
1936 |
Miracle Pictures |
Art House & International |
Amazing Adventure Alfred Zeisler
Theatrical: 1936
Studio: Miracle Pictures
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 73
Rated: NR
Date Added: 15 Feb 2009
Summary: Gary Grant plays a rich young man with too little to do. Not realizing that the depression he is in, is due to boredom, he consults with a doctor who prescribes a bitter pill. He must earn his own living for one year using none of his existing wealth, and bets $50,000 that he can do it.
- Iris Ashley
- Buena Bent
- Mary Brian
- Peter Gawthorne
- Charles Farrell
|
1081 |
Amazing Mr X |
Bernard Vorhaus |
Muriel Roy Bolton |
Unrated |
1948 |
Image Entertainment |
Drama |
Amazing Mr X Bernard Vorhaus
Theatrical: 1948
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Duration: 78
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Muriel Roy Bolton
Date Added: 13 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: A rich young widow longs to establish contact with her deceased husband, who perished in a car crash several years earlier. However, a cunning medium (The Mad Ghoul's Turhan Bey) has other plans in mind in this gothic suspense noir, awash with mystery, breathtaking suspense and classic thrill sequences as the half-drugged widow is led across the top of the cliff. Beautifully produced, photographed and scored, this is a film not to be missed!
- Turhan Bey
- Lynn Bari
- Cathy O'Donnell
- Richard Carlson
- Donald Curtis
- John Alton Cinematographer
- Norman Colbert Editor
|
1082 |
The Amazing Transplant |
Doris Wishman |
|
R |
1970 |
Image Entertainment |
Exploitation / Cult |
The Amazing Transplant Doris Wishman
Theatrical: 1970
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Duration: 71
Rated: R
Date Added: 14 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: Amorous Artie is not your average ladies man. For years, the guy couldn't even get a date. Now, however, formerly dorky Arthur has become a sex-crazed lunatic who murders at the mere sight of cheap gold earrings on cheap cold women. Why? The protuberant answer is found dangling in the office of Dr. Cyril Meade where The Amazing Transplant took place. Jealous of his late friend Felix's prowess with women, Arthur blackmails the doc into switching johnsons. Arthur is soon shocked to discover he has also inherited Felix's homicidal tendencies. With this, the world's first penis-transplant movie, director Doris Wishman (Bad Girls Go to Hell) has created her single most outrageous epic. Special Features: Trailers for this, plus Doris Wishman's "Deadly Weapons," "Double Agent 73," "The Immoral Three" and "The Love Toy;" Two archival short subjects: "U.S. Navy's Sex Hygiene" and "Penis Facts 1952;" Gallery of Doris Wishman exploitation art and radio-spot rarities
- Linda Southern
- Larry Hunter
- Olive Denneccio
- Sandy Eden
- Kim Pope
|
1083 |
Amazon Women on the Moon - Collector's Edition |
Peter Horton, Joe Dante, John Landis, Robert K. Weiss |
|
R |
1987 |
Universal Studios |
Comedy |
Amazon Women on the Moon - Collector's Edition Peter Horton, Joe Dante, John Landis, Robert K. Weiss
Theatrical: 1987
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 85
Rated: R
Date Added: 18 Jun 2009
Languages: English, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Contrary to popular rumor, this 1987 collection of comedy skits is not about a group of female employees from Amazon.com on a mission to the lunar surface. It's a series of unrelated spoofs and sketches designed to resemble an aimless night of TV channel-surfing, and the satirical targets include grade-Z science fiction films of the 1950s, sex films of the 1930s, hospital soap operas, and Playboy video centerfolds. There's a charity drive in which legendary bluesman B.B. King pleas for donations to help "Blacks Without Soul," and Ed Begley Jr. thinks he's the son of the Invisible Man, which would be fine if he weren't as visible as everyone else. The various sketches feature an all-star cast including Rosanna Arquette, Griffin Dunne, Carrie Fisher, Michelle Pfeiffer, the late Phil Hartman in an early role, and many others. It's strictly hit-or-miss, and many of the sketches fall flat, especially since the subjects being spoofed (the title sketch is a send-up of the actual 1954 movie "Cat Women on the Moon") are funny enough without being satirized. Even though Leonard Maltin's "Movie & Video Guide" describes most of the sketches as "astonishingly unfunny," this can be a very amusing movie if you're in the mood for a no-brainer with a lot of familiar Hollywood faces. Now a modest little cult film, it's the kind of disposable entertainment that maintains its appeal almost in spite of itself. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Stanley Brock
- Corey Burton
- Debbie Davison
- Griffin Dunne
- Steve Forrest
|
1084 |
AMC Monsterfest Cult Classics, Vol. 1: The Atomic Brain / Brain That Wouldn't Die / Carnival Of Souls / Night Tide |
|
|
NR |
|
Genius Entertainment |
Drama |
AMC Monsterfest Cult Classics, Vol. 1: The Atomic Brain / Brain That Wouldn't Die / Carnival Of Souls / Night Tide
Theatrical:
Studio: Genius Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Duration: 320
Rated: NR
Date Added: 13 Feb 2010
Summary: 4 Classic horror movies on 2 DVDs Digitally Re-mastered The Atomic Brain (1964) Inside an evil mansion, a mad scientist and an old woman hire three young women as servants. Grave robbing and forced brain transplants by atomic power add to the horror, as the three women are chained...to the devil's love lab! The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1963) A crazed surgeon accidentally decapitates his attractive fiancee. He takes her head to his lab to keep it alive while he searches for a replacement body. But the resurrected head plots revenge - telepathically! Carnival of Souls (1962) A creepy cult film about a woman who manages to survive a car accident. She runs away to Utah and becomes a church arganist. She is then drawn to a ruined pavillion and is haunted by visions of the dancing dead - the eerie reasons eventually become clear. Night Tide (1961) A suspenseful chiller about a sailor (Dennis Hopper) on leave in California who loves an orphan girl working as a mermaid in a seafront sideshow. His father falters when she believes she is descended from sea reatures that must kill when the moon is full.
|
1085 |
AMC Monsterfest Cult Classics,Vol. 2: Demtia 13 / Frozen Alive / The Screaming Skull / Jesse Jame Meets Frankenstein's Daughter |
|
|
|
|
Genius Entertainment |
Science Fiction & Fantasy |
AMC Monsterfest Cult Classics,Vol. 2: Demtia 13 / Frozen Alive / The Screaming Skull / Jesse Jame Meets Frankenstein's Daughter
Theatrical:
Studio: Genius Entertainment
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Duration: 156
Rated:
Date Added: 13 Feb 2010
Summary:
|
1086 |
Amélie |
Jean-Pierre Jeunet |
Guillaume Laurant |
R |
|
|
Comedy |
Amélie Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Theatrical:
Studio:
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 122
Rated: R
Writer: Guillaume Laurant
Date Added: 05 Apr 2010
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English
Sound: Unknown
Summary: Perhaps the most charming movie of all time, "Amélie" is certainly one of the top 10. The title character (the bashful and impish Audrey Tautou) is a single waitress who decides to help other lonely people fix their lives. Her widowed father yearns to travel but won't, so to inspire the old man she sends his garden gnome on a tour of the world; with whispered gossip, she brings together two cranky regulars at her café; she reverses the doorknobs and reprograms the speed dial of a grocer who's mean to his assistant. Gradually she realizes her own life needs fixing, and a chance meeting leads to her most elaborate stratagem of all. This is a deeply wonderful movie, an illuminating mix of magic and pragmatism. Fans of the director's previous films ("Delicatessen", "The City of Lost Children") will not be disappointed; newcomers will be delighted. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Audrey Tautou
- Mathieu Kassovitz
- Rufus
- Lorella Cravotta
- Serge Merlin
- Bruno Delbonnel Cinematographer
|
1087 |
America's Handyman: Glenn Haege |
|
|
NR |
2004 |
DPTV |
Special Interests |
America's Handyman: Glenn Haege
Theatrical: 2004
Studio: DPTV
Genre: Special Interests
Duration: 75
Rated: NR
Date Added: 13 Feb 2010
Summary: Studio: Koch International Release Date: 09/11/2007 Run time: 75 minutes Rating: Nr
|
1088 |
The American Friend |
Wim Wenders |
|
Unrated |
1977 |
Starz / Anchor Bay |
Art House & International |
The American Friend Wim Wenders
Theatrical: 1977
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 125
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Languages: German, English Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: A thriller that's nearly devoid of thrills? That's not a complaint--it's what makes "The American Friend" one of the most stylish (and, at the time, most expensive) films to emerge from the New German Cinema of the 1970s. Loosely adapting Patricia Highsmith's mystery novel "Ripley's Game", director Wim Wenders shifted priority from plotting to character, emphasizing a richly colorful and atmospheric approach to locations in Hamburg, where a picture-framer (Bruno Ganz) is lured into an assassination scheme involving a mysterious Frenchman (Gerard Blain) and the titular American friend, Tom Ripley (played by Dennis Hopper, a far cry from Matt Damon's portrayal of the same character in "The Talented Mr. Ripley"). The plotting is vague to the point of irrelevance; Wenders prefers to maintain the "aura" of mystery, as opposed to generating any conventional suspense, and expresses his affection for American movies by casting favorite directors Nicholas Ray and Samuel Fuller in pivotal supporting roles. The result is an intoxicating example of cinematic cross-pollination. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Ismael Alonso
- Gérard Blain
- Lou Castel
- Andreas Dedecke
- Jean Eustache
|
1089 |
American Gangster |
Ridley Scott |
|
R |
2007 |
Universal Studios Home Entertainment |
Action & Adventure |
American Gangster Ridley Scott
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 174
Rated: R
Date Added: 15 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Ridley Scott puts on his "sweeping saga" gameface again, this time not for the sci-fi vistas of "Blade Runner" or the ancient world of "Gladiator "but for an urban epic. "American Gangster" gives the story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a real-life Harlem crime lord who built an empire on Southeast Asian heroin in the 1970s. Running parallel to Lucas's somewhat standard story is the investigation led by a persistent New Jersey cop, Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Roberts is a more interesting character than Lucas--too honest for his own good, unlucky in his personal life--and this kind of character, easily patronized by others, fits Crowe like a polyester shirt. Scott's tendency to hit his points square on the noggin is much in evidence here, including the typecasting of the supporting roles and the predictable Serpico atmosphere of the whole thing. (And speaking of supporting actors, the film needs more Chiwetel Ejiofor, whose role as a Lucas sidekick feels cut down.) It succeeds as a kind of chewy entertainment, fueled by the presence of two big stars working their muscles. Both Washington and Crowe look pretty brawny here. --"Robert Horton"
Beyond "American Gangster" on DVD Great Crime and Gangster Films More from Denzel Washington More from Russell Crowe
Stills from "American Gangster" (Click for larger image)
- Denzel Washington
- Russell Crowe
- Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Josh Brolin
- Lymari Nadal
|
1090 |
American Gothic |
John Hough |
|
R |
1988 |
Trinity Home Ent |
Drama |
American Gothic John Hough
Theatrical: 1988
Studio: Trinity Home Ent
Genre: Drama
Duration: 89
Rated: R
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Summary: A group of yuppies charter a plane for a camping getaway only to find themselves making an emergency landing on an isolated island. They are taken in for the night by the only inhabitants the rapidly-religious "Ma & Pa" who seem trapped in a Rockwellian time-warp. This proves to be every bit as unpleasant as it seems.System Requirements:Running Time 89 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 692865130338 Manufacturer No: T-1303
- Rod Steiger
- Yvonne De Carlo
- Sarah Torgov
- Janet Wright
- Michael J. Pollard
|
1091 |
American Graffiti |
George Lucas |
|
PG |
1973 |
Universal Studios |
Comedy: Contemporary |
American Graffiti George Lucas
Theatrical: 1973
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 112
Rated: PG
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Summary: Here's how critic Roger Ebert described the unique and lasting value of George Lucas's 1973 box-office hit, "American Graffiti": "[It's] not only a great movie but a brilliant work of historical fiction; no sociological treatise could duplicate the movie's success in remembering exactly how it was to be alive at that cultural instant." The time to which Ebert and the film refers is the summer of 1962, and "American Graffiti" captures the look, feel, and sound of that era by chronicling one memorable night in the lives of several young Californians on the cusp of adulthood. (In essence, Lucas was making a semiautobiographical tribute to his own days as a hot-rod cruiser, and the film's phenomenal success paved the way for "Star Wars".) The action is propelled by the music of Wolfman Jack's rock & roll radio show--a soundtrack of pop hits that would become as popular as the film itself. As Lucas develops several character subplots, "American Graffiti" becomes a flawless time capsule of meticulously re-created memory, as authentic as a documentary and vividly realized through innovative use of cinematography and sound. The once-in-a-lifetime ensemble cast members inhabit their roles so fully that they don't seem like actors at all, comprising a who's who of performers--some of whom went on to stellar careers--including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, and Paul Le Mat. A true American classic, the film ranks No. 77 on the American Film Institute's list of all-time greatest American movies. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Richard Dreyfuss
- Ron Howard
- Paul Le Mat
- Charles Martin Smith
- Cindy Williams
|
1092 |
American Movie |
Chris Smith (II) |
|
R |
1999 |
Sony Pictures |
Documentary |
American Movie Chris Smith (II)
Theatrical: 1999
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 104
Rated: R
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Pan & Scan
Summary: Struggling filmmaker Mark Borchardt is the subject of "American Movie", and he may also be the most determined man you'll ever meet. The straggly haired, fast-talking, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, native lists his greatest influences as "Dawn of the Dead", "Night of the Living Dead", and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". He began making horror movies as a gangly adolescent, and is now set on finishing "Coven" (which he pronounces like "woven"), the "35-minute direct market thriller" he has worked on for two years. In the process, he steadfastly battles immense debt, the threat of losing his kids, and birds chirping gleefully through scenes set in the dead of winter. His mother would rather do her shopping than be an extra, his brother contends he's best suited for factory work, and his father just wants him to "watch the language." Standing by him through it all is Mark's childhood buddy, Mike Schank, who is the strongest weapon against drug use a task force could ever hope for, and Uncle Bill, begrudging financier of "Coven", who appears to be wasting away before our very eyes. In less perceptive hands these two could easily become caricatures--the burnt-out stoner and the crotchety old coot--but through director Chris Smith's lens we see why Mark loves them, why they love Mark, and why each of these stories is uniquely compelling. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, the film has been compared to "Spinal Tap" and "Waiting for Guffman"--two unquestionably hilarious mock-documentaries--and, indeed, "American Movie" has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. But in the spoofs, we feel encouraged to point and giggle at the poor slobs trying to get a piece of the action. Smith, however, offers us a funny and overwhelmingly affectionate portrait; you may sit down expecting to laugh at Mark's pie-in-the-sky hopes, but you soon find yourself bursting with admiration. "The American dream stays with me each and every day," Mark says, and by the end, we want nothing more than for it to come true. (The DVD version includes the complete short film "Coven.") "--Brangien Davis"
- Mark Borchardt
- Tom Schimmels
- Monica Borchardt
- Alex Borchardt
- Chris Borchardt
|
1093 |
American Pickers: Season One |
|
|
Exempt |
|
History Channel |
Documentary |
American Pickers: Season One
Theatrical:
Studio: History Channel
Genre: Documentary
Rated: Exempt
Date Added: 25 May 2011
Summary:
|
1094 |
American Silent Horror Collection (Box Set) |
Paul Leni Wallace Worsley |
|
NR |
|
Kino Video |
Horror: Classic |
American Silent Horror Collection (Box Set) Paul Leni Wallace Worsley
Theatrical:
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Horror: Classic
Duration: 426
Rated: NR
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Summary: 4 Horror Gems from the silent era plus an original documentary. THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (1928) DIRECTED BY PAUL LENI STARRING CONRAD VEIDT & MARY PHILBIN - Paul Leni's adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel tells the story of Gwynplaine (Conrad Veidt), a tortured man with a permanent smile carved on his face. Batman creator Bob Kane has cited Leni's film as inspiration for his classic villain The Joker. - DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1920) DIRECTED BY J.S. ROBERTSON STARRING JOHN BARRYMORE - This first great American horror film follows the transformation of a prominent London physician, Dr. Jeckyll, into the murderous Mr. Hyde while he explores the dual nature of man. THE PENALTY (1920) DIRECTED BY WALTER WORSLEY STARRING LON CHANEY - In one of his most diabolical roles, Lon Chaney stars as a criminal mastermind who carries out a gruesome vengeance upon the doctor who amputated his legs. THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927) DIRECTED BY PAUL LENI STARRING LAURA LA PLANTE - A decaying mansion and a stormy night are the archetypal setting for mystery and chaos when a pack of greedy relatives gather for the reading of a twenty-year-old will. But before the West fortune can be handed down, the family must endure a night in the cavernous manor. THE CAT is a milestone of the American horror film, thanks to the ingenuity of its director, Paul Leni. One of the first film artists imported from Germany by Hollywood, Leni invigorated this stage-bound genre with expressionist flair, transforming conventional material into a visual feast. Meticulously restored from original nitrate prints by Photoplay productions and a new score by Neil Brand. KINGDOM OF SHADOWS (1998) NARRATED BY ROD STEIGER DIRECTED BY BRET WOOD - The horror film, from the turn of the century to the end of the silent era, is explored in this haunting, sometimes shocking documentary...a danse macabre of religion, carnivals, sex, nightmares, monstrosity, and death. With scenes from 50 rare and classic films.
- Lon Chaney John Barrymore Conrad Veidt Mary Philbin Laura La Plante
|
1095 |
American Silent Horror Collection: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde |
John S. Robertson |
Thomas Russell Sullivan |
Unrated |
1920 |
Kino Video |
Classics |
American Silent Horror Collection: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde John S. Robertson
Theatrical: 1920
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Classics
Duration: 73
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Thomas Russell Sullivan
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Summary: It took John Barrymore to bring class to the American horror film, at least in the eyes of the industry. Dignified and virtuous as Dr. Henry Jekyll in this 1920 silent, Barrymore transforms into id incarnate as the lascivious Mr. Hyde. With almost no makeup beyond his gnarled, knobby fingers and greasy hair, Barrymore relies almost solely on a bug-eyed grimace, a spidery body language, and pure theatrical flourish. He tends to be hammy as the leering beast of a thug but brings a tortured struggle to the repressed doctor, horrified at the demon he's unleashed, guilty that he enjoys Hyde's unrestrained life of drinking and whoring, and terrified that he can no longer control the transformations. Martha Mansfield costars as his pure and innocent sweetheart, and Nita Naldi (the vamp of "Blood and Sand") has a small but memorable role as the world-weary dance hall darling who first "wakens" Jekyll's "baser nature." "--Sean Axmaker"
- John Barrymore
- Martha Mansfield
- Charles Lane
- Brandon Hurst
- Cecil Clovelly
- Roy F. Overbaugh Cinematographer
|
1096 |
American Silent Horror Collection: Kingdom Of Shadows,The Rise of The Horror Film |
Bret Wood |
|
NR |
2007 |
Kino International |
Documentary |
American Silent Horror Collection: Kingdom Of Shadows,The Rise of The Horror Film Bret Wood
Theatrical: 2007
Studio: Kino International
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 70
Rated: NR
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: Narrated by Rod Steiger, Kingdom of Shadows is a haunting, sometimes shocking documentary that explores the evolution of horror in world cinema -- a danse macabre of religion, science, carnivals, nightmares, monstrosity and death.
More than fifty thrillers (the best-known as well as the most obscure) are surveyed, including Nosferatu, The Golem, Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, The Student of Prague, Electrocuting an Elephant, The Phantom of the Opera, Dantes Inferno, The Bells, Waxworks, Warning Shadows, and Leaves from Satans Book.
Kingdom of Shadows explores the sources of our fears and reveals the birth of the frightful conventions from which the modern-day horror movie has evolved, including the menacing shadows of the German Expressionists, the sympathetic monsters of Lon Chaney (The Man of a Thousand Faces) and the psychological terrors envisioned by Edgar Allan Poe. Essential viewing for every aficionado of silent movies or classic horrors, Kingdom of Shadows illuminates one of the most fascinating chapters of film history.
|
1097 |
American Silent Horror Collection: The Cat and the Canary |
Paul Leni |
|
NR |
1927 |
Kino International |
Comedy |
American Silent Horror Collection: The Cat and the Canary Paul Leni
Theatrical: 1927
Studio: Kino International
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 80
Rated: NR
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: German horror stylist Paul Leni ("Variety") brings his expressionist flourishes to this compendium of haunted clichés, creating one of the most stylish horror movie spoofs ever, a delightful mix of the gothic and the goofy. A greedy bunch of gargoyle-looking relatives (and a pair of young innocents) gather for the reading of a rich uncle's will, which demands that they spend the night in the creepy old mansion. Leni puts them through a fun house of frights: As if secret panels, clutching hands, and a stopped clock that mysteriously comes to life weren't enough, an escaped lunatic from a nearby asylum who rends his victims with catlike claws may have infiltrated the house. Silent movie sweetheart Laura La Plante is the canary of the title, a lovely would-be heiress who becomes the target of plotting relatives, but it's the rogues gallery of suspects that adds the color and comic relief. Leni kicks the film off with a delirious scene of an infirm old man surrounded by gigantic bottles of medicine and menaced by a snarling, spitting. gargantuan cat. The rest of the film is played in lower key, for laughs as much as chills, but it never loses its moody ambiance, highlighted by elegant camerawork and looming shadows. This classic has been remade three times, most famously by Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in 1939, but never as well. The hilarious Harold Lloyd short "Haunted Spooks" has been included as a DVD bonus. "--Sean Axmaker"
|
1098 |
American Silent Horror Collection: The Man Who Laughs |
Paul Leni |
Walter Anthony |
NR |
1928 |
Kino Video |
Classics |
American Silent Horror Collection: The Man Who Laughs Paul Leni
Theatrical: 1928
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Classics
Duration: 110
Rated: NR
Writer: Walter Anthony
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: Studio: Kino International Release Date: 09/30/2003 Run time: 110 minutes
- Mary Philbin
- Conrad Veidt
- Julius Molnar Jr.
- Olga Baclanova
- Brandon Hurst
|
1099 |
American Silent Horror Collection: The Penalty |
Wallace Worsley |
Philip Lonergan |
NR |
1920 |
Kino Video |
Classics |
American Silent Horror Collection: The Penalty Wallace Worsley
Theatrical: 1920
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Classics
Duration: 93
Rated: NR
Writer: Philip Lonergan
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Summary: Lon Chaney, the Man of a Thousand Faces, was no mere makeup wizard, as this dark, deviant crime drama shows. Strapping his legs into a painful leather harness to play a double-amputee underworld kingpin, Chaney scrambles through the film like a human spider weaving his criminal web across San Francisco with equal parts seduction and terror. Crippled as child by an incompetent doctor, he dedicates his life to vengeance in a double-barreled plot that will bring both the city and the doctor (now an honored physician) to their knees. Director Wallace Worsley (who later collaborated with Chaney on his legendary "Hunchback of Notre Dame") peppers the busy plot with bizarre touches of sexual menace and sadism, and he creates a wicked atmosphere of corruption and murder that implicates every character. Even the absurd twist of a happy ending can't wipe that away. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Charles Clary
- Doris Pawn
- Jim Mason
- Lon Chaney
- Milton Ross
- Don Short Cinematographer
- Frank E. Hull Editor
|
1100 |
American Splendor |
Shari Springer Berman |
|
R |
2003 |
HBO Home Video |
Art House & International |
American Splendor Shari Springer Berman
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: HBO Home Video
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 101
Rated: R
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: One of the most acclaimed films of 2003, "American Splendor" is also one of the most audaciously creative biographical movies ever made. Blending fact, fiction, and personal perspective from the comic books that inspired it, this marvelous portrait of Harvey Pekar--scowling curmudgeon, brow-beaten everyman, insightful chronicler of his own life, and frustrated file clerk at a Cleveland V.A. hospital--is an inspired amalgam of the media (comic books, TV, and film) that lifted Pekar from obscurity to the status of a pop-cultural icon. As played by Paul Giamatti in a master-stroke of casting, we see Pekar and his understanding wife (played by Hope Davis) as underdogs in a world full of obstacles, yet also infused with subtle hope and (gasp!) heartwarming perseverance. We also see the "real" Pekar, and this multifaceted commingling of "reel" and "real" turns "American Splendor" into a uniquely cinematic celebration of Pekar's life and, by extension, the tenacity of an unlikely American hero. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Chris Ambrose
- Nick Baxter
- Vivienne Benesch
- Shari Springer Berman
- Earl Billings
|
1101 |
The Amicus Collection (Box Set) |
|
|
NR |
|
Dark Sky Films |
Horror: Classic |
The Amicus Collection (Box Set)
Theatrical:
Studio: Dark Sky Films
Genre: Horror: Classic
Duration: 270
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Summary: Asylum When Dr. Martin (Robert Powell) arrives at the Dunsmoor Asylum for the incurably insane, he expects to be interviewed by asylum director Dr. Starr. Instead he is met by Dr. Rutherford (Patrick Magee), who explains that Dr. Starr had suffered a mental breakdown and now is one of the patients. Dr. Rutherford decides that if Martin can deduce which one is really Dr. Starr, then he will be given the position. Is it Bonnie (Barbara Parkins), whose affair with a married man turns murderous? Is it Bruno (Barry Morse), a hardluck tailor visited by a mysterious stranger (Peter Cushing) with a blueprint and very special fabric for an unusual suit? Is it Barbara (Charlotte Rampling), accused of murdering her brother and her nurse but insisting that her friend Lucy (Britt Ekland) was responsible; Or is it Dr. Byron (Herbert Lom) who claims the ability to transfer collecting. And Now the Screaming Starts Set in 1795 England, And Now the Screaming Starts! tells the tale of blissful newlyweds Catherine (Stephanie Beacham) and Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy) who move into his ancestral family mansion. On their wedding night, Catherine is raped by a malevolent spirit. She is further plagued by a series of haunting visions involving an eyeless woodsman and a murderous disembodied hand. Can a savage act of depravity and violence committed by one of Charles’ ancestors be to blame? Charles fears that his bride is going insane and calls for Doctor Whittle (Patrick Magee). Unable to help Catherine overcome her visions, Dr. Whittle calls for assistance from a fellow practitioner, Dr. Pope (Peter Cushing), who uses reason and logic to combat what he assumes is a mental disorder. In time, Dr. Pope finds himself fighting a losing battle against the forces of the supernatural carrying out a bloody family curse. Directed by Roy Ward Baker (Asylum, The Vault of Horror, The Monster Club) and produced by Amicus stalwarts Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky, And Now the Screaming Starts! has been mastered in High Definition from 35mm vault materials. The Beast Must Die Wealthy big game hunter Tom Newcliffe (Calvin Lockhart) has tracked and killed practically every type of animal in the world. But one creature still evades him, the biggest game of all - a werewolf. Tom invites five guests -- Dr. Christopher Lundgren (Peter Cushing), Paul Foote (Tom Chadbon), Bennington (Charles Gray), Jan Jarmokowski (Michael Gambon) and Davina (Ciaran Madden)-- to his island knowing they all are tied one way or another to unusual circumstances of death… and that one of them is a werewolf. Add to the mix Tom’s alluring wife Caroline (Marlene Clark) and surveillance expert, Pavel (Anton Diffring), Tom tracks the werewolf but is unable to kill it. One by one the creature kills the isolated guests.
- Peter Cushing
- Barbara Parkins
|
1102 |
The Amicus Collection: And Now the Screaming Starts! |
Roy Ward Baker |
|
R |
1973 |
MPI HOME VIDEO |
Art House & International |
The Amicus Collection: And Now the Screaming Starts! Roy Ward Baker
Theatrical: 1973
Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 90
Rated: R
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Set in 1795 England, And Now the Screaming Starts! tells the tale of blissful newlyweds Catherine (Stephanie Beacham) and Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy) who move into his ancestral family mansion. On their wedding night, Catherine is raped by a malevolent spirit. She is further plagued by a series of haunting visions involving an eyeless woodsman and a murderous disembodied hand. Can a savage act of depravity and violence committed by one of Charles’ ancestors be to blame? Charles fears that his bride is going insane and calls for Doctor Whittle (Patrick Magee). Unable to help Catherine overcome her visions, Dr. Whittle calls for assistance from a fellow practitioner, Dr. Pope (Peter Cushing), who uses reason and logic to combat what he assumes is a mental disorder. In time, Dr. Pope finds himself fighting a losing battle against the forces of the supernatural carrying out a bloody family curse. Directed by Roy Ward Baker (Asylum, The Vault of Horror, The Monster Club) and produced by Amicus stalwarts Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky, And Now the Screaming Starts! has been mastered in High Definition from 35mm vault materials.
- Peter Cushing; Herbert Lom; Patrick Magee; Stephanie Beacham; Ian Ogilvy; Geoffrey Whitehead; Guy Rolfe; Rosalie Crutchley; Gillian Lind; Sally Harrison; Janet Key; John Sharp; Norman Mitchell; Lloyd Lamble; Kay Adrian; David Barclay (II); Blake Butler; Vic Chapman; Frank Forsyth; Daniel Jones
|
1103 |
The Amicus Collection: The Asylum |
Roy Ward Baker |
|
PG |
1972 |
Dark Sky Films |
Art House & International |
The Amicus Collection: The Asylum Roy Ward Baker
Theatrical: 1972
Studio: Dark Sky Films
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 89
Rated: PG
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: One of the patients in an institution for the incurably insane was once its director, and a young psychiatrist (Robert Powell) has to figure out "which" one as they all tell him their stories. What better setting for a horror anthology? It's an inspired framing device, making this one of the better examples of the genre, even if screenwriter Robert Bloch at times resorts to gimmicks rather than invention. The first two stories are less than brilliant (the first is highlighted by dismembered body parts neatly wrapped in butcher paper wriggling back to life for revenge), but Charlotte Rampling and Britt Eklund are marvelous in the third tale, about a mentally unbalanced young woman and her dangerous best friend. Herbert Lom is also excellent in the final story as a scientist who carves an army of dolls he claims he can bring to life by sheer will power. Director Roy Ward Baker ("Quatermas and the Pit") builds momentum with each story until the dark and deliciously bloody climax. This Amicus Studios production looks visually dull compared to Hammer's gothic gloss, but it features a great British cast (including Patrick Magee and Hammer stalwart Peter Cushing), and ultimately Baker makes that gloomy look work for his increasingly creepy production. Amicus produced a series of horror anthologies, including the original 1972 "Tales from the Crypt" and "The Torture Garden" (also scripted by Bloch). "--Sean Axmaker"
- Peter Cushing
- Britt Ekland
- Herbert Lom
- Patrick Magee
- Barry Morse
|
1104 |
The Amicus Collection: The Beast Must Die |
Paul Annett |
Scott Finch |
PG |
1974 |
Dark Sky Films |
Action & Adventure |
The Amicus Collection: The Beast Must Die Paul Annett
Theatrical: 1974
Studio: Dark Sky Films
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 93
Rated: PG
Writer: Scott Finch
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Wealthy big game hunter Tom Newcliffe (Calvin Lockhart) has tracked and killed practically every type of animal in the world. But one creature still evades him, the biggest game of all - a werewolf. Tom invites five guests -- Dr. Christopher Lundgren (Peter Cushing), Paul Foote (Tom Chadbon), Bennington (Charles Gray), Jan Jarmokowski (Michael Gambon) and Davina (Ciaran Madden)-- to his island knowing they all are tied one way or another to unusual circumstances of death… and that one of them is a werewolf. Add to the mix Tom’s alluring wife Caroline (Marlene Clark) and surveillance expert, Pavel (Anton Diffring), Tom tracks the werewolf but is unable to kill it. One by one the creature kills the isolated guests.
- Calvin Lockhart
- Peter Cushing
- Marlene Clark
- Anton Diffring
- Charles Gray
|
1105 |
The Amityville Horror |
Andrew Douglas (IV) |
|
R |
2005 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Horror |
The Amityville Horror Andrew Douglas (IV)
Theatrical: 2005
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 89
Rated: R
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, French
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Most horror movies establish an atmosphere of normalcy, which they gradually rupture with spooky or creepy or stomach-churning images. "The Amityville Horror"--a remake of the 1979 movie about a possessed house that torments the family that moves into it--tosses normalcy out the window in the first five minutes, unleashing a nonstop barrage of unsettling camera angles, decaying wood and stained wallpaper, half-glimpsed shadows in motion, fast edits of grotesque ghosts, and dozens of other horror-movie devices. Whether you like the movie will depend on whether you like feeling slightly nauseated and cut off from any semblance of reality--for many people, that's why they go to horror movies. Others won't be able to suspend disbelief that anyone but an actor would spend the time necessary to develop Ryan Reynold's insanely buff physique, prominently displayed as he runs around wearing nothing but a pair of loose-fitting pajama bottoms. In addition to Reynolds ("Van Wilder", "Blade: Trinity"), the movie also features Philip Baker Hall ("Magnolia") and Melissa George ("Down With Love"). "--Bret Fetzer"
- Ryan Reynolds
- Melissa George
- Jesse James
- Jimmy Bennett (III)
- Chloe Moretz
|
1106 |
The Amityville Horror Collection (Box Set) |
Richard Fleischer, Stuart Rosenberg, Damiano Damiani |
|
PG |
1983 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Horror |
The Amityville Horror Collection (Box Set) Richard Fleischer, Stuart Rosenberg, Damiano Damiani
Theatrical: 1983
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 316
Rated: PG
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Blood drips from the walls. A terrifying chill rakes through the rooms. Menacing eyes glow from the upstairs windows. Inside the outwardly charming Long Island home an unspeakable evil lurks waiting to torment all who dare cross the threshold. Experience the ultimate house of horror with this 4-disc collector's set.System Requirements: Running Time 316 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 027616909138 Manufacturer No: 1006766
- Tony Roberts
- Tess Harper
- Robert Joy
- Candy Clark
- John Beal
|
1107 |
The Amityville Horror Collection: Amityville Confidential |
|
|
|
|
|
Action & Adventure |
The Amityville Horror Collection: Amityville Confidential
Theatrical:
Studio:
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated:
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: DVD
|
1108 |
The Amityville Horror Collection: The Amityville Horror (1979) |
Stuart Rosenberg |
Sandor Stern |
R |
1979 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Drama |
The Amityville Horror Collection: The Amityville Horror (1979) Stuart Rosenberg
Theatrical: 1979
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 117
Rated: R
Writer: Sandor Stern
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Based on a bestselling, allegedly nonfiction book about haunted goings-on in a Long Island house ("The Amityville Horror Conspiracy"), this rather cheesy horror movie is more silly than unsettling. James Brolin and Margot Kidder star as newlyweds who move into the empty home and are gradually affected by the legacy of a murder committed on the premises. Rod Steiger is a priest who can tell what's up and gets dispatched in a rather ugly way. Director Stuart Rosenberg can't lift the action above a certain level of tawdriness, and the audience ends up watching the horror from a distance instead of feeling involved. In the wake of "The Exorcist", this 1979 spooker seemed like a no-brainer knockoff--and still does. "--Tom Keogh"
- James Brolin
- Margot Kidder
- Rod Steiger
- Don Stroud
- Murray Hamilton
|
1109 |
The Amityville Horror Collection: The Amityville Horror 2, The Possession |
Damiano Damiani |
Tommy Lee Wallace |
R |
1982 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Drama |
The Amityville Horror Collection: The Amityville Horror 2, The Possession Damiano Damiani
Theatrical: 1982
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 100
Rated: R
Writer: Tommy Lee Wallace
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Before the residence at 112 Ocean Avenue became infamous in The Amityville Horror, its supernatural legacy of terror had already begun. Inspired by a true story, this chilling prequel is a bloodcurdling, special-effects-laden encounter with all-powerful, all-consuming evil. Although the Montellis are not exactly the "perfect family," at least they've found the perfect home. And even though a liquid that looks like blood gushes from the kitchen faucet and every window has been nailed shut, it still qualifies as their dream houseuntil all hell breaks loose! A local priest tries to rid the house of unclean spirits, but what he doesn't yet suspect is that teenage son Sonny Montelli has been possessed, body and soul, by a murderous demon bent on total destruction.
- James Olson
- Burt Young
- Rutanya Alda
- Jack Magner
- Andrew Prine
|
1110 |
The Amityville Horror Collection: The Amityville Horror 3, The Demon |
Richard Fleischer |
William Wales |
PG |
1983 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Horror |
The Amityville Horror Collection: The Amityville Horror 3, The Demon Richard Fleischer
Theatrical: 1983
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 105
Rated: PG
Writer: William Wales
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: The home of unspeakable evil is back to torment all who cross its threshold, as Dino De Laurentiis and legendary director Richard Fleischer (Soylent Green) present "a horror picture of considerable class and polish" (Los Angeles Times)! Packed with bone-chilling special effects, this third rendezvous with terror in Amityville stars Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Robert Joy, Candy Clark and Meg Ryan. To debunk the Amityville house's infamous reputation and take advantage of a rock-bottom asking price, skeptical journalist John Baxter (Roberts) buys the place and settles in to write his first novel. But as soon as the ink on the deed has dried, people who have come into contact with him – and the house – begin to meet with a shocking fate. Is it coincidenceÂ...or is this house really the gateway to hell?
- Tony Roberts
- Tess Harper
- Robert Joy
- Candy Clark
- John Beal
- Fred Schuler Cinematographer
- Frank J. Urioste Editor
|
1111 |
Amityville, Vol. 4: The Evil Escapes |
Sandor Stern |
John G. Jones, Sandor Stern |
R |
1989 |
Allumination |
Horror |
Amityville, Vol. 4: The Evil Escapes Sandor Stern
Theatrical: 1989
Studio: Allumination
Genre: Horror
Duration: 95
Rated: R
Writer: John G. Jones, Sandor Stern
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Sound: Mono
Summary: When priests exorcise the Amityville home its evil finds a new residence 3000 miles away -- just as a widow and her three children move in.System Requirements:Running Time: 95 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS Rating: NR UPC: 084296404858 Manufacturer No: 40485
- Patty Duke Nancy Evans
- Robert Alan Browne Donald McTear
- Gloria Cromwell Rhona
- Richard Crystal
- Aaron Eisenberg
- Tom Richmond Cinematographer
- Jane Wyatt Alice Leacock
- Fredric Lehne Father Kibbler
- Lou Hancock Peggy
- Brandy Gold Jessica Evans
- Zoe Trilling Amanda Evans (as Geri Betzler)
- Aron Eisenberg Brian Evans
- Norman Lloyd Father Manfred
- Jamie Stern Danny Reade (as James Stern)
- Peggy McCay Helen Royce
- Warren Munson
- Alex Rebar
- Jack Rader
|
1112 |
Amusement |
John Simpson |
Jake Wade Wall |
R |
2008 |
New Line Home Video |
Horror |
Amusement John Simpson
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: New Line Home Video
Genre: Horror
Duration: 85
Rated: R
Writer: Jake Wade Wall
Date Added: 13 May 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: "Amusement" opens with a too-long scene involving a girl named Shelby’s (Laura Breckenridge) reluctance to join a trucking convoy that her boyfriend behind the wheel is for some reason totally dedicated to. One can guess if they ever return from this fateful road trip. From here, the film splinters into three more parts, focusing on Shelby’s childhood friends, Lisa (Jessica Lucas) and Tabitha (Katheryn Winnick), and finally, a serial killer who aims to ensnare them all because they didn’t laugh at his animal-torturing diorama in grade school. The killer, a brainiac who sports rubber apron, gloves, and goggles for his sick enterprises, operates on the premise that his killings are funny, and cackles ring throughout the film. There is not a tremendous amount of gore in "Amusement", as it focuses on what little suspense it manages, as citizens and FBI agents alike fail to catch the crafty villain. Perhaps the most notable aspect to this film is the mysterious criminal ringleader, a clown doll, who appears midway through as Tabitha tries to babysit. Furthering Stephen King’s "It" tradition, this movie gets slightly better when the girls enter this evil clown’s territory, a bedroom packed with clown toys. However, the clown and his clown posse are a bit non sequitur, and the entire film feels confused and patched together. Return to "Child’s Play" if you really want to delve into evil toys and the young boys who play with them. --"Trinie Dalton"
- Katheryn Winnick
- Laura Breckenridge
- Jessica Lucas
- Keir O'Donnell
- Tad Hilgenbrink
- Mark Garret Cinematographer
- Chris G. Willingham Editor
|
1113 |
Anastasia |
Anatole Litvak |
Marcelle Maurette |
Unrated |
1956 |
20th Century Fox |
Drama |
Anastasia Anatole Litvak
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Drama
Duration: 105
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Marcelle Maurette
Date Added: 23 Dec 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 4.0
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Ingrid Bergman gives one of her memorable, haunting, and haunted performances as an amnesiac chosen by a White Russian general (Yul Brynner) in 1928 to play the part of Anastasia, the long-rumored but missing survivor of the Bolsheviks' murderous attack on the czar's family. The twist is that Bergman's mystery woman seems to know more about the lost Anastasia than she is told. Based on the play by Marcelle Maurette and Guy Bolton, this film--directed by Anatole Litvak ("Out of the Fog")--really does get under one's skin, not least of all because of its intriguing story but even more because of the strong chemistry between Bergman and Brynner. "--Tom Keogh"
- Ingrid Bergman
- Yul Brynner
- Helen Hayes
- Akim Tamiroff
- Martita Hunt
- Jack Hildyard Cinematographer
- Bert Bates Editor
|
1114 |
Anatomy of a Murder |
Otto Preminger |
|
Unrated |
1959 |
Sony Pictures |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Anatomy of a Murder Otto Preminger
Theatrical: 1959
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 160
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Georgian, Chinese, Thai
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Academy Ratio
Summary: Otto Preminger turned this 1959 courtroom drama, based on the popular novel, into terrific adult drama. James Stewart stars as a small-town lawyer who defends an army officer (Ben Gazzara) accused of murdering a bartender who assaulted his wife (Lee Remick). The taut script, large performance by Stewart, and then-daring elements of the story (words like "panties" are spoken in the context of discussing a sex crime) give the action a certain immediacy--which you don't find very often in today's movies about jurisprudence. Nice work by Remick and Gazzara, as well as George C. Scott, Arthur O'Connell, and real-life judge Joseph N. Welch, who plays the judge in this film. A very good experience all around. "--Tom Keogh"
- James Stewart
- Lee Remick
- Ben Gazzara
- Arthur O'Connell
- Eve Arden
|
1115 |
Anchorman - The Legend Of Ron Burgundy |
Adam McKay |
Will Ferrell, Adam McKay |
PG-13 |
2004 |
Dreamworks Video |
Comedy: Contemporary |
Anchorman - The Legend Of Ron Burgundy Adam McKay
Theatrical: 2004
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 98
Rated: PG-13
Writer: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Comments: His news is bigger than your news.
Summary: Will Farrell followed up his star-making vehicle "Elf", which matched his fine-tuned comic obliviousness to a sweet sincerity, with a more arrogant variation on the same character: Ron Burgundy, a macho, narcissistic news anchor from the 1970s. Along with his news posse--roving reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd, "Clueless"), sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner), and dim-bulb weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell, "Bruce Almighty")--Burgundy rules the roost in San Diego, fawned upon by groupies and supported by a weary producer (Fred Willard, "Best In Show") who tolerates Burgundy's ego because of good ratings. But when Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate, "View from the Top") arrives with ambitions to become an anchor herself, she threatens the male-dominated newsroom. "Anchorman" has plenty of funny material, but it's as if Farrell couldn't decide what he really wanted to mock, and so took smart-ass cracks at everything in sight. Still, there are moments of inspired delirium. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Christina Applegate Veronica Corningstone
- Fred Armisen Tino
- Steve Carell Brick Tamland
- Darcy Donavan Hot Blonde
- Will Ferrell Ron Burgundy
- Paul Rudd Brian Fantana
- David Koechner Champ Kind
- Fred Willard Ed Harken
- Chris Parnell Garth Holliday
- Kathryn Hahn Helen
- Seth Rogen Eager Cameraman
- Paul F. Tompkins MC
- Danny Trejo Bartender
- Scot Robinson Waiter at Tino's
- Ian Roberts Stage Manager
|
1116 |
And God Created Woman |
Roger Vadim |
|
PG |
1957 |
Criterion Collection, The |
Criterion Collection |
And God Created Woman Roger Vadim
Theatrical: 1957
Studio: Criterion Collection, The
Genre: Criterion Collection
Duration: 90
Rated: PG
Date Added: 27 Dec 2008
Languages: French Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Summary: Roger Vadim's directorial debut is more titillation than continental cool, but it broke box-office records and censorship taboos in its teasing display of sex and eroticism in the sunny vacation playground of the Saint-Tropez seashore. Vadim ushered in the era of continental attitudes toward sex and christened the voluptuous Brigitte Bardot (his wife) the world's original sex kitten: earthy, innocent, and all fleshy curves. Bardot is Juliette, a pouty child-woman orphan prone to nude sunbathing and playful flirting. Though pursued by a rich widower (Curt Jurgens) and attracted to the brawny fisherman Antoine (Christian Marquand), she marries Antoine's shy younger brother Michel (Jean-Louis Trintignant), an earnest, innocent kid hardly older than she but far less worldly. Despite her sincere efforts to "be good," Juliette gives in to Michel's advances, setting off a chain of events that ends in fraternal conflict. Vadim keeps the display of skin this side of an R rating, but only barely, teasing the male audience with skimpy outfits, barely concealing sheets, and often conveniently arranged scenery. Bohemian Bardot frolics through the film with nary a self-conscious moment, culminating in a passionate mambo, her pent-up frustration and sexual confusion exploding in a mad dance as bongos pound away on the soundtrack. Who needed Viagra in the '50s when Bardot was around? "--Sean Axmaker"
- Brigitte Bardot
- Jacques Ciron
- Isabelle Corey
- Paul Faivre
- Leopoldo Francés
|
1117 |
And Then There Were None |
René Clair |
|
NR |
1945 |
VCI Entertainment |
Mystery & Suspense |
And Then There Were None René Clair
Theatrical: 1945
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Duration: 98
Rated: NR
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Academy Ratio
Summary: At first glance, René Clair might seem an odd match for Agatha Christie's mystery thriller "Ten Little Indians", but his buoyant touch is exactly what is missing from so many overly solemn remakes. Ten strangers gather for a mysterious gathering on a secluded island. It turns out to be a farewell party, for they all have been sentenced to die for crimes in their past by a self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner who may be one of them. One by one, the guests are systematically dispatched in the manner described in the lyrics of the children's rhyme "Ten Little Indians," while the survivors nervously eye one another, splintering into tenuous alliances until the next murder throws suspicion on someone new. The terrific cast of character actors has a ball with Dudley Nichols's witty script. The flamboyant sparring of Barry Fitzgerald (whose paternal Irish lilt takes a sinister dimension) and Walter Huston is almost upstaged by Roland Young's deadpan drollery. Romantic leads Louis Hayward and June Duprez come off as arch and stiff in august company that includes a sinisterly detached Judith Anderson, a dotty and distracted C. Aubrey Smith, and a hilariously flippant Mischa Auer. The story has been remade numerous times under the title of Christie's novel, "Ten Little Indians", but never as well. Clair's effervescent, lively little gem is a fatal drawing-room comedy with a body count and a surreal mood of doom. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Barry Fitzgerald
- Walter Huston
- Louis Hayward
- Roland Young
- June Duprez
|
1118 |
Andy Barker, P.I.: The Complete Series |
Jason Ensler |
|
|
|
Shout! Factory |
Comedy |
Andy Barker, P.I.: The Complete Series Jason Ensler
Theatrical:
Studio: Shout! Factory
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 100
Rated:
Date Added: 28 Oct 2009
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: From the hilarious minds of Conan OBrien ("The Tonight Show") and Jonathan Groff comes Andy Barker P.I., an off-the-wall comedy about earnest, hard-working CPA-turned-detective, Andy Barker (played by Andy Richter, "Late Night with Conan OBrien"), and featuring the extraordinary writing talents of Conan OBrien ("The Simpsons"), Jonathan Groff ("How I Met Your Mother"), Jane Espenson ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and Josh Bycel ("Psych"). The show premiered on the NBC network and was immediately greeted with critical praise.
Bonus Features: * "Going Where The Numbers Take You": An intimate look back at the series with Andy Richter, Conan O Brien, Jonathan Groff, Tony Hale, Clea Lewis, Marshall Manesh and Jason Ensler.
* "Writers Class 101": A look at what it takes to write a series like Andy Barker P.I. with co-creator Jonathan Groff and writers Jane Espenson, Josh Bycel and Jon Ross.
* Cast and crew commentaries.
* Gag reel.
|
1119 |
Angel |
Ernst Lubitsch |
|
Universal, suitable for all |
1937 |
Universal Pictures UK |
Classics |
Angel Ernst Lubitsch
Theatrical: 1937
Studio: Universal Pictures UK
Genre: Classics
Duration: 87
Rated: Universal, suitable for all
Date Added: 08 Jul 2010
Summary: This is a marvellous romantic affair with Marlene as Lady Maria torn between her stuffy but upright British husband played by Herbert Marshall and the dashing stranger, Melvyn Douglas, she meets in Paris. Which will she choose? Dietrick is fabulously gowned, the male leads are splendid - both could do this sort of part in their sleep but do them wide awake. It is all highly polished, sophisticated and chic.
- Marlene Dietrich
- Herbert Marshall
- Melvyn Douglas
|
1120 |
Angel on My Shoulder |
Archie Mayo |
|
NR |
1946 |
Vci Entertainment |
Action & Adventure |
Angel on My Shoulder Archie Mayo
Theatrical: 1946
Studio: Vci Entertainment
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 100
Rated: NR
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Summary: Paul Muni gives another classic performance in this wonderful fantasy about a notorious gangster who is murdered by a double-crossing partner. While in Hell, he makes a deal with the Devil, played with relish by Claude Rains, to return to earth... only to double-cross him in the end. Bonus Features: Bonus classic 1940 RKO comedy two-reeler starring Leon Errol| Scene Selection| Actor Bios. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 100 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1946; SRP - $9.99.
- Paul Muni
- Anne Baxter
- Claude Rains
- Onslow Stevens
- George Cleveland
|
1121 |
Angels Over Broadway |
Ben Hecht, Lee Garmes |
|
NR |
1940 |
Sony Pictures |
Comedy |
Angels Over Broadway Ben Hecht, Lee Garmes
Theatrical: 1940
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 78
Rated: NR
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0
Summary: Sardonic newsman turned razor-wit screenwriter Ben Hecht softens his hard-boiled style for a rare directorial outing in "Angels over Broadway". Set in the world he knew and loved so well--Broadway's nightlife of hustlers and suckers and high-society swells--Hecht's tale of tarnished angels stars Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as a street hustler cajoled into fronting a flimsy scheme to heist a gambling hoodlum and save a suicidal stranger. Pre-sex bomb Rita Hayworth is awkward but sweet as a breathy ingénue, and Thomas Mitchell gets all the best lines as a boozy playwright whose chivalrous streak grows with each drink ("Eugene, you're drunk." "My dear, you understate the case by three bottles and a thousand tears."). Hecht has been sharper and wittier but rarely so sentimental. Under his snappy patter is the heart of a jaded romantic taking one more chance. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
- Rita Hayworth
- Thomas Mitchell
- John Qualen
- George Watts
|
1122 |
The Angels Wash Their Faces (Warner Archive) |
Ray Enright |
|
NR |
1939 |
WARNER BROS. |
Thrillers |
The Angels Wash Their Faces (Warner Archive) Ray Enright
Theatrical: 1939
Studio: WARNER BROS.
Genre: Thrillers
Duration: 86
Rated: NR
Date Added: 26 Mar 2011
Summary: Billy, Huntz, Leo and other scrappy kids of slum-ridden Beale Street have gone and done it. They've won the Boys Week competition and the right to hold honorary offices as mayor, police chief and the like. With the help of an earnest deputy D.A., the gang aims to use their symbolic powers to free a wrongly jailed pal and bring down an arson racket that's blighting the neighborhood.
The Dead End Kids return in a comedy-drama that revisits the cinematic neighborhood of Angels with Dirty Faces, although it is not strictly a sequel. Twenty-eight-year-old Ronald Reagan portrays the idealistic junior D.A., joining Ann Sheridan in the third of five feature pairings that would conclude with their landmark Kings Row. "This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply."
- Ann Sheridan
- Dead End Kids
- Ronald Reagan
|
1123 |
The Angry Red Planet |
Ib Melchior |
Sidney W. Pink |
NR |
1960 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Cult Movies |
The Angry Red Planet Ib Melchior
Theatrical: 1960
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Cult Movies
Duration: 83
Rated: NR
Writer: Sidney W. Pink
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Although widely admired among longtime science fiction fans, "The Angry Red Planet" is merely a substandard entry from the genre's 1950s heyday. With wooden performances, atrocious dialogue, and some monsters that would scare only very young kids, it's perfect fodder for a rainy- day marathon of cheesy movies, as long as you keep your expectations low. Following the standard plot of its day, the movie tells (in flashback) the story of four astronauts who land Rocket M-1 on Mars, only to find the "angry red planet" lives up to its nickname. The plants are carnivorous, there's a gigantic "bat-rat-spider-crab" that can snap humans in half with its pincers, and a slithering Jello-beast with a rotating eyeball that threatens to dissolve the rocket ship into a pile of digested goo. Naturally, there's an onboard flirtation between shapely space-gal Nora Hayden and astro-hunk Gerald Mohr (who inexplicably spends the last half-hour with his hairy chest exposed), while Les Tremayne and Jack Kruschen play the stock characters (respectively) of elder scientist and blue-collar engineer--the latter toting an "ultrasonic freezer gun" that forces attacking monsters to chill out. If that's not enough to whet your schlock-movie appetite, the scenes on Mars were filmed in a gimmicky pink-hued process called "Cinemagic," which resembles a negative image covered in Pepto-Bismol. Is this any way to spend 83 precious minutes? Look at it this way: When an angry Martian warns humans to stay away ("you are technological adults, but spiritual and emotional infants"), you may be laughing enough to make it all worthwhile. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Gerald Mohr
- Naura Hayden
- Les Tremayne
- Jack Kruschen
- Paul Hahn
- Stanley Cortez Cinematographer
- Ivan J. Hoffman Editor
|
1124 |
The Animal Kingdom |
George Cukor, Edward H. Griffith |
|
NR |
1932 |
Alpha Video |
Comedy |
The Animal Kingdom George Cukor, Edward H. Griffith
Theatrical: 1932
Studio: Alpha Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 85
Rated: NR
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Though a bit stodgy, this 1932 film adaptation of a Philip Barry play features the star of the original Broadway production: Leslie Howard. While Barry had later, greater successes with film versions of his plays "Holiday" and "The Philadelphia Story", "The Animal Kingdom" is something of a blueprint for those better-known comedies. Howard plays book publisher Tom Collier, a bohemian at heart and an enthusiast for great literature and artistic integrity. His lover, Daisy Sage (Ann Harding), is an equally open-minded artist. But while she's off in Paris, Tom considers making a show of respectability, and marries socialite Cee Henry (Myrna Loy), who intends to groom Tom for polite society. Cee's ambition and Tom's conflicts set the stage for one of Barry's comedies of manners, as desire and responsibility square off. Unimaginatively directed by Edward H. Griffith, the production is anchored to its stage-bound origins, but Barry's dialogue and the charming performances make it all worthwhile. "--Tom Keogh"
- Ann Harding
- Leslie Howard
- Myrna Loy
- William Gargan
- Neil Hamilton
|
1125 |
Anna Karenina / Hell's House |
Julien Duvivier |
Jean Anouilh, Julien Duvivier |
NR |
1948 |
DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENT |
Drama |
Anna Karenina / Hell's House Julien Duvivier
Theatrical: 1948
Studio: DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENT
Genre: Drama
Duration: 185
Rated: NR
Writer: Jean Anouilh, Julien Duvivier
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Spanish, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Picture Format: Pan & Scan
Comments: This Was Her One Tragic Love !
Summary: ANNA KARENINA [Based on one of the world's most popular and loved novels, this adaptation of Anna Karenina" is a must for every film collection!Oscar winner Vivien Leigh (Scatlett, "Gone with the Wind") stars in the title role as an aristocratic woman who turns her back on her husband (Sir Ralph Richardson). She risks everything on a love affair with Dashing young military oficer Count VRONSKY (Kieron Moore), in glittering 19th century St. Petersburg. You'll lose your heart to this enthrallingand lush dramatization of Leo Tolstoy's classic tale of love, happiness, hypocrisy, and scandal] HELL'S HOUSE [Jimmy Mason idolizes unscrupulus bootlegge MATT Kly (Pat O'Brien), bt Matt's only interested in Jimmy's girl, Peggy Gardner (Bette Davis). When Matt's bootlegging business is raide, he allows the naiveJimmy to take the rap......
- Vivien Leigh Anna Karenina
- Ralph Richardson Alexei Karenin
- Kieron Moore Count Vronsky
- Hugh Dempster Stefan Oblonsky
- Mary Kerridge Dolly Oblonsky
- Marie Lohr Princess Scherbatsky
- Frank Tickle Prince Scherbatsky
- Sally Ann Howes Kitty Scherbatsky
- Niall MacGinnis Konstantin Levin
- Michael Gough Nicholai
- Martita Hunt Princess Betty Tversky
- Heather Thatcher Countess Lydia Ivanova
- Helen Haye Countess Vronsky
- Mary Martlew Princess Nathalia
- Ruby Miller Countess Meskov
|
1126 |
Annie Hall |
Woody Allen |
|
PG |
1977 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Allen, Woody |
Annie Hall Woody Allen
Theatrical: 1977
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Allen, Woody
Duration: 93
Rated: PG
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Letterbox
Summary: "Annie Hall" is one of the truest, most bittersweet romances on film. In it, Allen plays a thinly disguised version of himself: Alvy Singer, a successful--if neurotic--television comedian living in Manhattan. Annie (the wholesomely luminous Dianne Keaton) is a Midwestern transplant who dabbles in photography and sings in small clubs. When the two meet, the sparks are immediate--if repressed. Alone in her apartment for the first time, Alvy and Annie navigate a minefield of self-conscious "is-this-person-someone-I'd-want-to-get-involved-with?" conversation. As they speak, subtitles flash their unspoken thoughts: the likes of "I'm not smart enough for him" and "I sound like a jerk." Despite all their caution, they connect, and we're swept up in the flush of their new romance. Allen's antic sensibility shines here in a series of flashbacks to Alvy's childhood, growing up, quite literally, under a rumbling roller coaster. His boisterous Jewish family's dinner table shares a split screen with the WASP-y Hall's tight-lipped holiday table, one Alvy has joined for the first time. His position as outsider is uncontestable he looks down the table and sizes up Annie's "Grammy Hall" as "a classic Jew-hater." The relationship arcs, as does Annie's growing desire for independence. It quickly becomes clear that the two are on separate tracks, as what was once endearing becomes annoying. "Annie Hall" embraces Allen's central themes--his love affair with New York (and hatred of Los Angeles), how impossible relationships are, and his fear of death. But their balance is just right, the chemistry between Allen's worry-wart Alvy and Keaton's gangly, loopy Annie is one of the screen's best pairings. It couldn't be more engaging. "--Susan Benson"
- Woody Allen
- Diane Keaton
- Tony Roberts
- Carol Kane
- Janet Margolin
|
1127 |
The Anniversary |
Roy Ward Baker |
|
Unrated |
1968 |
Starz / Anchor Bay |
Horror: Hammer / Amicus |
The Anniversary Roy Ward Baker
Theatrical: 1968
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Genre: Horror: Hammer / Amicus
Duration: 95
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: The legendary Bette Davis stars as Mrs. Taggart a venomous one-eyed matriarch who despite her husband being long dead demands her three grown sons gather for her 40th anniversary. Eldest Henry is a mild-mannered cross-dresser; middle child Terry is a henpecked weakling; and carefree youngest son Thomas arrives with his pregnant fianc e. But this bumpy night has only just begun as family secrets will be revealed cruel insults hurled and frilly underwear stolen. Even if the siblings can survive the festivities unscathed does the biggest mother of them all have a shocking final surprise for everyone? Christian Roberts (TO SIR WITH LOVE) and Sheila Hancock co-star in this deranged black comedy written and produced by Jimmy Sangster (THE NANNY WHO SLEW AUNTIE ROO?) and directed by Roy Ward Baker (DON T BOTHER TO KNOCK A NIGHT TO REMEMBER) that Bette Davis fans still call one of her most outrageous performances ever!DVD Features:Audio Commentary with Director Roy Ward Baker Writer/Producer Jimmy Sangster and DVD Producer Perry MartinTrailerTV SpotPoster & Still GalleryTalen Bios Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR UPC: 013131320893 Manufacturer No: DV13208
- Bette Davis
- Sheila Hancock
- Jack Hedley
- James Cossins
- Christian Roberts
|
1128 |
Another Woman |
Woody Allen |
Woody Allen |
PG |
1988 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Allen, Woody |
Another Woman Woody Allen
Theatrical: 1988
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Allen, Woody
Duration: 81
Rated: PG
Writer: Woody Allen
Date Added: 23 Nov 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: This underrated film is by far Woody Allen's most satisfying I-wish-I-were-Ingmar Bergman movie, and in its elegantly constrained fashion it teems with imagination--not to mention a glorious cast. Gena Rowlands plays a philosophy professor who, subletting an apartment as a writing office, finds that the confidences murmured to her psychiatrist neighbor are audible through the air vents. In particular, the fears and desperation of a younger, very pregnant woman (Mia Farrow) trigger a stream of reveries regarding the professor's own life, past romances, and troubled family. Some of these seem to be straightforward memories (though we take too much for granted, and that's part of the point); others are theatrically stylized, with different actors taking over roles initiated by others (Rowlands sometimes appears in long-ago flashbacks, trading off with Margaret Marx as her younger self). Allen had, like his protagonist, recently turned 50, and the sense of personal stocktaking here is much more compelling--and much less self-indulgent--than in a lot of his other films. Surely the magisterial presence of Rowlands made a big difference. She's in excellent company, including Ian Holm as the prof's tightly wrapped husband, Sandy Dennis as the dear old actress friend who hates her guts, and John Houseman as her widower father. Like Lloyd Nolan's in "Hannah and Her Sisters" and Keye Luke's in "Alice", Houseman's turned out to be a valedictory performance. We cherish it--along with the inspired casting of David Ogden Stiers as, in effect, the younger John Houseman. "--Richard T. Jameson"
- Gena Rowlands
- Mia Farrow
- Ian Holm
- Blythe Danner
- Gene Hackman
- Sven Nykvist Cinematographer
|
1129 |
Ants |
Robert Scheerer |
|
Unrated |
1977 |
Direct Source Label |
Horror |
Ants Robert Scheerer
Theatrical: 1977
Studio: Direct Source Label
Genre: Horror
Duration: 93
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 15 Feb 2010
Summary: It is said in the scientific circles that if, for whatever reason, the insect species were to rise and attack us, we would have no hope of survival. Food for thought. Well in this well crafted thriller with an angle of Science Fiction, the day they speak of has come.
Our story opens at an aged, somewhat uncool and border line out of date Motel/Inn were a nearby construction site has disturbed a small patch of ground that is home to an enormous soldier ant nest. This particularly poisonous species lashes out with stealth, attacking through a broken sewer pipe and against a small boy in a dumpster. But with the attack of a broad shouldered construction worker who is literaly brought to his knees, things start to get serious.
Sometimes know as..."It happened at Lakewood Manour" This nature against man movie is one of the best, with good characters, a good build up in suspence. And an ending for the hero's of our story that will have anyone's skin crawling......Please enjoy.
- Suzanne Somers
- Robert Foxworth
- Myrna Loy
- Lynda Day George
- Gerald Gordon (II)
|
1130 |
Anything Else |
Woody Allen |
|
R |
2003 |
Dreamworks Video |
Allen, Woody |
Anything Else Woody Allen
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Genre: Allen, Woody
Duration: 108
Rated: R
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Christina Ricci invigorates an even-more-neurotic-than-usual variation on the classic neurotic woman in this Woody Allen movie. Comedy writer Jerry Falk (Jason Biggs, "American Pie") is madly in love with Amanda (Ricci, "The Opposite of Sex"), even though they haven't had sex in six months. Falk meets an older writer named Dobel (Allen) who becomes a sort of accidental mentor, encouraging him to break free of Amanda and his clinging agent (Danny DeVito). The pace is sluggish, almost every scene feels like an outtake from an earlier, better Woody Allen movie (particularly "Annie Hall"), Biggs never seems comfortable with his dialogue--only Ricci makes her character her own, giving her own perverse comic spin to the proceedings. About three-fourths of the way through the movie, the story starts to feel fresher and more compelling, but by then it's too late. Also featuring Jimmy Fallon and Stockard Channing. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Christina Ricci
- Jason Biggs
- Stockard Channing
- David Conrad
- Danny DeVito
|
1131 |
Apocalypto |
Mel Gibson |
|
R |
2006 |
Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone |
Action & Adventure: Contemporary |
Apocalypto Mel Gibson
Theatrical: 2006
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Genre: Action & Adventure: Contemporary
Duration: 138
Rated: R
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: Multilingual Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Forget any off-screen impressions you may have of Mel Gibson, and experience "Apocalypto" as the mad, bloody runaway train that it is. The story is set in the pre-Columbian Maya population: one village is brutally overrun, its residents either slaughtered or abducted, by a ruling tribe that needs slaves and human sacrifices. We focus on the capable warrior Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), although Gibson skillfully sketches a whole population of characters--many of whom don't survive the early reels. Most of the film is set in the dense jungle, but the middle section, in a grand Mayan city, is a dazzling triumph of design, costuming, and sheer decadent terror. The movie itself is a triumph of brutality, as Gibson lets loose his well-established fascination with bodily mortification in a litany of assaults including impalement, evisceration, snakebite, and bee stings. It's a dark, disgusted vision, but Gibson doesn't forget to apply some very canny moviemaking instincts to the violence--including the creation of a tremendous pair of villains (strikingly played by Raoul Trujillo and Rodolfo Palacias). The film is in a Maya dialect, subtitled in English, and shot on digital video (which occasionally betrays itself in some blurry quick pans). Amidst all the mayhem, nothing in the film is more devastating than a final wordless exchange of looks between captured villager Blunted (Jonathan Brewer) and his wife's mother (Maria Isabel Diaz), a superb change in tone from their early relationship. Yes, this is an obsessive, crazed movie, but Gibson knows what he's doing. "--Robert Horton" Beyond "Apocalypto" More films directed by Mel Gibson "Apocalypto" soundtrack by James Horner Stills from "Mel Gibson's Apocalypto" (click for larger image)
- Rudy Youngblood
- Dalia Hernández
- Jonathan Brewer
- Morris Birdyellowhead
- Carlos Emilio Báez
|
1132 |
Appointment in Honduras / Escape to Burma (RKO Adventure Classics Double Feature) |
Jacques Tourneur, Allan Dwan |
|
NR |
1953 |
Vci Video |
Action & Adventure: Classic |
Appointment in Honduras / Escape to Burma (RKO Adventure Classics Double Feature) Jacques Tourneur, Allan Dwan
Theatrical: 1953
Studio: Vci Video
Genre: Action & Adventure: Classic
Duration: 165
Rated: NR
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: A special DVD pairing two adventure classics from the Golden Age of Hollywood and the legendary studio RKO Radio Pictures. Featuring all the action, adventure, romance and intrigue you can handle, plus an impressive cast of stars, including big-screen legends Glenn Ford and Barbara Stanwyck! The twin-bill includes APPOINTMENT IN HONDURAS (1953) and ESCAPE TO BURMA (1955). Bonus Features: Original Theatrical Trailers| "Escape to Burma" is Anamorphic Widescreen Enhanced for 16x9 monitors| Actor Bios| Scene Selection. Specs: DVD10; Dolby Digital Mono; 165 minutes; Color; 1.33:1 & 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1953-1955; SRP - $6.99.
- Glenn Ford
- Ann Sheridan
- Zachary Scott
- Rodolfo Acosta
- Jack Elam
|
1133 |
April Fool's Day |
Fred Walton (II) |
|
R |
1986 |
Paramount |
Horror: Slasher |
April Fool's Day Fred Walton (II)
Theatrical: 1986
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Horror: Slasher
Duration: 88
Rated: R
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: What looks like a standard 1980s holiday-themed slasher movie turns out to be a much more witty venture. A group of college students head out for a weekend of relaxation and April Fools' pranks at an isolated island cottage, catching the very last ferry until Monday morning. A practical joke goes awry, hostess Muffy starts tromping around in frumpy clothes and acting like she's not quite herself, and the bodies start piling up. Don't you just hate it when you're on a completely remote island and the phone goes out? All of this is done, though, with a fairly low gore content and a sly wink at the usual slasher conventions--rather than whodunit, the trick is to figure out what's in good fun and what's real bloodletting. It ain't "Citizen Kane", but it's not a bad evening's enjoyment either. "--Ali Davis"
- Jay Baker
- Pat Barlow
- Lloyd Berry
- Deborah Foreman
- Deborah Goodrich
|
1134 |
Arab On Radar: Sunshine for Shady People |
Craig Kureck |
|
NR |
2008 |
Three-One-G |
Music Video & Concerts |
Arab On Radar: Sunshine for Shady People Craig Kureck
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: Three-One-G
Genre: Music Video & Concerts
Duration: 100
Rated: NR
Date Added: 29 Oct 2008
Summary: An ingenious plague, Arab on Radar was genetically engineered to avoid easy detection. Operating under the guise of a musical group, the band traveled via an underground network. Their music was a sonic assault as they toured from city to city. ''For Shady People'' is a document, alive and rootless, showing a band that has no semblance to daddy's ''Rock 'n' Roll'' The story of this band will infect you.
|
1135 |
Arabian Nights |
John Rawlins |
True Boardman |
Unrated |
1942 |
Universal Studios |
Action & Adventure |
Arabian Nights John Rawlins
Theatrical: 1942
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 86
Rated: Unrated
Writer: True Boardman
Date Added: 08 Jul 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: French
Sound: Dolby
Summary: Warning: Technicolor silliness ahead, as Universal's nutty series of turban-and-camel movies comes into view. "Arabian Nights" was the first of these confections, and after it became a big wartime hit it spawned a series of follow-ups, most of them starring some combination of Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Sabu, and Turhan Bey. The story is nonsense, with Hall as a deposed caliph battling his half-brother (Leif Erickson) while remaining incognito amongst a group of traveling players. Montez plays dancing vixen Scheherazade, and her crazy costumes and limited acting range give ample evidence for her later enshrinement as a camp icon. The film's level of seriousness is aptly demonstrated by the casting of Shemp Howard (of the Three Stooges--like there's another Shemp Howard?) as Sinbad; John Qualen plays Aladdin, and vaudeville pro Billy Gilbert plays the leader of the troupe. Coming off best is Sabu, the young star of "The Thief of Baghdad" and "The Jungle Book", whose innate likability is infectious even in these inane circumstances. "Arabian Nights" probably isn't the most fun of these movies; check out "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" and Robert Siodmak's crazed "Cobra Woman", too. They work on two fronts: family-movie fodder and high camp. "--Robert Horton"
- Sabu
- Jon Hall
- Maria Montez
- Leif Erickson
- Billy Gilbert
- Milton R. Krasner Cinematographer
- Philip Cahn Editor
|
1136 |
Arch of Triumph |
Lewis Milestone |
|
NR |
1948 |
Republic Pictures |
Bergman, Ingrid |
Arch of Triumph Lewis Milestone
Theatrical: 1948
Studio: Republic Pictures
Genre: Bergman, Ingrid
Duration: 123
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Summary: Set in pre-WWII Paris, the film stars Charles Boyer as Dr. Ravic, a brilliant German surgeon who has fled to Paris to escape the growing power of the Nazis. There he meets Joan Madou (Ingrid Bergman), a depressed, unemployed cabaret singer. Ravic finds her a job and they fall in love. Suddenly, after being unable to produce his passport, he's deported. When he's finally able to return to Paris, matters come to a crisis.
- Ingrid Bergman
- Charles Boyer
- Charles Laughton
- Louis Calhern
- Ruth Warrick
|
1137 |
The Arena |
Joe D'Amato, Steve Carver |
|
R |
1974 |
New Concorde |
Exploitation / Cult |
The Arena Joe D'Amato, Steve Carver
Theatrical: 1974
Studio: New Concorde
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Duration: 78
Rated: R
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Pan & Scan
Summary: This was an awesome "guy" film. 4 elements made it stand out as such. 1) The main characters were Pam Grier and Margeret Markov. Two very attactive women. 2) There was constant action throughout the movie. Even a couple of catfights. 3) Of course it wouldn't be a guy film without tons of unnecessary nudity. Both Grier and Markov have full frontial shots! 4)But to top it off, it's not like you're sitting though a bunch of mindless scenes just to see Grier and Markov. Rather this film has a really great storyline. The plot is believable (except for maybe one scene) and the message really touches your heart. It's a great film worth owning. and if you like it you should check out.."Black Mama, White Mama"..not nearly as good but has it's moments.
- Margaret Markov
- Pam Grier
- Lucretia Love
- Paul Muller
- Daniele Vargas
|
1138 |
Around the World in 80 Days |
|
|
NR |
1956 |
Warner Home Video |
Art House & International |
Around the World in 80 Days
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 182
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: This Mike Todd production was a star-studded, multi-million dollar extravaganza when first released in 1956. It remains enjoyable family fare, but time has somewhat dulled its shine. Still, it compares favorably to the overly long, TV mini-series starring Pierce Brosnan and Eric Idle. Elegant David Niven plays the neurotically punctual Phileas Fogg, a British gent who is spurned on by a wager to prove he can travel around the world in 80 days. He is accompanied by his valet, played with persnickety humor by Cantinflas. Nominated for several Academy Awards, this was written by John Farrow (Mia's dad) and S.J. Perelman, based on Jules Verne's 1873 classic. The fun part is the razzle-dazzle. Todd knew what he was doing with all those exotic locales and over 40 cameo appearances, including Charles Boyer, Ronald Colman, Marlene Dietrich, José Greco, Peter Lorre, Buster Keaton, Frank Sinatra, and Red Skelton. A very young Shirley MacLaine was painted and dyed to play a lively Indian Princess. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"
- David Niven
- Cantinflas
- Robert Newton
|
1139 |
Arrested Development: Season 1 |
Anthony Russo, Greg Mottola, Jay Chandrasekhar, Joe Russo, John Fortenberry |
Abraham Higginbotham |
NR |
2003 |
20th Century Fox |
Comedy |
Arrested Development: Season 1 Anthony Russo, Greg Mottola, Jay Chandrasekhar, Joe Russo, John Fortenberry
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 512
Rated: NR
Writer: Abraham Higginbotham
Date Added: 13 Jun 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Winner of the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy its first year out, "Arrested Development" is the kind of sitcom that gives you hope for television. A mockumentary-style exploration of the beleaguered Bluth family, it's one of those idiosyncratic shows that doesn't rely on a laugh track or a studio audience; it's shot more like a TV drama, albeit with an omniscient narrator (executive producer Ron Howard) overseeing the proceedings. Holding the Bluths together just barely is son Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), the only normal guy in a family that's chock full of nuts. Hardworking and sensible, Michael's certain he's going to be given control of his family's Enron-style corporation upon the retirement of his father (Jeffrey Tambor). The fact that he's passed over instead for his mother (Jessica Walter) is only a blip when compared to his father's immediate arrest for dubious accounting practices, and the resulting freeze on the family's previously limitless wealth. Bereft of money, and even less family love, the Bluths have to band together in their moment of need--not easy when everyone's looking out for number 1. In addition to his scabrous parents, Michael has to contend with his lothario older brother (Will Arnett), his basically useless younger brother (Tony Hale), his greedy twin sister (Portia DeRossi), and her sexually ambiguous husband (David Cross). Michael's only comrade in sanity is his son George Michael (Michael Cera), but then again, the teenage boy harbors a secret crush on his cousin (Alia Shawkat). A peerless ensemble led by the brilliant Bateman (who ever knew he could be this good?), all the actors are pitch-perfect in their roles, delivering the dryly funny, sometimes absurdist dialogue with the speed and flair of classic farce. The unusual tone of "Arrested Development" takes a bit of getting used to--it's far different from anything you'll see on TV, even HBO--but once you buy in to the Bluths' innumerable dysfunctions, you'll be laughing your head off for hours."--Mark Englehart"
- Jason Bateman
- Portia de Rossi
- Will Arnett
- Michael Cera
- Alia Shawkat
|
1140 |
Arrested Development: Season 2 |
Jason Bateman, Andrew Fleming, Anthony Russo, Chuck Martin, Danny Leiner |
|
NR |
2003 |
20th Century Fox |
Comedy |
Arrested Development: Season 2 Jason Bateman, Andrew Fleming, Anthony Russo, Chuck Martin, Danny Leiner
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 396
Rated: NR
Date Added: 13 Jun 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: The axe of cancellation dangled perilously over "Arrested Development" during its second season, but the award-winning comedy fought against fate to deliver a hilarious if scattershot 18 episodes (reduced from the original show order of 22), and stayed alive for the beginning of a third season. Most likely, the creators and actors knew the clock was ticking down, so they didn't hesitate to throw their all into these manic, hilarious episodes, which have only the thinnest of plot arcs but an electrifying energy that makes them hard to resist. Some of the story antics were more of the same: good son Michael (Jason Bateman) tries to keep his company afloat, but is often foiled by older brother Gob (Will Arnett); the precarious marriage of Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) and Tobias (David Cross) undergoes a trial separation; and young George-Michael (Michael Cera) fights his attraction to his cousin Maeby (Alia Shawkat). Other show developments, though, were new and stunningly, uproariously bizarre: Buster (Tony Hale) joins the army, but later finds his hand bitten off by a seal (yes, a real seal), and Oscar (Jeffrey Tambor), the hippie brother of jailed George Sr. (also Tambor), rekindles an affair with sister-in-law Lucille (Jessica Walter), which may have resulted in Buster's conception years ago. Jokes flew fast and furious, as did guest stars--Ben Stiller, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Christine Taylor, Thomas Jane, Ed Begley Jr., Ione Skye, and Zach Braff among them--making it hard to keep straight who was doing what and why. No matter, as each of the episodes was in and of itself was a perfect gem of comedy, strung together by sharp writing and fantastic performances. In addition to the regular cast, both Liza Minnelli, reprising her role as "Lucille Two," and Martin Short, as an, um, eccentric family friend, deserve special mention, with the episode both appeared in, "Ready, Aim, Marry Me," a frenetic exercise in slapstick farce. Typical examples of the show's offbeat humor were found in "Afternoon Delight," in which various members of the Bluth family discover the true meaning of the '70s ballad, "Meet the Veals," wherein the Bluths encounter the conservative parents of George Michael's girlfriend, and "Motherboy XXX," surrounding an unsettling mother-son traditional dance. The entire cast cohered perfectly through this season, and their give and take provided a perfect balance among the actors, all of whom were even better than the previous year. However, it's Bateman who should be singled out as the show's anchor, mixing dry sarcasm with impeccable comic timing. Despite plummeting ratings, "Arrested Development" didn't just keep its head above water, it swam with grace and hilarity. "--Mark Englehart"
- Jason Bateman
- Portia de Rossi
- Will Arnett
- Michael Cera
- Alia Shawkat
|
1141 |
Arrested Development: Season 3 |
Arlene Sanford, John Amodeo, John Fortenberry, Lev L. Spiro, Paul Feig |
|
NR |
2003 |
20th Century Fox |
Comedy |
Arrested Development: Season 3 Arlene Sanford, John Amodeo, John Fortenberry, Lev L. Spiro, Paul Feig
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 285
Rated: NR
Date Added: 13 Jun 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.1
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: "Arrested Development"--one of the greatest comedies in the history of television--went out in a blaze of glory. The truncated final season packed more biting humor per minute than ever before. In only 13 episodes, dozens of intertwining storylines spun in all directions: In addition to the overarching story about the fractious infighting of the Bluth family and the family's housing development company being investigated for treason in Iraq (a plot arc that comes to a dazzlingly surreal conclusion), the put-upon "good son" Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman, "Teen Wolf Too") pursues romance with a lovely British woman (Charlize Theron, "Monster") who turns out to be woefully inappropriate; swaggering magician Gob (Will Arnett, "Monster-In-Law") flees from his newly-discovered teenage son while still pandering for the affection of his self-absorbed father (Jeffrey Tambor, "The Larry Sanders Show"); flighty Lindsay (Portia de Rossi, "Ally McBeal") and her sexually blurry husband Tobias (David Cross, "Mr. Show") both get the hots for the family's new lawyer, Bob Loblaw (Scott Baio, "Charles in Charge"); and much, much more. It's difficult to describe what makes "Arrested Development" so brilliant. The ensemble is uniformly superb (Jessica Walter, as the family's boozing, scheming matriarch, is particularly devastating this season) and the surprising guest stars (including Andy Richter, James Lipton, Justine Bateman, and many others) are perfectly cast; the characters' abominable behavior defies conventional television notions of "likability", yet they only grow more endearing the more you watch; the humor embraces wild slapstick and sharp satire, often within a single scene; and the nimble documentary style allows for sly glancing references to jokes and scenes from long-past episodes, rewarding devoted fans. But the key is that, no matter how screwball "Arrested Development" becomes, the show offers a rich, textured, and wonderfully coherent world in which these characters feel genuine, a world completely unlike the flat, plastic simulacrum offered by the average sitcom. "Arrested Development" was true to itself to the end. Its followers will cherish it forever. "--Bret Fetzer" Stills from The Third Season of "Arrested Development" (click for larger image)
- Jason Bateman
- Portia de Rossi
- Will Arnett
- Michael Cera
- Alia Shawkat
|
1142 |
Arrowsmith |
John Ford |
Sinclair Lewis |
NR |
1931 |
United Artists |
Drama |
Arrowsmith John Ford
Theatrical: 1931
Studio: United Artists
Genre: Drama
Duration: 108
Rated: NR
Writer: Sinclair Lewis
Date Added: 05 Sep 2009
Languages: English, Italian, Swedish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Summary: One of John Ford's earliest talkies, "Arrowsmith" demonstrates the director's underrated knack for contemporary drama. Adapted (by acclaimed screenwriter Sidney Howard) from the novel by Sinclair Lewis, the film is a prestigious vehicle for Ronald Colman in the title role of Martin Arrowsmith, a promising physician whose research ambitions are curtailed when he improbably marries the adoring but comparably dim-witted nurse Leora (Helen Hayes), who relocates him to her South Dakota home and convinces him to be a country doctor. Unchallenged and unhappy, he readily accepts an offer to battle bubonic plague in the British West Indies, where he encounters both triumph and tragedy. Creaky logic and primitive sound quality don't stop Ford from crafting some still-impressive sequences (the island sequences prepared Ford for 1937's "The Hurricane"), and the theme of marriage-vs.-career remains timelessly relevant. Though not as powerful as the Lewis-based "Dodsworth" (1936), "Arrowsmith" is that later film's worthy companion. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Ronald Colman
- Helen Hayes
- Richard Bennett
- A.E. Anson
- Clarence Brooks
- Ray June Cinematographer
- Hugh Bennett Editor
|
1143 |
Arsenic and Old Lace |
Frank Capra |
Philip G. Epstein |
NR |
1944 |
Turner Home Ent |
Comedy |
Arsenic and Old Lace Frank Capra
Theatrical: 1944
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 118
Rated: NR
Writer: Philip G. Epstein
Date Added: 27 Jun 2009
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Frank Capra made this film in 1941 before he went off to make films for America's war effort, but it wasn't released until 1944. Adapted from the hit play by Joseph Kesselring, this frantic black comedy shows Capra at his best as a master of mood and timing. Actresses Josephine Hull and Jean Adair reprise their Broadway performances as two gentle old ladies who poison men with elderberry wine to put them out of their misery. Cary Grant plays one nephew, a normal guy who just gets wind of their little hobby and tries to get them to stop, while Raymond Massey plays another, a villain just escaped from jail. Capra encourages the cast, especially Grant, to give a somewhat more outsized performance than one might expect. But made during the war years as it was, this overstated comic approach to killing was probably cathartic. "--Tom Keogh"
- Cary Grant
- Priscilla Lane
- Raymond Massey
- Jack Carson
- Edward Everett Horton
- Sol Polito Cinematographer
- Daniel Mandell Editor
|
1144 |
The Art of Buster Keaton (Box Set) |
Buster Keaton, Charles Lamont, Charles Reisner, Clyde Bruckman, Donald Crisp |
|
Unrated |
1923 |
Kino Video |
Action & Adventure |
The Art of Buster Keaton (Box Set) Buster Keaton, Charles Lamont, Charles Reisner, Clyde Bruckman, Donald Crisp
Theatrical: 1923
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 1321
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 30 Aug 2009
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Buster Keaton was arguably the cinema's first modernist, an old-fashioned romantic with a 20th-century mind behind a deadpan visage. His films brim with some of the most breathtaking stunts and ingenious gags ever put on film, all perfectly engineered to look effortless. And, as Kino's magnificent 11-disc boxed set "The Art of Buster Keaton" conclusively shows, they are among the funniest ever made. Keaton warped gags until they left the plane of reality in such shorts as "The Playhouse" (1921) and "The Frozen North" (1922), and takes a logic-defying leap into the very nature of cinema itself in his hilarious "Sherlock Jr." (1924). He takes on the mechanical world with Rube Golberg ingenuity in "The Navigator" (1924) and perfects his match between man and massive machine in "Steamboat Bill Jr." (1928), which features the funniest hurricane scene ever put to film, and "The General" (1927), one of the greatest comedies of all time. In addition to the previously released 11 features and 19 shorts from the peak of Keaton's career, this set boasts the exclusive "Keaton Plus", a collection of rarities and tributes. The greatest find is the long-lost ending to "Hard Luck" (1921), now restored to complete the film's final inspired gag. Other highlights include newly discovered scenes from "Daydreams" (1922) and "The Love Nest" (1923), entertaining excerpts from Keaton's 1951 TV show "Life with Buster Keaton" (he's still got it!), and his rare dramatic turn in the 1954 television play "The Awakening". "--Sean Axmaker"
- Buster Keaton
- Kathryn McGuire
- Natalie Talmadge
- Joe Keaton
- Ruth Dwyer
|
1145 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Battling Butler |
|
|
Unrated |
1921 |
Image Entertainment |
|
The Art of Buster Keaton: Battling Butler
Theatrical: 1921
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre:
Duration: 108
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Summary: The greatest box office success of all his independent comedies, "Battling Butler" (1926, 71 min.) is a rarely seen gem that mingles Buster Keaton's deadpan demeanor and awesome physical agility with a particularly dramatic storyline. Keaton stars as Alfred Butler, a fragile young man whose father sends him to the country where he hopes masculinity will blossom. Ironically, he is mistaken for "Battling" Butler, a renowned prizefighter. Alfred continues the ruse until the charade is complicated by the untimely arrival of the true contender (Francis McDonald). Also featured on this DVD are two of Keaton's rarely seen short films. A Yukon metropolis is the snowbound setting of "The Frozen North" (1921, 21 min.), wherein Buster parodies movie legends William S. Hart and Erich von Stroheim. "The Haunted House" (1922, 17 min.) has been meticulously restored to its original glory: an astounding series of sight gags and illusions. Digitally mastered from archival prints, with original musical scores.
- Eddie Borden
- Snitz Edwards
- Budd Fine
- Walter James
- Francis McDonald
|
1146 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: College |
James W. Horne |
|
NR |
1927 |
Kino Video |
Comedy |
The Art of Buster Keaton: College James W. Horne
Theatrical: 1927
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 132
Rated: NR
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Summary: Ronald, the klutzy high-school brain played by Buster Keaton in "College", is an inspired variation on the insulated millionaire playboys of earlier films. This bookish mama's boy who couldn't throw a fit, let alone a football, vows to become a college athlete to win the heart of the campus sweetheart. Of course in this path lies disaster, and his follies in track and field (the flyweight tries to throw the hammer and winds up flinging himself) only increase when he's made coxswain of the rowing team. Keaton's mix of energetic earnestness and flailing incompetence make his athletic tryout the film highlight, but in classic Keaton fashion Mr. Two Left Feet becomes the world's greatest athlete to save his sweetie from a bullying muscle-bound brute, mastering every event he so hilariously botched earlier in a decathlon dash to the rescue. This episodic comedy is more like his early shorts than his best features, lacking the narrative backbone that supports such masterpieces as "The General" and "Steamboat Bill, Jr.", but it's full of inspired physical comedy and Keaton's unique brand of gymnastic genius. Also featured are three short films: "The Haunted House", with bank teller Buster matching wits against robbers in a gadget-filled hideout; the recently rediscovered "Hard Luck", which recounts Buster's unsuccessful efforts to end it all (the missing conclusion is reconstructed from stills); and "The Blacksmith", where Buster disastrously attempts to apply assembly line efficiency to a village smithy. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Robert Boling
- Charles Borah
- Flora Bramley
- Anne Cornwall
- Sam Crawford (II)
|
1147 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Go West |
|
|
NR |
1925 |
Image Entertainment |
Comedy |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Go West
Theatrical: 1925
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 69
Rated: NR
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Summary: A fascinating alternative to the manic stunt work and elaborate sight gags that distinguish the films of Buster Keaton. "Go West" (1925, 69 min.) offers a rare and satisfying glimpse of his talent for more expressive comedy: charming moments of intimate humor flavored with rich pathos. Setting traditional ideas of romance and masculinity on their ears, "Go West" is uniquely graceful and characteristically hilarious especially in the film's dynamic finale as hundreds of cows are unleashed upon downtown Los Angeles. Included on this DVD is one of Keaton's most mind-boggling mechanical comedies, "The Scarecrow" (1920, 19 min.), which follows two roommates vying for the affection of a young lady. Also added is "The Paleface" (1921, 20 min.), in which Buster helps a Native American tribe defend their land from greedy developers.
- Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
- Brown Eyes
- Joe Keaton
- Gus Leonard
- Babe London
|
1148 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Keaton Plus |
|
|
NR |
|
Kino Video |
|
The Art of Buster Keaton: Keaton Plus
Theatrical:
Studio: Kino Video
Genre:
Duration: 200
Rated: NR
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Features the work of film comedian Buster Keaton, showing a variety of his early, silent films, television work, commercials, tributes, home movies an
|
1149 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Our Hospitality/Sherlock, Jr. |
Buster Keaton, John G. Blystone |
Clyde Bruckman, Jean C. Havez, Joseph A. Mitchell |
Unrated |
1923 |
Kino Video |
Kids & Family |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Our Hospitality/Sherlock, Jr. Buster Keaton, John G. Blystone
Theatrical: 1923
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Kids & Family
Duration: 119
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Clyde Bruckman, Jean C. Havez, Joseph A. Mitchell
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Summary: Buster Keaton's second feature, "Our Hospitality" is his first masterpiece. He plays a New York city boy who travels south to receive his inheritance, only to discover he's in the center of a generations-old feud. While his sworn enemies (the family of the girl he has fallen in love with, naturally) vow to gun him down, Southern hospitality forbids them from harming him as long as he's a guest in their home. Plenty of comic mileage is mined from Buster's desperate attempts to prolong his stay, and highlights include a deliriously surreal train (run by Keaton's father, Joe) and a heroic rescue involving a rope, a log, and a mighty waterfall. "Sherlock Jr." is a delightfully surreal fantasy of a film projectionist and amateur detective who climbs into his movie screen. Like Daffy Duck in the famous cartoon "Duck Amuck," Buster is at the mercy of sudden scene changes, sent from desert to snowstorm to lake in simple cuts while he remains helplessly fixed onscreen. (Even more astounding is that he accomplished this engineering marvel with nothing more than surveyor's tools and an exacting eye.) Settling into his dream role as a master detective and society bon vivant Sherlock Jr., he chases the dastardly villains in a world as wild and unpredictable as the French serial "Les Vampires": bombs are hidden in billiard balls and Keaton leaps through the torso of a peddler woman and into nothingness! No other silent film turns logic on its head with such grace and comic hilarity. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Buster Keaton
- Natalie Talmadge
- Joe Keaton
- Kathryn McGuire
- Joe Roberts
- Byron Houck Cinematographer
|
1150 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Seven Chances |
Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline |
Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, Clyde Bruckman, David Belasco, Jean C. Havez, Joseph A. Mitchell |
NR |
1920 |
Kino Video |
Comedy |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Seven Chances Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline
Theatrical: 1920
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 96
Rated: NR
Writer: Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, Clyde Bruckman, David Belasco, Jean C. Havez, Joseph A. Mitchell
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Summary: The reputation of Buster Keaton's "Seven Chances" rests almost solely on its outrageous finale, a brilliant cascade of comic invention that begins with a church full of blushing brides and builds to a surreal chase of epic proportions. The hapless groom is pursued by a angry mob of women clad in white lace and veils and ends up dodging rolling stones and massive boulders while fleeing an avalanche, never once losing his trademark deadpan. Buster plays a struggling lawyer who will inherit a fortune if he marries by 7 p.m. of his 27th birthday--the very day he receives notice of the potential windfall. When his longtime sweetheart turns him down, he frantically searches for someone--anyone--to wed. While "Seven Chances" doesn't have the sustained inspiration of his best films, Keaton fills the picture with inventive moments and clever ideas, notably a sustained series of desperate proposals (the "seven chances" of the title) that lead to the climactic swarm of aggressive brides. The biggest weakness is an embarrassing blackface performance that has only become more offensive with the years. Jean Arthur briefly appears as a switchboard operator. The film was remade in 1999 as "The Bachelor" with Chris O'Donnell. The DVD also features two short films: "Neighbors," the story of young lovers who flirt across the fence that separates their houses and their bickering families, and "The Balloonatic," which despite the presence of a hot air balloon is actually a gag-filled camping comedy. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Buster Keaton
- Ruth Dwyer
- T. Roy Barnes
- Snitz Edwards
- Frances Raymond
|
1151 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Steamboat Bill, Jr. |
Charles Reisner |
|
NR |
1928 |
Image Entertainment |
Comedy |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Steamboat Bill, Jr. Charles Reisner
Theatrical: 1928
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 70
Rated: NR
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Summary: Buster Keaton stars in the story of a college-educated young man who comes home to help his father work on his Mississippi River steamboat and immediately demonstrates just what a landlubber he is. What's worse, the woman he falls for is the daughter of his father's worst rival, a bullying rich guy who wants to drive Buster's boat out of business. Keaton's slapstick is inspired and precise, particularly during an amazing sequence in which he tries to walk across town during a tornado. Watch in amazement as the front of a building falls on Keaton and he walks away without a scratch. "--Marshall Fine"
- Marion Byron
- Joe Keaton
- Tom Lewis
- Tom McGuire
- Ernest Torrence
|
1152 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: The Navigator |
Donald Crisp |
|
Unrated |
1924 |
Image Entertainment |
Comedy |
The Art of Buster Keaton: The Navigator Donald Crisp
Theatrical: 1924
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 107
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Summary: Buster Keaton revisits his familiar persona of a spoiled society dandy thrown into the surreal world. Young millionaire Rollo Treadway (the sap in the family tree, according to a title card) embarks on a long voyage to nurse his broken heart when his lady love, Kathryn McGuire, turns down his proposal of marriage. Of course he winds up on the wrong dock and boards a derelict ship, which (as luck would have it) McGuire has also boarded. Foreign spies set the ship adrift on the high seas, stranding the pampered heirs, who must now fend for themselves. Keaton indulges in his love of Rube Goldberg contraptions with an elaborate jungle of levers and hatches that turns a giant galley into a veritable automat and dives into 20th-century technology when he dons a diving suit for a hilarious underwater sequence. McGuire makes a marvelous comic partner for Keaton, a gifted physical comedian and a spunky love interest, while the ship plays straight man to their pratfalls and gags, practically coming alive like a haunted house in their first terrified night aboard. The match between man and massive machine proved so successful that Keaton returned to the concept for his two greatest comedies, "The General" and "Steamboat Bill Jr." Also featured are a pair of appropriately aquatic shorts: "The Boat", in which Buster packs his family into a leaky houseboat, and "The Love Nest", which pits castaway Buster against a despotic captain. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Clarence Burton
- H.N. Clugston
- Donald Crisp
- Noble Johnson
- Kathryn McGuire
|
1153 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: The Saphead |
|
|
NR |
1920 |
Image Entertainment |
|
The Art of Buster Keaton: The Saphead
Theatrical: 1920
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre:
Duration: 118
Rated: NR
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Languages: ENDlanguages--> Subtitles: English
Summary: Before Buster Keaton made his name as one of the silent cinema's most accomplished and creative comics, he starred in this conventional but cute comedy based on the Broadway play "The New Henrietta" (previously made into the Douglas Fairbanks vehicle "The Lamb"). Keaton plays the spoiled son of a millionaire unjustly accused of scandalous behavior and tossed into a bustling world that he's completely unprepared for. Apart from the energetic finale, in which he leaps, slides, and wrestles with Wall Street lions on the stock exchange floor, Keaton is given little opportunity for comic gymnastics and the comedy stays safe and conventional. "The Saphead" is a completely genial and entertaining film carried by Keaton's sweet charm and plucky naiveté and it made him a star, but it's ultimately a footnote to a career that later blossomed in creative inspiration. Keaton revived the figure of the clueless social dandy with his self-directed features "The Navigator" and "Battling Butler". Also featured are Keaton's first two solo shorts: "The High Sign," a knockabout lark in which Keaton infiltrates a secret society of criminals, and "One Week," an inspired gem with newlywed Buster mangling a do-it-yourself house. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Katherine Albert
- Edward Alexander
- Beulah Booker
- Henry Clauss
- Edward Connelly
|
1154 |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Three Ages |
Edward F. Cline |
|
NR |
1923 |
Image Entertainment |
Comedy |
The Art of Buster Keaton: Three Ages Edward F. Cline
Theatrical: 1923
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 111
Rated: NR
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Summary: Buster Keaton's feature debut as a director (he shared credit with gagman and longtime collaborator Eddie Kline) spoofs, among other things, D.W. Griffith's "Intolerance" with a look at the trials of true love through the ages. Buster plays a hapless suitor in three different epochs: a bearskin-wearing, dinosaur-riding caveman in the Stone Age; a meek centurion with a ragtag chariot in ancient Rome; and a jazz age Romeo in Model T and black tie. In each time period, he vies for the object of his affections with burly, barrel-chested Wallace Beery, matching Beery's brawn and underhanded dirty tricks with sheer energy and ingenuity. The diminutive deadpan comic is hilarious under a shaggy fright wig and cartoon club as a thoroughly modern caveman, a dwarf among giants at the mercy of romantic Darwinism, but the more inventive sequences belong to the later ages. The rousing chariot race of the Roman segment is topped by a gymnastic chase through dungeons and throne rooms, and the modern section is capped by a mad flight from the police while he rushes to rescue his girl. "Three Ages" lacks the dramatic unity and sustained creativity of his later masterpieces, but the inventive gas and clever crosscutting turns what could be three individual shorts into an interactive live-action cartoon. Also included are "The Goat," a frantic "mistaken identity" knockabout comedy, and "My Wife's Relations," in which Buster finds himself accidentally married into a family of bullying Irish Catholics. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Wallace Beery
- Lionel Belmore
- Louise Emmons
- Lillian Lawrence
- Margaret Leahy
|
1155 |
Art of the Gun (Box Set) |
Seijun Suzuki, Takashi Ishii |
Takashi Ishii, Kazunori Itô, Takeo Kimura |
Unrated |
|
Tokyo Shock |
Action & Adventure |
Art of the Gun (Box Set) Seijun Suzuki, Takashi Ishii
Theatrical:
Studio: Tokyo Shock
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 326
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Takashi Ishii, Kazunori Itô, Takeo Kimura
Date Added: 14 Feb 2011
Languages: Japanese, English Subtitles: English
Summary: Tokyo is a dark technopolis ruled by Nogi, a yakuza boss specializing in drugs and murder. He gained absolute power by executing the former boss and marrying his daughter, Chiaki. Only Chiaki's half sister, the mysterious Ikko, threatens him. Inspired by a legendary hit woman, Ikko calls herself the Black Angel and plans to wash away her father's murderer in a deluge of blood. Black Angel II Mayo, the Black Angel, is ordered to assassinate a powerful syndicate leader. The hit goes awry as the crime boss' bodyguard steps in the way. It's none other than Yamambe, who once rescued Mayo from a rape and has lived in her heart ever since. The Black Angel escapes with her life, but is ordered to return and kill the mafioso at any cost. Pistol Opera Stray Cat is number three. She wants to be number one with the gun. Seijun Suzuki creates a stunningly lurid, extreme tale of a woman assassin’s surreal rise in the criminal underworld. Its eccentric, eye-popping images and extreme action is fast earning Pistol Opera a worldwide cult following. Starring new sensation Makiko Esumi.
- Makiko Esumi
- Sayoko Yamaguchi
- Hanae Kan
- Masatoshi Nagase
- Mikijiro Hira
|
1156 |
Art of the Gun: Black Angel |
Takashi Ishii |
Takashi Ishii |
Unrated |
1997 |
Tokyo Shock |
Kids & Family |
Art of the Gun: Black Angel Takashi Ishii
Theatrical: 1997
Studio: Tokyo Shock
Genre: Kids & Family
Duration: 107
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Takashi Ishii
Date Added: 14 Feb 2011
Summary:
- Riona Hazuki
- Reiko Takashima
- Jinpachi Nezu
- Kippei Shiina
- Miyuki Ono
- Kazuto Sato Cinematographer
- Akimasa Kawashima Editor
|
1157 |
Art of the Gun: Black Angel 2 |
Takashi Ishii |
Takashi Ishii |
Unrated |
|
Tokyo Shock |
Action & Adventure |
Art of the Gun: Black Angel 2 Takashi Ishii
Theatrical:
Studio: Tokyo Shock
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 105
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Takashi Ishii
Date Added: 14 Feb 2011
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary:
- Yûki Amami
- Takeshi Yamato
- Reiko Kataoka
- Yôzaburô Itô
- Shingo Tsurumi
- Kazuto Sato Cinematographer
|
1158 |
Art of the Gun: Pistol Opera |
Seijun Suzuki |
Kazunori Itô, Takeo Kimura |
Unrated |
|
Tokyo Shock |
Action & Adventure |
Art of the Gun: Pistol Opera Seijun Suzuki
Theatrical:
Studio: Tokyo Shock
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 112
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Kazunori Itô, Takeo Kimura
Date Added: 14 Feb 2011
Languages: Japanese Subtitles: English
Summary: As powerful and energetic as ever, 78-year old director Seijun Suzuki, creates a stunningly lurid, extreme tale of a woman assassin’s (portrayed by new sensation Makiko Esumi) surreal rise in the criminal underworld. Thirty-three years later, this master of the pulp thriller reworks his own BRANDED TO KILL into a totally new, jaw-dropping experience! The original BRANDED TO KILL (1967, KOROSHI NO RAKUIN, starring Jo Shishido, Mariko Ogawa, Anne Mari) is the stylish action movie that has been the subject of homage from world-class directors such as John Woo, Quentin Tarantino, and Jim Jarmusch. Its eccentric, eye-popping images and extreme action is fast earning PISTOL OPERA a worldwide cult following.
- Makiko Esumi
- Sayoko Yamaguchi
- Hanae Kan
- Masatoshi Nagase
- Mikijiro Hira
- Yonezô Maeda Cinematographer
- Akira Suzuki Editor
|
1159 |
Art School Confidential |
Terry Zwigoff |
|
R |
2006 |
Sony Pictures |
Comedy: Contemporary |
Art School Confidential Terry Zwigoff
Theatrical: 2006
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 102
Rated: R
Date Added: 29 Jan 2009
Languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Bitter, misanthropic, yet sometimes blisteringly funny, "Art School Confidential" is not a movie for everyone. Jerome (Max Minghella, "Bee Season") goes to art school in the hopes of having his genuine ability recognized and cherished--but instead, finds his teachers to be self-obsessed has-beens, his peers jaded and floundering, and himself being investigated for a series of gruesome stranglings. He becomes obsessed with a lovely student named Audrey (Sophia Myles, "Tristan and Isolde"), but she's more interested in hunky Jonah (Matt Keeslar, "Splendor"), whose crude yet acclaimed paintings of cars and tanks make Jerome want to tear his own eyes out. The crime-thriller plot of "Art School Confidential", however, is merely a contrivance to string together a series of caustic digs at the shallow, narcissistic, talentless hacks who go to art school in the vain hope of achieving fame, wealth, and sexual abundance with little or no effort. For most viewers, who want to think that people are largely well-intentioned and decent, this will seem snide and cruel; but for some viewers, who believe people are foolish and blinkered, "Art School Confidential" will seem like an oasis in the arid desert of lies and propaganda about the good side of human nature. If this is your movie, you know who you are, and I encourage you to seek it out as soon as possible. Directed by Terry Zwigoff ("Bad Santa") and based on the work of cartoonist Dan Clowes; their previous collaboration was the much warmer "Ghost World". Also featuring sharp turns from John Malkovich ("Being John Malkovich"), Anjelica Huston ("Prizzi's Honor"), and Jim Broadbent ("Moulin Rouge!"). "--Bret Fetzer"
- Max Minghella
- Sophia Myles
- John Malkovich
- Jim Broadbent
- Matt Keeslar
|
1160 |
Asia Argento Collection (Box Set) |
|
|
Unrated |
|
Shriek Show |
Horror |
Asia Argento Collection (Box Set)
Theatrical:
Studio: Shriek Show
Genre: Horror
Duration: 184
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 15 Dec 2009
Summary: Scarlet Diva Scarlet Diva is a semi-autobiographical dramatic and surreal descent into the shockingly intimate world of rising actress Anna Battista. Anna's journey plunges her into the dark heart of the film industry where she experiences despair loneliness and degradation while trying to recapture her innocence and purity. This film is a sexually charged and unforgettable cinema experience! Love Bites Starring International cult icon Asia Argento! Asia starred in and directed Scarlet Diva and co-starred with Vin Diesel in XXX. Antonio makes his living off others sleeping at his friend's health club borrowing money and crashing parties.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: UNRATED UPC: 631595062298 Manufacturer No: SSDVD-0622
|
1161 |
Asia Argento Collection: Love Bites |
Antoine de Caunes |
|
Unrated |
2005 |
Shriek Show |
|
Asia Argento Collection: Love Bites Antoine de Caunes
Theatrical: 2005
Studio: Shriek Show
Genre:
Duration: 93
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Languages: French Subtitles: English
Summary: Starring International cult icon Asia Argento! Asia starred in and directed Scarlet Diva, and co-starred with Vin Diesel in XXX. Antonio makes his living off others, sleeping at his friend's health club, borrowing money, and crashing parties. But he finds himself working overtime when a wealthy club owner, Von Bulow hires him to track down the elusive Jordan, who is thought to be a real Vampire. All Antonio knows is that Jordan lives by the night, but he soon finds that information about Jordan doesn't come without a price, and the company he keeps can bleed him to death.
- Asia Argento
- Vincent Perez
- Jean-Marie Winling
- Grard Lanvin
- Frdric Pellegeay
|
1162 |
Asia Argento Collection: Scarlet Diva |
|
|
Unrated |
2002 |
Shriek Show |
|
Asia Argento Collection: Scarlet Diva
Theatrical: 2002
Studio: Shriek Show
Genre:
Duration: 90
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 23 Sep 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Summary: Italian starlet Asia Argento (who costarred in "XXX" with Vin Diesel, as well as several films directed by her father, horror maestro Dario Argento) wrote, directed, and stars in this story of an emotionally unstable Italian starlet named Anna Battista, who describes herself as "the most lonely girl in the world." Anna flailingly searches for love as she grapples with the pressures of life as a star (including grabby fans, lecherous producers, and abusive directors), travels from Rome to London to Amsterdam, has a drug-induced freak-out at a photo shoot, and smokes a lot of cigarettes. A tryst in Paris with an Australian rock star leaves her pregnant and convinced she's in love; but when he abandons her, she starts burning herself. "Scarlet Diva" features copious explicit sex, occasional flashes of visual razzle-dazzle, and a great deal of emotional torment. And while it lacks narrative shape, it is vivid and undoubtedly accurate. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Jeff Alexander
- Gianluca Arcopinto
- Paolo Bonacelli
- David Brandon (II)
- Joe Coleman
|
1163 |
Asphalt |
Joe May |
Rolf E. Vanloo |
NR |
1930 |
Kino Video |
Art House & International |
Asphalt Joe May
Theatrical: 1930
Studio: Kino Video
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 90
Rated: NR
Writer: Rolf E. Vanloo
Date Added: 04 Mar 2010
Summary: From its amazing opening sequence of human and vehicular traffic sweeping through a nighttime cityscape entirely created inside the Ufa film factory, "Asphalt" marks a late addition to the eye-catching, mind-bending artistry of the German Expressionist cinema of the '20s. Released in March 1929, when silents were on the way out, until recently it was just a title, and the source of a few grabby stills, in the film history books. In this most complete restoration yet, it stands as the ultimate "street film," a genre prized for bravura artifice and potent allegory. In such urban symphonies, the cinema was simultaneously defining and reimagining the essence of modernity in images both hypnotically dark and ablaze with shattered light. The story is a simple one, but told with psychological subtlety and strikingly fluid camerawork and editing. A young cop (Gustav Fröhlich, the hero of "Metropolis") with rectitude in his veins apprehends a sneak thief (Betty Amann) in the act of stealing a diamond, then fails to turn her in. There's a gratifying mutuality to their seduction; although the lady's tiger-like leap upon her captor is astonishingly feral, she's soon as vulnerable and perplexed in their relationship as he is. A subplot involving her longtime lover, a master criminal (Hans Adelbert von Schlettow), eventually intersects with their love affair. Up to the very end--which somewhat anticipates Robert Bresson's "Pickpocket"--we can't be sure who's going to be sacrificed to save whom. Director Joe May was no auteur on the order of Fritz Lang or F.W. Murnau; it's hard to locate an artistic personality in his movie. But he and cinematographer Günther Rittau had a state-of-the-art camera dolly to play with, making the German ideal of "the unfettered camera" a freewheeling reality. Amann is beguiling as a Louise Brooks knockoff, an ambulatory white fur under a cloche hat who evolves into a dark, hieratic figure of Fate. "--Richard T. Jameson"
- Gustav Fröhlich
- Albert Steinrück
- Betty Amann
- Else Heller
- Hans Adalbert Schlettow
- Günther Rittau Cinematographer
|
1164 |
Assault on Precinct 13 |
John Carpenter |
|
R |
1976 |
Image Entertainment |
Action & Adventure: Contemporary |
Assault on Precinct 13 John Carpenter
Theatrical: 1976
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Action & Adventure: Contemporary
Duration: 91
Rated: R
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Before making the original "Halloween" into one of the most profitable independent films of all time, John Carpenter directed this riveting low-budget thriller from 1976, in which a nearly abandoned police station is held under siege by a heavily armed gang called Street Thunder. Inside the station, cut off from contact and isolated, cops and convicts who were headed for death row must now join forces or die. That's the basic plot, but it's what Carpenter does with it that's remarkable. Drawing specific inspiration from the classic Howard Hawks Western "Rio Bravo" (which included a similar siege on disadvantaged heroes), Carpenter used his simple setting for a tense, tightly constructed series of action sequences, emphasizing low-key character development and escalating tension. Few who've seen the film can forget the "ice cream cone" scene in which a young girl is caught up in the action by patronizing a seemingly harmless ice cream truck. It's here, and in other equally memorable scenes, that Carpenter demonstrates his singular knack for injecting terror into the mundane details of daily life, propelling this potent thriller to cult favorite status and long-standing critical acclaim. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Henry Brandon
- Peter Bruni
- Tony Burton
- Charles Cyphers
- Gilbert De la Pena
|
1165 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection (Box Set) |
|
|
Unrated |
1949 |
Warner Home Video |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection (Box Set)
Theatrical: 1949
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 1008
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: 2006 marks the arrival of five Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films ("Flying Down to Rio", "The Gay Divorcee", "Roberta", "Carefree", and "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle") on DVD after the first five were released in 2005. The big package is this "Astaire & Rogers Ultimate Collector's Edition", which contains all 10 films plus a CD, a bonus DVD with the documentary "Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm", press-book replicas, and some other material. If you want the big package with the extra stuff but already bought the five films in 2005, you can get the "Astaire & Rogers Partial Ultimate Collector's Edition", which includes everything except the actual discs of those first five films. Or, if you only want the five new films, pick up "Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 2" as a bookend to "Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 1". The Astaire-Rogers films mix light romantic comedy (usually centered around mistaken identities and ending, inevitably, in blissful wedding promises) with elegant dinner wear and surreal sets intended to transport '30s audiences away from the Depression to such locales as Rio, Paris, and Venice. The two stars are also aided by a recurring stable of RKO players such as Edward Everett Horton (master of the double-take), Eric Blore, and Helen Broderick. And then there's that sensational dancing set to great songs by the likes of Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, and Jerome Kern, numbers that are not merely entertaining but also innovative for their time in that they reveal character and advance the plot. Add it all up, and you have a recipe for an irrepressible joie de vivre that practically defines the movie musical. "Flying Down to Rio" (1933) headlined Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond, but it was the fourth- and fifth-billed stars who would rewrite cinematic history. Astaire and Rogers had limited screen time, but were still able to establish many of the trademarks of their later films. The heart of the film is "The Carioca," a company dance extravaganza in which they take the floor together for the first time; their eyes meet and their foreheads touch. Their dance lasts only a few minutes, but it was the highlight of the film and audiences wanted more. "The Gay Divorcee" (1934) is their best early picture, a loose adaptation of Astaire's stage show, 'The Gay Divorce.' The only song retained for the movie is Cole Porter's smash hit "Night and Day," which is the setting for a sublime pas de deux between Fred and Ginger. The closer is the sprawling 17-minute ensemble number "The Continental." "Roberta" (1935) was a step backward, with too much time spent on 1930s Parisian fashion and the romance between top-billed Irene Dunne (who gets the best Jerome Kern ballads, "Yesterdays" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") and Randolph Scott. But as the second-banana couple Astaire and Rogers still get a tap battle, a romantic duet, and plenty of comic banter. With a score by Irving Berlin, "Top Hat" (1935) is most famous for two numbers, Astaire's definitive tuxedo setting "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails" and the feathery duet "Cheek to Cheek." But other joys include Astaire's "Fancy Free" declaration, "Isn't It a Lovely Day," and the grand finale "The Piccolino." "Follow the Fleet" (1936) changes the pace a bit, with Astaire playing a sailor, and it suffers from making him and Rogers the second-banana couple to the dull Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard. But it still has plenty of laughs and some classic Irving Berlin numbers, including "Let Yourself Go," which Rogers sings before she and Astaire compete in a dance contest; a Rogers solo tap number; "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," their best comic dance. The pièce de résistance is "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a show within a show in which the pair dons their customary evening formals. Effortlessly flowing from pantomime to song to dance, this sublime piece of storytelling is one of the series' defining moments. Maybe their most enjoyable picture, "Swing Time" (1936) features the set-piece "Pick Yourself Up," in which Rogers "teaches" Astaire to dance before they break into a spectacular number; the farewell ode "Never Gonna Dance," and the Oscar-winning "Just the Way You Look Tonight," from the team of Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. "Shall We Dance" (1937) has a complex plot that has Astaire and Rogers actually getting married before the final credits roll, and turns George and Ira Gershwin's brilliant "They Can't Take That Away from Me" into a heartbreaking ode. Other great songs include "Slap That Bass," "They All Laughed," and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," unforgettably performed on roller skates. The eighth and ninth entries in the series tried some different approaches, with the underrated "Carefree" (1938) more of a comedy vehicle for Ginger (yet still including some fine dances and Irving Berlin songs as well as their first onscreen kiss) and "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" (1939) portraying the pair as historical dancing stars and using a score of turn-of-the-century standards. "The Barkleys of Broadway" (1949) is the oddity, reuniting the stars 10 years after their last RKO picture when Judy Garland had to be replaced due to health problems. It's trademark MGM: splashy colors, Fred in a gimmicky solo number (playing sorcerer's apprentice to a line of unoccupied shoes), Oscar Levant providing his usual dynamic pianism and acerbic personality, and a score that is at its best when it borrows songs from a previous generation (including the big ballroom number set to "They Can't Take That Away from Me"). The film falls short of their best work, but serves as a fond remembrance of the most glorious partnership in film history. "--David Horiuchi"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
|
1166 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm |
Tara Tremaine |
|
Unrated |
2006 |
Warner Home Video |
Art House & International |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm Tara Tremaine
Theatrical: 2006
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Art House & International
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Summary: Featuring clips from all 10 films which Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers made together from 1933 to 1949. Includes candid photos and behind-the-scenes tidbits.
- Ginger Rogers
- Fred Astaire
|
1167 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Carefree |
Mark Sandrich |
|
Unrated |
1938 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Carefree Mark Sandrich
Theatrical: 1938
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 83
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: Perhaps because it was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers's penultimate picture together for RKO, or perhaps because it is more romantic comedy than musical, "Carefree" tends to be a neglected entry in the series. This is unfortunate, because it retains many of the elements that made the duo so popular while also breaking new ground. Fred plays Tony Flagg, a psychoanalyst who is asked by his friend Steve (Ralph Bellamy) to try to figure out why his fiancée, Amanda Cooper (Ginger), keeps breaking off their engagement. During the course of treatment, and in a reversal of the usual pattern, Ginger falls for Fred and begins to pursue him. The emotionally repressed doctor resists, leading to a number of comic encounters, as well as a moment of genuine heartbreak. Other innovations include Fred's dance on a driving range, a slow-motion dream sequence (which was going to be shot in color until budget concerns won out), Fred and Ginger's first screen kiss, and some of Ginger's best turns as a comic actress. More familiar elements include Ginger fronting the band at the start of a large company dance number ("The Yam," which failed to catch on as a dance craze), an expert if skimpy Irving Berlin score including the lovely ballad "Change Partners," and of course fabulous, high-flying dancing. Fred and Ginger fans can't afford to miss "Carefree". "--David Horiuchi"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Ralph Bellamy
- Luella Gear
- Jack Carson
|
1168 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Flying Down to Rio |
Thornton Freeland |
|
NR |
1933 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Flying Down to Rio Thornton Freeland
Theatrical: 1933
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 89
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Portuguese Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: In 1933, RKO Pictures had the bright idea of pairing Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond for their new musical blockbuster, "Flying Down to Rio". The film was a smash, but not for the reasons anyone expected. The fourth- and fifth-billed stars were an RKO bit player and a Broadway man breaking into Hollywood. Their names were Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, and their pairing in this and eight subsequent RKO films would rewrite cinematic history. Most of "Rio"'s screen time is spent on a humdrum romantic triangle involving Del Rio, Raymond, and Raul Roulien, but Fred (as Fred Ayres) and Ginger (as Honey Hayes) are still able to establish many of the trademarks of their later films. Ginger fronts the band (with Fred on accordian!) in the saucy "Music Makes Me," and Fred does some solo tap, then sings and leads the band for the spectacular airborne finale featuring chorus girls perched on the wings of biplanes. The heart of the film is "The Carioca," a company dance extravaganza that would be imitated by "The Continental" and "The Piccolino" in later films. Here Fred and Ginger take the floor together for the first time; their eyes meet and their foreheads touch. Their dance lasts only a few minutes, but it was the highlight of the film and audiences wanted more. The most prophetic moment occurs toward the beginning of the dance, when, after watching for a while, Fred grabs Ginger and tells her, "I want to try this. Come on, Honey." She declares, "We'll show 'em a thing or three." They did indeed. It was magic, and it was only the beginning. "--David Horiuchi"
- Dolores del Rio
- Gene Raymond
- Raul Roulien
- Ginger Rogers
- Fred Astaire
|
1169 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Follow the Fleet |
Mark Sandrich, Joseph Henabery, Friz Freleng |
|
Unrated |
1936 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Follow the Fleet Mark Sandrich, Joseph Henabery, Friz Freleng
Theatrical: 1936
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 110
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Of the nine films Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers completed for RKO Pictures, "Follow the Fleet" falls short of the top echelon. Coming between series peaks "Top Hat" and "Swing Time", "Fleet" repeats the mistake (à la "Flying Down to Rio" and "Roberta") of casting Fred and Ginger as the comic couple, while the romantic roles went to Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard (before she went on to fame with her husband, Ozzie Nelson, in "Ozzie and Harriet"). Fred puts down his top hat to become sailor Bake Baker (yet another of his alliterative screen names), while Ginger plays old flame Sherry Martin. The two are reunited when Fred takes shore leave in San Francisco, and soon their efforts turn to helping Ginger's sister Connie (Hilliard) land Fred's shipmate Bilge (Scott). (Look for Lucille Ball and Betty Grable in small roles.) Too much screen time is spent on Hilliard and Scott, but Fred and Ginger make up for it with plenty of laughs and some classic musical numbers, and Irving Berlin's score is one of the best of the series, with cunning lyrics and melodies that linger in the memory. Highlights include Fred and Ginger in a dance contest, a Ginger solo tap number, and "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," their best comic dance. The pièce de résistance is "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a show within a show in which Fred and Ginger don their customary evening formals. Effortlessly flowing from pantomime to song to dance, this sublime piece of storytelling is one of Fred and Ginger's defining moments. "--David Horiuchi"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Randolph Scott
- Harriet Hilliard
- Astrid Allwyn
|
1170 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Roberta |
William A. Seiter |
|
NR |
1935 |
Warner Home Video |
Comedy |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Roberta William A. Seiter
Theatrical: 1935
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 106
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Russian Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: When Huck Haines (Fred Astaire) and his jazz band of Wabash Indianians find themselves stuck in Paris without a paying gig, it's up to his buddy John (Randolph Scott) to appeal to his aunt, the legendary dressmaker Roberta (Helen Westley), for help. He also finds a Russian princess (Irene Dunne) working in the shop and a down-home American girl (Ginger Rogers) masquerading as a Polish countess because it's the best way to get a singing job. "Roberta" was the third RKO collaboration between Astaire and Rogers, and it's one of the more tepid, with too much time spent on 1930s Parisian fashion and the romance between Dunne and Scott. Dunne gets top billing and the best Jerome Kern ballads ("Yesterdays," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"), but as the second-banana couple Astaire and Rogers still get a tap battle, a romantic duet, and plenty of comic banter. In short, the Fred and Ginger magic is there, but not nearly enough of it. For more, watch the films immediately preceding and succeeding, "The Gay Divorcee" and "Top Hat". "--David Horiuchi"
- Irene Dunne
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Randolph Scott
- Helen Westley
|
1171 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Shall We Dance |
Friz Freleng, Mark Sandrich |
|
NR |
1937 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Shall We Dance Friz Freleng, Mark Sandrich
Theatrical: 1937
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 109
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: The chemistry between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers was still going strong in their seventh spin around the dance floor, "Shall We Dance?" And this time--amidst the usual improbable plot confusions and on-again, off-again flirting between the two--they were backed up by a song score provided by the matchless George and Ira Gershwin. Among the highlights are "They All Laughed," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and the Oscar-nominated "They Can't Take That Away from Me." Director Mark Sandrich, the most frequent helmer of the Astaire-Rogers pictures (including "Top Hat"), creates a gleaming showcase for his stars. He also brings back two devilish character actors, Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore, to repeat their support from previous outings. Ginger is kicky and fun; she was one of the few partners who didn't look intimidated onscreen by Astaire's incomparable dancing skills. Fred is in great form himself--so good you almost believe it when he pretends to be a Russian. "--Robert Horton"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Edward Everett Horton
- Eric Blore
- Jerome Cowan
|
1172 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Swing Time |
Friz Freleng, George Stevens |
|
NR |
1936 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Swing Time Friz Freleng, George Stevens
Theatrical: 1936
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 140
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: If you only had one Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film to watch, this classic musical from 1936 would be your best bet. It was the dance duo's sixth film together, and director George Stevens handled the material with as much flair behind the camera as Fred and Ginger displayed in front of it. This time out, Fred plays a gambling hoofer who's engaged to marry a young socialite (Betty Furness), but when he's late for the wedding his prospective father-in-law sends him away, demanding that he earn $25,000 before he can earn his daughter's hand in marriage. When Fred meets Ginger in a local dance studio (where he pretends to be a klutz so she can be his instructor), he's instantly smitten and the $25,000 deal becomes a moot point. Featuring six songs by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields (including a splendid rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight") and some of the most elegant dance sequences ever filmed, this lightweight fluff epitomizes the jazz-age style of 1930s musicals, virtually defining the genre with graceful joie de vivre. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Victor Moore
- Helen Broderick
- Eric Blore
|
1173 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: The Barkleys of Broadway |
Charles Walters, Tex Avery, Edward L. Cahn |
|
NR |
1949 |
Warner Home Video |
Drama |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: The Barkleys of Broadway Charles Walters, Tex Avery, Edward L. Cahn
Theatrical: 1949
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Drama
Duration: 109
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: The MGM reunion of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, 10 years after their last RKO picture, happened by accident. "The Barkleys of Broadway" was meant to pair Astaire with Judy Garland as a follow-up to their 1948 hit "Easter Parade". Garland, however, had to drop out due to health problems and was replaced by Ginger, who had gone on to a successful career in nonmusical drama and comedy. As it turned out, the plot probably suited Ginger better than it did Garland. Josh and Dinah Barkley are a veteran song-and-dance couple whose routine bickering turns into a complete breakup when Dinah decides she hasn't received enough credit for her talent and leaves Josh to take a straight dramatic role as Sarah Bernhardt. Fred and Ginger are as charming and comfortable together as a veteran couple should be, but this film is not a return to the RKO days--its elements are trademark MGM: splashy colors, Fred in a gimmicky solo number (playing sorcerer's apprentice to a line of unoccupied shoes), Oscar Levant providing his usual dynamic pianism and acerbic personality, and a score that is at its best when it borrows songs from a previous generation. In fact, Harry Warren, who provided the music for Ira Gershwin's lyrics, was upset that the film's big ballroom number recycled George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away from Me," which Fred and Ginger had introduced (but did not dance to) in 1937's "Shall We Dance". Frankly, though, "They Can't Take That Away" not only works well thematically, but is one of the greatest songs ever written for the screen, while Warren's score is merely adequate and unmemorable. All in all, "The Barkleys of Broadway" is a warm, welcome, and not completely satisfying reunion. Watch it, then watch "Swing Time" again. "--David Horiuchi"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Oscar Levant
- Billie Burke
- Gale Robbins
|
1174 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: The Gay Divorcee |
Mark Sandrich |
|
NR |
1934 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: The Gay Divorcee Mark Sandrich
Theatrical: 1934
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 105
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Italian Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: The year before, in 1933, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers had grabbed America's attention in "Flying Down to Rio", even though they were the second bananas in that film. The duo had a certain chemistry--Fred with his lighter-than-air elegance, Ginger with her moxie--and studio heads gambled that they could carry a starring vehicle of their own. Nobody guessed there would be another eight movies together after "The Gay Divorcee", which turned into a huge success for RKO Pictures. The plot is the usual silliness, with Ginger a divorce-minded gal in England, Fred a dancer whose sincere interest in her is mistaken for something else. But plots never mattered much in these affairs, and this one achieves a kind of free-floating bliss. Astaire had starred in the stage version of the story, titled "The Gay Divorce". The censors forced the extra "e" to be added to the title because surely no divorce could be portrayed as a happy one (this frothy movie's evidence notwithstanding). Only one song was carried over from the stage show, Cole Porter's smash hit "Night and Day," which forms the basis for a sublime pas de deux between Fred and Ginger. A tune, "The Continental," written for this film won the first Oscar ever awarded in the best-song category. "--Robert Horton"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Alice Brady
- Edward Everett Horton
- Erik Rhodes
|
1175 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle |
H.C. Potter |
|
NR |
1939 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle H.C. Potter
Theatrical: 1939
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 93
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" was the last of nine films Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made together for RKO Pictures, and it is unlike any other. For the only time, Fred and Ginger play historical characters--the legendary dancing duo that was all the rage between 1912 and 1916--and a married couple, no less. Instead of their usual innovative, plot-driving dances, Fred and Ginger perform pastiches of what the Castles made famous--the fox trot, polka, and tango. And rather than an original score of great American standards by Berlin, Kern, or the Gershwins, the film uses a collection of period tunes, including "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" and "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee." No, this is not "Top Hat", but fans will enjoy the film anyway. "Vernon and Irene Castle" is an affectionate tribute to a bygone era and to a team that Fred said was "a tremendous influence" on his career. As portrayed in the film (which was based on Irene Castle's memoirs and input), Vernon Castle is a small-time vaudeville comedian when he meets and marries Irene. The two not only manage to forge a career as proper, respectable dancers, they become the essence of style, setting national trends for dance, fashion, and even women's hairstyles. The film briefly touches on Fred and Ginger's usual themes of pursuit and union, but mostly they are warm and tender together as they deal with real-life problems, perhaps portraying the earlier films' characters "after" those "happily ever after" fantasy endings. And as we watch the Castles' performing career rise and decline, straight through to the film's touching last shot, we realize that Fred and Ginger are saying farewell, which makes "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" an appropriate finale to the most glorious partnership in Hollywood history. "--David Horiuchi"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Edna May Oliver
- Walter Brennan
- Lew Fields
|
1176 |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Top Hat |
Mark Sandrich, Lloyd French |
|
NR |
1935 |
Turner Home Ent |
Musicals |
Astaire and Rogers Complete Film Collection: Top Hat Mark Sandrich, Lloyd French
Theatrical: 1935
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Musicals
Duration: 100
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Italian Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Even the best Fred and Ginger musicals are merely lavish excuses for some of the most elegant dancing ever put on screen, and "Top Hat" is no exception. The story is a silly but timeless tale of mistaken identity that compounds itself to extremes. Fred Astaire is the famous American hoofer Jerry Travers, in London preparing for a new show with his befuddled producer Horace Hardwick (the always entertaining Edward Everett Horton) when he falls for Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers), a lovely, wisecracking American girl as light on her feet as Jerry. Dale believes Jerry to be Horace, the husband of her best friend Madge (Helen Broderick) and rebuffs his advances by marrying her dressmaker Alberto (Erik Rhodes), but in the best tradition of musical comedy, true love finds its own way. Practically the entire cast of the 1934 hit "The Gay Divorcee" reunites for this frothy confection, along with director Mark Sandrich, designer Van Nest Polglase, and choreographer Hermes Pan. Irving Berlin provides a tuneful score, including "Cheek to Cheek," which provides a classic duet for Astaire and Rogers, and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails," which remains one of Astaire's finest solo numbers. Polglase outdoes himself with sets both elegant and outrageous and Hermes Pan's choreography is as smooth as ever, but ultimately it's the grace and chemistry of the leads that makes "Top Hat" top entertainment. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Edward Everett Horton
- Erik Rhodes
- Eric Blore
|
1177 |
The Astounding She-Monster |
Ronald V. Ashcroft |
Frank Hall |
Unrated |
1957 |
Image Entertainment |
Horror |
The Astounding She-Monster Ronald V. Ashcroft
Theatrical: 1957
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Duration: 62
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Frank Hall
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: Hollywood gangsters kidnap a Beverly Hills socialite in her Cadillac convertible and whisk her off to a remote mountain cabin where a curvy "starlet" in a spandex spacesuit lands in her "white light' spaceship to bring handsome leading man Robert Clarke a message and to heat up his hormones. One problem with this cosmic encounter--her touch is deadly! An Atomic Age cult classic that could have only come out of the Hollywood B-movie factory of the 1950s. If tough gangster dialogue, sleazy dames, petty crooks, rubber snakes, and Ed Wood films speak to you, this is the one! Hollywood gangsters, a kidnapped socialite, and leading man Robert Clarke encounter a curvy "starlet" from space in a spandex spacesuit. But beware--her touch is deadly in this Atomic Age B-movie classic.
- Robert Clarke
- Kenne Duncan
- Marilyn Harvey
- Jeanne Tatum
- Shirley Kilpatrick
- Brydon Baker Cinematographer
- William C. Thompson Cinematographer
- Ronald V. Ashcroft Editor
|
1178 |
Asylum |
David R. Ellis |
Ethan Lawrence |
R |
2008 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Horror |
Asylum David R. Ellis
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 93
Rated: R
Writer: Ethan Lawrence
Date Added: 05 Apr 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Six unsuspecting college co-eds discover their dorm was once the site of a notorious insane asylum infamous for conducting gruesome lobotomy's on its teenage inmates during the 1930's. When the dorm begins to echo scenes from its torture chamber past, the beautiful heroine (Roemer) questions her sanity and if she will make it out alive.
- Sarah Roemer
- Jake Muxworthy
- Mark Rolston
- Travis Van Winkle
- Ellen Hollman
- Gary Capo Cinematographer
|
1179 |
At War With the Army |
Hal Walker |
Henry May |
NR |
1950 |
Paramount Pictures |
Comedy: Martin & Lewis |
At War With the Army Hal Walker
Theatrical: 1950
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Comedy: Martin & Lewis
Rated: NR
Writer: Henry May
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Summary: This is a review of the Alpha Video edition of AT WAR WITH THE ARMY (which is listed in the Amazon database as WAR WITH THE ARMY):
From 1949 to 1956, the boisterous team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis starred in 16 feature-length comedies, which vary in quality from undeniably hilarious to absolutely forgettable. AT WAR WITH THE ARMY (1950) falls closer to the latter category. This lackluster effort was their first starring vehicle, released after MY FRIEND IRMA (1949) and MY FRIEND IRMA GOES WEST (1950), in which they had glorified supporting roles.
Though released by Paramount Pictures, AT WAR WITH THE ARMY was an independent production, and a threadbare one at that, which explains why, at times, it looks like Dean and Jerry are appearing in someone's home movie. Based on a stage play-and looking every bit like a dingy, cramped, photographed stage play-this alleged military farce weakens the impact of the nutty duo by continually separating them. The movie springs to life when they're allowed to sing, dance, and do imitations, but these opportunities are few, as the plot sticks rigidly on its course to Dullsville. There are enough good moments to satisfy their devoted fans (Jerry's pretty funny on the occasions where he's allowed to cut loose, and Dean has nice duet with Polly Bergen, "You and Your Beautiful Eyes"), but if you've never seen this pair in action, there are far better M&L comedies awaiting DVD release (LIVING IT UP, SAILOR BEWARE, ARTISTS AND MODELS, and SCARED STIFF, to name a few).
Alpha Video's copy of AT WAR WITH THE ARMY is one of the better editions available, although like the marginally superior Digiview release, it's missing the cast credits after the "End" title. Arguably, the best edition of this film available is the one on Madacy Entertainment's "Hollywood Classics Collection" label. Madacy's print isn't as sharp as the Digiview version, but it does have the end cast credits. Madacy also makes their edition more attractive to consumers by including two 1950s newsreels and outtakes from the Abbott and Costello films IT AIN'T HAY (1943), PARDON MY SARONG (1942), and THE NAUGHTY NINETIES (1945).
- Dean Martin
- Jerry Lewis
- Mike Kellin
- Jimmie Dundee
- Dick Stabile
- Stuart Thompson Cinematographer
- Paul Weatherwax Editor
|
1180 |
Atomic Age Classics, Vol. 1: Manners, Courtesy and Etiquette |
|
|
NR |
2005 |
Alpha Video |
Documentary |
Atomic Age Classics, Vol. 1: Manners, Courtesy and Etiquette
Theatrical: 2005
Studio: Alpha Video
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 101
Rated: NR
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby
Summary: The price on these films are perfect for those who want to get a little 1950s education in the 21st Century. Manners never go out of style. Maybe if kids of today can watch these films, they'll be better behaved in public. Ever notice that school kids got out of control after they removed 16mm projectors from the classroom? The titles in this collection include: We Play and Share Together, Good Table Manners, Are manners Important? Social Courtesy, Everyday Courtesy, Exhaging Greetings and Introductions, Helping Johnny Remember and By Jupiter.
This is the perfect gift for anyone who loved these films back in school or young kids that want cheap laughs at 1950s ideals.
|
1181 |
Atomic War Bride/This Is Not a Test |
Anthony Rizzo, Fredric Gadette, Veljko Bulajic |
Ray J. Mauer |
NR |
1952 |
Image Entertainment |
Science Fiction & Fantasy |
Atomic War Bride/This Is Not a Test Anthony Rizzo, Fredric Gadette, Veljko Bulajic
Theatrical: 1952
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Duration: 147
Rated: NR
Writer: Ray J. Mauer
Date Added: 06 Mar 2009
Summary: Once upon a time, the Big Bad Bomb was #1 on everyone's Paranoid Hit Parade. Atom-bomb movies were made to scare us; atom-bomb short subjects were meant to calm us down. Now you can relive some of that Mushroom-Cloud Mania with this Nuclear Collection of Atomic-Age Kulture. Just hope you don't end up glowing in the dark... "Atomic War Bride" (1960, 75 min.) - At a church in the country, eternally optimistic John marries Maria, his Atomic War Bride, as planes buzz overhead and bombs start dropping. Though John is "mobilized" by the military seconds after the ceremony, he and Maria are reunited just in time for the Big Bang. "This Is Not a Test" (1961, 72 min.) - When the police radio blares, "Air Raid! Condition Red! This is Not a Test," Deputy Sheriff Dan Colter sets up a roadblock on a lonely section of mountain road in the middle of the night as he and a microcosm of American society wait for the bomb by engaging in various end-of-the-world activities.
- Seamon Glass
- Thayer Roberts
- Aubrey Martin
- Mary Morlas
- Michael Greene
|
1182 |
Atonement |
Joe Wright |
Ian McEwan, Christopher Hampton |
R |
2008 |
Universal Studios |
Drama |
Atonement Joe Wright
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: Universal Studios
Genre: Drama
Duration: 130
Rated: R
Writer: Ian McEwan, Christopher Hampton
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Comments: You can only imagine the truth.
Summary: Director Joe Wright ("Pride and Prejudice") gives Ian McEwan’s bestselling novel a sumptuous treatment for the screen that should come to be regarded as one of the defining films of the epic romantic drama. Indeed, everything about this film stems from those three words: there is little here that is not epic, romantic, and dramatic, and "Atonement" is a film that masterfully expresses the overarching sense of adventure and emotion that such stories are meant to convey. In this instance, the story centers around the love story of highborn Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) and housekeeper’s son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy, in a star-making turn), in England shortly before World War II. Despite their class differences, they are powerfully attracted to each other, and just as their relationship begins Robbie is tragically forced away due to false accusations from Cecilia’s younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan). She has a crush on Robbie, too, and after reading a private letter he sent to Cecilia, and then witnessing the first expression of their mutual love but mistaking it for mistreatment, her resentment grows until it leads to her telling the lie that will send Robbie away. Soon World War II breaks out; Robbie enlists and is posted to France, Cecilia is a nurse in London, and Briony, now age 18 and aware of what she has done, tries to atone for her actions--but none of them will be able to get back what they have lost. Knightley and McAvoy are perfectly cast as the young star crossed lovers, and the young Ronan is particularly impressive, but it’s clear that the real star of this film is the director. Wright allows "Atonement" to revel in every moment of its story and each scene is compelling in its own way, but that now famous extended shot with Robbie on the beach at Dunkirk--filmed in one take and sure to be considered one of the great long tracking shots in film history--is the most memorable moment in this remarkable film. "Atonement" is an excellent example of what can happen when a great book meets great filmmaking. This is one that is not to be missed. --"Daniel Vancini"
Stills from "Atonement" (click for larger image).
- Keira Knightley Cecilia Tallis
- James Mcavoy Robbie Turner
- Saoirse Ronan Briony Tallis - Age 13
- Brenda Blethyn Grace Turner
- Harriet Walter Emily Tallis
- Ailidh Mackay Singing Housemaid
- Julia West Betty
- Juno Temple Lola Quincey
- Felix von Simson Pierrot Quincey
- Charlie von Simson Jackson Quincey
- Alfie Allen Danny Hardman
- Patrick Kennedy Leon Tallis
- Benedict Cumberbatch Paul Marshall
- Peter Wight Police Inspector
- Leander Deeny Police Constable
|
1183 |
Atragon |
Ishirô Honda |
Shunro Oshikawa |
Unrated |
1965 |
Tokyo Shock |
Action & Adventure |
Atragon Ishirô Honda
Theatrical: 1965
Studio: Tokyo Shock
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 96
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Shunro Oshikawa
Date Added: 13 Feb 2010
Languages: Japanese, English Subtitles: English
Sound: Unknown
Summary: Geez, Louise...if'n it ain't a giant monster trashing Tokyo, it's some uppity, advanced civilization of war mongering peoples living on a continent that sunk to the bottom of the ocean long ago desperate to regain that which they lost, specifically domination over the entire planet...Atragon (1965), originally known as Kaitei gunkan (1963), directed by the legendary Ishirô Honda (Godzilla, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, The Mysterians), features a strong cast of Toho regulars including Tadao Takashima (Son of Godzilla), Yôko Fujiyama (Dagora, the Space Monster), Ken Uehara (Mothra), Jun Tazaki (Destroy All Monsters), Kenji Sahara (Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster), and Yu Fujiki (Yog: Monster from Space).
The first half of the film introduces us to many of the main characters in the story, and also relates how an ancient civilization called the Mu empire has begun to try and regain control of the world, apparently something they had in the past (they claim all surface dwelling peoples are colonies of the Mu), but lost due to the fact the continent they were living on had the nerve to sink to the bottom of the ocean some 12,000 years ago. Okay, seems to me if these people were so advanced, they would have moved to another, more stable continent before or around the time theirs took a nose dive rather than go through all the trouble and effort to develop a vast, undersea city, but what the heck do I know? I'm just a gaijin...anyway, the Mu empire, perhaps tired of pruned fingers and smelling like fish, begin a campaign to subjugate the peoples of the Earth using their superior technology delivering destruction and mayhem, threatening to destroy everything unless the receive full compliance. To show they mean business, they blow up...a cargo ship...seriously...but then they come full on with the pain wiping out Tokyo utilizing underground earthquakes. Okay, that's a bit more impressive. Seems the only thing the Muans fear is a sophisticated submarine called the Atragon, created by a Japanese naval officer Captain Hachiro Jinguji (Tazaki) who ran off at the end of WWII rather than face the disgrace of surrendering, and has since been in hiding, developing this amazing vessel with the intent on returning someday and serving his country. Given the threat of global destruction, some of his fellow countrymen manage to locate the captain and his secret base, and try to convince him to come out of hiding to face the Mu threat, but he's too wrapped up in his own patriotism to care about what happens to the rest of the world, wanting only to return for the glory of Japan...or something like that. Anyway, all bets are off when the Muans kidnap the captain's daughter, threatening to feed her to their giant sea serpent called Manda if he doesn't agree to destroy Atragon. Captain Jinguji subsequently kicks it into high gear, unleashing the full power of Atragon against the Muans, with the fate of the planet at stake.
I had a great time watching this film, not only because of the amazing effects employed throughout, but also because it had a really solid story as a backbone. The first ten minutes or so might be a little confusing, as there's bits with various individuals being kidnapped by nefarious looking types, but things clear up soon enough once past the opening credits, as more of the story presents itself. Honda's direction is extremely strong, keeping things paced well, especially given the complexity of the story and the lack of real action in the front end of the feature...and this would probably be my only gripe that I wanted to see more of the super sub in action. What we do get is loaded up mainly in the last twenty minutes or so of the film. The battle scenes we do see are really impressive, so much so I lost sight of the fact most all of it was done with miniatures, given the apparent intense amount of detail and attention given to their construction. The effects work here, under the direction of Eiji Tsuburaya, is top notch, especially given the time the film was made, in the early 1960s. As far as the Atragon, it's a real piece of work, featuring moving parts, further helping to create a sense of realism. The sub was a wicked long, cylindrical tube with a giant drill bit on the front, along with various blades that deployed from the sides, allowing it the ability to not only cruise the seas, but burrow into the Earth. And not only that, but it could fly! It had a fairly normal complement of both offensive and defensive weapons, along with something called an instant freeze cannon, which does exactly what it sounds like it does...my favorite sequence in the film is when Captain Jinguji goes balls-to-the-walls attacking the Muans head-on by boring through the sea floor and busting through into the Muan core power center for some awesoma destruction. In a nice touch, Captain Jinguji did offer a chance for peace, but the Muans declined (good thing too, as otherwise the story would have died out quickly). The giant monster called Manda, whom the Muans saw as their deity's messenger, did look a little hokey, but given it's limited amount of screen time and the many strengths in this feature (the directing, the acting, the effects, etc.), this was a minor aspect for me. Another superior element of this film is the original musical scoring by Akira Ifukube, who seemed to have an innate sense in creating music befitting these types of films. I don't normally notice the accompanying music in films unless it's really poor and ill fitting, or unless it's really outstanding and right on the money, the latter being the case here. There were two things in this film I could have done without the first being that massive, Muan native dance sequence, which was impressive, but pointless, and the second being the photographer's comical assistant. There must have been a clause in some Toho contracts that forced the inclusion of at least one comically challenged comic relief in their films, one who manages to survive all the way through, much to my dismay. It wasn't as bad here as I've seen in other films, but the presence of such character didn't go unnoticed. Regardless, Atragon is a great film, especially if you enjoy early Japanese science fiction adventure films.
Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock provides an excellent release here, with a beautiful looking widescreen (2.35:1) anamorphic transfer. Also included are a number of audio tracks including Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround in both English and Japanese, along with Dolby Digital mono, again in both English and Japanese (I'd recommend the Japanese audio with available English subtitles). Special features include an original theatrical trailer for the film, along with a feature length commentary track with Koji Kajita, who served as chief assistant director on the film. Also thrown in are previews for other worthwhile Media Blaster DVD releases like The Mysterians (1959), Varan the Unbelievable (1962), Dogora (1964), and Mantango: Attack of the Mushroom People (1963).
Cookieman108
- Tadao Takashima
- Yôko Fujiyama
- Yû Fujiki
- Ken Uehara
- Jun Tazaki
- Hajime Koizumi Cinematographer
- Ryohei Fujii Editor
|
1184 |
Atta Girl, Kelly |
|
|
|
|
Walt Disney Home Entertainment |
|
Atta Girl, Kelly
Theatrical:
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Genre:
Rated:
Date Added: 20 Feb 2009
Summary: A heart-tugging tale of love and devotion, Atta Girl, Kelly! follows the adventures of a rambunctious German Shepard being trained to become a seeing-eye dog and how she changes the lives of three masters Danny, the boy who raises her, Matt, Kellys trainer, and Evan Clayton, the blind owner who thinks she may never be good enough for him. Homesick for Danny, Kelly keeps running away and theres doubt that shell ever be a guide dog. Will Kelly be able to fulfill her destiny? Atta Girl, Kelly! is an inspirational story that is sure to win your heart. With an all-new special bonus feature about The Seeing Eye, the worlds oldest guide dog school and inspiration behind the movie.
|
1185 |
Attack of the Puppet People/Village of the Giants |
Bert I. Gordon |
H.G. Wells |
Unrated |
1958 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Comedy |
Attack of the Puppet People/Village of the Giants Bert I. Gordon
Theatrical: 1958
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 160
Rated: Unrated
Writer: H.G. Wells
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE: Original Theatrical Trailer
- Tommy Kirk
- Johnny Crawford
- Beau Bridges
- Ron Howard
- Joy Harmon
- Ernest Laszlo Cinematographer
- Paul Vogel Cinematographer
|
1186 |
Audition |
Takashi Miike |
|
Unrated |
1999 |
Lions Gate |
Horror |
Audition Takashi Miike
Theatrical: 1999
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Horror
Duration: 75
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: Japanese Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: If you want the full sledgehammer-to-the-stomach effect of "Audition", stop reading this review now. Just watch it and take the consequences. At first glance, Takashi Miike's jack in the box of a movie works like a romantic comedy: amiable widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) decides it's time to find a new wife, and a friend suggests holding a fake audition to find the right girl. It soon becomes clear that there is something wrong with Aoyama's choice. This is no ordinary "Fatal Attraction"-style thriller, however; "Audition" slowly and carefully builds into a wrenching exploration of both deep male fears and the stereotype of the cute, submissive Japanese woman. "Audition" is by no means an easy movie to watch--even hardcore horror fans may have trouble--but it will stay with you for a long, long time. "--Ali Davis"
- Ryo Ishibashi
- Eihi Shiina
- Tetsu Sawaki
- Jun Kunimura
- Renji Ishibashi
|
1187 |
Audrey Hepburn Collection |
Billy Wilder, Blake Edwards, William Wyler |
Ian McLellan Hunter |
Unrated |
1953 |
Paramount |
Comedy |
Audrey Hepburn Collection Billy Wilder, Blake Edwards, William Wyler
Theatrical: 1953
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 344
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Ian McLellan Hunter
Date Added: 02 Jul 2009
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Breakfast at Tiffany's No film better utilizes Audrey Hepburn's flighty charm and svelte beauty than this romantic adaptation of Truman Capote's novella. Hepburn's urban sophisticate Holly Golightly, an enchanting neurotic living off the gifts of gentlemen, is a bewitching figure in designer dresses and costume jewelry. George Peppard is her upstairs neighbor, a struggling writer and "kept" man financed by a steely older woman (Patricia Neal). His growing friendship with the lonely Holly soon turns to love and threatens the delicate balance of both of their compromised lives. Taking liberties with Capote's bittersweet story, director Blake Edwards and screenwriter George Axelrod turn New York into a city of lovers and create a poignant portrait of Holly, a frustrated romantic with a secret past and a hidden vulnerability. Composer Henry Mancini earned Oscars for the hit song "Moon River" and his tastefully romantic score. The only sour note in the whole film is Mickey Rooney's demeaning performance as the apartment's Japanese manager, an offensively overdone stereotype even in 1961. The rest of the film has weathered the decades well. Edwards's elegant yet light touch, Axelrod's generous screenplay, and Hepburn's mix of knowing experience and naiveté combine to create one of the great screen romances and a refined slice of high society bohemian chic. --"Sean Axmaker" Roman Holiday Maybe it doesn't quite live up to its sterling reputation, and maybe the leading man and director were slightly miscast. But who cares? "Roman Holiday" is the film that brought Audrey Hepburn to prominence, and the world movie audience went weak at the knees. The endlessly charming Hepburn had her first starring role in this sweet romance, playing a European princess on an official tour through Rome. Frustrated by her lack of connection to the real world, she slips away from her protective handlers and goes on a spree, aided by a tough-guy news reporter (Gregory Peck). Director William Wyler, more at home with such heavy-going, Oscar-winning classics as "The Best Years of Our Lives" and "Ben- Hur", doesn't always keep the champagne bubbles afloat, and the Peck role would have fit Cary Grant like a silk glove. But the film is great fun, the location shooting is irresistible, and Hepburn embodies an image of chic style that would rule for the rest of the fifties. No coincidence: she won an Oscar, and so did veteran costume designer Edith Head. --"Robert Horton" Sabrina Audrey Hepburn is the delightful young Sabrina, the daughter of a chauffeur who is hopelessly in love with David Larrabee (William Holden), the playboy younger son in the rich Long Island household her father works for. In order to help her forget her woes, Sabrina is shipped off to cooking school in Paris. While there, she befriends a baron who provides a bit of culture--and the encouragement to snip off her childlike ponytail. Upon her return to New York, Sabrina is transformed into a sophisticated woman, and David is entranced by her. However, his older brother Linus (Humphrey Bogart) has arranged David's marriage to Elizabeth Tyson in order to seal a business merger and thus must steer David away from Sabrina. To do this, Linus takes on the task of wooing her for himself. Full of great dialogue ("A woman happy in love, she burns the soufflé; a woman unhappy in love, she forgets to turn on the oven") and wonderful performances, this film is a romantic masterpiece. Also enjoyable is the 1995 remake, starring Julia Ormond and Harrison Ford. --"Jenny Brown"
- Audrey Hepburn
- George Peppard
- Gregory Peck
- Eddie Albert
- Humphrey Bogart
|
1188 |
Auntie Mame |
Morton DaCosta |
Betty Comden, Adolph Green |
NR |
1958 |
Warner Home Video |
Comedy: Classic |
Auntie Mame Morton DaCosta
Theatrical: 1958
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Comedy: Classic
Duration: 143
Rated: NR
Writer: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Date Added: 15 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Summary: Remember darlings, "Life's a banquet, and most suckers are starving to death." That tag line sums up this exuberant and immensely amusing 1958 comedy that can be seen repeatedly, as it never grows stale. Rosalind Russell plays the flamboyant aunt who takes in poor, orphaned Patrick, played with sophisticated ease by Jan Handzlik. Mame, all glitter and martinis, raises her nephew in a world filled with acceptance and her oddball literati friends. Nothing is too bohemian. This unfolds in colorful episodic segments that allow us to watch Patrick grow as Mame oversees his unusual upbringing while she juggles a few spouses and an extended household. Russell, who created the title role for the stage, simply shines. She is bright and brassy, but never goes too far over the top. Peggy Cass is a comedic delight as her befuddled secretary, and Coral Browne brings class to the production as her best friend. This was based on the exuberant stage play, which in turn was based on Patrick Dennis's humorous, bittersweet novel. The screen version was written by the clever duo of Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Not to be confused with the pathetically lackluster musical version starring Lucille Ball (1974), simply entitled "Mame". "--Rochelle O'Gorman"
- Joanna Barnes Gloria Upson
- Henry Brandon
- Coral Browne Vera Charles
- Brook Byron
- Peggy Cass Agnes Gooch
- Rosalind Russell Mame Dennis
- Forrest Tucker Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside
- Fred Clark Dwight Babcock
- Roger Smith Patrick Dennis -older
- Patric Knowles Lindsay Woolsey
- Jan Handzlik Patrick Dennis - younger
- Pippa Scott Pegeen Ryan
- Lee Patrick Doris Upson
- Willard Waterman Claude Upson
- Robin Hughes Brian O'Bannion
- Connie Gilchrist Norah Muldoon
- Yuki Shimoda Ito
|
1189 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1 (Box Set) |
Richard Franklin, Rod Hardy, Michael Laughlin |
|
PG |
1979 |
Elite Entertainment |
Horror |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1 (Box Set) Richard Franklin, Rod Hardy, Michael Laughlin
Theatrical: 1979
Studio: Elite Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Duration: 307
Rated: PG
Date Added: 27 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Patrick - After violently murdering his mother and her lover, young Patrick lays comatose in a small private hospital. When a pretty young urse, just separated from her husband, begins working at the hospital, she senses that Patrick is trying to communicate with her while others in her life are being killed in most mysterious ways. Thirst She was innocent, pure and unsuspecting. But now, Kate Davis has been kidnapped by a bloodthirsty cult and taken to a remote village. Once there, she discovers her fate. According to the prophecies of the Hyma Brotherhood, she must fulfill her destiny by marrying their leader and helping them quench their diabolical thirst for blood. Strange Behaviour A brutal serial killer begins a terrifying campaign targeting local teens. Officer John Brady is drawn to the high school's psychology department where he suspects he will find the killer. There is something sinister about the department's research into behavioral control and Brady is determined to uncover it.
- Susan Penhaligon
- Robert Helpmann
- Rod Mullinar
- Bruce Barry
- Julia Blake
|
1190 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1: Patrick |
Richard Franklin |
|
PG |
1979 |
Elite Entertainment |
Art House & International |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1: Patrick Richard Franklin
Theatrical: 1979
Studio: Elite Entertainment
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 112
Rated: PG
Date Added: 23 Apr 2009
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Following in the bloody footsteps of Brian De Palma's "Carrie" comes Australia's offering of telekinetic terror. Part twisted love story, part supernatural thriller, "Patrick" tells the story of a comatose patient (Robert Thompson) who falls in love with his nubile new nurse, Kathy (Susan Penhaligon). Sadly enough, his only means of communication are via electricity, spitting, and general death and destruction. Suspense mounts as Patrick begins to infiltrate Kathy's life, and head nurse Matron Cassidy (played wickedly by Julia Blake) develops evil schemes of her own. Director Richard Franklin ("Psycho II") manages efficient performances from the cast, and upon release "Patrick" was nominated for Best Film by the Australian Film Institute (but played the drive-in chain in the U.S.). This may not be the frightfest promised in the tag line ("Patrick is in a coma... yet, he can kill"), but "Patrick" still proves to be an interesting diversion and provides some absolutely terrifying glimpses of late-'70s fashion. "--Matt Wold"
- Susan Penhaligon
- Robert Helpmann
- Rod Mullinar
- Bruce Barry
- Julia Blake
|
1191 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1: Strange Behavior |
Michael Laughlin |
|
R |
1981 |
Elite Entertainment |
Art House & International |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1: Strange Behavior Michael Laughlin
Theatrical: 1981
Studio: Elite Entertainment
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 99
Rated: R
Date Added: 23 Apr 2009
Sound: Unknown
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Although it's had a strong cult reputation since its initial release, "Strange Behavior" was the odd man out at the time: in 1981, horror movies were primarily of the stupid slasher variety. This film deserves better--it's more of an homage to the all-American 1950s B movie. Future Oscar winner Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters") and director Michael Laughlin cooked up this kooky tale of a mad scientist programming small-town teens to kill. Laughlin's long-take style gets under your skin, the Tangerine Dream score is unnerving, and the fact that the whole thing was shot in New Zealand adds a touch of the peculiar to the "Midwestern" landscape. At times the weird science seems to have infected everyone in town (a giddy choreographed dance at a teen party comes from nowhere), which just adds to the sense of general--you know--strange behavior. Condon and Laughlin followed with 1983's "Strange Invaders". "--Robert Horton"
- Michael Murphy
- Louise Fletcher
- Dan Shor
- Fiona Lewis
- Arthur Dignam
|
1192 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1: Thirst |
Rod Hardy |
|
R |
1979 |
Elite Entertainment |
Art House & International |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 1: Thirst Rod Hardy
Theatrical: 1979
Studio: Elite Entertainment
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 96
Rated: R
Date Added: 23 Apr 2009
Languages: English, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: If you know about this film already, you'll not need any other words. But if you don't, and if you have some taste on this genre, Horror, and need something different, THIRST is just for you. I don't want to shout about it as a GREAT film though, but literally a LITTLE GEM from Ausie Horror Scene of mid-70s to mid-80s, its MadMax Age. A Head of a modern-day-vampire-community tries to seduce a young girl, Kate Davies, who is the decendant of the infamous blood-drinking Baroness Elizabeth Bathory. It's somewhat a low budget production, but the tone of the film is surprisingly atomospheric, eerie, and effective. Direction is tight, and its music score, yes, the music is just great. Brian May, who wrote first two MadMax, and almost all the Ausie SciFi/Horror scores of this age, is at his best here. The disc has his entire music on its isolated track, thus proving this DVD knows what is juicy about the film. Also this is the very first presentation of the film's CinemaScope aspect ratio, which reveals more information lost for years on previous VHS version, along with rich composition of the frame. If you like THIRST, you will also need PATRICK, which is just out on a gorgeous DVD Special Edition in the same way....I had been dying to wait for this DVD emerges, now expecting they will release HARLEQUIN, THE SURVIVOR, and ROAD GAMES, also a great little gem from Australia.
- Chantal Contouri
- Shirley Cameron (II)
- Max Phipps
- Henry Silva
- Rod Mullinar
|
1193 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2 (Box Set) |
|
|
Unrated |
|
Elite Entertainment |
Horror |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2 (Box Set)
Theatrical:
Studio: Elite Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Duration: 277
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 27 Oct 2008
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Following nicely in the footsteps of vol. 1, this second aussie horror collection has 4 movies rather than 3. THE DREAMING- After an aboriginal tomb is opened, an archaeologist and his daughter (Penny Cook) begin having ghostly nightmares and visions. The daughter is led to solve a mystery involving the slaughter of an entire tribe by some sadistic whalers. The final, bloody minutes of this one pack most of the punch. VOYAGE INTO FEAR- A guilt-ridden woman is haunted by dreams and visions of her long-dead brother. She is convinced by her husband to travel to the scene of the accident where her parents and brother were killed. Along the way, their car gets stuck, hubby disappears, and a strange man comes along to "help". There's a sinister twist at the end! THE SURVIVOR- Robert Powell (Asylum) plays an airline pilot who is the only survivor of a plane crash that killed the rest of the 300 passengers and crew. He is joined by a psychic named Hobbs (An American Werewolf In London's Jenny Agutter) who assists him in finding out not how, but why he survived. The plot darkens as others are killed in a series of "accidents". It seems that the dead have returned, and they're very pi$$ed off! SNAPSHOT- Angela (Sigrid Thornton) is lured away from her hairdressing job and into the world of fashion, modeling, and advertising. A beautiful model named Madeline (Chantal Contouri from Thirst) introduces Angela to a group of endearing oddballs. All is well until some freak puts a slaughtered pig's head in Angela's bed! Things get weirder from this point. Someone is stalking the poor girl, but which nut is it? Could it be the overbearing mum? The clingy, pathetic ex-boyfriend? The photogragher who loves to take pictures of dead animals? Madeline's dirty-old-man husband? Or could it be Madeline herself? Watch and find out for yourself! Buy this collection now!...
|
1194 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: SnapShot |
Simon Wincer |
Everett De Roche |
R |
1980 |
Platinum Disc |
Art House & International |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: SnapShot Simon Wincer
Theatrical: 1980
Studio: Platinum Disc
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 92
Rated: R
Writer: Everett De Roche
Date Added: 15 Feb 2010
Summary: A beautiful young girl named Angela (Sigrid Thornton) is lured away from her job as a hairdresser and into the glamorous world of fashion photography and advertising. A model named Madeline (Thirst's Chantel Contouri doing her best Joan Collins impression) takes Angela by the hand and introduces her to a group of odd, yet endearing characters. Alas, Angela's off-kilter ex-boyfriend, Darrell, and her domineering mum are set on keeping Angela from escaping their clutches. Darrell is especially odd, w/ his pitiful demeanor, driving everywhere in his Mr. Whippy's ice cream truck! Unfortunately for Angela, he just might be dangerous as well. Then there's Madeline's dirty-old-man husband and a photographer who loves to take pictures of dead animals. All is fine until someone puts a slaughtered pig's head in Angela's bed! That's when things get really weird! Angela finds herself being stalked by a lunatic. The question is, which lunatic is it? SNAPSHOT is sort of long-winded in spots, but has a (slooowwly) building tension and a cool ending...
- Chantal Contouri
- Robert Bruning
- Sigrid Thornton
- Hugh Keays-Byrne
- Denise Drysdale
- Vincent Monton Cinematographer
- Philip Reid Editor
|
1195 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: The Dreaming |
Mario Andreacchio |
|
Unrated |
1989 |
Platinum Disc |
Art House & International |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: The Dreaming Mario Andreacchio
Theatrical: 1989
Studio: Platinum Disc
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 91
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 15 Feb 2010
Summary: Two of my all-time favorite movies ('Nomads' and 'The Last Wave') came immediately to mind during my initial viewing of this film. The reason for this free association was because it was obvious 'The Dreaming' had borrowed liberally from both.
In 'The Dreaming' a doctor (Penny Cook) treats a young aboriginal girl (Kristina Nehm) in a hospital emergency room for some unspecified injury. The girl dies and immediately afterwards the attending doctor begins to have bad dreams and waking visions of a horrible past event in aboriginal history. These threatening images from the Dreamtime involve a group of whalers who came ashore two centuries earlier to rape and murder a defenseless aboriginal tribe. This event formed a taint or stain within the Dreaming. Now incorporated into the spiritual landscape, the evil spirits of these murderers roam about the imaginal realm seeking whom they may destroy. They have set their sights on the poor doctor. (Almost identitcal to the 'Nomads' storyline).
The similarities between this movie and 'The Last Wave' are found not in the storyline but in the visuals. First, the excessive use of rain and dripping water is highly suggestable of Peter Weirs' aboriginal classic. Secondly, the dream sequences are dark, rainsoaked, with hostile images approaching in a slow-motion fashion which again I found reminiscent of this earlier film.
Unfortunately writer/director Mario Andreacchio took the easy way out and turned it into a story of spirit possession, thereby not taking full advantage of the wealth of aboriginal knowledge at his disposal. With a little additional homework he could have given this film a unique Austalian interpretation to these events and made this a much better film.
Not a great movie by any means, but an OK one. It was nice to see Kristina Nehm (Warindji, the aboriginal girl) again. I haven't seen her in anything since her starring role in "The Fringe Dwellers."
- Arthur Dignam
- Penny Cook (II)
- Gary Sweet
- Laurence Clifford
- Kristina Nehm
|
1196 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: The Survivor |
David Hemmings |
|
R |
1980 |
Platinum Disc |
Action & Adventure |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: The Survivor David Hemmings
Theatrical: 1980
Studio: Platinum Disc
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 87
Rated: R
Date Added: 15 Feb 2010
Summary: A pilot of a 747 jetliner, Captain Keller, who's 747 suffers a bomb blast shortly after takeoff and 300 passengers are incinerated as the plane explodes into flames. A short time latter, keller is found wandering unharmed and quite unable to understand how he has survived. The mystery deepends as Keller is taken down the path of both the "Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable" have followed.
- Jenny Agutter
- Kirk Alexander
- Tyler Coppin
- Joseph Cotten
- Ralph Cotterill
- John Seale Cinematographer
- Tony Paterson Editor
|
1197 |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: Voyage Into Fear |
Murray Fahey |
|
R |
1993 |
Platinum Disc |
Art House & International |
Aussie Horror Collection, Volume 2: Voyage Into Fear Murray Fahey
Theatrical: 1993
Studio: Platinum Disc
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 88
Rated: R
Date Added: 23 Apr 2009
Summary: Despite a meagre budget, this Australian character-driven mood piece is shaped into an effective entertainment by its producer/director/writer Murray Fahey. His creativity is apparent from the film's opening credits and scenes that lead into a tale that balances naturalism with the grotesque. Well-crafted surreal and witty touches are in place during early sequences, but an overage of predictability is prominent during the film's later stages. By her performance in the leading role, Kate Raison obviously did not stint with preparation, nor did the other featured players of this well-cast work. Fahey's emphasis upon camera stylistics increases a viewer's interest in this film, and one can not reasonably plead for a more competent use of flashbacks. A descriptive score by Frank Strangio is heard and is mixed well, augmenting an intriguing opening and maintaining its force even as the plot falters. Editing is ably handled by Brian Kavanagh, helping increase an element of suspense for this psychological drama, guaranteeing that viewers will remain interested in the storyline. Raison plays as Madaline Carr, a well-to-do young woman of 29 years who, along with her professional investor husband Martin (Martin Sachs), live comfortably until she begins having a series of dreams connected to a childhood tragedy, dreams that disturb the pleasant order of the couple's existence. Nerves taut from the nightmares and lack of sleep, Madaline assumes as point of view that she was responsible for the death of her younger brother Thomas, over 20 years prior, with this theory becoming the core of her dreams. Martin ineffectively attempts to help his wife through amateur use of psychiatric methods, but with only negative results, as Madaline's condition appears upon the surface to worsen apace. The pair journeys to the rural district where she used to live, the source of the incidents in Madaline's dreams, where she grimly tries to locate the crash site near to her former home where a road collision took the lives of Thomas and of her parents. An atmosphere of incipient danger pervades the film at this time as Madaline's nighttime dreams begin to blend with waking hallucinations, and it will seem plain to a viewer that her expedition to the source of past psychologic trauma may again produce tragedy. Even with Martin's moral support, his wife becomes increasingly confused as she begins to believe that the long-deceased Thomas has somehow returned and is determined to kill her. When the couple's auto becomes enmired in a woodsy area, Martin leaves to seek assistance, but after his failure to return by nightfall, Madaline sets out in search of him, soon coming upon a secluded farmhouse, at which juncture the film's mood of suspense is vitiated by predictable and melodramatic scripting. Living in the house is a trapper named Harris (Martin Vaughn) who grudgingly agrees to help Madaline, but in his bathroom she finds evidence that her husband has recently been there, although Harris denies this. By this time, Madaline has serious concerns for her own safety because of the demeanour of the vaguely ominous Harris, of whom she has an unpleasant memory, or is that also a dream? Raison earns the acting laurels here for she does not merely comply with script requirements, but contributes as well a rich sauce of emotional range; the film's two children utilized in flashbacks are quite natural, while Vaughn and Vince Gill as grizzled trappers are impressive, even though their scenes are somewhat laboriously predictable. Shooting occurs largely within scenic rural locations in forested sections of New South Wales, wonderfully filmed and correctly targeted to be synchronous with the plot. Director Fahey's clever alienation effects and other items from his cinematic box of tricks do not meet the challenge of his flawed screenplay in addition to drastic cutting of the film's final sequences that serves to punctuate these scripting shortcomings. In sum, this is an ably produced psychodrama, featuring a top-flight performance from its female lead, and a director who certainly knows how to utilize his camera, but all of this value is lessened by a plot that is overly dependent upon coincidence. Additionally, there is a horrid amount of cutting that nearly eliminates all traces of an irony that is at the crux of the climactic scene.
- Kate Raison
- Martin Sacks
- Martin Vaughan
- Maggie Kirkpatrick
- Tiana Fahey-Leigh
|
1198 |
Autopsy |
Adam Gierasch |
|
Unrated |
2008 |
Lions Gate |
Horror |
Autopsy Adam Gierasch
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: Lions Gate
Genre: Horror
Duration: 89
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 29 Mar 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Emily Johnson, her boyfriend Bobby and their friends Clare and Jude are recent college grads driving cross-country, taking a last vacation together before they face the real world. An accident leaves them hurt and stranded on a lonely Louisiana road. When the ambulance arrives, it whisks them to Mercy Hospital. With a minimal staff and many of its floors empty, the hospital is an eerie place…but that’s only the beginning.
- Michael Bowen
- Jenette Goldstein
- Robert La Sardo
- Ross McCall
- Robert Patrick
- Anthony Richmond Cinematographer
- Andrew Cohen Editor
|
1199 |
Autopsy |
Armando Crispino |
Armando Crispino, Lucio Battistrada |
Unrated |
1977 |
Blue Underground |
Horror: Giallo |
Autopsy Armando Crispino
Theatrical: 1977
Studio: Blue Underground
Genre: Horror: Giallo
Duration: 100
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Armando Crispino, Lucio Battistrada
Date Added: 08 Feb 2011
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Chilly blond Mimsy Farmer is an Italian medical student who has disturbing visions of the waking dead during a rash of grotesque suicides. She works in a morgue where every living man in her orbit hits on her and one coworker even tries to rape her ("You can't blame a guy for trying. Nothing turns on a man more than an icy woman," comforts an oh-so understanding boyfriend). Barry Primus is an angry priest with a dark past and anger-management issues (he screams, "I've killed many others and I'll kill you too," while beating a man's skull into the pavement). The apparent cause of the suicide hit parade is extreme sunspot activity (each death is punctuated with fiery images of solar flares), but when victims close to Farmer start dropping from high-rise windows, the picture twists into a murder mystery with a gallery of sleazy and shady suspects. Director Armando Crispino fills in the edges with unending images of death, shocking violence, and gratuitous nudity, creating an intermittently stylish but often bluntly exploitative horror mystery. Shorn of 15 minutes when it debuted in American theaters in the mid-1970s, the sex and violence has been completely restored for video. One short scene is in Italian with English subtitles, due to missing soundtrack materials, while the rest is dubbed in English. Ennio Morricone provides a suitably strange mix of atonal stings and lovely melodies. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Mimsy Farmer
- Barry Primus
- Ray Lovelock
- Carlo Cattaneo
- Angela Goodwin
- Carlo Carlini Cinematographer
- Daniele Alabiso Editor
|
1200 |
Autumn Sonata - Criterion Collection |
Ingmar Bergman |
|
PG |
1978 |
Criterion |
Art House & International |
Autumn Sonata - Criterion Collection Ingmar Bergman
Theatrical: 1978
Studio: Criterion
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 92
Rated: PG
Date Added: 26 Feb 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Bergman (Ingrid) meets Bergman (Ingmar) in this fine but not outstanding story from 1978 of a concert pianist who meets up with her estranged daughter (Liv Ullmann) for the first time in seven years, and spends an evening confronting unresolved ill feelings from the past. Ingmar's been down this road plenty of times and in better films ("Cries and Whispers"); but even as a minor work, this is a powerful piece with two top actresses of their day. This was Ingrid Bergman's last film. "--Tom Keogh"
- Ingrid Bergman
- Liv Ullmann
- Lena Nyman
- Halvar Björk
- Marianne Aminoff
|
1201 |
Avanti! |
Billy Wilder |
I.A.L. Diamond, Samuel A. Taylor |
Unrated |
1972 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Comedy: Classic |
Avanti! Billy Wilder
Theatrical: 1972
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Comedy: Classic
Duration: 144
Rated: Unrated
Writer: I.A.L. Diamond, Samuel A. Taylor
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: The complete obscurity of "Avanti!" is a cinematic injustice that needs to be rectified. Jack Lemmon and director Billy Wilder made their share of hits together ("Some Like It Hot" and "The Apartment", for starters), but this wry, melancholy comedy was completely out of touch with its time (which recalls a Wilder one-liner from the '70s: "Who the hell would want to be in touch with "these" times?"). It may have flopped badly in 1972, but it wears well in retrospect. Lemmon plays a jerk American businessman called to Italy to pick up the body of his father, who died while enjoying a secret (and, it turns out, annual) liaison with a mistress. With the help of a delightful Englishwoman (Juliet Mills) who happens to be the daughter of the "other woman," Lemmon finds himself stepping in a few of Dad's footsteps, and falling under the sway of the beguiling Italian atmosphere. A very leisurely movie, but that's part of its effect. Clive Revill delivers a gem of a performance as a heroic hotel manager, and Juliet Mills (sister of Hayley, daughter of Oscar-winner John) had her finest screen hour here. As a director, Wilder spent much of his early career camouflaging his romantic streak under a cynical front; here, despite many acerbic touches and the presence of death as the central plot device, the romance is in full flower under the rich Italian sun. "--Robert Horton"
- Janet Agren
- Edward Andrews J.J. Blodgett
- Francesco Angrisano
- Gianfranco Barra Bruno
- Giselda Castrini Anna
- Luigi Kuveiller Cinematographer
- Jack Lemmon Wendell Armbruster, Jr.
- Juliet Mills Pamela Piggott
- Clive Revill Carlo Carlucci
- Franco Angrisano Arnold Trotta
- Pippo Franco Mattarazzo
- Franco Acampora Armando Trotta
- Raffaele Mottola Passport officer
- Lino Coletta Cipriani
- Harry Ray Dr. Fleischmann
- Guidarino Guidi Maitre D'
- Giacomo Rizzo Barman
- Antonino Faa Di Bruno Concierge (as Antonino Faa' Di Bruno)
|
1202 |
The Awful Truth - The Complete First Season |
|
|
NR |
1999 |
Docurama |
Comedy |
The Awful Truth - The Complete First Season
Theatrical: 1999
Studio: Docurama
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 300
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 May 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Can you handle the truth? If you're Mickey Mouse, George Will, a Philip Morris executive, or any one of the corporate no-good-doers who pollute the environment, abandon their customers, or cheat their workers, best be on your guard: Michael Moore has got your number, or at the very least, your home address! Moore, muckraking journalist, guerilla filmmaker ("Roger & Me"), and all-around nonpartisan offender, follows up his Emmy-winning, albeit short-lived, TV series "TV Nation" with this even more confrontational series that can be seen on Bravo ("Between the Playboy Channel and Cartoon Network"). This set contains all the episodes from the show's premiere season. It is perhaps the most outrageous television you have never seen. The series is much more than Moore "going in someplace to bug somebody." There is method to Moore's madness. His outrage is palpable as he shames an insurance company into paying for a customer's life-or-death pancreas transplant by staging the man's mock funeral outside corporate headquarters. At the height of Monica-gate, Moore shows Washington, D.C., what a real witch-hunt looks like, complete with shrieking costumed Pilgrims. Other season 1 highlights include the return of Crackers, the plucky Corporate Crime-Fighting Chicken, who visits Disneyland to advise Mickey Mouse about Disney's alleged unfair labor practices. Moore also spreads holiday jeer inside Philip Morris by leading a choir of cigarette-ravaged carolers, each of whom must use a voice box. "The Awful Truth" is not for the faint of heart (or conservatives, for that matter). As Moore remarks after a segment in which his "Gay Team" cruises America in a pink Sodommobile, "We'll never be back on NBC now." You go, Mike! "--Donald Liebenson"
- Bruce Brown (III)
- Karen Duffy
- Gideon Evans
- Ben Hamper
- M.J. Karmi
|
1203 |
The Awful Truth - The Complete Second Season |
|
|
NR |
1999 |
Docurama |
Comedy |
The Awful Truth - The Complete Second Season
Theatrical: 1999
Studio: Docurama
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 300
Rated: NR
Date Added: 01 Jun 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Summary: Elvis Costello once sang, "I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused." One gets the feeling that it is the exact opposite with Michael Moore. In this sophomore season of his subversively funny, albeit short-lived, Bravo series "The Awful Truth", the working class hero operates under the basic-cable radar to rail against politics as usual and to expose what he calls your "basic, everyday, run of the mill evil corporations." "The Awful Truth" was anything but comfort television, as witness the episode "Compassionate Conservative Night," in which "Team Dow" and "Team Nasdaq" engage in such contests as "Dunk the Homeless" and "Pie the Poor." In another segment, Moore launches an orange day-glow wallet exchange program after a spate of shootings in which police mistook African American victims' wallets for firearms. Moore makes hay with the 2000 presidential election. In one audacious segment, he offers his support to any candidate who will jump into the "Awful Truth"'s portable mosh pit. George W. Bush's response, "Go find real work," made its way into "Fahrenheit 9/11". Only Alan Keyes is game, incurring attacks by the other candidates during a televised debate. In this series' version of a Very Special Episode, Moore presents a short film he directed, "The Choice," in which Moore runs a Ficus plant against an unopposed candidate for the New Jersey House of Representatives. Throughout the season, Moore plants the seeds that will pollinate in his two controversial cross-over theatrical documentaries. Anticipating "Bowling for Columbine", one segment takes aim at the NRA with the introduction of a new gun mascot, Pistol Pete, a costumed weapon, who is summarily tossed out of a Las Vegas gun show, NRA headquarters, and our nation's capitol. Moore also turns up the temperature on then-Texas Governor George W. Bush in a segment that pits the man who would be president against his brother Jeb to see which of their respective states, Texas or Florida, will prevail in the number of executions. For a brief and shining moment, the revolution was televised. At 30 minutes an episode, "The Awful Truth" remains swift (or Swiftian) satire. For fans, this two-disc set will complete the Moore manifesto, and give more ammunition to his critics. "--Donald Liebenson"
|
1204 |
Axe |
|
|
R |
1977 |
Image Entertainment |
Exploitation / Cult |
Axe
Theatrical: 1977
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Exploitation / Cult
Duration: 68
Rated: R
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: After terrorizing a convenience store salesgirl with tomatoes, three lowlifes on a crime spree hide out at an isolated farmhouse occupied only by teenage Lisa and her pathetically paralyzed grandpa. Bad move, guys, for while Lisa looks innocent enough, she's actually a ticking-time-bomb-of-psychotic-aggression who spends her days killing chickens, feeding raw eggs to her granddad, staring blankly into space, and hallucinating blood on a mirror. So when the three numbskulls add Lisa to their list of people to abuse, she promptly puts an end to their antisocial activities with the help of her two best friends, a straight-edge razor and her handy Axe. Bonus feature: Who shot the Reverend Sam and cut his girlfriend's tongue out? Was it religious fanatic Mose Cooper? Or that idiot Crazy Billy? Whoever it is will end up paying the ultimate price by frying in "The Electric Chair" (1972, 85 min.), written, produced, and directed by "Axe's" J.G. "Pat" Patterson (who also plays the creepy Cooper), which gleefully details a hot-seat execution; Trailers for this, under the titles "Axe, Lisa, Lisa" and "The Virgin Slaughter," plus trailers for Harry Novak's "Behind Locked Doors, Booby Trap, The Child, Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks, Kidnapped Coed, The Mad Butcher, The Toy Box" and "Toys are Not for Children;" Two Archival Short Subjects: "Don't be like Lisa!" Learn how to stay sane with 1952's "Mental Health: Keeping Mentally Fit," and sexy sword-swallower Maria Cortez in "We Still Don't Believe It; Gallery of Harry Novak Exploitation Art; Horrorama Radio-Spot Rarities."
- Lynne Bradley
- Jack Canon
- Don Cummins
- Ray Green
- David Hayman
|
1205 |
The Aztec Mummy Collection (Box Set) |
Rafael Portillo |
|
Unrated |
1957 |
Bci / Eclipse |
Horror: Classic |
The Aztec Mummy Collection (Box Set) Rafael Portillo
Theatrical: 1957
Studio: Bci / Eclipse
Genre: Horror: Classic
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: Spanish, English Subtitles: English
Summary: The AZTEC MUMMY COLLECTION presents a trio of vintage and campy Mexican horror films. In ATTACK OF THE AZTEC MUMMY (aka LA MOMIA AZTECA 1957) a scientist awakens an ancient mummy in an Aztec tomb. In CURSE OF THE AZTEC MUMMY (aka LA MALDICION DE LA MOMIA AZTECA 1957) an evil villain attempts to elude a mummy guarding a wealth of Aztec treasure. And in THE ROBOT VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY (aka LA MOMIA AZTECA CONTRA EL ROBOT HUMANO 1958) the villain returns to the scene of the crime with the help of a Frankenstein-esque robot.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: UNRATED UPC: 787364723492
- Ramón Gay
- Rosa Arenas
- Crox Alvarado
- Luis Aceves Castañeda
- Jorge Mondragón
|
1206 |
The Aztec Mummy Collection: Attack Of The Aztec Mummy |
Rafael Portillo |
Alfredo Salazar |
Unrated |
1957 |
Bci / Eclipse |
Action & Adventure |
The Aztec Mummy Collection: Attack Of The Aztec Mummy Rafael Portillo
Theatrical: 1957
Studio: Bci / Eclipse
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Alfredo Salazar
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: Spanish, English Subtitles: English
Summary: The AZTEC MUMMY COLLECTION presents a trio of vintage and campy Mexican horror films. In ATTACK OF THE AZTEC MUMMY (aka LA MOMIA AZTECA 1957) a scientist awakens an ancient mummy in an Aztec tomb. In CURSE OF THE AZTEC MUMMY (aka LA MALDICION DE LA MOMIA AZTECA 1957) an evil villain attempts to elude a mummy guarding a wealth of Aztec treasure. And in THE ROBOT VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY (aka LA MOMIA AZTECA CONTRA EL ROBOT HUMANO 1958) the villain returns to the scene of the crime with the help of a Frankenstein-esque robot.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: UNRATED UPC: 787364723492
- Ramón Gay
- Rosa Arenas
- Crox Alvarado
- Luis Aceves Castañeda
- Jorge Mondragón
- Enrique Wallace Cinematographer
- Jorge Bustos Editor
- José Li-ho Editor
|
1207 |
The Aztec Mummy Collection: Curse of the Aztec Mummy |
Rafael Portillo |
|
|
1957 |
|
Action & Adventure |
The Aztec Mummy Collection: Curse of the Aztec Mummy Rafael Portillo
Theatrical: 1957
Studio:
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 80
Rated:
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Summary: LA MOMIA AZTECA
|
1208 |
The Aztec Mummy Collection: The Robot Vs. The Aztec Mummy |
|
|
|
1959 |
CineVu, Inc. |
Action & Adventure |
The Aztec Mummy Collection: The Robot Vs. The Aztec Mummy
Theatrical: 1959
Studio: CineVu, Inc.
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 90
Rated:
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Sound: AC-3
Summary: If you are in the mood for a pretty good B movie with a little Mexican twist on the Frankenstein-Dracula- Werewolf theme than check this movie out. Actually it is pretty funny; I'm not exactly sure if it was intended to be funny(they can't be serious) but it is almost campy. Three of these Aztec Mummy movies were made in the fifties around the same time some real B classics were making their cinema debut in the United States. The movie has elements of the aforementioned movie scary guys but what makes this so different is the bit of Mexican history and folklore thrown in. The opening narration is too funnny; after giving a brief history lesson to the visuals of the pyramids of Tenochitlan the voice informs us that "the following movie is a combination of fact and fiction", uhh, I think the emphasis is on fiction. By todays standards of horror this movie is like Cinderella. The story is basic, a mad scientist, the evil Dr. Krupp, who happens to bare an uncanny resemblance to Orson Wells, is making mischief again by getting Popoca out of his crypt so he can steal the elusive treasure. His latest invention is part man and part machine, he's a goofy looking robot whose head appears to be a 5 gallon water jug sprayed silver and cut to reveal the human head; it's some scary stuff! Building to a climax after an hour the Aztec Mummy and the nameless Robot collide for one of the funniest duels in b movie history. It is some pretty corny stuff but you just gotta love the set designs and a script that is actually pretty good. The innocence of the old horror movies are worth the price of admission. The black and white movie is colorized on the package but not the movie itself. This version is dubbed and although I am not a fan of dubbed movies, this one is done well with hardly any distractive moving lips out of sync. I believe there was extra narration included because several times a dialogue is going on but we just hear the voice over. In any event it is a pretty good classic "scary movie" of the B variety. Recommended for B movie buffs and kids who want to laugh at the type of stuff people used to consider horror movies.
|
1209 |
Baadasssss! |
Mario Van Peebles |
|
R |
2003 |
Sony Pictures |
Blaxploitation & Martial Arts |
Baadasssss! Mario Van Peebles
Theatrical: 2003
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Blaxploitation & Martial Arts
Duration: 108
Rated: R
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: Spanish, French, Portuguese
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: "Baadasssss!" is actor-writer-director Mario Van Peebles's best film since 1991's "New Jack City"; more accurately, it is a mature and often dazzling work beyond previous expectations of Van Peebles' skills as a filmmaker. Certainly he was inspired by the autobiographical subject: The making of his father's 1971, independently produced "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song", in which young Mario made his acting debut amidst a frantic, high-pressure operation that paid off when African American audiences embraced the film. Playing his ownhard-nosed dad, Melvin Van Peebles, the younger talent explores--honestly, but not ruthlessly--Melvin's rocky relationship with an ever-disappointed Mario (played by "Holes"' Khleo Thomas), but he also portrays the elder man as a stubborn idealist against a backdrop of Hollywood cynicism about black entertainment. The film is a whirlwind of action and innovative scenes recreating personal history but without the insistent discursiveness of memory. With Nia Long, Ossie Davis, and Saul Rubinek. "--Tom Keogh"
- Joy Bryant
- T.K. Carter
- Terry Crews
- Ossie Davis
- David Alan Grier
|
1210 |
Baba Yaga |
Corrado Farina |
Corrado Farina, François de Lannurien, Guido Crepax |
Unrated |
1973 |
Blue Underground |
Horror: Giallo |
Baba Yaga Corrado Farina
Theatrical: 1973
Studio: Blue Underground
Genre: Horror: Giallo
Duration: 91
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Corrado Farina, François de Lannurien, Guido Crepax
Date Added: 31 Jan 2011
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Legendary sex symbol Carroll Baker (BABY DOLL, THE SWEET BODY OF DEBORAH) stars as a mysterious sorceress with an undying hunger for sensual ecstasy and unspeakable torture. But when she casts a spell over a beautiful young fashion photographer (the gorgeous Isabelle De Funés), Milan’s most luscious models are sucked into a nightmare world of lesbian seduction and shocking sadism. Are these carnal crimes the result of one woman’s forbidden fantasies or is this the depraved curse of the devil witch known as BABA YAGA? George Eastman (THE GRIM REAPER) co-stars in this provocative EuroShocker (also known as DEVIL WITCH and KISS ME KILL ME) written and directed by Corrado Farina and based on the notorious S&M comic Valentina by Guido Crepax. Blue Underground is now proud to present BABA YAGA restored from pristine vault materials and packed with eye-popping Extras, including never-before-seen erotic outtakes from the Italian Censors archives as well as the director’s own private collection.
- Carroll Baker
- George Eastman
- Isabelle De Funès
- Ely Galleani
- Daniela Balzaretti
- Aiace Parolin Cinematographer
- Giulio Berruti Editor
|
1211 |
Baby Doll |
Elia Kazan |
Tennessee Williams |
R |
1956 |
Warner Home Video |
Comedy |
Baby Doll Elia Kazan
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 114
Rated: R
Writer: Tennessee Williams
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: An earlier Elia Kazan film, the 1949 "Pinky", now seems dated because its "scandalous" subject, miscegenation, has become a social nonissue. If anything, the reputation of this legendary 1956 romp about a child bride in the Deep South has shifted the other way; the ripe image of Carol Baker as a mentally challenged nymphet who sucks her thumb as she lures grown men into her crib (an actual crib!) would probably be hounded off the screen today. When it was originally released the film won a "condemned" rating from the Catholic Legion of Decency, but it isn't as explicit as that might suggest. Current audiences are likely to be shocked not by what's actually shown, but by the mere fact that the movie is a comedy, in effect a sex farce, adapted by Tennessee Williams from a couple of his raunchier one-act plays. Karl Malden is the divine cream puff's sad-sack husband, who has agreed to keep hands off until she turns 19; Eli Wallach is a high-stepping rival in the cotton business who harbors no such scruples. "--David Chute"
- Karl Malden
- Carroll Baker
- Eli Wallach
- Mildred Dunnock
- Lonny Chapman
- Boris Kaufman Cinematographer
- Gene Milford Editor
|
1212 |
The Bad and the Beautiful |
Vincente Minnelli |
|
NR |
1952 |
Turner Home Ent |
Drama |
The Bad and the Beautiful Vincente Minnelli
Theatrical: 1952
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Drama
Duration: 119
Rated: NR
Date Added: 19 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Georgian, Chinese, Thai
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: In "The Bad and the Beautiful", Kirk Douglas plays a tyrannical, manipulative producer fallen on hard times. To get back on his feet, he asks for help from three Hollywood giants whose careers he helped launch--a director (Barry Sullivan), an actress (Lana Turner), and a writer (Dick Powell). Unfortunately, they all hate him. Flashbacks explain why. Douglas had been close to all three at different points in his career: He and the director started out together making B-movies, he gave the wayward actress her first starring role, he turned the novelist into a successful screenwriter. Then in one way or another he stabbed each of them in the back, though not always deliberately. The script has a lot of backstage clichés, but Vincente Minnelli's sharp, energetic direction, the gorgeous black-and-white cinematography, and the topnotch performances--particularly Douglas and Gloria Grahame, who won an Oscar for her sweet role as the writer's cheerful Southern wife--flesh out the clichés with cutting details and convincing bile. Caustic, starry-eyed, and slyly funny, "The Bad and the Beautiful" is a strange and skillful blend of "If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere" pluck and poisonous cynicism, one of the great movies about making movies. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Lana Turner
- Kirk Douglas
- Walter Pidgeon
- Dick Powell
- Barry Sullivan
|
1213 |
Bad Dreams |
Andrew Fleming |
|
R |
1988 |
Starz / Anchor Bay |
Horror |
Bad Dreams Andrew Fleming
Theatrical: 1988
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Genre: Horror
Duration: 84
Rated: R
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: From The Director Of THE CRAFT The Screenwriter Of DIE HARD & The Producer Of THE TERMINATOR In the mid-70s the members of the love cult Unity Fields sought the ultimate joining by dousing themselves with gasoline and committing mass suicide. A young girl blown clear of the fiery explosion was the only survivor. Thirteen years later Cynthia (Jennifer Rubin of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3) awakens from a coma inside a psychiatric hospital with only buried memories of that horrific day. But now her fellow patients are each being driven to their own violent suicides. Has the sect s hideously burned leader (Richard Lynch) returned to claim his final child or is something even more depraved lurking within her BAD DREAMS? Bruce Abbott (RE-ANIMATOR) Harris Yulin (SCARFACE) E.G. Daily (THE DEVIL S REJECTS) and Dean Cameron (SUMMER SCHOOL) co-star in this intense horror shocker directed by Andrew Fleming (THE CRAFT DICK) co-written by Steven de Souza (DIE HARD 48 HRS) and produced by Gale Anne Hurd (ARMAGEDDON T2). System Requirements:Running Time 84 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 013131309294 Manufacturer No: DV13092
- Jennifer Rubin
- Bruce Abbott
- Richard Lynch
- Dean Cameron
- Harris Yulin
|
1214 |
Bad Education |
Pedro Almodóvar |
Pedro Almodóvar |
R |
2004 |
Sony Pictures |
Art House & International |
Bad Education Pedro Almodóvar
Theatrical: 2004
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 106
Rated: R
Writer: Pedro Almodóvar
Date Added: 31 May 2010
Languages: Latin, Spanish Subtitles: English
Sound: AC-3
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Writer/director Pedro Almodóvar's dark, sexy Hitchcock homage is his best work since his Oscar-winning "All About My Mother", and deepened by a sun-dappled sadness. Handsome, enigmatic Ángel (Gael García Bernal) arrives at the Spanish movie offices of director Enrique Goded (Fele Martinez) and happily proclaims that he's actually Enrique's long-lost school chum Ignacio--an announcement that is both less than convincing and more than it seems. A novice actor, Ángel pitches a semi-autobiographical screenplay in which he's determined to star, a revenge-laden reflection of the doomed love he and Enrique shared as boys before a pedophile priest cruelly intervened. The script, and the lost days it recalls, carefully unfurls into a series of brooding movies-within-movies and memories-inside-memories, which allow the sensual, multiple-role-playing Bernal to give the performance of his young career--among other things, he makes a stunningly convincing drag queen--and Almodóvar the opportunity to movingly suggest that people will pay any price to ensure that their stories are told. "--Steve Wiecking"
- Gael García Bernal
- Fele Martínez
- Javier Cámara
- Daniel Giménez Cacho
- Lluís Homar
- José Luis Alcaine Cinematographer
- José Salcedo Editor
|
1215 |
Bad Girls of Film Noir 1 |
|
|
Unrated |
|
Sony Pictures |
Drama |
Bad Girls of Film Noir 1
Theatrical:
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Drama
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 01 Dec 2009
Summary:
|
1216 |
Bad Girls of Film Noir 2 |
|
|
Unrated |
|
Sony Pictures |
Drama |
Bad Girls of Film Noir 2
Theatrical:
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Drama
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 01 Dec 2009
Summary:
|
1217 |
Bad News Bears |
Richard Linklater |
|
PG-13 |
2005 |
Paramount |
Comedy: Contemporary |
Bad News Bears Richard Linklater
Theatrical: 2005
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Comedy: Contemporary
Duration: 113
Rated: PG-13
Date Added: 13 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: In a fitting follow-up to "Bad Santa" and "Friday Night Lights", Billy Bob Thornton makes the most of the remake trend in "Bad News Bears". He's just the right guy to inherit Walter Matthau's role from the original 1976 version about a lousy Little League team baseball team coached by a curmudgeonly drunk, and the original team of misfits has been updated (but not upgraded) to an ethnic mix that includes an Indian math whiz, a pair of Latino twins, and a paraplegic kid who doesn't play until the final championship game. It's a little sad to see a talented director like Richard Linklater doing an unnecessary remake, but his experience on "School of Rock" made him the obvious choice to mine comedy gold from the collision of Thornton and a batch of unruly, prepubescent kids (including Sammi Kraft, an all-star Little Leaguer in the role originated by Tatum O'Neal). With Marcia Gay Harden and Greg Kinnear in supporting roles, this isn't family fare (the potty-mouthed kids deservedly earned a PG-13 rating), but Thornton's easygoing presence makes it worthwhile for anyone who's not too attached to the original version. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Billy Bob Thornton
- Greg Kinnear
- Marcia Gay Harden
- Sammi Kane Kraft
- Ridge Canipe
|
1218 |
The Bad News Bears (1976) |
Michael Ritchie |
Bill Lancaster |
PG |
1976 |
Paramount |
Comedy: Classic |
The Bad News Bears (1976) Michael Ritchie
Theatrical: 1976
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Comedy: Classic
Duration: 102
Rated: PG
Writer: Bill Lancaster
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: This likable 1976 comedy gently skewers the whole post- "Rocky" mania for movies about losers who find their mettle or salvation or purpose in life in competitive sport. Walter Matthau stars as a drunk who becomes manager of a pathetic little-league baseball team. When he brings in a talented girl pitcher (Tatum O'Neal), the crew have an actual chance at winning some games and maybe a championship. But director Michael Ritchie ("Downhill Racer") undercuts the romance of it all with the team's foul-mouthed tendencies and Matthau's own decadent spin on mentor-coachdom. Similarly to Ritchie's wicked comedy "Smile" --which lampooned the fervor surrounding beauty pageants--"The Bad News Bears" pokes fun at another American institution. "--Tom Keogh"
- Walter Matthau
- Tatum O'Neal
- Chris Barnes
- Ben Piazza
- Vic Morrow
- John A. Alonzo Cinematographer
- Richard A. Harris Editor
|
1219 |
The Bad Seed |
Mervyn LeRoy |
|
NR |
1956 |
Warner Home Video |
Drama |
The Bad Seed Mervyn LeRoy
Theatrical: 1956
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Drama
Duration: 129
Rated: NR
Date Added: 08 Dec 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: "A basket full of kisses for a basket full of hugs." Those are chilling words, at least when uttered by that ice princess, Patty McCormack. As Rhoda Penmark, she is as pretty as a porcelain doll but drips venom with each curtsey and polite response. Little Rhoda's mother is terrified she has passed on her own mother's corruption. Oops, turns out she's right. This passes the test of time, as it still gets under your skin. The character development is tight and the story very involving. Not even Freddy Krueger had the ability to scare like tiny McCormack, looking just like a little adult while she literally beats out the competition for a penmanship award. However, director Mervyn LeRoy's hands were tied over the ending, which was changed from the source material--Maxwell Anderson's hit Broadway play. A supposedly more appropriate, and moral, ending was demanded by the studio. This was remade (badly) in 1985. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"
- Nancy Kelly
- Patty McCormack
- Henry Jones
- Eileen Heckart
- Evelyn Varden
|
1220 |
The Bad Sleep Well - Criterion Collection |
Akira Kurosawa |
Shinobu Hashimoto |
Unrated |
1963 |
Criterion |
Art House & International |
The Bad Sleep Well - Criterion Collection Akira Kurosawa
Theatrical: 1963
Studio: Criterion
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 135
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Shinobu Hashimoto
Date Added: 16 Jul 2009
Languages: Japanese Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: "The Bad Sleep Well" tells the story of corruption at the highest levels of Japanese business and its tragic consequences. Though flawed by a tedious introductory sequence and by an ending that seems out of sync with the story, it is a fascinating movie and the middle part is especially exciting. Japanese legend Toshiro Mifune plays Koichi Nishi, the seemingly stoic bridegroom who is trying to get ahead by marrying the boss's daughter, Kieko (Kyoko Kagawa), who was crippled as a girl. The bride's brother, in a shocking display, exposes the groom's motives during his wedding toast and threatens his new brother-in-law with death if he disappoints his sister. But Nishi is not who we think. He was born the illegitimate son of the man who Kieko's father, Iwabuchi (Maysayuki Mori), manipulated into suicide. Now Nishi wants revenge for his father's death. As Nishi slowly destroys Iwabuchi's life, he makes the fatal error of falling in love with his wife, who already loves him. Their unconsummated marriage stands between these two like a palpable pillar of stone. But just when we think the stone has been tossed aside by love, Iwabuchi finds out who his son-in-law really is. Shot in black and white, this film falls just short of being brilliant. Mifune is amazing in his portrayal of this complex man who lets his father's past destroy his own future, and Maysayuki Mori's performance as the evil Iwabuchi is understated but nonetheless chilling. "--Luanne Brown"
- Toshirô Mifune
- Masayuki Mori
- Kyôko Kagawa
- Tatsuya Mihashi
- Takashi Shimura
|
1221 |
Bad Timing - Criterion Collection |
Nicolas Roeg |
|
R |
1980 |
Criterion |
Neo Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Bad Timing - Criterion Collection Nicolas Roeg
Theatrical: 1980
Studio: Criterion
Genre: Neo Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 122
Rated: R
Date Added: 15 Oct 2008
Languages: Czech, English, French, German Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: A choppy, unsettling meditation on sexual obsession, Nicholas Roeg's "Bad Timing" stars Theresa Russell and Art Garfunkel as Milena and Alex, two lovers pursuing a torrid relationship in late-1970s Vienna. The movie opens with Milena being rushed to the hospital for an apparent suicide attempt. Alex, a psychology professor, proceeds to play it cool as he's questioned by Inspector Netusil (Harvey Keitel). As Milena fights for her life on the operating table, the story of how she and Alex came together is revealed in startlingly raw passages of lust and bursts of raw emotion. Roeg throws the narrative out of joint with flashbacks and jarring editing, skillfully turning this story of a love affair into a mystery. The scene in which Milena aggressively seduces Alex on a stairwell is a bravura, gutsy performance from Russell. What's even more startling is the odd casting of this film. After all, that "is" the bare backside of the guy who most famously provided harmonies on "Scarborough Fair." Roeg, clearly enamored with casting musicians in lead roles (David Bowie in "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and Mick Jagger in "Performance") also approaches the editing of the film as though it were music, with abrupt, discordant cuts and strange juxtapositions. The film--of a tradition of sexually frank films like Bertolucci's "Last Tango in Paris"--is yet another reminder of how deeply filmmakers of the '70s were willing to mine human emotions, especially unpleasant ones. "-- Ryan Boudinot"
- Art Garfunkel
- Theresa Russell
- Harvey Keitel
- Denholm Elliott
- Daniel Massey
|
1222 |
Ball of Fire |
Howard Hawks |
|
NR |
1941 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Cooper, Gary |
Ball of Fire Howard Hawks
Theatrical: 1941
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Cooper, Gary
Duration: 112
Rated: NR
Date Added: 12 Oct 2008
Summary: Offering a screwball twist on the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this delightful comedy has grown dated since its release in 1941, but that only adds to its everlasting charm. Written by the ace screenwriting team of Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett and directed by Howard Hawks, the movie presents a breezy case of opposites attracting when nightclub singer "Sugarpuss" O'Shea (Barbara Stanwyck) is recruited to teach jazzy slang to a group of culturally isolated professors. Gary Cooper plays Bertram Potts, the straight-laced scholar who's compiling slang for a new encyclopedia, and his equally stodgy colleagues are fascinated when Sugarpuss and "Pottsie" seem to be warming up for romance. Complications ensue when the savvy singer must distance herself from her mobster fiancé (Dana Andrews), and "Ball of Fire" takes a wacky turn when the klutzy intellectuals take on the mobster's henchmen. It's all a bit quaint by today's standards, but the movie's got a wealth of witty dialogue and sassy appeal, with Stanwyck leading the way in a role that's equal parts tough exterior and soft-hearted vulnerability. As a bonus, she performs a pair of rousing nightclub numbers (including a lively rendition of "Drum Boogie") with hopped-up drummer Gene Krupa and his orchestra. "Ball of Fire" was remade in 1948 as the Danny Kaye musical "A Song is Born". This one's a real treat for fans of vintage Hollywood comedies. Don't miss it! "--Jeff Shannon"
- Gary Cooper
- Barbara Stanwyck
- Oskar Homolka
- Henry Travers
- S.Z. Sakall
|
1223 |
The Ballad of Cable Hogue |
Nick Redman, Sam Peckinpah |
John Crawford |
R |
1970 |
Warner Home Video |
Comedy |
The Ballad of Cable Hogue Nick Redman, Sam Peckinpah
Theatrical: 1970
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 121
Rated: R
Writer: John Crawford
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: English Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: What does it tell us that Sam Peckinpah's most joyous and life-affirming movie is also his most underappreciated? "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" was made in that singular moment when, having just completed "The Wild Bunch", Peckinpah knew he was back in the game as a feature-film director; and before anyone (including Peckinpah himself?) had an inkling of how completely he was about to redefine the Western genre, contemporary American filmmaking, and his own personal legend. "Cable Hogue" is a splendiferous entertainment: a grufty Western tall tale, a lusty comedy, and also (in critic Kathleen Murphy's phrase) "a musical about the economic and emotional complexities of capitalism." Its title character--Jason Robards in a great, exuberant gift of a performance--is an ornery varmint left by two scurrilous partners (L.Q. Jones and Strother Martin) to die in the desert. Through pure cussedness and what may be dumb luck, may be divine intervention, he "finds water where it wasn't" and survives. Nothing to do now but settle back, let his waterhole--the only one on the stage line between Deaddog and Gila--make him a rich man, and await the day those two old partners drop by his waystation. Besides such Peckinpah regulars as Slim Pickens, R.G. Armstrong, and Gene Evans, the movie features Stella Stevens in her career-best role as Hildy, Hogue's best reason for getting into town now and again, and David Warner, an itinerant preacher and full-time lech who becomes his soulmate. Lucien Ballard photographed, and there's a charming song score (by Richard Gillis) whose neglect is as mystifying as that of the film. Above all, there is Sam Peckinpah exulting in the lyrical, heart-filling possibilities of making a motion picture, trying just about anything, and finding it beautiful. This film was his personal favorite. "--Richard T. Jameson"
- Jason Robards
- Stella Stevens
- David Warner
- Strother Martin
- Slim Pickens
|
1224 |
Bambi |
David Hand, Wilfred Jackson |
Melvin Shaw |
G |
1942 |
Walt Disney Home Entertainment |
Animation |
Bambi David Hand, Wilfred Jackson
Theatrical: 1942
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Genre: Animation
Duration: 70
Rated: G
Writer: Melvin Shaw
Date Added: 22 Feb 2009
Languages: English, Spanish, French Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby
Summary: It always comes up when people are comparing their most traumatic movie experiences: "the death of Bambi's mother," a recollection that can bring a shudder to even the most jaded filmgoer. That primal separation (which is no less stunning for happening off-screen) is the centerpiece of "Bambi", Walt Disney's 1942 animated classic, but it is by no means the only bold stroke in the film. In its swift but somehow leisurely 69 minutes, "Bambi" covers a year in the life of a young deer. But in a bigger way, it measures the life cycle itself, from birth to adulthood, from childhood's freedom to grown-up responsibility. All of this is rendered in cheeky, fleet-footed style--the movie doesn't lecture, or make you feel you're being fed something that's good for you. The animation is miraculous, a lush forest in which nature is a constantly unfolding miracle (even in a spectacular fire, or those dark moments when "man was in the forest"). There are probably easier animals to draw than a young deer, and the Disney animators set themselves a challenge with Bambi's wobbly glide across an ice-covered lake, his spindly legs akimbo; but the sequence is effortless and charming. If Bambi himself is just a bit dull--such is the fate of an Everydeer--his rabbit sidekick Thumper and a skunk named Flower more than make up for it. Many of the early Disney features have their share of lyrical moments and universal truths, but "Bambi" is so simple, so pure, it's almost transparent. You might borrow a phrase from Thumper and say it's downright twitterpated. "--Robert Horton"
- Hardie Albright
- Stan Alexander
- Bobette Audrey
- Peter Behn
- Thelma Boardman
|
1225 |
Bananas |
Woody Allen |
|
PG-13 |
1971 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Allen, Woody |
Bananas Woody Allen
Theatrical: 1971
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Allen, Woody
Duration: 82
Rated: PG-13
Date Added: 25 Jul 2009
Languages: English, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Summary: Woody Allen's second film as a director was a wild, unpredictable, and unlikely comedy about a product-tester named Fielding Mellish (Allen), who can't quite connect with the woman of his dreams (Louise Lasser, Allen's ex-wife). He accidentally winds up in South America as a freedom fighter for a guerrilla leader who looks like Castro. Once he assumes power, the new dictator quickly goes insane--which leaves Fielding in charge to negotiate with the U.S. The film is chockfull of wonderfully bizarre gags, such as the dreams Fielding recounts to his shrink about dueling crucified messiahs, vying for a parking place near Wall Street. Look for an unknown Sylvester Stallone in a tiny role--but watch this film for Allen's surprisingly physical (and always verbally dexterous) humor. "--Marshall Fine"
- Woody Allen
- Louise Lasser
- Howard Cosell
- Carlos Montalbán
|
1226 |
Bandolero! |
Andrew V. McLaglen |
|
Unrated |
1968 |
20th Century Fox |
Westerns: Classic |
Bandolero! Andrew V. McLaglen
Theatrical: 1968
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Westerns: Classic
Duration: 106
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Spanish, French Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: "Bandolero!" peaks early, with a long, immensely satisfying opening half-hour in which cowpoke James Stewart saves his bank-robber brother (Dean Martin) from the hangman's noose... by strolling into town and masquerading as the hangman. As the brothers depart into Mexico, with a comely hostage (Raquel Welch) in tow, the action becomes more conventional. It's handsomely shot on eye-filling locations by outdoorsy veteran Andrew V. McLaglen (clever Jerry Goldsmith score, too). George Kennedy plays the lovelorn sheriff in pursuit, leading his half-hearted posse through bandito territory. Credibility suffers with Raquel's fabulous hair, which weathers kidnapping and life on the dusty trail with an unlikely sheen. Stewart and Martin, meanwhile, are too casual to allow the already-relaxed story to build up any real heat. For Western fans, the opening should make it worthwhile, even if it eventually becomes apparent why this one isn't considered a classic. "--Robert Horton"
- James Stewart
- Dean Martin
- Raquel Welch
- George Kennedy
- Andrew Prine
|
1227 |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection (Box Set) |
|
|
NR |
1950 |
Warner Home Video |
Drama |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection (Box Set)
Theatrical: 1950
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Drama
Rated: NR
Date Added: 12 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: Classic film fans will find the "Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection" as delicious as any multi-course buffet. The films combines some better-known titles ("Executive Suite", "Annie Oakley") with some lesser-known gems ("My Reputation", "Jeopardy") as well as some cool vintage extras. Robert Wise directed "Executive Suite" (1954), a still-relevant portrait of cutthroat corporate shenanigans, starring Frederic March and William Holden (in a truly dazzling performance) as the sharks in the corner-office tank. Stanwyck plays an heiress with her trademark unflappability--and with possibly the steeliest business persona of them all. Extras include an enthusiastic commentary by "Wall Street" director Oliver Stone, as well as a vintage short and cartoon. "Annie Oakley" (1935), the oldest film in this collection, went a long way toward cementing Stanwyck's tough-talking (and yes, straight-shooting) persona. Stanwyck is brassy and bold, and mighty fearless as the Old West legend. There's a fair amount of humor, too, in the screenplay and deft direction of George Stevens. Extras include a vintage short and cartoon. Stanwyck stretches her acting wings in the soapy love story "My Reputation" (1946). It's hard to imagine the tough-dame Stanwyck worrying about anything so ephemeral as a reputation, but in this well-acted film, she's convincing as a young widow who cautiously tries to date again, only to set tongues wagging, and scandalizing even her own children. Extras include a great musical short featuring Jan Savitt and Band, and a vintage cartoon. Mervyn LeRoy directs a fabulous cast in the film noirish thiller/melodrama "East Side, West Side" (1949), involving a bored married couple, past infidelities, and murder. Ava Gardner's a standout as the "other woman" who comes between Stanwyck's Jessie and James Mason's Brandon. The cinematography is atmospheric and taut. Even the supporting cast dazzles in its own right--Cyd Charisse, William Frawley, William Conrad, and a winsome Nancy Davis (the future First Lady). Extras include a short film and a fun Tex Avery cartoon, "Counterfeit Cat." "To Please a Lady" (1950) may have one of the least appropriate film titles ever--it's a high-octane drama set around the world of early car racing, with a romance between Stanwyck and Clark Gable as the hook. But the film itself is a blast, especially for the well-shot, adrenaline-rush scenes of car racing, decades before the polish of NASCAR. Gable's a reckless driving champ and Stanwyck's the hard-nosed reporter who revs up his heart. Stanwyck's Regina catches racing fever: "It's like the Fourth of July and the heavyweight fight and the World Series all rolled into one." Amen, sister. "Jeopardy" (1953) appears as a "double feature" on one disc with "To Please a Lady". It's a fascinating psychological thriller that presages a whole genre of "ticking time-bomb" peril films, and also suggests a pivotal scene in "Sometimes a Great Notion". Stanwyck plays a happily married wife, vacationing in Mexico with her husband (Barry Sullivan), who becomes trapped in the surf--and as the tide comes in, his luck may run out. A frantic Stanwyck has to make scary choices if her husband--and she--is to survive. The extra on this disc is an audio-only radio interview with Stanwyck. --"A.T. Hurley"
- Barbara Stanwyck
- Ava Gardner
- James Mason
- Clark Gable
- Cyd Charisse
|
1228 |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: Annie Oakley |
George Stevens |
|
NR |
1935 |
Turner Home Ent |
Drama |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: Annie Oakley George Stevens
Theatrical: 1935
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Genre: Drama
Duration: 90
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French
Summary: Finally this Barbara Stanwyck classic is on DVD. I can get rid of my VHS tape.
Eventhough I'm a big Annie Oakley fan and know her story well, I truly enjoy this fictionalized account of her story. The scenery and costumes seem to be very authentic. It is a fun movie and highly recommended.
- Ernie S. Adams
- Margaret Armstrong
- Harry Bowen
- Andy Clyde
- Adeline Craig
- Roy Hunt Cinematographer
|
1229 |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: East Side, West Side |
|
|
NR |
1949 |
Warner Home Video |
Drama |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: East Side, West Side
Theatrical: 1949
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Drama
Duration: 108
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French
Summary: Jessie (Barbara Stanwyck) is the wife of Brandon Bourne (James Mason). Brandon had an affair with Isabel Lorrison (Ava Gardner) in the past, but she went to Europe and Jessie and Brandon reconciled. Jessie loves Brandon terribly, but when she hears that Isabel is back in town, she's afraid. Her fears are confirmed as Brandon and Isabel continue their relationship. Meanwhile, Mark Dwyer (Van Heflin), an agent for the government, falls in love with Jessie. Jessie likes Mark but only wants to be friends with him because she loves her husband, even though he cheats on her. One day, Isabel calls Jessie and tells her to come to her apartment. Jessie comes and they get into an argument. Jessie leaves with Mark and two hours later, Brandon goes to Isabel's apartment, finding her dead. Who killed her?
This typical melodrama is saved by its all-star cast and good performances from all stars, but Stanwyck and Gardner give the best performances by far. Gardner is excellent as the self-proclaimed "cheap" harlot who knows how to make a man want her and keep on wanting her and Stanwyck shines in her wronged-wife character. Incidentally, Gardner and Robert Taylor, Stanwyck's husband at the time, had just had an affair during the filming of "The Bribe". I detect a hint of art imitates life here, especially in the scene where Isabel and Jessie have their little talk in Isabel's apartment, perhaps the most powerful scene in the film.
Fans of Stanwyck or Gardner should like this movie, even though it's not the best of the former nor the latter. But it's rather enjoyable, somewhat predictable, and overall good.
- Mimi Aguglia
- Ernest Anderson
- Jean Andren
- Louis Austin
- Ferike Boros
- Charles Rosher Sr. Cinematographer
|
1230 |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: Executive Suite |
|
|
NR |
1954 |
Warner Home Video |
Drama |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: Executive Suite
Theatrical: 1954
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Drama
Duration: 104
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French
Summary: When Avery Bullard, President of the Tredway Corporation dies, it's discovered that he failed to name a successor. Now, it's up to the board to choose one. The result is a corporate power struggle. While some Board members politic for Loren Shaw, the skilled, if not slick, businessman. In the other corner, those in support of Don Walling duke it out. He's a talented engineer with a love for the corporation's product line. Based on a Cameron Hawley novel, this film the inspiration for a 1970's TV series.
- Fredric March
- William Holden
- Dean Jagger
- Nina Foch
|
1231 |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: My Reputation |
Curtis Bernhardt |
|
NR |
1946 |
Warner Home Video |
Drama |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: My Reputation Curtis Bernhardt
Theatrical: 1946
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Drama
Duration: 94
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English Subtitles: English, French
Summary: "My Reputation" is another one of those treasures that are not well known. The story line was very good and the acting was great too! Plus it was a Christmas movie--so how can you go wrong! Some of the topics covered were very serious--false accusations, an overbearing mother, empty nest syndrome and making the correct choices that are unselfish and not just for the thrill of today but mindful of future consequences of our actions. Barbara Stanwyck did it again--she can make you cry because she is so believable in her parts. Another one of her tear-jerkers is "Stella Dallas" which also deals with a mother making unselfish choices for the benefit of her child. Although "My Reputation" is a serious movie, and might not hold everyone's attention, there is nothing inapproriate for family viewing. (Don't be misled by her sultry pose on the cover--she plays a classy character.)
- Barbara Stanwyck
- George Brent
- Warner Anderson
- Lucile Watson
- John Ridgely
|
1232 |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: To Please A Lady / Jeopardy |
Clarence Brown, John Sturges |
|
NR |
1950 |
Warner Home Video |
Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery |
Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection: To Please A Lady / Jeopardy Clarence Brown, John Sturges
Theatrical: 1950
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Film Noir / Gangster / Mystery
Duration: 160
Rated: NR
Date Added: 31 Oct 2008
Languages: English, Spanish Subtitles: English, French
Summary: This is an excellent Barbara Stanwyck double bill on one disc. The first movie is MGM's TO PLEASE A LADY (1950)in which she's paired with Clark
Gable. It is essentially a star vehicle with Gable as usual dominating
the film with his screen presence. Here he plays a macho racing car driver
who gets some bad press from feminist reporter Stanwyck and the battle of the sexes begins. Of course after much ado they eventually end up in each
other's arms and it all comes to a very pleasing close.
A bit of a fluff of a movie really but Gable and Stanwyck - two great icons of the Golden Age strutting their stuff - make it watchable and it's all nicely handled by director Clarence Brown. Some good racing sequences in it too like dirt track events and at the Indianapolis 500 but good character actors such as Adolphe Menjou and Will Geer are wasted in small throwaway parts.
The real meat on this disc is the second feature - a marvellous little
thriller called JEOPARDY. Produced by MGM in 1952 this is a forgotten little gem that hasn't dated one iota. Stanwyck plays the wife of Barry Sullivan and mother to their young son Lee Aaker on vacation on a deserted and remote Mexican beach when suddenly
tragedy strikes. A dilapidated wooden pier collapses trapping Sullivan
under a fallen pylon and guess what? - yes, the tide is coming in. Unable
to free him Stanwyck sets off by car to find help and the only aid she
can muster comes from an unscrupulous escaped convict (Ralph Meeker)
who wants more from her than money or a change of clothes if she wants help. What should she do??
Meeker runs away with the picture! He gives a terrific performance! Once
he comes into the film you can't take your eyes off him. An actor in the
smouldering Brando style he surprisingly never made much of his career
in films. Although he gave splendid performances as the unsavoury, disgraced cavalry officer in the Mann/Stewart western classic NAKED SPUR
(1953) and as one of the doomed sacrifical french troopers in Stanley Kubrick's powerful World War 1 drama PATHS OF GLORY (1957) his only real claim to fame is as Mike Hammer in Mickey Spillane's KISS ME DEADLY in 1955. His performance in JEOPARDY should have done wonders for him but at best he had only a so-so career in films. He died in 1988.
Because of this release JEOPARDY can now take its rightful place as a classic noir. A memorable, taut and exciting thriller thanks to the tight direction by John Sturges, crisp Monochrome Cinematography by Victor Milner, excellent performances and an atmospheric score by Dimitri Tiomkin.
Extras, however, aren't up to much except for a radio version of JEOPARDY and
trailers for both movies.
This disc is also part of a Barbara Stanwyck box set celebrating her
centenary. Hard to believe that the lady would be a 100 years old if she was still around!
- Clark Gable
- Barbara Stanwyck
- Adolphe Menjou
- Will Geer
- Roland Winters
|
1233 |
Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy |
Roger Vadim |
Tudor Gates |
PG |
1968 |
Paramount |
Action & Adventure |
Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy Roger Vadim
Theatrical: 1968
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 98
Rated: PG
Writer: Tudor Gates
Date Added: 13 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Jane Fonda's memorable, zero-gravity striptease during the opening credits of this 1968 Roger Vadim movie is the closest the film comes to a liberated marriage of wit and sex. Based on a French comic strip, the story concerns the adventures of a 41st-century woman, who pretty much gets it on with whomever asks. The sci-fi sets were pretty interesting at the time, though they look rather anachronistic now. Appreciated today mostly as a camp classic, the movie is actually more trying than anything else. "--Tom Keogh"
- Jane Fonda
- John Phillip Law
- Anita Pallenberg
- Milo O'Shea
- Marcel Marceau
|
1234 |
The Barbarian (Warner Archive) |
Sam Wood |
|
NR |
|
Warner Brothers |
Drama |
The Barbarian (Warner Archive) Sam Wood
Theatrical:
Studio: Warner Brothers
Genre: Drama
Duration: 84
Rated: NR
Date Added: 28 Nov 2009
Summary: How perfectly charming: a Cairo guide named Jamil has returned Diana Standings (Myrna Loy) lost Pekinese. She doesnt know that Jamil stole the dog so he could get close to the beautiful tourist. Writing in her biography (co-written by James Kotsilibas-Davis), Loy recalled: Every womans dream of heaven in the twenties was to be carried off to an oasis by Valentino, Ramon Novarro or any reasonable facsimile. Well, thats just what happened to me in The Barbarian. Novarro plays the rakish Jamil, who traverses the desert dunes with captive Loy in tow in this exotic pre-Code romance made even more exotic by Loys famed sequence in the flower-strewn waters of an oasis bathing tub.
|
1235 |
The Barbarian And The Geisha |
John Huston |
|
Universal, suitable for all |
|
Twentieth Century Fox |
Action & Adventure |
The Barbarian And The Geisha John Huston
Theatrical:
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 100
Rated: Universal, suitable for all
Date Added: 25 May 2011
Summary:
|
1236 |
Barbary Coast |
William Wyler, Howard Hawks |
|
NR |
1935 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Action & Adventure |
Barbary Coast William Wyler, Howard Hawks
Theatrical: 1935
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 90
Rated: NR
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: Although ranked below Howard Hawks's best films (and his best are as best as movies get), this atmospheric melodrama set in lawless San Francisco in gold-rush days has always been warmly embraced by repertory audiences. Miriam Hopkins is top-billed as Mary Rutledge, newly arrived by ship in a picturesque fog, only to learn that the fiancé she came to join has been taken suddenly dead. In short order, demure Eastern girl Mary has transformed herself into Swan, toast of the Barbary Coast and mistress of its highest-rolling gambler: Edward G. Robinson doing a ringleted 19th-century variant of his trademark gangster role. Eventually Joel McCrea, as a prospector with scant luck but a poetic streak, completes the requisite romantic triangle as ordained by screenwriters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. Robinson was always a class act, and he brings a surprising, even moving, vulnerability to the role of a man with the power to have virtually anybody killed--but not to compel Swan to love him. The movie's other most memorable presence is Walter Brennan, stepping into character-actor stardom as a toothless wharf rat who tries--and hilariously fails--to live up to his own billing as "Old Atrocity." He'd have won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor if they gave such things in 1935. They started the following year and he was the first winner--for another Hawks picture, "Come and Get It". "--Richard T. Jameson"
- Miriam Hopkins
- Edward G. Robinson
- Joel McCrea
- Walter Brennan
- Frank Craven
|
1237 |
The Barefoot Contessa |
Joseph L. Mankiewicz |
|
NR |
1954 |
MGM (Video & DVD) |
Bogart, Humphrey |
The Barefoot Contessa Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Theatrical: 1954
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Genre: Bogart, Humphrey
Duration: 130
Rated: NR
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Languages: English, French Subtitles: Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Summary: A director turns a barefoot cabaret dancer into a star who suffers a tragic end. Genre: Feature Film-Drama Rating: NR Release Date: 30-JUL-2002 Media Type: DVD
- Humphrey Bogart
- Ava Gardner
- Edmond O'Brien
- Marius Goring
- Valentina Cortese
|
1238 |
Barefoot in the Park |
Gene Saks |
Neil Simon |
G |
1967 |
Paramount |
Classics |
Barefoot in the Park Gene Saks
Theatrical: 1967
Studio: Paramount
Genre: Classics
Duration: 106
Rated: G
Writer: Neil Simon
Date Added: 17 Jan 2009
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Devotees of Neil Simon's repartee, such as in his "Goodbye Girl" and "Brighton Beach Memoirs", will enjoy this earlier tale of domestic dispute between newlyweds. Corie (Jane Fonda) is the young housewife trying to keep life exciting while making a home for her and her husband, Paul (Robert Redford), on the fifth floor of a Greenwich Village walkup apartment. He's working hard at starting his career as lawyer; she's eager to be romantic and spontaneous; and the two have plenty to squabble about. The film suffers a bit from Corie's excessive perkiness and the odd lack of chemistry between the two actors. But those who find the dramatic conventions a bit stiff (some of the dialogue and action seems more suited for stage than screen) may still smile at the dated look (circa 1967) at home life. Mildred Natwick is superb as Corie's mother, and Charles Boyer milks his role as the elderly bohemian neighbor upstairs. "--Jenny Brown"
- Robert Redford
- Jane Fonda
- Charles Boyer
- Mildred Natwick
- Herb Edelman
- Joseph LaShelle Cinematographer
- William A. Lyon Editor
|
1239 |
Basket Case |
|
|
R |
1982 |
Image Entertainment |
Horror |
Basket Case
Theatrical: 1982
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Duration: 91
Rated: R
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: Here's a sick little movie for you--a creepy-funny shocker that's become a semi-cult classic since its release in 1982. It's a cheesy, low-budget horror flick about a small-town geek who arrives in New York City's Times Square carrying his mutant, telepathic twin brother in a big basket (hence the movie's title, get it?). They were once Siamese twins, and now they're seeking gory revenge against the doctors who surgically separated them against their will! Talk about brotherly love! The "normal" sibling has to keep his brother well- fed, and the basket-dweller's appetite runs the gamut from hamburgers to hookers. There's plenty of lowlife "meat" to be found in the seedy motel where the brothers live. Not exactly mainstream fare, as you might already have guessed, but director Frank Henenlotter handles the gruesomeness with resourceful ingenuity. The movie even gathered enough horror-buff momentum to spawn two lesser sequels in 1990 and 1992, which is all the proof you need to add this dubious trilogy to the gross-out hall of fame. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Chris Babson
- Ilze Balodis
- Beverly Bonner
- Diana Browne
- Kerry Buff
|
1240 |
Basket Case 2 / Basket Case 3 |
Frank Henenlotter |
Frank Henenlotter |
Suitable for 18 years and over |
|
Optimum Home Entertainment |
Comedy |
Basket Case 2 / Basket Case 3 Frank Henenlotter
Theatrical:
Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 171
Rated: Suitable for 18 years and over
Writer: Frank Henenlotter
Date Added: 12 Mar 2009
Summary: Basket case 2 is not as seriouse and as gory as the intense original. It takes a more humerouse veiw of the events. The leading characters show their lighter side as they are taken in by an elderly lady who looks after freaks. I found this quite a funny film with some very dark humour, its definately a one to want if your a fan of the original, but it is quite a short movie and that is its only downfall. I would definately buy it.
- Kevin Van Hentenryck
- Judy Grafe
- Annie Ross
- Heather Rattray
- Chad Brown
- Robert M. Baldwin Cinematographer
- Kevin Tent Editor
|
1241 |
The Basketball Fix |
Felix Feist |
|
Unrated |
|
Digiview Productions |
Mystery & Suspense |
The Basketball Fix Felix Feist
Theatrical:
Studio: Digiview Productions
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Duration: 66
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 13 Jun 2009
Summary: Lured by the temptaation of easy cash, promising 'hoops' prospect Johnny Long (Marshall Thompson) follows a path that leads to tragic consequences. This film, expertly directed by Felix Feist, documents events that seem commonplace today, but were scandalous at the time of the film's original release.
- John Ireland
- Marshall Thompson
- William Bishop
- Vanessa Brown
|
1242 |
Batman: The Complete 1943 Movie Serial Collection |
Lambert Hillyer |
|
Unrated |
1943 |
Sony Pictures |
Serials |
Batman: The Complete 1943 Movie Serial Collection Lambert Hillyer
Theatrical: 1943
Studio: Sony Pictures
Genre: Serials
Duration: 259
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Summary: Collection of Batman films from 1943. Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure Rating: UN Release Date: 2-MAY-2006 Media Type: DVD
- Lewis Wilson
- Douglas Croft
- J. Carrol Naish
- Shirley Patterson
- George Robotham
|
1243 |
Batman: The Movie (1966) |
Leslie H. Martinson |
Lorenzo Semple Jr. |
PG |
1966 |
20th Century Fox |
Action & Adventure: Classic |
Batman: The Movie (1966) Leslie H. Martinson
Theatrical: 1966
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Action & Adventure: Classic
Duration: 105
Rated: PG
Writer: Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Date Added: 09 May 2009
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Holy camp site, Batman! After a fabulously successful season on TV, the campy comic book adventure hit the big screen, complete with painful puns, outrageous supervillains, and fights punctuated with word balloons sporting such onomatopoeic syllables as "Pow!," "Thud!," and "Blammo!" Adam West's wooden Batman is the cowled vigilante alter ego of straight-arrow millionaire Bruce Wayne and Bruce Ward's Robin (a.k.a. Dick Grayson, Bruce's young collegiate protégé) his overeager sidekick in hot pants. Together they battle an unholy alliance of Gotham City's greatest criminals: the Joker (Cesar Romero, whooping up a storm), the Riddler (giggling Frank Gorshin), the Penguin (cackling Burgess Meredith), and the purr-fectly sexy Catwoman (Lee Meriwether slinking in a skin-tight black bodysuit). The criminals are, naturally, out to conquer the world, but with a little help from their unending supply of utility belt devices (bat shark repellent, anyone?), our dynamic duo thwarts their nefarious plans at every turn. Since the TV show ran under 30 minutes an episode (with commercials), the 105-minute film runs a little thin--a little camp goes a long way--but fans of the small-screen show will enjoy the spoofing tone throughout. Leslie H. Martinson directs Lorenzo Semple's screenplay like a big-budget TV episode minus the cliffhanger endings. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Adam West
- Burt Ward
- Lee Meriwether
- Cesar Romero
- Burgess Meredith
- Howard Schwartz Cinematographer
- Harry W. Gerstad Editor
|
1244 |
Battle Beneath the Earth/The Ultimate Warrior |
|
|
NR |
2008 |
Warner Home Video |
Science Fiction & Fantasy |
Battle Beneath the Earth/The Ultimate Warrior
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Duration: 185
Rated: NR
Date Added: 16 Oct 2008
Summary: I have waited for years Warner Brothers to release one of my favorite films, "The Ultimate Warrior" on DVD. The biggest reason? William Smith as Carrot. He is my favorite actor and he plays this villanious charcter to the hilt. Also this film was written and directed by Robert Clouse, who wrote and directed the popular "Enter The Dragon." Shame on Warner's for releasing "Warrior" with some other B movie. I won't buy it and maybe after getting another online petition together they might release it by itself with some nice extras. I won't hold my breath.
Shame on you Warner Brothers, you cheap skates!
- Battle Beneath Earth
- Ultimate Warrior
|
1245 |
Battle Beyond the Stars |
Jimmy T. Murakami |
|
PG |
1980 |
New Concorde |
Science Fiction & Fantasy |
Battle Beyond the Stars Jimmy T. Murakami
Theatrical: 1980
Studio: New Concorde
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Duration: 103
Rated: PG
Date Added: 18 Oct 2008
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Letterbox
Summary: Twenty-first-century science fiction fans accustomed to special-effects orgies like "The Matrix" may snigger at the quaint, "Flash Gordon"-like spaceships in "Battle Beyond the Stars". But executive producer Roger Corman's belated entry into the '70s sci-fi craze surpasses expectations with sharp performances and a witty script by John Sayles (his third for Corman, including 1978's "Piranha"). The story, lifted wholesale from Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" (1954), finds the dictator Sador (John Saxon) threatening the planet of Akira. Its pacifist inhabitants are no match for Sador's devastating weapon, the Stellar Converter, but young Shad (Richard Thomas) decides to fight back. Borrowing the ship of notorious mercenary Zed the Corsair, he recruits a band of mercenaries, each of whom has a personal reason to join the fight. Among them are a lizard-like humanoid (Morgan Woodward), an improbable space cowboy (George Peppard), a zaftig female warrior (Sybil Danning), and brooding killer-for-hire Gelt (Robert Vaughn, reprising his "Magnificent Seven" role). "Battle"'s final showdown is somewhat anticlimatic, but the surprisingly stellar cast (which includes Sam Jaffe and Darlanne Fluegel) and the indie spunk of Sayles' script, with its light meditations on death and honor, will charm newcomers and repeat audiences alike. New Concorde's digitally remastered DVD features commentary by Sayles and "Terminator 2" producer Gale Anne Hurd, "Battle"'s assistant production manager. Oh, and those spaceships? Designed by "Titanic" director James Cameron. Still laughing? "--Paul Gaita"
- Richard Thomas
- Robert Vaughn
- John Saxon
- George Peppard
- Darlanne Fluegel
|
1246 |
Battle Cry/Battleground (War Double Feature) |
|
|
NR |
|
Warner Home Video |
War: Classic |
Battle Cry/Battleground (War Double Feature)
Theatrical:
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: War: Classic
Duration: 266
Rated: NR
Date Added: 17 Oct 2008
Summary: Americans answer the nation's call to war in Battle Cry. Raoul Walsh (Objective Burma!) guides a Who's Who of 1950s stars in this salute to young Marines who went to war and the women they left behind. Highlights include boot-camp training and the invasion of Saipan. Surrounded G.I.s say "Nuts!" to surrender and dig in against the enemy and winter's wrath in Battleground Oscar winner for Best Story and Screenplay and for B&W Cinematography (1949). William A. Wellman (The Story of G.I. Joe) directs Van Johnson James Whitmore and more in a stirring tale of "the battered bastards of Bastogne."Running Time: 135 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/MILITARY & WAR UPC: 012569722811
|
1247 |
The Battle of Algiers - Criterion Collection |
Gillo Pontecorvo |
|
NR |
1967 |
Criterion |
Art House & International |
The Battle of Algiers - Criterion Collection Gillo Pontecorvo
Theatrical: 1967
Studio: Criterion
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 125
Rated: NR
Date Added: 27 Jul 2008
Languages: French, Arabic Subtitles: English
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Director Gillo Pontecorvo's 1966 movie "The Battle of Algiers" concerns the violent struggle in the late 1950s for Algerian independence from France, where the film was banned on its release for fear of creating civil disturbances. Certainly, the heady, insurrectionary mood of the film, enhanced by a relentlessly pulsating Ennio Morricone soundtrack, makes for an emotionally high temperature throughout. Decades later, the advent of the "war against terror" has only intensified the film's relevance. Shot in a gripping, quasi-documentary style, "The Battle of Algiers" uses a cast of untrained actors coupled with a stern voiceover. Initially, the film focuses on the conversion of young hoodlum Ali La Pointe (Brahim Haggiag) to F.L.N. (the Algerian Liberation Front). However, as a sequence of outrages and violent counter-terrorist measures ensue, it becomes clear that, as in Eisenstein's "October", it is the Revolution itself that is the true star of the film. Pontecorvo balances cinematic tension with grimly acute political insight. He also manages an evenhandedness in depicting the adversaries. He doesn't flinch from demonstrating the civilian consequences of the F.L.N.'s bombings, while Colonel Mathieu, the French office brought in to quell the nationalists, is played by Jean Martin as a determined, shrewd, and, in his own way, honorable man. However, the closing scenes of the movie--a welter of smoke, teeming street demonstrations, and the pealing white noise of ululations--leaves the viewer both intellectually and emotionally convinced of the rightfulness of the liberation struggle. This is surely among a handful of the finest movies ever made. "--David Stubbs"
- Brahim Hadjadj
- Jean Martin
- Yacef Saadi
- Samia Kerbash
- Ugo Paletti
|
1248 |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Box Set) |
Mario Bava |
|
Unrated |
1964 |
Starz / Anchor Bay |
Horror: Classic |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Box Set) Mario Bava
Theatrical: 1964
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Genre: Horror: Classic
Duration: 430
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Summary: Five of Mario Bava's best films are included in this box set, minus his forays into eroticism, like "Blood and Black Lace". Still, the lines between sexual pathos and violence blur in these selections that influenced not only other famed directors of Giallo, such as Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, but also spawned the American golden age in horror, led by directors such as John Carpenter. Three black and white films here exemplify Bava's trademark use of chiaroscuro mixed with suspense-building cinematography first developed in early horror classics like "Nosferatu" and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". In the Hitchcock-inspired "Evil Eye" (1963), tourist Nora Davis (Leticia Roman) witnesses a murder but can't convince police of the crime. "Kill Baby Kill!" (1966) is the prototype for all little girl-ghost films. Dr. Paul Eswai (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart) is recruited to solve the mystery of Villa Graps, where Baroness Graps (Giana Vivaldi) reanimates her dead daughter, Melissa, by killing innocent villagers. In "Black Sunday" (1960), the witch Princess Asa Vajda comes back from the dead to inhabit her look-alike, Katia, both played by Barbara Steele, the original femme fatale to which all brunette vamps, like Soledad Miranda ("Vampyros Lesbos") and Elvira, are indebted. In Technicolor, Bava's fantastically rainbow-lit films underpin the director's fascination with connections between our world and those imagined. "Black Sabbath" (1963) is a trilogy hosted by Boris Karloff, who also stars as a Russian vampire in its segment, "The Wurdalak." "The Telephone," and "The Drop of Water," in which a nurse, Helen Correy (Jacqueline Pierreux), steals a ring then fears that her dead medium patient seeks revenge, are acute studies of guilt and paranoia. The Viking saga, "Knives of the Avenger" (1966), like Bava's "Hercules in the Haunted World", spawned several sword and sorcery films, while protagonist Rurik's (Cameron Mitchell's) knife-throwing is indeed entertaining. Screened back to back, these films provide evidence of Bava's influence in the horror genre. Moreover, they reveal Bava's deep understanding of horror's many facets, whether sexually, psychologically, or physically based. "—Trinie Dalton"
- Letícia Román
- John Saxon
- Valentina Cortese
- Titti Tomaino
- Luigi Bonos
|
1249 |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Black Sabbath |
Mario Bava |
|
Unrated |
1964 |
Starz / Anchor Bay |
Art House & International |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Black Sabbath Mario Bava
Theatrical: 1964
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Genre: Art House & International
Duration: 86
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 16 Feb 2010
Summary: When American audiences first saw Mario Bava's 1963 horror trilogy, it wasn't the same film he had made in Italy. Finding it too terrifying for kids (imagine that!), AIP pictures trimmed it of violence and intensity, rescored it, and renamed it in order to cash in on the success of "Black Sunday". New tongue-in-cheek introductions with costar Boris Karloff were added, the segments were rearranged, and one segment was completely rewritten in the dubbing. It was a good film even in its butchered form, but the original Italian version is excellent. The correctly ordered stories begin with "The Telephone," a gripping, ornate thriller that anticipates Bava's later "giallo" horror classics such as "Blood and Black Lace". (In the American version, lesbian overtones were removed and the escaped criminal killer was turned into a vengeful ghost.) Karloff stars as a demonic, wild-haired patriarch in the eerie "The Wurdulak," a gorgeous vampire tale shot on misty, menacing sets. The masterpiece of the collection is "The Drop of Water," a chilling ghost story with shiver inducing imagery: the piercing dead eyes of the restless corpse will haunt you long after the film is over. Bava's original framing sequence ends with a playful tribute to the magic of moviemaking and storytelling, a sweet coda to remind us that it's only a movie. The print suffers slightly from wear and tear and water damage but the colors are sharp and vivid. It's a bit disconcerting to hear Karloff dubbed in Italian, but that's a small price to pay for seeing the film in its original, uncut form. The DVD also features an extensive gallery of production and promotional stills, biographies, and liner notes by Bava historian Tim Lucas. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Boris Karloff
- Michèle Mercier
- Jacqueline Pierreux
- Mark Damon
|
1250 |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Black Sunday |
|
|
NR |
|
Anchor Bay |
Action & Adventure |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Black Sunday
Theatrical:
Studio: Anchor Bay
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 87
Rated: NR
Date Added: 16 Feb 2010
Summary: Horror reigns supreme when hell's undead demons terrorize the planet! Italian director Mario Bava's first film is a masterpiece of black-and-white gothic horror steeped in rich atmosphere. Condemned witch Princess Asa (Barbara Steele) returns from the dead two centuries after her execution and wreaks vengeance on her executioners' descendents. Beware the Iron Maiden!
|
1251 |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Kill, Baby Kill |
|
|
|
|
|
Action & Adventure |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Kill, Baby Kill
Theatrical:
Studio:
Genre: Action & Adventure
Rated:
Date Added: 16 Feb 2010
Summary: Suicide victims in a small Transylvania village turn up with gold coins embedded in their hearts. The town hides in fear as they are haunted by the ghost of a seven-year-old witchcraft victim.
|
1252 |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Knives of the Avenger |
Mario Bava |
Giorgio Simonelli |
NR |
1968 |
Image Entertainment |
Action & Adventure |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: Knives of the Avenger Mario Bava
Theatrical: 1968
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 85
Rated: NR
Writer: Giorgio Simonelli
Date Added: 16 Feb 2010
Languages: Italian Subtitles: English
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Mario Bava's second and last Viking picture is a landlocked tale of treachery, ancient sin, and atonement for past wrongs. Cameron Mitchell stars as a coastal wanderer whose wicked gift for throwing knives saves a woman and her son from barbarian thugs. Falling for the beautiful woman, he becomes a sort of foster father and macho mentor to the boy. Think of "Shane" in leather tunics and iron helmets, with Italian beaches and inland forests standing in for the Scandinavian landscape. Mitchell makes a thoughtful action hero burdened by the sins of his past, but his reddish-blonde bleach job is about as convincing as the slipshod dubbing, and his odd gracelessness makes him more convincing as a brawler than a marksman. It's a handsome-looking film (would you expect less from former cinematographer Bava?) with a complicated legacy of war and murder and other unspeakable crimes at the core of the tale. Apart from the dark pasts of the main characters, however, there are few surprises, despite the efforts to give a mythical dimension to this story of revenge and redemption. The DVD features a lush, widescreen transfer but only the clumsy English-dubbed soundtrack, with a photo and poster gallery and a collection of Mario Bava trailers among the supplements. Extensive liner notes and a director biography are provided by Bava historian Tim Lucas. "--Sean Axmaker"
- Cameron Mitchell
- Fausto Tozzi
- Giacomo Rossi-Stuart
- Luciano Pollentin
- Amedeo Trilli
- Antonio Rinaldi Cinematographer
- Mario Bava Cinematographer
- Otello Colangeli Editor
|
1253 |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: The Girl Who Knew Too Much |
|
|
NR |
|
Anchor Bay |
Action & Adventure |
The Bava Collection, Volume 1: The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Theatrical:
Studio: Anchor Bay
Genre: Action & Adventure
Duration: 86
Rated: NR
Date Added: 16 Feb 2010
Languages: ENDlanguages--> Subtitles: English
Summary: American friends Nora (Leticia Roman) and Edith (Chana Coubert) are on vacation in Rome. But on their first night in Italy, Edith mysteriously dies -- and Nora witnesses a murder on the Piazza di Spagna. The only person who will take Nora seriously is a doctor (John Saxon), who tells her the killing she witnessed was committed 10 years ago by the Alphabet Murderer. Mario Bava directs this stylish homage to Alfred Hitchcock.
|
1254 |
The Bava Collection, Volume 2 |
Mario Bava |
|
R |
1972 |
Starz / Anchor Bay |
Horror: Classic |
The Bava Collection, Volume 2 Mario Bava
Theatrical: 1972
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Genre: Horror: Classic
Duration: 191
Rated: R
Date Added: 20 Oct 2008
Summary: Mario Bava was one of the most underrated filmmakers of the 20th century. So it's appropriate that the first volume of the "Mario Bava Collection" (or "Bava Box") was one of the best releases of the last year, and reintroduced us to classics of Bava's that had fallen out of view. The second volume just continues that tradition, with big chunks of classic, stylish horror.
"Baron Blood" begins the collection -- Baron Otto Van Kleist was a savage, depraved guy who liked to torture people for fun (think Vlad Tepes), until a witch's curse put him out of commission. Centuries later, his descendent Peter (Antonio Cantafora) returns to his family's gothic castle, and decides that he and visiting student Eva (Elke Sommer) will recite the incantation that will return "Baron Blood" to the world. Of course, he actually DOES return, and soon Peter, Eva and Peter's uncle are forced to battle his psychotic, deformed ancestor.
"Lisa and the Devil" is more or less what it sounds like, with our heroine Lisa (Elke Sommer) a tourist going through Italy. She encounters some freaky folklore involving a local painting of the Devil and the Dead -- and a man (Telly Savalas) who eerily resembles the painted Satan. When her travel group is invited by the man to stay at a spooky villa, Lisa becomes ensnared in a maze of nightmares and death.
Then we get something that ISN'T gothic horror -- "Roy Colt and Winchester Jack," a comedy-western. Failed outlaw Roy Colt (Brett Halsey) has decided to become a law-abiding sheriff -- until he learns of a treasure map to buried gold. Of course, he scurries after it -- but to get his hands on it, he'll have to beat out an Indian prostitute, a dynamiting Russian Reverand, and his old partner Winchester Jack (Charles Southwood).
Then it's "Four Times That Night," a colourful, campy take on Akira Kurosawa's"Rashomon." Suave Gianni (Brett Halsey) starts pursuing shy, chaste Tina (Daniela Giordano), until she agrees to date him. The night ends with his face scratched and her dress shredded -- at first glance, you'd think he just got too grabby, and she fought him off. But there are four different versions of what happened that night, and none of them agree...
Then it's back to gore and horror, with one of the very first slasher flicks. "Bay Of Blood" opens with the death of a countess and her murdering husband. After their demise, the area is crowded with real-estate agents, entomologists, secret heiresses and sex-mad teens looking for a place to party. Then, of course, they start dying off... and not just from one person.
Finally we get "Five Dolls For An August Moon," a remake of Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians": Wealthy industrialist George Stark (Teodoro Corrà) gathers a group of friends and associates on his private island, trying to get a new formula from chemist Fritz Farrell (William Berger). As the guests get tangled in sexual and business intrigues, someone starts murdering them...
Unlike many directors, Mario Bava didn't need massive budgets or CGI to create his brilliant movies -- just good actors and a haunting backdrop. Gothic castles with dungeons, misty forests, psychedelic islands and clubs, eerie villas, and the dangerous streets of Italy are all used here, and performances that range from brilliant (Steele) to merely good (Halsey).
In fact, Bava was such a brilliant director that he take a cliche or subpar movie (such as "Baron Blood"), and turn it into something unique and deep. He made use of misty lighting, eerie camerawork, exquisite use of light and shadow, gory deaths and odd symbolism. A few also splash in some psychedelic colour and sex. And he was usually able to work in an unexpected, sometimes shocking twist to each movie's ending.
"Mario Bava Collection Volume 2" is a collection of five excellent movies, ranging from brilliant to enjoyable. And it's a good demonstration of Bava's talents, and the kinds of movies he could undertake -- a treasure for horror buffs.
- Daniela Giordano
- Brett Halsey
- Dick Randall
- Valeria Sabel
- Michael Hinz
|
1255 |
A Bay of Blood (Blu-Ray) |
|
|
Suitable for 15 years and over |
|
Arrow Video |
Foreign Horror Films |
A Bay of Blood (Blu-Ray)
Theatrical:
Studio: Arrow Video
Genre: Foreign Horror Films
Rated: Suitable for 15 years and over
Date Added: 08 Jan 2011
Summary:
|
1256 |
Be Kind Rewind |
Michel Gondry |
|
PG-13 |
2008 |
New Line Home Video |
Comedy |
Be Kind Rewind Michel Gondry
Theatrical: 2008
Studio: New Line Home Video
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 102
Rated: PG-13
Date Added: 11 Sep 2009
Sound: Dolby
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: A daffy, adorable, and very funny celebration of DIY spirit, "Be Kind Rewind" stars Mos Def ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") as Mike, a clerk at a failing video store in a rundown New Jersey neighborhood. When his friend Jerry (Jack Black), who's been magnetized in a power station accident, wipes all of the videotapes blank, the two of them decide to recreate the movies themselves rather than face the store's owner (Danny Glover). The pure charm of "Be Kind Rewind" can't be captured in that spare plot synopsis. The blend of the movie's great cast (which also includes Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz of "American Son", and Sigourney Weaver) and pitch-perfect writing and direction from writer-director Michel Gondry (director of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", writer-director of "The Science of Sleep") culminates in a truly delightful movie--sweet without being saccharine, richly comic without irony or sarcasm (which, given the presence of Black, is surprising), sentimental without losing sight of the hard edges of life. Mos Def turns in a standout performance, deeply sympathetic without a moment of grandstanding. An absolutely winning film. "--Bret Fetzer"
- Jack Black
- Mos Def
- Danny Glover
- Mia Farrow
- Sigourney Weaver
- Ellen Kuras Cinematographer
|
1257 |
The Beach Girls and the Monster |
|
|
Unrated |
1965 |
Image Entertainment |
Horror |
The Beach Girls and the Monster
Theatrical: 1965
Studio: Image Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Duration: 70
Rated: Unrated
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: At California's Malibu Beach, you'll find everything: hot, hunky, sun-bronzed surfers; bikini-clad chicks stacked to Pasadena; rock n' rollers; beatniks; booze; beer and something else--a hideous reptilian monster with a hunger for bitchin' babes. Dance to the rockin' tunes "Monster in the Surf" and "More Than Wanting You." Chill to the ghastly monster as it stalks its prey. Thrill as the surf-studs ride the big ones in a drive-in '60s romp that will scare the yell out of you! Great fun.
- Clyde Adler
- Sue Casey
- Dale Davis (II)
- Elaine DuPont
- Walker Edmiston
|
1258 |
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms |
Eugène Lourié |
Robert Smith |
NR |
1953 |
Warner Home Video |
Horror |
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms Eugène Lourié
Theatrical: 1953
Studio: Warner Home Video
Genre: Horror
Duration: 80
Rated: NR
Writer: Robert Smith
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Languages: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Sound: Dolby Digital 1.0
Summary: A matinee programmer with lofty ambitions, "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" is best appreciated as a vintage showcase for the stop-motion animation of special-effects legend Ray Harryhausen. The hoary plot follows the cold-war formula that dominated science fiction movies of the 1950s: After an atomic bomb test in the northern polar ice cap, a gigantic dinosaur--the fictional "Rhedosaurus"--is awakened from eons of dormancy, plots an undersea course for the Eastern seaboard, and proceeds to wreak havoc on New York City, culminating in a showdown with military marksmen at the Coney Island amusement park. Stock footage and tissue-thin drama make this a by-the-numbers monster flick, further hampered by Eugene Lourie's lackluster direction and a wooden B-movie cast. And yet, Harryhausen's first independent effort retains its atomic-age fascination: "Beast" marked yet another technical milestone for Harryhausen's impeccable techniques, and its perpetual status as a sci-fi classic is duly acknowledged in the DVD bonus features, including a retrospective featurette and a latter-day reunion of Harryhausen and longtime friend Ray Bradbury, whose short story "The Fog Horn" served as this film's inspiration. "--Jeff Shannon"
- Paul Hubschmid
- Paula Raymond
- Cecil Kellaway
- Kenneth Tobey
- Donald Woods
|
1259 |
Beast From Haunted Cave |
Monte Hellman |
Charles B. Griffith |
Unrated |
1959 |
Synapse Films |
Cult Movies |
Beast From Haunted Cave Monte Hellman
Theatrical: 1959
Studio: Synapse Films
Genre: Cult Movies
Duration: 75
Rated: Unrated
Writer: Charles B. Griffith
Date Added: 14 Feb 2010
Picture Format: Widescreen
Summary: Beast from Haunted Cave is one of the few Roger Corman-protege pictures that actually comes off better than some of Corman's own films (try watching Creature from the Haunted Sea some time). The plot, though derivative, holds your interest, and the performances are for the most part competent and believable. A few of the dialogue scenes are surprisingly fresh and natural compared to typical low-budget efforts of the time. But what really gives this movie its reputation are the creepy atmosphere and gruesome shocks effected by director Monte Hellman in several `set-piece' sequences (the tree in the forest bit and all the monster's-cave scenes). No explanation is given for the bizarre, surreal `beast' and none is needed; it's just there to give you nightmares. Watch this with the lights off for old-fashioned drive-in horror show effect. Synapse's DVD, if not `loaded' is still a fine showcase for the film. The movie is presented in both anamorphic widescreen and full frame versions and features the "extended" version with additional scenes (shot by Hellman) that were added for TV airings. The print is in very nice shape with very good to excellent tonal values, sharpness, and shadow/highlight detail; and little evident wear or speckling. Extremely watchable and light-years from most of the other butchered versions available on tape and DVD. Extras are comprised of trailer, chapter stops, and liner notes only (a commentary by Hellman would've made this a five-star disc), but the set is well worth the money for fans of 50s/60s horror cheapies.
- Michael Forest
- Sheila Noonan
- Frank Wolff
- Richard Sinatra
- Wally Campo
- Andrew M. Costikyan Cinematographer
- Anthony Carras Editor
|
1260 |
Beast of Blood |
|
|
Unrated |
|
Alpha New Cinema |
Action & Adventure |
Beast of Blood
|