THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956)
April 01, 2020
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956)
The debate still rages as to whether Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much is superior to his own original 1934 version. This two-hour remake (45 minutes longer than the first film) features more stars, a lusher budget, and the plaintive music of Bernard Herrmann (who appears on-camera, typecast as a symphony conductor). Though the locale of the opening scenes shifts from Switzerland to French Morocco in the newer version, the basic plot remains the same. American tourists James Stewart and Doris Day are witness to the street killing of a Frenchman (Daniel Gelin) they've recently befriended. Before breathing his last, the murder victim whispers a secret to Stewart (the Cinemascope lens turns this standard closeup into a truly grotesque vignette). Stewart knows that a political assassination will occur during a concert at London's Albert Hall, but is unable to tell the police: his son (a daughter in the original) has been kidnapped by foreign agents to insure Stewart's silence. The original script for Man Who Knew too Much was expanded and updated by John Michael Hayes and Angus McPhail. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
120 mins.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (1967)
March 29, 2020
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (1967)
This 1967 version of Thomas Hardy's novel should have done better at the box office than it did, given the star power of Julie Christie and the visual and aural fidelity to its source material. Julie Christie plays Bathsheba Everdene, a country heiress who is loved by three different men: Terence Stamp, Peter Finch and Alan Bates. Convinced that she is the intellectual superior of all three, Bathesheba loses many early opportunities for lasting happiness. Finally shedding herself of her haughty attitude, Bathsheba unconditionally accepts the love of Bates. The euphoric exuberance of Nicolas Roeg's photography is matched by the direction of John Schlesinger and the screenplay by Frederick Raphael. Only the nittiest of nitpickers would complain that some of the medium shots don't match the closeups (watch Terence Stamp's clown makeup in one scene)
165 mins.
OKLAHOMA!
March 27, 2020
OKLAHOMA! Starring Hugh Jackman.
We presented this West End London production of the classic musical at the River Street Theatre in July 2018. Now can you see it for FREE thanks to our friends at BroadwayHD. It's FREE all weekend long (3/27-3/29)!
Oklahoma! is the quintessential American musical. A Rodgers and Hammerstein show set against the backdrop of the founding of a new state. In a production by National Theatre, London, Oklahoma! is invigorated with historical context and deeper meaning to provide a full musical experience for people who have been raised humming its tunes all the way to theatrical newcomers. Directed by Trevor Nunn, choreographed by Susan Stroman, and starring Hugh Jackman, this revival catches the spirit of the original in a unique and compelling way.
SXSW 2020 SHORTS
March 27, 2020
SXSW SHORTS 2020
SXSW has long been a champion of independent filmmakers, and premiering a short film at the festival is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for creators to share their vision with the world. When the City of Austin had to cancel this year’s festival, hundreds of filmmakers lost the opportunity for their work to be seen. Together, Mailchimp and Oscilloscope Laboratories have created a digital home for this incredible slate of short films, so you can watch them from wherever you are. While we can’t replace the camaraderie of the SXSW festival, watching these films is a way to support the artists you love and connect to the world around you, during a time when we could all use a little more connection.
Please enjoy the SXSW 2020 Official Short Film Selections.
ENEMY AT THE GATES (2001)
March 26, 2020
ENEMY AT THE GATES
Vassili (Jude Law) is a young Russian sharpshooter who becomes a legend when a savvy polical officer (Joseph Fiennes) makes him the hero of his propaganda campaign. Their friendship is threatened when both men fall in love with a beautiful female soldier (Rachel Weisz). As the battle for the city rages, Vassili faces the ultimate challenge when the Nazi command dispatches its most elite marksman (Ed Harris) to hunt down and kill the man who has become the hope of all Russia
2 hours 11 minutes.
THE CIRCUS (1928)
March 25, 2020
THE CIRCUS
Wrongfully accused of criminal acts, a tramp (Charlie Chaplin) unwittingly ducks into a big top, where his bumbling attempts to avoid pursuing police officers earn the laughter and applause of the circus-goers. Impressed, the ringmaster (Allan Garcia) decides to employ the tramp as an entertainer. In between getting trapped in a lion's cage and partaking in clumsy high wire escapades, he falls for a beautiful show rider (Merna Kennedy), who unfortunately has eyes for a daring tightrope acrobat.
1 hour 21 minutes.
LOONEY TUNES CARTOONS COMPILATION
March 26, 2020
LOONEY TUNES CARTOONS COMPILATION
11 of the best classic Looney Tunes Cartoons, some never before seen on YouTube, which streams up to ULTRA HD 4K (2160p) running over 1 and half hours. This features some of the best-known characters from the golden era of the Looney Tunes Collection. All episodes have been digitally remastered & restored in ULTRA HD 4K.
1 hour 32 minutes.
THE 39 STEPS (1935)
March 22, 2020
The 39 Steps is a 1935 British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll. It is very loosely based on the 1915 adventure novel The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan.
RottenTomatoes 96% Certified Fresh
Running Time: 1hour 26 minutes
BECKET (1964)
March 21, 2020
Becket is a 1964 British-American film about the historic, tumultuous relationship between Henry II of England and his friend-turned-bishop Thomas Becket. It is a dramatic film adaptation of the play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Richard Burton as Thomas Becket and Peter O'Toole as King Henry II, with John Gielgud as King Louis VII
Running time: 148 minutes
ROYAL WEDDING (1951)
March 16, 2020
Royal Wedding is a 1951 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical comedy film starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. ... Astaire and Powell play siblings in a song and dance duo, echoing the real-life theatrical relationship of Fred and Adele Astaire.
GULLIVER'S TRAVELS (1939)
November 11, 2019
Gulliver's Travels is a 1939 American cel-animated Technicolor feature film, directed by Dave Fleischer and produced by Max Fleischer for Fleischer Studios. The film was released on December 22, 1939, by Paramount Pictures, who had the feature produced as an answer to the success of Walt Disney's box-office hit Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The sequences for the film were directed by Seymour Kneitel, Willard Bowsky, Tom Palmer, Grim Natwick, William Henning, Roland Crandall, Thomas Johnson, Robert Leffingwell, Frank Kelling, Winfield Hoskins, and Orestes Calpine. This is Paramount's first feature-length animated film. Gulliver was the second cel-animated feature film ever released and the first produced by an American studio other than Walt Disney Productions. The story is based very loosely upon the Lilliputian adventures of Gulliver depicted in Jonathan Swift's 18th-century novel Gulliver's Travels.