In 1972, Aretha Franklin, the undisputed Queen of Soul, recorded an album of gospel music at The New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, before an ecstatic live audience. The result, Amazing GraceĀ, went on to become one of the biggest albums of Aretha Franklin's career and one of her most beloved works. But even as the album gained fans around the world, few realised that the inspirational sessions had not only been recorded, they had been filmed by a camera crew led by Oscar winning filmmaker Sydney Pollack. However, due to technical problems, the film has never been seen. Until now. Music lovers won't want to miss this thrilling film, which is both an extraordinary look at a key moment in American musical and social history, and an invaluable record of one of America's greatest artists doing what she did best. One of the great music films New York Times Pure, soaring joy James King, BBC Radio 2
Michael Dorsey is fine actor but an irreproachable perfectionist who can hardly make ends meet; the best he can do for his wallet is take on a couple of jobs as a part-time drama coach and a part-time waiter. But when with the help of a few accessories (including rouge and a padded bra) he transforms himself into Dorothy Michaels everything changes. Dorothy lands a hot job on a soap opera monopolizes the covers of glossy magazines and wins thousands of adoring fans. But when he falls head-over-heels for his co-star Julie (Jessica Lange) he's got a real problem: How can he tell Julie he loves her when she thinks he's a she? Michael desperate to relinquish his disguise proceeds as a she and endures a battle with his agent played by Pollack who refuses to end his contract with the soap; a fight with his best friend who is a woman; unwanted sexual advances from a fellow soap actor; and sweet affections from Julie's father.
Sydney Pollack's Gothic war drama stars the great Burt Lancaster as the brutal, one-eyed army major in charge of a small group of American GIs fighting to save the castle they're stationed in during World War II. INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES: High Definition remaster Original mono audio New interview with actor Tony Bill (2017, tbc mins) Archival Interview with author William Eastlake (1968, 30 mins) Original theatrical trailer Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by critic Brad Stevens, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and historic articles on the film World premiere on Blu-ray Limited Dual Format Edition of 3,000 copies
Sydney Pollack's 1985 multiple-Oscar winner is a sumptuous and emotionally satisfying film about the life of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), better known as Isak Dinesen, who travels to Kenya to be with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer (Robert Redford). The film is slow in developing the relationship, but it is rich in beautiful images of Africa and in the romantic tone surrounding Blixen's gradual discovery of her life and voice. One downside: while we may all love Redford, he is as convincingly British as Kevin Costner is in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. --Tom Keogh
Sydney Pollack's 1985 multiple-Oscar winner is a sumptuous and emotionally satisfying film about the life of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), better known as Isak Dinesen, who travels to Kenya to be with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer (Robert Redford). The film is slow in developing the relationship, but it is rich in beautiful images of Africa and in the romantic tone surrounding Blixen's gradual discovery of her life and voice. One downside: while we may all love Redford, he is as convincingly British as Kevin Costner is in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. --Tom Keogh
Random Hearts, starring Harrison Ford and Kristen Scott Thomas, is a compelling love story about two people who never would have met in a perfect world.
Three-time Oscar nominee Tom Cruise delivers the most electrifying performance of his career in this riveting film based on the international best-seller.Cruise plays Mitch McDeere, a brilliant and ambitious Harvard Law grad. Driven by a fierce desire to bury his working class past, Mitch joins a small, prosperous Memphis firm that affords Mitch and his wife (Jeanne Tripplehorn) an affluent lifestyle beyond their wildest dreams. But when FBI agents confront him with evidence of corruption and murder within the firm, Mitch sets out to find the truth in a deadly crossfire between the FBI, the Mob, and a force that will stop at nothing to protect its interests - The Firm.
Assassins are on Nicole Kidman's trail after she hears something she shouldn't have in this tense thriller.
The Firm Cruise plays Mitch McDeere a brilliant and ambitious Harvard Law grad. Driven by a fierce desire to bury his working class past Mitch joins a small prosperous Memphis firm that affords Mitch and his wife (Jeanne Tripplehorn) an affluent lifestyle beyond their wildest dreams. But when FBI agents confront him with evidence of corruption and murder within the firm Mitch sets out to find the truth in a deadly crossfire between the FBI the Mob and a force that will st
Based on the play by Tennessee Williams and scripted by Francis Ford Coppola (amongst others) 'This Property Is Condemned' features an outstanding performance from Robert Redford as Owen Legate; the man sent to shut down much of Dodson town's railway. Owen meets Alva a beautiful girl whose affections are keenly sought after in Dodson. Whilst axing jobs Owen tries to woo Alva in an attempt to whisk her off to New Orleans so they can start a new life together. Now Alva must make
An old fur trader embarks on his own war to reclaim his 'trade' embezzled from him by bounty seeking scalphunters...
This rousing romantic adventure Robert Redford plays ex-world champion cowboy reduced to huckstering breakfast food in a suit studded with flash lights. Jane Fonda is a chic sharp member of the electronic media a TV newswoman who'll do anything to get a good story. When Redford rides out of Las Vegas casino into the desert astride his sponsor's living symbol a multi-million dollar racehorse Jane is determined to discover why. She does one step ahead of a posse of pursuing police. But by the time they reach a remote rendezvous high in the Utah mountains she is in love with both the Cowboy and his convictions...
The Tom Cruise Collection. Vanilla Sky: David Aames (Tom Cruise) appears to lead a charmed life. Handsome wealthy and charismatic the young New York City publishing executive's freewheeling existence is enchanting yet he seems to be missing something. Then in one night David meets Sofia (Penelope Cruz) the girl of his dreams but loses her by making a small mistake. Thrust unexpectedly onto a roller-coaster ride of romance comedy suspicion love sex and dreams Davi
A classic early 1970s weepie, The Way We Were stars Barbra Streisand as a Communist activist in the late 30s and 40s and Robert Redford as the ambitious young writer who marries her, cheats on her and eventually leaves her in the early days of McCarthyism for the sake of his Hollywood screenwriting career. Arthur Laurent's intelligent screenplay, remarkable performances from the two stars and Marvin Hamlisch's Oscar-winning score and theme song combined to produce a film that even as hostile a critic as Pauline Kael had to admit worked. On the DVD: The DVD re-release includes the usual subtitling facilities, the theatre trailer and a documentary on the film's making, which includes one of the more political scenes deleted for commercial release; it is also possible to watch the film with a detailed commentary from Sydney Pollack about the problems of its making, problems which included writing new scenes so that Redford was not entirely upstaged by Streisand in the audience's sympathies. --Roz Kaveney
Titles Comprise: The Constant Gardener: In a remote area of Northern Kenya activist Tessa Quayle (Rachel Weisz) is found brutally murdered. Tessa's companion a doctor appears to have fled the scene and the evidence points to a crime of passion. Members of the British High Commission in Nairobi assume that Tessa's widower their mild-mannered and unambitious colleague Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) will leave the matter to them. They could not be more wrong.... Haunted by remorse and jarred by rumors of his late wife's infidelities Quayle surprises everyone by embarking on a personal odyssey that will take him across three continents. Using his privileged access to diplomatic secrets he will risk his own life stopping at nothing to uncover and expose the truth; a conspiracy more far-reaching and deadly than Quayle could ever have imagined. Based on the novel by John Le Carre The Constant Gardener was nominated for 3 Oscars and Rachel Weisz duly collected statuette hers for a superb supporting turn as Tessa Quayle. Out Of Africa: Meryl Streep stars as Karen Blixen the restless wife of European aristocrat and plantation owner Baron Bror Blixen (Brandauer). When Bror departs to hunt big game and chase women the running of their East African coffee plantation falls to Karen. She throws herself into this task with the same determination and spirit she brings to her passionate but sporadic affair with free-spirited British hunter Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford). While enduring her husband's infidelities and the eventual destruction of their beloved land she entertains Denys and befriends the workers. Hatton shares Karen's profound love for the African landscape but is unwilling to sacrifice his independence for their relationship... Catch A Fire: A political thriller that powerfully tells the real-life story of a South African hero's journey to freedom. In the country's turbulent and divided times in the 1980s Patrick Chamusso (Derek Luke) is an oil refinery foreman and soccer coach who is apolitical - until he and his wife Precious (Bonnie Henna) are jailed. Patrick is stunned into action against the country's oppressive reigning system even as police Colonel Nic Vos (Tim Robbins) further insinuates himself into the Chamussos' lives.
As one of the most acclaimed films of its time Sydney Pollack's dance marathon masterpiece picked up an amazing 9 Academy Award nominations in 1969. With dazzling performances from the entire cast it is easy to see why this film is universally regarded as a true movie classic. In the dark days of the depression dance marathons became a way for desperate people to compete for prize money. Events would last for days as contestants pushed themselves beyond the point of exhaustion while the barbarous crowds watched on wagering money for sport and profit. Against this backdrop the lives of a disparate group of contestants become intertwined. Brought together by chance they move relentlessly around the dance floor in search of a dream... the clock ticks on... which of them will survive?
Titles Comprise: Witness: When a young Amish woman (McGillis) and her son (Haas) are caught up in the murder of an undercover narcotics agent their unlikely savior proves to be the worldly and cynical Philadelphia detective John Book. Harrison Ford is sensational as Book the cop who runs head-on into the non-violent world of a Pennsylvania Amish community. The end result is an action-packed struggle of life and death interwoven with a sensitive undercurrent of caring and forbidden love. K-19: The Widowmaker Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson star in a thrilling action-drama inspired by the true story of a Soviet submarine crew trying to save its vessel from a nuclear meltdown - and avert global war. Clear And Present Danger: When his mentor Admiral James Greer (James Earl Jones) becomes gravely ill Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President's friends a prominent US businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (Willem Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary force against the Colombian drug lords. Caught in the crossfire Ryan takes matters into his own hands risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in - the truth. Patriot Games: His days as an intelligence agent behind him former CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) has traveled to London on vacation with his wife and daughter. Meeting his family outside of Buckingham Palace Ryan is caught in the middle of a terrorist attack on a member of the Royal Family. Ryan helps to thwart the assailants and becomes a local hero but his courageous act marks him as a target in the sights of the terrorist whose brother he killed. Now he must return to action for the most vital assignment of his life: to save his family. Sabrina: Directed by Sydney Pollack Sabrina shimmers like a fairy tale come true. Ford plays Linus Larrabee a busy tycoon who has no room for love in his appointment book. But when a romance between his playboy brother (Kinnear) and Sabrina (Ormond) daughter of the family chauffeur threatens one of Linus' business deals the CEO clears his schedule for some ruthlessness. He courts Sabrina intending to drop her when the deal closes. Will the world's only living heart donor discover his heart? Regarding Henry: Ruthless lawyer Henry Turner is left an amnesiac after being shot when caught up in a store robbery. Trying to rebuild his life Henry must learn to walk again tie his shoelaces and become a better husband...
Random Hearts, starring Harrison Ford and Kristen Scott Thomas, is a compelling love story about two people who never would have met in a perfect world.
Assassins are on Nicole Kidman's trail after she hears something she shouldn't have in this tense thriller.
Tootsie inevitably looks dated in some respects now, but it's still fabulous in others--the sexual politics look distinctly faded in their sniggering approach to sexual ambiguities, while the sardonic portrayal of a showbiz that loathes perfectionism is still both timely and hysterically funny. Dustin Hoffman's portrayal of Michael Dorsey is a memorable self-caricature--the man is so obsessed with the craft of acting that he refuses to sit down when playing a tomato in a commercial, and so producers run away rather than work with him. By playing Dorothy Michaels playing her soap character, Dorsey gives himself the freedom to be a bad and popular actor. He is so busy with the surface of being a woman--the voice, the hair, the frocks--and with all the bad faith of his and Dorothy's emotional lives, that he learns to relax into the pleasure of performance. This aspect of the film is far more interesting, ironic and funny than the corny New Man moralising about sexual roles that goes with it. Jessica Lange got, and earned, an Oscar for her sensitive straight woman performance as the colleague Michael falls for, and Bill Murray, Teri Garr, Geena Davis (momentarily) and Charles Durning all turn in reliable supporting roles. Sydney Pollack directs efficiently rather than inspiredly--oddly, he earns almost more credit for his well-observed performance as Michael's world-weary agent. On the DVD: The DVD is presented in crisp Dolby Digital sound and with the original theatrical visual ratio of 2.35:1; enhanced for 16:9 widescreen televisions. It is dubbed into French, German, Italian and Spanish and has subtitles in most European languages as well as Arabic, Hindi and Hebrew. The only special features are the theatrical trailer and filmographies for the leading performers and director. --Roz Kaveney
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