C.S.I. Miami: Complete Season 7 (Crime Scene Investigation)
Still the most expensive movie ever made, Cleopatra nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. It also scandalised the world with the very public affair of its two major stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. But Joseph L Mankiewicz's 1963 epic deserves to be remembered for more than its off-screen troubles. An extravagantly elaborate production, the sets and costumes alone are awe-inspiring; Mankiewicz's own literate screenplay draws heavily on the classics and Shakespeare; while the supporting cast, led by Rex Harrison as Caesar and Roddy McDowall as his nephew (and future emperor) Octavian, are all first-rate thespians and generally put in more convincing performances than either of the two leads. Mankiewicz's original intention was to make two three-hour films: the first being Caesar and Cleopatra, the second Antony and Cleopatra. But before the films completion, and following a boardroom coup worthy of Ancient Rome itself, legendary mogul Darryl F Zanuck took back control of Fox and insisted that Cleopatra be cut to a more economical length. A heartbroken Mankiewicz was forced to trim his six-hour vision down to four. This was the "roadshow" version shown at the films premiere and now restored here for the first time. Then following adverse criticism and pressure from cinema chains Zanuck demanded more cuts, and the final released version ran a mere three hours--half the original length. Capitalising on the feverish publicity surrounding Burton and Taylor, the shortened version played up both their on- and off-screen romance. This longer four-hour roadshow version allows for a broader view of the film, adding some depth to the politics and manipulation of the characters. But the directors original six-hour edit has been lost. Perhaps one day it will be rediscovered in the vaults and Mankiewiczs much-maligned movie will finally be seen the way it was meant to be. Until then, Cleopatra remains an epic curiosity rather than the complete spectacle it should be. On the DVD: this handsome three-disc set spreads the restored four-hour print of the movie across two discs. The anamorphic widescreen print looks quite magnificent and Alex Norths wondrous score comes up like new in Dolby 5.1 sound. Theres a patchy and only intermittently revealing commentary from Chris Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky. Much better is the comprehensive two-hour documentary that occupies disc three, which tells in hair-raising detail the extraordinary story of a film production that became totally out of control. This is accompanied by some short archival material, but the documentary alone is a compelling reason to acquire this set. --Mark Walker
Lollipop and Mr. Mole, alias Maggie and Reg Robinson, are partners in a blissful and romantic union, a marriage firmly based on the premise that opposites attract. Tucked away in their cosy cottage in Fulham, SW6, the ever-obliging Reg is constantly in need of protection from the world - and sometimes from himself; while Reg is kindness personified, the iron-willed Maggie knows that generosity can sometimes cause more problems than it solves... Peggy Mount (The Larkins) stars opposite Hugh...
One of the better romantic comedies of the 1990s, this quirky love story stars Kevin Costner as washed-up golf pro, Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy, who has the singular misfortune of falling in love with the girlfriend (Rene Russo) of his arch rival (Don Johnson). Although he is inspired to re-ignite his golf career, challenge his opponent in the US Open, and win the affection of the woman of his dreams, McAvoy has just one flaw: he's a show off when he should just focus on playing the game. Reunited with his Bull Durham writer-director Ron Shelton, Costner fits into his Tin Cup role like a favourite pair of shoes and costar Cheech Marin scores a memorable scene-stealing comeback as McAvoy's best buddy, Romeo Posar. Mixing his love of sports with his flair for fresh, comedic dialogue, Shelton takes this enjoyable movie down unexpected detours (although some may find it a bit too long), and his characters are delightfully unpredictable. --Jeff Shannon
Weird events in the life of atomic scientist Cal Meacham culminate in an invitation from the strange-looking Exeter to work at a secret lab in Georgia supposedly in the cause of world peace. Other scientists are already there including the gorgeous Ruth Adams. They quickly discover there's more to Exeter than meets the eye. Is he benevolent? It may take an interstellar journey to find out.
The original Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of the silver screen's most unforgettable characters and, along with the other Universal Classic Monsters, defined the Hollywood horror genre. The Creature from the Black Lagoon: Complete Legacy Collection includes all 3 films from the original legacy including the gripping classic and the sequels that followed. These landmark motion pictures perfectly blended Universal's classic monster heritage with the science-fiction explosion of the 1950s and continue to inspire remakes and adaptations that strengthen the legend of the Creature from the Black Lagoon to this day. Bonus Features: Back to the Black Lagoon Documentary 3 Feature Commentaries Production Photographs Theatrical Trailers
Carol Reed (The Third Man) directed this 1965 portrait of the relationship between Michelangelo (Charlton Heston) and Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison), who commissioned the artist to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Based on a novel by Irving Stone, the script of The Agony and the Ecstasy plods along, juggling the dynamics between the two men along with a somewhat perfunctory love story and distracting battle sequences. Reed seems more attuned to the nuances and great pains of the artistic process, as seen in sequences of Michelangelo working. But the overall focus of the film is unfortunately fuzzy. --Tom Keogh
A genius he may have been, but Peter Sellers' film work often demonstrated appalling lapses of taste, as with the weak wartime farce Soft Beds, Hard Battles. Little more than a vehicle for a range of Sellers racial stereotypes and an excuse to feature a succession of scantily clad young women, the film centres on a Parisian brothel during the Second World War and its various clients from all the countries involved. Thus Sellers is given reign to trot out his comedy Frenchman, Englishman, German and Chinaman-none of which come across as anything other than hugely dated. The plot is weak and the hopelessly erotic air gives a feel of Confessions of a Window Cleaner in uniform or "'Allo 'Allo: The Movie". With so many better examples of Sellers' work available, this must surely be close to the bottom of anyone's list. On the DVD: Soft Beds, Hard Battles's picture and sound are bright and bawdy, with some degree of digital remastering obviously having taken place. There is a 10-minute selection of material deleted from the original cinematic print but these are merely odds and sods that cannot save Soft Beds, Hard Battles from being little more than a woefully outdated curio. --Phil Udell
This wondrous fantasy comes out of the pages of ""A Thousand and One Nights."" When the nefarious Jaffar usurps the Sultan's throne the princess's beloved suitor Ahmad and the strong and handsome thief Abu use magic to help the king regain power. To defeat them Jaffar causes Ahmad to go blind and turns Abu into a dog. But the heroes overcome these adversities and conquer many other mortal dangers before reclaiming the kingdom. The Thief of Bagdad made quite an impact on the
No matter how many sequels they've made or how big a hit it was in 1980, it's difficult to view the first Friday the 13th as anything but a quickie designed to cram in as many elements from horror movies that had been hits in the late 1970s--most obviously, Halloween and Carrie--while adding as little as possible to the formula. Director Sean S Cunningham has an archetypal plot at his disposal as a group of attractive, shallow teenagers out in the woods to reopen a once-cursed summer camp are murdered in manners designed to show off Tom Savini's gore effects. Kevin Bacon, killed early (arrow through the throat), is the only player who went on to have a career, and he hardly stands out from the strip-Monopoly-playing, goon-acting meat-on-the-hoof teens who fall prey to the mostly unseen murderer. That it's not a total write-off is down to a few neatly edited bits of classical suspense and, two decades on, a simmering nostalgia for a world of bouffant-haired bubbleheads in short shorts (and that's just the guys) observed by edgy subjective camera as the music hisses "kill kill kill". On the DVD: Friday the 13th may be the least worthy of all horror "classics", but it's still nice to have an edition that (unlike earlier video releases) offers a 16x9-enhanced 1.85:1 restored image and a healthy dose of extras. The hard-sell trailer gives away most of the big scares, and so should be sampled after the film. The making of the movie is covered by a 20-minute "Return to Crystal Lake" featurette and a commentary track with input from many of the creatives (Cunningham, composer Harry Manfredini, stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, writer Victor Miller). Some anecdotes get repeated, but there's a lot of solid background material. --Kim Newman
The satirical comedy Police Squad pits an ace detective and his captain (Leslie Nielsen & Alan North) against the criminal elements that befoul a big city. From the creators of Airplane!. Episodes Comprise: 1. A Substantial Gift (The Broken Promise) 2. Ring of Fear (A Dangerous Assignment) 3. Butler Did It the (A Bird in the Hand) 4. Revenge and Remorse (The Guilty Alibi) 5. Rendezvous at Big Gulch (Terror in the Neighborhood) 6. Testimony of Evil (Dead Men Don't Laugh)
A down-on-her-luck divorced woman meets and falls for a disenchanted outcast cowboy who earns his living by capturing wild mustangs. When she witnesses this cruel spectacle she teams up with a jaded rodeo performer in an attempt to free the horses. Last screen appearance for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe who was married to playwright Arthur Miller during the course of the filming.
An endearing and tragic love story that follows the life of a popular American novelist Daphne Fields struggling to come to terms with bringing up her deaf son alone after the heartbreak of losing her husband and daughter in a house-fire. As the only reminder of the family she once had she devotes her life to her son's upbringing with outstanding courage forever putting his happiness before her own. She finds strength in Dr. Matt Dane who is dedicated to the care and attention of deaf children. He offers support and comfort as her writing career takes off and she is forced to make many personal sacrifices. But Daphne is scared. Scared that she will never find the happiness she once had and scared that she will never be able to love again.
A Collection of Rare Spine-Chilling Tales Do you wake at night, hearing sounds under the floorboards? Are ghosts real? Or figments of your imagination? Are you brave enough to walk through a graveyard at night? Two chilling tales of terror to keep you awake at night: The Fearmakers : The Shadow of Death Shot on location at Warwick Castle, this spooky tale stars Jack Woolgar (Swallows and Amazons) as Booth and Barry Stokes (Z-Cars) as Weaver. Supernatural: Mrs. Amworth A mysterious epidemic is attacking an English village and the inhabitants are gradually being drained of their blood. Francis Urcombe becomes convinced that the disease is the work of a vampire. Starring Oscar-nominee Glynis Johns (Mary Poppins), John Phillips (Bleak House), Rex Holdsworth (Softly, Softly) and Derek Francis (Scrooge). Directed by BAFTA-nominee Alvin Rakoff.
Alexander Korda's 1940 version of The Thief of Bagdad offers stirring proof that a strong story and vivid visual sense can still dazzle modern movie-goers without the aid of computer graphics or intricate special effects. Korda wrangled a virtual committee of directors (including a young Michael Powell and visionary designer and art director William Cameron Menzies) and orchestrated a still effective series of optical effects to give this Technicolor fable a striking look that mates cinematic energy with a painterly, storybook aesthetic. Even from a 21st century vantage point, this decidedly pre-digital production remains charming, distilling a familiar tale of genies, evil wizards and exotic adventures into an archetypal heroic quest. In remaking Douglas Fairbanks' hugely popular, technically ambitious 1926 silent production, Korda repositions the title character as a much younger figure with the casting of a teenaged Sabu as the youthful thief, Abu. That shift makes his enemy, the evil Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), much more threatening while giving the fable an innocence the swashbuckling Fairbanks could not supply. In Rex Ingram, the film supplies a genie with a winning contrast in his thundering voice and mischievous smile, while June Duprez provides the requisite beauty to the princess whose fate becomes Abu's test of courage. Fellow Hungarian émigré Miklós Rózsa adorns the movie with one of his earliest and most evocative music scores. It's one measure of this Thief's appeal that at least two more remakes followed, but none have trumped this adaptation. --Sam Sutherland
Set against a backdrop of blue skies turquoise water and Art Deco hotels CSI: Miami is hotter than ever as criminologist Horatio Caine (David Caruso) and his team return for their edgiest season yet all captured in this 21-episode collection. Horatio battles the mother of his son a deadly seductress from his past while the rest of the team (Adam Rodriguez Eva La Rue Rex Linn Jonathan Togo and Khandi Alexander) works to rescue Calleigh (Emily Procter) from kidnappers! Catch all the action in the provocative Sixth Season of CSI: Miami.
Chronicling the work of the Miami-Dade crime investigations CSI: Miami is set against the sun fun and tropics of the Florida tourist haven. Leading the team is Horatio Caine played with steely calm by Emmy-award winning film and tv veteran David Caruso. An ex-bomb squad detective Horatio is no stranger to confrontations with criminals and the underworld. Episode List: 1. Bunk 2. Forced Entry 3. Dead Woman Walking 4. Evidence of Things Unseen 5. Simple Man 6. Dispo Day 7.
Connery Hoffman and Broderick star as three generations of a family formerly linked to organized crime. Grandfather Jesse has been in and out of jail and his son Vito has decided to leave a life of crime in order to become a respectable family man but when grandson Adam comes up with a can't-miss heist plan the intergenerational sparks begin to fly.
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