Reviews (45)

One of the great war films of the 1960's
The Guns of Navarone is an excellent WWII adventure based on the novel by Alistair MacLean. It tells the story of Captain Keith Mallory and a team of expert saboteours who must destroy two radar controlled guns on the Mediterranean island of Navarone. If they do not succeed in their mission, 2,000 Allied troops on the island of Kheros will be killed unless they can be picked up before a German invasion. This movie is full of adventure as the team climbs a 400 foot cliff, battles German patrols all over the island, disputes among themselves, and so much more. This movie never slows down from beginning to end as the team tries to make their way into the small island fortress containing the guns. Boosted by an excellent Dimitri Tiomkin score similar to his score for The Alamo, this is a great movie with plenty of action and an excellent cast.

Gregory Peck stars as Captain Keith Mallory, who must lead the team on their mission. He is his usual good self in the role. David Niven and Anthony Quinn are both excellent as Corporal Miller, the logical explosives expert, and Colonel Andrea Stavros, a Greek guerilla fighter who has a past with Mallory. The rest of the team includes Anthony Quayle as Major Franklin, Stanley Baker as Brown, the expert with machines and knives, James Darren as Papadimos, the ruthless killer, and Irene Pappas and Gia Scala as two underground fighters on the island. James Robertson Justice and Robert Harris also make brief, but very effective, appearances early in the movie. The special edition DVD includes production notes, widescreen presentation, theatrical trailers, a documentary, commentary, and several featurettes. This is an excellent WWII adventure with great action and a perfect cast. If you like the movie, check out the novel by Alistair MacLean. Don't miss The Guns of Navarone!

Great Guns...
The Guns Of Navarone is a classic WW II adventure story. Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean, the story follows the adventures of a group of Allied commandos on a mission to destroy a pair of Nazi cannons emplaced into the side of a cliff, on the Greek island of Navarone. The long and winding tale would be the first of MacLean's many novels to reach the screen, and remains one of the better adaptations of his works.

After an air strike fails to destroy the guns, it is decided that an undercover attempt to destroy them will proceed. The team is headed by Major Mallory (Gregory Peck) a renowned mountaineer. The rest of the group includes, Colonel Andrea Stavros (Anthony Quinn), explosives expert Corporal Miller (David Niven), Major Franklin (Anthony Quale), Pvt. Pappadimos (James Darin) and Pvt. "Butcher" Brown (Stanley Baker). The first leg of their journey is by sea into dangerous waters patrolled by the Germans. The group barely manages to get ashore on Navarone, before their boat is broken on the island's rocky shore. Their next step is to scale a sheer cliff, at night and in a driving rain. Somehow, they make it to the top, but not without casualties, as Franklin suffers a broken leg on the climb. From there, the group treks through the mountains with the wounded man, pursued by the Germans. They make contact with two members of the local resistance, Maria (Irene Papas) and Anna (Gia Scala), and proceed to the town of Mandrakos where they are captured. Escaping from the Germans, and now dressed in German uniforms, the group arrives in the town of Navarone, and prepares for their ultimate challenge, the destruction of the guns. It's no easy task, and the group is badly shaken by internal problems. With new resolve, they forge on taking the story to its explosive climax.

For screen adventure in classic tradition, don't miss this one. For the time, this was the height of action and adventure filmmaking. Now, over 40 years old, you may not believe that this film won an Oscar for best special effects. The transfer to DVD of the restored print is excellent for a film of this age. Extras include an informative documentary as well as some behind the scenes featurettes shot during the making of the film. They add to the enjoyment and appreciation of this war epic. Director J. Lee Thompson's commentary track, is sporadic and delivered in a halting speaking style, which may be a bit slow for some. Bear in mind that Mr. Thompson was probably about 85 years old at the time, recalling events that happened 40 years before.

Gregory Peck leads the way!
This was one of the first war movies I ever saw & even after watching modern masterpieces like Saving Private Ryan this is still one of my very favorites. This classic WW2 flick has it all: suspense, awesome & believable characters, great action (of course!), humor, & even romance. The three main stars are Gregory Peck, David Niven, & Anthony Quinn. Peck is perfectly cast as the leader of the group of commandos, & I've always thought he was great playing officers in war films (Pork Chop Hill, MacArthur, Twelve O'Clock High, etc.). Niven is both fun & annoying as the uptight Brit who constantly challenges Peck's authority. Quinn is a real treat as a deadly Greek who holds a grudge against Peck for a past "incident". This movie has many unforgettable scenes: Quinn taking on an advancing German column of troops with his sniper rifle, the confrontation with the traitor, & the incredible climax. I agree with other reviewers that they don't make 'em like this anymore! Whether you love war movies or are new to the genre, this is a definite must!

Amazing Barrage & Fast-Paced Stories Within A Story
I remember first seeing The Guns of Navarone when I when I was about 10 years old. I was totally enraptured from word-go. It is still one of my favourite films. The action is non-stop. We learn about all of the key players; finding out that, even though they are on the same side, they have deeper conflicts between/amongst themselves - more so than with the common enemy. Eventually, they are forced to drop their differences and unite to destroy one of the most threatening weapons against the Allied Forces: The Guns of Navarone. High-tech (for that era) guns invented by the Germans. Not only do you find conflicts within this team of saboteurs, you find friendships that form among them as well. Even though this film isn't true to the book, by Alistair MacLean, it is still excellent none-the-less. I find it rather difficult to give details of an almost 3-hour epic, without giving away too much information; I want the viewers to be caught up with this stories-within-a-story, as I was. The elements of surprise are truly stunning. I also experienced that my watching The Guns of Navarone several times, I see and/or hear new things that I missed before. The details are subtle as well as obvious. An all-star cast of Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, James Robertson Justice, and Richard Harris. The music by Dimitri Tiomkin is wonderful. It's well worth having. This VHS tape is not only wide-screen, but it also has a series of short documentaries of restoration, the film itself, and theatrical trailer. I highly recommend this.

Intriguing war movie
Action filled war movie, great story, great cast. Concerns a commando team small enough to allow growth of character for most of the members, but large enough to have a few killed off, adding to the intrigue. Plenty of unexpected turns to maintain the interest, even though the viewer assumes from the beginning that the "objective" will be attained. Unexpected romance ads spice to the dish. The "effects", great for 1961, are still sufficient to carry the story.

Great performances by Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn. James Darren of music and surfer movie fame does an especially good job in an action role. ... Read more

Reviews (193)

The Ultimate Struggle for Survival Under Siege
The story begins with the Zulu army fresh from their stunning massacre of 1300 British soldiers at Isandhlwana. This force of over 5000 seasoned warriors then turns their attention to a small outpost called Rorke's drift. Only one hundred men, many sick and some malingerers man this camp in the middle of South African wilderness. Two lieutenants, one, engineer, and one the son of an English aristocrat are in command. These young officers are not battle tested but must quickly prepare for the fight of their lives. Fortunately, they are supported by efforts of the quintessential sergeant major that hardly breaks a sweat as he fights the fierce adversaries while maintaining proper British manners and discipline. By the use of military tactics and shear resolve, the two officers galvanize their small force against nearly insurmountable odds. This film is full of breathtaking sequences, exciting heroics and slackers becoming heroes. A scene where the Zulus attack the hospital is particularly brimming with action. Zulu also has its fair share of honor and humanity. Stanley Baker and Michael Caine turn in fine performances as the commanders of Rorke's Drift. Cy Endfield directs one of the most exciting movies ever made about the tenacity of the British soldier.

Outstanding re-telling of the 1879 battle at Rorke's Drift
In January, 1879, a column of British soldiers comprised primarily of the 24th Regiment of Foot, South Wales Borderers, was wiped out at the base of the mountain, Isandhlwana, in Natal, South Africa. A large contingent of 4,000 Zulu warriors then moved on to the undermanned expedition base at Rorke's Drift. This movie tells the incredible true story of the subsequent battle, and of the victory of the 90 some British soldiers, many of them sick, who held their post in the face of overwhelming odds. See Donald Morris' definitive book, _The Washing of the Spears_, against which this film account compares most favorably.

This neglected classic was filmed at a time when it was still just possible to associate the word "glory" with military victory-- without a sneer. The makers of the film avoid preaching and just let the battle tell the tale of the men of both sides. The British soldiers are not the "good guys" nor are the Zulus "bad guys," and the lone derogatory comment about the fighting ability of the Zulus is instantly rebuffed by a tough Boer cavalryman who says, "And just who do you think is coming to wipe out your little garrison, the Grenadier Guards?" This is a soldier's story about a soldier's fight.

Did the Welsh really sing "Men of Harlach" as they manned their mealie-bag barricades?

Did the Zulus really render a warrior's salute as they broke off the action on the second day of the battle?

It doesn't matter. The film is accurate in the historical basics that really count.

Beautifully filmed on location, with an outstanding, stirring score by John Barry, this film features solid but appropriately understated performances by Stanley Baker, Michael Caine, and Jack Hawkins.

I hesitate to mention the hideous, politically correct pre-quel, _Zulu Dawn_ which was released almost 25 years after _Zulu_, but any viewer who has the unhappy experience of seeing _Zulu Dawn_ should not be put off from seeing _Zulu_, which shines in comparison.

Whether one is interested in military history or a "movie for men who like movies," _Zulu_ is a worthy addition to a film library. From first to last, it is a compelling, superior film.

So where's Zulu Dawn?
Trying to find this movie and it's only available in Region 2. What gives?

Is it coming to the US soon?

Basically an Anti-War Movie
Zulu is basically more of an antiwar movie than an action adventure flick. War is not glamorized in Zulu and it is shown in all its horrific repulsiveness. Nor for that matter are there any heroes in Zulu for nobody acts heroically. The officers and soldiers know that its likely that they will die defending their isolated frontier outpost against the Zulu hordes and they are bitterly resentful of that fact.

This makes Zulu an original and different movie. However, the quality of the acting is generally low, although Michael Caine delivers a splendid performance. The script, direction and special effects are also deficient. Zulu was made on a low budget and it shows.

Zulu is an example of how a great idea does not necessarlily result in a great movie.

Girls can love this movie too!
I have always enjoyed this movie since I was a little girl. At 27 I love it even more. The gentleman behavior of the English, the breathtaking battle sequences and the fantastic score are spectacular. I have my favorite characters that just send shivers up my back and tears to my eyes at times for their heroism. If you don't take my word for how great this movie is you can refer to Lord of the Rings Two Towers extras. Peter Jackson was inspired by a few of the scenes from Zulu for the beginning of the battle at Helm's Deep. ... Read more

Description

This 1971 classic is key for any Fulchi collection.A woman's nightmarish fantasies of murder and sadism come to life.Contains the legendary disemboweled dogs scene, courtesy of Carlo Rambaldi's special effects.Stars Florinda Bolkan, Jean Sorel, Silvia Monti, Stanley Baker and Anita Strindberg. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Oh,Media Blasters where is it?
We (the Eurohorror fans) are already waiting more than a year for this release.Where is it??
I haven't seen the film yet,but according to many this is better than Don't Torture A Duckling.
All we can do is wait I suppose :-(
Only one star for the waiting...will be more when/if it arrives....
Cheers,
"Crystal Plumage" ... Read more

Description

Historical drama exposing the famous love triangle in King Arthur's Court. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Exciting and Lush Arthur Tale
1953's KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE was MGM's first wide-screen motion picture (filmed in CinemaScope in England). What the film lacks in scripting is made up by spectacular and brilliant cinematography by Freddie Young, colorful art designs by Alfred Junge and Hans Peters and an exciting score composed by Miklos Rozsa (a prelude to his majestic EL CID score). Robert Taylor looks good as Sir Lancelot of the Lake. Mel Ferrer is King Arthur. Ava Gardner is Queen Guinevere. (Sir) Stanley Baker comes off best as Sir Modred who plots to undermine King Arthur. There are large-scale battles and much swordplay throughout the adventure. The sword fight between Sir Lancelot and King Arthur is well filmed and the most dramatic which sets the stage for the relationship between these two men. There is another sword fight later in the film between Sir Lancelot and Sir Modred's men. This is a well-staged and choreographed duel which takes place on the steps outside Lancelot's quarters in the castle. Despite all this swordplay the story is somewhat static and does not really evoke that much emotion from the viewer. However director Richard Thorpe is successful in conveying Guinevere's love, through a restrained but effective performance by Ava Gardner, for Sir Lancelot. Ultimately it is a solid film in the old Hollywood traditions of storytelling.

GENERALLY STILTED PRODUCTION - NICE LOOKING DVD
"Knights of the Round Table" was MGM's first feature in the newly christened widescreen format of Cinemascope and the studio's inexperience with a 2:35:1 aspect ratio, in retrospect, is rather obvious. The audience is treated to drawn out battle scenes (that are thrilling) and lavish spectacle. But the whole look and feel of the film is very theatrical, like Shakespeare on stage. Robert Taylor, usually so natural, is uncomfortably stiff as Lancelot, while Mel Ferrer fairs slightly better as King Arthur. Ava Gardner is wasted as Gueneviere. Sets and rear projection are glaringly obvious. Over all, for its historical context in the early days of widescreen film, more than entertainment value, "Knights" is a worthwhile movie.
Warner Home Video has given us a generally good looking print. No attempt has been made to remove age related artifacts from the negative. Overall, the quality of the transfer is very smooth though, at times, it can seem somewhat digitally harsh. Exterior footage tends to suffer from a considerable amount of film grain while interiors are well balanced. Black levels are perhaps a bit weak and fine details are lost in the darker scenes. Close ups look gorgeous. Long shots suffer from pixelization. Fades between scenes tend to suffer from a sudden grainy quality that is customary for all Cinemascope film stock of this period. The audio is stereo surround and amply provided for considering the limitations in the original recording.

EXTRAS: Mel Ferrer comments on the film's production. There's a featurette movietone trailer and the film's original theatrical trailer too.
OVER ALL: Not a bad movie but an incredibly dated one, "Knights of the Round Table" nevertheless offers up a good example of vintage Cinemascope film making from the 1950's.

Calvary Charges, Fierce Battles and Pageantry
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE is a movie about the classic tale of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and Guinevere. Lancelot's ill-fated love for Guinevere is played out against a background of cavalry charges, fierce battles and pageantry. The plot is amplified by the rivalry between Lancelot and Mordred as well as Sir Percival's quest for the Holy Grail. Merlin appears in the film as an advisor to Arthur and Lancelot's wife dies while giving birth to the future Sir Gallahad.

Robert Taylor as Lancelot and Mel Ferrer as Arthur are both superb. Ava Gardner makes a beautiful Guinevere but her acting seems to be a little flat. The strong supporting cast includes Stanley Blake, Felix Aylmer and Robert Urguhart.

KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE received Academy Award nominations for Best Color, Art Direction and Sound. The main competition for Oscars in 1953 came from STALAG 17, ROMAN HOLIDAY and FROM HERE TO ETERNITY.

Richard Thorpe also directed Robert Taylor in IVANHOE in 1952.

The Age of Chivalry
A very enjoyable movie about the legend of King Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere. Robert Taylor is perfect as Lancelot... noble and chivalrous, although human at the same time. Colorful and full of heraldry, if you like stories of the age of chivalry, you'll enjoy this.

Knight of the Round Table
I've always like a Robert Taylor movie. It's one of those movies, you could add to your video collection, and watch it again periodically. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Highly Recommended On All Levels
Great entertainment and historically correct, for the most part. Richard Burton plays a convincing Alexander. From the start, with the background on Alexander's youth and his relationship with his father Philip and mother Olympias, the movie awesomely captures history. The battle scenes are recreated very well. I especially liked the post-battle scene at Chaeronea with the drunken Philip's singing echoing through the valley. Only minor errors, such as Darius's daughter being called Roxanne (a Bactrian princess) instead of Statira, can easily be overlooked. Alexander in fact, married both women anyway. The Persians are also shown historically correct for the most part, especially Darius' murder and the scene at Persepolis. For an under two-hour movie, what you get is quite spectacular. Of course, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to reduce to film everything in Alexander's life.

Disappointing
Robert Rossen 1950's attempt at writing and directing a film on a character as intriguing and dynamic as Alexander The Great falls flat. The subject itself calls for only the most devoted and skilled masters of film which Rossen was not for purposes of this genre.

Because Alexander The Great accomplished so much within only 13 years of his 33 years of life, it is virtually impossible to make a good movie on that part alone in less than 3 hours. Richard Burton delivers a strong performance as Alexander but also seems too constrained; Butrton fails to deliver the youthful vigor of which Alexander had so much of. Not only was Alexander a king and conqueror, he was a military genius; a philosopher; a bold explorer; and, in his own mind anyway, a god among mortal men. Burton's performance often seems too grave and reserved and fails to reflect Alexander's dynamic personality.

I did like the movie for its focus on Alexander's childhood but that also came short. It seems that, other than for biblical movies, the 1950s and early 1960s was a really bad period for making films dealing with the classical pagan world. All such movies were inevitably constrained by prudish christian values that restricted what subjects such a movie could touch upon and limited the characters depicted. Although a military genius in his own right, Phillip was a debauche and drunkard whose bizzare sexual preferences shocked even his Greek neighbors. For example, after the battle of Charonea, Phillip II swaggered drunk around the corpses of the enemy and, lifting their heads as if seeking an audience, would yell for Demonsthenes (Athenian orator and staunch enemy of Phillip.) Olympias was a conspiring queen and pagan priestess whose incessant scheming were directed at both Alexander and/or Phillip at one point or another. Such characters were poorly presented due to a squeemish 50s audience: unfortunate.

The movie doesn't really cover the campaign or its battles very well either. Looking at the movie, one barely gets any view as to how Alexander refined his father's tactics of the Macedonian phalanx to its peak; a military tactic unmatched until it came against the more fluid ones of the Roman legions almost 200 years later. The same is true as to Alexander's great siege of Tyre in which he built a mile-long jetti into the sea to connect with the City's gates; his hard fought geurilla campaign against Darius' renegade satraps; or his victories against Porus' elephants in India. There are also gross inaccuracies in the film in that Roxanne wasn't Darius III's daughter.

I have heard that Oliver Stone with perhaps the help of Copola is completing a new film on Alexander the Great with Leonardo Di Caprio as Alexander: I look forward to seeing that. In the meantime, we can only look at where others have failed. Roughly paraphrasing Phillip II, I would tell viewers, "Seek a greater movie, for that which Rossen leaves you is too small for thee."

A less than stellar 1956 epic film about Alexander the Great
With films about Alexander the Great directed by Oliver Stone and Baz Luhrmann supposedly being released in 2004 and 2005 respectively, the 1956 film "Alexander the Great" from director Robert Rossen with Richard Burton in the title role is probably going to see renewed interest. However, despite providing a realistic portrayal of a historical legend and being one of the most historically faithful films about the ancient world ever to be made, there is something missing from this would be epic.

"Alexander the Great" was written, produced and directed by Rossen, who had won the Academy Award for "All the King's Men" (1949) and would be nominated gain for "The Hustler" (1961). All three films have in common the realistic portrait of a complex psychological figure. Burton plays Alexander as being both energetic and a visionary, with quicksilver changes in mood. Alexander is both idealistic and practical, intelligent but hot-tempered, courageous but shrewd. Although he conquers the Persian Empire while still basically a boy, this is a conqueror who suffers defeats and almost falls prey to becoming an Oriental potentate just like Darius (Harry Andrews), the Persian king he just conquered. This is a man who can kill a friend in a moment of anger while drunk and weep over the body.

The more you know about the historical Alexander the more impressed you are by the film's fidelity to what appears in Plutarch. Here is the Alexander who worshiped Achilles and loved Homer's "Iliad," who was taught by Aristotle, cut the Gordian knot, destroyed Persepolis, and died a young man at Babylon. The battles sequences, such as the battle at the river Granicus, run rather short, but are not all that bad. The problem is that for all the complexity of Alexander's character and the intensity of Burton's performance, there is no real sense of mission or accomplishment to his conquering the known world. We see what happened, but are curiously unaffected by the film's implicitly explanation for why he did it.

The rationale suggested by the film is found in Alexander's father, King Philip of Macedonia. Played by Fredric March, Philip has a memorable scene after the battle of Chaeronea against the united city-states of Greece when he gets drunk and mocks the Athenian orator Demosthenes for having called him a barbarian. When Philip is assassinated Alexander chases after the assassin and kills him, and even the most basic understanding of Freudian psychology tells us that the son will spend the rest of his life trying to impress his dead father.

In the end the explanation for conquering the world becomes the same as Sir Edmund Hillary's famous quote for why he climbed Mt. Everest. To wit, "Because it was there." When you are on top of the world, there is a certain logic to such a quip. But when the subject is conquering the known world starting with a relatively small kingdom north of Greece, the same idea seems rather hollow. Hopefully Stone and/or Luhrmann can come up with not only better explanations, but much better films.

An Epic That Never Was
Someday, someone is going to make a great film about Alexander. Writer/director Robert Rossen took a crack at it in the mid-1950's, an era of epic films. The result was interesting but ultimately disappointing. Perhaps Rossen tried to squeeze too much into a standard running time. Some scenes, usually the historic ones, seem rushed and truncated while others, the fictionalised ones, seem superfluous. Visually, the film is quite good. In fact, it is one of those films where the stills are more impressive than the actual scenes.

But Rossen obviously wanted to make an "intelligent" epic. Some of the script and casting reflect that. The supporting cast has a number of respected British thesps -Claire Bloom, Harry Andrews, Peter Cushing, Michael Hordern, Stanley Baker. But there are also a lot of Italians whose dialogue is dubbed by those same two guys who did all the film dubbing in the 1950's. One can only wonder who chose Fredric March (hammy as ever) as Philip of Macedon or Danielle Darrieux (who apparently had only one facial expression) as his mischievous queen.

But the critical casting was Richard Burton as Alexander. He certainly looks the part, despite the blonde hair. But he frequently suffers from his career-long inability to adapt his stage-acting technique to the more intimate demands of cinema. Or maybe that's how he thought a wannabe god should behave. You sit there praying for him to lighten up - just a little.

For the rest, the many battle scenes tend to be confusing rather than spectacular, the uncertain pace suggests a lot of pre-release cuts were made, and the music not only sounds primitive but seems to have been recorded in somebody's basement. Still, the film is an interesting failure. But you end up admiring its ambitions more than its results.

Alexander the Great
Richard Burton, hair dyed blond, wandering around in a miniskirt. A movie only Liz Taylor could love. Drags ... Read more

Description

Homer's Illiad surges to the screen in Helen Of Troy, from the '50s heyday of big-screen spectaculars. Robert Wise (Westside Story, The Sound Of Music) directs this lavish epic capturing some 30,000 people on screen at a then huge cost of $6 million. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

50's style splashy, superficial treatment of the Iliad
Having seen Troy, the blockbuster from the Hollywood "Pitt of horror," I also aver that other efforts to tell the story of the Iliad have met with limited success. Take the case of Helen Of Troy, the 1955 movie with Rossana Podesta and an all-star British cast. Despite its near two-hour length, it's all splashy pageantry with no substance, with all sorts of liberties taken with Homer's tale.

In this version, Paris, en route to Sparta on a peace mission with his cousin Aeneas, is swept overboard, and rescued from Menelaus's soldiers by Helen. Menelaus is portrayed as a portly bearded unloving tyrant, similar in Troy, but he nevertheless rallies Agamemnon, Nestor, Diomedes, Achilles, and Ulysses (he's not called Odysseus here) when Paris and Helen flee and sets sail for Troy.

Naturally, Paris is condemned by nearly every Trojan for bringing the Greeks to their doorstep. Helen of course still cherishes him, as does his brother Polydorus, someone all too eager to spill some Spartan blood. Priam's wife Hecuba is the only other one to show sympathy for Helen.

Another contrast between this and Troy is that the latter spends too much time on certain aspects, whereas Helen Of Troy only brushes the surface. The conflict between Agamemnon and Achilles over Briseis played a huge part in Troy. Here, Briseis is not even mentioned by name, but Achilles refuses to fight per the Iliad.

So what does work? The costumes on both sides, the actual ships with oars and the sight of marching Greek phalanxes, and the city of Troy itself is of good 50's quality. And the grief on Andromache's face is visible on her face, as she realizes that Hector is about to be killed--pretty good for the 50's.

However, anachronistic errors include the medieval wooden towers the Greeks use to scale the walls of Troy and the battering ram. The funniest are the leopard or jaguar skins worn by Achilles and at one point Hector. Achilles, king of the jungle... yeah right! And the statue of Athena is so grotesque that I wondered if I was looking at Medusa, or worse yet, Kali.

As for the performers, Harry Andrews was an interesting choice as Hector. Ronald Lewis shines as Aeneas, as does as Nora Swinburne as Hecuba and Robert Brown as Polydorus. But Janette Scott as Cassandra is my favourite, a slip of a girl maddened by the gift of foresight, yet doomed not to be believed. And Jacques Sernas's wooden blonde, blue-eyed Paris was clearly meant for the women at the time. He does bring shame to Troy, but he's more of a fighter here than Orlando Bloom's version, as he bests Ajax in Sparta. However, Stanley Baker's Achilles leaves much to be desired. Brigitte Bardot has a small part as Andraste, Helen's cute personal slave, before she became a blonde temptress in the 60's and much worse later.

Movies in the 1950's only took a superficial cliched approach to novels or classics, with a sheer disregard for accuracy (Paris kills Patroculus here, not Hector), and that is Helen Of Troy's Achilles heel. At the sight of the Greek ships massing along the Aegean, Priam says the phrase of "the face that launched a thousand ships." I'd probably launch a few row boats after this Helen, but not a thousand ships. Later, it is Helen who seeing the wooden horse wheeled in, steals Laocoon's line: "Timeo danaos et dona ferente." Or in English per the movie, "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." A not bad, though dated effort, especially for those used to hoards of digital armies and gory violence.

Helen of Hollywood's Troy
This is my favorite movie version of the story of Helen of Troy. It's more melodramatic and theatrical than the recent cable TV miniseries, but it is faster paced and has a grandeur and fascination with Greek mythology lacking in that version. At least Cassandra is Kassandra in this film - she's endowed with the gift of prophecy, yet no one believes her until it's too late. Then again, many other mythological details are sacrificed for simplicity's sake.

In the role of Helen, Rossana Podesta is radiantly beautiful. She indeed has the face that could launch a thousand ships. And the Paris of Jacques Sernas is nearly as beautiful as his beloved. Their passion is believable, if a tad overblown. The rest of cast is good too, especially the Priam of Sir Cedric Hardwick, Achilles of Stanley Baker and Odysseus of Torin Thatcher. Although the Trojan War occured during Mycenaean times, most of the set designs and costumes appear to use Classical Greece as the model, and to very good effect, for it gives the movie a nobility lacking in the more recent version. It's all pure Hollywood and many liberties have been taken. The spectacular scenery, great matte work and action sequences nevertheless make for a very entertaining movie. So where's the DVD?

Better Than OK
First of all, anyone who depends upon films to understand history (especially ancient history) is on a fool's errand. Moreover, both of Homer's epic poems possess a scope and depth which simply cannot be accommodated within a film with a running time of less than 15-20 hours. That said, this is a generally entertaining presentation of the basic plot: Prince Paris of Troy (Jacques Sernas) visits Sparta, falls in love with Queen Helen (Rosanna Podesta) and she with him, they return together to Troy, her outraged husband Menelaus (Nial MacGinnis) organizes an army and follows them, lays siege to the city, and eventually Troy is occupied and then obliterated.

Most of the film's tension (such as it is) involves Achilles (Stanley Baker) and his adversarial relationships with Menelaus and Agamemnon (Robert Douglas) and then with Prince Hector (Harry Andrews) whom he slays in hand-to-hand combat. This is an above average spectacle, comparable with predecessors Samson and Delilah (1949) and Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954). By no means a great film, nonetheless Helen of Troy (as directed by Robert Wise) offers generally solid acting throughout its cast and several memorable battle scenes without benefit of digital technologies when filmed in 1955. Yes, that's Brigitte Bardot as Andraste and Eduardo Ciannelli as Andros. And yes, I enjoyed seeing this film again, motivated to do so after seeing Wolfgang Petersen's Troy. The inclusion of various gods and goddesses in the earlier film now seems silly but the absence of a "superstar" such as Brad Pitt in one of its lead roles is (at least for me) refreshing.

back to the fifties
This movie typically dates from an era, when the many local movie theatres were visited regularly for their newest issues. An era when television could not compete yet, also an era when society wasn't as hectic and demanding as it is today.

So just sit back, relax, and take your time to watch 'Helen of Troy'. Enjoy its 'overture' for instance, a fine piece of film-music to get you in the right mood. The concert lasts about five minutes, without occurring any change in the picture on your screen.

Once this movie is on its way, its shots are fine. Its characters are played well, too, although in some heroic style not fashionable anymore.
Further there isn't much to tell. The fifties show a clear trend for pompous movies lending their plot from ancient Greek or Roman history. The enjoyable 'Helen of Troy' is just one of them.

P.s.: what about Brigitte Bardot? Her tiny role as a slave-girl in a pompous Greek-history setting does not suit her talents very well. Brigitte makes the best of it, though, occasionally succeeding in letting her famous image shine through.

Long before there was "Troy," there was "Helen of Troy"
After watching the current big budget film "Troy" and complaining bitterly about what the screenplay did to Homer, Euripides, and other ancient writers it seemed time to finally check out the 1956 Hollywood version of "Helen of Troy," which stared Rossana Podestà in the title role and Jack Sernas as Paris. Podestà was an Italian sex siren her had to learn her lines by rote in English and who was picked over established stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, Rhonda Fleming, Ava Gardner and Yvonne DeCarlo for the part of Helen. Of course, it is hard to say she is the most beautiful woman in the film let alone the world since Brigitte Bardot is playing Andraste.

The script by Hugh Gray, N. Richard Nash, and John Twist, does a good job of including the goddesses Aphrodite and Athena without having them literally appear. The idea of the pact among the princes of Greece to decide who would win Helen's hand and the promise to defend anyone who violated the pact is ignored. Helen's father, the king of Sparta, just married her off to Menelaus (Niall MacGinnis), who, along with his brother, Agamemnon (Robert Douglas), is interested in attacking Troy to take its riches. The kings of Greece have gathered in Sparta to plan the attack when Paris comes along, falls in love with Helen, and steals her away to Troy.

Once there, nobody is happy to see this development. King Praimus (Cedric Hardwicke) and Hector (Harry Andrews) are upset over the fact the Greeks are going to come to attack Troy and the priestess Kassandra (Janette Scott) is crying gloom and doom, but, of course, nobody is listening to her. The people even come to throw things at Paris and his woman but he sways them with a short speech. Of course, nothing is going to stop the Greeks, because Helen is just an excuse for conquering the rich city that controls the Dardanelles (the importance of which is explained in the prologue), and we are treated to the spectacle of 30,000 men fighting it out on the plains of Troy in glorious Warnercolor.

In terms of Homer's "Iliad," the wrath of Achilles (Stanley Baker) has to do with the fact that he flat out does not like Agamemnon, which is made clear the first time we see them together in Sparta. At some point he starts pouting in his tent. The death of Patroclus (Terence Longdon) still sets into motion the chain of deaths that defined the end of the Trojan War, but the context is different and reinforces the idea that the Trojans are the good guys. The extension of that is that our young lovers deserve to live happily ever after. But will the screenplay violate the classical story that far? Wily Odysseus (Torin Thatcher) comes up with the stratagem of a rather impressive looking Trojan Horse and the end game of the ten year war is played out.

Like "Troy," this version also avoids the worst part of "The Trojan Women" by Euripides, allowing Andromache (Patricia Marmont) to flee with Aeneas (Ronald Lewis) instead of having her endure her baby boy being tossed off the walls of Troy (which reminds me: for future reference, finish looting a city before you start burning it). But once again Hollywood proves that when it comes to adapting Homer and the rest of the story of the Trojan War they always think they can improve on the original. Yet despite the spectacle there are no transcendent moments in this film, let along the dramatic highpoints of the epic poem by Homer.

The battle sequences are certainly spectacular and much better than the individual combat sequences, so it is hard not to favor the marching formations of the thousands of extras with their spears and shields over the CGI tens of thousands we saw in "Troy." Director Robert Wise gives the action a sense of classical splendor while Max Steiner's rousing score standing out a lot more than the dialogue. There is an interesting feel to that dialogue and the performance of actors, most of whom are British and classically trained. They are not doing Shakespeare, but they give the drama a certain weight. There is no real passion between Helen and Paris, but at least he has the virtue this time around of being a real prince of Troy, capable of going toe to toe with Ajax (Maxwell Reed).

The DVD contains the original trailer, with its hyperbolic titles, and a trio of black & white featurettes by Gig Young for some sort of 1950s television movie show in which he promotes "Helen of Troy." Ultimately this is a respectable version of the classical story and if it is not great at least it does not have any of those transcendantly bad moments found in so many of the European sandal-and-spear spectacles. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

No Other Zorro Need Apply
Banderas and Hopkins should have taken notes from Alain Delon and Stanley Baker! Unequivocally the greatest dual committed to film. Alain Delon and Stanley Baker are perfectly cast in this European version that makes all American versions look like a cheap costume party. Fantastic sets, wonderful costumes, the audience member is transported back in time. While far from the plot of Johnston McCulley's 1919 novel, this 1975 version does retain the spirit of his original character. What I don't like is that this version has been mercilessly edited of some key scenes. I would like to encourage all fans of this film to lobby for it's FULL restoration to two hours.

The "Unknown" Zorro
1977, I was in 7th grade, my hormones just beginning to carbonate. My parents let me stay up to see "Zorro" with Alain Delon. I spent the movie with my mouth open, my imagination reeling and my total sense of romance cracked open. This was the beginning of a total fascination with the black masked hero that has continued on into adulthood. I've seen every one of the Zorro movies ever made - a total geek. This one is special for so many reasons - Alain Delon is the most manly of the Zorros to ever wear the mask, particular care and love was given to showing the cleverness of Zorro rather than just simple sword play and gnashing of teeth, and the focus is on Zorro's work for justice rather than just getting the girl. I still thrill to see this movie and become the heart-thumping 12 year old each time the first images roll across the screen! To me, Alain Delon is still one of the most beautiful men God made. The DVD has some issues - apparently the original film didn't survive intact and some of the scenes are either cut short or totally cut out. Enough of the original remains, however, for it to still be fun. Stanley Baker gets my vote for Best Zorro Bad Guy next to Ron Liebman in "Zorro the Gay Blade"! (although, much more serious:)

very bad
This is a terribly abridged and deformed version of the original movie. Due to stupid approach of the DVD issuer, the conflict between violent/non-violent justice remains unrevield. Also some plotlines are lost.
If you really love the movie of your childhood , you vill by cruelly disappointed.

Great movie, bad DVD
This is a wonderful Zorro film. I am avid Zorro collector and have the original, with the extra scenes, on VHS. This DVD is like someone rescued the various clips from their VHS tape and copied it to DVD. That said, though, ... it's still worth having. The fight scenes are intact and was some of the best swordfighting choreography ever. It's missing all the story buildup, so many of the scenes won't make sense, but the fact that I can still enjoy it even with all that gone says something about this film.

Perfect art.
Garcia, the fat fool, is led by the nose, weighed in the balance and found wanting. He's on his knees in the corral with his rump upreared, but Zorro spares him for the moment, mercifully. He turns his attention to the other soldiers, mere toys in his hands. They pursue him past a row of olive-oil tuns, the camera feints right like a magician's other hand, then cuts back to a farther vantage as they are doused. Zorro climbs to a balcony (a nice appreciation of Douglas Fairbanks) to fence with a couple of fellows, whose swords are caught in a door he opens, suddenly. He closes it and swiftly locks them in. The battle continues on and on, until the two burst their way out and fly over the balcony like tummelers. It's a three-ring circus, and when it ends, Garcia is down on his knees again, presenting an irresistible target. Zorro cuts his majuscule into that rotund bottom, and away.

Richard Lester labored in the clay of The Three Musketeers before he discovered the perfect art of The Four Musketeers, but there it is. It helps to be a genius, and what is that but recognizing the possibilities of the material?

The ladies in church are bathed in tongues of fire, in the midst of which is Zorro, answered by a child's laughing face.

His foppish alter ego is naturally built on the Scarlet Pimpernel, with a flash of inspiration drawing on The Great Race (Jack Lemmon as Professor Fate and the Prince). As such, Alain Delon arises from the throne at a formal gathering, takes a few steps forward with a fairy grace and trips over something all the way down to the red carpet, face-first---and springs up again, laughing.

Rich costumes fill the palace Tessari films in, with a great eye for the angular impression that gives life to the scene.

The advantages of the Italian school are these: a soldier doing a spit take at the sight of Zorro has the serene outward manner of a piece of fountain statuary; the one-second gag can become your forte, even if it involves a dozen actors and a barrack-room full of props; you can set up leisurely variations on the Harry James bugle gag in Private Buckaroo.

Rolling barrels down a slope against your victim, that's a gag varied here by making it a narrow curved corridor deep in the palace. The soldiers climb it, Zorro rolls out the barrels, they topple, he climbs into a large one and barrels past them all.

Tessari's impressionism is best seen in a plein-air pursuit on horseback, with rapid cuts, a one-second dolly shot à la Olivier, every freshness available in the variation of angles and approaches, brought to a perfectly cogent end.

He understands from Welles the value of Griffith's editing. Battle affray is smeared across a few comprehensive shots, clear or blurred, and there's Zorro's mastiff having a pee in a medium long shot, then loping off with a lolling tongue.

Stanley Baker plays a figure who is Zorro's only equal, at first more comical the more serious he tries to be, and then in the final swordfight a worthy opponent, at least in appearance. This long sequence is fought so bravely and filmed so well that when Zorro seems to have been vanquished with a stupendous gag (swung on a rope crashing through the rose window of the chapel) you honestly have to cheer his vanquisher for a moment. Ah, but "Zorro's back," as the truly delightful song has it, and the dramatic conclusion has all the savor of the Saturday sagas. ... Read more

Reviews (193)

The Ultimate Struggle for Survival Under Siege
The story begins with the Zulu army fresh from their stunning massacre of 1300 British soldiers at Isandhlwana. This force of over 5000 seasoned warriors then turns their attention to a small outpost called Rorke's drift. Only one hundred men, many sick and some malingerers man this camp in the middle of South African wilderness. Two lieutenants, one, engineer, and one the son of an English aristocrat are in command. These young officers are not battle tested but must quickly prepare for the fight of their lives. Fortunately, they are supported by efforts of the quintessential sergeant major that hardly breaks a sweat as he fights the fierce adversaries while maintaining proper British manners and discipline. By the use of military tactics and shear resolve, the two officers galvanize their small force against nearly insurmountable odds. This film is full of breathtaking sequences, exciting heroics and slackers becoming heroes. A scene where the Zulus attack the hospital is particularly brimming with action. Zulu also has its fair share of honor and humanity. Stanley Baker and Michael Caine turn in fine performances as the commanders of Rorke's Drift. Cy Endfield directs one of the most exciting movies ever made about the tenacity of the British soldier.

Outstanding re-telling of the 1879 battle at Rorke's Drift
In January, 1879, a column of British soldiers comprised primarily of the 24th Regiment of Foot, South Wales Borderers, was wiped out at the base of the mountain, Isandhlwana, in Natal, South Africa. A large contingent of 4,000 Zulu warriors then moved on to the undermanned expedition base at Rorke's Drift. This movie tells the incredible true story of the subsequent battle, and of the victory of the 90 some British soldiers, many of them sick, who held their post in the face of overwhelming odds. See Donald Morris' definitive book, _The Washing of the Spears_, against which this film account compares most favorably.

This neglected classic was filmed at a time when it was still just possible to associate the word "glory" with military victory-- without a sneer. The makers of the film avoid preaching and just let the battle tell the tale of the men of both sides. The British soldiers are not the "good guys" nor are the Zulus "bad guys," and the lone derogatory comment about the fighting ability of the Zulus is instantly rebuffed by a tough Boer cavalryman who says, "And just who do you think is coming to wipe out your little garrison, the Grenadier Guards?" This is a soldier's story about a soldier's fight.

Did the Welsh really sing "Men of Harlach" as they manned their mealie-bag barricades?

Did the Zulus really render a warrior's salute as they broke off the action on the second day of the battle?

It doesn't matter. The film is accurate in the historical basics that really count.

Beautifully filmed on location, with an outstanding, stirring score by John Barry, this film features solid but appropriately understated performances by Stanley Baker, Michael Caine, and Jack Hawkins.

I hesitate to mention the hideous, politically correct pre-quel, _Zulu Dawn_ which was released almost 25 years after _Zulu_, but any viewer who has the unhappy experience of seeing _Zulu Dawn_ should not be put off from seeing _Zulu_, which shines in comparison.

Whether one is interested in military history or a "movie for men who like movies," _Zulu_ is a worthy addition to a film library. From first to last, it is a compelling, superior film.

So where's Zulu Dawn?
Trying to find this movie and it's only available in Region 2. What gives?

Is it coming to the US soon?

Basically an Anti-War Movie
Zulu is basically more of an antiwar movie than an action adventure flick. War is not glamorized in Zulu and it is shown in all its horrific repulsiveness. Nor for that matter are there any heroes in Zulu for nobody acts heroically. The officers and soldiers know that its likely that they will die defending their isolated frontier outpost against the Zulu hordes and they are bitterly resentful of that fact.

This makes Zulu an original and different movie. However, the quality of the acting is generally low, although Michael Caine delivers a splendid performance. The script, direction and special effects are also deficient. Zulu was made on a low budget and it shows.

Zulu is an example of how a great idea does not necessarlily result in a great movie.

Girls can love this movie too!
I have always enjoyed this movie since I was a little girl. At 27 I love it even more. The gentleman behavior of the English, the breathtaking battle sequences and the fantastic score are spectacular. I have my favorite characters that just send shivers up my back and tears to my eyes at times for their heroism. If you don't take my word for how great this movie is you can refer to Lord of the Rings Two Towers extras. Peter Jackson was inspired by a few of the scenes from Zulu for the beginning of the battle at Helm's Deep. ... Read more

Description

The Hard-Boiled Crime Classic From The Director Of THESERVANT And THE GO-BETWEEN.Stanley Baker (HELL IS A CITY, ZULU) starsas underworld kingpin Johnny Bannion, sprung from prison by his bestfriend Mike Carter (Sam Wanamaker) to mastermind a daring racetrackheist. But when Johnny is sent back to jail shortly after hiding thestolen loot, he must survive an ordeal of brutality and betrayal at thehands of his fellow convicts and former accomplices in this gritty dramathat was originally advertised as "The Toughest Film Ever Made InBritain!"

Patrick Magee (A CLOCKWORK ORANGE) co-stars in this grim crime classic(also known as THE CONCRETE JUNGLE) directed by American expatriateJoseph Losey from a powerful script by Jimmy Sangster (FEAR IN THENIGHT) and Oscar TM -nominee Alun Owen (A HARD DAY'S NIGHT), andfeaturing a haunting score by John Dankworth and Cleo Laine. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

neglected masterpiece
This film has seemingly been forgotten, it's not usually mentioned in the pantheon of 'great' british gangster films or even the best work of it's director.

often called a 'realistic' film it's more an expressionist handling (minus the shadowy lighting of hollywood film noirs) of typical material, this makes it a bit of a shock on first viewing and might explain why it isn't as highly regarded as it ought to be. It's setting is a cold, snowy winter in london, there is no night time neon city lighting, the action outside prison takes place almost entirely during the day or indoors when darkness falls. It is also a quiet film (except of course when the violence and the screaming erupt), that added to the setting and the stark photography create a very a alien world in which the central character just doesn't belong.

Johnny Bannion (Stanley Baker) reminds me of Pacino's Tony Montana in 'Scarface' (however unlike pacino in that film Baker's stature isn't symbolic of his impotent rage given his heavy build and large frame), he's an irish hoodlum who has risen fairly high but doesn't have what it takes to get to the very top. In Tony's case he isn't ruthless enough and is guarenteed to fall as quickly as he rose due to his own weaknesses. Likewise Bannion is guarenteed to fall, he's a hard nut capable of taking anyone on but he just doesn't belong with the morons and treacherous schemers in his line of work. His appartment is decorated with modern art, it's implied he has a gift for maths and he doesn't really seem at home at a party his fellow mobsters throw for him. He's impatient with everyone, when he erupts in anger it is tinged with petulant sorrow (Baker's thuggish profile and stoic hardness belies a feral, anxious, wounded yet restrained performance), so much so that it arouses contempt in his gangster friends who comment behind his back. When he rebukes Sam Wannamaker's character repeatedly he seems a frustrated child, frustrated at both the life he leads and having to associate and rely on characters such as this. He is totally unaware that wannamaker's sly smile and constant glances betray a man itching to usurp him. And like in Scarface, where Montana can never be his boss Sosa, Bannion just isn't as ruthless as his underlings or his superiors, they're big time, he's small time. His being able to beat two men senseless in his prison cell is nothing compared to the cold hearted deviousness and ambition of his lieutenant who does not have his strength or capacity for physical violence. Both Tony and Johnny possess a dubious sense of honour that those around them do not, in both films there is no honour among thieves and they fail to grasp and adhere to that. Neither of them can accept the system around them. In Tony's case he's endlessly railing against capitalism, in Bannion's he is unable to hide his dismay and anger at the actions of the selfish, corrupt, manipulative and sadistic head warder, something i can't imagine would ever bother the other crime bosses in the film. But then the warder would never dream of moving against them because he can tell the difference between those with real power and those without, even if they are at similar levels in the hierarchy

In 'The Criminal' all this is subtlely conveyed despite and because of what would seem outlandish and anachronistic direction for a crime drama made in the second half of the 1960s.
Losey's way of impressing this man's alienation on us are brilliant, the film has a dreamy quality due to the snowy landscapes and the way he incorporates almost expressionist techniques and performances in his film without it destroying it's hard nosed feel. The insane scottish inmate played by Tom Bell has a tortured monologue where the the prison around him goes black and in close up he explains why he is different to those around him. The camera pulls back and light returns to reveal that Bannion, to whom he is supposedly talking is not listening.

When Bannion falls he falls hard, the cell block he commands turn against him having been fooled into thinking he is an informer (although this is also a part of bannion's scheme to escape and unfortunately his 'friends' scheme to kill him). The grass/snitch/tout he has beaten by a crony in the opening of the film even gets to turn the tables on him. The prison sections at the beginning and end seem to me a forerunner of Alan Clarke's 'Scum'. Patrick Magee (in a non horror role for once) is very much a hysterical yet melifuous 60s predecessor of the warders in that film.

A word must go to the music, that adds to the chilly wintry feeling, so quiet a film that when the light jazzy score by John Dankworth plays seemingly inappropriately it adds to the overall effect. The prison ballad sung by Cleo Laine over the title credits is haunting, never has a song seemed so apt at the start of a film. It is a promise of a unique experience, a promise that the film then makes good, i can't quite think of another like it. Losey's greatest achievement on screen, so different to the hollow, stylistically flat and totally stereotypical English rubbish he is perhaps best known for (although his curio for Hammer studios 'These are the Damned' is excellent too, if uneven). It goes beyond the smart little film noirs he made in Hollywood like 'the Prowler'.

'Get Carter' and 'The Long Good Friday' seem to be the benchmark of British organised crime movies these days, a major difference between them and 'the Criminal' is that it is a great film. It's different, but it rewards in bleakness, nuance and brutality.

Question is: This DVD has been available a long time, how come i'm the first to review it?? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Elegant and lush, and filmed in Venice, Rome, and rural Italy, JosephLosey's Eva (released in the U.S. and Britain as Eve) is a cold,cruel film about crippling insecurity and sexual manipulation. Burly Stanley Baker simmers as a swaggering but self-loathing Welsh author happily indulging in the continental high life, covering up a devastating secret with braggadocio and sneering machismo; Jeanne Moreau has never been icier as the cruel, manipulative, high-rent prostitute Eve who becomes his obsession. They never become more than fascinating enigmas, but they send off sparks in an indulgently fatalistic film that wallows in human weakness and emotional self-destruction. Beautifully filmed and elegantly scored, with Billie Holiday tunes weaving a sad sense of loss through the picture, Eva became a showcase for Losey's arresting visual style and electrifying direction, and the springboard for such later, more restrained masterpieces as The Servant, Accident, and The Go-Between.

The producers recut Losey's final version of the picture by 16 minutes, redubbed it, inserted lines, and changed the music (they "destroyed the rhythm and the comprehensibility of the picture," accuses Losey in an interview). The DVD includes both the release version and the 119-minutedirector's cut, mastered from the only surviving copy, an English-languageScandinavian print with Swedish and Finnish subtitles. It's frustrating thatKino didn't use the tools of digital technology to marry the two prints, usingonly the necessary footage from the subtitled version, and instead thedirector's cut is marred by subtitles throughout. Nonetheless, it's an important preservation of director Joseph Losey's vision. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

........MORE about EVE ...... OR RATHER
LILITH? [Mrs. Adam # 1?]... yes, she is probably just a little too cold - with her Billie Holiday Records, her haute coutoure, those delightful pointy shoes and perky poitrines, and the ever-present cigarette dangling from those sensuous, disapproving lips and the tired eyes ...... Oh, yeah, this dame has it in for both sexes and totally annihilates our brawny hero, the very overlooked Stanley Baker - this time the ex-Welsh coalminer [another sordid story] turned screenwriter - in of all places Italy, complete with a devoted, virginal and stunning VIRNA LISI as the mutual love-interest.

In many ways this one ranks with the later "Last Tango In Paris", "NightPorter", "Crimes of Passion" etc .... but the 'err, 'deed' is never done here, instead we experience magnificent villa interiors, great photography of Rome [early morning] and not forgetting the spectral vapourousness of beloved Venice ...... dreamy or nightmarish?

Highpoints? Moreau alone in her flat with her records, booze and cat ....Baker leaving a wedding party for the nightmarish tryst with Moreau, and naturally Baker ala buff in Moreau's bedroom being rejected and humiliated ....

Great stuff!

Downpoint - those damn subtitles in the extended version - like watching Ingmar Bergman backwards!

BUT, Bravo Kino - a Perfect find!

[Interesting to muse how MELINA MECOURI would have tacked 'Eve"]

A GREAT DVD for a very interesting film.
For anyone who has seen "The Servant" or any other of Joseph Losey's films, Eva is a must-see. Losey is at his most playful while still delving into the "Loseyesque" level of emotion on proud display in the brilliant "The Servant", his most famous. Jeanne Moreau is simply fabulous and an absolute treat to watch--easily the highlight of the film. The other remarkable issue is how frank the sexuality is. Some of the scenes actually play quite shockingly, even though there is minimal nudity and they play off different standards of the day. The disc comes with 2 versions of the film, a theatrical release and a director's cut which is 15 minutes longer. The transfer for the theatrical release is as good as you can hope for. Very nice. The director's cut poses a problem, but not where the DVD is concerned. The only print in existence is one with Swedish subtitles, so it detracts from the film. Most of the film is in English, but there is some important scenes in Italian, so in this version you don't know what the characters are saying. What I recommend is watching the theatrical cut, then skimming through the director's cut to see the differences--apparently, Losey wasn't happy with the theatrical cut at all, so it's nice that Kino at least included both so we get a rare look into the mind of a cinematic genius. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

LACKLUSTER CRIME DRAMA....
An American thug blows into Manchester, England for a "job" and causes a crisis with the police and his former cronies who thought he was "out of business". Considering this is a Hammer production and directed by Val Guest, this is pretty tepid stuff. The film is so crisp and clean (even in the action sequences) it looks as if Guest was afraid to get his hands dirty. I can't call this "noir" at all. It's too sterile looking and the key noir elements aren't here. No shadowy suspense, no "dames" (as the package contends)--just ordinary looking wives and a middle-aged barmaid who looks like someone's mother, and no psychological conflict for any of the characters. Just hum-drum goings on with the cops-after-a-crook stuff. The acting is capable and the film looks great on DVD. Too bad it isn't better. With all the noir crime dramas that need to be on DVD and all the other Hammer films that SHOULD be on DVD by now---I found myself watching this and wondering "Why?" And by the way, despite the misleading title and the moody jazz score, there is no implication in this film that "hell is a city". It looks like quaint merry old Manchester, England having a busy day.

British Cops and Robbbers Noir
Hell is a City is a pretty good crime flick. Even though it is formulaic (cop vs. robber, heist, manhunt) the performances, setting and direction make it an interesting film for folks who like this kind of stuff.

Lost gem unearthed
"Hell Is A City" is a little-known Hammer film that garnered some of the company's best reviews at the time of its release in 1960. It was nominated for two British Academy Awards, for Best Screenplay (Val Guest) and Best Actor (Stanley Baker). The DVD from Anchor Bay is a beautiful black-and-white transfer, with crisp, sharp images. The cast is superb, and the pacing is excellent. Donald Pleasance (Halloween, Escape from New York) has a small role as a bank president who finds a little surprise in his attic.
The film comes with an alternate, "happier" ending that didn't sit well with writer/director Guest. However, I believe it's the first Hammer film released on VHS or DVD that comes with a second ending. If you're a Hammer fan, or a fan of film noir, you'll want "Hell Is A City" in your library... ... Read more

Reviews (27)

No Other Zorro Need Apply
Banderas and Hopkins should have taken notes from Alain Delon and Stanley Baker! Unequivocally the greatest dual committed to film. Alain Delon and Stanley Baker are perfectly cast in this European version that makes all American versions look like a cheap costume party. Fantastic sets, wonderful costumes, the audience member is transported back in time. While far from the plot of Johnston McCulley's 1919 novel, this 1975 version does retain the spirit of his original character. What I don't like is that this version has been mercilessly edited of some key scenes. I would like to encourage all fans of this film to lobby for it's FULL restoration to two hours.

The "Unknown" Zorro
1977, I was in 7th grade, my hormones just beginning to carbonate. My parents let me stay up to see "Zorro" with Alain Delon. I spent the movie with my mouth open, my imagination reeling and my total sense of romance cracked open. This was the beginning of a total fascination with the black masked hero that has continued on into adulthood. I've seen every one of the Zorro movies ever made - a total geek. This one is special for so many reasons - Alain Delon is the most manly of the Zorros to ever wear the mask, particular care and love was given to showing the cleverness of Zorro rather than just simple sword play and gnashing of teeth, and the focus is on Zorro's work for justice rather than just getting the girl. I still thrill to see this movie and become the heart-thumping 12 year old each time the first images roll across the screen! To me, Alain Delon is still one of the most beautiful men God made. The DVD has some issues - apparently the original film didn't survive intact and some of the scenes are either cut short or totally cut out. Enough of the original remains, however, for it to still be fun. Stanley Baker gets my vote for Best Zorro Bad Guy next to Ron Liebman in "Zorro the Gay Blade"! (although, much more serious:)

very bad
This is a terribly abridged and deformed version of the original movie. Due to stupid approach of the DVD issuer, the conflict between violent/non-violent justice remains unrevield. Also some plotlines are lost.
If you really love the movie of your childhood , you vill by cruelly disappointed.

Great movie, bad DVD
This is a wonderful Zorro film. I am avid Zorro collector and have the original, with the extra scenes, on VHS. This DVD is like someone rescued the various clips from their VHS tape and copied it to DVD. That said, though, ... it's still worth having. The fight scenes are intact and was some of the best swordfighting choreography ever. It's missing all the story buildup, so many of the scenes won't make sense, but the fact that I can still enjoy it even with all that gone says something about this film.

Perfect art.
Garcia, the fat fool, is led by the nose, weighed in the balance and found wanting. He's on his knees in the corral with his rump upreared, but Zorro spares him for the moment, mercifully. He turns his attention to the other soldiers, mere toys in his hands. They pursue him past a row of olive-oil tuns, the camera feints right like a magician's other hand, then cuts back to a farther vantage as they are doused. Zorro climbs to a balcony (a nice appreciation of Douglas Fairbanks) to fence with a couple of fellows, whose swords are caught in a door he opens, suddenly. He closes it and swiftly locks them in. The battle continues on and on, until the two burst their way out and fly over the balcony like tummelers. It's a three-ring circus, and when it ends, Garcia is down on his knees again, presenting an irresistible target. Zorro cuts his majuscule into that rotund bottom, and away.

Richard Lester labored in the clay of The Three Musketeers before he discovered the perfect art of The Four Musketeers, but there it is. It helps to be a genius, and what is that but recognizing the possibilities of the material?

The ladies in church are bathed in tongues of fire, in the midst of which is Zorro, answered by a child's laughing face.

His foppish alter ego is naturally built on the Scarlet Pimpernel, with a flash of inspiration drawing on The Great Race (Jack Lemmon as Professor Fate and the Prince). As such, Alain Delon arises from the throne at a formal gathering, takes a few steps forward with a fairy grace and trips over something all the way down to the red carpet, face-first---and springs up again, laughing.

Rich costumes fill the palace Tessari films in, with a great eye for the angular impression that gives life to the scene.

The advantages of the Italian school are these: a soldier doing a spit take at the sight of Zorro has the serene outward manner of a piece of fountain statuary; the one-second gag can become your forte, even if it involves a dozen actors and a barrack-room full of props; you can set up leisurely variations on the Harry James bugle gag in Private Buckaroo.

Rolling barrels down a slope against your victim, that's a gag varied here by making it a narrow curved corridor deep in the palace. The soldiers climb it, Zorro rolls out the barrels, they topple, he climbs into a large one and barrels past them all.

Tessari's impressionism is best seen in a plein-air pursuit on horseback, with rapid cuts, a one-second dolly shot à la Olivier, every freshness available in the variation of angles and approaches, brought to a perfectly cogent end.

He understands from Welles the value of Griffith's editing. Battle affray is smeared across a few comprehensive shots, clear or blurred, and there's Zorro's mastiff having a pee in a medium long shot, then loping off with a lolling tongue.

Stanley Baker plays a figure who is Zorro's only equal, at first more comical the more serious he tries to be, and then in the final swordfight a worthy opponent, at least in appearance. This long sequence is fought so bravely and filmed so well that when Zorro seems to have been vanquished with a stupendous gag (swung on a rope crashing through the rose window of the chapel) you honestly have to cheer his vanquisher for a moment. Ah, but "Zorro's back," as the truly delightful song has it, and the dramatic conclusion has all the savor of the Saturday sagas. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

No Other Zorro Need Apply
Banderas and Hopkins should have taken notes from Alain Delon and Stanley Baker! Unequivocally the greatest dual committed to film. Alain Delon and Stanley Baker are perfectly cast in this European version that makes all American versions look like a cheap costume party. Fantastic sets, wonderful costumes, the audience member is transported back in time. While far from the plot of Johnston McCulley's 1919 novel, this 1975 version does retain the spirit of his original character. What I don't like is that this version has been mercilessly edited of some key scenes. I would like to encourage all fans of this film to lobby for it's FULL restoration to two hours.

The "Unknown" Zorro
1977, I was in 7th grade, my hormones just beginning to carbonate. My parents let me stay up to see "Zorro" with Alain Delon. I spent the movie with my mouth open, my imagination reeling and my total sense of romance cracked open. This was the beginning of a total fascination with the black masked hero that has continued on into adulthood. I've seen every one of the Zorro movies ever made - a total geek. This one is special for so many reasons - Alain Delon is the most manly of the Zorros to ever wear the mask, particular care and love was given to showing the cleverness of Zorro rather than just simple sword play and gnashing of teeth, and the focus is on Zorro's work for justice rather than just getting the girl. I still thrill to see this movie and become the heart-thumping 12 year old each time the first images roll across the screen! To me, Alain Delon is still one of the most beautiful men God made. The DVD has some issues - apparently the original film didn't survive intact and some of the scenes are either cut short or totally cut out. Enough of the original remains, however, for it to still be fun. Stanley Baker gets my vote for Best Zorro Bad Guy next to Ron Liebman in "Zorro the Gay Blade"! (although, much more serious:)

very bad
This is a terribly abridged and deformed version of the original movie. Due to stupid approach of the DVD issuer, the conflict between violent/non-violent justice remains unrevield. Also some plotlines are lost.
If you really love the movie of your childhood , you vill by cruelly disappointed.

Great movie, bad DVD
This is a wonderful Zorro film. I am avid Zorro collector and have the original, with the extra scenes, on VHS. This DVD is like someone rescued the various clips from their VHS tape and copied it to DVD. That said, though, ... it's still worth having. The fight scenes are intact and was some of the best swordfighting choreography ever. It's missing all the story buildup, so many of the scenes won't make sense, but the fact that I can still enjoy it even with all that gone says something about this film.

Perfect art.
Garcia, the fat fool, is led by the nose, weighed in the balance and found wanting. He's on his knees in the corral with his rump upreared, but Zorro spares him for the moment, mercifully. He turns his attention to the other soldiers, mere toys in his hands. They pursue him past a row of olive-oil tuns, the camera feints right like a magician's other hand, then cuts back to a farther vantage as they are doused. Zorro climbs to a balcony (a nice appreciation of Douglas Fairbanks) to fence with a couple of fellows, whose swords are caught in a door he opens, suddenly. He closes it and swiftly locks them in. The battle continues on and on, until the two burst their way out and fly over the balcony like tummelers. It's a three-ring circus, and when it ends, Garcia is down on his knees again, presenting an irresistible target. Zorro cuts his majuscule into that rotund bottom, and away.

Richard Lester labored in the clay of The Three Musketeers before he discovered the perfect art of The Four Musketeers, but there it is. It helps to be a genius, and what is that but recognizing the possibilities of the material?

The ladies in church are bathed in tongues of fire, in the midst of which is Zorro, answered by a child's laughing face.

His foppish alter ego is naturally built on the Scarlet Pimpernel, with a flash of inspiration drawing on The Great Race (Jack Lemmon as Professor Fate and the Prince). As such, Alain Delon arises from the throne at a formal gathering, takes a few steps forward with a fairy grace and trips over something all the way down to the red carpet, face-first---and springs up again, laughing.

Rich costumes fill the palace Tessari films in, with a great eye for the angular impression that gives life to the scene.

The advantages of the Italian school are these: a soldier doing a spit take at the sight of Zorro has the serene outward manner of a piece of fountain statuary; the one-second gag can become your forte, even if it involves a dozen actors and a barrack-room full of props; you can set up leisurely variations on the Harry James bugle gag in Private Buckaroo.

Rolling barrels down a slope against your victim, that's a gag varied here by making it a narrow curved corridor deep in the palace. The soldiers climb it, Zorro rolls out the barrels, they topple, he climbs into a large one and barrels past them all.

Tessari's impressionism is best seen in a plein-air pursuit on horseback, with rapid cuts, a one-second dolly shot à la Olivier, every freshness available in the variation of angles and approaches, brought to a perfectly cogent end.

He understands from Welles the value of Griffith's editing. Battle affray is smeared across a few comprehensive shots, clear or blurred, and there's Zorro's mastiff having a pee in a medium long shot, then loping off with a lolling tongue.

Stanley Baker plays a figure who is Zorro's only equal, at first more comical the more serious he tries to be, and then in the final swordfight a worthy opponent, at least in appearance. This long sequence is fought so bravely and filmed so well that when Zorro seems to have been vanquished with a stupendous gag (swung on a rope crashing through the rose window of the chapel) you honestly have to cheer his vanquisher for a moment. Ah, but "Zorro's back," as the truly delightful song has it, and the dramatic conclusion has all the savor of the Saturday sagas. ... Read more