The Gambler (DVD)
THE GAMBLER, directed by Karel Reisz, stars James Caan in a difficult role as Alex Freed, a compulsive gambler with many inner demons, who is completely out of control. He can`t resist a bad bet because that`s where the juice is. While his irrational rationalizations--largely influenced by Dostoyevsky, whose novel, THE GAMBLER, he teaches to his students at City College--might seem like a lot of existential hot air, they are well dramatized, making his descent downward believable even as his actions become increasingly frenetic.
Reisz provides a sound realism to the THE GAMBLER`s settings both in Las Vegas and on the streets of New York. Made at the same time as Robert Altman`s CALIFORNIA SPLIT, which attempted to visually create the internal world of the compulsive gambler, here Reisz presents a gritty realism to the world of bookies, loan sharks, and their violent enforcers. He relies on Caan, generally a more physical actor, to portray the cultured intellectual who loves Mahler, but is obsessed with danger. Caan starts slowly, and with the help of Lauren Hutton in a good performance as Billie, his predictable blond girlfriend, he illuminates the world of gambling in this tense, realistic film.R"
Director: Karel Reisz
ACTORS: James Caan, Paul Sorvino, Lauren Hutton, Burt Young, Morris Carnovsky
The Gunman (VHS)
This thought-provoking thriller follows a detective, Ben Simms (Sean Patrick Flanery), as he tries to track down the serial killer who murdered his wife. Along with a new rookie partner, Daphne (Joey Lauren Adams), Simms must contend with a wreckless vigilante who is out to murder the serial killer before Simms can track him down. THE GUNMAN poses deep philosophical questions while retaining a tense, action-packed tone.R"
Director: Daniel Millican
ACTORS: Sean Patrick Flanery, Joey Lauren Adams, Mimi Rogers, Jeff Speakman, Brian McNamara
The Road to El Dorado (DVD)
Two eccentric con artists, Tulio and Miguel, are shooting craps in the sun-squelched streets of 16th-century Spain when they win a sacred map charting the way to El Dorado, the lost City of Gold, and see it as their ticket both to adventure and an enormous fortune. With the map in hand, they stow away on the ship of evil Spanish leader Cortez, bound for Cuba. By chance, the two men are thrown off course and find themselves in a lush and vibrant rainforest replete with exotic animals, hidden waterfalls, and traces of an Indian civilization. Stumbling upon the gate to El Dorado, Tulio and Miguel are thought to be gods by a group of Mayan natives, and they are led into the heart of the city for a special welcoming ceremony. There they meet the adorable Chel, a con artist herself, who practically bests them at their own tricks. In the end, the two friends must choose whether they will stay and enjoy life in the magical city of El Dorado or make off with the gold and return to Western culture as rich men.PG"
Director: Will Finn|Don Paul|Bibo Bergeron
Madeline (DVD) Closed Caption Madeline and her 11 friends live at a school run by Miss Clavel in an old house in Paris. Madeline is the smallest of the girls and also the most adventurous. The future of the school is in jeopardy when its stuffy own...
Madeline and her 11 friends live at a school run by Miss Clavel in an old house in Paris. Madeline is the smallest of the girls and also the most adventurous. The future of the school is in jeopardy when its stuffy owner, Lord Covington, decides to sell it. With Pepito`s help (the devilish son of the Spanish Ambassador who lives next door), the resourceful Madeline hatches a plot to save their beloved home, but along the way the children encounter some bumbling would-be kidnappers on a visit to the circus. It`s up to the indomitable Miss Clavel to come to their rescue.
PG"
Director: Daisy Von Scherler Mayer
ACTORS: Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne, Hatty Jones
Little House on the Prairie - The Pilot (DVD)
This is the original made-for-television movie that started it all. Based on the writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE would go on to become one of the most beloved television shows of all time. Follow the Wilder family as they face the hardship of living on the American frontier in the late 1800s. The pilot is directed by star Michael Landon.NR"
Director: Michael Landon
ACTORS: Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Melissa Gilbert, Melissa Sue Anderson, Victor French
