This autumn, the worldwide phenomenon DOWNTON ABBEY, becomes a grand motion picture event, as the beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives. A royal visit from the King and Queen of England will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance. Written by series creator Julian Fellowes and starring the original cast.
Golden Globe® Award-winning Jonathan Rhys Meyers gives the performance of a lifetime as England's most notorious king in the thrilling hit drama series, THE TUDORS. King Henry VIII's fierce passion to secure England's world prominence and his own legacy leads him through a string of six wives, an ill-advised war with France, and ultimately a place in history as one of the world's most charismatic, most brutal, and most deeply human kings. The all-star cast includes Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Sam Neill, Peter O'Toole, Joely Richardson and Henry Cavill. Get all four seasons of heart-pounding action and edge-of-your seat intrigue in this critically-acclaimed series that redefined historical dramas. (BONUS DISC PACKAGING): Experience life in Tudor times with six featurettes, including Henry's Wives Club which takes a closer look at the women in his life: Reviving History find out how history was made relatable to modern audiences by the show's creator and its crew.
ABC presents its second action packed series from the creative minds at Marvel in Marvel's Agent Carter, inspired by the feature films Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger and Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, along with the short Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter. Years before Agent Phil Coulson and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team swore to protect those who cannot protect themselves from threats they cannot conceive, there was Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell, Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier) who pledged the same oath but lived in a different time when women weren't recognized as being as smart or as tough as their male counterparts. But no one should ever underestimate Peggy. It's 1946 and peace has dealt Peggy a serious blow as she finds herself marginalized when the men return home from fighting abroad. Working for the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve), Peggy finds herself stuck doing administrative work when she would rather be back out in the field putting her vast skills into play and taking down the bad guys. But she is also trying to navigate life as a single woman in America, in the wake of losing the love of her life, Steve Rogers aka Captain America. When old acquaintance Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger) finds himself being framed for unleashing his deadliest weapons to anyone willing to pony up the cash, he contacts Peggy the only person he can trust to track down those responsible, dispose of the weapons and clear his name. He empowers his butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D'Arcy, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), to be at her beck and call when needed to help assist her as she investigates and tracks down those responsible for releasing these weapons of mass destruction. But Jarvis, who is a creature of habit and sticks to a rigid daily routine, is going to have to make some major life changes if he's going to be able to keep up with Peggy. If caught going on these secret missions for Stark, Peggy could be targeted as a traitor and spend the rest of her days in prison or worse. And as she delves deeper into her investigation, she may find that those she works for are not who they seem, and she might even begin to question whether Stark is as innocent as he claims.
The Blues Brothers: John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd--as "legendary" Chicago brothers Jake and Elwood Blues--brought their "Saturday Night Live" act to the big screen in this action-packed hit from 1980. As Jake and Elwood struggle to reunite their old band and save the Chicago orphanage where they were raised, they wreak enough good-natured havoc to attract the entire Cook County police force. The result is a big-budget stunt-fest on a scale rarely attempted before or since, including extended car chases that result in the wanton destruction of shopping malls and more police cars than you can count. Along the way there's plenty of music to punctuate the action, including performances by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway and James Brown that are guaranteed to knock you out. Keep an eye out for Steven Spielberg as the city clerk who stamps some crucial paperwork near the end of the film. The Blues Brothers 2000: It's hard to ignore the sad and conspicuous absence of the late John Belushi, but this long-delayed sequel still has Dan Aykroyd to keep the music alive. Once again, Elwood's trying to reunite the original Blues Brothers Band, and this time he's got a strip-joint bartender (John Goodman) and a 10-year-old orphan named Buster (J Evan Bonifant) joining him at centre stage. It's a shameless clone of the first film, and nobody--especially not Aykroyd or director John Landis--seems to care that the story's not nearly as fun as the music. Of course there's a seemingly endless parade of stunts, including a non-stop pileup of police cars that's hilariously absurd, but what really matters here--indeed, the movie's only saving grace--is the great line-up of legendary blues musicians. Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Junior Wells, Eric Clapton, BB King, Jonny Lang, Eddie Floyd and Blues Traveler are among the many special guests assembled for the film, and their stellar presence makes you wonder if the revived Blues Brothers shouldn't remain an obscure opening act. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Anatomy of a Murder, Otto Preminger's 1959 film of the novel by Robert Traver (a pen name for a Michigan Supreme Court Justice), was controversial in its day for making frank on-screen use of then-unheard words such as "panties", "rape" and "spermatogenesis"--and it remains a trenchant, bitter, tough, witty dissection of the American legal system. With its striking Saul Bass title design and jazzy Duke Ellington score, Anatomy of a Murder takes a sophisticated approach unusual for a Hollywood film of its vintage. Most radically, it refuses to show the murder or any of the private scenes recounted in court, leaving it up to us to decide along with the jury whether the grumpy and unconcerned Lieutenant Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara) was or was not subject to an "irresistible impulse" tantamount to insanity when he shot dead Barney Quill, the bear-like bar owner alleged to have raped Manion's teasing trailer-trash wife Laura (Lee Remick in unfeasibly tight trousers). James Stewart plays Paul "Polly" Biegler a former District Attorney keen to get back into court to clash with the political dullard who replaced him in office. Biegler is supported by the skills of his snide secretary (Eve Arden) and boozy-but-brilliant research partner (Arthur O'Connell). For the prosecution, the befuddled local DA hauls in Dancer (George C Scott), a prissy legal eagle from the local big city whose sharp-suited, sly elegance makes an interesting clash with Biegler's "aw-shucks" jimmy-stewartian conniving. This is simply the best trial movie ever made, with a real understanding of the way lawyers have to be not only great actors but stars, assuming personalities that exaggerate their inner selves and weighing every outburst and objection for the effect it has on the poor saps in the jury box. On the DVD: The print is letterboxed to 1.85:1, but it's a bit of a cheat since that seems to involve trimming the top and bottom of the image (losing the steps under and the clouds above the Columbia lady in the opening titles), though the film isn't seriously hurt by a tighter look at the action. Also included are: an Ellington-scored photo montage, soundtracks in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish with subtitles in ten languages, filmographies for director and principal cast, original advertising (highlighting Saul Bass' poster designs, a trailer and more trailers for more Columbia Jimmy Stewart or courtroom films. --Kim Newman
Return to the stunning locations and epic adventures in Peter Jackson's Middle-earth⢠saga THE HOBBIT⢠and THE LORD OF THE RINGSâ¢. Now more stunning than ever before, the films have been beautifully remastered in 4K UHD, under the supervision of Director Peter Jackson and restored by Park Road Post. From director Peter Jackson, rediscover the stunning locations and epic adventures in the greatest film saga of all time. The critically acclaimed series of six films encompasses The Hobbit⢠and The Lord of the Rings⢠trilogies and tells the mythic tales of an ancient world called Middle-earthâ¢: A world of Elves, Dwarves, Wizards, Humans and Hobbits in a constant struggle against the evil forces of the Dark Lord Sauron and his army of Goblins and Orcs a world of quests, Dragons, treasures and a legendary final battle for the future of Middle-earth⢠itself. Peter Jackson's epic adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth⢠begins with The Hobbit⢠trilogy as Bilbo Baggins is swept into an unexpected journey. Bilbo, the Wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield journey to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Along the way, Bilbo must fight for his life, and Dwarves, Elves and Men must unite or risk being destroyed. Meanwhile, a dark power rises again and finds its way back to Middle-earthâ¢. This three-film collection includes: The Hobbit Theatrical and Extended Edition Trilogy on stunning 4K Ultra HD: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Across 6 Discs A premium slipcase showcasing unique artwork
Kevin, a man with at least 23 different personalities, is compelled to abduct three teenage girls. As they are held captive, a final personality - The Beast - begins to materialize. Click Images to Enlarge
Series two picks up where series one left off with Cutter having been deceived by his estranged wife Helen and the world as he knows it has changed but he and Helen are the only one's who know. Claudia Brown no longer exists in the world Nick has found himself. Can he convince his team that their actions have inadvertently altered the course of nature? But he has absolutely no idea what went wrong or how he can fix it...
Live and Let Die - Roger Moore finds himself immersed in the world of heroin, voodoo and black magic in his debut as Bond. The Man with The Golden Gun - Bond is assigned to retrieve a top secret solar power converter, but finds himself the target of the world's greatest professional assassin. The Spy Who Loved Me - Britain and Russia both send their best agents to negotiate for a tracking system that has lost them each a nuclear submarine. Moonraker - When a Moonraker space shuttle disappears the chase leads Bond into outer space. For Your Eyes Only - In the race to beat the Russians to a missing communications device Bond finds himself involved with the Greek underworld. Octopussy - Stolen art treasures lead to a plan that will see Europe fall to a Russian invasion unless Bond can stop it in time A View To A Kill - In pursuit of new computer super chips, Bond uncovers a plan which could destroy Silicon Valley and the West's computer industries.
Former drug enforcement agent, Phil Broker (Jason Statham: The Expendables) is a family man who moves off the grid with his daughter, to a seemingly quiet bayou backwater to escape his troubled past. However, Broker's world soon becomes anything but quiet once he discovers that an underbelly of drugs and violence riddles the small town. Soon, a sociopathic methamphetamine kingpin, Gator Bodine (James Franco: Spiderman) puts Broker and his daughter in harm's way forcing Broker back into action in order to save his family and the town. Supported by an all-star cast including Winona Ryder (The Iceman, Black Swan), Kate Bosworth (Movie 43, Superman Returns) and Rachelle Lefevre (White House Down, The Twilight Saga), Homefront is adapted for the screen by the legendary Sylvester Stallone (The Expendables, Rambo) and is the directed by Gary Fleder.
Kevin, a man with at least 23 different personalities, is compelled to abduct three teenage girls. As they are held captive, a final personality - The Beast - begins to materialize. Click Images to Enlarge
ABC presents its second action packed series from the creative minds at Marvel in Marvel's Agent Carter, inspired by the feature films Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger and Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, along with the short Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter. Years before Agent Phil Coulson and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team swore to protect those who cannot protect themselves from threats they cannot conceive, there was Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell, Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier) who pledged the same oath but lived in a different time when women weren't recognized as being as smart or as tough as their male counterparts. But no one should ever underestimate Peggy. It's 1946 and peace has dealt Peggy a serious blow as she finds herself marginalized when the men return home from fighting abroad. Working for the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve), Peggy finds herself stuck doing administrative work when she would rather be back out in the field putting her vast skills into play and taking down the bad guys. But she is also trying to navigate life as a single woman in America, in the wake of losing the love of her life, Steve Rogers aka Captain America. When old acquaintance Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger) finds himself being framed for unleashing his deadliest weapons to anyone willing to pony up the cash, he contacts Peggy the only person he can trust to track down those responsible, dispose of the weapons and clear his name. He empowers his butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D'Arcy, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), to be at her beck and call when needed to help assist her as she investigates and tracks down those responsible for releasing these weapons of mass destruction. But Jarvis, who is a creature of habit and sticks to a rigid daily routine, is going to have to make some major life changes if he's going to be able to keep up with Peggy. If caught going on these secret missions for Stark, Peggy could be targeted as a traitor and spend the rest of her days in prison or worse. And as she delves deeper into her investigation, she may find that those she works for are not who they seem, and she might even begin to question whether Stark is as innocent as he claims.
'Field of Dreams' begins in an Iowa cornfield when Ray Kinsella hears a mysterious voice - ''If you build it he will come'' and sees a brief vision. With the support of his wife Annie Ray Kinsella pursues his dream and encounters several memorable characters along the way Terence Mann a legendary yet reclusive author ''Doc'' Graham and the infamous Shoeless Joe Jackson. 'Field of Dreams' is the story of a simple Iowa farmer who against all odds finds the courage to believe in his dreams.
On September 25 1974 in the wake of one of the greatest political scandals in its history - the ignominious collapse of the Nixon presidency - America was poised to watch a knockout punch that would redefine it as a nation of champions. In the atmosphere of a three-ring circus in Zaire a little known country ruled by a military dictator on the little-noticed continent of Africa two American fighters held the world's attention. One would capture the world's imagination. But four days before the scheduled Rumble in the Jungle as the heavyweight championship matchup between reigning title holder George Foreman and challenger Muhammad Ali was called the promoters announced that there would be a six week delay. And in that time span as the international media took in the rhythms of the music ant the mysterious beauty of the land and as anticipation for the fight mounted an entirely new phenomenon evolved - black Americans saw their own generational crossroads reflected in the contrasting images of the two men who had returned to Africa to fight.
Alone and outnumbered they had one thing in their favor... the American dream. Blazing action and spectacle are on the menu as battle-toughened sergeant John M Stryker (John Wayne) prepares a group of soldiers for action in the Pacific. The men have got their biggest test ahead on Iwo Jima where they have to inch their way up Mt. Suribachi under constant Japanese fire.
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 musical remake of the classic 1937 film of the same name, A Star is Born was designed as Judy Garland's comeback vehicle after she had been cruelly axed by MGM studios for professional unreliability. Her erratic moods caused serious production delays this time around, too, but the behind-the-scenes turmoil was certainly worth it--Garland gives just about the greatest one-woman show in movie history. The story is the stuff of pure Hollywood legend. Aspiring actress-singer Esther Blodgett meets fading matinee idol Norman Maine (James Mason), who navigates her to stardom under the more melodious handle of Vickie Lester. As she rises meteorically, he declines into alcoholic self-pity--and the result, if you haven't guessed, is plenty of heartbreak. Mason lends subtle support in a role Cary Grant refused as too downbeat for his image, but Garland grabs centre stage with an all-out emotional performance that rivets the attention. Director George Cukor was famous for coaxing the very best out of screen divas, and A Star is Born must be counted as his crowning achievement. The lush visual style that he contributes provides a suitable setting for Garland's deep, rich voice--throbbing with melancholy in the Harold Arlen-Ira Gershwin ballad "The Man That Got Away", then capering joyfully in the gargantuan musical number "Born in a Trunk". Moss Hart's script takes many cynical swipes at the pretensions of Tinsel Town--perhaps too many for the taste of studio boss Jack Warner, who ordered drastic cuts in the film after its premiere. --Peter Matthews
Corvette K-225 is a stirring salute to the heroism of the Corvette crews and commanders who steered Allied convoys through the treacherous, U-Boat-infested Atlantic ocean throughout WWII. The story follows a particularly perilous voyage from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Britain. The nail-biting tension is heightened by our knowledge that the film uses actual historic sea combat footage! Better known previously for his tall in the saddle' Western roles, Randolph Scott brings dignity and restraint to the role of a heroic Canadian Navy commander in what's possibly his finest performance. In addition to the thrilling battle scenes, as the doughty Corvette strives to protect the convoys from attack after attack, the film has far greater emotional maturity and depth than most Hollywood wartime action films.Not only is there a terrific supporting cast including Barry Fitzgerald (The Quiet Man), Ella Raines (Hail the Conquering Hero), Thomas Gomez (Key Largo), Noah Beery Jr. (The Rockford Files) and even a glimpse of a young Robert Mitchum (The Night of the Hunter), there's also room for a romantic sub-plot!
First transmitted in 1984, Chocky is a six-part TV adaptation of John Wyndham's clever novel. Matthew, an apparently normal 12-year-old boy, starts talking to an invisible presence called Chocky, who quizzes him on a wide variety of subjects as if unfamiliar with life on Earth. Over the course of the serial it is suggested that Chocky is an alternate personality or, after Matthew has been helped by Chocky to rescue his sister from drowning, a guardian angel. But we realise early on that this non-imaginary friend is in fact an alien who has made exploratory contact with the boy. Though Chocky manifests as a swirl of blue light, this is a rare piece of TV science fiction that sticks to the domestic arena, exploring ideas rather than playing with special effects. Wyndham's very 1950s-styled novel is updated by making the kids less well-spoken, and throwing in Rubik's cubes and space invaders video games, but adaptor Anthony Read's script preserves the virtues of the novel. Young Andrew Ellams is fine in a demanding role, and there's good-quality puzzled concern from dad James Hazeldine and 80s TV's resident sexy mum Carol Drinkwater. Apart from a few eye-abusing 1984 fashions--Jeremy Bulloch's huge glasses and blinding white jeans in a cameo as a psychiatrist--and the general leisurely pace, which is no bad thing in such a careful piece of drama, this has dated little. Those who remember its first broadcast will find it lives up to the memory, and those who weren't born then should still find it an entertaining watch. On the DVD: Chocky on disc can be accessed as a marathon two-and-a-half-hour watch or as six individual episodes (the latter is recommended). Print quality is fine given the techniques of its production. A nice extra is a 20-minute, in-depth chat with writer Anthony Read. --Kim Newman
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
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