The Star Maker (DVD)
This Italian film from Giuseppe Tornatore is reminiscent of his earlier homage to the undying magic of cinema in 1989`s CINEMA PARADISO. In 1953 Sicily, movie-mad con artist Joe Morelli (Sergio Castellitto) hatches a lucrative scam after he finds a U.S. Army camera and some film stock. He wanders the beautiful countryside and encounters its friendly residents, offering to give them all screen tests--for 1,500 lire a pop.These humble folks embrace the idea and reveal their dreams and regrets as if the camera is their priest. Tornatore`s use of actual Sicilian townspeople in many of these scenes lends an incredible honesty and realism to their captivating tales of love, death, and desire for freedom. Their thoughts are etched on their expressive and well-worn faces. Joe`s scam takes an unexpected turn when the openness and honesty of the townsfolk stirs something foreign in him--his conscience. When he meets Beata (Tiziana Lodato), a gorgeous young woman raised in isolation in a village convent, Joe is truly captivated, and loses himself in his new protege. Beata is a true beauty and she is photogenic and captivating on screen. She desires fame and fortune, and believes Joe can make her a true star. Together with Beata, Joe travels the small rundown villages of Sicily, selling dreams of fame. This simple film is a love letter to the enduring power of cinema and the flights of fancy that can be captured in the simple stories of individuals everywhere.R"
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Ringo Starr and His Fourth All-Starr Band (VHS)
The erstwhile Beatle teams with Peter Frampton and former members of Procol Harum, Cream, and Bad Company in this collection of concert performances from the lineup`s 1997 tour. Tunes include Show Me the Way, It Don`t Come Easy, Yellow Submarine, A Little Help From My Friends, and more.NR"
ACTORS: Ringo Starr
True Grit (DVD) Sensormatic A pure western in which a lawmen tracks a criminal, TRUE GRIT, based on Charles Portis` novel, reunited John Wayne with director Henry Hathaway (THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER). Wayne is crotchety U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, wh...
A pure western in which a lawmen tracks a criminal, TRUE GRIT, based on Charles Portis` novel, reunited John Wayne with director Henry Hathaway (THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER). Wayne is crotchety U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, who would rather stay home than chase criminals. He heeds the call, though, when fourteen year-old Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) calls on him to avenge her father`s death at the hands of a man who has escaped into Indian territory. Glen Campbell is a Texas ranger who accompanies them for his own reasons. Wayne reprised the role six years later in ROOSTER COGBURN. Academy Award Nominations: 2, including Best Song ( True Grit ). Academy Awards: Best Actor--John Wayne.
G"
Director: Henry Hathaway
ACTORS: John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby, Robert Duvall, Jeremy Slate
Discovering Hawaii (DVD)
Fun in the sun has never been so exciting as this travelogue of the famous Hawaiian Islands. From volcanoes to luaus, the splendor of Hawaii is plentiful, and you`ll see much of this bounty in this volume.NR"
Boogiepop Phantom Vol. 4 (DVD)
An ambitious series that bears a striking resemblance to LAIN, BOOGIEPOP PHANTOM is no less fascinating, and certainly, in many ways, takes that series` concept to another level. Taking place in a bizarre alternate universe, Boogiepop is a shady organization that protects the world from supernatural menace that materializes in the form of a young girl clad in a yin-yang cloak. The series begins with the disappearance of some high school students, the discovery of a young man who sees people`s regrets as spiders and can eat them, and the appearance of a detective who tries to tie the strands of these mysteries together. Contains the final three episodes of the series.NR"
Director: Takashi Watanabe
