ClassicsWinner of the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, Cinema Paradiso tells the story of Salvatore, a successful film director, returning to his native Sicilian village for the funeral of his old friend Alfredo. He was the projectionist at the local Cinema Paradiso where Salvatore spent the happiest times of his childhood and developed his love of film. To the fatherless young boy Alfredo became a father figure who guided and loved him. His return also brings back poignant memories of his teenage love, Elena, whom he had to leave in order to pursue his dream.
ClassicsHedonist Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) thinks he has reached the limits of earthly pleasure. But a mysterious puzzle box will take him further than he can possibly imagine, opening the doors to a dominion where pain and pleasure are indivisible and summoning the Cenobites, whose experiments in the higher reaches of experience will tear his soul apart. When he manages to escape, Frank returns to the world skinless and in need of help. Now his former lover Julia (Clare Higgins) must kill to make him whole again. But the Cenobites want Frank back, and there'll be hell to pay when they find him.
ClassicsAlejandro Jodorowsky is one of world cinema's most fabled iconoclasts. In 'The Holy Mountain', Jodorowsky plays The Alchemist, a guru who guides a troupe of pilgrims on a quest to ascend the Holy Mountain in search of spiritual enlightenment.
ClassicsAcclaimed director George Stevens’ legendary rendition of the quintessential Western myth earned six Academy Award® nominations, and made Shane one of the classics of the American cinema. The story brings Alan Ladd, a drifter and retired gunfighter, to the assistance of a homestead family terrorized by a wealthy cattleman and his hired gun (Jack Palance). In fighting the last decisive battle, Shane sees the end of his own way of life. Mysterious, moody and atmospheric, the film is enhanced by the intense performances of its splendid cast.
ClassicsIn Sydney Pollack's critically acclaimed suspense-thriller, Robert Redford (SPY GAME) stars as CIA Agent Joe Turner. Code name: Condor. When his entire office is massacred, Turner goes on the run from his enemies…and his so-called allies. After reporting the murders to his superiors, the organization wants to bring Condor in – but somebody is trying to take him out. In his frantic hunt for answers, and in a desperate run for his life, Turner abducts photographer Kathy Hale) Faye Dunaway, THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR), eventually seducing her into helping him. Every twist leads Condor to the end of his nerves…and will take you to the edge of your seat. With nowhere to turn and no one to trust, Turner realizes his most dangerous enemy may be closer than he ever feared. And as he zeroes in on the truth, he discovers there are some secrets people would kill to keep.
ClassicsFollowing 24 characters through 5 days in the country music capital, Robert Altman's 1975 epic presents a complexly textured portrayal (and critique) of American obsessions with celebrity and power. Among the various stars, aspirants, hangers-on, observers, and media folk are politically ambitious country icon and his fragile star protegée, a self-absorbed rock star who woos a lonely married gospel singer, a talentless waitress painfully humiliated at her first singing gig, a runaway wife with dreams of stardom, and a campaign guru who is trying to organize a concert rally for an unseen presidential candidate. Featuring the award winning song, “I’m Easy,” Nashville is regarded one of the greatest American films ever made.
ClassicsWidely acknowledged as a true cult classic of modern American cinema, Heathers has captured the imaginations of troubled teenagers the world over with its acerbic satire of the sugar-coated high school movies of the 1980s... At Westerburg High School, an elite clique of snobby girls known as Heathers reign supreme. Smart and popular, Veronica (Winona Ryder, Stranger Things) is a reluctant member of the gang and disapproves of the other girls' cruel behaviour. When Veronica and her mysterious new boyfriend, J.D. (Christian Slater, True Romance), play a trick on the clique leader, Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), and accidentally poison her, they make it appear a suicide. But it soon becomes clear to Veronica that J.D. is a sociopath intent on vengefully killing the school's popular students. She races to stop J.D., clashing with the clique's new leader, Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty), and leading to an explosive final confrontation with her troubled former lover. Directed by Michael Lehma
ClassicsConvicted murderer Henri Charriere, known as ‘Papillon’, is transported to French Guiana to serve his sentence in a work camp. Determined to escape, Papillon forms an unlikely relationship with the frail but notorious forger Louis Dega, who reluctantly joins in the attempt. Despite the brutal conditions and constant threats of betrayal, Papillon leads a desperate escape off the island.
ClassicsA constant fixture in critics' polls, Yasujiro Ozu's most enduring masterpiece, 'Tokyo Story', is a beautifully nuanced exploration of filial duty, expectation and regret. From the simple tale of an elderly husband and wife's visit to Tokyo to see their grown-up children, Ozu draws a compelling contrast between the measured dignity of age and the hurried insensitivity of a younger generation. The later films of Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu are marked by a striking uniformity of theme and form. These are stories of family life involving inevitable rupture, as things change, daughters marry, widowers grow old. Ozu films this bittersweet natural progression in his unmistakably controlled, minimal style, typified by head-on shots with the camera at the height of a seated observer.
ClassicsIn Cecil B. DeMille’s Academy Award®-winning film, we step behind the scenes of the circus…in all its majesty and mystery. Charlton Heston stars as Brad Braden, the diehard circus manager who lives and breathes to keep the show rolling. With the Big Top about to hit rock bottom, Braden hires The Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde), a daring trapeze legend, to revitalize the circus. His arrival sparks the rivalry and admiration of Holly (Betty Hutton), Braden’s girlfriend and trapeze star. After a death-defying battle to regain her place in the center ring, Holly soon finds herself torn between the love of workaholic Brad and the brazen Sebastian. Add to the mix a flirtatious elephant trainer, racketeers and a lovable clown (James Stewart) with a secret past, and every character becomes a tough act to follow.
ClassicsCelebrate the 50th anniversary of the intergalactic cult classic starring Jane Fonda! Barbarella is an interstellar space-traveler who crash lands on the planet Lythion in the year 40,000. Encountering trouble everywhere she goes, Barbarella uses every asset and every man at her disposal, to complete her mission to seek out and stop the evil Durand Durand. Whether she is wrestling with Black Guards, the evil Queen, or the angel Pygar (John Phillip Law) she just can't seem to avoid losing at least a part of her skin-tight space suit!
ClassicsTwo worthy Academy Award® nominees from 1950's Sunset Boulevard – actor William Holden and director Billy Wilder – reteamed three years later for the gripping World War II drama, Stalag 17. The result was another Best Director nomination for Wilder (his fourth), and the elusive Best Actor Oscar® for Holden. Holden portrays the jaded, scheming Sergeant J.J. Sefton, a prisoner at the notorious German prison camp, who spends his days dreaming up rackets and trading with the Germans for special privileges. But when two prisoners are killed in an escape attempt, it becomes obvious that there is a spy among the prisoners. Is it Sefton? Famed producer/director Otto Preminger tackles a rare acting role as the camp's commandant; actor Robert Strauss won a Supporting Actor nomination for his role as "Animal."
ClassicsSuperstar Barbra Streisand headlines this magical musical directed by Vincente Minnelli, adapted from the Alan Jay Lerner Broadway show. Chain-smoking kooky Daisy consults psychiatrist Chabot to help her stop smoking, only to discover she has amazing ESP powers. While under hypnosis, she reveals her former life as Melinda, an 1840 English coquette. What follows is a comedy/drama/fantasy love triangle unlike any other.
ClassicsSt. Francis of Assisi was an extraordinarily complex and difficult figure whose effect on his contemporary society was electrifying. Even today, many people are moved by his visionary message of universal toleration. Twelfth-century Italy had an exceptionally grim and regimented society, but the barefoot monk from Assisi undoubtedly had the courage that comes from deep faith and was able to transcend the oppressiveness of the time. In this Italian/British-produced film, director Franco Zeffirelli attempts to bring his vision of this great man to the screen. The contemporary (1970s) example of the hippie movement contributed a great deal to the style in which the story is told. The musical score, using ancient Italian melodies, was arranged by Donovan. The film is visually beautiful in a way which tends to minimize the squalor of the times. As the movie begins, Francis (Graham Faulkner) is the son of wealthy merchants, and enjoys his share of wine, women and song without serious thought
ClassicsLester is a clumsy and awkward TV repairman who is nevertheless gifted technically. In helping out a friend, he is drawn into a mystery involving a missing heir in a rich family. He begins to notice little things, like how much those family portraits look like him. Surely...no...he can't be...can he?
ClassicsIt's the epic story of the prophet Mohammad, whose holy revelations defied a pagan society and changed the world forever. Two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Quinn (Lawrence of Arabia) stars in this landmark international hit produced and directed by Moustapha Akkad (Lion of the Desert and producer of John Carpenter's Halloween) which remains the most powerful and acclaimed movie ever made about the birth of Islam.
ClassicsHoping to escape destruction by human developers and save their community, a colony of rabbits, led by Hazel and Fiver, seek out a safe place to set up a new warren.
ClassicsIn this hilarious black comedy from iconic director Robert Altman, infamous Hollywood studio executive Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins, 'The Shawshank Redemption') receives death threats from an anonymous writer whose script he rejected - but can he figure out which one before they make good on their promise?
ClassicsZULU is one of the great movies, an epic adventure of courage in the face of incredible odds. Based on a true story it tells the amazing tale of 100 British soldiers who stood fast against an overwhelming force of 4,000 of the Zulu nations mightiest warriors in the defence of Rorkes Drift in 1879. Superbly photographed in Technirama, few other movies have grippingly captured the tension and terror of combat as wave upon wave of warriors is unleashed on the tiny garrison. Set amongst stunning South African scenery, ZULU is a landmark action film and a fitting tribute to some of the most magnificent acts of heroism in the history of warfare. Michael Caine’s role as the arrogant but courageous Lt. Bromhead brought him international fame, and there are powerful performances from other great British actors including Stanley Baker and Jack Hawkins.
ClassicsIn 1970, John Wayne earned an Academy Award for his larger-than-life performance as the drunken, uncouth and totally fearless one-eyed U.S. Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. The cantankerous Rooster is hired by a headstrong young girl (Kim Darby) to find the man who murdered her father and fled with the family savings. When Cogburn's employer insists on accompanying the old gunfighter, sparks fly. And the situation goes from troubled to disastrous when the inexperienced Texas Ranger (Glen Campbell) joins the party. Laughter and tears punctuate the wild action in this extraordinary Western which features performances by Robert Duvall and Strother Martin.
ClassicsA battle of gigantic proportions is looming in the neon underground of New York City. The armies of the night number 100,000; they outnumber the police 5 to 1; and tonight they're after the Warriors—a street gang blamed unfairly for a rival gang leader's death. This contemporary action-adventure story takes place at night, underground, in the sub-culture of gang warfare that rages from Coney Island to Manhattan to the Bronx. Members of the Warriors fight for their lives, seek to survive in the urban jungle and learn the meaning of loyalty. This intense and stylized film is a dazzling achievement for cinematographer Andrew Laszlo.
ClassicsOne of the most moving and poetic films ever made, Michael Radford’s epoch-making IL POSTINO (aka The Postman) is now presented in a stunning restored version. Telling the fictional story of the real-life Nobel laureate poet Pablo Neruda’s exile to a tiny island off Italy where, being a high-profile figure, he receives such huge quantities of mail that the local post office must hire an extra postman: Il Postino. Though shy and poorly educated, our postman (Massimo Troisi) is so intrigued by Neruda (Philippe Noiret ‘Cinema Paradiso’) that he devises ploys to engage the attention of the great poet. The unlikely duo become friends as Neruda is charmed by the fresh simplicity of the postman whose love for poetry he then applies to woo local beauty, Beatrice (Maria Grazia Cucinotta ‘The World is Not Enough’). Framed by an unforgettable Oscar-winning score by Luis Bacalov, the duo’s on-screen charm, coupled with Radford’s unobtrusive yet inspired direction, make this an undi
ClassicsWhen Alex enters the lives of the musical Tuttle family, each of the three daughters falls for him. He is charming, good looking and personable. Laurie and Alex seem made for each other and become engaged. When Barney comes into the picture to help Alex with some musical arrangements matters become complicated. He is seen as a challenge by Laurie, who can't believe anyone could be as cynical, and she is more than a match for his gloomy outlook on life.
ClassicsExperience the magic and majesty of this ultimate collector's dream. Featuring Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, this remarkable digital restoration boasts pristine sound and unparalleled picture quality. Join Alice as she chases the White Rabbit and journeys into a topsy-turvy world that gets "curiouser and curiouser" as her fantastical adventures unfold. Meet the Mad Hatter, March Hare, Tweedledee & Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts and more unforgettable characters, all set against a backdrop of awe-inspiring splendor.
ClassicsFor sheer pageantry and spectacle, few motion pictures can claim to equal the splendor of Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 remake of his epic “The Ten Commandments”. Filmed in Egypt and the Sinai with one of the biggest sets ever constructed for a motion picture, this version tells the story of the life of Moses (Charlton Heston), once favoured in the Pharaoh’s (Yul Brynner) household, who turned his back on a privileged life to lead his people to freedom. With a rare on-screen introduction by Cecil B. DeMille himself.
ClassicsFamed stage stress Elisabeth Vogler (Liv Ullmann) suffers a moment of blankness during a performance and the next day lapses into total silence. Advised by her doctor to take time off to recover from what appears to be an emotional breakdown, Elisabeth goes to a beach house on the Baltic Sea with only Anna (Bibi Andersson), a nurse, as company. Over the next several weeks, as Anna struggles to reach her mute patient, the two women find themselves experiencing a strange emotional convergence.
ClassicsA bourgeois life in France at the onset of World War II, as the rich and their poor servants meet up at a French chateau. Social comedy featuring a series of interlinked romantic intrigues taking place during a weekend shooting party at a country chateau. A study in the corruption and decay of French society on the eve of the outbreak of World War II.
ClassicsThe battle of the sexes takes some comic turns in this tale which begins with a chance meeting atop the Empire State Building where Maggie McNamara (a young ingénue) picks up William Holden (ethical architect). This quickly becomes a triangle when Holden must joust for the ingénue’s affection with his upstairs neighbor David Niven (a middle-aged rogue). Sub-plot has Niven's daughter angry with Holden for not seducing her at the opportune time. Niven's a little disappointed with Holden, too, for not taking advantage of the situation. After all, it's what men are supposed to do isn't it? This is what Miss McNamara is most curious about. What men are supposed to do, and what women are expected to do and be. She's a very modern girl in her opinions and quite frank with her language. But in the end, despite her risqué attitude and frank talk, our ingénue proves to be an old-fashioned girl. Back on the observation deck at the Empire State Building for the final scene, orange blossoms a
ClassicsFrank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh and Angela Lansbury star in this political suspense classic about the drug-hypnosis-induced behavior that transforms a U.S. Army hero into a human time bomb.
ClassicsCary Grant plays John Robie, reformed jewel thief who was once known as The Cat, in this suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock classic thriller. Robie is suspected of a new rash of gem thefts in the luxury hotels of the French Riviera, and he must set out to clear himself. Meeting pampered heiress Frances (Grace Kelly), he sees a chance to bait the mysterious thief with her mother's (Jessie Royce Landis) fabulous jewels. His plan backfires, however, but Frances, who believes him guilty, proves her love by helping him escape. In a spine-tingling climax, the real criminal is exposed.
ClassicsA tired American ex-boxer returns to his native hamlet in Ireland to win the hand of a spirited young woman. He is confronted by strict local customs and the woman's belligerent brother. Set in the verdant Irish countryside, this lively film has beautiful scenery, brilliant repartee, and local charm.
ClassicsJo Stockton can only get to Paris to meet with the beatnik founder of "empathicalism" (a idea that implores you to "put yourself into others shoes" in order to 'empathize' with them) if she agrees to model a line of ultra-chic fashions for photographer Dick Avery. Paris provides the backdrop for this blend of Gershwin music and Givenchy fashion.
ClassicsChristmas is not a time of celebration for the tight-fisted Ebenezer Scrooge (Alistair Sim). Scrooge turns aside all charity, treats his overworked clerk Bob Cratchit (Mervyn Johns) with contempt and regards all kindness as 'humbug'. One night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley (Michael Hordern), his late business partner.
ClassicsFame isn’t forever—just ask Norma Desmond. Once a Hollywood legend, now a forgotten relic. When struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis stumbles into her decaying mansion, he becomes trapped in her web of obsession and delusion. What starts as an opportunity soon spirals into something far more dangerous. Dark and twisted, Sunset Boulevard is a haunting look at Hollywood’s cycle—where youth is currency, talent fleeting, and the spotlight always fades. Are you ready for your close-up?
ClassicsFrom revered filmmaker David Lynch, and starring John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins, The Elephant Man is an extraordinary and intensely moving true story of bravery and humanity. John Merrick (John Hurt) is The Elephant Man, forced into circus sideshows and spurned by society because of the disfiguring disabilities he was born with. Rescued by a well meaning surgeon (Anthony Hopkins), he tries to escape a life of prejudice and cruelty as he tries to fit into a world ruled by Victorian sensibilities. Beautifully shot in black and white by the incomparable Freddie Francis, The Elephant Man is an unforgettable story of human dignity and survival.
ClassicsHellbound: Hellraiser II expands on Barker's original vision as screenwriter Peter Atkins takes Julia Cotton, her step daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) and the sinister Dr. Channard (Kenneth Cranham) into the dominion of the Cenobites themselves.
ClassicsFellini is unanimously named by film critics and filmmakers as one of the greatest directors of all time and his 8 1/2 is considered a masterpiece and one of the most important films ever made. It won two Oscars including Best Foreign Film. A film director (a magnificent Marcello Mastroianni) is struggling to find the creativity required to deliver his next movie and consequently is being harassed by his producers, colleagues as well as his wife (Anouk Aimée) and his mistress (Sandra Milo). In order to escape his tormentors, the director retreats in dreamy recollections of his life and lovers, until fantasy and reality merge in the director's mind - and on the screen - in a dazzling spectacle ending in a triumph of optimism.
ClassicsThe best moments from the most comical duo in film history: Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy! This compilation features some of the funniest scenes from the comedies that made this pair into household names. See Stan and Ollie sing “Good Ole’ Summertime” in the freezing winter weather, watch them bumble their way through a hostile jail takeover, and be witness as hijinks ensue when Stan and Ollie’s twin brothers, Bert and Alf, unknowingly come to town. Legend Films is proud to present these classic moments in comedy, now restored and presented in color for the very first time!
ClassicsWhen British Railways announce the closure of the Titfield to Mallingford branch line, a group of local village residents make a bid to run it themselves, backed by a monied member of the community who is attracted by the complete lack of licensing hours on trains. Unfortunately this puts them into direct competition with the local bus company.
ClassicsAn impending collision with a runaway star signals the destruction of Earth. The government refuses to listen to scientists, but private industrialists finance the building of a spaceship, which will carry a limited number of people to another planet to begin a new civilization. As doomsday approaches, they race against time and the panic of those who will be left behind. The potential pulverizing impact of the collision, the massive tidal waves and devastating earthquakes, and the final cosmic smashup make a chilling panorama of disaster. The balance between human and planetary drama is excellently maintained as the movie builds to its fascinating, unforgettable climax.
ClassicsThe year was 1960. A payola scandal shocks the music world. Movie fans are introduced to glorious Smell-O-Vision. The 50-star flag is adopted. And in G.I. Blues, Elvis adopts an on-screen persona he knows well in real life – a singin' G.I. in West Germany. Eager to open a stateside nightclub after his hitch in khakis, he takes part in a wager to raise the dough he needs. The bet: he can melt the iceberg heart of a willowy dancer (Juliet Prowse). But all bets may be off when real love intervenes...
ClassicsThe year is 1936. Orphaned Addie Loggins (Tatum O'Neal, in her film debut) is left in the care of unethical traveling Bible salesman Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal, Tatum's dad), who may or may not be her father. En route to Addie's relatives, Moses learns that the 9-year-old is quite a handful: she smokes, cusses, and is almost as devious and manipulative as he is. They join forces as swindlers, working together so well that Addie is averse to breaking up the team — which is one reason that she sabotages the romance between Moses and good-time gal Trixie Delight (Madeline Kahn). Later, while attempting to square a $200 debt that Addie claims he owes her, Moses runs afoul of of a bootlegger (John Hillerman) and is nearly beaten to death by the criminal's twin-brother sheriff. Painfully pulling himself together, Moses gets Addie to her relatives, whereupon she adamantly refuses to leave his side. Photographed in black-and-white by Laszlo Kovacs, the film was made largely on location in Kansa
ClassicsThe Battle Of Algiers tells the story of the life-and-death struggle between the French colonial government of Algeria and the Algerian Liberation Front, the FLN, who wanted the French out and were willing to set off bombs to do it. The French sent in their elite Paratroopers with the order to use Any Means to break the insurgent - torture included. It’s a true story, done on location with many of the FLN appearing in it, including the producer who was an FLN leader. This film is a passionate yet completely impartial record of struggle which led to Algeria’s Independence.
ClassicsCary Grant stars in one of his funniest roles as a boozy beachcomber sitting out WWII in peace - until the Allies recruit him to be a lookout on the South Pacific isle. During an enemy attack, he answers a distress call and discovers a beautiful French schoolmarm (Leslie Caron) and her seven girl students. And so begins a hilarious battle of the sexes between a messy American, a prim Mademoiselle, and seven mischievous little girls. Who will win is anybody's guess, but you can be sure that Father Goose delivers plenty of romantic fun and adventure along the way.
ClassicsSteven Spielberg directs this riotous farce depicting the hysteria of a cross section of Los Angeles citizens following the bombing of Pear Harbor. The film is loosely based on a true event in which a Japanese submarine surfaced off the California coast, setting off a brief wave of panic.
ClassicsOklahoma in the thirties is a dustbowl and dispossessed farmers migrate westward to California. After terrible trials en route they become little more than slave labor. Among the throng are the Joads who refuse to knuckle under. An account of a depression-era family's migration to the greener pastures of California based on the novel by John Steinbeck.
ClassicsSteve McQueen delivers a powerful, gripping performance as a defiant loner whose skills as a soldier make him invaluable to his struggling platoon. In the heat of battle during World War II, McQueen and his fellow soldiers find themselves severely outnumbered as they hold off a Nazi advance along the Siegfried Line in France. Using only their ingenuity and bravery, they must bluff the Germans in order to buy some time…and save their lives. Don Siegel directs the explosive action led by an all-star cast, including Bobby Darin, Fess Parker, Harry Guardino, James Coburn, Nick Adams and Bob Newhart. If they can fool the enemy long enough for reinforcements to arrive, victory is theirs.
ClassicsThe first feature-length British animated film to be given a theatrical release, this landmark 1954 adaptation brilliantly conveys all the horror and humour of George Orwell’s scathing satire on the corruption of Communist ideals and the Soviet Union’s slide into totalitarianism. Animal Farm remains an outstanding achievement for award-winning animators John Halas and Joy Batchelor; actor and singer Gordon Heath narrates, and the characters are voiced by Maurice Denham.
Inspired by the dream of Old Major, a prize boar, the overworked animals of Manor Farm rise up against their negligent, drunken human owner and drive him out. Led by two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, they establish their own self-sufficient farm, but as the farm flourishes it begins to slide into dictatorship…
ClassicsThe U.S.S. Sea Tiger is on it's last legs until the submarine captain and his ingenious (if slightly unethical) supply officer scavenge the parts and supplies needed to get their dry-dock sub back into WWII action. However, a bevy of beautiful nurses comes aboard, causing hijinks in the hot pink sub. The inimitable pairing of Grant and Curtis, as the irascible captain and his sleazy subordinate, make the film a true classic.
ClassicsSuzy Kendall is Polly, an upper-class Chelsea girl who decides to relieve her boredom by slumming in a working-class section of London called Battersea. She gets a job in a candy factory and becomes friends with co-workers Rube (Adrienne Posta) and Sylvie (Maureen Lipman), two sisters. Polly takes up with Peter (Dennis Waterman), who dreams of leaving Battersea and becoming rich.
ClassicsWilliam Holden portrays a screenwriter with a script deadline in three days. When he asks secretary Audrey Hepburn to help concoct ideas, she acts out a potpourri of preposterous plots. Beautifully shot on location in Paris by famed cinematographer Claude Renoir.
ClassicsIt was a race to the finish... if only they could finish. It's "Monte Carlo or Bust" as Tony Curtis, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore lead a riotous road rally in this 1920s-era delight. Curtis is a distracted playboy racing the irrepressible Terry-Thomas for ownership of an auto plant, and trying to win the attentions of beautiful Susan Hampshire along the way. Cook and Moore play a team of bumbling British officers who survive every peril by the skin of their teeth (and the seat of their pants!). And Gert Frobe (Goldfinger) is the escaped convict more interested in smuggling than driving. Hang on for a fall-down-funny, knock-down-everything caravan of comedy where the laugh's the limit!
ClassicsJack Nicholson returns as private eye Jake Gittes in this atmospheric Chinatown follow-up that's hit upon "the elusive sequel formula for somehow enhancing a great original" (Mike Clark, USA Today). Much has changed since we last saw Jake. The war has come and gone; 1948 Los Angeles teems with optimism and fast bucks. But there's one thing Jake knows hasn't changed: "Nine times out of ten, if you follow the money you will get to the truth." And that's the trail he follows when a routine case of marital hanky panky explodes into a murder that's tied to a grab for oil--and to Jake's own past.
ClassicsHatari! is Swahili for "danger"—and also the word for action, adventure and broad comedy in this two-fisted Howard Hawks effort. John Wayne stars as the head of a daring Tanganyka-based group which captures wild animals on behalf of the world's zoos. Hardy Kruger, Gérard Blain and Red Buttons are members of Wayne's men-only contingent, all of whom are reduced to jello when the curvaceous Elsa Martinelli enters the scene. In tried and true Howard Hawks fashion, Martinelli quickly becomes "one of the guys," though Wayne apparently can't say two words to her without sparking an argument. The second half of this amazingly long film concerns the care and maintenance of a baby elephant; the barely credible finale is devoted to a comic pachyderm stampede down an urban African street, ending literally at the foot of Martinelli's bed. The other scene worth mentioning involves comedy-relief Red Buttons' efforts to create a fireworks-powered animal trap. Not to be taken seriously for a minute,
ClassicsHud Bannon (Newman) is a young Texas rancher who lives with his cattleman father Homer (Melvyn Douglas) and his hero-worshipping nephew Lon (Brandon DeWilde). Hud is an amoral, cold-hearted creature; his father, who holds Hud responsible for the death of his other son, tries to imbue Lon with a sense of decency and responsibility to others, but Lon is devoted to Hud and isn't inclined to listen. When hoof-and-mouth disease shows up in one of the elder Bannon's cows, Hud is all for selling the herd before the government inspectors find out. But Homer orders the cattle destroyed (the film's most harrowing sequence), driving an even deeper wedge between himself and Hud. Finally, Hud steps over the line by attempting to rape Alma (Patricia Neal), the earthy but warm-hearted housekeeper. Paul Newman was so repellantly brilliant as an unregenerate heel that his Oscar nomination for Hud was a foregone conclusion. Although Newman lost the Oscar to Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field, Oscars
ClassicsJerry Lewis directed, co-wrote and starred in this riotously funny movie that set a new standard for screen comedy and inspired the hit remake. Lewis plays a timid, nearsighted chemistry teacher who discovers a magical potion that can transform him into a suave and handsome Romeo. The Jekyll and Hyde game works well enough until the concoction starts to wear off at the most embarrassing times, and the professor begins to suffer hilarious symptoms of his personality split. Co-starring Stella Stevens.
ClassicsA high-flying hit starring the comedy legends Laurel and Hardy. Ollie is heartbroken to find the woman he loves is already married. In an effort to forget his heartache, he convinces Stan to join him and enlist in the French Foregin Legion. However, conditions are not what the boys had been prepared for and things take a turn for the worse when the pair is charged with desertion! It's a wild, hilarious ride from start to finish with Laurel and Hardy's signature brand of comedy. The Flying Deuces has been beautifully restored and is presented in color for the very first time!
ClassicsElvis Presley stars as Mike Windgren, a former trapeze artist who's suffered from vertigo ever since accidentally dropping his partner during a performance. Working as a lifeguard/entertainer at an Acapulco resort, Mike falls in love with social director Margarita Dauphine (Ursula Andress). With her help, he overcomes his fear of heights in a spectacular high-dive finale. Presley songs featured include "Vino, Dinero y Amor," "Marguerita," "Bossa Nova Baby" and the title tune.
ClassicsRoberto Rossellini's portrait of life under Nazi occupation remains remarkable for its sheer immediacy, tension and power. The film follows Manfredi (Marcello Pagliero), a partisan leader, as he attempts to evade the Gestapo by enlisting the help of Pina (Anna Magnani), fiancée of a fellow member of the resistance, and Don Pietro (Aldo Fabrizi), the priest due to oversee her marriage. Shot on the ravaged streets of the city and in the studio, Rome, Open City remains extraordinarily powerful to this day.
ClassicsOliver Reed and Diana Rigg head an impeccable cast in The Assassination Bureau, a spirited caper inspired by a book co-written by Jack London. Reed plays Ivan, the self-confident chief of an association of hitmen for hire, who will refuse no well-paid offer - especially the lucrative challenge of an aspiring reporter (Rigg). Reasoning that a running cat-and-mouse duel with his henchmen will rid the organization of incompetents, Ivan agrees to become the object of a nonstop hunt. The game is afoot... and Europe is the playground!
ClassicsSympathy For The Devil was made at a time when The Rolling Stones were at the peak of their creative powers and Jean-Luc Godard, who after making some of the great French New Wave cinema had taken a revolutionary political direction with his filmmaking.
ClassicsHumphrey Bogart plays one of his rare comedy roles in this jaunty excursion about three convicts - Joseph (Bogart), Albert (Aldo Ray) and Jules (Peter Ustinov) - who are plotting their escape from Devil's Island. Fate intervenes when they hide out with kindly, but inept Felix (Leo G. Carroll) and his family. Felix manages a store for his arrogant cousin Andre (Basil Rathbone), who makes the fatal mistake of stealing Albert's pet, a poisonous snake. After resolving Felix's problems, the convicts return to prison, convinced that the world is much too wicked. Based on the play by Albert Husson.
ClassicsYou have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way. Jonathan Livingston Seagull's words, from the best-selling novel by Richard Bach, bring into sharp focus the intense and extraordinary determination of Jonathan, who envisions another world - one of love, understanding, achievement, hope and individuality. An evocative musical score by Neil Diamond is paramount to the film's mood.
ClassicsIn the tradition of grand animated classics, Disney's 11th animated masterpiece, THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD, presents two unforgettable children's classics. Through award-winning (Golden Globe, Best Cinematography, 1950) Disney animation wizardry, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS and THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW come together in one fabulous adventure -- in its original theatrical format. Hang on for a wild motorcar ride with J. Thaddeus Toad as he drives his friends Mole, Rat and Angus MacBadger into a worried frenzy! Then meet the spindly Ichabod Crane, who dreams of sweeping beautiful Katrina Van Tassel off her feet, despite opposition from town bully Brom Bones, who also has his eye on Katrina. The comic rivalry introduces Ichabod to the legend of the Headless Horseman, resulting in a heart-thumping climax! Wonderfully narrated by Basil Rathbone and Bing Crosby, THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD brims with high-spirited adventure, brilliant animation and captivating music yo
ClassicsAviation and sports come together in Strategic Air Command.This 1955 American film is starring James Stewart and June Allyson, and is directed by Anthony Mann. Robert "Dutch" Holland (James Stewart) is a professional baseball player with the St. Louis Cardinals. As a former B-29 bomber pilot during World War II, he is also an officer on inactive status in the United States Air Force Reserve. During spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida, he is recalled to active duty for 21 months.
ClassicsCrusading District Attorney Martin Ferguson, unable to penetrate the organized crime network because his witnesses are being murdered before they can testify, finally gets a break when he questions Teresa Davis, the roommate of latest victim Nina Lombardo. To his horror, Ferguson discovers that Murder, Inc., the gangland contract killers, disposed of the wrong roommate: It is Teresa who actually witnessed the murder by mob boss Albert Mendoza. And when the gangsters learn of the mistake, Teresa is next marked for disposal in this gripping drama of underworld intrigue.
ClassicsRichard is King. A man ordained by God to lead his people. A man whose vanity threatens to divide the great houses of England and drag his people into a dynastic civil war that will last for 100 years. RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran directs David Tennant in the title role of 'a definitive production of a great play.' (Daily Mail)
ClassicsThe Pickwick Club sends Mr. Pickwick and a group of friends to travel across England and to report back on the interesting things they find. In the course of their travels, they repeatedly encounter the friendly but disreputable Mr. Jingle, who becomes a continual source of trouble for all who know him. Pickwick himself is the victim of a number of misunderstandings that bring him both embarrassment and problems with the law.
ClassicsA well-to-do English couple travel to Naples after inheriting a villa - as the cracks in their tepid and conventional marriage start to appear they drift apart both emotionally and physically with increasing bitterness. Starring Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders as the increasingly estranged couple, Roberto Rossellini's Journey to Italy represents a shift away from Italian neo-realism to a more nuanced examination of life's complexity.
ClassicsRepressed desires, sultry women, sweltering weather and a handsome new stranger in town... this is playwright Tennessee Williams at his very best. Depression-era Dodson, Mississippi, is particularly devastated with the arrival of Owen Legate (Robert Redford), a railroad official with a pocketful of pink slips for the rail yard employees. Natalie Wood is captivating as Alva Starr, the coquettish town flirt with plenty of big plans but nowhere to go... until Legate appears on her doorstep. Their ensuing affair enrages Alva's distant, uncaring mother (Kate Reid)—and ignites a town's revenge. Masterfully directed by Sydney Pollack (The Way We Were, Out of Africa, The Firm) and co-written for the screen by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather trilogy), This Property Is Condemned sizzles with unbridled passion and fiery emotion.
ClassicsSir Seymour Hicks gives a riveting performance as Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean old miser who wants nothing to do with Christmas, bitterly rejecting the company and well wishes of his fellow man. But on this Christmas Eve, Scrooge's former partner, Jacob Marley, an invisible but forceful ghostly presence, visits Scrooge to warn him that his time is running short. Throughout the long, cold night, the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future appear to Scrooge, taking him on a journey into the very spirit and magic of Christmas itself.
ClassicsThe Skull (from a story by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho) is a fearsome, finely acted and moody tale of Gothic horror. The skull of the Marquis de Sade has been taken from its grave, bringing terror to those who own it. Demonologist Christopher Maitland (Peter Cushing) is eager to add the piece to his occult collection. Despite the warnings of a friend (Christopher Lee), he's got to have it. And does he ever get it.
ClassicsWilliam Holden and Nancy Kwan star in this soul-searching look at an East-meets-West romance. He's a struggling American artist who's down on his luck. She's a beautiful Chinese prostitute who captures his heart. The scenery is as spectacular as the colorful and exotic streets of Hong Kong in this wonderfully warm story about the strength of true love.
ClassicsMy Man Godfrey is one of the top Screwball Comedies of all time- a story of a wealthy New York family in the 1930's that brings in Godfrey, a destitute and "Forgotten Man" as their butler. William Powell plays the leading role brilliantly, and gives the family a madcap ride they will never forget. My Man Godfrey was the first film to receive Oscar® nominations in all four acting categories, including stunning performances by William Powell and Carole Lombard. Presented here beautifully restored and in color for the first time, this is the definitive edition of My Man Godfrey.
ClassicsSparrows Can’t Sing directed by Joan Littlewood and starring Barbara Windsor, (Carry on Camping) in her BAFTA nominated roles as Maggie, is a 1965 kitchen sink classic filmed in the East End of London. There’s panic in Stepney; from the stalls in the street to the bar of the Red Lion the word goes out: tearaway Charlie Gooding (James Booth, Zulu) is back from two years at sea, and on the way home to his old stamping ground. The trouble is that Charlie isn’t up to date with the news.
ClassicsPoor Jerome Littlefield (Jerry Lewis). He wants to be a doctor but that's not exactly the perfect career choice when you're hopelessly squeamish. So he settles for the job of orderly at the Whitestone Sanitarium, a career move that's guaranteed to keep the patients and viewers in stitches! The fun begins with Sammy Davis, Jr.'s rendition of the film's title song and continues as the bumbling Jerome, a one-man disaster area, triggers chaos every time he tries to lend a helping hand. From causing the patients more trauma to a highspeed ambulance chase, Lewis and his healthy dose of comic mishaps are the perfect prescription for all that ails you.
ClassicsIn his directorial debut, Peter Bogdanovich weaves two disparate story lines into a terrifying moment of confrontation. In seemingly unrelated events, aging horror film star Orlok (Boris Karloff) announces his retirement, and an apparently average young man (Tim Kelly) accumulates an arsenal of rifles and handguns. As the pace quickens, Kelly turns into a murderous sniper, showing up at a drive-in theater where Orlok is making his final personal appearance.
ClassicsWings is the first film to win the Academy Award® for Best Picture. Featuring a meticulous restoration and a newly recorded soundtrack based on the original score. This timeless story of love and loss follows two men who go to war and the girl they leave behind. Popular Twenties “It” girl Clara Bow stars with Richard Arlen, Charles “Buddy” Rogers and Gary Cooper in a legendary cameo appearance.
ClassicsTwo young Swedish children in the 1900s experience the many comedies and tragedies of their lively and affectionate theatrical family, the Ekdahls.
