Director Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was touted at the time of its release...
(02/12/09) Director Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was touted at the time of its release (successfully, if the box-office receipts are any indication), as something of a "youth trip" movie. This is because Zeffirelli broke the long-standing tradition of casting over-aged, sometimes grey-haired players in the title roles. Seventeen-year-old Leonard Whiting plays Romeo, with 15-year-old Olivia Hussey as Juliet. The youthfulness and inexperience of the leading players works beautifully in the more passionate sequences (some of these breaking further ground by being played in the nude). Among the younger players are Michael York as Tybalt and John McEnery as Mercutio. The duel between Romeo and Tybalt starts out as a harmless, frat-boy exchange of insults, then escalates into tragedy before any of the participants are fully aware of what has happened. Photographed by Pasqualino DeSantis on various locations in Italy, Romeo and Juliet was one of the most profitable...See less
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Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) vividly recreates the waning days of the Roman Empire in this lavishly mounted epic directed...
(02/12/09) Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) vividly recreates the waning days of the Roman Empire in this lavishly mounted epic directed in the grand manner of sword-and-sandal sagas such as Ben Hur and Spartacus. Gladiators' sweeping narrative focuses on battle-weary Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe), bent on returning to his family despite the urgings of aging emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) to remain in Rome's service. After his wife and son are executed by the ruthless Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who has also murdered Marcus and seized power, the recently enslaved Maximus becomes the empire's most celebrated gladiator -- and waits for an opportunity to avenge himself on the deranged usurper. Crowe's sullen demeanor and massive physique perfectly suit him to play this brooding, taciturn warrior, and Phoenix (equally convincing as the spoiled, petulant young tyrant), Harris, Connie Nielsen,and the late Oliver Reed provide able support. Richly atmospheric, Gladiator is shrouded in muted...See less
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The once-moribund movie musical has been rather spectacularly revived in recent years, but nothing has matched the...
(02/12/09) The once-moribund movie musical has been rather spectacularly revived in recent years, but nothing has matched the success of Chicago, Rob Marshalls eye-popping (and Best Picture-winning) adaptation of the classic Broadway musical originally brought to the stage by Bob Fosse. Adapted by Fosse, Fred Ebb, and John Kander from an earlier play (previously filmed twice, once starring Ginger Rogers), Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger), a marginally talented Jazz Era wannabe who becomes a Windy City sensation by murdering the duplicitous lover with whom shed been maintaining an adulterous relationship. While in the Cook County Jail, Roxie grabs more publicity by hiring flamboyant defense lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), whos also representing Roxies rival, stage star Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Both women expect to be acquitted in their respective murder trials, thereby gleaning enough publicity to further their show-business careers. Director Marshall, a...See less
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After a string of mediocre movies that hardly hinted at Roman Polanski's early glory, The Pianist represents a dazzling...
(02/12/09) After a string of mediocre movies that hardly hinted at Roman Polanski's early glory, The Pianist represents a dazzling comeback -- the director's best work since Chinatown. Call it the anti-Spielberg Holocaust movie. Like Schindlers List, The Pianist is based on a true story -- in this case, the autobiography of classical pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a Polish Jew who escaped the Nazis and spent World War II hiding out in Warsaw. But where Spielbergs film is operatic and ultimately sentimental, Polanskis is austere, tightly focused, almost clinical in the way it details Szpilmans quest for survival. An upper-class dandy whose interests in life are limited to music and women, Szpilman is miraculously spared when his entire family, along with the rest of the Warsaw Ghetto, is carted off to the death camps. Brody, in an Oscar-winning performance, is magnificent as a man who is single-minded in his obsession with his music and tenacious in his will to live but hardly...See less
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Arguably the box-office sleeper of 2006, Little Miss Sunshine finds its big laughs by zeroing in on one of the most...
(02/12/09) Arguably the box-office sleeper of 2006, Little Miss Sunshine finds its big laughs by zeroing in on one of the most engaging dysfunctional families ever brought to the screen. At seven years of age, preternaturally ambitious Olive Hoover (Abigail Breslin) is fixated on beauty contests, and she's elated when she qualifies to enter one. For a variety of reasons, getting to the pageant site promises to be a Herculean task the family reluctantly undertakes: Usually optimistic dad Richard (Greg Kinnear) is in the dumps due to business woes; seriously depressed uncle Frank (Steve Carell) is recovering from a suicide attempt; chronically angry brother Dwayne (Paul Dano) has taken a vow of silence; generally supportive mom Sheryl (Toni Collette) worries that Olive is setting herself up for a crushing disappointment; and foul-mouthed grandpa Edwin has a bit of a drug problem. Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris lavish their attention on the road trip -- a lengthy, obstacle-filled...See less
Director Bill Condon brings Tom Eyen's Tony award-winning Broadway musical to the big screen in a tale of dreams,...
(02/12/09) Director Bill Condon brings Tom Eyen's Tony award-winning Broadway musical to the big screen in a tale of dreams, stardom, and the high cost of success in the cutthroat recording industry. The time is the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it's like to have their wildest dreams come true. Discovered at a local talent show by ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the trio known as "the Dreamettes" is soon offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of opening for popular singer James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy). Subsequently molded into an unstoppable hit machine by Taylor and propelled into the spotlight as "the Dreams," the girls quickly find their bid for the big time taking priority over personal friendship as Taylor edges out the ultra-talented Effie so that the more beautiful Deena can become the face of the group. Now, as the crossover act continues to dominate the...See less
Although he will forever be identified with pop culture classics such as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and...
(02/12/09) Although he will forever be identified with pop culture classics such as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, Steven Spielberg has never made a film greater than this searing drama about a Nazi industrialist who saved more than 1,000 Jews from certain death in concentration camps during World War II. Broadly based on the book by Australian writer Thomas Keneally, Schindler's List gets underway in 1939 after Hitler's army conquers Poland. Nazi supporter Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson, delivering the standout performance of his career) arranges to staff a major company with unpaid Jews ultimately destined for extermination, among them accountant Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), who becomes his right-hand man. The initially mercenary Schindler gradually becomes attuned to the plight of his workers and arranges to employ nearly 1,000 Jews in his crockery plant -- an effort that requires his careful handling of ghastly Commandant Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), who...See less
Disc #1 -- Forrest Gump 1. I'm Forest...Forest Gump [:15] 2. Mama [2:38] 3. Like Peas and Carrots [1:48] 4. Run Forest...
(02/12/09) Disc #1 -- Forrest Gump 1. I'm Forest...Forest Gump [:15] 2. Mama [2:38] 3. Like Peas and Carrots [1:48] 4. Run Forest Run! [:48] 5. Private Gump [:43] 6. Lieutenant Dan [:26] 7. My Best Good Friend [2:16] 8. Wounded In the Buttocks [:40] 9. You're My Girl [2:43] 10. National Celebrity [5:27] 11. Happy New Year [2:04] 12. Shrimp Boat Captain [5:26] 13. Bubba Gump [1:44] 14. Mama's Trip To Heaven [2:02] 15. Jenny Comes Home [:31] 16. A Little Run [:11] 17. Forrest Meets Forrest [1:21] 18. Beloved Mother, Wife and Friend [6:51] 19. Credits [2:08]See less
William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is on a cold streak. Not only is he writing for Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush),...
(02/12/09) William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is on a cold streak. Not only is he writing for Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush), owner of "The Rose," a theatre whose doors are about to be closed by sadistic creditors, but he's got a nasty case of writer's block. Shakespeare hasn't written a hit in years. In fact, he hasn't written much of anything recently. Thus, the Bard finds himself in quite a bind when Henslowe, desperate to stave off another round of hot-coals-to-feet application, stakes The Rose's solvency on Shakespeare's new comedy, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter." The problem is, "Romeo" is safely "locked away" in Shakespeare's head, which is to say that not a word of it is written. Meanwhile, the lovely Lady Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow) is an ardent theatre-goer -- scandalous for a woman of her breeding -- who especially admires Shakespeare's plays and, not incidentally, Bill himself. Alas, she's about to be sold as property into a loveless marriage by her mercenary father and...See less
This is the autobiographical drama of a young Dutch Jewish girl hiding from the invading Nazis during World War II. Anne...
(02/12/09) This is the autobiographical drama of a young Dutch Jewish girl hiding from the invading Nazis during World War II. Anne and her family share a claustrophobic attic with another family. Tension is often unbearable, as the people hiding know that their discovery by the enemy could lead to almost certain death at the hands of their captors. They also must contend with the Dutch Gestapo or "Green Police," who will turn them over to the Nazis if discovered. Dutch nationals risk their lives by hiding the family for two years. The group, despite the horror and crowded conditions, still find time for celebrations of Hanukkah and rejoice quietly in the small attic that has become their world. The story is told from the narrative perspective of Anne, a young girl hoping to live to womanhood. The film was nominated for several academy awards and won two for best supporting actress (Shelley Winters) and for cinematography (William Mellor). Dan Pavlides, All Movie GuideSee less
Cabaret, one of the last Hollywood musicals to enjoy both critical and commercial success, took the genre in an...
(02/12/09) Cabaret, one of the last Hollywood musicals to enjoy both critical and commercial success, took the genre in an unexpected direction with its explicit subject matter and realistic feel. The decadence and turmoil of prewar Berlin is documented through the eyes of an English writer (Michael York) and his friends, among them free-spirited American nightclub performer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli). With a powerhouse voice and a streak of self-delusion, Minnelli's Sally is a sad, vulnerable little pixie playing at sexy sophistication in a desperate quest for love. Joel Grey, in his celebrated turn as the emcee, corrupts as he entertains with enigmatic malevolence. The picture won eight Academy Awards, including best actress for Minnelli, best supporting actor for Grey, best art direction, and best director for Bob Fosse (who also nabbed Tony and Emmy awards that year). The musical numbers twitch, slither, and grind with Fosse's signature style -- from the twisted naughtiness of "Two Ladies"...See less
Closed Caption; Disc One:; Original 16 x 9 widescreen format; New 5.1 audio; Original-film intermission music - option...
(02/12/09) Closed Caption; Disc One:; Original 16 x 9 widescreen format; New 5.1 audio; Original-film intermission music - option to play feature with or without the intermission; ; Disc Two:; "West Side Memories" retrospective documentary - new one-hour featurette containing Natalie Wood's original vocal recordings and new interviews with the cast and crew, including Robert Wise and Stephen Sondheim; Original-film intermission music - restored and remixed in 5.1 surround; Storyboard-to-film comparison; Original release trailers and behind-the-scenes photos - film archive also includes rare and never-before-seen materials such as production design and storyboard galleriesSee less
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The Miracle Worker features two of the greatest screen performances of the 1960s, Patty Duke as Helen Keller and Anne...
(02/12/09) The Miracle Worker features two of the greatest screen performances of the 1960s, Patty Duke as Helen Keller and Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan. Director Arthur Penn skillfully recreates his stage success with the same material, adroitly pacing the film in ways that build a satisfying emotional intensity. The real-life story of the Alabama-born Keller is one of the most powerful personal triumphs of the 20th century, and the film is an inspiring recreation of those events. One of the all-time best films from United Artists, The Miracle Worker retains its power with current audiences, as do the various film remakes and stage revivals, but this original version holds up the best. Richard Gilliam Barnes & NobleSee less
Disc 1: Audio commentary by art director Gene Allen, singer Marni Nixon, and restoration team Robert A. Harris and James...
(02/12/09) Disc 1: Audio commentary by art director Gene Allen, singer Marni Nixon, and restoration team Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz. Disc 2: "More Loverly Than Ever: The Making of My Fair Lady -- Then and Now"; "The Production," all-new featurette on 1963 production-kickoff dinner; audio of George Cukor directing Baroness Bina Rothschild; Audrey Hepburn's alternate vocals for "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "Show Me"; posters and lobby cards with Rex Harrison radio interview; "The Fairest Fair Lady" making-of featurette; L.A. premiere footage; "Show Me" galleries of black-and-white production stills, production documents, Cecil Beaton costume sketches, and architectural drawings; Rex Harrison's Golden Globe acceptance speech; 37th Academy Awards footage; testimonials from Martin Scorsese and Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lerner and Loewe trailers including Brigadoon ('54), Camelot ('67), Gigi ('58), My Fair Lady (original '64 and '94 re-release).See less
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Based on the Rodgers & Hammerstein hit musical -- the duo's last -- The Sound of Music arrived in 1965 with an already...
(02/12/09) Based on the Rodgers & Hammerstein hit musical -- the duo's last -- The Sound of Music arrived in 1965 with an already celebrated score of songs and the reigning Best Actress Academy Award winner, Julie Andrews, to its credit. From its breathtaking opening aerial shot of an enraptured Andrews gamboling across an Austrian hillside and bursting out in the film's title song, it was clear that the film would soar above its stage-bound origins. With the new THX-certified release of The Sound of Music DVD, these and the many other classic scenes -- gloriously shot on 70mm film -- come vibrantly alive as never before. The film earned Andrews another Oscar nomination and placed her on a cultural pedestal, where she would later grow uncomfortable. (She played off her image as the world's most wholesome woman in her husband Blake Edwards's 1981 satire, S.O.B.) With wonderful songs ("My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain"), spectacular Austrian locations (verdant fields,...See less
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Mike Nichols (The Graduate) made one of the most auspicious directorial debuts in the history of cinema with his screen...
(02/12/09) Mike Nichols (The Graduate) made one of the most auspicious directorial debuts in the history of cinema with his screen version of Edward Albee's emotionally volatile domestic drama. A relentless assault of wrenching revelations and barked expletives that had knocked Broadway theatergoers out of their seats three years earlier, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? won five Oscars, with nominations going to every member of the cast. (Elizabeth Taylor won for Best Actress; Sandy Dennis for Best Supporting Actress.) The film is a superb showcase for screen veterans Taylor and Richard Burton, who deliver tour-de-force performances as Albee's vituperative protagonists: George, an alcoholic college professor, and Martha, his loud and emasculating wife. Throughout the course of a liquor-drenched evening, the couple reveal to each other -- and their guests, played by Dennis and George Segal -- the dark and ugly truths about their marriage. Nichols and screenwriter Ernest Lehman were successful in...See less
This majestic, opulent adaptation of Jules Verne's classic adventure novel holds a special place in Hollywood history as...
(02/12/09) This majestic, opulent adaptation of Jules Verne's classic adventure novel holds a special place in Hollywood history as one of the first "event" movies; a much-talked-about, highly anticipated film, it was the cinematic sensation of 1956. Producer Mike Todd, at that time married to Elizabeth Taylor, spared no expense in bringing his vision to the screen. The multimillion-dollar production employed picturesque locations, an enormous cast of international stars, and an unparalleled aggregation of top-notch technicians. What's more, it was shot in Todd-AO, a cinematographic process that lent extraordinary sharpness and depth of field to the widescreen image. David Niven portrays Phineas Fogg, the very embodiment of 19th-century British propriety and unflappability, who wagers that he can circle the globe in 80 days, thanks to such relatively recent innovations as locomotives and steamships. Having staked his entire fortune on this bet, he gathers his butler, Passepartout (Mexican star...See less
Reader Rating: See Detailed Ratings November 11, 2008: Early during World War II an unproduced stage play manuscript...
(02/12/09) Reader Rating: See Detailed Ratings November 11, 2008: Early during World War II an unproduced stage play manuscript called 'Everybody Comes to Ricks' made its way to the story department at Warner Brothers Studio in Burbank, California. The story eventually caught on and was OK'd for production. Rick's Cafe was the gathering place for wealthy French expatriates, refugees, French, German and Italian officers. Host Rick (Humphrey Bogart)carries out a show of strict neutrality. The story revolves around stolen exit visas and when Rick's lost lover, 'We'll always have Paris,' (Ingrid Bergman), shows up at Rick's place the pot really begins to boil. Bogart is at his best playing off a wonderful cast of characters Claude Rains and Sydney Greenstreet among them feeding him one liners which he served back with perfect timing. And it has an ending that every producer in the world would die for. The movie was shipped off to New York's Radio City Music Hall without high hopes or fanfair. But the...See less
George Cukor directed this classic adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's sentimental novel with a shimmering lavishness that...
(02/12/09) George Cukor directed this classic adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's sentimental novel with a shimmering lavishness that is a prime example of the classic Hollywood style at its best. The story concerns the lives of four New England sisters -- Jo (Katharine Hepburn), Amy (Joan Bennett), Meg (Frances Dee), and Beth (Jean Parker) -- during the time of the Civil War. Jo desires to leave home to become a writer, but decides to stay to help the family. But Meg announces her plans to get married, so Jo leaves for New York City. As she settles down to a writing career, she meets Professor Fritz Bhaer (Paul Lukas), who helps her with her work. While Jo is away, Amy falls in love and marries Jo's old flame Laurie Laurence (Douglass Montgomery). But Jo is forced to return to New England when she discovers Beth is dying. Paul Brenner, All Movie GuideSee less
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