Othello: Trevor Nunn's masterful interpretation of William Shakespeare's Othello stars Ian McKellan as the conniving treacherous Iago. Othello (acclaimed operatic bass Willard White) is a Moroccan nobleman whose marriage to the lovely and loyal Desdemona is untroubled by jealousy or conflict. That is until his trusted confidante Iago who is envious of Othello's happiness begins to scheme against the couple and ultimately incites a jealous rage in the honorable aristocrat. O
Now available for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, Taking Off is acclaimed director Milos Forman’s (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus) first US feature. This 1971 comedy-drama stars Lynn Carlin and Buck Henry as middle-class New York suburbanites, whose teenage daughter runs away from home when she gets in trouble with her parents. In the process of trying to unravel the mystery of the girl's whereabouts, the couple rediscover their own lives. This funny, alternative coming-of-age tale features exclusive musical appearances from Tina & Ike Turner, Carly Simon and actress Kathy Bates (as ‘Bobo’ Bates). This Blu-ray edition features a brand new HD restoration of the film along with the following extras: * Trailer * Before Taking Off: Milos Forman’s Road To America (30 minute documentary) * Photo Gallery
Also released under the title A Miracle Can Happen this three-part anthology features vignettes that are connected by a question from feature reporter Oliver Pease (Burgess Meredith): ""Has a child ever changed your life?"" In the first episode Henry Fonda and James Stewart star as Lank and Slim a pair of squabbling jazz musicians who try to pick up some extra money by rigging a music contest. Little do they know that their scam involves a babe rather than a baby. Th
Before live opera telecasts became regular television events The Grater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association ( WETA ) embarked on an ambitious project. In the summer of 1974 WETA began videotaping live operatic and concert performances at the Filene Center Auditorium in Wolf Trap Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna Virginia for broadcast in a series entitled In Performance at Wolf Trap. The overwhelming success of the series proved to public television stations throughout the country that audiences were eager for this kind of programming.In 1976 In Performance at Wolf Trap presented Beverly Sills in one of her most celebrated portrayals that of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata. Just months earlier Sills had performed the role at the Metropolitan Opera to great acclaim.
Join comedy megastar Benny Hill in more classic shows from 1980. Known throughout the world for his combination of high-speed farce risqu jokes and gorgeous ladies it is these shows - made for Thames Television - that turned him into a global household name
On June 6 1944 the Allied Invasion of France marked the beginning of the end of Nazi domination over Europe. The attack involved 3 000 000 men 11 000 planes and 4 000 ships comprising the largest armada the world has ever seen. Presented in its original black & white version The Longest Day is a vivid hour-by-hour re-creation of this historic event. Featuring a stellar international cast and told from the perspectives of both sides it is a fascinating look at the massive preparations mistakes and random events that determined the outcome of one of the biggest battles in history. Winner of two Oscars (Special Effects and Cinematography) the Longest Day ranks as one of Hollywood's truly great war films.
The Sorcerers, the second film directed by the lost "wunderkind" of British cinema Michael Reeves, may not have the scope and visceral impact of his masterpiece, Witchfinder General (1968), but there's enough fierce originality here to show what a tragic loss it was when he died from a drugs overdose aged only 24. The film also shows the effective use he made of minimal resources, working here on a derisory budget of less than £50,000--of which £11,000 went to the film's sole "named" star, Boris Karloff. Karloff plays an elderly scientist living with his devoted wife in shabby poverty in London, dreaming of the brilliant breakthrough in hypnotic technique that will restore him to fame and fortune. Seeking a guinea-pig, he hits on Mike, a disaffected young man-about-town (Ian Ogilvy, who starred in all three of Reeves' films). But the technique has an unlooked-for side effect--not only can he and his wife make Mike do their bidding, they can vicariously experience everything that he feels. At which point, it turns out that the wife has urges and desires that her husband never suspected. Karloff, then almost at the end of his long career, brings a melancholy dignity to his role; but the revelation is the veteran actress Catherine Lacey as the seemingly sweet old lady, turning terrifyingly avid and venomous as she realises her power. The portrayal of Swinging London, with its mini-skirted dollybirds thronging nightclubs where the strongest stimulant seems to be Coke rather than coke, has an almost touching innocence, but Reeves invests it with a dream-like quality, extending it into scenes of violent death in labyrinthine dark alleys. By this stage, some ten years after it started, the British horror cycle was winding down in lazy self-parody. Reeves had the exceptional talent and vision to revive it, had he only lived. On the DVD: The Sorcerers DVD has original trailers for both this film and Witchfinder General (both woefully clumsy); filmographies for Reeves, Karloff and Ogilvy; an "image gallery" (a grab-bag of posters, stills and lobby cards); detailed written production notes by horror-movie expert Kim Newman; and an excellent 25-minute documentary on Reeves, "Blood Beast", dating from 1999. The transfer is letterboxed full-width, with acceptable sound. --Philip Kemp
All Corporal Jericho Jackson (Paul Robeson) wants to do is fight for his country but on his way to the battlefields of Europe, he accidentally kills a man and is sentenced to the firing squad. But Jericho won't obey this unjust verdict.Making his escape, he flees to Africa and finds a new life leading a desert tribe, defending them against violent brigands. However, Jericho's past is pursuing him: a former friend has vowed revenge and is catching up fast...Paul Robeson was the first African-American movie star and Jericho was one of his greatest films. Blending the songs - and the action - his fans had come to expect, it shows this amazing talent at the height of his powers.
When disillisioned writer Charlie travels to Mexico to research a bizarre spate of murders he is dragged into a nightmare world of intrigue seduction and murder. Seduced by Natalie Charlie's life changes forever. Abducted and drugged he awakes to discover that one of his kidneys has been 'harvested' by a ruthless gang involved in the illegal trade of body parts. He flees setting out to find Natalie before his abductors return to reap the rest of their deadly harvest. Based around true events 'The Harvest' is a violent and sexy film that's compulsive to watch.
Errol Flynn is Jeb Stuart. Ronald Reagan is George Armstrong Custer (a part Flynn would play in 'They Died With Their Boots On'). Raymond Massey makes a flamboyant John Brown. And rounding out the cast are Oliveia de Haviland Alan Hale Van Heflin and Ward Bond. With a talent roster that includes cinematographer Sol Polito ('Sergeant York') and composer Max Steiner ('Gone With The Wind') 'Sante Fe Trail' is lousy history but great Hollywood!
Kill Bill icon Gordon Liu stars in this amazing Korean production playing an evil Kung Fu Emperor well versed in the Buddhist Fist & Staff styles.
Just Before Dawn tells the story of three boys and two girls who take a camping trip to the mountains. They meet a local Ranger who tries to make them turn back but they do not head his warning! In the steamy backwoods they sense an atmosphere of mounting tension. Soon they realize that they should have followed the ranger's advice and turned bacl as there is some secret deadly horror lurking in the woods with them!
Stannie Dum (Stan Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver hardy) are well-meaning but brainless toymakers in Toyland. They misinterpret an order from Santa Claus for 600 one foot high toy soldiers and come up instead with 100 6 foot high soldiers. But their toy army comes in handy when the evil Barnaby (Henry Brandon) and his furry Bogeymen invade Toyland and the boys end up as heroes when they save the Widow Peep's daughter Bo (Charlotte Henry) from his clutches. This priceless nine inch r
With Punk now the stuff of postcards, its good to have Punk in London, a 1977 feature that taps the source of what the scene was all about. German director Wolfgang Büra interviews a number of players and promoters but, apart from concert sequences by The Adverts and The Clash--in gritty form on their ill-fated first European tour--the emphasis is on "almost were" bands. Büras reticent and awkward questioning wont win awards for journalism, but interviewees are prepared to open up to him. Theres political hard-talking from members of Chelsea, a chat with the unassuming bassist of The Lurkers (and parents!), priceless interview footage with Kevin Rowland, then in Birmingham band The Kiljoys; best of all, the laconic roadie of Subway Sect, a true leveller well aware that the whole "Punk thing" will fall victim to commercial pressure like counter-cultures before it. On the DVD: The 1977 film reproduces decently, its faded realism appropriate to the subject, and the sound captures the sweaty environs of Londons club scene with raw immediacy. A pity, though, that sound and vision in the interviews werent better synchronised. There are 21 access points; The Clash sequence is repeated with German subtitles (though markedly inferior picture quality), and an extended adverts sequence with German-only offstage banter. Overall, a quirky package, and a quirky documentary--but with a sincerity and authenticity that no "Best of" could ever hope to capture.--Richard Whitehouse
Sheriff John Higgins quits and goes into prospecting after he thinks he has killed his best friend in shooting it out with robbers...
Three-time World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali defeated every top fighter during the golden age of boxing and symbolised the sport for generations of fans. Now ten of his acclaimed rivals pay tribute to perhaps the world's most beloved and inspiring athlete. From the moment he won gold at the 1960 Olympics Cassius Clay electrified the world and transformed the art of boxing. Articulate handsome charismatic and outspoken he became an icon of the burgeoning civil rights movement and a hero to millions around the globe. Ali won as much by getting inside his opponents' heads as by his astounding physical talents. Now those opponents reflect upon the man with a rare and candid honesty.
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