DR STRANGELOVE OR HOW I LEARNT TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1963)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

U.S. Air Force Colonel Jack Ripper(Sterling Hayden) goes completely and utterly mad, and sends his bomber wing to destroy the U.S.S.R. He suspects that the communists are conspiring to pollute the "precious bodily fluids" of the American people. The U.S. president meets with his advisors, where the Soviet ambassador tells him that if the U.S.S.R. is hit by nuclear weapons, it will trigger a "Doomsday Device" which will destroy all plant and animal life on Earth. Peter Sellers portraying the three men who might avert this tragedy: British Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, the only person with access to the demented Gen. Ripper; U.S. President Merkin Muffley, whose best attempts to divert disaster depend on placating a drunken Soviet Permier and the former Nazi genious Dr. Strangelove, who concludes that "such a device would not be a practical deterrent for reasons which at this moment must be all too obvious". Will the bombers be stopped in time, or will General Jack Ripper succeed in destroying the world?

Nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director,Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay

DVD Special Features:

The Art of Stanley Kubrick

Inside the Making of Dr. Strangelove

Interview with Peter Sellers and George C. Scott

LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (1962)

Sidney Lumet

Author Eugene O'Neill gives an autobiographical account of his explosive homelife, fused by a drug-addicted mother, a father who wallows in drink after realizing he is no longer a famous actor and an older brother who is emotionally unstable and a misfit. The family is reflected by the youngest son, who is a sensitive and aspiring writer.

Nominated for 1 Academy Award, Best Actress

DVD Special Features:

None

SERPICO (1973)

Directed by Sidney Lumet

Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) is a New York cop in the early 1970s. Unlike all his colleagues, he refuses a share of the money that the cops routinely extort from local criminals. Nobody wants to work with Serpico, and he's in constant danger of being placed in life threatening positions by his "partners". Nothing seems to get done even when he goes to the highest of authorities. Despite the dangers he is in, he refuses to be corrupted, in the hope that one day, the truth will prevail.

Nominated for 2 Academy Awards, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay

DVD Special Features:

First Documentary, Serpico: From Real to Reel

Second Documentary, "Inside Serpico"

Serpico: Favorite Moments

Photo Gallery with Commentary by Director Sidney Lumet

CRIES AND WHISPERS (1972) VISKNINGAR OCH ROP

Directed by Ingmar Bergman

A family drama takes place in a mansion in the late 1800's Sweden
Karin (Ingrid Tullin) and Maria (Liv Ullmann) watch over their sister Agnes (Harriet Andersson)' sickbed together with the servant Anna (Kari Sylwan). Through flashbacks the lives of both sisters are described, which are full of lies, deceit, callousness, self despise, guilt and forbidden love. Agnes' dramatic death cramp arouses only aversion in them.
They both retreat in their own way from her when she grasps for their hands.

Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design

Won 1, Best Cinematography

DVD Special Features:

None

BORN YESTERDAY (1950)

Directed by George Cukor

Uncouth, loud-mouth junkyard tycoon Harry Brock (Broderick Crawford) descends upon Washington D.C. to buy himself a congressman or two, bringing with him his mistress, ex-showgirl Billie Dawn (Julie Holliday). Brock hires newspaperman Paul Verrall (William Holden) to see if he can soften her rough edges and make her more presentable in the capital's society. But Harry gets more than he bargained for as Billie absorbs Verall's lessons in U.S. history and not only comes to the realization that Harry is nothing but a two-bit, corrupt crook and in the process also falls in love with her handsome tutor.

Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Writing (Screenplay) and Best Costume design (Black and White)

Won 1, Best Actress

Judie Holliday beat the odds by defeating two other highly favored contenders in the Best Actress race, Bette Davis (All About Eve) and Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

DVD Special Features:

None

THE MAGNIFICIENT AMBERSONS (1942)

Directed by Orson Welles

Based on the novel by Booth Tarkington, The Magnificient Ambersons tells the story of young, handsome, but somewhat wild Eugene Morgan, who wants to marry Isabel Amberson, daughter of a rich upper-class family but she instead marries dull and steady Wilbur Minafer.
Their only child, George, grows up a spoiled brat. Years later, Eugene comes back, now a mature widower and a successful automobile maker. After Wilbur dies, Eugene again asks Isabel to marry him, and she is receptive.
But George resents the attentions paid to his mother, and he and his aunt Fanny manage to sabotage the romance. A series of disasters befall the Ambersons and George, and he gets his come-uppance in the end.

Orson Welles next film after the controversy surrounding the release of his other masterpiece, CITIZEN KANE (1941)

After post production by Orson Welles, RKO recut the original ending to make it more upbeat particularly as Pearl Harbour had just been invaded and America was about join the Allies in World War II

Nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art/Set Decoration(Black and White) and Best Cinematography(Black and White)


DVD Special Features:

Documentary - Hollywood Remembers Orson Welles

THE GREAT ZIEGFELD (1936)

WINNER OF THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE

Directed by Robert Z. Leonard

Musical biopic based of the life and career of the Broadway impressario, Florenz Ziegfeld Jnr

Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Writing (Original Story), Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing and Best Dance Direction

Won 3, Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Dance Direction

Luis Rainer was the first winner of two consecutive Best Actress Academy Awards in 1937 (THE GREAT ZIEGFELD) AND 1938 (THE GOOD EARTH)

Her record stood for 30 years until Katharine Hepburn broke in 1967 (THE LION IN WINTER) and 1968 (GUESS WHO IS COMING TO DINNER)

DVD Special Features:

Documentary "Ziegfeld on Film"

Vintage movie premiere newsreel