Drama > 1976 Drama

ROMAN AROUND OUR DVD COLLECTION….

Advantages: Excellent acting, compelling story, fascinating, great cast, wonderful script
Disadvantages: Very basic special effects (but the acting compensates!)

So, hubby and I had finished watching Between the Lines Series 1 and the next draw from our little tub of white slips of paper produced - I, Claudius. I wasn't thrilled. Hubby's choice had won out yet again and after the fast and exciting Between the Lines, I feared I, Claudius would be slow and dull. Still, I'd give it a try… I, CLAUDIUS - THE FACTS I, Claudius is a BBC TV series shown back in 1976 (I turned seven that year.) and was based on ...
...two episodes most evenings, but I found the first episode harder to get into and yes, a bit slow, so that took me two nights! THE STORY I, Claudius tells the history of Rome over a century or so, from the point of view of Claudius (Derek Jacobi) himself. His narration frames the episodes, with 'real-time action' forming most of each episode. We see home Rome fares under each Emperor, ending with young Nero. Although not historically accurate in ...

KarenUK 05.02.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of I Claudius (DVD)

1900

Advantages: just great!
Disadvantages: none

At the end of the 19th century some European scientists and academics saw that the evolution of man was at odds with the evolution of (western) civilization. As living conditions and medical care improved, more and more humans who might have died before passing on their genes were in fact living long enough to bear and raise children. These people then passed on the undesirable traits they possessed to their children, thus perpetuating a bloodline ...
...To sum it up, it was felt that 'inferior people reproduced more rapidly.' The philosophy of eugenics and race hygiene was based on the quest for the perfect, pure race, as represented in classical art. The movement gained a widespread acceptance in the xenophobic, empire-building West, and was rapidly incorporated into governmental policies in Europe and the US. Practically, eugenics could be applied in two ways: negative and positive. Positive eugenics ...

emzily777 02.09.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of 1900 (DVD)

Escape with Ava Gardner and Sophia Loren!

Advantages: Great cast, good disaster film, some good special effects
Disadvantages: Not the best film ever

I love escaping into the world of films. I love many kinds of films, but two of my favourites are disaster movies (having been brought up by a Dad who loves The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno) and films starring classic actresses. I love Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood and the like. So imagine by glee when I heard of a disaster movie starring two screen legends – Sophia Loren and Ava Gardner! The Cassandra Crossing was also ...
...how could I resist?! The plot is typically dramatic, of course. A man has been exposed to the plague virus and boards a train from Stockholm to Geneva. The authorities need to prevent the plague spreading, so they seal the train full of 1000 passengers and re-route it to a bridge called the Cassandra Crossing. However, the bridge is perilously close to collapse and unlikely to stand the weight of such a large vehicle. Can the passengers stop the ...

KarenUK 31.10.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Cassandra Crossing (DVD)

A Masterpiece

Advantages: All performances and excellent script
Disadvantages: None

...career) as Max Schumacher the network executive and Howard's friend and comes across as the most likeable character here being genuine and sincere. Faye Dunaway plays the scheming, power hungry programming exec vying for Schumacher's job. She is genuinely loathsome and dislikeable. As is Robert Duvall as the loud mouth network head. Beatrice Straight won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Max's long suffering wife. I think this must be the shortest ...

Nixu1980 17.10.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Network (DVD)

Nothing To Laugh About

Advantages: Evil as hell from the offset
Disadvantages: Bad subtitles lighten the movie

Made in 1976 The House With Laughing Windows may sound like a silly title for a movie but believe me there is no humour in this beautiful looking horror movie that has become one of the most acclaimed Italian horror thrillers in history. While low on the gore front La Casa dalle finestre che ridono to use its proper title is at times so disturbing that it literally trounces on the entire American horror output for this sort of movie. Starting as ...
...into his face and body, the camera lens sepia in its colour. While I assume the change to sepia was designed to cut down on the blood side, this trick actually makes the movie look far worse, and offers a pretty horrific opening, in fact possibly one of the most horrific openings of any movie. This little addition is not helped by the creepy voice of Bruno Legnani (Tonino Corazzari) recounting in an almost spellbinding way how he loves painting the ...

sghawken 25.04.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The House With Laughing Windows (DVD)