Ayres, Rosalind

Black Beauty

Young Alec Ramsay and a wild stallion are cast adrift and help each other survive on a desolate island.
Genre: Feature Film Family
Rating: G
Release Date: 3-FEB-2004
Media Type: DVD

Don't waste this one on your children: buy it for yourself. A spectacular adaptation of the Anna Sewell novel, this is faithful to the source material but creates a life of its own on the screen. Told from the point of view of the horse, it recalls a time and a place that could be both beautiful and cruel. Black Beauty faced both hardship and kindness as he passed through the hands of many owners throughout his life. Some are generous, but the agonies endured by the title character may be too harsh for small children. Unfortunately, director Caroline Thompson did not resurrect her magical touch a few years later with another animal tale, Buddy. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Country Matters

One of the most widely acclaimed drama series ever produced these adaptations of short stories by A.E. Coppard and H.E. Bates present provocative and heartwarming tales set against the vast English countryside during the post-World War I period. Filled with acute and realistic observations of nature and character Country Matters reveals the timeless and constant qualities of the British landscape and its inhabitants. Includes eight lavish dramas: Craven Arms The Mill The Sullen Sisters The Watercress Girl The Little Farm The Black Dog The Higgler and The Ring of Truth. Starring: Ian McKellan Peter Firth Pauline Collins Prunella Scales.System Requirements:Running Time: 411 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/BBC UPC: 741952648598 Manufacturer No: KOC-DV6485

Based on short stories by A.E. Coppard and H.E. Bates, this Country Matters collection includes eight of the 50-minute episodes that helped form Masterpiece Theater's hybrid theater/television identity as go-to programming for understanding Great Britain. Country Matters portrays mostly tragic romance, set in rural England just after the first World War. Each episode provides accurate and fascinating costume and set design to illustrate the class differences, living habits, and manners of Brits in various regions, giving viewers a deeper knowledge of the culture clash that has occurred within this tradition-bound society. "Craven Arms" stars Ian McKellen as David, a figure-drawing teacher in love with three of his beauteous students, Kate, Nancy, and Julia. Suffering from what he calls his lack of "constancy," David's inability to commit takes him nowhere except on a lonely journey. Alice in "The Mill," a 17-year-old ditched by her parents to earn her keep on a nearby farm, also suffers through lonely sexual exploration. The first disc, also including "The Sullen Sisters" about two sisters, Lindy and Rachel, feuding over Tommy, an extremely young boy, offers little in the way of cheerful love.

"The Little Farm" on disc two provides the first glimpse of short-term romantic success, as Edna Johnson (Barbara Ewing) moves onto Tom Richards' (Brian Marshall) farm, transforming his veritable pigsty with her woman's touch. "The Higgler" also hints at fleeting emotional uplift as higgler, Harvey (Keith Krinkel) is invited to befriend an educated lady, Mary (Sheila Rusgrove). Each story unravels slowly, quietly, and in dark rooms oft lit by lantern to show what life's pace used to be. While some episodes are more riveting than others, slight action is well compensated for by meticulous script and acting. Like the best in British drama, these short story adaptations rely on dialogue to enliven characters rather than showy special effects or bawdy sex. Country Matters certainly opens a window into the past, which feels like respite from today's cinematic overload. --Trinie Dalton

From Beyond the Grave

Anthology film adapted from four short stories by R. Chetwynd-Hayes strung together about an antique dealer who owns a shop called Temptations Ltd. and the fate that befalls his customers who try to cheat him. "The Gate Crasher" with David Warner who frees an evil enity from an antique mirror; "An Act of Kindness" featuring Donald Pleasence; "The Elemental;" and "The Door."

Gods and Monsters

Ian McKellen delivers a riveting award-winning performance as Hollywood horror director James Whale. It's 1957 and Whale's heyday as the director of Frankenstein Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man is long behind him. Retired andia semi-recluse he lives his days accompanied only by images from his past. When his dour housekeeper Hannah (Lynn Redgrave) hires a handsome young gardener Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser) the flamboyant director and simple yard man develop an unlikely friendship. This powerful and poignant relationship will change their lives forever.System Requirements:Starring Brendan Fraser Ian McKellen Lolita Davidovich Lynn Redgrave Directed by Bill Condon Running time: 105 minutes Copyright Lion's Gate 2003Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 031398833222 Manufacturer No: 71872

One of the most critically acclaimed films of 1998 and winner of several awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters is a compassionate speculation about the final days of James Whale (1889-1957), the director of Frankenstein and 20 other films of the 1930s and '40s, who was openly gay at a time when homosexuality in Hollywood was discreetly concealed. Adapted and directed by Bill Condon from Christopher Bram's novel Father of Frankenstein, the film stars Ian McKellen in a sublime performance as the white-haired Whale, who is portrayed as a dapper gent and amateur artist prompted by failing health into melancholy remembrance of things past. Flashbacks of lost love, World War I battle trauma, and glory days in Hollywood combine with Whale's present-day attraction to a newly hired yard worker (Brendan Fraser) whose hunky, Frankenstein-like physique makes him an ideal model for Whale's fixated sketching.

The friendship between the handsome gardener and his elderly gay admirer is by turns tenuous, humorous, mutually beneficial, and ultimately rather sad--but to Condon's credit Whale is never seen as pathetic, lecherous, or senile. Equally rich is the rapport between Whale and his long-time housekeeper (played with wry sarcasm by Lynn Redgrave), who serves as protector, mother, and even surrogate spouse while Whale's mental state deteriorates. Flashbacks to Whale's filmmaking days are painstakingly authentic (particularly in the casting of look-alike actors playing Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester), and all of these ingredients combine to make Gods and Monsters (executive produced by horror novelist-filmmaker Clive Barker) a touchingly affectionate film that succeeds on many levels. It is at once a keen glimpse of Hollywood's past, a loving tribute to James Whale, and a richly moving, delicately balanced drama about loneliness, memory, and the passions that keep us alive. --Jeff Shannon

IMAX Presents - The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef unveils the most colorful and diverse undersea world ever seen. Viewers will be taken on a breathtaking journey through what is the largest coral reef system on the planet stretching over 1400 miles along the east coast of Australia. Experience the beauty of the reef while learning about its colorful and often dangerous inhabitants and their remarkable interrelationships. This spectacular IMAX® film will open an unparalleled window on this beautiful and fragile world.System Requirements:Running Time: 39 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MISCELLANEOUS/SPECIAL INTEREST Rating: NR UPC: 063390097708 Manufacturer No: SDVD9770

Mysterious and only superficially explored by generations of the native Aborigines, Australia's Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's most extraordinary natural life systems. Twelve hundred miles long and made up of coral, it is the Earth's largest structure built by living things, in some places extending 120 miles into the sea. So many varieties of life call the reef home that more than a dozen species can be found within any square meter of its surface. This IMAX film brilliantly captures the visual splendor of this environment with splendid underwater photography typical of the format. Sharks, sea turtles, anemones, and the coral itself are the living subjects of the camera's probing eye. Overall, this documentary is a comprehensive look at this long-studied web of life that leaves a lasting impression of its depth and beauty. --Ed Noble

Christmas In The Clouds

Set in a ski resort this riotous comedy finds a female Native American guest mistakenly identified by the management as a critic for a travel guide. Meanwhile she thinks Ray the owner of the resort is a man she has been exchanging romantically inclined e-mails with. Chaos ensues.System Requirements:Run Time: 94 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 761450122536 Manufacturer No: HH12253

Gods and Monsters (Special Edition)

One of the most critically acclaimed films of 1998 and winner of several awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters is a compassionate speculation about the final days of James Whale (1889-1957), the director of Frankenstein and 20 other films of the 1930s and '40s, who was openly gay at a time when homosexuality in Hollywood was discreetly concealed. Adapted and directed by Bill Condon from Christopher Bram's novel Father of Frankenstein, the film stars Ian McKellen in a sublime performance as the white-haired Whale, who is portrayed as a dapper gent and amateur artist prompted by failing health into melancholy remembrance of things past. Flashbacks of lost love, World War I battle trauma, and glory days in Hollywood combine with Whale's present-day attraction to a newly hired yard worker (Brendan Fraser) whose hunky, Frankenstein-like physique makes him an ideal model for Whale's fixated sketching.

The friendship between the handsome gardener and his elderly gay admirer is by turns tenuous, humorous, mutually beneficial, and ultimately rather sad--but to Condon's credit Whale is never seen as pathetic, lecherous, or senile. Equally rich is the rapport between Whale and his long-time housekeeper (played with wry sarcasm by Lynn Redgrave), who serves as protector, mother, and even surrogate spouse while Whale's mental state deteriorates. Flashbacks to Whale's filmmaking days are painstakingly authentic (particularly in the casting of look-alike actors playing Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester), and all of these ingredients combine to make Gods and Monsters (executive produced by horror novelist-filmmaker Clive Barker) a touchingly affectionate film that succeeds on many levels. It is at once a keen glimpse of Hollywood's past, a loving tribute to James Whale, and a richly moving, delicately balanced drama about loneliness, memory, and the passions that keep us alive. --Jeff Shannon

Black Beauty [Widescreen]

The Slipper and the Rose

You know the story: Cinderella rides in a magical pumpkin to the ball, enchants the prince, and flees at midnight. He finds her slipper and tracks her down, and they live happily ever after. But wait! In The Slipper and the Rose, it turns out there's more to the life of a prince than being charming. The king prefers to choose the prince's wife, one of proper social station who would provide a strong political alliance to ward off the kingdom's enemies. That's one of the twists in this 1976 British take on the classic fairy tale, one of a long line of musical versions.

The disgruntled prince, who's as much of a focal point here as the lady with the footwear, is played by Richard Chamberlain, during the years when he was taking on the classics and had not yet been crowned king of the TV miniseries. He displays a pleasant voice opposite Gemma Craven as Cinderella, and veteran character actor Michael Hordern as the king leads the supporting ensemble. Add lavish sets and lush scenery (partially filmed in Austria), humor, fun choreography, and an Oscar-nominated score full of charming songs by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman (veterans of such Disney movies as Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book, and who also cowrote the script with director Bryan Forbes), and you have a grand, engaging family musical. The 143-minute running time and dreamy, deliberate pace might test the patience of antsy viewers, but this is the first time The Slipper and the Rose has been available on video in its uncut version, and its legion of fans wouldn't have it any other way. --David Horiuchi

The Slipper and the Rose is a grand musical adventure in the tradition of The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady. This lavish production features Richard Chamberlain in a spirited retelling of the classic Cinderella fairy tale, and the Academy Award-nominated score is provided by the Oscar-winning song-writing duo the Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). The Slipper and the Rose is a brilliant mix of fantasy and realism that will enchant viewers of all ages. No musical collection would be complete without this romantically delightful film. Audio commentary by director Bryan Forbes (The Stepford Wives, King Rat). Video interview with the Sherman Brothers. Promotional featurette--Cinderella Story: The Making of "The Slipper and the Rose." Available for the first time on home video in its complete, full-length version. 143 minutes. AC-3 Soundtrack. 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer.

Laurence Olivier Presents

The staggering breadth of roles in Laurence Olivier Presents will reaffirm why so many consider Olivier the greatest actor of the modern era. With every part, from a fussy, controlling lover in Harold Pinter's The Collection to Tennessee William's swaggering Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to a daffy Italian patriarch in Saturday, Sunday, Monday, the British thespian tackles every role with zest and skill, never letting the seemingly effortless accents overshadow the emotions. Ironically, the show that really emphasizes Olivier's talent is the one he isn't in: Hindle Wakes, a strikingly progressive and sardonically funny play from 1912, is co-directed by Olivier and stars Donald Pleasance. Pleasance is a topnotch actor, solid and subtle, but he just doesn't have the cunning intelligence and perpetual fire that burns in Olivier's eyes. These plays feature a fantastic array of actors (including Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Natalie Wood, Joan Plowright, and Alan Bates), but the one who really gives Olivier a run for his money is Joanne Woodward. Her performance as the lonely wife of a struggling Midwestern alcoholic (Olivier) in Come Back, Little Sheba is wrenchingly sad without once asking for pity. Their combined firepower, supported by a simple but assured performance by Carrie Fisher, makes this William Inge play the strongest of a substantial selection. (The one weak spot is the "bonus" film The Ebony Tower; though less stage-bound--it was adapted from a novel by John Fowles, not from a play like the others--the story is lightweight and tries to make up for it with copious nudity.) Towards the end of his career, Olivier took on a lot of mediocre movies for the money; these straightforward but effective television productions will erase all memory of the mercenary hackwork and leave Olivier's fierce, phenomenal talent glowing in your mind. --Bret Fetzer

The greatest actor of the 20th century presents five works by great 20th-century playwrights. Stars include Olivier, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner, Maureen Stapleton, Alan Bates, Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Joanne Woodward, Carrie Fisher, Greta Scacchi, and Joan Plowright..

The Plays
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams. A rich plantation owner and his family come to grips with their greed, envy, and self-delusion.
The Collection by Harold Pinter. What did, or did not, take place in a Leeds Hotel ruffles the lives of four habitués of fashionable London.
Hindle Wakes by Stanley Houghton. An independent young mill worker refuses to bow to convention after an indiscretion with the boss's son.
Come Back, Little Sheba by William Inge. Loss and regret bubble to the surface of a troubled marriage after a young boarder moves in.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday by Eduardo de Filippo. A monumental argument erupts, smolders, and subsides over a weekend in the life of a boisterous Italian family.

Bonus!
The Ebony Tower, the novella by John Fowles adapted by John Mortimer. A young artist studying the work of a great painter becomes intrigued by the elderly man's female companions. Contains some nudity.