One of the most artistically significant and controversial motion pictures ever made D. W. Griffith's silent epic The Birth of a Nation was a massive commercial success at the time of its release owing to its dynamic storytelling and its breakthrough developments in cinema language that have become common traits of practically every film that has since followed. However the picture's legacy is one that continues to elicit outrage over its vulgar depictions of African-Americans and its deceptive historiography of the United States in the second half of the nineteenth century. The Birth of a Nation begins depicting the amiable relationship between two families Northern and Southern and the way in which the impending Civil War intensifies the conflict of their worldviews. Following the end of the war and the assassination of President Lincoln a lawless chaos courses throughout the Reconstruction South and the Ku Klux Klan is formed to take on a rising black militia and impose a vengeful vigilante justice across their land and birthright. It's a film that's deeply divisive even to the senses of a single viewer: images of painterly beauty in composition and tonal quality often exhibit a contemptuous inflammatory coarseness with regard to subject matter; just as frequently long tracts evince an innocent terrifically lyrical grandeur. Griffith would attempt to make amends for the moral schism of this schizophrenic epic in his next film Intolerance but The Birth of a Nation cannot - and should not - remain unseen or undiscussed: it is a great and terrible masterpiece. The Masters of Cinema Series releases Griffith's three-hour epic including a series of the director's Civil War shorts for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK. Special Features: New 1080p presentation (on the Blu-ray) of the film from archival 35mm elements in its original aspect ratio Music by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra in 2.0 stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Short archival introductions to the film by D. W. Griffith and Walter Huston Newly rediscovered original intermission sequence and 1930 re-release title sequence Seven Civil War shorts directed by Griffith: In the Border States (1910); The House with Closed Shutters (1910); The Fugitive (1910); His Trust (1910); His Trust Fulfilled (1910); Swords and Hearts (1911); and The Battle (1911). A lengthy booklet with writing about the film rare archival imagery and more.
Keith Barron Gaynor Faye and Nicola Stephenson star in this compelling drama written by Gaynor's renowned script-writing mother Kay Mellor (Playing the Field Between the Sheets) The Chase follows the lives and loves of a family of vets in a struggling Yorkshire practice as they cope with new wives and babies money worries and shocking secrets. George Williams (Keith Barron) heads the practice with his daughter Anna (Gaynor Faye) and her husband Tom (Nicholas Gleaves). George's second daughter Sarah (Nicola Stephenson) lives in London where she moved following the death of her mother - and the discovery of Tom in a compromising situation with one of the surgery nurses Fiona (Heather Peace). But George has found a new wife Claudie (Michelle Holmes). At his wedding reception he announces his retirement leaving an eight-month pregnant Anna with a struggling business an estranged sister one vet down one vet defecting to the local opposition and a list of operations as long as her arm. It's enough to send a woman into labour!
Starring Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, Sally Field and Jerry Reed, Smokey and the Bandit delivers outrageous laughs in one of the biggest box-office hits of all time. Bandit (Reynolds), a fun-loving, fast-talking trucker, takes on his craziest haul yet - delivering 400 cases of beer from Texarkana to Atlanta in just 28 hours. With Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Gleason) hot on his trail and eager to teach him some respect for the law, the Bandit joins forces with good ol' boy, Cledus (Reed) and runaway bride Carrie (Field). Gear up for huge laughs, pedal-to-the-metal action, and some of the wildest car crashes ever filmed! Bonus Features Loaded Up and Truckin': Making Smokey And The Bandit Snowman, What's Your 20?: The Smokey And The Bandit CB Tutorial 100 Years of Universal: The '70s 100 Years of Universal: The Lot Theatrical Trailer
Epic colonial drama starring two-time BAFTA winner Julie Walters. Set in the foothills of the Himalayas, the 10-part saga tells the story of the decline of the British Empire and the birth of modern India, from both sides of the experience. The story is set in Shimla, where during the hottest months of the year a growing community of British elite are posted to govern. Cynthia Coffin, widower and hub for gossip among the Brits, prepares the exclusive British Royal Club for their arrival. In the summer of 1932, India is steaming with tension as locals call for independence but powerful Brits continue as if nothing has changed. The fate of the two sides becomes progressively tangled as the tale of love, betrayal and independence unfolds.
The mystery. The suspense. The adventure. The call... that started it all. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is the heart-warming family classic from director Steven Spielberg. Rediscover one of the most popular and beloved movies of all time in this special edition which features never-before-seen footage enhanced visual effects and a remastered soundtrack. When an alien (E.T.) is inadvertently left behind on earth he finds refuge with youngster Elliot (Henry Thomas). As Elliot and E.T. bond as friends it soon becomes clear that E.T. must find his way home before government officials capture him for study. Together E.T. Elliot and Elliot's family and friends help reunite E.T. with his spaceship. The movie was something of an Oscar-night sensation. Nominated for 9 awards E.T. received 4 trophies: Best Sound Effects (Charles L. Campbell Ben Burtt); Best Visual Effects (Carlo Rambaldi Dennis Muren Kenneth Smith); Best Music (John Williams); and Best Sound (Robert Knudson Robert Glass Don Digirolamo Gene S. Cantamessa)
After Wyatt Earp's (Henry Fonda) brother James is murdered by cattle rustlers, the frontier legend becomes Tombstone's marshal and sets out to avenge the younger man's death. Torn between his badge and his fury, Earp confronts the likely killers, the notorious lawless family of Old Man Clanton (Walter Brennan), setting the for the famed shootout at the O.K. Corral. Along the way, Earp falls in love with a schoolteacher named Clementine (Cathy Downs) which also pits him against the cantankerous Doc Holiday...
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, and special guest Joely Richardson star in the thrilling final season of The Tudors, the epic drama about the life, loves, and lusts of England's most notorious King. King Henry VIII marries his fifth wife, seventeen-year-old Catherine Howard, a mischievous beauty who ignites the passion of both the King and his chamber groom, setting up a deadly love triangle. Spun into a midlife crisis, Henry remarries and embarks on a war with France to capture B...
Claude Rains delivers a remarkable performance in his screen debut as a mysterious doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible. Based on H.G. Wells classic novel it not only fuelled a host of sequels but features some special effects that are still imitated today.
With the etching onto glass of a single word - MABUSE - Berlin reawakens into a nightmare. Fritz Lang's electrifying Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (The Testament of Dr. Mabuse) is the astonishing second instalment in the German master's legendary Mabuse series, a film that puts image and sound into an hypnotic arrangement unlike anything seen or heard in the cinema before - or since.It's been eleven years since the downfall of arch-criminal and master-of-disguise Dr. Mabuse (Rudolf Klein-Rogge), now sequestered in an asylum under the watchful eye of one Professor Baum (Oskar Beregi). Mabuse exists in a state of catatonic graphomania, his only action the irrepressible scribbling of blueprints that would realise a seemingly theoretical Empire of Crime. But when a series of violent events courses through the city, police and populace alike start asking themselves with increasing panic: Who is behind all this?! The answer borders on the realm of the impossible...
In the 1970s the crime film flourished in Italy as the country went through years of political and social unrest, the so-called Years of Lead'. Italian movie producers would capitalise on these times by producing cheap, violent movies about the country's organised crime and corruption, establishing the genre of the poliziotteschi. One of the most celebrated poliziottesco directors was Fernando Di Leo, a director as concerned with telling entertaining stories as he was with creating socially relevant backdrops. In Di Leo's The Boss, Henry Silva plays mob enforcer Nick Lanzetta, who assassinates key members of a rival gang in order to put his boss in a position to seize power. However, one surviving member of the gang, Cocchi (Pier Paolo Capponi, The Cat o' Nine Tails) plots his revenge involving corrupt cop Torri (Gianni Garko, If You Meet Sartana Pray For Your Death), leading to a bloody series of double-crosses and power plays to find who will ultimately become the boss. Product FeaturesLIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:2020 4K restoration of the original negative, presented in the original Italian version and the shorter English export cut, on Blu-ray for the first time in the UKUncompressed mono PCM audioAudio commentary by critic Rachael NisbetNew interview with Fernando Di Leo biographer Davide PuliciArchival documentary Mafia Stories featuring stars Gianni Garko, Pier Paolo Capponi, producer Armando Novelli and director Fernando Di Leo among others (24 mins)Original trailerImage galleryReversible sleeve featuring artwork based on original postersNew and improved English subtitle translationLimited edition booklet with new writing by Italian crime expert and scholar Giulio Olesen and an archival interview with Di LeoLimited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with limited edition booklet and reversible sleeve
Drama about birth of Coronation Street.
To the disappointment of his wife Carol Ray decides to spend a relaxing week at home and soon gets into trouble with his neighbours - a hefty busybody a freaked-out ex-soldier and a spacey teenager - as they observe the strange happenings next door at the Klopek's bizarre residence. When the neighborhood grouch suddenly disappears the men are convinced the ramshackle house hides some hideous clues. Armed with assault rifles high-powered binoculars and a shovel they decide to see for themselves exactly what is going on in the Klopek place... Tom Hanks portrays suburbanite Ray Peterson whose plans for a peaceful vacation are disturbed by a creepy new family on the block in this outrageous suspense-comedy directed by Joe Dante. Set in an average neighborhood that is anything but average The Burbs blends slapstick comedy and spine-tingling mystery with the type of witty humour that has made Tom Hanks a star.
In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by v enturing into the magical realm. Based on Neil Gaiman's fantasy graphic novel.
From director Zack Snyder (Man of Steel) comes Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, starring Oscar winner Ben Affleck (Argo) as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) as Superman/Clark Kent in the characters' first big-screen pairing. Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City's own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis's most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it's ever known before. Number of Discs: 2 The Battle Intensifies in the Ultimate Edition In this no-holds-barred Ultimate Edition, with 30 minutes of additional footage not seen in cinemas, titans of justice Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Superman/ Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) face off in the most anticipated showdown of our time. But while Gotham City's formidable vigilante takes on Metropolis' revered saviour, the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs... and a new danger arises to threaten all of humanity. Includes over 2 hours of extras Extra Content: Uniting the World's Finest - Glimpse the future of DC's bold new cinematic superheroes Gods and Men: A Meeting of Giants - Become a witness to history as you discover how everything in Batman and Superman's pasts have been leading up to this ultimate, epic showdown The Warrior, The Myth, The Wonder - Explore the origin, evolution and powerful impact on popular culture by the legendary Amazonian Wonder Woman Accelerating Design: The New Batmobile - Batman's newest ride is sleek, tough, loud, and fast as hell. Host Sal Masekela goes under the hood of the celebrated vehicle, then puts rubber to the road Superman: Complexity & Truth - Experience the transformation as Henry Cavill goes from earnest journalist in glasses and tweeds to a powerful godlike being in a streamlined caped costume Batman: Austerity & Rage - From cape to cowl and from rugged body armor to carefully-tailored suits, Batman's outer gear perfectly camouflages and expresses the fury that simmers within Wonder Woman: Grace & Power - From her gladiator-influenced costume to her shield and sword, she is the mortal incarnation of a warrior goddess Batcave: Legacy of the Lair - Nature and technology exist side by side in Batman's breath-taking and modernistic subterranean digs The Might and the Power of a Punch - A dynamic and illustrative look at the power, physics and fascinating details that make the battle between Batman and Superman so formidable The Empire of Luthor - Dive deeper into the inception of an entirely new interpretation of Lex Luthor, including an examination of his storied history in the comics Save the Bats - Learn how the cast and crew gave back to the environment and brought awareness to a very real ecological problem Language: English Subtitles: English, Arabic, Bulgarian, Spanish, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Swedish, Turkish
Focusing on the character that started creator Geoff Johns' career in comic books, the new DC drama series, STARGIRL follows high school sophomore Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) as she inspires an unlikely group of young heroes to take up the legacy of a long-lost superhero team The Justice Society of America and stop the villains of the past.
One of the most iconic, and influential, movies ever made, Sergio Leone's monumental epic comes to 4K Ultra HD. This edition includes both HDR-10 and Dolby Vision, restored from the original camera negative by Paramount's archive team, L'imaggine Ritrovata and The Film Foundation, and personally scrutinized and signed off on by Martin Scorsese. Set in the dying days of the Old West, a struggle to control water in a dusty desert town embroils three hard-bitten gunmen in an epic clash of greed, honor, and revenge. Includes a poster, six art cards, a collectible Morton train sign and a vintage fold out photograph of the rail road.
Laurence Olivier and Elisabeth Bergner star in this enchanting and highly acclaimed adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic comedy. Rosalind (Elisabeth Bergner) the daughter of an exiled Duke falls in love with Orlando (Laurence Olivier) the son of one of her father's courtiers. When Orlando continues to ignore her Rosalind decides the best way to be at his side is by disguising herself as a boy. Her deception works too well as Orlando would rather be in the boy's company than hers! How Rosalind works out her predicament is all part of the fun and farce. Filmed in England in 1936 when Olivier was still considered a 'promising young actor' rather than one of the finest actors ever to play Shakespeare As You Like It is in fact Olivier's first filmed Shakespearean performance and therefore a genuine milestone in film history. This outstanding production boasts a distinguished supporting cast which includes John Laurie and Felix Aylmer as well as editing by David Lean camerawork by the legendary Jack Cardiff and a script adaptation co-authored by J.M. Barrie of 'Peter Pan' fame.
""Gobble-gobble...we accept her...one of us "" goes the haunting chant of Freaks. Yet it would be decades before this widely banned morality play gained acceptance as a cult masterpiece. Tod Browning (1931's Dracula) directs this landmark movie in which the true freaks are not the story's sideshow performers but ""normals"" who mock and abuse them. Browning a former circus contortionist cast real-life sideshow professionals. A living torso who nimbly lights his own cigarette despite having no arms or legs microcepalics (whom the film calls ""pinheads"") - they and others play the big-top troupers who inflict a terrible revenge on a trapeze artist who treats them as subhumans. In 1994 Freaks was selected for the National Film Registry's archive of cinematic treasures.
With courage sinew and conflict: that's how the West was won. With three directors five interlocked stories some of the most legendary action scenes in movie history and a constellation of acting talent: that's how How The West Was Won was filmed. Henry Fonda Gregory Peck Debbie Reynolds James Stewart and John Wayne are among the big names in this big-event saga following a dauntless family's move West through generations - underscored by the spectacles of a heart-pounding raging river ride a thunderous buffalo stampede and a bracing runaway train shootout. The winner of three Academy Awards How The West Was Won was also a box-office winner.
The third instalment in the cinematic incarnation of Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan and the second starring Harrison Ford, this follow-up to Patriot Games is a more complex, rewarding and bolder film than its predecessor. Ford returns as Ryan, this time embroiled in a failed White House bid to wipe out a Colombian drug cartel and cover up the mess. The script, by Clancy and John Milius (Big Wednesday), has an air of true adventure about it as Ryan places himself in harm's way to extract covert soldiers abandoned in a Latin American jungle. There are a couple of remarkable set pieces expertly handled by Patriot Games director Phillip Noyce, especially a shocking scene involving an ambush on Ryan's car in an alley. The supporting cast is superb, including Willem Dafoe as the soldiers' leader, Henry Czerny as Ryan's enemy at the CIA, Joaquim de Almeida as a smooth-talking villain, Ann Magnuson as an unwitting confederate in international crime, and James Earl Jones as Ryan's dying boss. --Tom Keogh
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