Action & Adventure > 1957 Action & Adventure

Advantages: wonderful adaptation of macbeth in japanese.
Disadvantages: none

...bring his tragic downfall. Throne Of Blood is classic and timeless. The settings have a historical feel and an impressive style. Isuzu Yamada and Mifune are sensational as they preformed their versions of Lady and Lord Macbeth. Director Akira Kurosawa transforms the Scottish landscape into a haunting, misty vision of ancient Japan. Visual elements such as fog, rain, and wind give the film an eerie feel along with the use of black and white. Kurosawa ... Read review

Advantages: An intriguing tale patiently told; good central performances from Cushing and Tucker; a high level of suspense and cinematic claustrophobia.
Disadvantages: A slow, sedate pace may not be to the tastes of all modern viewers; title and distributor may attract the wrong kind of viewer to the film; outdated and outmoded attitudes to ‘natives’.

The title of this film, together with the fact that it is now shown under the ‘Hammer’ label as a horror film, might immediately place a picture in your mind of huge rampaging monsters roaring across the mountains and ruthlessly tracking down and killing a small group of relatively defenceless human explorers. Well, in ‘The Abominable Snowman’ the explorers exist, and there are one or two gunshots fired, but there the similarity ...
...The Abominable Snowman is a British film, and to me it more closely resembles the British scientific romance tale with its scientist hero, intellectual trappings and the raising of moral questions, than the American sci-fi horror of square jawed space-army Captain heroes fighting off long-toothed monsters. The ending of the film, whilst certainly not completely grim, is a far cry from the triumphalism and pounding orchestral music of the typical ... Read review

Advantages: An action-packed film full of tension
Disadvantages: 'Speeded-up' sequences a bit too dated

Shot in black & white, this is truly a 'knife-edged' 1950's film that is full of atmosphere and drama. The fast-paced driving scenes are excellent and well filmed for the era in which it was made, although they do look slightly dated now when compared with modern film effects. Tom Yateley, (Stanley Baker; the main character in the film), fresh out prison, arrives at Hawlett's, a ballast transport company, looking for work. The nature of the work ...
...the job done and earn your money - whatever it takes! He takes a hair-raising trial run, set by the owner of the company played by William Hartnell. Tom passes his initiation, after a couple of 'near misses' and gets the job - and this where his troubles begin! William Hartnell's acting is typical William Hartnell - outspoken, straight to the point. Stanley Baker acts extremely well throughout the film and handles the dialogue with ease, making ... Read review

Advantages: Great balance
Disadvantages: Roger Moore not as good as in the other Bond films

The combination of Roger Moore as James Bond and Lewis Gilbert behind the camera directing him returns again for another attempt at saving the world from a man genocidal millionaire in Moonraker. The special effects in this film take a step up for the Bond franchise, with a large part of the film set in space. The Plot Following the hijacking of one of Drax Industries' space shuttles and the destruction of the Boeing carrying it, James Bond is ...
...Drax and his henchmen, including the fearsome Jaws, from committing genocide in order to create a race of perfect human beings. The Cast and Performances Roger Moore is once again dashing as MI6 agent James Bond, and gives a solid performance. Michael Lonsdale is memorable villain Hugo Drax, and gives a very good acting role here. Lois Chiles is sultry as Bond girl and CIA agent Holly Goodhead, but once again the larger than life Richard Kiel steals ... Read review

Advantages: Great all round movie.
Disadvantages: A lot of violence

Apocalypto is the story of a happy Indian youth ripped savagely from his rainforest life by ruthless, bloodthirsty Mayan warriors. Its portrayal of the Mayan culture -- including its strange dress, hair styles, costumes, tattoos, body piercing, and decorative scars, as well as its industry, class system, cities, warfare, weapons, myth, and religion -- provide a bizarre and fascinating backdrop for what is, at its heart, a solid, thrilling, fast paced ...
...The movie does have a lot of violence, which although not for the faint hearted, is a realistic part of the culture being described. The whole movie is in an ancient native language, subtitled in English, and it lends an air of authenticity to the movie that I feel would have been missing otherwise. The acting is superb and the direction is without a doubt Mel Gibson's finest work. All in all a highly recommended movie. ... Read review