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LONE WOLF'S REVIEWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH AMAZON.COM DELIVERSClassics Editor, Sam Sutherland |
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Word for Word
Catch-22
"Let me see if I've got this straight: in order to
be grounded, I've got to be crazy and I must be crazy to keep flying. But if I
ask to be grounded, that means I'm not crazy any more and I have to keep
flying."
--Bomber pilot Yossarian (Alan Arkin) comes to grips with the loophole that keeps him trapped in the sky in Catch-22 (1970), the Mike Nichols film based on Joseph Heller's classic novel.
Planet of the Apes
Tim Burton's new version of this sci-fi fable "re-imagines" the simian planet, but even Burton's high-concept visuals and high-budget effects can't surpass the impact of Franklin J. Schaffner's original 1968 film, scripted by Rod Serling and based on the novel by Pierre Boulle. The earlier film's ecological and racial themes remain pertinent today, even if the post-apocalyptic pay-off of the final scene is less overwhelming outside a cold war context.
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The Bride of Frankenstein
starring Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, and Elsa
Lanchester; directed by James Whale
Very rarely, the sequel actually trumps the original, as vividly demonstrated by James Whale's stylish synthesis of gothic horror and campy humor. From its sly framing device (Mary Shelley, hubby Percy, and Lord Byron dishing on a stormy night) to the creation of Dr. Frankenstein's fey, loopy new colleague, Dr. Pretorious (Ernest Thesiger), this 1935 romp truly is the monster's better half.
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Stalag 17
starring William Holden, Don Taylor, and Otto
Preminger; directed by Billy Wilder
Black comedy and suspenseful action are the twin engines in this Billy Wilder adaptation of the stage hit set inside a German POW camp during World War II. Apart from providing a blueprint for subsequent serious films (not to mention the boob tube spoof, Hogan's Heroes), Stalag 17 snagged William Holden an Oscar® as Best Actor in 1953.
Batman - The Movie (Special Edition)
starring Adam West, Burt Ward, Cesar Romero, and
Burgess Meredith; directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Holy zeitgeist, Batman! Younger fans of the Dark Knight can gain insight into how the venerable caped crusader lost his original menace by savoring this tongue-through-cheek feature spun from the hit '60s TV series. With Adam West's Batman a study in wooden charisma, and Burt Ward's Robin clearly a little too old to be sporting those shorts and Peter Pan collars, it's left to the villains (Romero's Joker, Meredith's Penguin, Frank Gorshin's Riddler, and Lee Meriwether's Catwoman) to supply the punchlines with campy, over-the-top performances.
Support Your Local Sheriff
This affable 1969 feature wasn't the first comedy to kid the chaps off Westerns, but it remains one of the most enjoyable, thanks to Garner's peerless timing and signature cool. The Oklahoma actor had already polished his real-life star as TV's wise-cracking Maverick, making this turn as a wise-cracking sheriff a natural fit.
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Bells Are Ringing
Recently revived on Broadway, this '50s Broadway charmer remains rightly identified with original star Judy Holliday, who reprised her role as answering service operator Ella Peterson in this 1960 screen adaptation of the Comden/Green/Styne musical by screen veteran Minnelli. Sadly, the film was Holliday's last. Releases September 11.
The Prisoner - Set 5: The Girl Who Was Death/Once Upon a Time/Fall Out
starring Patrick McGoohan; created by Patrick
McGoohan
Actor Patrick McGoohan pushed the envelope stylishly with this 1966 British television series, which aired stateside on CBS. With a cryptic, narrative plot that fuses social satire, espionage, and science fiction, The Prisoner earned enduring cult status, which is being rekindled by A&E's ongoing reissues. This fifth boxed set includes the final three episodes chronicling the adventures of Number 6 (McGoohan) in the picturesque prison known as The Village. Releases September 25.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
starring the voices of Adriana Caselotti and
Harry Stockwell; directed by David Hand
The latest reissue for Walt Disney's first animated feature has been fully restored and remastered, but the fundamental charms of this fairy tale classic are unchanged--vivid, painterly design, wonderful characters, and a tuneful score. Releases November 27.
City of Nets : A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940's
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