CD-Charts Position 1
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Rebecca [1940]

starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Judith Anderson, Nigel Bruce
directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Release Date November 26, 2007
The one that got the Best Picture Oscar...even if it was David O Selznick who picked it up as producer. It remains one of his most popular features, especially with women by all accounts, although Germaine Greer isn't a fan.

This was Hitch's first Hollywood film and is a brooding atmospheric film that takes a great novel (which was normally something Hitchcock would avoid like the plague, arguing that if a novel was too good, how could he possibly improve on it) and makes it into a film that is just as good, if not better.

Joan Fontaine makes a compelling "Second Mrs De.Winter" and whilst Laurence Oliver can't quite drop his "luvvy" acting style to make the role as Maxim De Winter equally as compelling, it's fair ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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The Ghost And Mrs Muir [1947]

starring: Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, George Sanders, Edna Best, Anna Lee
directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Release Date May 09, 2005
A lovely gentle way to spend the evening. Rex Harrison is marvellous as the ghost with his deep and expressive voice. George Sanders is splendidly caddish with the voice that my 11 year old daughter immediately recognised as Shere Khan. Gene Tierney was very decorative but put into the shade by the other two leads.

The cinematography was lovely and deserved its oscar nomination.

A nice gentle story.

CD-Charts Position 3
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Tony Hancock Collection: The Punch And Judy Man / The Rebel

starring: Tony Hancock, Sylvia Syms, Ronald Fraser, Barbara Murray, John Le Mesurier
directed by: Jeremy Summers, Robert Day

Release Date October 16, 2006
Two stars is for the very poor presentation of these films which I feel I must alert potential buyers to. Basically, although both films were originally made in widescreen (and have been shown on TV in such before now) they are presented here in scanned and cropped 4:3 versions. Why this is so in this day and age is beyond me. I guess they just put some old 4:3 prints on to disc rather than re sourcing them as it was cheaper?

Another major fault is that in 'The Punch and Judy Man' at least one scene is cut from the film; where Walter Pinner rams the flowers up the pigs nether regions. This is an important scene showing the characters frustrations with his life and when the Mayoress notices the pig in the shop later on it is not explained ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Black Swan

starring: Maureen O'Hara, George Sanders

Release Date August 28, 2006
Two stars is for the very poor presentation of these films which I feel I must alert potential buyers to. Basically, although both films were originally made in widescreen (and have been shown on TV in such before now) they are presented here in scanned and cropped 4:3 versions. Why this is so in this day and age is beyond me. I guess they just put some old 4:3 prints on to disc rather than re sourcing them as it was cheaper?

Another major fault is that in 'The Punch and Judy Man' at least one scene is cut from the film; where Walter Pinner rams the flowers up the pigs nether regions. This is an important scene showing the characters frustrations with his life and when the Mayoress notices the pig in the shop later on it is not explained ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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All About Eve (2 Disc Cinema Reserve Special Edition In Metal Case) [1950]

starring: Bette Davis, Eddie Fisher, Barbara Bates, Walter Hampden, Eugene Borden
directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Release Date February 27, 2006
Far more eloquent people than I have extolled the virtues of this classic - not least, the Academy themselves who nominated it for an unbeaten 14 Oscar nominations (it won 6).
It's not often one can say a movie is perfect, especially one over half a century old - and yet this movie does just that. It is a perfect fusion of cast, director, and above all, script. And what a genius screenplay it is - literate, without ever being elitist. Scathing and caustic yet never lacking warmth, it is remarkable that such an insightful movie about women was made by a man - Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
The story revolves around Eve Harrington, a young woman who appears as an adoring fan at the theatre back door, waiting for Margo Channing, played by Bette Davis. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
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Solomon And Sheba [1959]

starring: Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders, Marisa Pavan, David Farrar
directed by: King Vidor

Release Date February 02, 2004
First off, this was not made by MGM (it's a United Artists film) and Tyrone Power cannot be scene in the battle
sequences. He is only visible in one shot of the trailer. It is interesting to speculate on what the film would
have been like with Power but, the truth is, in existing photos from the first version he looks too old for the part. Yul Brynner was an excellent choice to replace him and does a wonderful job in the role. Gina Lollobrigida is unbelievably beautiful as Sheba and wears some of the most revealing costumes in a film up to that time. This is a large scale and
hugely entertaining motion picture. The UK DVD is by far the best transfer I have ever seen of SOLOMON AND
SHEBA and well worth adding to your collection.

CD-Charts Position 7
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In Search Of The Castaways [1961]

starring: Maurice Chevalier, Hayley Mills, George Sanders, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Michael Anderson Jr.
directed by: Robert Stevenson

Release Date April 19, 2004
Hayley Mills is an appealing young heroine in search of her shipwrecked father but Maurice Chevalier, coming across more like a prospective dirty old man than a guardian, is a distinct embarrassment on the quest that sees them brave fire, flood, earthquake and unfriendly natives. Filming by numbers, this is surprisingly heavy-going.

A lavish but abortive attempt to recreate the success of Swiss Family Robinson and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and filmed when Walt himself still ruled the studio with an iron hand, a lot of money has obviously been spent on In Search of the Castaways - Paul Beeson's colour photography and Michael Stringer's art direction are very attractive - but little care. The script is disjointed and ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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Endless Night

starring: Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, Britt Ekland, George Sanders, Peter Bowles
directed by: Sidney Gilliat

Release Date February 27, 2006
In my view, this is a chiller with staying power. It is one of the hardest films to review, because doing so in any real detail would give the game away. Suffice to say, the film is an extremely clever piece of work, in the sub-Hitchcock manner (as an obvious homage to the Great Man, it even features a theme from Bernard Herrmann), which does not cling rigidly to the framework of Dame Agatha's novel but ditches parts of it and brilliantly conceals the true thrust of the story until very late in the day. Just watch it, and admire. It may even haunt you like it has haunted me for many years.

CD-Charts Position 9
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Foreign Correspondent

starring: Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, Herbert Marshall, George Sanders, Albert Bassermann
directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Release Date April 21, 2003
The other reviews cover most of the points I was going to make so I'll be brief. I expect there are many taking advantage of the various Hitchcock boxset offers around and after being delighted with their quality are wondering whether to pick up the remaining Hitchcock films at a slightly higher (per film) price. There need be no qualms with this one. Although comments about the contrived plot are relevant, you could make the same argument about many of today's supposedly sophisticated thrillers. What we have here is a compelling,visually wonderful, romp through the wartorn Europe Hitchcock had just left behind. When you consider the context the speech at the end is a great cinematic moment. Hitch also gets believeable performances from nearly all the cast- Laraine Day was ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
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The Jungle Book (Disney) (1967) [1968]

starring: Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George Sanders, Sterling Holloway
directed by: Wolfgang Reitherman

Release Date February 21, 2000
In one of Walt Disney's classics, Bagheera the panther offers to take Mowgli, a young boy, to the man village before the evil tiger Shere Khan gets to him.

This family adventure is a classic, made so by a beautiful sentimental plot about human emotions, including loyalty, sensitivity and most importantly love. And these human emotions are decoded through the animals of the jungle.

With the enchanting and fun loving actions of Baloo the bear and the honest and hard actions of Bagheera, do audiences get that true feel of the human spirit, and the facts of life, to have fun, but to face the truth as well, which is also reflected in some of the most catchy and enjoyable songs ever created for a Disney picture.

"The Bear Necessities", "Trust in ... Read More: