greatest-ever-made's - Rented List
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Cameraman illuminates a unique figure in British and international cinema; Jack Cardiff, a man whose life and career are inextricably interwoven with the history of cinema. Jack's life and work helped elevate cinematography to an art form and made history with his ground breaking vision and technical wizardry on A Matter Of Life And Death, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, The African Queen and many others. Amongst many fascinating revelations and anecdotes, Jack relates what it was like to work with Hollywood's greatest icons, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Kirk Douglas and Sophia Loren. Packed with stunning clips from newly restored classic movies and over twenty original interviews with the world's greatest actors, directors and technicians, Cameraman explores Jack's life and work in compelling detail - a unique and invaluable testimony to an exceptional life. - Director:
- Craig McCall
- Cast:
- Michael Powell, Jack Cardiff, Martin Scorsese
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Between Heaven and Hell (1956)The Day the Century Ended
Robert Wagner, Broderick Crawford and Buddy Ebsen star in this absorbing drama about a recruit who comes of age during WWII. Sam Gifford (Robert Wagner) is a young, successful cotton planter who lacks compassion for others, especially his own sharecroppers. But once in combat, he answers to a sadistic officer (Broderick Crawford), and must rely on the friendship of a "cropper" (Buddy Ebsen). Nominated for a 1956 Oscar for Best Music, "Between Heaven and Hell" is an action-packed story of men in battle - sometimes with themselves. - Director:
- Richard Fleischer
- Cast:
- Robert Wagner, Terry Moore, Broderick Crawford
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Summertime (1955)Summer Madness
In a tour de force of fearless vulnerability, Katharine Hepburn portrays the conflicting emotions that stir the heart of a lonely, middle-aged American tourist who is forced to confront her insecurities when she is drawn into a seemingly impossible affair with a charming Italian shopkeeper (Rossano Brazzi) amid the ancient city's canals and piazzas. Lean's personal favorite among his own films, 'Summertime' is an exquisitely tender evocation of the magic and melancholy of a fleeting, not-quite-fairy-tale romance. - Director:
- David Lean
- Cast:
- Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda
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Feature is a compelling, stylish thriller that sees two callous law students murder a young boy in cold blood to prove their intellectual superiority. Having been raised by wealthy, snobbish families Artie Straus is a sadistic bully and Judd Steiner a timid introvert. The two college friends concoct the "perfect crime" the murder of a young boy, but their arrogance and conceit leads to their arrest. The inimitable Orson Welles plays the criminal defense lawyer, based on the famous Clarence Darrow, who takes on their almost impossible case. This courtroom drama directed by Richard Fleischer is based on the notorious and horrific 1924 murder trial of thrill-killers Leopold and Loeb. - Director:
- Richard Fleischer
- Cast:
- Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, Diane Varsi
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This science-fiction "inner space" thriller, one of the most amazing ever conceived, follows a crew of medical scientists on an incredible submarine journey through the human body and into the brain to perform a delicate repair operation. The team must combat the elements of the living body as well as a saboteur in their midst. But first they have to be miniaturised to microbe size for their fantastic adventure. - Director:
- Richard Fleischer
- Cast:
- Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, Edmond O'Brien
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A coolly riveting crime saga from director Richard Fleischer, 'Violent Saturday' tells a brutal noir tale against blazing, sun-drenched Arizona landscapes. Three criminals arrive in the small mining town of Bradenville, planning on robbing its only bank. But as they start scouting the area and gathering the information they need, the lives of others in the town threaten to get mixed up in their scheme, in a tangle that could lead to disastrous consequences. - Director:
- Richard Fleischer
- Cast:
- Victor Mature, Richard Egan, Stephen McNally
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Chekhov One-Act Plays Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Anton Chekhov's birth, the best of British comic talent perform four of his one-act plays. Focusing on attitude, manners and hypocrisy, these Chekhov 'tragifarces' mix satirical comedy with psychological drama. Full of great characters and biting dialogue and performed by renowned comic actors, the plays remain as hilarious and sharp as ever.
The Proposal
A nervous hypochondriac visits his neighbour to ask for her hand in marriage. But his romantic endeavours are scuppered when the couple, and also her father, find themselves in a circle of petty arguments, disagreements...and an unstoppable bout of one-upmanship.
The Bear
A rude and boorish landowner calls on a widow to collect on an 1011 owed to him by her late husband. When the grieving widow is unable to pay him, he simply refuses to leave - and the passionate, fiery altercation they embark on leads them to agree to fight a duel to the death with pistols.
The Dangers of Tobacco
A brow-beaten husband of a domineering wife delivers, at her command, a lecture on the harmful effects of smoking tobacco. But as he struggles to stick to the intended subject matter of his speech, we learn of his regrets, yearnings...and of his miserable life 'under the thumb'.
A Reluctant Tragic Hero
A frustrated family man, exhausted from running constant and countless errands for friends and family, visits his good friend to let off steam and hopefully garner some much needed sympathy. But his rant only serves to see him leaving with more problems than he actually arrived with.- Director:
- Christine Gernon
- Cast:
- Julian Barratt, Steve Coogan, Mackenzie Crook
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In 1902 London, unhappily married Philip Marshall (Charles Laughton) meets young Mary Gray (Ella Raines), who is unemployed and depressed. Their deepening friendship, though physically innocent, is discovered by Philip's wife who threatens him with exposure and scandal, driving him to kill her. Thereafter, fortune seems to smile on Philip Marshall; but does fate have a surprise in store? - Director:
- Robert Siodmak
- Cast:
- Charles Laughton, Ella Raines, Dean Harens
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Creeping Horror (1946)Murders in the Zoo / Night Monster / Horror Island / House of Horrors
Four more tales of terror from the vaults of Universal Pictures, starring Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi, and Rondo Hatton. A maniacal hunter and collector of wild animals uses them to dispose of rivals and enemies in the shockingly violent 'Murders in the Zoo' (dir. A. Edward Sutherland, 1933). Bela Lugosi stars in a creepy tale of strange characters, secret passages and a murderer who masters the art of "mind over matter" in 'Night Monster' (dir. Ford Beebe, 1942). What started out as a treasure-making scheme ends up deadly for a group of people stuck in a haunted castle with a killer known as "the Phantom" in 'Horror Island' (dir. George Waggner, 1941). And finally, Rondo Hatton is "the Creeper", a giant of a man used as an instrument of evil by a mad sculptor in 'House of Horrors' (dir. Jean Yarbrough, 1946). - Director:
- A. Edward Sutherland
- Cast:
- Charles Ruggles, Lionel Atwill, Gail Patrick
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This double-feature brings together two of producer Val Lewton's classic RKO horror films... In 1943's 'The Ghost Ship', Tom Merriam (Russel Wade), the young third mate on a freighter bound for Patagonia, witnesses the murder of a crewman by the ship's captain, Will Stone (Richard Dix). Merriam realizes Stone is going insane, but the rest of the crew won't believe him...or that he may be the mad captain's next victim! Boris Karloff reunites with Lewton for a third and final time in 1946's 'Bedlam', set in 1761 at a London asylum. Karloff gives an unfortgettable performance as the doomed overseer who fawns on high-society benefactors while ruling his mentally disturbed inmates with an iron fist. Restored from their original nitrate negatives, both showcase Nicholas Musuraca's cinematography under the inspired direction of Mark Robson. - Director:
- Mark Robson
- Cast:
- Richard Dix, Russell Wade, Edith Barrett
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Full Circle (1977)The Haunting of Julia
Bereaved mother Julia (Mia Farrow) flees her controlling husband Magnus (Keir Dullea), re-establishing herself in an old house in leafy west London and befriending antique dealer Mark (Tom Conti). Yet Julia finds herself troubled by apparitions of a ghostly, blonde-haired child, sending her on a strange journey of self-discovery - with dreadful consequences. - Director:
- Richard Loncraine
- Cast:
- Mia Farrow, Keir Dullea, Tom Conti
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Strangers on a Train (1951)Pacto siniestro
Tennis star Guy Haines (Farley Granger) half-jokingly muses about killing his wife with a stranger he meets on a train, unhinged playboy Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker), who'd prefer his father be deceased. In theory, each could murder the other's victim. Crisscross. No motive. No clues. No problem... except: Bruno takes the idea seriously, with deadly consequences. - Director:
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Cast:
- Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Ruth Roman
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Dick Powell and Jane Greer star in this gripping 1948 RKO Western mystery set in gold mining country on the wild frontier. Out in the Western territories, someone is raiding the gold shipments heading back east. In the last hold up, two soldiers were killed and the army needs answers - fast. Everything seems to point to the beautiful local heiress Charlie (Jane Greer) and her right hand man, Prince (Gordon Oliver). Charlie owns the local gambling joint. She owns the town stores, the local sawmill - and she owns the law too. Then a mysterious stranger - Haven (Dick Powell) - rides into town. Suddenly, he's asking too many questions, picking too many fights and attracting all kinds of trouble... - Director:
- Sidney Lanfield
- Cast:
- Dick Powell, Jane Greer, Agnes Moorehead
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Stranded on a Pacific Island, an Irish nun (Deborah Kerr) and a heroic Marine sergeant (Robert Mitchum) live a life of constant peril, hiding from Japanese troopers who have a base on the island. Eventually, the sergeant falls deeply in love with the religious woman, which compels her to question her vows. - Director:
- John Huston
- Cast:
- Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr
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Joel (Jim Carrey) is stunned to discover that his girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet), has had their tumultuous relationship erased from her mind. Out of desperation, he contacts the inventor of the process, Dr Howard Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson), to get the same treatment. But as his memories of Clementine begin to fade, Joel suddenly realizes how much he still loves her. - Director:
- Michel Gondry
- Cast:
- Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson
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