Mother Courage and Her Children (1961)iMDB Rating: 7.5 Date Released : 10 February 1961 Genre : Drama, War Stars : Helene Weigel, Angelika Hurwicz, Ekkehard Schall, Heinz Schubert." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
If you know just a little German, you will enjoy this film. The casting is perfect and the acting is so subtle and intelligent that you will get a lot out of each scene, even if you don't understand every word. This movie was done from a stage production by Brecht's own company, using the techniques of epic theater that he invented, so there is a certain restraint, even dryness, to the style that is supposed to make it easier for the viewer to think about the issues. Regardless of your politics, however, once you've seen this production, others will pale by comparison. The script is based upon a very old story about female merchants who followed the troops to do business during wars. They are a tough breed, and Helen Weigel, who plays the title role, certainly conveys that.
Struggling writer Paul Varjak moves into a New York apartment building and becomes intrigued by his pretty, quirky neighbor Holly Golightly. Holly's lifestyle confuses and fascinates Paul; in public she flits through parties with a sexy, sophisticated air, but when they're alone she changes into a sweetly vulnerable bundle of neuroses.
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Review :
A Real Charmer: Comfort Viewing At It's Best
The celebrated author on whose novel it was based despised the film version, describing it as "mawkish." The star wasn't much more enthusiastic; she never considered it among her best work. And the reviews were mixed. But regardless of what Truman Capote, Audrey Hepburn, or the critics thought about it, the public adored it--and the image of Audrey Hepburn wearing a black evening dress, nibbling pastry, and window shopping has passed into our cultural iconography.
The film is indeed lightweight stuff. Audrey Hepburn is a New York good-time girl who makes a living by clipping her wealthy escorts for fifty here and fifty there. When she meets handsome George Peppard--a writer who makes ends meet by trading favors with society matron Patricia Neal--can love be far behind? But Audrey's mysterious past and her determination to marry rich, George's status as a kept boy-toy, and their occasionally questionable associates provide plenty of complications to fill out the story.
What makes the film work is the remarkable charm of its two stars. Most of the attention goes to Audrey Hepburn and the film shows her to remarkable advantage: she is a remarkable actress, personality, and beauty, and she works wonders with the ultralight script. But when it comes to charm, George Peppard is no slouch either: the film catches him at the height of his early golden-boy good looks, and he is the perfect foil for Hepburn in both their comic and dramatic scenes. Mickey Rooney's excessive performance as Yunioshi aside, the supporting cast is also very entertaining, with Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Dorothy Whitney all give enjoyable turns. The film looks great (make sure you get the widescreen version), the score (which includes "Moon River") is excellent, and director Blake Edwards keeps everything moving at a pleasant pace. This a great film to cozy up with on a cold night--romantic, entertaining, and as comforting as a cup of hot chocolate. Recommended.
Bello recuerdo (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.0 Date Released : 12 April 1962 Genre : Musical, Drama Stars : Joselito, Libertad Lamarque, Sara García, Roberto Camardiel." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
"Bello recuerdo" is probably Joselito Jimenez's most ambitious film.The screenplay is less simplistic than in the former works.There's even a very good scene,which is exceptional in Joselito's faithful director Del Amo's conventional work: the boy and the grandma are watching an old movie of the "mother" and suddenly the old woman remembers things of her past as on the screen horsemen are riding away.
Joselito (whose name in the film is "Jose",for he is 14 now)has lost his father and his wicked cousin rejects him...till he learns that the boy's late dad was not that much poor .Meanwhile,the boy's music teacher has received the orphan in her home where her mother,still alive,thinks that it's the return of her grandson,who was kidnapped when the musician was a famous singer/actress in Mexico.Too bad the script writers botch the job and write a dismal ending when,for once,they had a story which did not fall apart after the first reel.
Joselito's voice was changing:he was 14,after all,but it was still impressive whereas in the next movie "El secreto de Tomy",it would sound ravaged.
Hence the necessity to hire a singer to play opposite to him:Libertad Lamarque ,a South American star shared the top of the bill with the wiz kid -it was the first time it had happened since his debut-.They sing duets and she was certainly ideally cast since she had a long career in Mexico and Argentina behind her.(check her biography)
Journey Beneath the Desert (1961)iMDB Rating: 5.4 Date Released : 1 July 1967 Genre : Adventure, Fantasy Stars : Jean-Louis Trintignant, Haya Harareet, Georges Rivière, James Westmoreland Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
A helicopter crashes in the desert, and the crew winds up in the underground city of Atlantis and get mixed up in a slave revolt.
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Review :
Pierre Benoit's "Queen Of Atlantis" for kids
L'ATLANTIDE (aka JOURNEY BENEATH THE DESERT, 1961) certainly held promise -Hollywood director Frank Borzage may have started it but European émigré Edgar G. Ulmer finished up and it's his influence that's most apparent. Green, yellow, and blue lighting gave Atlantis an eerie look despite obvious budget restraints and the movie as a whole was well done of its kind but, unfortunately, it bore very little relation to Pierre Benoit's SHE-like source novel, "Queen Of Atlantis". The adult subject matter (filmed at least three times before) became kiddie matinée fodder with an extremely simplistic storyline: a couple of mining engineers get lost in a Saharan sandstorm and discover the lost city of Atlantis where they have to convince its queen that an A-bomb testing site is directly above and her underground empire will be vaporized in 24 hours. The queen falls in love with one of them and that's all she cares about. That's it.
Even though she isn't especially attractive, there's something about Israeli beauty queen Haya Harareet but I can't say the same for her Antinea who's neither immortal nor evil in this re-telling. Her only crime was falling in love in a NY minute and as if that wasn't silly enough, the yards and yards of chiffon she had on made her look like a burlesque queen. Jean-Louis Trintignant and Gian-Maria Volonte didn't have much to do in this Saturday morning time-waster.
The Children's Hour (1961)iMDB Rating: 7.8 Date Released : 19 December 1961 Genre : Drama Stars : Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Miriam Hopkins Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Karen Wright and Martha Dobie are best friends since college and they own the boarding school Wright and Dobie School for Girls with twenty students. They are working hard as headmistresses and teachers to grow the school and make it profitable. Karen is engaged with the local doctor Joe Cardin, who is the nephew of the powerful and influent Mrs. Amelia Tilford. While the spiteful and liar Mary, who is Amelia's granddaughter and a bad influence to the other girls, is punished by Karen after telling a lie, Martha has an argument with her snoopy aunt Lily Mortar in another room. Lily accuses Martha of being jealous and having an unnatural relationship with Karen. Mary's roommate Rosalie Wells and a friend overhear the shouting and tells Mary what Mrs. Mortar had said about her niece. The malicious Mary accuses Karen and Martha of being lesbians to her grandmother and Amelia spreads the gossip to the parents of the students that withdraw them from the school. Karen and Martha lose a ...
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Review :
Powerful and dated yet strangely timeless
The Children's Hour is a powerful film dealing with the effects of lies and discrimination. Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn give terrific performances as 2 girl school teachers accused of being lesbians. Their lives are ruined by an obnoxious little girl who spreads lies. The film is dated in that society today wouldn't bat an eyelash over such a sitation (in fact their school today would probably set attendance records) but you can substitute any minority or ethnic group for the 2 lead characters and see how people can suffer at the hand of discrimination. The movie is based upon the Lillian Hellman play and recommended for movie buffs of all ages.
Bidaya wa nihaya (1961)iMDB Rating: 7.7 Date Released : 1 July 1961 Genre : Drama Stars : Farid Shawqi, Omar Sharif, Amina Rizk, Amal Zayed." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
The Thief of Baghdad (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.5 Date Released : 10 August 1961 Genre : Adventure, Fantasy Stars : Steve Reeves, Giorgia Moll, Edy Vessel, Arturo Dominici." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
Known in America as the Thief of Baghdad, this is one of the most under-rated pictures of the last 50 years.
This film has something in it that everyone would enjoy if they just allow themselves to be taken by it. If you have the chance to see it, simply sit there with a snack & beverage and let the film bring you into the land of 1001 Arabian Nights. The music is almost hypnotic, as the theme plays all through the background. The colors and scenery are breathtakingly beautiful. I enjoyed this film when I was a boy. It took me 20 years to find it on a video cassette and expected to be a little disappointed. I wasn't. It was all that I had remembered and more. See this one with your kids!
It is hard to understand why it is so difficult to view the films of one of the most important directors of Italian cinema and the world. Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti and Vittorio De Sica's works are all, fortunately, mostly available. Rossellini "the father of us all" as Martin Scorsese once said, is sadly a legend whose works are vastly unavailable. Legal or copyright reasons should not hamper a persons work, especially one of vast importance to the cinema. Isabella Rossellini said "My dad's films are fading away…My father is slowly being forgotten." However when one experiences a Rossellini picture it is hard to imagine that statement. A viewing of Germany Year Zero will make one remember Rossellini for life, along with a list of other Rossellini masterpieces; Open City, Paisan, Stromboli, Voyage in Italy and many more. I have been fortunate enough to view a great deal of uncut and unavailable Rossellini works at the Cinematheque Ontario in Toronto. Being part of a 20 something generation I can gladly say that Rossellini's films are to another generation just as powerful as they were when they first came out. With Viva L'Italia! Rossellini has created a film that ranks with such classics as Visconti's The Leopard, or even perhaps a war film such as Patton, which may have been influenced by this film. The story is about the Italian hero Giuseppe Garibaldi, who perhaps is not well known throughout North America, but we get an education while watching this film. Although some Italian critics may not have been optimistic about Rossellini's portrayal of Garibaldi, it still evokes interest in the viewer to find out who Giuseppe Garibaldi was and what he did. One of the great beauties of this work is the long sweeping camera shots of the clashing armies. On the big screen it is imperative. This picture is akin to Lawrence of Arabia where it really makes you appreciate cinema on the big screen. There are camera shots setup from high in the mountains looking down on the battle plains below of Garibaldi's advancing armies into a town. You can barely see the men, they are like ants; it is magnificent to look at. With his Neorealistic skills, Rossellini excellently captures the action on the streets of Garibaldi's army fighting the Bourbons. The movie ends on an unusual note, but it evokes such an interest on Garibaldi to the viewer. We are fortunate to have the cinema as an art and a tool of examining and telling stories of our history. It is upsetting to realize that a great work such as this one is extremely difficult for viewing. Martin Scorsese has expressed his concern for Italian Cinema and made the great documentary; My Voyage to Italy. He says, "History remains something that's handed down, something that happens between people. In fact I learnt that by watching these movies, so the best way I have to keep film history alive is to try and share my own enthusiasm, my own experience...Usually people get excited about a movie by hearing about it from somebody else, so I'm simply trying to tell you I saw these movies I didn't read about them or learn about them in school, and they had a powerful effect on me and you should see them."
And along with all of Rossellini's films, you should see this one.
The Great Impostor (1961)iMDB Rating: 7.1 Date Released : 3 February 1961 Genre : Comedy, Drama Stars : Tony Curtis, Karl Malden, Edmond O'Brien, Arthur O'Connell. Based on a true story, a bright young man who hasn't the patience for the normal way of advancement finds that people rarely question you if your papers are in order. He becomes a marine, a monk, a surgeon onboard a Canadian Warship, and a prison warden." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
Based on a true story, a bright young man who hasn't the patience for the normal way of advancement finds that people rarely question you if your papers are in order. He becomes a marine, a monk, a surgeon onboard a Canadian Warship, and a prison warden.
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Review :
Wanting DVD
I can not imagine why this movie has not been released on DVD. When it first came out I went to see it several times. When it is on TV I always watch it. Not only is the story and performance of Curtis great, the music score is memorable.
Buddha (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.8 Date Released : 2 July 1963 Genre : Drama Stars : Kôjirô Hongô, Charito Solis, Shintarô Katsu, Machiko Kyô." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Graceful but flawed depiction of the life of Buddha
Shaka is an epic tale about the life of Buddha Shakamuni. Although produced by Daiei Corporation of Japan, much of the filming seem to have taken place in the Phillipines, and Phillipina actress Charito Solis plays the part of Shddhartha's wife Yashodara. The story is made of twelve story segments in the following order:
1. Birth of Buddha 2. Marriage of Siddhartha 3. Siddhartha renounces the world 4. Yashodara is seduced by Devadatta 5. Siddhartha attains enlightenment and becomes the Buddha 6. Kalika converts to Buddhism 7. Tragic story of Prince Kumara 8. Devadatta convinces prince Ajashartu to kill his father 9. Matangi seduces Ananda using black magic 10. Devadatta schemes to kill all the monks 11. Devadatta is defeated and converts to Buddhism 12. Buddha enters Nirvana
The story is told gracefully but is not an accurate historic depiction of the life of Buddha - although essence of Buddhism is conveyed as much as possible and still maintain entertainment value. In some ways it's regrettable because with all the effort that went into the production of this movie, they could have hired a historic consultant and made the story line more accurate and tighter. Special effects are weak, and acting could have been better as these actors are top actors in Japan of that era, and have done much better jobs in other movies. So, I wish there was more effort put into production and directing. But it is one of a kind movie and has its place in the history of movie making.
The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.7 Date Released : 16 March 1961 Genre : Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi, Sport Stars : Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Tommy Kirk Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
A bumbling professor accidently invents flying rubber, or "Flubber", an incredible material that gains energy every time it strikes a hard surface. It allows for the invention of shoes that can allow jumps of amazing heights and enables a modified Model-T to fly. Unfortunately, no one is interested in the material except for Alonzo Hawk, a corrupt businessman who wants to steal the material for himself.
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Review :
The Original 'Flubber' Is A Bit Dated But Has Its Moments
Some parts of this are very funny, some parts are silly stupid and all parts are very dated and make little sense. Maybe that's why someone figured a re-make was appropriate. That, and the fact that it's still a very entertaining movie, almost a classic. The re-make was done in 1997 with the movie, "Flubber."
Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Tommy Kirk.....wow, there are some familiar names from the '50s and '60s Olson had lost her youthful looks from "Sunset Boulevard," but that had been a decade earlier. MacMurray didn't look a whole lot different from his 1944 film noir classic of "Double Indemnity," proving once again how much better men age than women.
Kids of today would still laugh at this film, although they have dead spots in here which are not prevalent in modern-day films.
Please, Not Now! (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.0 Date Released : 19 April 1961 Genre : Comedy Stars : Brigitte Bardot, Joséphine James, Mireille Darc, Edith Zetline. Sophie, a flighty young model, learns that her boyfriend is planning to leave her for another woman. Sophie resolves to either win him back or assassinate her rival. A handsome doctor (who happens to be falling for Sophie himself) assists her with the former plan so that she won't have to resort to the latter." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Sophie, a flighty young model, learns that her boyfriend is planning to leave her for another woman. Sophie resolves to either win him back or assassinate her rival. A handsome doctor (who happens to be falling for Sophie himself) assists her with the former plan so that she won't have to resort to the latter.
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Review :
Charming, Semi-Ditzy Bardot!
Ms. Bardot, as always, is charming and delightful and has a cool little studio apartment in this lovely pastiche. It's perfectly cast with very few semi-nude scene and Brigitte is delightfully in love with a yuppie fool who can't see the light. BB's suitor is funny and attentive and worthy of her attention.
A 6 out of 10. Best performance = Ms. Bardot. She made only a few great films, but is always worth a look because of her presence. Great photography and locales in France. I'm surprised BB doesn't have more of a following, but I realize she hasn't made a film since '73. I've seen about half of her films and enjoyed most of them. Check them out.
A porte chiuse (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.5 Date Released : 21 October 1963 Genre : Comedy Stars : Anita Ekberg, Claudio Gora, Fred Clark, Gianni Bonagura." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
The American Beauty (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.6 Date Released : 29 September 1961 Genre : Comedy Stars : Alfred Adam, Colette Brosset, Robert Burnier, Pierre Dac. Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertable car by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in pocession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumtion, his wife trying to sell it to make ammends meet, getting into ..." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertible by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in possession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumption, his wife trying to sell it to make amends meet, getting into traffic jams, accidentally riding into a car wash with the top down, and more.
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Review :
I like it !!!
I said many times how much I like Robert Dhery, Colette Brosset and the whole team we find in each of their movies( Jacques Legras, Henri Rollin, jacques Fabri, and many others, not to forget Louis de Funès... who became later the great star everybody knows) This makes a good simple comedy, just for a laugh and for good old time nostalgy, with a good story, good playing and very good dialogues. Don't expect a great and brilliant masterpiece. Just comedy and good realistic dialogues. Colette Brosset is lovely as ever, and Jacques Legras shows once more he could do better than Candid camera.
The story ? a man buys a (very) used motorcycle but his wife sees an ad in the paper selling a neat cadillac for the same price. So he buy the car, and his life change. no need to say more, the story itself is well written but not very important, the colourful characters and good dialogues are the goodie of this movie, as in others of Robert Dhery or Pierre Tchernia (whom we can see in this movie, during a scene shown on TV) If you watch some Robert Dhery or Branquignol's movies you'll notice the characters have the real name of the actors. For example, in this one, Jacques Balutin is the inspector Balutin. I recommend this movie to any people who like simple french comedies, want to sit in a comfortable armchair get a good time and forget all their problems during 1:25 hour If you like it see also ah, les belles bacchantes, allez France, Vos gueules les mouettes, Le petit Baigneur,le viager, pas de problème and most of Louis de Funès movies, as obviously he didn't forget to give a role to his old mates in later movies, when he was a star.
La princesse de Clèves (1961)iMDB Rating: 6.1 Date Released : 22 March 1961 Genre : Drama, History, Romance Stars : Jean Marais, Marina Vlady, Jean-François Poron, Annie Ducaux." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
"La Princesse de Cleves" was released at the wrong time.The reasons are obvious:
1. It was the heyday of the nouvelle vague and Jean Delannoy was a laughing stock for all these directors."He does not live his movies" was what M.Godard used to say.I'm not sure M.Godard used to live His.
2.The mainstream audience mistook the movie for a swashbuckler entertaining yarn , a genre which was very popular in France at the time .It was after all a costume movie and Jean Marais was par excellence the sword hero.
So nobody was satisfied and the film died commercial and artistic death.It should be restored to favor now,because ,simply, it's really a beautiful movie which has stood the test of time quite well,as well as ,say, Jacques Rivette's "la religieuse" .
There's a contrast ,in "la princesse de Clèves" between the brightness and the beauty of the cinematography -several sequences are stunning:the first one,the magnificent ball ,one of the most entrancing openin scene ever filmed and the last one,when the duc de Nemours comes to the lodge in a misty morning ,is awesome- and the screenplay,which is very austere,and might put off some viewers .Madame de la Fayette 's novel tells a story of passion,but a passion which struggles with reason and duty.Some people said that Marina Vlady's performance was remote and that her feelings could not reach us:that's partly true.But It 's a woman from the sixteenth century depicted by another woman from the seventeenth!Jean Cocteau's adaptation,if he wanted to be faithful to De la Fayette's work had to invent another psychology ,another language (the dialogue is very precious and literary).
Jean Delannoy 's directing,icily impersonal,is very effective here.The cast and credits,at the beginning , fit the movie like a glove.We see the characters as some Madame Tussaud statues.Cocteau's favorite actor,Jean Marais gives a wonderful performance:his prince de Clèves is oozing with suffering and longing to be loved.His commitment to his role is extraordinary.This was the great thespian's farewell to youth as well as his last great part,with the eventual exception of Jacques Demy's "peau d'âne"(1970).
The ending slightly differs from the novel-Madame de La Fayette simply says that Madame De Clèves 's life was rather short-but Cocteau found an adequate equivalent.
Mother Courage and Her Children (1961)iMDB Rating: 7.5
