One Million Years B.C. might be about as palaeontologically accurate as The Flintstones, but it's still a lasting kitsch masterpiece, as much for Raquel Welchs Amazonian presence in an abbreviated fur bikini as for Ray Harryhausens wonderful stop-motion dinosaurs. A rare big-budget venture from Hammer Films, this 1966 version of the 1940 Victor Mature classic One Million B.C. is set in a fantasised prehistory where Caucasian cavemen coexist with dinosaurs. Loana (Welch) of the Shell People teaches Tumak (John Richardson) of the Rock Tribe that harmonious cooperation on the beach is a better way of life than rule-of-the-mightiest savagery in caves. Every quarter of an hour, the gibberish-spouting ("Akita akita"), skin-wearing, remarkably clean cave folk are inconvenienced by special effects: a giant sea turtle, a hungry Allosaur, a Triceratops/Iguanodon battle, a Pterodactyl that wants to feed Raquel to its chicks, a major volcanic upheaval. Poster icon Welch gets stiff competition from a lithe Martine Beswick in a cat fight, and the camp goings-on are given real screen presence by gorgeous, primitive Canary Isles locations and an epic score from Mario Nascimbene. On the DVD: One Million Years B.C. arrives on DVD with minimal extras: a wonderfully ballyhoo-intensive trailer, plus nice little retrospective chats with Welch and Harryhausen. The picture is an anamorphic print of the original 1.85:1 ratio, and sound is Dolby mono.--Kim Newman
David Wiseman is mad about cricket but no good at it! The 11 year old has all the kit he could wish for but none of the skill and he's a perpetual outsider at school. When a Jamaican family move in next door build a cricket net in the back garden and even offer to coach him David is in seventh heaven. But in the climate of postwar England residents of the community make life difficult for the newly arrived family and David has to choose between fitting in and standing up for his
British comedy adaptated from the play by Joe Orton. Two bank robbers, Dennis (Hywel Bennett) and Hal (Roy Holder), are on the run from the police after a successful heist. Needing somewhere to hide the loot, they turn to a funeral parlour where they can stash the cash in Hal's recently-deceased mother's coffin. Taking the coffin, they turn to Hal's father (Milo O'Shea) and hide it in the bathroom of his hotel. Before long the hotel is host to the eccentric Inspector Truscott (Richard Attenborough) as he traces the crooks, and the promiscuous nurse Fay (Lee Remick), who is also on the trail of the stolen money.
In The Desert Ratshis second Hollywood role--between Oscar-nominated turns in My Cousin Rachel and The Robe--Richard Burton stars as a Scottish commando put in charge of a battalion of the Ninth Australian Division defending Tobruk. The Aussies don't like him, and with a year of grim North African duty already under his belt, he's not too crazy about his new responsibilities either. The outfit is charged with staving off the battering assaults of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel for two months to give the British Army time to regroup in Cairo and prepare for a counterattack. In the end, the "Desert Rats" play hell with the Desert Fox for 242 days, during which they and their commander develop some mutual respect.This is a solid, workmanlike World War Two picture that, having been made in 1953 rather than 1943, can acknowledge a degree of eccentric humanity and soldierly professionalism in the enemy. Featured guest star James Mason reprises his Rommel from The Desert Fox (1951)--playing all his scenes in German except for a scene of ironical repartee with Burton. Another distinguished Brit, Robert Newton, gets co-star billing as a boozy, self-confessed coward who used to be Burton's schoolmaster once upon a time. However, a goodly number of Australians--including Chips Rafferty and Charles "Bud" Tingwell (still going strong nearly 50 years later in Paul Cox's wonderful Innocence)--rate as much screentime. Robert Wise directed, with a trimness that reminds us he started out as an editor, and Lucien Ballard provides the pungent black-and-white cinematography. --Richard T Jameson, Amazon.com
A maniac wired to a bomb. His hostages: 154 totally innocent children... Cokeville Wyoming. A small peaceful town. And the perfect place for a maniac to put his evil plot into action. David Young is planning 'The Big One': a scheme to create his own bizarre 'brave new world' - and to make himself fabulously wealthy - by kidnapping every child in Cokeville Elementary School and holding them to ransom. And he's got an ace up his sleeve: a bomb wired to explode if anyone dares to attack or shoot him. With 154 hostages inside the school and the emergency services helpless outside it seems that Young cannot lose...
Roundly dismissed as one of Steven Spielberg's least successful efforts, this very underrated film poignantly follows the World War II adventures of young Jim (a brilliant Christian Bale), caught in the throes of the fall of China. What if you once had everything and lost it all in an afternoon? What if you were only 12 years old at the time? Bale's transformation, from pampered British ruling-class child to an imprisoned, desperate, nearly feral boy, is nothing short of stunning. Also stunning are exceptional sets, cinematography and music (the last courtesy of John Williams) that enhance author J.G. Ballard's and screenwriter Tom Stoppard's depiction of another, less familiar casualty of war. In a time when competitors were releasing "comedic", derivative coming-of-age films, Empire of the Sun stands out as an epic in the classic David Lean sense--despite confusion or perceived competition with the equally excellent The Last Emperor (also released in 1987, and also a coming-of-age in a similar setting). It is also a remarkable testament to, yes, the human spirit. And despite its disappointing box-office returns, Empire of the Sun helped to further establish Spielberg as more than a commercial director and set the standard, tone and look for future efforts Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. --N.F. Mendoza
In 1954 four athletes across three continents were trying to run a mile under the milestone 4 minute mark - a feat then thought impossible. With two supremely gifted athletes emerging as front runners: England's Roger Bannister and Australia's John Landy a race into the history books was on...Based on Roger Bannister's sporting achievement this film is a story of dedication perseverance and glory.
He's Irish he drinks is a touch cynical and when he has time he writes a newspaper column. On the eve of the country's first election as an independent state Dan Starkey's life is about to change after he finds the young woman he has just made love to dead and his only ally is a nun..
An Officer And A Gentleman: Richard Gere stars as Navy recruit Zack Mayo while the stunning Debra Winger is his love interest. Lou Gossett Jnr. won an Academy Award for his brilliant portrayal of a tough drill instructor. David Keith plays Zacks struggling fellow candidate. Zack Mayo is a young loner with a bad attitude. Tempted by the glamour and admiration of the life of a Navy pilot he decides to sign up for Officer Candidate School. After thirteen tortuous weeks under
United in a strong loving marriage Veronica Ricci (Joanna Kerns Growing Pains) and her husband Ted (Michael Brandon Dempsey & Makepeace) feel their world is complete with the arrival of their first child. Their joy is short-lived when a chance remark by Veronica's father Malcolm triggers off a horrific suppressed memory from Veronica's childhood. Her mind filled with disturbed but confusing images Veronica begins to disintegrate mentally. Fearing her memories may
Beauty and the Beast: One of the most acclaimed and treasured animated films of all time is about to sweep you off your feet. Follow the adventures of Belle, a bright young woman who finds herself in the castle of a prince who's been turned into a mysterious beast. With the help of the castle's enchanted staff, Belle soon learns the most important lesson of all - that true beauty comes from within. An all-new digital restoration makes this 2-Disc DVD more magical than ever. Be our guest and let the music you'll never forget and the characters who will fill your heart cast a shimmering spell like never before.Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas: Celebrate the most magical time of the year with this Special Edition of the irresistible holiday classic inspired by Disney's Academy Award-winning masterpiece, Beauty And The Beast (1991: Winner - Best Song, Best Original Score; nominated for Best Picture). Share the wonder as Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury) recounts another tale as old as time about a Christmas past that almost wasn't - thanks to the scheming of former court composer Forte (Tim Curry), now a gloomy, holiday-hating pipe organ, determined to keep Belle and Beast apart forever. Only a true Christmas miracle could possibly thwart his dastardly plans. Reuniting the original voice cast, this spectacular gem sparkles with exciting bonus features, delightful songs, spellbinding visuals, and enduring themes of hope, friendship and love. Your family will experience the spirit of the season all year long with the timeless magic of Beauty And The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas.Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World: A lot happened before Belle and Beast lived happily ever after! Share the fun with one of Disney's most spirited Princesses and all her enchanted friends as their exciting adventures continue in this sparkling Special Edition of Belle's Magical World - inspired by Disney's beloved Academy Award-winning masterpiece, Beauty And The Beast (1991: Winner - Best Song, Best Original Score; nominated for Best Picture). Join Belle, Beast, Cogsworth, Lumiere, plus some charming new friends as they discover how love, teamwork, forgiveness and friendship can turn a once-gloomy castle into a dazzling palace fit for a princess! Adorned with delightful bonus features, your favourite characters and great songs, this fun-filled, modern-day classic proves that true beauty shines from within!
Once again returning to the genre to which he was perhaps best-suited, director Lewis Milestone traces the fate of a Marine platoon in the Pacific theater during WWII. The film stars Richard Widmark as the no-nonsense Lt. Carl Anderson, an officer charged with the responibility of leading his unit on a scouting mission to capture prisoners from an experimental rocket-launching facility and bring them back for interrogation. Among his platoon are veterans Pidgeon Lane (Jack Palance), Doc (Karl...
The free world's secret weapon dormant for 20 years has been called up for active duty. He's the bumbling addle brained master spy extrodinaire Maxwell Smart aka Agent 86. Smart is primed again to do battle against the sinister forces of KAOS. His wife 99 wants to get involved too however she's already more involved than she thinks...
Bette Davis turns in a towering central performance as the fearsome queen who tangles with a beautiful young lady-in-waiting (Joan Collins) for the affection of intrepid Sir Walter Raleigh (Richard Todd)...
The switch is set... The clock has started... Time's running out! A 16 year old student Paul Stephens (Chris Collet) has high hopes of winning first prize at a science fair with his fully-operational A-bomb! Needless to say the army are not happy and set out to disarm the prospective 'terrorist' before he can harm the good people of America. When the bomb is activated only Dr. Mathewson (Lithgow) can save Paul... and prevent Armageddon.
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold had the task of bettering its hilarious predecessor, King Solomon's Mines. It failed. Looking back from the age of slick computer graphics, it's painfully distracting to spot obvious back-projection, shoddy miniatures and some of the worst wire-work ever. Instead one must concentrate on the easy chemistry between Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone reprising their roles, this time in a quest for Quatermain's lost brother. Together they traipse across Africa, encountering all the usual pitfalls (literally) as well as jungle animals, restless native tribes and fast-flowing rivers and so on. James Earl Jones takes the money and runs through his wooden dialogue, all the time backed by endless repetitions of Jerry Goldsmith's sub-Indiana Jones hero theme. Taken on its own it's pretty atrocious viewing, but played back-to-back with the first movie The Lost City of Gold's surreal self-contained universe of hilarious adventure movie clichés is a lot of fun. Sharon Stone's hair remains perfect throughout, of course. On the DVD: Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold, like King Solomon's Mines, is presented on disc in a surprisingly pristine print, and in 2.35:1 widescreen. Also like its predecessor, the sound is in Dolby 2.0, which again reflects the limited number of spot effects layered into the soundtrack. The original trailer is the only extra feature. --Paul Tonks
3 classic Laurel & Hardy films from the Fox vaults featuring The Bullfighters The Dancing Masters and A-Haunting We Will Go.
The Godfather: (Disc 1) Considered by many to be the greatest movie ever made Francis Ford Coppola's epic masterpiece features Oscar winner Marlon Brando as the head of the Corleone family. Coppola paints a chilling portrait of a Sicilian family's rise and near fall from power in America and the passage of rites from a father to a son who was previously uninvolved in the business. Godfather Part II: (Disc 2 & 3) The Godfather Part II is one of the rare breed of c
The classic 80's cop show available on DVD for the first time! William Shatner stars as Sgt. T.J. Hooker a veteran cop who rejected a detective's badge to return to the streets and train young recruits in ""T. J. Hooker "" an hour-long contemporary police drama series produced by Spelling/Goldberg Productions in association with Columbia Pictures Television. Also starring in the series are Adrian Zmed as Vince Romano; a young Vietnam veteran who finds a new home on the force as Hook
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