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Inspired by Fyodor Dostoyevsky s classic novel CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, Robert Bresson s PICKPOCKET tells the story of a man whose attraction to crime threatens to condemn him forever--spiritually as well as physically. Michel (Martin LaSalle), a young thief, is caught one afternoon, breaking his dying mother`s heart and shocking his friends. Fortunately for Michel, the police inspector (Jean Piligri) is unable to prosecute him, but the implications nonetheless sour Michel s once firm social standing. Trying to straighten his ways, Michel is again drawn to the criminal world, where under the tutelage of a master pickpocket he reverts back to thievery. All the while, his conscience nags at him, in the memory of his deceased mother as well as in the presence of Jeanne (Marika Green), a beautiful young woman who shows compassion toward the troubled Michel. Eventually, Michel s lucky streak ends, forcing him to find redemption in the most ironic of circumstances. Using his now-legendary simplistic storytelling style, Bresson is able to elevate his story to a supremely spiritual state, making for a stunningly powerful viewing experience. Delivering their lines slowly and somberly, the actors give the audience even more time for inner reflection, resulting in a cinematic masterwork.
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A meditation on revolutionary fervor, adapted from the Tolstoy story by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, THE DIVINE AND THE HUMAN stars Guilio Brogi as Giulio Manieri. An aristocrat by birth, he is the impassioned leader of an anarchist movement in 1875 Italy. When his threadbare forces are defeated in the attempted takeover of a village, Guilio kills the mayor with a Parthian shot. Although condemned to die, the anarchist has his sentence changed to life in prison by the governor, who is trying to avoid creating a martyr. Locked in solitary confinement, Giulio makes the hours pass by fantasizing about a glorious future in which his actions will be regarded as heroic, even holding imaginary conversations with fellow partisans who assure him of his place in the pantheon of anarchism. After a decade of incarceration, Giulio boards a boat to be relocated to another prison, and encounters a younger group of dissidents, who have foresworn his brand of revolutionary extremism for a more pragmatic, reformist politics. Naturally, this comes as a sobering revelation to the firebrand. A distanced contemplation of revolutionary politics, ST. MICHAEL HAD A ROOSTER is a powerful, meaningful film.DVD Features:Region (unknown)Full Frame - 1.33
Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005.
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Luis Koo stars in this gritty tale of vengeance as Joe, a man haunted by his brother's unsolved murder. Determined to find his brother's killer, Joe soon finds himself deep in the world of underground boxing. Convinced that one of the sport's boxers killed his brother, Joe begins to feel that he may not be able to control himself when finally confronted with the killer.DVD Features:Region 1Keep CaseLetterboxedAudio; Dolby Digital 5.1 - Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1 - Mandarin DTS Surround 5.1 - Cantonese DTS Surround 5.1 - Mandarin Subtitles - English - Optional Subtitles - Chinese - OptionalAdditional Release Material: Making-of TrailersInteractive Features: Scene Access Interactive MenusText/Photo Galleries: Filmographies
Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005.
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This sly, comic take on the world of French cinema centers on a big-name actor (Michel Blanc) who discovers too late he's been replaced in his life and work by a sinister, effective double. Very much an insider's film, this work features a host of Gaellic actors playing themselves (as well as their ubiquitous doubles).DVD Features:Region 1Keep CaseInteractive Features: Scene Access Interactive Menus
Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005.
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Ingmar Bergman's acclaimed drama, which deals with the fractured relationships between three sisters, is set in a vast turn-of-the-century manor house where unidentified voices are continually whispering and mingle with a dying woman's cries of pain. Karin and Maria (played by Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann, respectively) have come to stay with their sister Agnes (Harriet Andersson), who is suffering from cancer, during the final stretch of her illness. Attending to Agnes is her faithful maid Anna (Kari Sylwan), who, in spite of her apparent social inferiority, is the only one who remains steadfast and dauntless until the very end--the two other women, plagued by guilt, loneliness, and jealousy of one another, are unable to offer assistance or even sympathy in their sister's hour of need. Lauded often for its innovative stylistic elements (such as flashbacks introduced by a fade to red--a color that dominates the picture as a whole--and extreme, expressive close-ups of the actresses' faces), CRIES AND WHISPERS features sumptuous period costume design and stunning photography by longtime Bergman cinematographer Sven Nykvist.DVD Features:Region 1Keep CaseAnamorphic Widescreen - 1.66Single Side - Dual LayerRSDLAudio: Mono - SwedishAdditional Release Material: Production Interview - 1. Ingmar Bergman - Director, Erland Josephson - Collaborator
Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005.
For personal use only.
All rights reserved.