Come for the journey, keep for the baboon brawl.
Australian label Imprint Films, a incredible line beneath the ViaVision imprint, releases older movies to Blu-ray every month. Most get their very own launch, however the label has achieved good work accumulating some titles collectively in field units celebrating administrators, genres, and extra. Their Tales of Adventure sequence kicked off final yr with a celebration of “Arabian” adventures whereas assortment two set its sights on jungle thrills. Tales of Adventure: Collection Three finds its thrills from Algeria to Norway and encompasses a roster of huge names together with Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Anthony Quinn, and extra.
The new launch as soon as once more is available in a sturdy hard-box with every movie in its personal snap-case. All 4 discs are area free, and the units are restricted to 1500 copies solely. Now hold studying for a take a look at all 4 movies within the new Tales of Adventure: Collection Three!
Ten Tall Men (1951)
Sgt. Kincaid (Burt Lancaster) is a fun-loving member of the French Foreign Legion, however he’s all enterprise on the subject of wooing the women and beating down the baddies. News of an impending assault on their outpost sees him tasked with holding off the invaders till reinforcements arrive, however to do this he’ll want somewhat assist from a handful of rogues, thieves, and rapscallions.
While Tales of Adventure: Collection Three is a field of simple goodness, The Tall Men is sadly its weakest hyperlink. The movie began life as a critical western earlier than Lancaster and mates shifted gears and turned it into an abroad journey run by means of with comedy. Neither selection appears to have been the appropriate one, although.
The French Legion itself is a stable sufficient setting for an exciting story because the African panorama and warring factions affords up battle and dramatic battle, however director Willis Goldbeck is unable to ship a compelling or convincing expertise. This by no means seems like Morocco, not to mention Africa, and as a substitute bounces between Southern California and minimally dressed soundstages. That lack of tactile environment instantly squashes any try at suspense, thrills, or drama. Worse, although, is the movie’s comedic efforts that fall flat at each flip as large bads are bonked over the pinnacle and get trounced by way of slapstick antics.
Ultimately, it’s Lancaster who makes the movie watchable. Always the acrobat, he turns Kincaid right into a full of life, punchy man liable to knocking guys out and rolling about as a type of protection. He’s enjoyable, however the script thinks he’s additionally humorous, and that’s the place the 2 diverge. Like the movie itself, Lancaster tries to carry the laughs, however as a substitute all of it simply feels foolish and missing in stakes. The core thought right here — “bad” guys stepping up and doing good — is best served in one thing like The Dirty Dozen (1967) or The Magnificent Seven (1960).
Region free, with no extras.
The Heroes of Telemark (1965)
The small city of Telemark sits amid the beautiful mountains of Norway alongside a fantastically serene lake, however all shouldn’t be properly. It’s World War II, the nation is occupied by German troopers, and the Nazis are producing heavy water to be used in atomic bombs. It’s the sort of factor that would flip the struggle of their favor, and the one hope of stopping it rests with a small group of Norwegian resistance fighters.
This wartime epic from Paramount isn’t all that properly regarded, and even properly remembered, however watching it now stirs up an appreciation for old-fashioned films of its ilk. A serious enchantment right here is the premise on a real story, and director Anthony Mann brings the manufacturing to the very city the place all of it unfolded. We’re watching issues play out round the exact same streets, manufacturing unit, and lake the place — no exaggeration — Hitler’s finest likelihood at buying an atomic weapon was stopped. That alone provides a degree of curiosity to the movie.
Mann’s course ensures the entire maintains that curiosity, too, as he crafts a compelling mix of drama, espionage, and motion. It’s removed from action-packed, however the movie’s methodical nature has an enchantment of its personal as we transfer step-by-step with the resistance and their plan. You can really feel the icy chilly permeating outside scenes, elevated additional because the Nazi risk collides with the great thing about the environment en path to a satisfying conclusion.
Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, and Michael Redgrave take the lead right here, and all do good work. Douglas performs a physicist who’d slightly hold the women heat than tangle with Nazis, however he’s satisfied by Harris’ younger freedom fighter as to simply how essential their effort is. The character drama could underwhelm at occasions, however Douglas and Harris, specifically, are not often lower than charismatic and fascinating.
Region free, with the next extras.
- *NEW* Commentary with movie historians Steve Mitchell and Steven Jay Rubin
- *NEW* The Making of The Heroes of Telemark [1:24:43]
- *NEW* Playing a Hero: Interview with actor David Weston [17:58]
- Location studies from Norway [43:21]
- Location report from Weymouth [12:41]
- Interview with Richard Harris on location [6:13]
- Interview with Michael Redgrave on location [4:24]
- Interview with Ulla Jacobsson on location [4:33]
- Interview with Anthony Mann on location [4:40]
- Interview with Kirk Douglas at Pinewood Studios [5:58]
Sands of the Kalahari (1965)
A small chartered aircraft takes off for a flight over the Kalahari Desert, however when a freak cloud of locusts disables the engines, the aircraft and its passengers crash into the new sands under. The survivors — six males and one lady — appear to initially work collectively, however it’s not lengthy earlier than concern and ego start to rattle their efforts. Add in dehydration, starvation, and a close-by pack of territorial baboons, and issues get even worse. And then, after all, it’s important to cope with a shirtless Stuart Whitman.
Writer/director Cy Endfield delivers one hell of a survival story right here — my favourite movie within the set, by far — that works fantastically as each a standard story of survival and an exploration of humankind’s animalistic tendencies. One character shares his information on the baboons, describing their tribal nature, the dominance of a single male, and the possession the beast takes over the females, and it’s not lengthy earlier than we start witnessing the people devolve in comparable trend.
The messaging by no means tries being as on level as say, one thing like Lord of the Flies, however comparable themes are at play right here. Whitman’s Brian O’Brien is an skilled hunter, and he comes armed with a rifle, a barrel chest, and sure opinions on masculinity. He’s incredible within the position, exuding a sweaty confidence that leads viewers and the woman (Susannah York) into his orbit — properly, no less than till he begins actively eliminating the opposite males who he sees as each useful resource drains and threats to his dominance.
Endfield shot the movie on location, and it’s an efficient selection dropping audiences into the cruel desert panorama alongside the characters. Their battle performs out with suspense and gentle motion beats, and watching Whitman’s descent in direction of his animalistic methods is at occasions thrilling. The baboons don’t come into play as a lot as an eco-horror fan like myself would have appreciated, however they get the final chortle with a fairly spectacular finale that performs out with solely the sounds of nature barking out out of your tv. It’s an incredible movie deserving of extra eyeballs.
Region free, with the next extras.
- *NEW* Commentary with movie historian Scott Harrison
- *NEW* Sounds of the Kalahari: Interview with sound digicam operator Arkadi de Rakoff and clapper loader Douglas Milsome [32:42]
Lost Command (1966)
A Lt. Col. within the French navy fights and loses an epic battle in Vietnam, however he finds new alternatives after being launched from a POW camp. It’s referred to as failing upward, and for Pierre Raspeguy (Anthony Quinn), it’s the trail he takes into Algeria as a part of France’s struggle towards the resistance. He gathers a ragtag group of troopers together with males he fought alongside beforehand, however he quickly discovers that a type of males is now the chief of the very resistance he’s going to fight.
Director Mark Robson, or no less than his 1st and 2nd A.D.s, handle some stable battle scenes right here capturing the explosive chaos of the battlefield. They’re certainly one of two actual highlights, and whereas they’re relegated principally to the entrance and the again of the movie they nonetheless elevate the power. Set-pieces are allowed room to breath with a wide range of vast photographs displaying scale and tighter sequences showcasing particular person character beats.
The movie is a bit much less profitable off the battlefield, although, because the various character dramas aren’t equally compelling. Quinn’s terrific because the disgraced navy man in search of a second shot at navy success, however nearly as good as these parts are his extra intimate scenes are a blended bag. Alain Delon has the extra fascinating position as a captain rising bored with struggle, however what to make of the horribly miscast George Segal — as an Algerian officer in brown face. Wild stuff.
The identical yr noticed the discharge of The Battle of Algiers, and that’s the one you need for a extra critical and thought-provoking take a look at the French try at quelling the riot. If you’re okay with a less complicated method, although, yet one more occupied with viewers approval and an entertaining satisfaction, than this could scratch the wartime cinema itch.
Region free, with no extras.
Buy Tales of Adventure: Collection Three from Imprint Films!
Related Topics: burt lancaster, Home Video, Imprint, Kirk Douglas
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