Respect Is Something You Earn. Turn It Up is an explosive contemporary drama about a gifted musician's struggle to rise above the crime-plagued urban streets and realize his dream. Diamond (""Pras"" of the Fugees and Mystery Men) is unwittingly drawn into the world of drug-running by his childhood friend Gage (rapper Ja Rule Backstage). The sudden death of Diamond's mother and the untimely pregnancy of his girlfriend force Diamond to make hard choices about his life and the people
Jacques Rivette's masterful film Don't Touch The Axe tells the tale of an ill-fated love affair between a Parisian socialite and a Napoleonic war hero. Their story unfolds amidst the extravagant balls of restoration-era Paris where the handsome General Armand de Montriveau (Guillaume Depardieu) encounters the beautiful coquettish but married Antoinette de Langeais (Jeanne Balibar). Vowing that she will be his lover Montriveau pursues the alluring Antoinette who in turn orchestrates a calculating game of seduction but repeatedly rebuffs his advances. Humiliated Montriveau seeks revenge just as Antoinette's passion for him awakens and a perverse romantic power struggle ensues. Once again adapting Balzac - the source of his acclaimed La Belle Noiseuse - Rivette's subtle and superbly acted drama is a riveting exploration of the intricacies of love and desire.
One of the great late period films by Sacha Guitry - the total auteur who delighted (and scandalised) the French public and inspired the French New Wave as a model for authorship as director-writer-star of screen and stage alike. In every one of his pictures (and almost every one served as a rueful examination of the war between the sexes), Guitry sculpted by way of a rapier wit - one might say by way of the Guitry touch - some of the most sophisticated black comedies ever conceived... and La Poison [Poison] is one of his blackest. Michel Simon plays Paul Braconnier, a man with designs on murdering his wife Blandine (Germaine Reuver) - a woman with similar designs on her husband. When Braconnier visits Paris to consult with a lawyer about the perfect way of killing a spouse - that is, the way in which he can get away with it - an acid comedy unfolds that reaches its peak in a courtroom scene for the ages. From the moment of Guitry's trademark introduction of his principals in the opening credits, and on through the brilliant performance by national treasure Michel Simon (of Renoir's Boudu sauve des eaux and Vigo's L'Atalante, to mention only two high-water marks), here is fitting indication of why Guitry is considered by many the Gallic equal of Ernst Lubitsch. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to introduce Sacha Guitry into the catalogue with La Poison for the first time on video in the UK in a dazzling new Gaumont restoration. Special Features: Newly translated optional subtitles Substantial booklet containing writing on the film, vintage excerpts, and rare archival imagery
Bertrand Blier's Csar Award winning surreal comedy in which Gerard Depardieu stars as a suspected serial killer pitted against an ageing police inspector.
Jean-Claude Van Damme is Leon a French legionnaire who has no choice but to go A.W.O.L. after hearing that his brother is mortally wounded. Arriving penniless in New York Leon is forced to enter the underworld of bare-knuckle boxing under the control of 'The Lady'. However after Leon goes against her will she matches him against the formidable champion. Will Leon find the inner strength to take the championship or will he die like his brother?
The tragic events that informed Jose Padilha's 2003 documentary BUS 174 serve as the inspiration for this docudrama detailing the events that unfolded when on the morning of June 12 2000 the passengers on a bus traveling through the wealthy Rio de Janeiro district of Jardim Bot''nico were taken hostage by a disturbed young man who had been abandoned by society. Marisa (Cris Vianna) is a drug addict whose baby Alessandro was taken from her by drug dealers after she failed to pay a lingering debt. Later after becoming sober Marisa becomes obsessed with finding her son and begins searching the local juvenile detention homes. Meanwhile on the outskirts of Rio a young boy named Sandro wanders into his mother's shop to find her lifeless body riddled with knife wounds. Wistfully recalling his mother's promises to take him to Copacabana the grieving boy runs away ultimately falling in with a group of street kids and becoming addicted to drugs. Later Sandro somehow manages to survive the notorious Candelaria massacre only to be locked away in a juvenile detention centre. It's there that Sandro meets Alessandro. When Marisa arrives at the centre in search of her son she mistakes Sandro for Alessandro and tenderly takes the troubled boy under her wing. But Sandro's scars run deeper than Marisa could ever imagine so deep that he believes his only hope for survival is taking a busload of hostages.
This French thriller tells of a couple who are living with their three daughters in an old farmhouse that has caused them nothing but trouble since they started renovating it. However things look set to improve when they meet the ever helpful Harry.
Jacques Rivette's award-winning critically acclaimed film stars Michel Piccoli in one of his finest performances as an artist who ten years previously abandoned his masterpiece entitled 'La Belle Noiseuse' (The Beautiful Troublemaker) a painting of his wife (Jane Birkin). When he encounters the beautiful and fascinating Marianne (Emmanuelle Beart) he is inspired to return to the unfinished canvas using her as his new model. But disturbing tensions develop as the work progresse
Old professional killer Wagner seeks someone to teach what he knows as long as he is already dying and he chooses Max young and passionless thief to be his successor.
From the producer of the acclaimed The Page Turner comes a riveting nail-biting journey into the obsession and jealousy. Divorced mother Elsa Valentin's (Catherine Frot) life is fraught with tension fighting for her son in a bitter custody battle and juggling a demanding job. But nothing can prepare for what happens when she crosses paths with Lola a young girl whom she believes to be the daughter she lost in a hospital fire over six years ago. Unable to let go of the desperate hope that her daughter might still be alive Elsa begins to ingratiate herself with Lola's own mother Claire (Sandrine Bonnaire) inching her way into Lola's life. At the expense of her own increasingly distraught family Elsa's obsession heightens and her behaviour turns increasingly disturbing. But how far will she go for what only she believes is the unsettling truth? Based on an incredible true story.
Frenhofer (Michel Piccoli) a renowned French artist hasn't lifted his brush in years. But when he meets the stunningly beautiful girlfriend (Emmanuelle Beart) of a young painter visiting his chateau she inspires him to return to work on an abandoned masterpiece known as La Belle Noiseuse. This 3 disc set presents both the full length film and the alternate 'Divertimento' version available together for the very first time on DVD in the UK.
Luis Bunuel Box Set featuring: That Obscure Object of Desire / Discreet Charm of The Bourgeosie / Diary of A Chambermaid / Phantom Of Liberty / Milky Way / Tristana / La Joven (Also called La Jeune Fille) / Belle de Jour
Jacques Offenbach's 19th century parody of life under the yoke of Napoleon III, La Belle Hélène, has always seemed as tongue-in-cheek as the material could go. This new staging from the Théâtre Musical de Paris' 2000 season proves you can always go further. As if the social comment and knowing musical allusions (eg: Wagner's Tannhäuser) weren't enough, now via director Lauren Pelly's imagination Helen (Dame Felicity Lott) becomes a modern sexually frustrated woman dreaming the entire scenario. In her dream she is singled out as the most beautiful woman on Earth (prompting vain delusions to rival Snow White's wicked stepmother) as reward for Pâris (Yann Beuron) choosing Venus as most beautiful Goddess off Earth. Act 1 takes place in the bedroom and bed of Helen and ineffectual husband/king Ménélas (Michel Sénéchal). Here the fusion of costumes worn by High Priest Calchas (François Le Roux) seems incongruous until the archaeological dig setting of Act 2 turns everything into a dream. From then on, the analogy of bed as throne, the sheep costumes and male and female swimsuit parade followed by synchronised stage "swimming" of Act 3 all take on greater significance. Les Musicians du Louvre give a tremendous performance under Marc Minkowski's baton (which you often see popping into frame), particularly in the centrepiece duet between Lott and Beuron for their "Dream of Love". Contemporary makeovers of opera often lose sight of the original's intentions, but this update certainly preserves the spirit of Offenbach's vision. On the DVD: A choice of Stereo, Dolby 5.1 or DTS is a testament to the careful staging of this production, as is the video's multi-camera edit. In fact, the 25-minute behind-the-scenes documentary reveals the DVD was conceived as part of the staging. Four interviews make this a most welcome supplement, with Dame Lott having the most to say. --Paul Tonks
Praised by film-makers (Akira Kurosawa called it One of the most beautiful films that I have ever seen) and critics the world over Truffaut's 400 Blows launched the Nouvelle Vague and paved the way for some of cinema's most important and influential directors. Twelve-year-old Antoine Doinel has troubles at home and at school. Ignored and neglected by his parents his relationship with his mother is further strained when he discovers that she has taken a secret lover. Added to this his school teachers have written him off as a troublemaker and with luck seemingly never on his side it is Antoine who ends up getting the blame for bad behaviour. Finding refuge only in his love of cinema Antoine soon finds it necessary to break free and discover what the world can offer outside of the confines of his everyday life. This remarkable film features the extraordinary talent of Jean-Pierre Leaud as the rebellious Antoine a character based on Truffaut himself. Antoine Doinel was to make appearances in a number of Truffaut's films (including 'Stolen Kisses' 'Bed and Board' and 'Love on the Run') all of which chart his further adventures into adulthood.
She was a bride when the violence happened... Now she's a widow and it's going to happen again. An engrossing enigmatic tale of passion and revenge this 1969 Golden Globe Nominee from director Francois Truffaut and co-writer Jean Louis Richard. The bewitching Jeanne Moreau is remarkable as a woman who will stop at nothing to avenge her husband's death. Julie (Moreau) a beautiful young bride has just married her childhood sweetheart and love of her life. But just moments after the ceremony her beloved is murdered on the steps of the church. Emotionally distraught Julie becomes obsessed with her bridegroom's death and begins a descent into madness as she relentlessly pursues the men responsible. One by one Julie sees to their demises and with each murder more bone-chilling and diabolically clever than the last the question is not who will be next - but rather how they will meet their ghastly end.
Betty and Victor are a pair of scam artists. One day Betty brings in Maurice, a treasurer of a multinational company. Maurice is due to transfer 5 million francs out of Switzerland, and Betty is convinced he plans to steal the money. On whose side is Betty really on? - Victors, Maurice's or only her own?Starring Isabelle Huppert (White Material) Michel Serrault & Francois Cluzet (Tell No One).
Albert Spaggiari (Francis Huster) a legendary bank robber assembles a team of assorted experts all with great gangster names such as 68 Mike La Baraka The Egyptian. Together they plan to tunnel up through the sewers and break into the vault of the bank in Nice. Will it work? Will they crack? Will Albert and Charlotte (Lila Kedrova) resolve their differences or will the police catch them all? Director Jose Giovanni himself an ex-convict and a successful crime writer steps u
Director Claude Chabrol crafts a claustrophobic and psychologically complex tale of destiny and revenge in This Man Must Die. The film begins with a birds-eye view of a young boy leaving a seaside beach and a speeding black Mustang approaching from the opposite direction. When the two collide in a hit-and-run accident the movie's action is set in motion. The boy's father Charles (Michel Duchaussoy) makes a solemn vow to find and kill the man who ended his son's life. Through a bizarre series of hunches coincidences and lucky guesses Charles tracks down Helene (Carol Cellier) the sister-in-law of the man he suspects is the killer and begins to seduce her in order to insinuate himself into her family life. When he finally comes face to face with Helene's brother-in-law Paul (Jean Yanne) he finds himself unable to act despite the man's monstrous behaviour and callous attitude. When Charles realizes that Paul's son Phillippe (Marc Di Napoli) wishes his father dead as well the forces of destiny and revenge collide. Chabrol's dense and carefully crafted narrative structure explodes in an unexpected and exhilarating chain of events leading to a cathartic and disastrous climax all portrayed through subtly evocative cinematography and terse performances. Decades later the film inspired Sean Penn's similarly themed The Crossing Guard.
Hostage in his own home, an incompetent Englishman is forced to team up with his captor to fight off the survivors of a fatal flu epidemic.
The definitive DVD boxset from the French filmmaker of the 20th Century. 14 disc collection of work from movie auteur Jean-Luc Godard Set Comprises: Le Mepris Alphaville Passion A Bout De Souffle Made In USA Pierrot Le Fou Une Femme Est Une Femme La Chinoise Le Petit Soldat Detective Notre Musique Helas Pur Moi Elogue De L'Amour Bonus Disc
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