'All for one and one for all' in this action-packed 12 part serial adaptation of Alexander Dumas's The Three Musketeers. Tom Wayne (John Wayne) is a fugitive from justice framed for a murder he did not commit. El Shaitan the mysterious and diabolical leader of the Devil's Circle a group who are plotting an Arab rebellion against the Foreign Legion is to blame. It's up to Tom's sweetheart Elaine (Ruth Hall) and the trustworthy Three Musketeers - Clancy (Jack Mulhall) Renard (Raymond Hatton) and Schmidt (Francis X. Bushman Jr.) - to put an end to his reign of terror and clear Tom's name.
In this turbulent swashbuckler Cecil B. DeMille presents a tale of daring piracy and hot-blooded love! 1840s Key West is filled with salvage businesses thriving on the cargo of wrecked ships. Ship owner Loxi Claiborne suspects salvager King Cutler of foul play since he's always first on the scene at a wreck. Meanwhile Loxi's suitor Captain Jack Stuart is another suspect - at least to jealous lawyer Steve Tolliver. Who will be found guilty - and how - hinges on some amazing developments. Along with the star-studded cast (including Robert Preston and Susan Hayward) this glorious sea spectacle has stars of another kind. There are huge clipper ships gliding in the mist storms splintering them on the rocks and a giant squid in a memorable underwater battle. With Given DeMille's robust direction it all adds up to an Oscar for Special Effects
Sumptuous in every way, visually magnificent, with grandiose sets, panoramic Spanish vistas and intricately detailed costumes, possessor of one of cinema's greatest music scores, boasting vast and astonishingly kinetic battles, and breathing heroic virtue in every scene, El Cid is the very epitome of epic. For this reworking of the medieval legend of the Cid (Arabic for "Lord") who united warring factions and saved 11th-century Spain from invasion, producer Samuel Bronston and director Anthony Mann insisted every set had to be created from scratch, every costume specially made for this movie alone; they also shot entirely on location in La Mancha and along the Mediterranean coast of Spain to enhance the film's authenticity. The cinematography is saturated with the burnished hues of the Spanish landscape, as are the palatial sets and rich costumes; Miklos Rozsa's resplendent score is also the result of painstaking research into medieval Spanish sources. The screenplay is imbued with knightly gravitas and more than a little salvation imagery, from the opening scene of the young Rodrigo rescuing a cross from a burning church, to the movie's indelible finale as The Cid rides "out of the gates of history into legend".Charlton Heston is at his most indomitable as Rodrigo, "The Cid", a natural leader of men and the embodiment of every manly virtue (note that he fathers twins--a sure token of his virility); Sophie Loren is ravishing as Chimene, the woman whose love for Rodrigo conflicts with her filial instincts after he kills her father, the king's champion, over a point of honour. Their scenes together create a humane warmth at the heart of this vast movie: the moment when Chimene finally declares her love (beneath a shrine of three crosses--more symbolism) to the exiled Rodrigo forms a pivotal and very intimate centrepiece. Shortly thereafter he must rise from their rural marriage bed to lead his followers into battle, and the tension between his public and private lives adds a piquancy to the film's stunning battle sequences. The international supporting cast sometimes look like makeweights, especially when chewing on the occasionally stilted dialogue, but any such faults are easily forgiven as the scale and spectacle of El Cid carries the viewer away on a tide of chivalry.On the DVD: This disc is a sadly missed opportunity to present a classic epic in its original form. Although formatted for 16:9 widescreen TVs, which initially gives hope that this might be an anamorphic widescreen presentation, only the opening and closing titles appear in the correct cinematic ratio. Otherwise this is essentially the same picture as the pan & scan VHS version with the same poor print quality. Since a restored 35mm print of El Cid has been shown at cinemas and on TV in recent years there seems to be no excuse for this cut-down presentation. Add some decidedly minimal extras and the result is a disappointing disc. --Mark Walker
The dark and fantastic Harsh Realm, a science fiction series about a war fought by flesh-and-blood humans trapped inside virtual reality, was launched by The X-Files creator Chris Carter in 1999 and died a regrettable, premature death on the Fox channel after three episodes. The remaining six shows found sanctuary on the FX network, and then Harsh Realm slipped into history, its wild story, based on a comic book, far from resolved. Perhaps Harsh Realm's ratings failure had something to do with its broad similarities to the hugely popular The Matrix, released only a few months before, or, for that matter, David Cronenberg's 1999 eXistenZ, in which characters fight for their lives inside a video game. Whatever the reason, enough time has passed to take an objective look at Harsh Realm, and there is a lot to be admired in its high level of imagination, complex plotting, and cutting-edge production values. Scott Bairstow stars as U.S. Army Lieutenant Tom Hobbes, a decorated hero who risked his life rescuing a buddy, Major Mel Waters (Max Martini), during a peacekeeping mission in the former Yugoslavia. Set to return to civilian life and marry his fiancée, Sophie (Samantha Mathis), Hobbes is summoned by a mysterious superior (Lance Henriksen) and asked to test-run Harsh Realm, a virtual reality war game devised by the Pentagon. Once he begins, however, Hobbes is mentally imprisoned in the dangerous game (his body, along with those of hundreds of other "volunteers," is cared for in a secret military hospital), where he is identified by other, desperate captives as the savior they've been awaiting. D.B. Sweeney is very good as another soldier, Mike Pinocchio, whose sense of mission is re-awakened by Hobbes and who becomes a partner in an endless effort to defeat a madman named Santiago (Terry O'Quinn), who rules Harsh Realm from within. As with The X-Files, the nine episodes in this boxed set are each very striking on their own terms, with post-apocalyptic sets, constant surprises, and that special Chris Carter touch (fans of his Millennium will like Harsh Realm, too) that makes every story look and feel like a collision of a nightmare and a crisis of faith. --Tom Keogh
The Pixar-like roll of Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad) continues with another sure-fire hit. In charting the meteoric rise, catastrophic fall and Lazarus-like comeback of rocker Dewey Cox, Walk Hard parodies the classic Hollywood bio-pic, cashing in mostly on Walk the Line. John C. Reilly, one of Hollywood's most solid character actors, makes the most of his Golden Globe-nominated star turn as Dewey, whose road to stardom is paved with a childhood tragedy that claims the life of his prodigiously talented brother ("The wrong kid died," is his father's mantra), instant stardom (his first record is a hit just 35 minutes after it was recorded), sex and drugs, and the inevitable "dark (effen) period" that leads him to rehab. Reilly gets solid back-up from current and former Saturday Night Live alumni, including Kirsten Wiig as his incredibly fertile first wife who has no faith in his musical aspirations ("You're never going to make it," she cheerily ends one phone call); Tim Meadows (never better) as Dewey's drummer, who, in one of the film's best scenes, does a poor job of dissuading him from trying marijuana); and Chris Parnell as his bass player. Jenna Fischer leaves Pam back at The Office as Darlene, Dewey's virtuous duet partner. Hilarious cameos give Walk Hard a great "Hey!" factor: Hey, that's Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly. Hey, that's "Kenneth" from 30 Rock. Hey, there's Jack Black and Paul Rudd as--no kidding--Paul McCartney and John Lennon revealing "a rift in the Beatles." Some of the jokes are obvious (come on; the guy's last name is Cox), others inspired. But the decades-spanning music, echoing the styles of gritty Johnny Cash, romantic Roy Orbison, obtuse Bob Dylan, trippy Brian Wilson, and even a bit of anachronistic punk rock, is as pitch perfect and affectionately observed as in The Rutles, This Is Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind. Walk Hard earns its R-rating, particularly for a sure-to-be-talked-about scene of hotel-room debauchery. But: Hilarious? Outrageous? Twisted? To quote the title of one of Dewey's hit songs, "Guilty as Charged." --Donald Liebenson
This gripping atmospheric crime thriller from Austrian-born director Paul Stein stars Oscar nominee Raymond Massey as a man at the centre of a multiple murder investigation a case that sparks a sensationalist press frenzy when it becomes clear that the killer only strikes when there is a full moon. Black Limelight (also known as Footsteps in the Sand) is presented in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio. A house stands full in the ugly glare of publicity with a police cordon round it and morbidly curious crowds at the gates. Inside Mary Charrington waits in horror and bewilderment for the next act in the tragedy. Her husband Peter is wanted for murder; the murder of a girl at a seaside bungalow. Following a series of killings the popular press has dubbed them the work of a Moon Maniac... and now Peter is somewhere in the countryside hiding and haunted by terror... SPECIAL FEATURES [] Image gallery [] Original script PDF
The King and the Mockingbird is a classic French animated film written by Jacques Prévert (Les Enfants du Paradis) and Paul Grimault (The Little Soldier) based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep. Charles the XVIth reigns tyrannically over the kingdom of Takicardie. Only brightly feathered Mockingbird a playful and talkative fellow who has built his nest high up in the gigantic palace near His Majesty's secret chambers dares to make fun of him. In love with a beautiful and demure shepherdess the King wants to force her to marry him. However the young girl is in love with a brave little chimney sweep. Helped by the Mockingbird they run away to escape the King's evil clutches... Directed by Paul Grimault the king and the mockingbird is a masterpiece which inspired a whole generation of international directors such as Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away).
The searing classic of paradise lost. The 24-year old idol-to-be James Dean plays Cal a wayward Salinas Valley youth who vies for the affection of his hardened father (Raymond Massey) with his favored brother Aron (Richard Davalos). Playing off the haunting sensitivity of Julie Harris Dean's performance earned one of the film's four Academy Award nominations. Among the movie's stellar performers Jo Van Fleet won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Prepare for the chill of a lifetime as the master of suspense Rod Serling hosts this classic series featuring every spine-tingling episode from the complete first season of Night Gallery. Thrill to stories adapted from short stories by such legendary writers as H.P. Lovecraft and Conrad Aiken starring Hollywood greats including Diane Keaton Joan Crawford and Roddy McDowall and directed by cinematic masters like Steven Spielberg in this unforgettable series - now available on DVD for the first time! Episodes Comprise: 1. The Cemetery 2. Eyes 3. The Escape Route 4. The Dead Man 5. The Housekeeper 6. Room with a View 7. The Little Black Bag 8. The Nature of the Enemy 9. The House 10. Certain Shadows on the Wall 11. Make Me Laugh 12. Clean Kills and Other Trophies 13. Pamela's Voice 14. Lone Survivor 15. The Doll 16. The Last Laurel 17. They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar
The second film in Oliver Stone's Vietnam trilogy moves from the brutality of war in Platoon to its equally traumatic aftermath. Based on the memoir of combat veteran Ron Kovic, the film stars Tom Cruise as Kovic, whose gunshot wound in Vietnam left him paralysed from the chest down. He is deeply embittered by neglect in a veteran's hospital and by the shattering of his patriotic idealism because of the horror and futility of the Vietnam conflict. While painfully and awkwardly adjusting to his disability and a changing definition of masculinity, Kovic joins the burgeoning movement of antiwar protest, culminating in a climactic appearance at the 1976 Democratic national convention. Born on theFourth of July is a powerfully intimate portrait that unfolds on an epic scale and is arguably Stone's best film (if you can forgive its often strident tone). Cruise's Oscar-nominated role is uncompromising in its depiction of one man's personal anguish and political awakening. --Jeff Shannon
Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp: Drama about the life of Clive Candy an English soldier who served in three wars (Boer World War I World War II) and had relationships with three women along the way (each played by Deborah Kerr). Despite Candy's tours-of-duty he harbors no ill will towards the Germans instead he believes they have been the pawns of military leaders. Colonel Blimp an old befuddled British military officer reminisces about his past glories in this witty w
A triple-bill of murder mysteries featuring the very best of celluloid detectives Sherlock Holmes and Sir James Blake.
In the space of ten years Buster Keaton made his way to becoming one of the Silent Eras' most remarkarble comedians only to fall from grace when his now-acknowledged classic The General bombed at the box office and he found himself reduced to writing gags for the Marx Brothers and forcibly partnered up with lesser performers by the studios to whom he was contracted. This Emmy award-winning documentary presents Buster's remarkable story and includes rare and unpublished material th
A hapless New York advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive
A perennial afternoon telly treat, Carlton-Browne of the F.O. is a little less tart and smart in its assault on British diplomacy than the earlier John and Roy Boulting satires. The much-loved Terry Thomas, is the idiot son of a great ambassador, given a sinecure in the Foreign Office that becomes a hot seat when crises rock the almost-forgotten former colony of Gaillardia. Clod-hopping "dance troupes" of every world power dig for cobalt, a line of partition is painted across the entire island, and the young King (Ian Bannen) is undermined by his wicked uncle (John le Mesurier) and unscrupulous Prime Minister Amphibulos (Peter Sellers). There's a touch of Royal romance as the King gets together with a rival princess (the winning Luciana Paoluzzi), but it's mostly mild laughs at the expense of British ineptitude, with Thorley Walters as the dim army officer who sends his men to put down a rebellion with orders that lead them to turn in a circle and capture his own command post, Miles Malleson as the gouty consul who should have come home in 1916, and a snarling Raymond Huntley as the minister appalled that the new monarch of a British ally was a member of the Labour Party at Oxford. The film finds Sellers' non-specific foreign accent unusually upstaged, with Terry Thomas walking off with most of the comedy scenes, blithely inspecting a line of shabby crack troops who keep passing out at his feet. It fumbles a bit with obvious targets, especially in comparison with similar films like Passport to Pimlico and The Mouse That Roared, but you can't argue with a cast like this. Down in the ranks are: John Van Eyssen, Irene Handl, Nicholas Parsons, Kenneth Griffith, Sam Kydd and Kynaston Reeves. On the DVD: Carlton-Browne of the F.O. comes to disc in fullscreen, with a decent-ish quality print. The film is also available as part of the four-disc Peter Sellers Collection.--Kim Newman
The back reads: Flora Robson, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh star in this swashbuckling story set in an Elizabethan England under threat from Spain and the Inquisition. 1587. The court of Queen Elizabeth (Flora Robson) is alive with intrigue, espionage and danger. With Spain poised to launch its mighty Armada against England, traitors plot to kill or kidnap the Queen and destroy all opposition to the invasion force. Michael (Laurence Olivier) has just made a daring escape from Spain. Now, the Queen bids him to return once more as her spy to discover the names of those who plot against her. His love, the Lady Cynthia (Vivien Leigh) is desperate for him not to go, as his mission will take him into the Escurial itself King Philips palace. But duty calls and time is running out before the Armada is ready to sail . . . This fast paced, stirring and lavish British film production from 1936 was produced partly to celebrate the royal coronation year and also to act as a rallying cry against the forces of evil gathering in Nazi Germany.
Raymond Burr stars as the defense attorney who never lost a case in the landmark series Perry Mason. In every episode Mason matches wits with his courtroom adversary D.A. Hamilton Burger (William Talman). Every time Mason - aided by devoted secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) and loyal private eye Paul Drake (William Hopper) - uncovers evidence that clears his client of murder.
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