Under Fire was one of a trio of notable films from the mid-1980s about journalists involved in Third World war zones. While certainly a lesser film than Salvador (1986) or The Killing Fields (1984) Roger Spottiswoode's movie is still a commendable work from a director who later brought a similarly political edge to Noriega: God's Favourite (2000). Nick Nolte plays an American photo-journalist covering the civil war in Nicaragua in 1979, finding himself caught in a dangerous and cynical web of duplicity and self-interest, as well as falling in love with fellow American, Claire (Joanna Cassidy). Nolte gradually uncovers the degree of his own government's involvement with the corrupt regime, and inevitably ends up crossing the line from neutral observer to helping the rebel cause. Under Fire is in essence a reworking of Casablanca, especially as Gene Hackman's network newsman proves to be Cassidy's ex-lover, yet thanks to an intelligent script, strong support from Ed Harris as a mercenary and some genuinely unnerving and frightening scenes of the random chaos of war, it's one which packs a powerful punch. Jerry Goldsmith's evocative score is among his best of the 1980s.On the DVD: Under Fire is presented in an anamorphic 1.77:1 transfer which is very clean and clear with minimal grain. The well-mixed Dolby Pro-logic soundtrack is highly effective, if not so startling as a 5.1 track. Beyond multi-language and subtitle options, the only extra is the original trailer, which is also anamorphically enhanced. --Gary S Dalkin
This great DVD collection contains the following titles: 1. Attack! (dir. Robert Aldrich 1956) 2. 633 Squadron (dir. Walter Grauman 1964) 3. The Bridge At Remagen (dir. John Guillermin 1969) 4. A Bridge Too Far (dir. Richard Attenborough 1977) 5. The Great Escape (dir. John Sturges 1963) 6. Hart's War (dir. Gregory Hoblit 2002) 7. Platoon (dir. Oliver Stone 1986) 8. Windtalkers (dir. John Woo 2002) 9. The Dogs Of War (dir. John Irvin 1981) 10. Under Fire (dir. Roger Spottiswoode 1983)
El Mariachi: All he wants to be is to be a Mariachi like his father his grandfather before him. But the town he thinks will bring him luck brings only a curse - of deadly mistaken identity. Forced to trade his guitar for a gun the Mariachi is playing for his life in this critically-acclaimed film debut from director Robert Rodriguez. Desperado: Antonio Banderas Joaquim de Almeida Salma Hayek Steve Buscemi Cheech Marin and Quentin Tarantino star in this stylish shoot -'em - up described as a south-of-the-border Pulp Fiction. Director Robert Rodriguez follows up his legendary debut film El Mariachi with this sexy sequel about a mysterious guitar player (Banderas) searching for vengeance against the men who murdered his girlfriend.
Part fact and part fiction 'Zoot Suit' is the film version of Luis Valdez's critically acclaimed play based on the actual Sleepy Lagoon murder case and the zoot suit riots of 1940s Los Angeles. Henry Reyna (Daniel Valdez) is the leader of a group of Mexican-Americans being sent to San Quentin without substantial evidence for the death of a man at Sleepy Lagoon. As part of the defense committee Alice Bloomfield (Tyne Daly) and George Shearer (Charles Aidman) fight the blatant misc
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