Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies VHS cover art. Adventure drama thriller movie starring James Aubrey, Tom Chapin, Hugh Edwards, Roger Elwin. Directed by Peter Brook. Based on the novel by William Golding. 1963.

Lord of the Flies on VHS. Starring James Aubrey, Tom Chapin, Hugh Edwards, Roger Elwin. Directed by Peter Brook. Based on the novel by William Golding. 1963.

From the box:

“A near perfect adaptation… Visually hypnotic and powerful.” — Video Movie Guide

The original film adaptation of William Golding’s classic moral parable, Peter Brook’s Lord of the Flies has been praised as “one of those rare instances in which the movie is better than the book.” Stranded on a remote island, a group of British schoolboys try to organize themselves into a law-abiding society: “After all, we’re not savages — we’re English,” one of them proclaims. The decent, levelheaded Ralph is picked to lead them, but is soon rivaled by the brash and outspoken Jack, whose appeals to the boys’ primal urges of food and fear soon threaten Ralph’s rule. As Jack’s unruly bank of hunters quickly grows in number, the boys’ fragile society disintegrates, and they plunge headlong into anarchy and bloodshed. Brook’s decision to shoot his tropical film in black and white is inspired: The resulting stark images add depth and weight to the chilling study of the inherent defects of society and man. In today’s post-Cold War world, with its lack of simple “us versus them” conclusions, Lord of the Flies becomes an even more compelling film, exploring how easily the threads that hold our social fabric together can thin, fray, and ultimately unravel.

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Put On Your (Reading) Glasses: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Frogs

Frogs VHS cover art. Horror movie starring Ray Milland, Sam Elliott, Joan Van Ark, Adam Roarke, Judy Pace, Mae Mercer. Directed by George McCowan. 1972.

Frogs on VHS. Starring Ray Milland, Sam Elliott, Joan Van Ark, Adam Roarke, Judy Pace, Mae Mercer. Directed by George McCowan. 1972.

From the box:

Everyone knows that man is the dominant species on Earth. Or… is he?

“Frogs” is the shudder-inducing answer to that query, a nightmare of what can happen when the denizens of your local swamp decide to strike back at the so-called “intelligent” life form that despoils their environment.

In the best horror film tradition, this grisly tale unfolds on an isolated island off the coast of the deep South, where great-grandfather Jason Crockett (Ray Milland) gathers the clan to celebrate his birthday and the Fourth of July. And after family members discover the corpse of the island’s caretaker — who had been spraying poison to limit the expanding frog population — crawling with frogs and snakes, it becomes ominously apparent that the party will have unexpected guests as well.

Gate-crashing is subtle at first: the maid and the butler discover a poisonous snake in the dining room, and small bevies of frogs start hopping into the mansion. The festivities only get deadlier after that.

One of Jason’s grandsons goes into the woods to repair torn telephone lines and meets an arachnid array that will set you squirming. Another grandson ventures into the greenhouse where some curious lizards have discovered a cache of deadly insecticide. By now, fright fans get the picture: old man Crockett and his brood won’t leave the island alive if Mother Nature’s minions have their say.

Creepy crawlers of all sizes have been marshalled to create “Frogs” realistically gruesome effects. Besides frogs, snakes and lizards, all manner of spiders, tarantulas, scorpions, alligators, salamanders, toads, leeches and even an alligator turtle contribute lethal specialties,

Who among such stalwart players as Sam Elliot, Joan Van Ark, Adam Roarke, Judy Pace and Mae Mercer will survive this reptilian revenge? It would spoil the party to tell, especially since “Frogs” will not only keep you perched at the edge of your seat but also persuade you to think twice before squashing a bug or swatting a fly again. After all, today the pond… tomorrow the world!

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The Life of Python

The Life of Python VHS Box Set. Conceived, written and performed by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. With special appearances by Eddie Izzard, Meat Loaf, Kevin Kline, Sir David Frost, Ronnie Corbett, & the creators of South Park, Trey Parker & Matt Stone. 2000.

The Life of Python VHS Box Set. Conceived, written and performed by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. With special appearances by Eddie Izzard, Meat Loaf, Kevin Kline, Sir David Frost, Ronnie Corbett, & the creators of South Park, Trey Parker & Matt Stone. 2000.

From the box:

They’re not all dead yet.

For more than 30 years, devout fans of Monty Python have tortured the rest of us with endless repetition of the “Dead Parrot Sketch,” “The Spanish Inquisition,” “Spam,” “The Lumberjack Song,” “Nudge Nudge” and more.
In a desperate attempt to shut them up, A&E presents this, the ultimate Python fanatic’s collection, chock full of interviews, new material, tours, new material, de rigeur “lost” episodes and bits, new material, shots of the old geezers sitting on their laurels, and, of course, new material.

VHS Tape 1: It’s… The Monty Python Story
This outrageous BBC production celebrates 30 years of Python with new Monty Python sketches, a plethora of guest appearances and the funniest funeral you’ll ever attend.

VHS Tape 2: A Veritable Potpourri of Python
Pythonland — Journey with Michael Palin in search of the locations where the best known Python sketches were shot.
The Lost Python Mayday Special — A fun and fusty relic from the 1971 Pan-European May Day Festival, freshly dug from the BBC rubbish bin.
From Spain to Sperm: Monty Python’s Greatest Hits — Join host Meat Loaf for a countdown of the songs we were grounded for singing as kids.
An animated South Park tribute.

VHS Tape 3: Monty Python’s Filegender Zirkus #2
One of the famous “lost” German episodes never before available in the U.S. Yes, Monty Python is funny in German! Unfortunately, this programme is in English.

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Red Dwarf I: The End

Red Dwarf I: The End VHS cover art. British television sci-fi comedy starring Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Norman Lovett. Created and written by Rob Grant, Doug Naylor. 1988.

Red Dwarf I: The End on VHS. Starring Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Norman Lovett. Created and written by Rob Grant, Doug Naylor. 1988.

From the box:

THE VESSEL: The mining ship Red Dwarf.
THE CREW: The slobbiest, most whacked-out bunch of spacebums and losers ever to set foot in an alternative reality.
THE MISSION: To get back to Earth and have a wash.

THE UNIVERSE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.

Byte One

THE ORIGINAL PILOT SHOW
THE END

A radiation leak wipes out the crew of the mining ship Red Dwarf, leaving only one survivor — Chicken Soup Machine Repair Man, Dave Lister. After three million years in suspended animation, Lister emerges to find he is the last human being in the universe. But he is not alone.

FUTURE ECHOES

When Red Dwarf breaks the speed of light, time dilates, and the crew begin to experience visions from their own futures. Sadly for Lister his future appears to include being reduced to his component atoms by a rather large explosion. Happily for Rimmer, Lister’s future appears to include being reduced to his component atoms by a rather large explosion.

BALANCE OF POWER

Rimmer encounters his most dangerous blood chilling challenge ever — Lister is taking the chef’s exam. If Lister passes he will hold sufficient rank to have Rimmer replaced as the ship’s hologram. Just how low will the universe’s most obnoxious dead man stoop to stop him?

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Watch Now: The End

The Terminator

The Terminator VHS cover art. Action sci-fi movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield. Directed by James Cameron. 1984.

The Terminator on VHS. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield. Directed by James Cameron. 1984.

From the box:

In the year of Darkness, 2029, the rulers of this planet have devised the ultimate plan. They will reshape the Future by changing the Past. The plan requires something that feels no pity. No pain. No fear. They create The Terminator.

A brilliant flash of light and an earsplitting explosion mark the arrival of the Terminator, a cyborg (part man, part machine) sent to present day Earth from the future on a deadly mission. His task: to kill a young woman whose life will have great significance in the decades to come.

The mechanical monster from the future leaves behind him an unspeakable path of destruction. Nothing can stop The Terminator!

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Read The Movie Tie-In: The Terminator Paperback Book by Randall Frakes (Author) , Bill Wisher (Author) , James Cameron (Author)