Archive Announcements

March 2000    

Chen Kaige makes beautiful films, of that there is no doubt. The Emperor and the Assassin(6/13/00), the director's latest, is being released by Columbia. It stars the incandescent Gong Li.

Bryan Browne had his big shot at action hero status in 1986 with the terrifically paced thriller F-X(6/13/00). This one looked like director Robert Mandel's passport to success as well, but his career never delivered on the promise of this expertly made thriller.

While we are still awaiting the DVD release of David Lean's masterpiece, Lawrence of Arabia, Criterion is releasing Lean's 1945 romantic gem, Brief Encounter (5/23/00), including an audio commentary by film scholar Bruce Eder. 

Michael Cimino's snappy 1974 action flick, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot(6/13/00) debuts on DVD from MGM. Starring Clint Eastwood, George Kennedy and a young Jeff Bridges, this one is lots of fun. 

Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven star in The Guns of Navarone(5/23/00). Columbia is releasing the 1961 film in a special edition featuring audio commentary from director J. Lee Thompson and lots of other extras. Ah, yes, anamorphic widescreen.

Don't let the failure Man in the Moon(5/30/00) at the box office discourage you from catching this very strange and moving portrait of comedy's lost soul, Andy Kaufman. Director Milos Forman may not have the legend of Larry Flynt this time out, but he does have an amazing Jim Carrey performance. Universal is packaging this as a special edition.

Breaking out into anamorphic DVD glory, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid(5/16/00) is coming from Fox in a special edition. Paul Newman and Robert Redford will be heading for Columbia and their fatal shoot-out once again. Saddle up! 

Guaranteed, if Diner(5/2/00) was set in 1999, the characters would add some canny observations about home theater and DVD  into their conversations. Barry Levinson's popular film is will make welcome company for DVD aficionados.

Ashley Judd is breaking out on DVD with the Columbia release of Eye of the Beholder(5/23/00). Judd makes everything worth watching.

Columbia is also releasing American Movie(5/23/00), winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at this year's Sundance Festival. In the tradition of movies about moviemaking, this one follows an unusual road.

One of those movies that gets good notices but less box office, Tumbleweeds (4/1//00) arrives from New Line. Now you can see why everyone was talking about Janet McTeer's performance

March 13, 2000

Richard Roundtree defines cool as private detective John Shaft prowling the New York's Harlem and it's colorful environs in a special edition release of Shaft(6/6/00). The 1971 film from Warner was directed by cinematographer stylist Gordon Parks.

On this special 2-DVD package you can watch The End of the Affair(5/16/00)in its original 1955 version or in Neil Jordan's 1999 acclaimed adaptation of the Graham Greene novel The End of the Affair(5/16/00) delivered in a special editon from Columbia. You get to hear director Neil Jordan and star  Julianne Moore talk about the making of the film on the special edition DVD It should be fascinating audio commentary.  

March 9, 2000

Now's your chance to see John Wayne battle the forces of evil in a couple of new releases from Artisan Entertainment's fine catalog of Republic films. The Flying Tigers(5/16/00),1942 has Wayne battling the Japanese for the Chinese and in 1944's Fighting Seabees(5/16/00), Wayne plays with bulldozers and Susan Hayward in the Pacific  war  zone.

Get ready to scale the high wall of adventure as Gregory Peck leads a crew of misfit soldiers through an impossible World War II assignment in the classic 1961adventure The Guns of Navarone(5/23/00) coming from Columbia in beautiful anamorphic images..

March 6, 2000

Veteran director William Wellman created a classic war drama in The Story of G.I. Joe. Now(5/23/00) it's available for the first time in a high end video format from Image Entertainment. The DVD includes some archival footage of correspondent Ernie Pyle, on whose experiences the film is based. 

There are always some acid elements to the comedy of Charlie Chaplin, but Monsieur Verdoux(5/16/00) distills it in a perfect vial. Chaplin plays a mild-mannered clerk turned bluebeard bigamist.

The art of cinematography is dissected in the revealing documentary Visions of Light(5/9/00). Get a fresh understanding of the achievements of the great practitioners of the art of capturing image on film in this DVD release from Image Entertainment.

March 1, 2000

Columbia Tristar has announced release of Things Change(5/2/00), David Mamet's droll comedy about a shoeshine man who looks a lot like a Mafia don. Joe Mantegna and Don Ameche star. Mamet shows a happy affinity for comic delight in this 1988 flick.

The Feature Archive has articles ranging from Akira Kurosawa to Blonde Bimbos and John Ford.

 
Click on the image of The Heistmasters for an interesting feature on the tough guys that pull off the big jobs.

The  Movie Poster Archive include extensive poster images from the films of stars like Susan Hayward, Kirk Douglas, Katharine Hepburn and many more. This month's featured star is Cary Grant.

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They may be judgmental, but that's the point, isn't it. Lots of DVD reviews plus news and more.
Click on the link to visit the judge's chambers.

Brad Lang continues to add more interesting to the extensive collection at Classic Movies.  Everything from actors and actress to your favorite directors is linked at the site.

Direct from the corridors of the Home Theater Forum, Home Theater Talk is the newest place on the Net to discuss everything home theater. Friendly atmosphere and knowledgeable folks are the secret ingredients.

Elite Entertainment President Vini Bancalari talks about his horror roots with DVD Unleashed. Find out why Vini has started a new DVD enterprise, Focus Film Entertainment. Watch for Sherlock Holmes coming into focus on DVD. Click DVD Unleashed to read all about it.