Cruickshank, Andrew

El Cid (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (The Miriam Collection)

Anthony Mann masterfully directs this classic tale of the 11th-century hero (Heston) who fought to unite Spain. Known as history s "compassionate warrior" the film follows El Cid s remarkable journey from peace-broker accused of treason to the King s fighting champion and later from exiled hero to legendary martyr.System Requirements:Run Time: 188 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/CLASSICS UPC: 796019803960 Manufacturer No: 80396

Technically ambitious but artistically underwhelming, this 1961 epic by Anthony Mann (Man of the West) stars Charlton Heston as an 11th-century hero who drives the Moors from Spain. The film has been described as "glum," and that is indeed apt for a story that focuses so much on its central character's losses in the face of his simultaneous, mythic approbation. Then again, Mann has always been interested in the hidden weaknesses in prevailing myths, so that's not unusual. What is unusual in El Cid is the degree to which technology takes over his filmmaking, as it does here with so many grandiose and bravura moments with a roving camera that don't add up to anything beyond spectacle. As an achievement of Hollywood's technical advancements in the postwar years, and also as part of the filmographies of Mann and Heston, the film is well worth a look. But it is not the artistic equal of other epics of its day, such as Lawrence of Arabia. --Tom Keogh

Miss Marple - 3 Feature Length Mysteries (The Body in the Library / A Murder Is Announced / A Pocketful of Rye)

The beloved dowager detective Miss Marple (Joan Hickson) unravels three of Agatha Christie's most popular brainteasers: A Murder Is Announced A Pocketful of Rye and the series premiere The Body in the Library.Running Time: 421 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: MYSTERY/SUSPENSE Rating: NR UPC: 794051168924 Manufacturer No: E1689

In the hands of Agatha Christie, the murder mystery is like a sonata crossed with a magic trick--an intricate formal structure that depends on ingenious misdirection. On top of that, the movies made from her novels are an opportunity for great British character actors to languish in icy disdain, insinuating glances, arch humor, and trembling suggestions of guilt. This set gathers together three fine BBC productions, starting with The Body in the Library (in which a blond stranger's corpse turns up in a British squire's house), A Murder Is Announced) (in which a supposed parlor game has fatal consequences), and A Pocketful of Rye (in which a nursery rhyme becomes a recipe for a series of poisonings). All star Joan Hickson as Christie's much-loved elderly sleuth, Miss Marple. The way Hickson's eyes light up at the mention of mysterious death makes her seem like a delightfully dotty old ghoul; she hovers at the periphery of investigations, noticing the telling details that police inspectors overlook. The productions lay out plot threads and clues with surgical precision, while the actors play stock characters with exquisite relish. --Bret Fetzer

Greyfriars Bobby

Released in 1961--the same year as The Absent-Minded Professor and The Parent Trap--Greyfriars Bobby epitomizes the heart-on-its-sleeve sentimentality that was the special preserve of the Disney Studio. Based on a true story, the film follows the adventures of a wee Skye terrier who refuses to be separated from his master, even in death. Bobby sleeps on the old man's grave in the cemetery of Greyfriars church; he won't be driven away by Mr. Brown, the groundskeeper (Donald Crisp), or adopted by Mr. Trail (Laurence Naismith), the kindly restaurant owner. Bobby wins over both men, as well as the children in the neighborhood tenements. When a priggish policeman charges Mr. Trail with harboring an unlicensed stray, the case becomes a tempest in a dog dish. Greyfriars Bobby offers handsome vistas of Edinburgh; however, even at 91 minutes the pace is meandering. Crisp and Naismith offer engaging performances as the reluctant friends (and rivals for Bobby's affection), but everyone speaks with such thick Scottish burrs it's like attending Groundskeeper Willie's family reunion. Suitable for all ages. --Charles Solomon

There's magic in the memories as great Disney moments are captured right here for you and your family to enjoy. Overflowing with warmth and charm, GREYFRIARS BOBBY celebrates the powerful bond between man and a kind and loving animal. Based on Eleanor Atkinson's immortal children's book -- Walt Disney presents the remarkable true story of one of Scotland's most beloved and celebrated heroes -- a terrier named Bobby! The enduring friendship forged between a tenderhearted shepherd known simply as Old Jock and his devoted dog cannot be broken -- even by the kindly old man's death. Set in bustling Victorian Edinburgh and the breathtaking Scottish countryside, GREYFRIARS BOBBY is a sensitive tale of uncommon loyalty and affection that is certain to delight and inspire one and all!

Richard III - Criterion Collection

The third and final entry in Laurence Olivier's Shakespeare triptych, Richard III (1954) is an audacious portrait of a man determined to prove himself a villain. As the personification of evil impudence, Olivier portrays the Duke of Gloucester with such aplomb that he brings the audience onto his side. This is true even as Richard engineers plots to murder his brother Clarence (John Gielgud), betray his cousin Buckingham (Ralph Richardson), and seduce his niece Lady Anne (Claire Bloom). From the play's famous opening lines ("Now is the winter of our discontent"), Olivier delivers every speech with truly Machiavellian splendor, and his superb staging of the climactic battle rivals his work on Henry V. Regrettably, this