Rio Grande (DVD) Collector`s Edition DVD In RIO GRANDE, the last part of John Ford`s classic Cavalry Trilogy, John Wayne stars as Kirby York, a colonel at an army outpost along the U.S.-Mexico border where the Apache are always a problem. When his son,...
In RIO GRANDE, the last part of John Ford`s classic Cavalry Trilogy, John Wayne stars as Kirby York, a colonel at an army outpost along the U.S.-Mexico border where the Apache are always a problem. When his son, Jeff (Claude Jarman Jr.), whom he hasn`t seen in more than a decade, arrives at the fort after flunking out of West Point, Yorke treats him coldly, warning the young man not to expect preferential treatment, which Jeff assures him he doesn`t want. Yorke`s ex-wife, Kathleen (Maureen O`Hara), appears, intending to persuade Jeff to leave the army. Yorke refuses to do the necessary paperwork to release his son, a decision seconded by Jeff, who has begun to adapt to army life--and before Kathleen can regroup for another attempt, the fort is attacked by the Apache. The making of RIO GRANDE was mandated by producer Herbert Yates, who would agree to finance the director`s THE QUIET MAN only if Ford first made a Western, as insurance, with that film`s proposed leading actors. Ford continues the series` realistic depiction of the rigors of life on a cavalry post in the late-19th-century Southwest, and members of the director`s stock company--most notably Victor McLaglen, Harry Carey Jr., and Ben Johnson--acquit themselves admirably.
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Director: John Ford
ACTORS: John Wayne, Maureen O`Hara, Claude Jarman, Ben Johnson, Chill Wills
Richard Strauss: Ariadne Auf Naxos (DVD)
This performance centers around the preparation, performance, and problems that come with staging an opera. Stars Jessye Norman as Primadonna/Ariadne.NR"
Bubba Ho-Tep (VHS)
Don Coscarelli`s BUBBA HO-TEP finds Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell) alive but not so well, living in a small Texas nursing home. Although he`s preoccupied with his ailments and his memories, the elderly Elvis befriends another resident, John F. Kennedy (Ossie Davis), when they both begin to suspect that their neighbors aren`t dying of natural causes. Their investigation leads to the discovery of an evil mummy with a fondness for cowboy gear and an appetite for the souls of senior citizens. Armed with little more than a walker and a wheelchair, the King and JFK must take on this ancient evil. Based on a short story by Joe R. Lansdale, BUBBA HO-TEP mixes comedy, drama, and horror to create a remarkably quirky film. As the aged and ailing Elvis, Campbell gives an outstandingly funny and poignant performance, while Davis exudes intelligence and warmth as JFK. Although horror is a key element of the story, much of the movie focuses on the life of Elvis and his new friendship with the former president, leading to many oddly comical scenes and even a few genuinely touching moments. Of course, their embalmed foe and his creepy minions must be confronted, making this the first movie about Elvis and JFK to appeal to horror enthusiasts, or, conversely, the first horror movie to appeal to Elvis and JFK enthusiasts. Either way, it`s a highly unconventional tale that no adventurous filmgoer should miss.R"
Director: Don Coscarelli
ACTORS: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce, Larry Pennell, Bob Ivy
A Fistful of Dollars (DVD) Western Legends The first true Spaghetti Western follows the exploits of a nameless drifter (Clint Eastwood) who wanders into a town torn apart by greed, corruption, and revenge. The clever, tough-talking gunslinger then plays the town...
The first true Spaghetti Western follows the exploits of a nameless drifter (Clint Eastwood) who wanders into a town torn apart by greed, corruption, and revenge. The clever, tough-talking gunslinger then plays the town`s two feuding families off each other to his own benefit. As members of each family are planted in the ground, the gold in his pockets gets heavier and heavier.
This violent remake of Akira Kurosawa`s YOJIMBO made Eastwood a star, and sparked two sequels--FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY--to form what is now referred to as the Man with No Name trilogy. All three films starred Eastwood, featured Ennio Morricone`s distinctive musical compositions, and were directed--in a wonderfully gritty style--by Sergio Leone. Although the film was not released in the United States until 1967, it was produced and released internationally in 1964.
R"
Director: Sergio Leone
ACTORS: Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volonte, Marianne Koch, Mario Brega
Along Came Jones (DVD)
Gary Cooper (who also produced) takes a sly shot at his laconic, Western-hero image as a somewhat less-than-fearless cowboy mistaken for vicious killer Duryea. He ends up on the lam from outlaws and the law with only cranky Demarest and lovely Young to protect him.NR"
Director: Stuart Heisler
ACTORS: Gary Cooper, Loretta Young, William Demarest, Dan Duryea
