Taxi Driver is the definitive cinematic portrait of loneliness and alienation manifested as violence. It is as if director Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader had tapped into precisely the same source of psychological inspiration ("I just knew I had to make this film", Scorsese would later say), combined with a perfectly timed post-Watergate expression of personal, political and societal anxiety. Robert De Niro, as the tortured, ex-Marine cab driver Travis Bickle, made movie history with his chilling performance as one of the most memorably intense and vividly realised characters ever committed to film. Bickle is a self-appointed vigilante who views his urban beat as an intolerable cesspool of blighted humanity. He plays guardian angel for a young prostitute (Jodie Foster), but not without violently devastating consequences. This masterpiece, which is not for all tastes, is sure to horrify some viewers, but few could deny the film's lasting power and importance. --Jeff Shannon
From world renowned animator Don Bluth and award winning composer Barry Manilow comes Han's Christian Andersen's Thumbelina - a magical story that reminds us if we follow our hearts nothing is impossible. When Thumbelina a tiny enchanted fairy meets Prince Cornelius she is sure she's found her heart's desire. But before their romance can blossom she is kidnapped by a family of showbusiness toads detained by a scheming beetle and married to a befuddled mole! The whole family
In for a Pennywise, in for another pound of blood-dripping flesh. You thrilled to IT, now chill to Art the maniacal clown of all your worst nightmares. Appearing initially in director Damien Leone's 2008 short THE 9th CIRCLE, then the 2011 award-winning short TERRIFIER, horrifying Art returns for his first full-length frightener. Here Leone delivers all the gore and much more in this slasher exploitation extravaganza that s both lip-smackingly disturbing and screamingly shocking. For Art is back on the silent prowl ready to terrorise three young women on Halloween night and anybody who stands in his dismembering way.
Following a case of mistaken identity dancer Jerry (Astaire) follows Dale (Rogers) the girl of his dreams to Europe and tries to win her heart through song and dance routines... This most lavish of musicals from Hollywood's golden era features lyrics and music by Irving Berlin.
One's a top dog bounty hunter; the other a two-bit hustler. Add to the mix a botched diamond heist a lost wallet with a winning lottery ticket and one thing becomes clear: it's 'All About The Benjamins'...
Join British superstar Gordon Ramsay, Italian stallion Gino D'Acampo and French master maitre d' Fred Sirieix as they take a road trip.
Heralded as the greatest film ever made on release, winning an Oscar in 1949 and topping the Sight & Sound film poll in 1952, De Sica s seminal work of Italian neorealism has had an impact on cinema worldwide from release to the present day, with filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray and Ken Loach claiming the film as a direct influence on their own. Bicycle Thieves tells the story of Antonio, a long unemployed man who finally finds employment putting up cinema posters for which he needs a bicycle. His wife pawns all the family linen to redeem the already pawned bicycle and for Antonio salvation has come, until the bicycle is stolen. Antonio and his son take to the streets in a desperate search to find the bicycle. Bicycle Thieves is as much about the position of Italians in post-War, post-Fascist Italy as the relationship between father and son, told through the labyrinth of the cinematic city with De Sica s arresting visual poetry. Defining neorealism, a small period of filmmaking that focused on simple, humanist stories, Bicycle Thieves was one of the most captivating and moving.
A classic auto-racing movie starring Steve McQueen, Le Mans puts the audience in the driver's seat for what is often called the most gruelling race in the world. McQueen plays the American driver, locked in an intense grudge match with his German counterpart during the 24-hour race through the French countryside even as he wrestles with the guilt over causing an accident that cost the life of a close friend. McQueen is his usual stoic magnetic self, and the racing sequences are among the best ever committed to film. A solid character-driven story combines with raw visceral power to make Le Mans a rich tapestry of action and thrills. --Robert Lane
The second feature film by cinema master Michelangelo Antonioni La signora senza camelie [The Lady Without Camelias] expanded the expressive palette of contemporary Italian movies demonstrating that a personal vision could take an explicitly poetic tack; that seriousness = neo-realism was perhaps already turning into something of a truism; and that Antonioni would answer to no-one but himself. It's the story of a shopclerk named Clara (played by the captivating Lucia Bos also of Antonioni's brilliant debut feature Cronaca di un amore) who finds a chance casting in a small movie role develop into a fullblown career as screen-siren. Tension erupts when her husband can no longer tolerate watching her frivolous cinema escapades and pushes her into a serious artistic production of the life of Joan of Arc... whereupon she is castigated by the critical establishment. A riveting 'behind-the-scenes' show-business drama La signora senza camelie explores themes that would haunt its director from L'avventura through La notte and The Passenger - the tenuous hold of an individual on her identity and the dangers inherent to performance in life and on-screen.
Three big egos, in an even bigger RV.
Heralded as the greatest film ever made on release winning an Oscar in 1949 and topping the Sight and Sound film poll in 1952 De Sica's seminal work of Italian neorealism has had an impact on cinema worldwide from release to the present day with filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray and Ken Loach claiming the film as a direct influence on their own. Bicycle Thieves tells the story of Antonio a long unemployed man who finally finds employment putting up cinema posters for which he needs a bicycle. His wife pawns all the family linen to redeem the already pawned bicycle and for Antonio salvation has come until the bicycle is stolen. Antonio and his son take to the streets in a desperate search to find the bicycle. Bicycle Thieves is as much about the position of Italians in post-War post-Fascist Italy as the relationship between father and son told through the labyrinth of the cinematic city with De Sica's arresting visual poetry. Defining neorealism a small period of filmmaking that focused on simple humanist stories Bicycle Thieves was one of the most captivating and moving. Arrow Academy presents Vittorio De Sica's masterpiece on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK. Special Features: Brand new restored high definition digital transfer of the film Newly translated and more complete optional English subtitles Feature length audio commentary by Italian Cinema expert Robert Gordon author of BFI Modern Classics 'Bicycle Thieves' 'Cesare Zavattini' a feature length documentary by director Carlo Lizzani on the great screenwriter novelist critic long time De Sica collaborator and founder of Italian neorealism 'Timeless Cinema' a documentary portrait of director actor and screenwriter Vittorio De Sica Original trailer advertising De Sica's films featuring Bicycle Thieves star Lamberto Maggiorani and Francesco Golisano presenting Miracle in Milan Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Samuel Webster Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Michael Brooke Cesare Zavattini's essay Some Ideas on the Cinema appreciation for Bicycle Thieves contemporary reviews and a note on the film by Vittorio De Sica from the original UK press book illustrated with original stills and lobby cards
The point of a good production of Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia is to have a Rosina and a Figaro who will knock your socks off in their respective arias, while holding back enough in all those crescendo ensembles in which the farce plot reaches its several culminations that the other stars get a chance to shine too. Cecilia Bartoli and Gino Quilico give full-blooded enough performances when on stage by themselves that self-effacement seems far from imminent, yet both are capable of less, and give it when it is needed. Of the others, David Kuebler is an attractively raffish Almaviva, while Robert Lloyd turns Basilio into a memorable cameo. Gabriele Ferro is one of the most intelligent of Rossini conductors--he understands the relationship between the pulse of the music and its dramatic function, and he is also outstanding in the delicacy of phrasing, even in climaxes, that ensures that every voice, every instrument, gets the moment of glory Rossini intended. Michael Hampe's solid reliable unfussy production keeps everything moving without drawing attention to itself. The DVD has subtitles in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, as well as trailers for other Arthaus Musik discs. --Roz Kaveney
The story of a young man who is bent on becoming the best hoodlum in the underworld society where favours are repaid in kind... or repaid in blood.
Thumbelina:From world renowned animator Don Bluth and award winning composer Barry Manilow comes Han's Christian Andersen's Thumbelina - a magical story that reminds us if we follow our hearts, nothing is impossible.When Thumbelina, a tiny enchanted fairy, meets Prince Cornelius, she is sure she's found her heart's desire. But before their romance can blossom, she is kidnapped by a family of showbusiness toads, detained by a scheming beetle and married to a befuddled mole! The whole family will cherish this much-loved and magical tale.Anastasia:The lost Russian Princess Anastasia and her incredible quest to find her true identity. When the shadow of revolution falls across Russia, Anastasia, the royal family's youngest daughter, barely escapes with her life. Years later, joined by a band of heroic companions, Anastasia must battle the evil Rasputin, his sidekick Bartok the bat and a host of ghostly minions in a headlong race to reach Paris, reclaim her rightful destiny.... and solve the greatest mystery of the 20th century!Troll In Central Park:Stanley is a kindhearted, popular troll who can create flowers with a mere touch. When Gnorga, the mean-spirited Queen of the Kingdom of Trolls discovers Stanley's secret, however, she banishes him to a faraway place where she assumes nothing green can grow - New York City! Taking refuge in Central Park, Starnley befriends two young children, Gus and his baby sister Rosie. The three share wonderful adventures until Gnorga decides to let her mischief-making magic loose in the Big Apple.
The recipient of much international acclaim Vittorio de Sica's Italian Neorealist masterwork Ladri Di Biciclette (US title: The Bicycle Thief) finally makes its way to DVD. After nearly two years of unemployment Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani) finally finds work posting bills. But he needs a bicycle to do the job. Unfortunately he was forced to pawn his own bicycle long ago. In a humbling tragic scene Antonio exchanges his family's linen for his bicycle. But when the bike is stolen on his first day of work he must comb the streets of Rome in search of the bike: his family's only means to survival. Shot on location in Rome and using non-actors as a means of heightening the reality of the film Ladri Di Biciclette received the Honorary Award for Best Foreign Film at the 1950 Oscars.
One way to use the DVD format for opera is to provide a video format with a clear picture and sumptuous sound and let a good performance speak more or less for itself. Severini's La Boheme comes with a minimum of trimmings--subtitles in English, French and German; even a short account of the performance history is relegated to text in a booklet. The live performance has real theatrical presence, even to the extent that, at times, the vocal and orchestral subtleties get lost in wild applause. Pavarotti's Rodolfo was, in 1988, as plangently lyrical as ever and Freni's care-worn Mimi is a deeply touching and musical performance; Pacetti is a beefy full-blooded no-nonsense Musetta--the waltz song and ensuing duet with Marcello is for once the Broadway show-stopper it ought to be. Of the supporting roles, though, perhaps the most moving is Ghiaurov's Colline--his farewell to his old coat is a short passage of deep pathos which he has rarely sung as well as he does here. --Roz Kaveney
The recipient of much international acclaim Vittorio de Sica's Italian Neorealist masterwork Ladri Di Biciclette (US title: The Bicycle Thief) finally makes its way to DVD. After nearly two years of unemployment Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani) finally finds work posting bills. But he needs a bicycle to do the job. Unfortunately he was forced to pawn his own bicycle long ago. In a humbling tragic scene Antonio exchanges his family's linen for his bicycl
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