Author: King of the Island

Top Secret!

Top Secret! VHS box cover art. Action comedy romance movie starring Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge. With Peter Cushing, Jeremy Kemp, Christopher Villiers, Michael Gough, Harry Ditson, Jim Carter, Eddie Tagoe, Omar Sharif. Directed by David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams. 1984.

Top Secret! on VHS. Starring Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge. With Peter Cushing, Jeremy Kemp, Christopher Villiers, Michael Gough, Harry Ditson, Jim Carter, Eddie Tagoe, Omar Sharif. Directed by David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams. 1984.

From the box:

From the makers of the original Airplane!

Top Secret! pits American rock star Nick Rivers against the dreaded East German High Command. It’s a race against time as Nick teams up with Hillary Flammond to find her father before he can create the ultimate super weapon–the Polaris Mine. Along the way, Top Secret! manages to do for war epics and Elvis films what Airplane! did to disaster movies.

DVD Upgrade: Top Secret

Watch Now (Free With Amazon Prime): Top Secret! [HD]

Hamlet

Laurence Olivier Presents William Shakespeare's Hamlet VHS box cover art. Black and white drama movie starring Laurence Olivier, Eileen Herlie, Basil Sydney, Jean Simmons, Felix Aylmer, Peter Cushing. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Laurence Olivier. 1948.

Laurence Olivier Presents William Shakespeare’s Hamlet on VHS. Starring Laurence Olivier, Eileen Herlie, Basil Sydney, Jean Simmons, Felix Aylmer, Peter Cushing. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Laurence Olivier. 1948.

From the box:

Laurence Olivier Presents William Shakespeare’s Hamlet A Rank Organisation Film

Laurence Olivier gives an immortal performance in this acclaimed adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Hamlet (Laurence Olivier), Prince of Denmark, returns home when his father is killed. There, he learns that his ambitious uncle has married the widowed Queen and claimed Hamlet’s throne for himself. Haunted by his father’s ghost and his own need for revenge, Hamlet’s torment leads to the most inspired poetry in all of Shakespeare, as well as the unforgettable final duel that seals the fate of Denmark.

A potent brew of swordplay, wordplay and outstanding performances, Hamlet won four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor.

DVD Upgrade: Hamlet (The Criterion Collection)

Free Shakespeare: The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark A Study with the Text of the Folio of 1623

Watch Instantly: Hamlet

A Midwinter’s Tale

A Midwinter's Tale VHS box cover art. Comedy movie starring Richard Briers, Hetta Charnley, Joan Collins, Nicholas Farrell, Mark Hadfield, Gerard Horan, Celia Imrie, Michael Maloney, Jennifer Saunders, Julia Sawalha, John Sessions. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. 1995.

A Midwinter’s Tale on VHS. Starring Richard Briers, Hetta Charnley, Joan Collins, Nicholas Farrell, Mark Hadfield, Gerard Horan, Celia Imrie, Michael Maloney, Jennifer Saunders, Julia Sawalha, John Sessions. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. 1995.

From the box:

“… an ‘absolutely fabulous’ instant classic.” — Daphne Davis Movie & Video

Joe Harper is in a rut. His girlfriend just left him and he hasn’t had an acting job in over a year. In a last-ditch effort to build his self-esteem and renew his faith in his chosen profession, Joe spends the last of his savings (plus a loan from his agent) to direct a Christmas production of Hamlet in the sleepy English village of Hope. His open casting call brings a string of misfit performers to audition, and from this very shallow talent pool, Joe enlists six eccentric characters who each have problems of their own. With only two weeks between first rehearsal and opening night, Joe and his eclectic band of thespians tackle both the Bard’s greatest play and their own inadequacies and fears, with surprising — and often hilarious — results.

DVD Upgrade: A Midwinter’s Tale

Throne of Blood

Throne of Blood VHS cover art. Classic Japanese action drama movie starring Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Minoru Chiaki, Takashi Shimura. Directed by Akira Kurosawa. 1957.

Throne of Blood on VHS. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Minoru Chiaki, Takashi Shimura. Directed by Akira Kurosawa. 1957.

From the box:

Akira Kurosawa’s savage, free-flowing adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth plunges viewers into an eerie, fog-shrouded world of madness and obsession. Set in medieval Japan during a period of feudal conflict, Kurosawa’s masterpiece combines the stylization of the Noh theater with the dynamic energy of the American Western to tell the tragic story of an ambitious warlord. Toshiro Mifune gives one of his finest performances as the proud warrior who is destroyed by his wife’s murderous greed and his own all-consuming desire for power. From its first frenzied battle sequences to the brutal climax, in which the entire forest seems to move against Mifune, [spoiler removed], Kurosawa’s brilliantly staged classic is a cinematic triumph.

DVD Upgrade: Throne of Blood (The Criterion Collection)

Rashomon

Rashomon VHS box cover art. Japanese crime thriller movie starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori, Takashi Shimura, Directed by Akira Kurosawa. 1950.

Rashomon on VHS. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori, Takashi Shimura, Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Based on the novel In the Forest by Ryunosuke Hashimoto. 1950.

From the box:

A cinema classic, Rashomon introduced the Western world to the greatness of Akira Kurosawa and paved the way for fellow masters of the Japanese film industry. Characteristic of Kurosawa’s humanism and innovative narrative style, this eloquent masterpiece illuminates the subjectivity of truth through flashbacks, vigorous editing and luminous photography. Four different narrators describe the same brutal act — a woman’s rape and her husband’s consequent death — yet the facts elude us because each interprets the story to make himself appear in the best light. Through subtle gestures, Machiko Kyo (Ugetsu, Gate of Hell) conveys the woman’s supreme loss at the hands of her attacker, played by Toshiro Mifune (Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood) with a savage heat. This visually rich tale poignantly confronts man’s potential for kindness and corruption.

DVD Upgrade: Rashomon

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Sonatine

Quentin Tarantino's Rolling Thunder Pictures Presents Sonatine VHS cover art. Japanese action crime mob movie starring Beat Takeshi Kitano, Aya Kokumai, Tetsu Watanabe. Written and directed by Beat Takeshi Kitano. 1993.

Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder Pictures Presents Sonatine on VHS. Starring Beat Takeshi Kitano, Aya Kokumai, Tetsu Watanabe. Written and directed by Beat Takeshi Kitano. 1993.

From the box:

His mob boss double-crossed him. Now, it’s payback time!

This acclaimed, first-rate crime story packs gritty action and humor with an edgy Pulp Fiction attitude! International action star, “Beat” Takeshi Kitano, plays a seasoned mobster who goes to the island of Okinawa on a “peacekeeping” mission, even though he suspects that his boss is secretly trying to eliminate him! Determined to not go down without a fight, he and his gang know exactly what they have to do… and just want to avoid getting killed doing it! If you like action that’s smart, edgy and fresh, don’t miss this hard-hitting mob thriller!

DVD Upgrade: The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi / Sonatine

Kill Bill Volume 1

Kill Bill Volume 1 VHS box cover art. Action crime thriller movie starring Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. 2003.

Kill Bill Volume 1 on VHS. Starring Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. 2003.

From the box:

The acclaimed fourth film from groundbreaking writer and director Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown), Kill Bill Volume 1 stars Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction), Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Chicago) and Vivica A. Fox (Two Can Play That Game) in an astonishing action-packed thriller about brutal betrayal and an epic vendetta! Four years after taking a bullet in the head at her own wedding, The Bride (Thurman) emerges from a coma and decides it’s time for payback… with a vengeance! Having been gunned down by her former boss (David Carradine) and his deadly squad of international assassins, it’s a kill-or-be-killed fight she didn’t start but is determined to finish! Loaded with explosive action and outrageous humor, it’s a must-see motion picture event that has critics everywhere raving!

DVD Upgrade: Kill Bill: Volume One / Volume Two (Double Feature)

Kung Fu Hustle

Kung Fu Hustle on VHS. Comedy action movie starring Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Leung Siu Lung, Dong Zhi Hua. Directed by Stephen Chow. 2004.

Kung Fu Hustle on VHS. Starring Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Leung Siu Lung, Dong Zhi Hua. Directed by Stephen Chow. 2004.

From the box:

From Walking Disaster To Kung Fu Master

In a town ruled by the Axe Gang, Sing desperately wants to become a member. He stumbles into a slum ruled by eccentric landlords who turn out to be kung fu masters in disguise.

Sing’s actions eventually cause the Axe Gang and the slumlords to engage in an explosive kung fu battle. Only one side will win and only one hero will emerge as the greatest kung fu master of all.

DVD Upgrade: Kung Fu Hustle (Axe-Kickin’ Edition)

Three O’Clock High

Three O'Clock High VHS box cover art. Teenage comedy movie starring Casey Siemaszko, Annie Ryan, Richard Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor, Philip Baker Hall, John P. Ryan, Mitch Pileggi. Directed by Phil Joanou. 1987.

Three O’Clock High on VHS. Starring Casey Siemaszko, Annie Ryan, Richard Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor, Philip Baker Hall, John P. Ryan, Mitch Pileggi. Directed by Phil Joanou. 1987.

From the box:

Jerry Mitchell just bumped into Buddy Revell. Now Jerry isn’t thinking about math or English. Because at three o’clock, he’s history.

Jerry Mitchell is having one of those days.
He’s late for high school, his car has a flat tire and he’s been sent to the dean’s office. But worst of all, he’s incurred the wrath of the feared new student, Buddy Revell, the biggest, meanest, downright nastiest guy in class who forces him into a fight at 3 P.M. in the school parking lot.
Poor Jerry has just seven hours, a good supply of wit, a few friends, a savvy kid sister and the worst luck of any kid alive, to find a way out of his tough problem.
As the clock ticks away and the suspense mounts, Jerry realizes there’s no way he can avoid facing the muscle-bound bully in a fight that will probably be his last. It’s brain against brawn in one of today’s best contemporary teenage comedies.

DVD Upgrade: Three O’Clock High

Time For School (Watch Instantly): Three O’Clock High

Rock ‘N’ Roll High School Forever

Rock 'N' Roll High School Forever VHS box cover art. Comedy music movie starring Corey Feldman, Larry Linville, Mary Woronov, Evan Richards, Liane Curtis, Sarah Buxton, Mojo Nixon. Directed by Deborah Brock. 1991.

Roger Corman presents Corey Feldman in Rock ‘N’ Roll High School Forever on VHS. Starring Corey Feldman, Larry Linville, Mary Woronov, Evan Richards, Liane Curtis, Sarah Buxton, Mojo Nixon. Directed by Deborah Brock. 1991.

From the box:

The High School Comedy About The 3 R’s — Rock — Rock — and Rock!

High-schooler Jesse Davis (Corey Feldman of “The Lost Boys” and “License to Drive”) and his band, the Eradicators, know bad news when they see it. And the ba-a-a-dest news of all is the school’s new V.P. of Discipline, who rules with an iron fist — literally.

Can the Eradicators eradicate the V.P.? Does rock ‘n’ roll rule?

It doesn’t just rule… it totally dominates the entire student body in this outrageous, prank-filled comedy, based on characters created by Joe Dante (“Gremlins”) and Allan Arkush (“Caddyshack II”).

Mojo Nixon joins the fun as the Spirit of Rock ‘n’ Roll. And a red-hot lineup of classics and rad new tunes keeps rockin’ from beginning to end. What an awesome way to save school from the uncool!

DVD Upgrade: Red Carpet Double Feature: South Beach Academy/Rock ‘n’ Roll High School Forever