Muhammad Ali's 1974 knockout of George Foreman to regain the heavyweight championship of the world at the age of 32 was probably the greatest sporting moment of the 20th century. Leon Gast's documentary on the "Rumble In The Jungle", When We Were Kings, eventually released in 1996, is probably the finest ever boxing film. The background to the contest was almost as dramatic as the fight itself. It was the first major coup for promoter Don King, a character described in this film as "very clever but completely amoral"--yet this was his finest hour. President Mobutu, unsavoury dictator of Zaire and a more frightening figure than either boxer, had spent millions of his country's money to host the event. George Foreman, like Sonny Liston before him and Mike Tyson after him, was considered unbeatable, expected to slaughter Ali. Seeing him pounding a dent the size of a grapefruit into a heavy bag during training, you can understand why. Ringside American journalists George Plimpton and in particular Norman Mailer offer exceptionally shrewd insights. As we stare into Ali's face during the minute interval at the end of round one, Mailer talks us through his probable thought processes. "That was the only time I ever saw fear in his eyes." Ali, of course, is the star, besting the sullen Foreman in the build-up with his freewheeling, hilarious braggadocio then outfoxing him in the fight with his "rope-a-dope" technique. Like Ali, the "Rumble In The Jungle" transcended sports in its inspirational significance. --David Stubbs
A stirring example of courage and the indomitable human spirit, for many John Sturges' The Great Escape is both the definitive World War II drama and the nonpareil prison escape movie. Featuring an unequalled ensemble cast in a rivetingly authentic true-life scenario set to Elmer Bernstein's admirable music (who writes contrapuntal march themes these days?), this picture is both a template for subsequent action-adventure movies and one of the last glories of Golden Age Hollywood. Reunited with the director who made him a star in The Magnificent Seven Steve McQueen presents a career-defining performance as the laconic Hilts, the baseball-loving, motorbike-riding "Cooler King". The rest of the all-male Anglo-American cast--Dickie Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Garner, Charles Bronson, David McCallum, James Coburn and Gordon Jackson--make the most of their meaty roles (though you have to forgive Coburn his Australian accent). Closely based on Paul Brickhill's book, the various escape attempts, scrounging, forging and ferreting activities are authentically realised thanks also to the presence of technical advisor Wally Flood on set, one of the original tunnel-digging POWs. Sturges orchestrates the climactic mass break-out with total conviction, giving us both high action and very poignant human drama. Without trivialising the grim reality, The Great Escape thrillingly celebrates the heroism of men who never gave up the fight. On the DVD: The Great Escape World Cup Special Edition includes all the features of the two-disc special edition, plus a full-size St George's Cross England flag, a feature on England footballers' World Cup memories and World Cup-themed packaging. --Mark Walker
The original Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of the silver screen's most unforgettable characters and, along with the other Universal Classic Monsters, defined the Hollywood horror genre. The Creature from the Black Lagoon: Complete Legacy Collection includes all 3 films from the original legacy including the gripping classic and the sequels that followed. These landmark motion pictures perfectly blended Universal's classic monster heritage with the science-fiction explosion of the 1950s and continue to inspire remakes and adaptations that strengthen the legend of the Creature from the Black Lagoon to this day. Bonus Features: Back to the Black Lagoon Documentary 3 Feature Commentaries Production Photographs Theatrical Trailers
The all time classic tale of a massive escape from a World War Two German Prisoner of War camp released as a two disc DVD set with a host of extra features.
Billy Connolly has made the transition from comedy to straight dramatic roles with a great deal more success than most. In The Debt Collector he plays Nicky Dryden, a violent debt collector who has served 18 grim years in prison, only to have found rehabilitation on the outside as a successful sculptor and respectability in marriage to Francesca Annis. However, Keltie (Ken Stott) the policeman who originally arrested him is disgusted at this ex-con's social elevation and undertakes an obsessive campaign of stalking and harassment, refusing to allow him to bury his past. It is Keltie, in a sense, who is the true debt collector of the title--he doesn't believe Dryden either has or ever can repay society. Furthermore, Dryden is idolised by a young thug (Iain Robertson) who bases his psychotic lifestyle on Dryden's past exploits. Stott and Connolly make excellent, craggy adversaries, with the frustrated, embittered ex-cop cutting a menacing, though at times pathetic character, while Connolly's Dryden knows that his past, violent side is capable of erupting at any time. This gloomily compelling drama has moments of sickeningly concussive impact as it winds its way down to its tragic conclusion. Annette Crosbie as Keltie's vulnerable yet curiously strong Mother, turns in a fine supporting performance. --David Stubbs
Digitally restored and remastered Frank Capra's heart-warming masterpiece has been embraced as a cherished holiday tradition by families around the world! George Bailey (James Stewart) sets aside his dreams of world travel to run his father's small community bank, and protect the people of Bedford Falls from greedy businessman Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). When a costly mistake pushes George to the brink of despair, a visit from a kindly angel (Henry Travers) will show George how the life of one good man can change the world forever. Now you can watch the holiday classic like never before, newly remastered from the original fi lm negatives and more vibrant than ever in High Dynamic Range! DISC 1: 4K UHD FEATURE FILM Remastered Black & White Version DISC 2: BLU-RAY FEATURE FILM Remastered Black & White Version Special Features: Restoring a Beloved Classic in 4K Original Cast Party Home Movies and More! 4X the Resolution of Full HD, HDR (HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE) for More Detail, Brightness and Greater Contrast
A 1987 espionage thriller, The Whistle Blower stars Michael Caine as Frank Jones, a businessman and regular patriotic war veteran whose son Bob (Nigel Havers) is a Russian linguist who works at GCHQ. Bob begins to express doubts to his father about aspects of his work; days later, police report to Frank that his son has died in a fall. A verdict of accidental death is recorded. However, in the midst of his grief, Frank is puzzled by aspects of the death and decides to conduct his own investigation. In so doing he finds himself pitted against an utterly unscrupulous Secret Service prepared to stop at nothing, including murder, to cover up their operations. Set at the time when concerns about GCHQ were at their height and the Cold War had yet to thaw, many of the film's concerns seem, years subsequently, to be thankfully dated. Moreover, it's hard to believe that the bumbling British Secret Services would actually be capable of organising a convivial soiree in a brewery, let alone orchestrate the sort of skulduggery they perpetrate here. Still, with a cast that features all the usual British suspects (Sir John Gielgud, James Fox, Gordon Jackson) there's no doubting the pedigree of The Whistle Blower, which, despite its ostensibly uncomfortable message, actually makes for very agreeable comfort viewing. Michael Caine is especially fine as Michael Caine. --David Stubbs
Join bayleaf, sicknote, charisma and the rest of team as blue watch take to the streets in this pilot movie of the hit ITV Drama London's Burning
This is the story of Fanny Price, who emerges from this comedic maze of manners having discovered the rightness of of true love.
The third thrilling season of TV uberproducer Steven Bochco's NYPD Blue. Episodes Comprise: 1. E.R. 2. Torah! Torah! Torah! 3. One Big Happy Family 4. Heavin' Can Wait 5. Dirty Laundry 6. Curt Russell 7. Aging Bull 8. Cold Heaters 9. Sorry Wrong Suspect 10. The Blackboard Jungle 11. Burnin' Love 12. These Old Bones 13. A Tushful Of Dollars 14. The Nutty Confessor 15. Head Case 16. Girl Talk 17. Hollie And The Blowfish 18. We Was Robbed 19. Auntie Maimed 20. A Death I
Two For The Money (Dir. D. J. Caruso 2005): Academy Award winner Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey star in this adrenaline-charged thriller about the sexy high-stakes world of sports betting where fortunes can be made and lost with a flip of a coin. When Brandon Lang (McConaughey) becomes the protg of sports gambling's power player Walter Abrams (Pacino) he swiftly becomes the golden boy of the high-rolling world for consistently picking football winners. Now with millions on the line he finds himself in a deadly game of con-versus-con with his new mentor. Scent Of A Woman (Dir. Martin Brest 1992): Al Pacino won his first Best Actor Oscar for his brilliant portrayal of an overbearing blind retired Lieutenant Colonel who hires a young guardian (Chris O'Donnell) to assist him. It's a heart-wrenching and heartwarming tale of opposites attracting when they embark on a wild weekend trip that will change the lives of both men forever.
The original Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of the silver screen's most unforgettable characters and, along with the other Universal Classic Monsters, defined the Hollywood horror genre. The Creature from the Black Lagoon: Complete Legacy Collection includes all 3 films from the original legacy including the gripping classic and the sequels that followed. These landmark motion pictures perfectly blended Universal's classic monster heritage with the science-fiction explosion of the 1950s and continue to inspire remakes and adaptations that strengthen the legend of the Creature from the Black Lagoon to this day. Bonus Features: Back to the Black Lagoon Documentary 3 Feature Commentaries Production Photographs Theatrical Trailers
The mystical tale of a World War One veteran (Matt Damon) and championship golfer who returns to his sport with the aid of his caddy (Will Smith) who teaches him how to master any challenge in life.
Joe Kidd which concerns a land war in New Mexico at the turn of the century marks Clint Eastwood at the top of his form as a western hero. Filmed in 1971 Kidd brings together a veteran western Director John Sturges the classic backdrop of the High Sierras the top notch acting skills of Robert Duvall and the rugged Eastwood as a ""hired gun"" who takes action based on his own particular sense of justice. And like a very classic western it has gunfights conflicts and a slam-bang f
First there was an opportunity......then there was a betrayal.Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as much remains the same.Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home. They are waiting for him: Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Other old friends are waiting too: sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, friendship, love, longing, fear, regret, diamorphine, self-destruction and mortal danger, they are all lined up to welcome him, ready to join the dance.Click Images to Enlarge
The pulse and the rhythm of a glamorous resort are juxtaposed against the steamy haunts of the drug underworld in this groundbreaking action series. Two cops from different backgrounds - street - smart New Yorker 'Rico Tubbs' (Philip Michael Thomas) and stubble - faced southerner 'Sonny Crockett'(Don Johnson) team up to take on Miami's underworld. Special Features: The Vibe of Vice Building The Perfect Price The Music of Vice Miami After Vice
The Victim is a thriller told through the eyes of the plaintiff and the accused. Set within Scotland's unique legal system, the show asks: who is really 'the victim'? Kelly MacDonald plays Anna Dean, whose son was murdered fifteen years ago. She is accused of revealing his killer's new identity online and conspiring to have him murdered. Has the anger of a grieving mother turned her into a criminal? What is she capable of doing in her son's name? Hard working family man Craig Myers is viciously attacked, after being identified online as a notorious child murderer. Should Craig keep his head down or try to prove his innocence? Is he a convicted murderer, or simply the tragic victim of mistaken identity? The Victim follows the progress of a trial in Edinburgh's High Court, while also covering the events leading up to the legal proceedings and the criminal investigation, led by D.I. Steven Grover, who has his own reasons for wanting to crack the case. Craig and Anna are pitted against each other, but our sympathies will be divided. New potential suspects will be revealed and long buried secrets unearthed as the story builds to a final, devastating climax. Starring: Kelly MacDonald (Puzzle, Boardwalk Empire, The Child in Time), John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), James Harkness (Rogue One, Darkest Hour). Writer/Creator/Executive Producer: Rob Williams (The Man in the High Castle, Killing Eve, Chasing Shadows); Executive Producer: Sarah Brown (Oliver Twist, The Interceptor, Lark Rise to Candleford); Director: Niall MacCormick (The Long Walk to Finchley, Wallander, Complicit); Producer: Jenny Frayn (The A Word, Case Histories) Includes subtitles for the Hard Of Hearing
The complete eleventh season of the popular US drama following detectives including Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) as they police the streets of the Big Apple.
Tune in with the ˜King of Rock and Roll' with a curated collection of his finest movies. Includes performances of hit songs Wooden Heart , Shoppin Around , Little Egypt , Can't Help Falling In Love', Rock-A-Hula Baby , Bossa Nova Baby and Return To Sender . Lightweight fun and soundtracks to get you on your feet, there is no better gift for Elvis superfans. Collection Includes: G.I Blues Tulsa, a soldier with dreams of running his own nightclub, places a bet with his friend Dynamite that he can win the heart of an untouchable dancer...but when Dynamite is transferred, Tulsa must replace him in the bet. Blue Hawaii After arriving back in Hawaii from the Army, Chad Gates (Elvis Presley) defies his parents' wishes for him to work at the family business and instead goes to work as a tour guide at his girlfriend's agency. Girls! Girls! Girls! When he finds out his boss is retiring to Arizona, a sailor has to find a way to buy the Westwind, a boat that he and his father built. He is also caught between two women: insensitive club singer Robin and sweet Laurel. Roustabout After a singer loses his job at a coffee shop, he finds employment at a struggling carnival, but his attempted romance with a teenager leads to friction with her father. Fun in Acapulco A yacht owner's spoiled daughter gets Mike fired, but a boy helps him get a job as singer at Acapulco Hilton etc. He upsets the lifeguard by taking his girl and 3 daily work hours.
First there was an opportunity... then there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as much remains the same. Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home. They are waiting for him: Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Other old friends are waiting too: sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, friendship, love, longing, fear, regret, diamorphine, self-destruction and mortal danger, they are all lined up to welcome him, ready to join the dance. Special Features: 29 Deleted Scenes 20 Years in the Making: A Conversation with Danny Boyle and the Cast Commentary with Danny Boyle and John Hodge
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