Greetings from Amazon.com Delivers Art House and International Video Editor, Simon Leake FEATURED IN THIS E-MAIL: * Word for Word: "Waiting for Guffman" * New Releases for Sale: "The Blair Witch Project," "Waking Ned Devine," "Orpheus" * This Month's Top 5: "Sanshiro Sugata," "Ivan the Terrible, Part One," "Ivan the Terrible, Part Two," "Wild Man Blues," "The Soft Skin" * Focus On: John Cassavetes * Gallic Gangsters * Advance Orders: "Shakespeare in Love," "Europa Europa," "Central Station" WORD FOR WORD ************* "Here's the 'Remains of the Day' lunchbox. Kids don't like eating at school, but if they have a 'Remains of the Day' lunchbox they're a lot happier." --Christopher Guest as Corky St. Clair in "Waiting for Guffman" "Waiting for Guffman" starring Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard, and Matthew Keeslar http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/079073155X/entertainmentsit NEW RELEASES FOR SALE ********************* "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) (VHS; rated R) starring Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard; directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00001QGUK/entertainmentsit If you thought this was scary when you saw it in the theater, wait until you watch it at home, alone, in the dark. If you're wondering what all the fuss was about, then it's time to watch the movie that not only frightened a large section of the moviegoing public, but also redefined our idea of what it takes to make a hit movie. Next to "The Blair Witch Project," Hollywood's special-effects-heavy blockbusters look bloated and unnecessary. "Waking Ned Devine" (1998) (VHS; rated PG) starring Ian Bannen and David Kelly; directed by Kirk Jones http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000ILEA/entertainmentsit There's whimsy aplenty in this warm and witty Irish comedy. When local wag Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) discovers that one of his neighbors is a lottery winner, he sees a chance to share in the wealth. But the winner, Ned Devine, died of shock at the very moment he learned of becoming a millionaire. Undaunted, Jackie and pal Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly) dispose of the lucky stiff and hatch a plot to impersonate him and claim the prize. Lightweight but irresistible, "Waking Ned Devine" is a charming little film, and lovers of movie trivia might like to know that the movie was filmed not in Ireland, but on the Isle of Man. "Orpheus" (1949) (VHS; not rated; English subtitles) starring Jean Marais; directed by Jean Cocteau http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/630320208X/entertainmentsit Cocteau was a master of the delicately surreal, and "Orpheus" is one of his strangest and most hypnotic creations. The director updates the story of Orpheus's journey into the Underworld, making the hero a young Parisian poet who tangles with the Princess of Death. Cocteau uses the framework of the Orpheus myth to explore his ideas about creativity and the role of the artist, and the result is a film that is both intellectually challenging and visually ravishing. THIS MONTH'S TOP 5 ****************** Amazon.com's Art House & International Video editor, Simon Leake, selects five great films to buy. "Sanshiro Sugata" (1943) (VHS; not rated; English subtitles) starring Susumu Fujita; directed by Akira Kurosawa http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6304391900/entertainmentsit The plot of Akira Kurosawa's first film is mythic in its simplicity: a young man goes to a great warrior to learn the art of judo, where he endures many trials before he is ready to face his final battle with evil. Kurosawa tells his story in a minimalist, almost primitive style, yet his perfectly composed images have a stark beauty that showed the young director was a force to be reckoned with. "Ivan the Terrible, Part One" (1944) (VHS; not rated; English subtitles) starring Nikolai Cherkasov; directed by Sergei Eisenstein http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000IOUZ/entertainmentsit The first part of a planned trilogy, this powerful film opens with the coronation of Ivan Vassilievich, the 16th-century czar who would unify Russia and become known as Ivan the Terrible. Early in his career, however, in the period covered by this film, Ivan relied more on shrewd politics than terror, and lead actor Nikolai Cherkasov plays this aspect of his character to the hilt. Told with a Shakespearean grandeur and typically inventive cinematic technique, Ivan's epic story was one of Eisenstein's greatest achievements. "Ivan the Terrible, Part Two" (1946) (VHS; not rated; English subtitles) starring Nikolai Cherkasov; directed by Sergei Eisenstein http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000IOV0/entertainmentsit Made in 1946, the second part of Eisenstein's sweeping tale of Russian history was not released until 1958, 10 years after the director's death. Perhaps Stalin--who banned the film and also destroyed four reels of the uncompleted final part of the trilogy--felt that the story of Ivan's descent into tyranny struck a little too close to home. If Part One was akin to Shakespearean history, Part Two is tragedy, eschewing grand battle scenes in favor of a more psychologically subtle study of the creation of a tyrant who would do anything to maintain his grip on the nation. This was a dangerous topic indeed for a filmmaker in the Soviet Union, and it is a testament to Eisenstein's stature that he managed to tell as much of this story as he did. "Wild Man Blues" (1998) (VHS; rated PG) starring Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn; directed by Barbara Kopple http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0780624378/entertainmentsit Oscar-winning documentarian Barbara Kopple's revealing portrait of tragicomic auteur Woody Allen is not for everyone. If you like your celebrities cuddly and affable you'll be disappointed, but if you want a glimpse into the mind of one of America's greatest filmmakers this is a fascinating documentary. Above all, "Wild Man Blues" is about Allen's love of music. Kopple follows Allen, Soon-Yi, and Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band on a tour of Europe, and the Allen that emerges is a man who only seems truly at ease when he brings his clarinet to his lips. "The Soft Skin" (1964) (VHS; not rated; English subtitles) starring Francoise Dorleac and Jean Desailly; directed by Francois Truffaut http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572525878/entertainmentsit Francois Truffaut was one of the most astute observers of the human condition ever to make a movie. In "The Soft Skin," he turns his attention to adultery, focusing on a doomed love affair between a successful publisher and a beautiful flight attendant. The emotional interplay among the lover (Francoise Dorleac), the husband (Jean Desailly), and his wife (Nelly Benedetti) is filled with tension and emotional truth, and the movie has quite a sting in its tail. FOCUS ON: JOHN CASSAVETES ************************* For years, the raw emotion and explosive spontaneity of John Cassavetes's films have been explained as complex, finely honed improvisations and Cassavetes has been burdened with an erroneous reputation as a ringmaster of happy accidents and performers' inspirations. Nothing could be further from the truth. Amazon.com contributor Sean Axmaker takes a closer look at the career of this remarkable director. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=entertainmentsit&path=tg/feature/-/15822 GALLIC GANGSTERS **************** Cool but deadly, wrapped in a haze of Gauloises smoke, gangsters have prowled though French movies for more than six decades. Amazon.com contributor Sean Axmaker dons a trenchcoat, turns up the collar, and provides a guide to the criminal side of France. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=entertainmentsit&path=tg/feature/-/14930 ADVANCE ORDERS ************** Order these titles now, and we'll ship them to you as soon as they're released. "Shakespeare in Love" (1998) (VHS; rated R) releases December 7 starring Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow; directed by John Madden http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000203YT/entertainmentsit Ah, romance. John Madden's winning romantic comedy made Shakespeare sexy again, thanks to the chemistry between Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes. Add to that a top-notch supporting cast, and you've got a clever, funny, moving, beautifully acted, and gorgeously designed movie. What more could you possibly want? "Europa Europa" (1991) (VHS; rated R; English subtitles) releases December 14 starring Marco Hofschneider; directed by Agnieszka Holland http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0792842626/entertainmentsit This is a true story, and a remarkable one. Solomon Perel, the son of a Polish shopkeeper, survives the Second World War by donning a series of disguises to hide his Jewishness. Fleeing the Germans, he finds himself confined to a Soviet orphanage, where he becomes a model student, but when the Nazis invade Russia his situation becomes even more bizarre. He poses as a German and becomes a member of the Hitler Youth, hiding in plain sight but always terrified that he will be discovered. Director Agnieszka Holland fully exploits the irony of Solomon's story, creating a thought-provoking film about identity and survival. "Central Station" (1998) (VHS; rated R; English subtitles) releases January 11, 2000 starring Fernanda Montenegro and Vinicius de Oliveira; directed by Walter Salles http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767819543/entertainmentsit An embittered woman finds herself the guardian of a troubled child, and together they leave the mean streets of Rio de Janeiro in search of the boy's father. Fernanda Montenegro's performance is superb; her wonderfully expressive face reveals every subtle shift of emotion as she begins to warm to her companion. De Olivera is also a delight in a film that manages to be heartwarming without slipping too far into sentimentality. ****** Looking for power tools? From screwdrivers to scroll saws, our brand-new Home Improvement Store offers the planet's best selection of tools and more. Home Improvement ****** You'll find more great videos, articles, and interviews in Amazon.com's Art House & International Video section at Art House & International ******
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