The Movies on my Shelves - part 1
A collection of classics, near classics and oddities that make up my DVD collection. Included in this list are musicals, cult films, comedies, '70s films, everything Clint Eastwood and a few off the wall titles. Page two is where you'll see the nasty stuff. All of these movies are available on DVD although a few are region 2 and one or two may be slightly illegal.
Part 2 of this list may be found at http://www.imdb.com/list/4HEb_I3yfEA/
Part 2 of this list may be found at http://www.imdb.com/list/4HEb_I3yfEA/
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- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodGian Maria VolontèMarianne KochA wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge.Yojimbo retold in a border town setting. So refreshing when compared to previous westerns. All three of the Clint Eastwood Italian westerns were shot in Techniscope, a cheaper, non-anamorphic 35mm widescreen process that allowed for extreme close-ups.
"I don't think it's nice, you laughing. You see, my mule don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it." - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodLee Van CleefGian Maria VolontèTwo bounty hunters with the same intentions team up to track down a gang of outlaws led by a psychotic Mexican bandit, who is plotting an audacious bank robbery.Tight movie with two main characters on the right side of the things.
"When two hunters go after the same prey, they usually end up shooting each other in the back. And we don't want to shoot each other in the back." - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.The masterpiece. Just allow 3 hours for the story to unravel. Contains one of the greatest musical cues ever written: Ennio Morricone's The Ecstasy of Gold.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig." - DirectorDon SiegelClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodAndrew RobinsonHarry GuardinoWhen a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.One of the best Eastwood films, period. Character study of cop and quarry in a politically charged era. Grim at times. Andrew Robinson plays a great psycho who gets Harry's gun.
"My, that's a big one."
"When a naked man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher's knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn't out collecting for the Red Cross!" - DirectorTed PostStarsClint EastwoodHal HolbrookMitchell RyanInspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan pursues a conspiracy of vigilante cops, who are not above going beyond the law to kill San Francisco's undesirables.Political stunner with neo-conservative killing squads in San Francisco. Harry doesn't look like a fascist now. Great action and stunts. Hal Holbrook, David Soul, Tim Matheson, Felton Perry and Mitchell Ryan.
"Nothing wrong with shooting as long as the right people get shot!"
"Well, you're a good man, lieutenant. A good man always knows his limitations." - DirectorJames FargoStarsClint EastwoodTyne DalyHarry GuardinoInspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan reluctantly teams up with rookie Inspector Kate Moore to foil a terrorist organization made up of disgruntled Vietnam veterans.Harry invades the world of '70s radicals and terroists. Tyne Daly is excellent. Harry enters a massage parlor undercover and tells the hostess that his brother, Larry Dickman, recommended the place. An in-joke referring to the alias Clint used on hotel registries.
"You want an itemized account? You took out two front doors, one front window, 12 feet of counter. Plus damages to the stock, plus one city vehicle totaled. Not to mention three hostages in the hospital, all of whom will probably sue the city." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodSondra LockePat HingleWhen a woman exacts deadly revenge on the aggressors who raped her and her sister ten years earlier, Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to the case.A big bang crime story full of iconic lines. Don't mess with Sondra Locke.
"Do you know the emergency phone number for San Francisco General? Well, why don't you call them right now and have them send down an ambulance. Tell them there's two sorry-looking ass----s here with multiple contusions and various abrasions and broken bones." - DirectorBuddy Van HornStarsClint EastwoodLiam NeesonPatricia ClarksonInspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan must stop a sick secret contest to murder various San Francisco celebrities, with himself being one of the targets.Dark and twisted with Dirty Harry revealing his softer side to a female reporter. Patricia Clarkson, Liam Neeson and Jim Carrey are included in the cast. There's also that radio-controlled toy car.
"See that gorilla down there? That's Butcher Hicks, and he's killed three men. You know how he did it? He tore 'em apart with his teeth! Didn't even find all the pieces. You might say he has an unhealthy appetite. - DirectorTed PostStarsClint EastwoodInger StevensPat HingleWhen an innocent man barely survives a lynching, he returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice.Moody with a more vulnerable side of Eastwood emerging after the Italian Western days. Produced by Leonard Freeman of Hawaii Five-0 fame.
"Some people call this hell, but you're still in Oklahoma Territory. Save your breath. I don't know who hung you or why, but if you're innocent, the judge will set you free. And if you're not, we'll have to take the trouble to hanging you again." - DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsRichard BurtonClint EastwoodMary UreAllied agents stage a daring raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding American brigadier general George Carnaby prisoner, but that's not all that's really going on.Many a '70s teen's favorite war movie. All action and no mercy as Clint joins with Richard Burton in an Alistair McLean original script. Fantastic stunt work and battle sequences.
"Look, Major, this is primarily a British operation. I'm an American. I don't even know why the hell I'm here." - DirectorDon SiegelStarsClint EastwoodLee J. CobbSusan ClarkArizona Deputy Sheriff Coogan is sent to New York City to escort an escaped fugitive back for trial.Often forgotten, this Siegel/Eastwood effort has Arizona lawman Clint as the fish out of water in New York. The McCloud television series with Dennis Weaver was based loosely on this film.
"All right now, I don't like violence, Mr. Wonderful whatever your name is. You better drop that blade, or you won't believe what happens next, even while it's happening." - DirectorJoshua LoganStarsLee MarvinClint EastwoodJean SebergTwo unlikely prospector partners share the same wife in a California gold rush mining town.Uneven, quirky musical with beautiful cinematography. Clint's restrained portrayal balances Lee Marvin's antics. Funny bits and a few of the songs are great like "They Call the Wind Maria." Look for Harve Presnell (Fargo) as Rotten Luck Willie. He was an amazing singer. You will also see the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
"You show me in them commandments where it says a woman cain't have two husbands."
"Let's get out of here, I think this place is drunk!" - DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsClint EastwoodTelly SavalasDon RicklesA group of U.S. soldiers sneaks across enemy lines in WWII France to get their hands on a secret stash of Nazi treasure.Fun, lightweight, action packed with a tremendous supporting cast.
"Sergeant, this bank's not gonna fall into the hands of the American army. It's gonna fall in our hands. You see, we're just a private enterprise operation." - DirectorDon SiegelStarsClint EastwoodShirley MacLaineManolo FábregasWhen a former Civil War soldier saves a nun from a gang of bandits, they team up to help the Mexicans in their war against the French.Violent and sexy in an odd sort of way. Shirley MacLaine looks great in and out of her habit.
"Less than a hundred rifles, a few machetes, and not much more. Even drunk, the French are gonna' blow your heads off." - DirectorDon SiegelStarsClint EastwoodGeraldine PageElizabeth HartmanWhile recuperating in a Confederate girls' boarding school, a Union soldier cons his way into each of the lonely women's hearts, causing them to turn on each other, and eventually, on him.Dark, anti-hero role for Clint. Often overlooked because it is more of a gothic story than an action movie.
"I've just been thinking about all the advantages a one-legged man has. He saves on socks. He doesn't have to worry about trimming as many toenails. Fewer corns and bunions. I've been contemplating asking her to cut off the other one." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodJessica WalterDonna MillsThe life of a disc jockey is turned upside down after a romantic encounter with an obsessed fan.Great film, great music. The start of an outstanding directorial career.
"You haven't got the faintest idea of what love is, we don't even know each other." - DirectorJohn SturgesStarsClint EastwoodRobert DuvallJohn SaxonAn ex-bounty hunter reluctantly helps a wealthy landowner and his henchmen track down a Mexican revolutionary leader.John Sturgis, an often forgotten director.
"Lamar, I gotta dollar here says I can break your neck before you get that rig moved a half inch." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsWilliam HoldenKay LenzRoger C. CarmelA young girl runs away from home and meets a grouchy older man who reluctantly takes her in. Eventually they develop a romantic and affectionate relationship.Offbeat and kind of hip at the time. William Holden and Kay Lenz are tremendous. One of Eastwood's lesser known directorial efforts.
"Why should a young girl like that love an old fart like me? I'd be a meal ticket for her and nothing more. Where could I go with her without feeling like a child molester?"
"Does becoming older mean feeling foolish? What's there to look forward to if you can't go on loving and being loved?" - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodVerna BloomMarianna HillA gun-fighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago and is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.Welcome to Hell. A drifter without feelings avenges a killing. Clint really has come into his own as a director.
"Somebody left the door open and the wrong dogs came home."
"You're going to look pretty silly with that knife sticking out of your ass." - DirectorMichael CiminoStarsClint EastwoodJeff BridgesGeorge KennedyWith the help of an irreverent young sidekick, a bank robber gets his old gang back together to organize a daring new heist.Overlooked classic with Clint and Jeff Bridges in their element as a pair of bank robbers. Bill McKinney is hilarious as the crazy driver with rabbits in the trunk of his car, and George Kennedy gets away with one of the funniest and most profane retorts ever heard. Needs to be re-released on DVD/Blu-Ray in an anamorphic version. The out of print MGM Home Video edition is of poor quality and this film derserves a new release on life.
"Hey, what's wrong with this wreck? We're gettin' gassed back here!"
"This guy's a basket case. He's got the exhaust pipe in here." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGeorge KennedyVonetta McGeeClassical art professor and collector Dr. Jonathan Hemlock, who doubles as a professional assassin, is coerced out of retirement to avenge the murder of an old friend.Tension and character development in a cold war espionage story. Stunning mountain climbing shots. George Kennedy and Jack Cassidy nearly steal the show. The only time John Williams scored an Eastwood picture.
"You think it's so awful the other side has a germ formula? It's against the Geneva Convention, isn't it, and they stole it from us. Well what the hell are we doing with it in the first place? We're not supposed to have one either." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodSondra LockeChief Dan GeorgeMissouri farmer Josey Wales joins a Confederate guerrilla unit and winds up on the run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family.Amazingly deep and involved story of revenge after the Civil War. Sondra Locke, Sam Bottoms, Chief Dan George and John Vernon. One of Clint's best. Chief George gets off the good lines.
" I didn't surrender, but they took my horse and made him surrender. They have him pulling a wagon up in Kansas I bet."
"I always heard there were three kinds of suns in Kansas: sunshine, sunflowers, and sons-of-bitches." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodSondra LockePat HingleA hard but mediocre cop is assigned to escort a prostitute into custody from Las Vegas to Phoenix, so that she can testify in a mob trial. But a lot of people are literally betting that they won't make it into town alive.Clint as an alchoholic cop on the edge. He attempts to redeem himself on a case that features his best pairing with Sondra Locke. Violent and fast paced. Only time in movie history that a house was razed with bullets.
"I can go anywhere I please if I have reasonable suspicion. Now if I have suspicion a felony's been committed, I can just walk right in here anytime I feel like it, 'cause I got this badge, I got this gun, and I got the love of Jesus right here in my pretty green eyes."
"You mess around and I'll put the cuffs on you. You talk dirty, I'll gag you. You run, I'll shoot ya. My name is Shockley and we've got a plane to catch. Let's go." - DirectorJames FargoStarsClint EastwoodSondra LockeGeoffrey LewisThe San Fernando Valley adventures of trucker turned prize-fighter Philo Beddoe and his pet orangutan Clyde.A comical movie that grows on you. I'm a sucker for Clyde as well as Ruth Gordon's character, Ma. Geoffrey Lewis has been consistently great in many Eastwood films.
"I'm not afraid of any man, but when it comes to sharing my feelings with a woman, my stomach turns to royal gelatin." - DirectorDon SiegelStarsClint EastwoodPatrick McGoohanRoberts BlossomAlcatraz is the most secure prison of its time. It is believed that no one can ever escape from it, until three daring men make a possibly successful attempt at escaping from one of the most infamous prisons in the world.Grim and claustrophobic prison story of an actual breakout at Alcatraz. Clint's last film with Don Siegel.
"The higher you sit, the more status you got. So we kind of play King of the Mountain. Except here we don't play for fun, man."
"Sometimes I think that's all this place is. One long count. The prisoners count the hours, the bulls count the prisoners and the king bulls count the counts." - DirectorBuddy Van HornStarsClint EastwoodSondra LockeGeoffrey LewisA trucker turned prize fighter, his brother and their pet orangutan have a series of misadventures involving the mob, corrupt cops, motorcycle gangs and pretty dames.Cute sequel that allows Clyde more screen time with his antics.
"Clyde, you have no respect for the law." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodFreddie JonesDavid HuffmanA pilot is sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter that can be partially controlled by a neuralink.Not Clint's best, but still an engaging Cold War story. Special effects by John Dykstra (Star Wars). They couldn't film in Red Square so Eastwood's character appears there by way of a good blue-screen effect.
"Don't say anything. Your words would be useless, maybe even insulting. Just fly the damn plane."
"Mr. Gant, you are an American. You are a free man. I am not. There is a difference. If I resent the men in London who are ordering my death, then it is a small thing when compared with my resentment of the KGB." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodKyle EastwoodJohn McIntireA boy with a music talent goes on a journey with his uncle for a stage concert.Terrific character study of a '30s country singer on the road to Nashville.
"Get out of there! It's against the law to ride in the trunk in this state. I don't suppose you've got any I.D., either?"
"Idee? Idee 'bout what?" - DirectorRichard TuggleClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGeneviève BujoldDan HedayaNew Orleans single dad and cop Wes Block goes after a serial rapist-killer, but when he gets too close the hunter suddenly becomes the hunted.Wicked and suspensful crime story set in New Orleans. Wes Block is a flawed character balancing single fatherhood with his job as a detective.
"Twenty-eight years ago I borrowed 40 dollars from my father, packed up an old, beat up suitcase, took a bus and came here. I was seventeen at the time. While I walked through the French Quarter, I looked out over the Mississippi and swore I'd never leave."
"Ever come close?"
"Only once. When I looked down and saw that the suitcase was missing." - DirectorRichard BenjaminStarsClint EastwoodBurt ReynoldsJane AlexanderSlick Private Investigator Mike Murphy (Burt Reynolds) and tough Police Lieutenant Speer (Clint Eastwood), once partners, now bitter enemies, reluctantly team up to investigate a murder.Should have been better considering the cast. Directed by Richard Benjamin and co-written by Blake Edwards (Sam O' Brown). Burt Reynolds, Jane Alexander, Madeline Kahn, Rip Torn, Irene Cara and Richard Roundtree.
"Ok, I'll come over and buff your body and put a nice glow to your cheeks."
"And I'll bring a nice foot to your ass." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodMichael MoriartyCarrie SnodgressA mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.Great western with truly evil villians. A sort of companion piece to High Plains Drifter.
"It was him. Him and his men. They shot him. Forever. The bullets kept hitting him. Forever." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodMarsha MasonEverett McGillHard-nosed, hard-living Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway clashes with his superiors and his ex-wife as he takes command of a spoiled recon platoon with a bad attitude.Growly voiced Clint is believable as a platoon leader nearing retirmement. Marsha Mason is perfect as the hot-tempered ex-wife.
"My name's Gunnery Sergeant Highway and I've drunk more beer and banged more quiff and pissed more blood and stomped more ass than all of you numbnuts put together."
"You're dead Marine. You just got your legs blown off and we'll have to send out a search party for your testicles. Now, where's your backup?" - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsForest WhitakerDiane VenoraMichael ZelnikerThe troubled life and career of jazz musician Charlie "Bird" Parker.Hands down Clint's best directorial effort. Fantastic attention to historical detail, sound and photography. Forest Whitaker is Charlie Parker and makes you believe he can play.
"I owe Dizzy everything...except a phone call." - DirectorBuddy Van HornStarsClint EastwoodBernadette PetersTimothy CarhartSkip tracer Tommy looks for bail-jumper Lou Ann. Her crime is marrying Roy, who left counterfeit money in their mobile home and got her arrested. She leaves Roy in his pink Cadillac full of money. His psycho friends want their money back.Guilty pleasure with skip tracer Clint wearing disguises and Bernadette Peters wearing that red dress.
"Sweetheart, if there's any justice on this planet, they'll never make you give back that red dress." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodJeff FaheyCharlotte CornwellA thinly fictionalized account of a legendary movie director, whose desire to hunt down an animal turns into a grim situation with his movie crew in Africa.Offbeat performance as Clint presents the story of John Huston filming The African Queen. Different names, of course.
"How 'bout that. I feel pretty good, really. It's like I always tell ya kid, you gotta fight when you think it's the right thing to do. Otherwise, you feel like your gut's full of puss. Even if you get the hell beat outta ya, if ya fight, ya feel ok about it." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodCharlie SheenRaul JuliaA veteran detective is assigned a rookie partner after his previous partner is killed by a car theft gang. He is determined to apprehend those responsible for his friend's death but his new partner isn't really up to the task.Some things don't change. Charlie Sheen was a handful back then, too. Clint takes on a young partner, international car thieves and Sonia Braga.
"Whoever defaced that work of art by painting it that color ought to have his ass removed." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGene HackmanMorgan FreemanRetired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner Ned Logan and a young man, The "Schofield Kid."An aging killer is drawn into one more conflict with a crooked sheriff. A masterpiece of revenge and character development that is well deserving of the Oscars bestowed upon it.
"I ain't the same, Ned. Claudia, she straightened me up, cleared me of drinkin' whiskey and all. Just 'cause we're goin' on this killing, that don't mean I'm gonna go back to bein' the way I was."
"I've killed women and children. I've killed just about everything that walks or crawled at one time or another. And I'm here to kill you, Little Bill, for what you did to Ned." - DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsClint EastwoodJohn MalkovichRene RussoSecret Service agent Frank Horrigan couldn't save Kennedy, but he's determined not to let a clever assassin take out this president.Wolfgang Petersen directs this tense cat and mouse thriller featuring Clint as a Secret Service agent. John Malkovich is the allusive assassin.
"The same government that trained me to kill trained you to protect. Yet now you want to kill me while up on that roof I protected you. They're gonna write books about us, Frank."
"Let's face it, half the things we do are window dressing. Take running alongside that limousine: it'd take an anti-tank missile to put a dent in that damn thing. There we are, out for show, trying to make the President look more presidential." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsKevin CostnerClint EastwoodLaura DernA kidnapped boy strikes up a friendship with his captor, an escaped convict on the run from the law, while the search for him continues.Two Oscar winning directors in the same film. Better than the critics would have you believe.
"In the first place, Sally, it ain't a 'penal escape situation.' It's a manhunt. Fancy words in a circle don't help much." - DirectorJames KeachStarsRobert DuvallAidan QuinnFrances FisherA story of desperate search for oil.Produced by Clint and directed by James Keach. A hidden gem of a film with Robert Duvall as an aging oil seeker in Oklahoma during the 1930s.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodMeryl StreepAnnie CorleyPhotographer Robert Kincaid wanders into the life of housewife Francesca Johnson for four days in the 1960s.Clint with Meryl Streep in a weepy romance even a guy could like.
"The old dreams were good dreams; they didn't work out, but I'm glad I had them." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsJohn CusackKevin SpaceyJack ThompsonA visiting city reporter's assignment suddenly revolves around the murder trial of a local millionaire, whom he befriends.A murder trial in Savannah GA brings out the eccentrics as Clint directs Kevin Spacey and John Cusack.
"I've only been here three days and it's just a shooting, but give it time, okay. This place is fantastic. It's like Gone With the Wind on Mescalin. I know you're my agent. Listen to me, they walk imaginary pets here." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGene HackmanEd HarrisCareer thief Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood) witnesses a horrific crime involving U.S. President Alan Richmond (Gene Hackman).Thriller has Clint on the criminal side of the law. A high tech thief witnesses a brutal crime involving the highest ranking public officials. Stellar cast includes Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Judy Davis, E.G. Marshall, Dennis Haysbert and Laura Linney. Great Lennie Neihaus score.
"You made a mistake. When you went after my little girl, that was entirely unacceptable."
"Mercy."
"I'm fresh out." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodIsaiah WashingtonLisaGay HamiltonCan an over-the-hill journalist uncover the evidence that can prove a death row inmate's innocence just hours before his execution?An 11th hour nail-biter to stay the execution of a man who might be innocent. A much better attempt at this type of story than the film version of John Grisham's The Chamber.
"When my nose tells me something stinks, I gotta have faith in it." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodTommy Lee JonesDonald SutherlandWhen retired engineer Frank Corvin is called upon to rescue a failing satellite, he insists that his equally old teammates accompany him into space.A joy of a film that has a fairly predictable plot overshadowed by five great performances. Eastwood, Sutherland, Garner, Jones and Hardin are fantastic. Final scene is a bit shocking both in image and music.
"Those instructions were written by a fellow in Japan when they made this damn thing. They were probably translated by some gringo who was an expatriate American that couldn't get a job in this country. And then the Japanese guy probably translated him just to double check on him. You don't need these instructions. Not at all. Tear them up." - 1985– 1h 27mTV-147.7 (449)TV EpisodeDirectorBruce RickerStarsMorgan FreemanRichard BurtonJoel CoxThroughout his career as an actor and a filmmaker, Clint Eastwood has practiced a policy of alternation, seldom repeating a tone, a character, or a genre two films in a row.Informative, candid and upbeat. An intimate look at one of our greatest film artists working both sides of the camera. Current through Space Cowboys.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodJeff DanielsAnjelica HustonStill recovering from a heart transplant, retired F.B.I. profiler Terry McCaleb returns to service when his own blood analysis offers clues to the identity of a serial killer.Maybe the story's a bit of a stretch, but the characters and the dialogue make up for it. Jeff Daniels is in fine form.
"I'm the following sea, man. I'm the one you need to watch out for." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsSean PennTim RobbinsKevin BaconThe tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston--the victim's gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her.Grim and moving story with legendary performances from Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins. The start of Clint's Renaissance era of outstanding directorial efforts.
"The reality is we're still 11 year old boys locked in a cellar imagining what our lives would have been if we'd escaped." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.Moving, engaging and a bit edgy with its stance on a controversial social topic. Clint took a risk with this film politically, and he and his cast were rewarded accordingly.
"Frankie, I've seen you at Mass almost every day for 23 years. The only person comes to church that much is the kind who can't forgive himself for something." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsRyan PhillippeBarry PepperJoseph CrossThe life stories of the six men who raised the flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima, a turning point in World War II.Tense story of the WWII soldiers behind the flag raising photo at Iwo Jima. Epic production values. On a personal note, the members of the small military band that greets the soldiers at a train station are played by music students from Palatine High School, Palatine, IL, which happens to be my alma mater.
"Any man that doesn't have his masturbation papers in order better get them signed by tomorrow night or he ain't going overseas."
"I already gave them my word, sir. I told them I'd bring them all home to their mothers, which means I already lied to half of them. Can't lie to the rest." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsKen WatanabeKazunari NinomiyaTsuyoshi IharaThe story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.Superior companion piece to the fine Flags of Our Fathers. The story of the Japenese soldiers at Iwo Jima and their mission to defend the island to the last man. Touching, grim, graphic and ultimatley very moving as the Japenense are portrayed not as enemies, but soldiers with feelings and fears of their own.
"If our children can live safely for one more day it would be worth the one more day that we defend this island."
"We soldiers dig. We dig all day. This is the hole that we will fight and die in. Am I digging my own grave?" - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsAngelina JolieColm FeoreAmy RyanAfter Christine's son goes missing, she reaches out to the LAPD to find him. But when they try to pass off an impostor as her son to quieten public protests, she refuses to accept him or give up hope.A dark yet inspiring story of faith that one mother has for the hopeful return of her missing son.
"I used to tell Walter, 'Never start a fight, but always finish it.' I didn't start this fight, but by God, I'm going to finish it."
"It's raining cats, dogs, and Democrats out there, this better be worth it.
"Because once you give people the freedom to do whatever they want, as the Lord found in the Garden of Eden, they will do exactly that." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodBee VangChristopher CarleyAfter a Hmong teenager tries to steal his prized 1972 Gran Torino, a disgruntled, prejudiced Korean War veteran seeks to redeem both the boy and himself.A later Clint Eastwood classic both in his acting performance and his direction of the film. Aging and bigoted Walt Kowalski becomes mentor and protector to a young Hmong boy and his family in Detroit. His final selfless act rallies the neighborhood residents in their struggle against local thugs.
"Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn't have f----d with? That's me."
"Take these three items: some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsMorgan FreemanMatt DamonTony KgorogeNelson Mandela, in his first term as President of South Africa, initiates a unique venture to unite the Apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.Almost a Rudy-like level of excitement in this telling of the intergrated South African rugby squad under the watchful eye of newly elected President Mandala. Great performances from Morgan Freeman as Mandala as well as Matt Damon, Charles S. Dutton and Leleti Khumalo (Sarafina!, Cry, the Beloved Country, Yesterday).
"The Rainbow Nation starts here. Reconciliation starts here. Forgiveness starts here too." - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsMatt DamonCécile de FranceBryce Dallas HowardAn American construction worker, a French journalist and a London school boy set out on a spiritual journey after death touches their lives in different ways.Moody melodrama that details the effects that death plays on three people from around the world.
"Sometimes, I mean you know, knowing everything about someone, it seems nice, but really, maybe it's better to hold stuff back." - DirectorMilos FormanStarsF. Murray AbrahamTom HulceElizabeth BerridgeThe life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.Oscar Winner F. Murray Abraham is superb as the jealous court composer who has his world turned upside down with the arrival of a young and daring former child prodigy named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. While not a documentary or docu-drama, this film blends truths with speculation in telling Mozart's story while he was the toast of Vienna. The director's cut is the better version of this fantastic film, although the "R" rating given to the new edit is ridiculous. Oscars also went to Peter Schaffer (Equ
us) for Best Screenplay, Milos Foreman for Best Director and to producer Saul Zaentz for Best Picture of 1984.
"I heard the music of true forgiveness filling the theater, conferring on all who sat there, perfect absolution. God was singing through this little man to all the world, unstoppable, making my defeat more bitter with every passing bar."
"Your son is an unprincipled, spoiled, conceited brat."
"It's unbelievable, the director has actually torn up a huge section of my music. They say I have to rewrite the opera. But it's perfect as it is! I can't rewrite what's perfect!"
"Forgive me, Majesty. I am a vulgar man. But I assure you, my music is not." - DirectorFrancesco RosiStarsJulia MigenesPlácido DomingoRuggero RaimondiIn 1820s Spain the soldier Don José falls in love with the fiery and charismatic factory worker Carmen. Conflicts and grievances multiply, however, as it becomes apparent their views on love and commitment are fundamentally incompatible.Opera for people who might shy away from this grand musical style. Beautiful cast, tremendous vocalists, the music of Georges Bizet, stunning location photography along with local extras and spoken recitatives. A good way for novice fans to ease into that strange world known as opera. Julia Menges and Placido Domingo.
- DirectorSteve BinderStarsThe Beach BoysThe BarbariansChuck BerrySurf pop duo Jan and Dean host this showcase of performances by popular rock and roll and R&B musicians of the era.Great concert film with so many stars. Black and white and widescreen as it was filmed in Electrovision, a forerunner of HDTV. James Brown steals the show.
- DirectorDavid GreeneStarsVictor GarberLynne ThigpenKatie HanleyAn adaption of the musical, in a modern-day song-and-dance recreation of the Gospel of St. Matthew.David Greene's film with several of the original stage cast. Filmed on location in NYC, which includes "All For the Best" on top of the yet unfinished World Trade Center. Best number among many: Lynne Thigpen performing "O Bless the Lord, My Soul."
"You doctors of the Law and you Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses, but you say one thing and you do another. Everything you do is done for show." - DirectorSteve RashStarsGary BuseyDon StroudCharles Martin SmithThe story of the life and career of the early rock and roll singer, from his meteoric rise to stardom, to his marriage and untimely death.Biopic directed by Steve Rash, who also unleashed Under the Rainbow. Excellent film that features actors who really play and sing the music. Gary Busey, Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith. Interesting that The Crickets are presented as a trio when in fact there were four in the band. The late Fred Travalena steals a scene as a Dick Biondi-like radio deejay who locks himself in the studio to play "That'll Be the Day" for 24 hours straight.
"Wait, just wait a minute, just wait a minute, let me explain one thing to you. I have never, ever chased after a girl before in my life and it feels funny to me. Now if you're not gonna go out with me I wanna know why. You do like me don't you?" - DirectorFloyd MutruxStarsTim McIntireFran DrescherJay LenoThe story of Alan Freed, the pioneering disc jockey who was instrumental in introducing and popularizing rock 'n' roll in the 1950s.Another great film from Floyd Mutrux. Pioneer disc jockey Alan Freed during his glory days in New York playing rock and roll for the masses. Real music played by the performers on film. Look for producer Richard Perry in the studio recording "Come and Go With Me." Needs a legitimate DVD/Blu-ray release.
"Hey, look. If they took it all away tomorrow, we'd be even. No we wouldn't. We'd be way ahead."
"You can stop me, but you're never gonna stop rock & roll." - DirectorGeorge T. NierenbergStarsWillie Mae Ford SmithThomas A. DorseySallie MartinDocumentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith.If you don't know gospel music watch this documentary and you will. Great stuff.
- DirectorSaul SwimmerStarsGeorge HarrisonBob DylanRavi ShankarThe first benefit rock concert when major musicians performed to raise humanitarian relief funds for the refugees of Bangladesh of 1971 war.George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and Badfinger at Madison Square Garden in 1971. A bare bones concert film originally shot in 16mm. What else do you need? Great sound in 5.1.
"We forgot Billy Preston." - DirectorJerome RobbinsRobert WiseStarsNatalie WoodGeorge ChakirisRichard BeymerTwo youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.Fantastic in scope and execution. It is as timely today as it was in 1961. The bigger the screen, the better. I know it was Marni Nixon's gorgeous voice, but Natalie Wood was and always will be Maria.
"All right, wise guys. Now you listen to me. All of ya! You hoodlums don't own these streets. And I've had all the roughhouse I'm gonna put up with around here! You wanna kill each other, kill each other! But you ain't gonna do it on my beat."
"When you was my age, when my old man was my age, when my brother was my age. You was never my age, none of ya! And the sooner you creeps get hip to that, the sooner you'll dig us!" - DirectorNorman JewisonStarsTopolNorma CraneLeonard FreyIn pre-revolutionary Russia, a Jewish peasant with traditional values contends with marrying off three of his daughters with modern romantic ideals while growing anti-Semitic sentiment threatens his village.Last of the great roadshow presentations of a classic musical. Beautiful songs, story, photography, sound and choreography. Violin solos recorded by Isaac Stern and the spectacular orchestral arragements were created by John Williams. Directed by Norman Jewison.
"As the good book says 'Each shall seek his own kind'. In other words, a bird may love a fish, but where would they build a home together?"
"My poor Aaron, God rest his soul, couldn't give me children. Between you and me, Golde, he hardly tried." - DirectorDenis HérouxStarsElly StoneMort ShumanJoe MasiellThree attendees at a puppet theater don various roles in order to sing a variety of songs by Jacques Brel, all while hippies and other eccentrics cavort about them.Quirky, uneven but enjoyable collection of songs written by Brel and filmed by Dennis Heroux. First an off-Broadway revue and then as one of the American Film Theater productions during the 1970s.
"I'd like to grab that son-of-a-bitch. The one who wrote on my statue: 'He died like a hero. He was a soldier brave and true.'" - DirectorGodfrey ReggioStarsEdward AsnerPat BenatarJerry BrownA collection of expertly photographed phenomena with no conventional plot. The footage focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and technology.You have to experience this film on a large screen with great sound and in a dark room. Images and music blend together in a stylized stunner of a performance work. Stunning music from Philip Glass, direction by Godfrey Reggio and iconic cinematography by Ron Fricke.
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJohn SavageTreat WilliamsBeverly D'AngeloClaude Bukowski leaves the family ranch in Oklahoma for New York where he is rapidly embraced into the hippie group of youngsters led by Berger, yet he's already been drafted. He soon falls in love with Sheila Franklin, a rich girl but still a rebel inside.Milos Forman actually gives this musical a plot. Twyla Tharp's choreography and all the great songs from the Broadway show. You also get to see Treat Williams relieve himself in public.
"The draft is white people sending black people to make war on the yellow people to defend the land they stole from the red people."
"Goddammit, every time you come home there's trouble. Why don't you clean yourself up a bit? Why don't you get a haircut? Get a haircut and I'll give you the money, you don't even have to pay it back." - DirectorDavid LelandStarsJoe BrownEric ClaptonJools HollandGeorge Harrison's friends, family, and bandmates unite for a tribute concert on the one-year anniversary of his death.Warm remembrances and the music of George Harrison a year after his death. DVD contains both the theatrical documentary and a straight concert film.
"Sometimes if you'd go around to George's house after you'd have dinner, the ukuleles would come out." - DirectorSusan WinslowStarsMilton BerleHumphrey BogartWilliam C. BullittWWII newsreel footage intercut with Beatles songs performed by other artists like Helen Reddy and Rod Stewart, juxtaposing the music with war imagery.Interesting collection of World War II newsreels accompanied by Beatles' tunes recorded by other artists. Requires minimal knowledge of major events during the war. Should be re-released as a legitimate DVD.
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsJohn LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonOver two "typical" days in the life of The Beatles, the boys struggle to keep themselves and Sir Paul McCartney's mischievous grandfather in check while preparing for a live TV performance.A Day in the Life as filmed by Richard Lester. Sharp black and white photography and the remixed sound is crisp and clean. Look for an adolescent Phil Collins as an extra during the train depot sequence.
"It's your nose, you know. Fans are funny that way, they take a dislike to things. They'll pick on a nose."
"It's my considered opinion that you're a bunch of sissies." - DirectorRichard LesterStarsJohn LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonSir Ringo Starr finds himself the human sacrifice target of a cult, and his fellow members of The Beatles must try to protect him from it.More of a plot than their last film, but sillier and something of a parody of 60s espionage thrillers. Again, the remastering of picture and sound is stunning.
"Something must be done. Without the ring, there will be no sacrifice. Without the sacrifice, there will be no congregation. Without the congregation, no more me."
"There's a strong case for arming the police. We aren't all masochists, you know." - DirectorGeorge DunningStarsPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonRingo StarrThe Beatles agree to accompany Captain Fred in his yellow submarine and go to Pepperland to free it from the music-hating Blue Meanies.Beautiful and stylized animation combined with Beatles music remixed in 5.1 by George Martin. DVD is not anamorphic which means it could look even better than it already does. "Lucy in the Sky" is magical.
"That was one great party. And we brought back some lovely souvenirs."
"Now whatever you do, don't touch that button!" - DirectorMichael Lindsay-HoggStarsJohn LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonThe filmed account of The Beatles' attempt to recapture their old group spirit by making a back to basics album, which instead drove them further apart.Verite film of the Beatles in the studio and on the roof recording their Let it Be album - warts and all. A fine document of the end of an era that badly needs to be remastered and released as a legitimate DVD. Pan and scan bootlegs look and sound terrible.
"Yeah, okay, well, I don't mind. I'll play, you know, whatever you want me to play. Or I won't play at all if you don't want me to play, you know. Whatever it is that'll please you, I'll do it."
"I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we pass the audition." - DirectorStanley DonenStarsJane PowellHoward KeelJeff RichardsWhen a backwoodsman in 1850s Oregon brings a wife home to his farm, his six brothers decide that they want to get married too.Cinemascope musical from the 1954 that is guy-friendly. The choreography by Michael Kidd (Guys and Dolls) is masculine, the songs are great and the cast is fantastic. The barn raising sequence is a masterpiece.
"There were no "F" names in the Bible, so Ma named him Frankincense because he smelled so sweet."
"Somehow it just don't seem fitting for a man to spend his wedding night in a tree." - DirectorJack Haley Jr.StarsFred AstaireGene KellyBing CrosbyVarious MGM stars from yesteryear present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50-year history.An overstuffed collection of the best singing and dance moments from MGM musicals of the 1930s to the 1950s. The remastered elements for the DVD release demonstrate how truly spectacular three-strip Technicolor looked onscreen. Among the stars introducing segments James Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire.
"Thank God for film. It can capture a performance and hold it right there forever."
"You can wait around and hope, but I'm telling you, you'll never see the likes of this again." - DirectorGene KellyStarsFred AstaireGene KellyJudy GarlandThe second installment in the "That's Entertainment" trilogy features more classic scenes from MGM's vast musical library with the addition of comedy and drama films.More songs, dances and even a little comedy from the MGM vaults. While it is great to see Astaire/Kelly together again in 1976, their new musical moments created for this documentary are a bit trite. Still, a wonderful collection. Both That's Entertainment films utilize various aspect ratios in the clips to match those of the original movies.
- DirectorMichael WadleighStarsJoan BaezRichie HavensRoger DaltreyOscar-winning musical chronicle that brilliantly captures the three-day rock concert and celebration of peace and love that became a capstone for the Sixties.Awesome document of the Woodstock experience from 1970. Sometimes I like the music and other times it is all the logistics and atmosphere away from the stage. The multiple images are still impressive and the bigger the screen, the better it looks.
"Good morning! What we have in mind is breakfast in bed for four hundred thousand."
"Lotta freaks!"
"This is the second time we've ever played in front of people, man, we're scared s---less." - DirectorRoy RowlandStarsPeter Lind HayesMary HealyHans ConriedA young boy dreams that he is in an imaginary world where, assisted by his family's plumber, he must save other piano-playing kids like himself from the dungeons of his dictatorial piano teacher who also mind-controls his mother.An odd film written by Dr. Suess that is not far removed from The Wizard of Oz in both style and content. The dance of the musical instruments is a highlight. Produced by Stanley Kramer.
"What other instruments are there, pray tell? Scratchy violins, screechy piccolos, nauseating trumpets, et cetera, et cetera?" - DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie AndrewsChristopher PlummerEleanor ParkerA young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.Admit it, you like this movie, you really like it. Julie Andrews is immortal, and the newly remastered Blu-Ray is stunning with all the location photography. Irwin Kostal arranged and conducted this score as well as the one for Mary Poppins.
"Fraulein, is it to be at every meal, or merely at dinnertime, that you intend on leading us all through this rare and wonderful new world of indigestion?"
"You know how Sister Berthe always makes me kiss the floor after we've had a disagreement? Well, lately I've taken to kissing the floor whenever I see her coming, just to save time." - DirectorFrank OzStarsRick MoranisEllen GreeneVincent GardeniaA nerdy florist finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.The director's cut is now available with the original ending fully restored and in color. The old school special effects by Richard Conway as the plants take over New York are nothing short of spectacular. Bill Murray's cameo is a hit.
"Wait for me, Audrey. This is between me and the vegetable!"
"It's true! I chopped him up. But I didn't kill him!"
"Does this look 'inanimate' to you, punk? If I can move and I can talk, who's to say I can't do anything I want?" - DirectorHerbert RossStarsKevin BaconLori SingerJohn LithgowA city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.Kevin Bacon dances up a storm with Lori Singer, Chris Penn, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest and Sarah Jessica Parker. Best number, IMHO, is Let's Hear it For the Boy.
Looks like a carbon-copy remake due this month.
"Hey, I like that hat, man. They sell men's clothes where you got that?" - DirectorRandal KleiserStarsJohn TravoltaOlivia Newton-JohnStockard ChanningGood girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?The best summer musical with John and Olivia driving off into the sunset.
"Anyone doing tasteless or vulgar movements will be immediately disqualified." - DirectorAlan ParkerStarsEddie BarthIrene CaraLee CurreriA chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.Gritty coming of age story set at the New York High School for Performing Arts. Music by Christopher Gore and his sister Lesley.
"A real artist must never be afraid of what other people are gonna say about him." - DirectorJohn LandisStarsJohn BelushiDan AykroydCab CallowayJake Blues rejoins with his brother Elwood after being released from prison, but the duo has just days to reunite their old R&B band and save the Catholic home where the two were raised, outrunning the police as they tear through Chicago.The best movie ever shot in Chicago. A musical with car crashes, and the extended version is a plus. Watch for cameos by Joe Walsh, Chaka Kahn and Steven Spielberg. Great location shots around the city and the burbs. Carlton Johnson brilliantly staged the dance sequences and the Blues Revue Band is first rate. A riot of a movie directed by John Landis.
"The new Oldsmobiles are in early this year."
"I hate Illinois Nazis"
"You on the motorcycle. You two girls." - DirectorStanley DonenGene KellyStarsGene KellyDonald O'ConnorDebbie ReynoldsA silent film star falls for a chorus girl just as he and his delusionally jealous screen partner are trying to make the difficult transition to talking pictures in 1920s Hollywood.Moses supposes this is a great musical. Show it to your kids, it will make 'em laugh. Also a fairly accurate account of the Hollywood transition to sound pictures. Gene Kelley, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O' Connor and Jean Hagen. Directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen.
"What do they think I am? Dumb or something? Why, I make more money than - than - than Calvin Coolidge! Put together!"
"Short people have long faces, and long people have short faces. Big people have little humor, and little people have no humor at all." - DirectorCharles JarrottStarsPeter FinchLiv UllmannSally KellermanWhile escaping war-torn China, a group of Europeans crash in the Himalayas, where they are rescued and taken to the mysterious Valley of the Blue Moon, Shangri-La.Ross Hunter's (Airport, Thoroughly Modern Millie) musical remake of the classic Frank Capra film. Burt Bacharach's music suffers only from weak lyrics by the usually reliable Hal David. The restored version allows us to see the much maligned Fertility Dance choreographed by Hermes Pan, and it is actually kind of cool. Songs include The World is a Circle, Living Together, Growing Together, Reflections and The Things I Will Not Miss.
Peter Finch, Michael York, Sally Kellerman, George Kennedy, Olivia Hussey, James Shigeta, John Geilgud, Charles Boyer, Bobby Van and the beautiful Liv Ullmann with the retooled sets from Camelot. Savaged by critics in 1973 which resulted in producer Hunter's decision to leave the film business. As with many obscure movies Lost Horizon has developed a small and loyal cult of fans of which I am a member. I saw it in the theater when it was first released and I have had a soft spot for it ever since.
"I'm somebody flying in a strange plane with a lunatic pilot and I'm trying to find out why."
"You are in the midst of life. Do not seek death; it will find you. But choose the road that makes death a fulfillment."
"Look at the world today. Have you ever seen anything more pitiful?" - DirectorJames AlgarSamuel ArmstrongFord Beebe Jr.StarsLeopold StokowskiDeems TaylorThe Philadelphia OrchestraA series of eight famous pieces of classical music, conducted by Leopold Stokowski and interpreted in animation by Walt Disney's team of artists.The still stunning classic of music, hand-drawn animation and multi-channel sound. When first released in 1940 only 12 theaters were equipped with the Fantasound surround system. Amazing.
"What you're going to see on the screen are the designs and pictures and stories that music inspired in the minds and imaginations of a group of artists. In other words, these are not going to be the interpretations of trained musicians, which I think is all to the good." - DirectorJames AlgarGaëtan BrizziPaul BrizziStarsJames LevineSteve MartinItzhak PerlmanAn update of the original film with new interpretations of great works of classical music.Digital follow up to the original classic. Not quite as impressive as the first film, but the Gershwin and Stravinsky pieces are spectacular. The Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence was kept from the original movie. Hosts include Steve Martin, Angela Landsbury, James Earl Jones, Penn and Teller, Quincy Jones and Bette Midler.
"What would happen if you gave a yo-yo to a flock of flamingos?" - DirectorGeorge AbbottStanley DonenStarsDoris DayJohn RaittCarol HaneyAn Iowa pajama factory worker falls in love with an affable superintendent who had been hired by the factory's boss to help oppose the workers' demand for a pay raise.Old style Broadway musical with comical characters and catchy tunes. Colorful direction by Stanley Donen with Bob Fosse's usual jazzy staging. Doris Day, John Raitt (Bonnie's father) and Carol Haney.
"Married life is lots of fun, two can sleep as cheap as one." - DirectorMorton DaCostaStarsRobert PrestonShirley JonesBuddy HackettTraveling con artist Harold Hill targets the naïve residents of a small town in 1910s Iowa by posing as a boys' band leader to raise money before he can skip town.Colorful version of the Broadway hit with Shirley Jones and the amazing Robert Preston. The supporting players are strong as well, and the songs are all winners. Directed by Morton da Costa (Auntie Mame) who still gives it the look and feel of his stage version. Americana!
"Ladies and gentlemen, either you are closing your eyes to a situation you do not wish to acknowledge, or you are not aware of the caliber of disaster indicated by the presence of a pool table in your community." - DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterAlan RickmanThe legendary tale of a barber who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, bent on revenge for the rape and death of his wife, and resumes his trade while forming a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett.Dark adaptation of the Sondheim musical with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Stay away from that oven.
"Of course, we're gonna have to stock up on the gin. Boy's drinking like a sailor." - DirectorAdam ShankmanStarsJohn TravoltaQueen LatifahNikki BlonskyPleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show.Big hair, big songs and big John Travolta. Terrific cast and music.
"Well, love is a gift, a lot of people don't remember that. So, you two better brace yourselves for a whole lotta ugly comin' at you from a neverending parade of stupid." - DirectorRalph BakshiStarsMews SmallRon ThompsonJerry HollandThe story of four generations of a Russian Jewish immigrant family of musicians whose careers parallel the history of American popular music in the 20th century.With musical selections dating from the 1920s through 1980, this animated film by Ralph Bakshi (Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic, The Lord of the Rings) is a fantastic visualization of the spirit and essence of American music. The dance sequences from the Big Band era are especially effective.
"A stripper gettin' dressed ain't beautiful unless she's ugly to begin with." - DirectorRob MarshallStarsRenée ZellwegerCatherine Zeta-JonesRichard GereTwo death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyer's attention.The Jailhouse Tango sequence is worth the price of admission. Also the leads (Zellweger, Gere, Zeta-Jones, Latifah and Reilly) pull their weight and more.
"I'm standing in the kitchen carving up a chicken for dinner, minding my own business, when in storms my husband, Wilbur, in a jealous rage. 'You've been screwing the milkman,' he said. He was crazy, and he kept on screaming, 'You've been screwing the milkman.' And then he ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times." - DirectorMark SandrichStarsFred AstaireGinger RogersAlice BradyA woman thinks a flirting man is the co-respondent her lawyer has hired to expedite her divorce.The incomparable Astaire/Rogers triumph with The Continental as well as Night and Day.
"You know, you're beginning to fascinate me, and I resent that in any man." - DirectorRobert StevensonStarsJulie AndrewsDick Van DykeDavid TomlinsonIn turn of the century London, a magical nanny employs music and adventure to help two neglected children become closer to their father.Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and all those penguins. As much as I like tough, smart masculine movies, "Feed the Birds" reduces me to a weeping mess every time I watch. Mary Poppins still looks and sounds like a winner.
"Storm signals are up at number 17. Bit of heavy weather brewing there." - DirectorKim ThompsonStarsKim ThompsonA bored goth girl briefly animates and narrates 8 operas (with no music), catalogs the scandalous actions, and counts the deaths (36). The operas included are La Traviata, Carmen, Don Giovanni, Aida, Tosca, Tristan and Isolde, Madame Butterfly, and The Ring of the Nielbelung.Kim Thompson's droll short film that details the plot lines to eight of the world's best-known operas. The animation will remind you of Terry Gilliam.
"And then there's all that singing. Who's got time for that?" - DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsNeil YoungEmmylou HarrisPegi YoungA film shot over during a two-night performance by Neil Young at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.Laid-back film of Neil Young's two 2005 concerts at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. "Comes a Time", "Four Strong Winds", "Old King" and much more. Absolute perfection directed by Jonathan Demme.
"Is there a guitar player in the house?" - DirectorChristopher GuestStarsChristopher GuestEugene LevyMichael McKeanMockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show at The Town Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter.Christopher Guest and the usual suspects in a brilliant pseudo-documentary concerning the reunion of 60s folkies for a PBS concert. Watch for Glee's Jane Lynch. The title song is a sincere ode to the sound of The New Christy Minstrels and Up With People.
"There was abuse in my family, but it was mostly musical in nature."