Mora, Philippe

Communion (Special Collector's Edition)

Was author Whitley Strieber telling the truth about extraterrestrial visitations in his bestselling book, Communion? Perhaps no one can really prove or disprove it, making the enigma of Strieber himself more interesting than his allegations. That's precisely the angle taken by this film adaptation, in which Christopher Walken's richly eccentric performance becomes a fascinating portrait of something more important than rumors of alien abduction--that is, human resistance and surrender to transformation. The script does an end run around the deductive process and research Strieber employed in his book to substantiate his claims. Instead, the story concentrates on the impact of those experiences on Strieber's own psyche: the disbelief, the repressed memories, the mounting helplessness and futility as the years go by.

Walken makes it all terribly compelling, from his childlike compliance to the diminutive aliens who turn up in his home at night to an unexpected story climax in which Strieber demystifies the little buggers on his own surprisingly comic terms. The supporting cast is terrific, including Lindsay Crouse as Strieber's concerned wife, Frances Sternhagen as a doctor, and Joel Carlson as Strieber's son. This is not an offering that panders to today's alleged abductees, but rather a study of a sole survivor who finds his peace on his own terms. --Tom Keogh

Based on the best-selling novel by Whitley Strieber, "Communion" features what is considered by many to be Christopher Walken's finest performance to date. "Communion" depicts the personal and professional crises a writer experiences after a series of encounters with non-human beings. This film is arguably the most intelligent film about the alien abduction/visitor phenomenon. Unlike countless made-for-TV films, where the emphasis is on the sensationalistic, "shocking" aspects of the subject, "Communion" focuses on the psychological and emotional harm the experience does. We see Strieber (Walken) describe his experiences to his medical doctor, and then to a psychiatrist. Once his own mental health has been established, then (and only then) does he begin to consider the possibility that the creatures he has seen are actually real. Did Streiber actually experience these abductions. You be the judge.

Howling II - Your Sister Is a Werewolf

After countless millennia of watching waiting and stalking the unholy creatures known as werewolves are poised to inherit the earth. Legendary horror icon Christopher Lee faces off against lusty cult favorite Sybil Danning in this terrifying descent into a world of nightmares that turns out to be all too real!After newscaster Karen White's shocking on-screen transformation and violent death (in the original The Howling) her brother Ben (Reb Brown) is approached by Stefan Crosscoe (Lee) a mysterious man who claims that Karen has in fact become a werewolf. But this is the least of their worries... To save mankind Stefan and Ben must travel to Transylvania to battle and destroy Stirba (Danning) the immortal queen of all werewolves before she is restored to her full powers!System Requirements:Running Time: 91 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 027616926654 Manufacturer No: 1008655

The Beast Within

The Return Of Captain Invincible

During World War II, superhero Captain Invincible helped us fight the cause and was called a hero. But soon after, he was labeled a communist sympathizer and simply disappeared from sight. Now, years later, his arch enemy Mr. Midnight is back and has stolen the U.S. governments latest super weapon. The good news: We've located Captain Invincible. The bad news: He has become an overweight alcoholic and is hiding in Australia. And...he's forgotten how to fly! Can Captain Invincible get on the wagon? Can he learn how to fly again? Will Mr. Midnight destroy the world?

The Beast Within / The Bat People

Joseph's Gift

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

As those who are old enough to have lived through the Great Depression disappear, the era seems more and more remote; it's nearly impossible for later generations to understand just how desperate things were in the United States in the 1930s. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? captures not only the history but also the culture of the time in a rather unusual documentary format. Totally without the benefit of narration, the movie mixes newsreel footage with clips from Hollywood films to tell the story, from the stock market crash through Pearl Harbor. Movie-minded viewers will easily recognize footage from They Made Me a Criminal, Public Enemy, Golddiggers of 1933, Employee's Entrance, Little Caesar, Lady Killer, I Was a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, and countless other Hollywood films from the time--some classics, some more obscure. The scope of the film covers not only historical landmarks such as the Dust Bowl, FDR's election, and the New Deal, but dance marathons and the Louis-Schmeling heavyweight fight for a comprehensive look at the country's social climate. The formula works well, for the most part; especially before the imposition of the Hays Code chilled Hollywood's tone, the '30s saw the birth of the "social consciousness" picture that dealt with topical issues in straightforward ways. Brother only falls down when it attempts to wrap up the film by bringing it up to the present time (1975, anyway); its ending seems superfluous, tacked-on. Still, for history buffs and movie fans alike, this is an interesting account of a pivotal decade in American history. --Jerry Renshaw

The chronicle of an unforgettable piece of American history--12 crazy, painful see-saw years, from the Wall Street crash to Pearl Harbor. By juxtaposing contemporary news and documentary footage with extracts from Hollywood classics such as Golddiggers, Lady Killer and Wild Boys of the Road, director Philippe Mora offers an immediate, intricate and evocative scrapbook of the 1930s. 111 minutes.

Snide and Prejudice

In this outragaeous, sharply satirical black comedy. misguided Dr. Cohen (Deep Space Nine's Rene Auberjonois) attempts a radical new cure for dementia by encouraging deranged patient Michael (Braveheart's Angus MacFadyen) to pretend he's Adolf Hitler! The doctor also enlists the fellow patients, who all have delusional complexes of their own, to become major figures in the dictator's life, including Eva Braun and Joseph Goebbels. Directed by Philippe Mora (Communion), this Cannes Film Festival favorite features a wild supporting cast including rocker Mick Fleetwood as Pablo Picasso, Mena Suvari (American Beauty), Sam Bottoms (The Last Picture Show), Joseph Bottoms (Blind Date), Brion James (Blade Runner), Claudia Christian (The Hidden), Richard Moll (TV's "Night Court"), Richard Edson (Do the Right Thing), and many more! One of L.A. Weekly's Top 10 Films of the Year!

Mad Dog Morgan

Dennis Hopper plays Dan Morgan, the infamous real-life 1800's outlaw. Morgan is an Irish immigrant working as a gold digger in the treacherous Australian brush. Rejected by his comrades, Morgan resorts to stealing horses - only to be caught and sentenced to jail. After years of abuse and brutality he is released and falls back into his bandit ways. Soon Morgan is wanted at any price, dead or alive, setting the backdrop for this intense and riveting thriller.

DVD Features:

-Informative and inspiring introduction by Lloyd Kaufman, President of Troma Entertainment and creator of The Toxic Avenger!

-Fascinating interview with Philippe Mora, director of Mad Dog Morgan!

-The Make Your Own Damn Movie Box Set film school in a box!

-Original theatrical trailers for Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills and Rowdy Girls, Foreplay, The Wedding Party and Madigan's Millions!

-Radiation March

Sights, Frights, and Tights (Communion / The Howling III - The Marsupials / The Return of Captain Invincible)

From acclaimed Director Philippe Mora comes a collection sure to please all "genre" film fans. "Howling 3" is a "tongue-in-pouch" horror comedy, set in Australia, is about a werewolf colony that evolved from the (now-extinct) marsupial wolf. During World War II, superhero Captain Invincible helped us fight the cause and was called a hero. But soon after, he was labeled a communist sympathizer and simply disappeared from sight. Can he learn how to fly again? Will Mr. Midnight destroy the world? Find out in "The Return of Captain Invincible" . In "Communion", a writer experiences personal and professional crises after a series of encounters with non-human beings. Based on the novel by Whitley Strieber.