When you've got Critters...you need all the help you can get! It's no picnic for the Brown family when a lethal litter of carnivorous aliens arrives unannounced at their Kansas farm. Trapped in a deadly nightmare the terrified Browns fight for their lives against the attacking bloodthirsty monsters. But it's a losing battle until two intergalactic bounty hunters arrive determined to blow the hellish creatures off the planet! It's an alien adventure full of action and just crawli
The ancient and mysterious house of 'Mark's Priory' is the family seat of the Lebanon family. Lady Lebanon (Helen Haye) is desperate to have an heir to carry on the family name and has told her son Lord William (Marius Gording) that he must marry her niece Isla Crane (Penelope Dudley-Ward). But Lord William has no intention of marrying and Isla has fallen in love with a young architect who is working on the renovation of Mark's Priory. Lady Lebanon's desire to have the Lebanon name continue along with her doctor's scheming intrigues creates a crescendo of tension that only murder can release. But who is the homicidal maniac and what sinister motives lurk beneath the servants' strange behaviour? As the police are called in to investigate the shadows of terror and death lurk in every corner of Mark's Priory.
John Schlesinger's solid adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel sees three rival suitors vying for the affections of the beautiful Bathsheba Everdene (Julie Christie decked out in a variety of bonnets and frilly dresses), who has just inherited a farm. The men in her life are stout, whiskered yeoman Gabriel Oak (Alan Bates), an impoverished local farmer; neurotic, repressed squire William Boldwood (Peter Finch); and handsome rascal Sgt Troy (Terrence Stamp), who dresses as if he's Flashman and breaks women's hearts for a hobby.Thanks to cameraman Nic Roeg and production designer Richard MacDonald (who also worked for Joseph Losey), 19th-century Dorset looks as pretty and as picturesque as a John Constable reproduction on top of a biscuit tin. Not that Schlesinger or screenwriter Frederic Raphael underplay the duress of rural life. We see the hardship of the farm workers' lives as the seasons turn. The film opens with a spectacular sequence in which Gabriel Oak's dog drives his flock of sheep over a cliff, thereby forcing him into penury. Whether hunger or heartbreak, every character here suffers. Bathsheba (like the model Christie plays in Darling) is a free-spirit in a society in which women's rights are severely restricted. --Geoffrey Macnab
Providing a showcase for some of Britain s most accomplished screenwriters Dramarama was an acclaimed 1980s anthology series which became a staple part of children s television viewing and is still widely remembered today. Spooky aired shortly before the main series was broadcast exploring the supernatural vein that would appear throughout Dramarama s run. These outstanding screenplays venture into the dark corners of the imagination to create some of the most spine-tingling scenes ever seen on children s television! Nicholas Ball Wilfrid Brambell and Colin Jeavons are among the performers; high-calibre writers include BAFTA-Award winner Paula Milne Grange Hill contributor Jane Hollowood and authors Leon Garfield and Alan Garner both recipients of the Carnegie Medal for children's literature.
Children Of The Corn Traveling through Nebraska Burt (Peter Horton) and Vicky (Linda Hamilton) stop in a small town to report the death of a child on the highway. There they discover something strange about the community: all the grownups are gone and the children seem to belong to a strange cult. What's worse it's a cult that sacrifices adults to the dreadful 'he who walks behind the rows'... Children Of The Corn 2 A young couple uncovered the horrors that lay hidd
Cotton Club: Welcome to the Cotton Club where crime lords rub shoulders with the rich and famous. Director Francis Ford Coppola and co-writers William Kennedy and Mario Puzo create a panorama of love crime and entertainment centered on the legendary Harlem Nightclub owned by Owney Madden (Bob Hoskins). Cornet player Dixie Dwyer (Richard Gere) gets a job in Harlem's famous Cotton Club while his brother gets a job as Dutch Schultz's (James Remar) bodyguard. Dwyer falls for Schultz's mistress Vera Cicero (Diane Lane) and finds himself caught in the middle of mobster rivalry in this stylish gangster film. Chaplin: Directed by Sir Richard Attenborough and starring Robert Downey Jr and an extraordinary cast 'Chaplin' is a loving grand-scale portrait of the Little Tramp's amazing life and times. His poverty-stricken childhood in England comes to life along with his friendships with Mack Sennett (Dan Aykroyd) and Douglas Fairbanks (Kevin Kline) his many wives and scandalous affairs and his relentless pursuit by J. Edgar Hoover. Chaplin is the larger-than-life story of the actor behind the icon and a stunning depiction of a bygone era when Hollywood was at its most glamorous. Chorus Line: An adaptation of one of the most successful and unusual musicals of all time. A group of Broadway hopefuls auditioning for a place in the chorus line of a new show relate the stories of their lives -- their disappointments their dreams and the professional rejections and successes. Among the dancers trying to make the grade is the director's former lover a woman who once made it big and now would be grateful just to dance in the chorus.
No-one will be neutral about Plunkett and Macleane. Either you go with its notion of cheeky, stylish fun or you want to grab first-time director Jake Scott by the ear and slap him silly. Your inclination may depend on whether you recall his dad Ridley's own directing debut, The Duellists (1977), and savour the correspondences. Dad took a Joseph Conrad tale of the Napoleonic Wars, cast it with the ultra-contemporary Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel, and filmed it with a swooping, mobile camera. Son Jake has made a feisty period piece about a pair of thieves (Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller) in 1748 London and filled it with blatant anachronisms. A decadent aristo (Alan Cumming), asked whether he "still swings both ways," replies, "I swing every way!" A ballroom full of revellers dances the minuet (or is it the gavotte?) while our ears--if not theirs--are filled with a trance ballad. And so forth. Is this sophomoric? Maybe. But it's also often fresh and inventive. Why shouldn't a filmmaker be allowed to speak directly to a contemporary consciousness, even flaunt it, as long as he also delivers startling imagery and convincing period detail? The solid cast includes Michael Gambon as a corrupt magistrate, Ken Stott as a very nasty enforcer named Mr Chance (who favours a thumb through the eye socket and into the brain as a mode of execution) and Terence Rigby as a philosophical jailer. Even Liv Tyler looks more interesting than usual. In the end pretty frivolous, Plunkett and Macleane is nonetheless a lively debut. --Richard T Jameson, Amazon.com
Modern blockbuster cinema came of age with the release of three huge science fiction/fantasy extravaganzas in the late 1970s. In 1978 Superman was the last of these, a gigantic hit unfairly overshadowed by Star Wars (1977) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Christopher Reeve is completely convincing as both Superman and mild-mannered alter ego Clarke Kent, sparking real chemistry with Margot Kidder's fellow reporter Lois Lane. Though the tone becomes lighter and introduces comedy as Superman battles arch-nemesis Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) the film succeeds because Donner plays the titular character straight. From Marlon Brando's heavyweight cameo to the surprisingly wrenching finale, Superman unfolds as an epic modern myth, a spiritual fable for a secular age and a fantastic entertainment for the young at heart. With breathtaking production design, special effects, gorgeous cinematography, thrilling set-pieces, wit, romance and John Williams' extraordinarily rich music score, Superman has the power to make you believe a man can fly.Although Superman II is credited to director Richard Lester the film is largely the work of Richard Donner, who shot 70 per cent of the footage back-to-back with Superman at a staggering combined cost of $55 million. Indeed, while each film works perfectly well alone, together they form four-and-a-half hours of the finest fantasy in cinema history. Superman II sees the release of the three super-villains exiled at the beginning of Superman, then without the need to tell Superman's origins offers a full two hours of rip-roaring comic-book action. The villains, led by a marvellously menacing Terrance Stamp, prove stronger adversaries than Lex Luthor, while Clarke's romance with Lois Lane is developed through polished comedy and a serious subplot in which Superman must chose between love and duty. From an atom bomb on the Eiffel Tower to an epic battle amid the skyscrapers of Metropolis (New York) the action and special effects are superb, the characters portrayed with verve and the story delivered with just the right amount of seriousness. A rousing entertainment very nearly as fine as its predecessor, the wirework battles paved the way for Hong Kong's seminal Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain (1983) and ultimately The Matrix (1999).On the DVD: Superman is presented in an extended director's cut which adds eight minutes to the theatrical original. The restored material is so artfully integrated many viewers may not even notice, but it would have been nice to at least have the opportunity to watch the original via seamless branching. The sound has been remixed into extraordinarily powerful Dolby Digital 5.1--the superb main title sequence is worth the price alone--and the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is, except for some unavoidably grainy effects shots, pristine. The commentary by Richard Donner and writer Tom Mankiewicz reveals more about the background than all but the most dedicated fan will ever need to know, while film music aficionados will revel in the opportunity to listen to John Williams' score isolated in Dolby Digital 5.1. On the second side of the disc are a eight alternate John Williams music cues, a selection of deleted scenes and the screen tests of a variety of would-be Lois Lanes, introduced and with optional commentary by casting director Lynn Stalmaster. These are fascinating, and show how right for the part Margot Kidder really was. A DVD-ROM only feature presents the storyboards plus various Web features, while the real highlight is a 90-minute documentary divided into three sections covering pre-production, filming and special effects. The picture quality on all the extras is very good indeed. An enthralling package, DVD doesn't get much better than this. In contrast to the fantastic Superman DVD the Superman II disc is a bare-bones release with the original trailer being the only extra. The anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is absolutely first-rate, but if Superman can be presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound with an isolated score there is absolutely no excuse for the sequel being offered in lacklustre stereo. --Gary S Dalkin
Terence Stamp as a drag queen--an Aussie drag queen? Darling, you'd better believe it. In Stephan Elliott's delirious exercise in ultra-camp meets outback macho, Stamp plays an ageing trans-sexual who, with two of his equally high-glossed pals, heads off for a cabaret engagement in Alice Springs. Priscilla is their chosen vehicle, a school bus painted an outrageous purple. The culture-clash comedy that ensues is none too unpredictable: the local Ockers, initially contemptuous, soon find the spangled and bewigged trio can out-talk, out-drink and if necessary, out-punch them; everything ends in a warm glow of mutual tolerance and appreciation. Elliott maybe hits the feelgood button a little too hard, but it's impossible not to be swept along by the sheer brash energy of the film. The bitchy dialogue snaps and crackles, the costumes and Fellini-esque dance numbers are to die for, and Stamp and Co.--enjoying themselves no end--play the whole thing to the hilt and some way beyond it. --Philip Kemp
Produced by Jackie Chan (who also makes an uncredited cameo), Gen-X Cops is an attempt to kick-start a franchise that will play well in the international market--hence the odd mix of Cantonese and English dialogue throughout. Match, Alien and Jack are three unruly students kicked out of cadet college and adopted as a crack undercover unit of delinquent Gen-X Cops by a put-upon police inspector given to epileptic fits in times of stress. Augmented by token hacker chick Y2K, they are assigned to a case involving a shadowy, arms-dealing Yakuza and double-crossing Triad warlords. The principal cast, mainly made up of unknowns, models and Cantonese pop stars, inject their roles with an infectious charm and enthusiasm while Benny Chan (Code of Honour) admirably keeps a handle on the non-stop plot twists. The action relies more on gunplay and pyrotechnics than martial arts. The three leads dodge bullets and bomb blasts without the aid of stuntmen. Among several stunning set pieces are a gun battle in a labyrinthine boat warehouse, skydiving from skyscrapers and an explosive finale in Hong Kong's famed conference centre. On the DVD: Fully-animated menus and 30-chapter scene selection are just the tip of the iceberg with this feature-packed DVD. Extras include "No Pain No Gain", a 30-minute "making of" documentary, a music video for the Gen-X theme tune "You Can't Stop Me", in which the actors make like the Shanghai Sex Pistols but come off like Boyzone gone bad. There are also extensive cast and crew features and production notes. The transfer of the main feature is sharp and clear, presented in letterboxed widescreen with Dolby sound. An impressive selection of viewing options includes Cantonese dialogue with removable English sub-titles or an alternative English-dubbed audio track. --Chris Campion
Set in St. Eligius Hospital South Boston St. Elsewhere was another ensemble drama in a similar vein to Hill Street Blues. Following the lifes loves and careers of a group of doctors and nurses the show earned much acclaim for its articulate controversial and innovative scripts. Featuring a plethora of Movie and television actors of some note it operated as a springboard for a number of big-name stars and character-actors including: Denzel Washington David Morse and Ed Begley Jr; not to mention an incredibly talented number of directors and scriptwriters such as: Kevin Hooks (Lost 24) and Tom Fontana (the creator of HBO's Oz). Many have noted the influence it has had on E.R. and several other hospital-based dramas which followed in its success. The comparisons are not misguided as this is just as good as its contemporary offspring if not better. Featuring all the episodes from the first season. Episodes comprise: 1. Pilot 2. Bypass 3. Down's Syndrome 4. Cora and Arnie 5. Samuels and the Kid 6. Legionnaires 7. Legionnaires 8. Tweety and Ralph 9. Rain 10. Hearts 11. Graveyard 12. Release 13. Family History 14. Remission 15. Monday Tuesday Sven's Day 16. The Count 17. Brothers 18. Dog Day Hospital 19. Working 20. Craig in Love 21. Baron Von Munchausen 22. Addiction
A handsome enigmatic stranger (Terence Stamp) arrives at a bourgeois household in Milan and successfully seduces each family member not forgetting the maid. Then as abruptly and mysteriously as he arrive he departs. Unable to endure the void left in their lives the father (Massimo Girotti) hands over his factory to the workers the son abandons his vocation as a painter the mother (Silvana Mangano) abandons herself to random sexual encounters and the daughter sinks into catatonia. The maid (Laura Betti) however becomes a saint.
Nahum Witley (Karloff) is a scientist whose family harvested a radioactive meteor when it plummeted to the Earth two generations ago. Believing that the family are Satan worshippers the locals in the adjoining village all but shun them. When Witley's daughter's new boyfriend arrives in the town he's also met with a frosty reception. Then when he arrives at the Witley family home and is reunited with his girlfriend strange things start to happen. This classic 60s horror is co
This sequel to 'Children of the Corn' finds the murderous youths of Gatlin being taken in by the folks from the neighbouring town of Hemingford. Before long, however, the Gatlin children receive another directive from He Who Walks Behind the Rows to kill all the adults in an act of sacrifice. And so the violence begins again.
A stylised and violent thriller, prolific director Miike Takashi's The City Of Lost Souls (2000) is set in the ganglands of Tokyo and pays homage to Sergio Leone, Quentin Tarantino and, in a daft, animated cockfighting sequence, The Matrix. Mario (Teah) is the Japanese-Brazilian gunslinger fresh out jail who, in a hilariously audacious action sequence, hijacks a helicopter to save his Chinese girlfriend Kei (Michelle Reis) from deportation. He must then secure 18 million yen to secure fake passports for both of them to make a new life for themselves in Australia. In a misconceived operation, Mario arrives at the lair of the intriguing Ko, Kei's ex-boyfriend--a self-assured, effeminate young exchange student--who is somehow head of a vicious gang of Triads. He is on the point of buying a consignment of cocaine from decadent, cold-blooded Yakuza gangster Fushimi when Mario's arrival triggers a shootout, with Mario escaping with the wrong suitcase. Now, in time-honoured True Romancefashion, Mario and Kei are on the run from the mob. Although visually tricksy with some strong set-pieces, The City of Lost Souls is rather hazy when it comes to story and characterisation. We get little sense of the runaway couple as people. A young blind girl is introduced into the tale and there are romantic moments between Mario and Kei but these feel like sugary palliatives to the bloodshed rather than touching moments. Better perhaps to check out Takashi's Audition, a brilliantly gruesome satire on male Japanese attitudes towards womanhood. This is a flashier, faster but less artistically satisfying affair. On the DVD: The City of Lost Souls is presented in video aspect ratio 1.85:1, with reasonable clarity and sharpness. However, the English subtitles are a little pidgin and slapdash in places, none of which improves the main special feature, a rather dull and vague interview with director Takashi. --David Stubbs
Norman Wisdom is an assistant bank manager who lives the routine humdrum life of taking his work home with him working as he eats meals kissing his children goodnight on the cheek his wife goodnight on her forehead and next morning work. On his way to a bankers' conference in Southport he meets hippy-happy Sally Gleeson. The brief interlude is over almost before it began but it gived the man anew look on life the chance of a better understanding with his wife and even a fresh approach to...his work. A tender mildly sexy and amusing story starring one of Britain's most loved comic actors. Also features an appearance by The Pretty Things.
Coming after Operation Bullshine and My Wife's Family What A Whopper is a comedy from former documentarist Gilbert Gunn. Adam Faith stars in this tale about a struggling writer who fakes photographs of the Loch Ness monster and then heads for the Highlands to convince the locals so that they'll back his book. Just about every comedy stalwart you can think of crops up in support from Carry On regulars Sid James and Charles Hawtrey to TV favourites Wilfrid Brambell and Terry Scott. Even Spike Milligan has a cameo as a tramp...
Here in all its glory is the second volume of Crossroads including episodes released on DVD for the very first time. Meg and Sandy Richardson Benny Hawkins Adam Chance Shughie McFee - the names still strike a chord in the memories with a generation of people who sat entranched watching the latest escapades of the staff and customers of Crossroads motel. Unrepeated for many years the general perception of Crossroads is coloured by that of Acorn Antiques
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