This zany British comedy finds a homeless hobo (Ringo Starr) being adopted by the world s richest man, Sir Guy Grand (Peter Sellers). Setting sail on the luxury liner The Magic Christian, Sir Grand sets out to test the limit of human avarice. Wilfred Hyde White plays the drunken captain, Yul Brynner a chanteuse transvestite along with notable star appearances from John Cleese as the director of Sothebys, Raquel Welch, Roman Polanski and Richard Attenborough.
To try and please all the fans of JK Rowling's novel was a challenge that the makers of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone met head on. The result of their efforts is one of the most lavish, beautiful and magical cinematic treats to hit our screens in years. Director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steven Kloves (thankfully with the help of Rowling herself) prove that although you can't translate everybody's reading of this much-loved book onto the cinema screen--maybe Fluffy was a bit more Fluffy in your imagination or Hagrid (superbly played by Robbie Coltrane) a little more giant-like--it is nevertheless possible to transfer Harry's adventures with fidelity as well as superb energy and excitement. If there is a downside it's that the performances of the child leads tends to verge on the Sylvia Young-tastic in places. Nonetheless, the three young stars are both likable and watchable, showing great potential to grow into the parts as the adventures continue. The main disappointment is the substantial cutting of the ghost scenes and what promised to be a fine comic turn by John Cleese as Headless Nick, though with more Potter films on the way the ghosts will surely assume their rightful prominence later. There are, of course, some areas of the story that may frighten smaller children--such as the entrance of the evil Voldemort--and undoubtedly for any true Potter fan that cinematic entrance cannot live up to the images created in their imagination. All in all, though, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is what it should be: an unmissable treat for the whole family. On the DVD: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone really is a magical experience in this lavish two-disc set. Disc one offers the film in all its surround-sound glory along with trailers and links to the Harry Potter Web site, but, disappointingly, there's no commentary. Disc two is where the real wizardry can be found, with a vast and beautifully designed selection of special features. Entering the Great Hall a mysterious voice invites you to explore and find the secret hidden within (though it's frustrating that in some cases you have to re-enter the Hall after viewing a feature). Various options let you tour around Harry's world: from Diagon Alley to a virtual 360-degree tour of Hogwarts. The interactive component is excellent, with real thought having been put into ensuring that, instead of just the standard behind-the-scenes stuff, there is material aplenty to keep children and adults alike entertained for hours. Throughout the emphasis is on the disc's educational value: yes there are insights to be had from the film crew, but it's in the Classroom where you will find the real precious stones! --Nikki Disney "Widescreen" vs. "Full Screen" Widescreen preserves the original theatrical picture ratio of the film (Panavision 2.35:1), which will appear in "letterboxed" format on a normal TV screen. Full Screen (or "pan and scan") crops the theatrical picture to 4:3 ratio (i.e., 4 units wide by 3 units tall), which is the shape of a standard (non-widescreen) TV screen. There is no letterboxing, but up to a third of the original picture is lost.
US gay-themed drama written and directed by Doug Spearman. The film follows Peter Logsdon (Darryl Stephens), who has a history of pursuing married men, as he becomes romantically involved with Jack (Scott Bailey), who has been married for 12 years and has two kids. While Peter finally confronts his fear of intimacy and commitment, Jack must settle his inner conflict over his sexuality after his wife discovers his affair.
As noted critic Pauline Kael wrote, the 1987 box-office hit The Untouchables is "like an attempt to visualise the public's collective dream of Chicago gangsters". In other words, this lavish reworking of the vintage TV series is a rousing pot-boiler from a bygone era, so beautifully designed and photographed--and so craftily directed by Brian De Palma--that the historical reality of Prohibition-era Chicago could only pale in comparison. From a script by David Mamet, the film pits four underdog heroes (the maverick lawmen known as the Untouchables) against a singular villain in Al Capone, played by Robert De Niro as a dapper Caesar holding court (and a baseball bat) against any and all challengers. Kevin Costner is the naive federal agent Eliot Ness, whose lack of experience is tempered by the streetwise alliance of a seasoned Chicago cop (Sean Connery, in an Oscar-winning performance), a rookie marksman (Andy Garcia) and an accountant (Charles Martin Smith) who holds the key to Capone's potential downfall. The movie approaches greatness on the strength of its set pieces, such as the siege near the Canadian border, the venal ambush at Connery's apartment and the train-station shootout partially modelled after the "Odessa steps" sequences of the Russian classic Battleship Potemkin. It's thrilling stuff, fuelled by Ennio Morricone's dynamic score, but it's also manipulative and obvious. If you're inclined to be critical, the film gives you reason to complain. If you'd rather sit back and enjoy a first-rate production with an all-star cast, The Untouchables may very well strike you as a classic. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
A man shows up at Kimberley Prescott's villa claiming to be her brother Ward. But Ward died in a car accident a year ago. Despite Kim's protests that the stranger isn't her brother everyone else accepts him including their uncle. Kim begins to fear for her sanity and her life.
Admiral Koltchak was the most formidable commanding officer the world had ever seen. Choosing to fight for a country mired in war and revolution, Koltchak took on a mighty enemy and defeated them with invention, cunning and tactical genius.
When The Legends Die
Featuring the 4 disc SE of Superman the 3 disc SE of Superman 2 and both double disc Deluxe Editions of 3 and 4 this beast of a box set is a must for any hardened fan of the franchise. Superman The Movie: The movie that makes a legend come to life. You know the story. The planet Krypton is doomed. Only one man Jor-El knows it and rockets his infant son to refuge on a distant world called Earth. As Jor-Els son grows to manhood he learns he possesses super-powers he must hide from ordinary mortals around him. It takes a big movie to contain the considerable talents of Marlon Brando Gene Hackman Jackie Cooper Glen Ford Margot Kidder Valerie Perrine and at its heart the most human portrayal of the Man of Steel Christopher Reeve. Superman an Academy Award winner (1978) for special achievement in visual effects is more than big enough. Directed by Richard Donner Superman: The Movie makes us believe this epic story all over again. Superman II: A nuclear explosion in outer space has freed rebel General Zod and his evil cohorts from their captivity in a fragment of Kryptonite. Having been banished from Krypton for their treachery against Jor-El they now plot revenge on his son - Superman. Arch villian Lex Luthor offers his services to Zod meanwhile Lois Lane has discovered Clark Kents identity. Will Superman surrender his superhuman powers to marry her or will he save the city of Metropolis? Original cast members from Superman create a blend of thrills humour and humanity that makes this sequel great fun for the whole family. Superman III: After Superman: The Movie's epic storytelling and Superman II's awesome battles how could the first two hits be topped? In Superman III meet Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor) a half-witted computer programming natural. For him a keyboard is a weapon and Superman faces the microelectronic menace of his life. Christopher Reeve reprises his most beloved role deepening his character's human side as Clark Kent reunites with an old flame (Annette O'Toole) at a Smallville High class reunion. And when Superman becomes his own worst enemy after Kryptonite exposure Reeve pulls off both roles with dazzling conviction. Incredible visual effects abound - but above all it has heart heroism and high-flying humor. All in superabundance of course. Superman IV: Christopher Reeve not only dons the hero's cape for the fourth time in Superman IV: The Quest For Peace but also helped develop the film's provocative theme: nuclear disarmament. ""For me it's the most personal of the entire series "" Reeve says. ""It directly reflects what Superman should be and should be doing."" Superman does a lot this time around. To make the world safe for nuclear arms merchants archvillain Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) creates a new being to challenge the Man of Steel: the radiation-charged Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow). The two foes clash in an explosive extravaganza that sees Superman save the Statue of Liberty plug a volcanic eruption of Mount Etna and rebuild the demolished Great Wall of China. Your quest for superheroic excitement is over!
The complete seventh series of the BBC's political espionage drama following a team of officers in MI5. Six months after their ordeal at the hands of the Red Backs Adam (Rupert Penry-Jones) is back on the Grid but Jo (Miranda Raison) is still missing. Al Qaeda are holding a British soldier Private Andy Sullivan (Ian Virgo) captive and threatening to kill him unless all Remembrance Sunday services are cancelled. When the team learns that an Al Qaeda operative is planning to detonate a bomb at one of the services and the bomber is supported by the Chechens with links to Russia the Spooks face a race against time to foil the plot and rescue Sullivan. Matters are complicated by the return of Harry (Peter Firth)'s old protege Lucas North (Richard Armitage) who has just spent eight years in a Russian jail. Does he have the necessary skills to rejoin MI5 at the top level and more importantly where do his allegiances really lie?
With D'Artagnan now officially enrolled in the king's service, his army besieges the rebels at La Rochelle and Richelieu is determined to prevent any meddling by the English before the city falls. He dispatches Milady de Winter to London with orders to assassinate Buckingham if necessary. But she has a price — carte blanche to dispose of D'Artagnan and the slut Bonacieux as she sees fit. Our heroes, in between dodging musket balls at La Rochelle, must once again outwit the Cardinal's henchmen to save the day. But this time the stakes are higher. And tragedy is in the offing.
Series 19 of Top Gear sees Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May engage in another collection of incredible adventures, absurd stunts and dream drives, ably assisted by their tame racing driver, The Stig. In this series, the presenters use the Aston Martin Vanquish, SRT Viper and Lexus LFA for an incredible American road trip that takes in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and a race against some fighter planes before ending with a hair raising run to the Mexican border. The trio also create a unique car designed especially for old people, carry out one of Top Gear's famously thorough road tests on the new Kia Cee'd and race a Shelby Mustang GT500 against a train in order to find the fastest way to get from Britain to Italy in time for a football match. Also in this series, Jeremy invents the world's smallest car and tests it out on the streets of London, James finds out what the Bentley Continental GT Speed is like on a rally stage, and Richard reaches eye popping speeds on the test track in the amazing, 720 horsepower Pagani Huayra.
Legendary filmmaker Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose Tentacles and Piranha II sought to cash in on the killer fish craze spawned by Jaws, first hit pay dirt in 1974 with Beyond the Door â a gloriously bonkers riff on The Exorcist featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills and distinguished British actor Richard Johnson. Set against the backdrop of San Francisco, Beyond the Door stars Mills as Jessica Barrett, a young mother who starts to develop strange behaviours whilst pregnant with her third child. Before you can say split pea soup, Jessica is displaying signs of full-blown demonic possession â complete with projectile vomiting and fully-rotating head! Could it be that she's carrying the child of the Antichrist himself? Described as disgusting, scary trash and maddeningly inappropriate by film critic Roger Ebert and subject to a lawsuit by Warner Bros. (who claimed copyright infringement against a certain William Friedkin film), the devilish denizens at Arrow Video have summoned up this wickedly entertaining popcorn spiller fit for Satan himself! SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS 2K restoration of the Uncut English Export Version, released as The Devil Within Her High Definition Blu-ray⢠(1080p) presentation Original uncompressed mono audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Archival audio commentary with director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis and Euro-horror historian Nathaniel Thompson, moderated by Lee Christian Archival audio commentary with star Juliet Mills and filmmaker Scott Spiegel, moderated by film scholar Darren Gross and Lee Christian Archival introduction with Juliet Mills and Lee Christian The Devil and Me an interview with director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis Barrett's Hell an interview with writer/ cinematographer Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli Beyond the Music an interview with composer Franco Micalizzi The Devil's Face an interview with camera operator Maurizio Maggi Motels and Devils an audio interview with actor Gabriele Lavia Beyond the Door: 35 Years Later archival featurette including interviews with Ovidio G. Assonitis, Juliet Mills, star Richard Johnson and writer Alex Rebar Richard Johnson: An Englishman in Italy archival featurette Alternate opening titles Trailers, TV and Radio Spots Image Gallery Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Marc Schoenbach
A noir crime drama set in Aberystwyth, Wales, where troubled DCI Tom Mathias solves murders while searching for redemption.
Give credit to director Betty Thomas for making the notorious Howard Stern, self-proclaimed "king of all media", into a nerdish but appealing media rebel who loves his wife and family. Even if you hate Stern's rude radio show, you may discover that the underdog charm of this warm, whimsical film (based on Stern's autobiography) turns you into a fan--for the length of the film at least. Stern delivers a winning performance as the clumsy college kid and aspiring disc-jockey-turned-demon-shock-jock, who becomes an unlikely hero as he battles station managers, network executives and conservative "arbiters of decency" in the name of unfettered bad taste. Mary McCormack is fine as his understanding wife, Alison, and long-time Stern sidekicks Robin Quivers and Fred Norris acquit themselves nicely appearing as themselves. --Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com
In every war there are those who kill... and those who make a killing! In this adventure story of conspiracy and commitment South African businessman David Swansey (Harris) is delivering illegal German helicopters to Rhodesia as the government there seeks to uphold white rule over the Popular Front led by reluctant revolutionary Gideon Marunga (Roundtree). The two men from opposite worlds collide in a conflict of ideals each embracing his own beliefs until the bitter end...
Nowadays, the word "event" is thrown around all too often when describing television programmes, but back in 1983 the debut of V: The Mini Series was a television event in the truest sense. The appearance of gigantic flying saucers over the world's largest cities heralds the arrival of aliens from a distant galaxy who look human and act benevolently. Of course, things aren't exactly what they seem, and when some suspicious humans start to question the visitors' intentions they uncover a vast alien conspiracy, along with some unusual culinary habits. Soon, the visitors have enslaved the Earth under their fascist rule, and small groups of human rebels are forced underground to fight for the freedom of their entire species. But with the future of the planet still in question the epic story comes to an abrupt end, forcing the viewer to wait for the resolution in V: The Final Battle and the on-going series. That's not to say that the original V isn't worth the price of admission: in over three hours, it manages to capture the spirit of the great classic science fiction of the 1950s and 60s. The feeling of paranoia and insecurity that runs throughout the whole thing makes it feel, at times, like an expanded episode of The Twilight Zone, only shinier (hey, it was the 1980s). The special effects were impressive for their day, inspiring similarly themed films in the 90s (the gigantic flying saucers were seen again in Independence Day, and the storage area of the mothership turns up in The X Files Movie and The Matrix). What does irritate, however, is the utter lack of subtlety in the allegorical storyline. In fact, it could only have been made more obvious by demanding that the entire cast wear "This is how it was in 1930s' Germany" t-shirts. But if V occasionally doesn't live up to its own high standards, it's still a remarkably high-quality slice of epic television drama. On the DVD: The picture is an impressive widescreen 1.85:1 ratio and the soundtrack is adequate Dolby stereo. The DVD boasts a feature-length commentary by writer and director Kenneth Johnson, as well as a 25-minute "Behind the Scenes" documentary. --Robert Burrow
From Academy Award® nominated director Michael Anderson (Around The World In Eighty Days) and starring screen legends Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling, ORCA, THE KILLER WHALE is a terrifying tale of man versus beast. Initially on the hunt for a great white shark, the obsessive Captain Nolan (Harris) accidentally kills a pregnant orca. Seeking vengeance, her mate begins to terrorise the nearby fishing village in a rampage of death and destruction. Realising that only he can bring an end to the carnage, Nolan sets out on a deadly quest to face his enemy from the deep
Trevor Nunn directs Richard Johnson and Oscar-nominee Janet Suzman in this landmark production of Shakespeare's tragedy of power and passion in Ancient Egypt. First broadcast in 1974 and based on Nunn's celebrated staging with the Royal Shakespeare Company, its intensity and originality raised the bar for small-screen adaptations of Shakespeare's plays. Emphasising the futility of the protagonists' unworldly love against the coldly calculating might of Octavian, adopted son of Julius Caesar, this intimately staged production earned a BAFTA award for director Jon Scoffield, with Janet Suzman receiving a BAFTA nomination for her mesmerising portrayal of the doomed Egyptian queen. Antony and Cleopatra also features early appearances by Ben Kingsley, Tim Pigott-Smith and Patrick Stewart who won universal praise in the role of Antony's loyal, agonised confidante, Enobarbus.
THE BEST OF BENNY HILL This hilarious compilation celebrates the unique talents of comedy superstar Benny Hill with an uproarious collection of the characters and sketches that made him a household name the world over! THE HOUSE IN NIGHTMARE PARK Struggling actor Foster Twelvetrees can hardly believe his luck when he's invited to the country home of a well-off family. Joy soon turns to horror when he discovers dead bodies, foul intentions, lots of snakes and a madwoman in the attic! THE LOVERS! Like everyone else, Geoffrey and Beryl want to fall in love or they think they do; like everyone else since Adam and Eve. But Adam and Eve didn't live in Manchester in 1972... SUNSTRUCK Anticipating a Bondi Beach lifestyle, emigrating schoolteacher Stanley Evans is sadly disappointed when he arrives in Kookaburra Springs to find a town with two buildings: an old pub and a ramshackle schoolhouse!
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