Cy Endfield cowrote the epic prequel Zulu Dawn 15 years after his enormously popular Zulu. Set in 1879, this film depicts the catastrophic Battle of Isandhlwana, which remains the worst defeat of the British army by natives--the British contingent was outnumbered 16-to-1 by the Zulu tribesmen. The film's opinion of events is made immediately clear in its title sequence: ebullient African village life presided over by King Cetshwayo is contrasted with aristocratic artifice under the arrogant eye of General Lord Chelmsford (Peter O'Toole). Chelmsford is at the heart of all that goes wrong, initiating the catastrophic battle with an ultimatum made seemingly for the sake of giving his troops something to do. His detached manner leads to one mistake after another and this is wryly illustrated in a moment when neither he nor his officers can be bothered to pronounce the name of the land they're in. That it's a beautiful land none the less is made clear by the superb cinematography, which drinks in the massive open spaces that shrink the British army to a line of red ants. Splendidly stiff-upper-lipped support comes from a heroic Burt Lancaster and a fluffy, yet gruff, Bob Hoskins. Although the story is less focused and inevitably more diffuse than the concentrated events of Rorke's Drift that followed soon after, Zulu Dawn is an unflinchingly honest depiction of British Imperial diplomacy. --Paul Tonks
Christmas Eve, Norfolk, 1952. The Gregory family descend on the home of their recently widowed patriarch Martin (Ralph Richardson), the local Parson, as per their usual Christmas tradition. This year though, family tensions and misunderstandings threaten to ruin the holiday, as his three children (Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton and Denholm Elliot) battle with personal issues and are unable to confide in a father that they consider unapproachable, judgemental and out of touch. Director George O'Ferrall had a background in theatre and was the first ever producer of drama at the BBC. The Holly and the Ivy poignantly and perfectly captures an England on the cusp of dramatic socal, economic and cultural change, and deftly examines the generational gap in a family at odds over matters of faith, family and what the future may hold. Extras: Interview with Melanie Williams Audio Commentary with Jeremy Arnold, the author of Turner Classic Movies' CHRISTMAS IN THE MOVIES Interview with Professor Mark Connelly Stills gallery
A young girl's love for a tiny puppy named Clifford makes the dog grow to an enormous size.
Boasting a virtuoso comic performance from Leonard Rossiter The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976-79) remains one of the greatest of all television sitcoms. Writer David Nobbs combined the surrealist absurdity of Monty Python with an on-going story line that unfolded through each of the three seasons with a clear beginning, middle and end; a ground-breaking development in 70s TV comedy. The first and best season charts middle-aged, middle-management executive Reginald Perrin as he breaks-down under the stress of middle-class life until he informs the world that half the parking meters in London have Dutch Parking Meter Disease. He fakes suicide and returns to court his wife Elizabeth (Pauline Yates) in disguise, a plot development that formed the entire basis of Mrs Doubtfire (1993). Series Two is broader, the rapid-fire dialogue still razor sharp and loaded with caustic wit and ingenious silliness, as a now sane Reggie takes on the madness of the business world by opening a chain of shops selling rubbish. The third season, set in a health farm, is routine, the edge blunted by routine sitcom conventions. At its best The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is hilarious and moving, its depiction of English middle-class life spot on, its satire prophetic. Reggie's visual fantasies hark back to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Billy Liar (1963), and look forward to Ally McBeal (1997-2002) and are the icing on the cake of a fine, original and highly imaginative show. On the DVD: Reginald Perrin's discs contain one complete seven episode season. There are no extras. The sound is good mono and the 4:3 picture is generally fine, though some of the exterior shot-on-film scenes have deteriorated and there are occasional signs of minor damage to the original video masters. Even so, for a 1970s sitcom shot on video the picture is excellent and far superior to the original broadcasts. --Gary S Dalkin
Police Story 2 (1989) is one of those rare sequels that's more fun than its predecessor. Jackie Chan plays his usual rule-breaking cop, loyal to superiors that carp at the destruction he leaves in his wake but are prepared to take credit for every success he has. Here he finds himself up against vengeful gangsters whose plans he frustrated in the first of the series; but he also has to combat a ruthless team of extortionists with a taste for explosions both large and small--blowing up large buildings, turning people into human bombs and torturing people with firecrackers are all part of their repertoire. He has girlfriend trouble, too, since his fiancée is worried that he always puts the job first. Like its predecessor and the quasi-sequel First Strike (1996), Police Story 2 is transitional between Chan's early more fight-orientated Hong Kong movies and his later, blander Hollywood films. The fights and stunts here are most of the point of what is essentially a very good generic Jackie Chan vehicle; he takes on progressively larger groups of opponents, coping, for example, with a dozen gangsters armed with swords in a terraced garden by leaping from level to level and paying each opponent individual attention. The final fight in a fireworks factory is a Chan classic, depending as it does as much on the comedy of frustrating repetition as on daring stunts. --Roz Kaveney
NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English audio.
Cat or woman or a thing too evil to mention? Roger Corman and Vincent Price hook up for yet more horror in Edgar Allan Poe's most terrifying tale of passion possession and PURR-fect evil! When a dead wife sinks her claws into immortality - and comes back as a ferocious feline - she leads her husband's (Price) new bride on a deadly game of cat and mouse. And when the fur starts flying she soon learns that even in death... she can land on her feet!
The words of the opening song pretty much describe the menu in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum--"Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone: a comedy tonight!"--a frantic adaptation of the stage musical by Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove. The wild story, based on the Latin comedies of Plautus and set in ancient Rome, follows a slave named Pseudolus (Zero Mostel, snorting and gibbering) as he tries to extricate himself from an increasingly farcical situation; Mostel and a bevy of inspired clowns, including Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford and Buster Keaton, keep the slapstick and the patter perking. The cast also includes the young Michael Crawford as a love-struck innocent. This project landed in the lap of Richard Lester, then one of the hottest directors in the world after his success with the Beatles' films. Lester telescoped the material through his own joke-a-second sensibility, and also ripped out some of the songs from Stephen Sondheim's Broadway score. The result is very close to the vaudeville spirit suggested by the title--though anyone with a low tolerance for Zero Mostel's overbearing buffoonery may be in trouble. Oddly enough, amid all the frenzy, Lester creates a grungy, earthy Rome that seems closer to the real thing than countless respectable historical films on the subject. Frankie Howerd, who played Pseudolus on the London stage, kept the tradition going with his Up Pompeii TV series. --Robert Horton
In My Favorite Brunette we witness Bob Hope's own unique brand of film comedy as he teams up with the great screen beauty Dorothy Lamour (who later co-starred with him in many of the classic Road To... movies along with Bing Crosby). Co-starring Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney Jr. Hope romps through this yarn playing a bumbling photographer turned private eye and finds himself involved with a spy caper the mob and a dangerous brunette.
Roman Polanski's psychological drama was his first English-language feature. A young Belgian woman (Catherine Deneuve) is left alone in a Kensington apartment when her sister goes away. She becomes increasingly unstable, experiencing hallucinations which have their roots in her fear of male sexuality. When two aggressive men turn up, her tortured nightmares spill into real life violence.
A collection of vignettes, loosely based on the book by Dr. David Rueben, written and directed by Woody Allen, Everything contains some very funny moments. It's easy to forget that the cerebral Allen excelled at the type of broad, Catskill, dirty jokes and visual gags that run amok here. It's also remarkable how dirty this 1972 movie really was--bestiality, exposure, perversion and S&M get their moments to shine. The Woody Allen here, who appears in many of the sketches, is a portent of the seedy old Allen of Deconstructing Harry. Although the final bit, which takes place inside a man's body during a very hot date, is hilarious, most of Everything feels like the screen adaptation of a 70's bathroom joke book. Still, a must for Allen fans. --Keith Simanton
Murder On The Orient Express: The first of several lavish Christie adaptations from producers John Brabourne and Richard Goodwin introducing Albert Finney as the first screen Hercule Poirot. This 1974 production of Agatha Christie's 1934 classic is a judicious mixture of mystery murder and nostalgia. Which member of the all-star cast onboard the luxurious train perforated the no-good American tycoon with a dagger twelve times? Was it Ingrid Bergman's shy Swedish missionary; or Vanessa Redgrave's English rose; Sean Connery as an Indian Army Colonel: Michael York or Jacqueline Bisset; perhaps Lauren Bacall; Anthony Perkins or John Gielgud as the victim's impassive butler. Finney spreads unease among them with subdued wit and finesse. Arguably the most successful screen adaptation of a Christie novel in addition to Bergman's Oscar for Best Supporting Actress 'Murder On The Orient Express' achieved nominations for Best Actor Screenplay Photography Costume Design and Music Score. (Dir. Sidney Lumet 1974) Death On The Nile: Peter Ustinov makes his debut as Agatha Christie's brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this lavish and star-studded follow-up to Murder On The Orient Express:. As Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board and every elegant passenger becomes a prime suspect. Can Poirot identify the killer and motive before the ship of clues reaches the end of its murderous journey? Bette Davis David Niven Angela Lansbury Maggie Smith Mia Farrow George Kennedy Olivia Hussey Simon MacCorkindale Jane Birkin Jack Warden and Lois Chiles co-star in this sumptuous Oscar-winning classic adapted by Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth) and filmed on location throughout exotic Egypt. (Dir. John Guillermin 1978) The Mirror Crack'd: Mirror mirror on the wall who is the murderer among them all? The year is 1953. The small English village of St. Mary Mead home to Miss Jane Marple is delighted when a big American movie company arrives to make a movie telling of the relationship between Jane Grey and Elisabeth I starring the famous actresses Marina Rudd and Lola Brewster. Marina arrives with her husband Jason and when she discovers that Lola is going to be in the movie with her she hits the roof as Lola and Marina loathe each other on sight. Marina has been getting death threats and at a party at the manor house Heather Babcock after boring Marina with a long story drinks a cocktail made for Marina and dies from poisoning. Everybody believes that Marina is the target but the police officer investigating the case Inspector Craddock isn't sure so he asks Miss Marple his aunt to investigate... (Dir. Guy Hamilton 1980) Evil Under The Sun: Evil is everywhere. Even in paradise... Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate a case for an insurance company regarding firstly a dead woman's body found on a moor and then a important diamond sent to the company to be insured turns out to be a fake. Poirot discovers that the diamond was bought for Arlena Marshall by Sir Horace Blatt and Arlena is on her honeymoon with her husband and step-daughter on a tropical island hotel. He joins them on the island and finds that everybody else starts to hate Arlena for different reasons - refusing to do a stage show stopping a book and for having an open affair with Patrick Redfern another guest in full view of his shy wife. So it's only a matter of time before Arlena turns up dead strangled and Poirot must find out who it is.... (Dir. Guy Hamilton 1982)
Along with a glittering star-studded cast follow Phileas Fogg on his journey around the world. Phileas wagers that he can circumnavigate the world in a mere 80 days - and vows to leave that very night taking only some necessary cash in a carpet bag and his newly hired manservant Jean Passepartout. Adding to the excitement an English detective relentlessly pursues them throughout the journey that takes our hero to the World's most exotic locations by land sea and air.
Something Borrowed takes you on a journey that will make you laugh and cry as the course of true love - and friendship - never did run smooth...
The legend that is Dynasty reaches a spectacular new plateau in the monumental sixth season. Television immortal Aaron Spelling and creators Richard and Esther Shapiro bring all the trademark glamour stunning plot twists and masterful storytelling to soaring new heights. John Forsythe Joan Collins and Linda Evans headline the glittering cast along with the always-surprising lineup of superstar guests. These 30 compelling episodes dramatically raise the stakes of the raging war between the Carringtons and Colbys - with a gripping climax for the ages. Episodes Comprise: 1. The Aftermath 2. The Homecoming 3. The Californians 4. The Man 5. The Gown 6. The Titans 7. The Decision 8. The Proposal 9. The Close Call 10. The Quarrels 11. The Roadhouse 12. The Solution 13. Suspicions 14. The Alarm 15. The Vigil 16. The Accident 17. Souvenirs 18. The Divorce 19. The Dismissal 20. Ben 21. Masquerade 22. The Subpoenas 23. The Trial. Part 1 24. The Trial. Part 2 25. The Vote 26. The Warning 27. The Cry 28. The Rescue 29. The Triple-Cross 30. The Vendetta
Titles Comprise: My Darling Clementine: In another of his classic Westerns John Ford again reflects upon the advance of civilization on the receding frontier recounting the events leading up to and including the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral. As they drive their cattle toward California Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda) and his brothers Morgan (Ward Bond) Virgil (Tim Holt) and young James (Don Garner) stop outside Tombstone Arizona where they refuse an offer for
Greed. Seduction. Betrayal. Revenge. Dynasty has it all and more! The formidable Alexis descends on the Carringtons like a force of nature while the devious Sammy Jo wreaks her own brand of havoc on her new family. Radiant stars Joan Collins and Heather Locklear join the award-winning ensemble cast which includes John Forsythe and Linda Evans. From television-producing icon Aaron Spelling and show creators Richard and Esther Shapiro this season skyrocketed Dynasty into the series that defined a decade and captured the imagination of viewers worldwide.
These eight episodes from the Fast Show's third series brought us sparking new characters like the 13th Duke of Wybourne No Offence Taff Lad and the Hearty Hikers and treats in the shape of Swiss Toni Dave Angel Eco-Warrior and the Posh Cockneys to join old favourites like Suits You Chanel 9 Colin Hunt Ted and Ralph and the ever-increasing parade of catchphrase heroes.
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