STACK #212 June 2022

MOVIE FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

BARABBAS (1961)

Anthony Quinn stars as the eponymous thief turned gladiator in this lavish biblical epic from director Richard Fleischer ( The Vikings ). Spared from crucifixion when Christ is chosen to take his place, Barabbas enters the gladiator arena to resolve a spiritual crisis

The sinking of Titanic leads a historical handful from the local Blu-ray label this month. Get ready for Romans, Vikings, gladiators, scandal and mutiny. Words Bob J

and fight for his freedom. Also starring Jack Palance, Silvana Mangano and Ernest Borgnine. JULIUS CAESAR (1970) This big screen adaptation of

Shakespeare's play stars the late, great Sir John Gielgud in the title role, but the focus is on his loyal apprentice, Mark Antony (Charlton Heston), who fights for the future of the empire following Caesar's murder. The all-star cast also

features Diana Rigg and Christopher Lee. Extras include a new commentary and interviews. THE NELSON AFFAIR (1973) Adapted for the screen by Terence Rattigan from his 1970 play A Bequest to the Nation , this historical drama follows the scandalous relationship between Lord Nelson (Peter Finch) and his mistress, Lady Hamilton (Glenda Jackson), during the Napoleonic Wars. Extras include new video interviews and the theatrical trailer. DAMNTHE DEFIANT! (1962)

A Night to Remember (1958)

W hen the White Star liner RMS Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sank on the 15th April 1912, with a loss of more than 1500 lives, it shook the very social foundations of the post-Victorian period. In many ways it was akin to 9/11 in terms of worldwide impact. The sinking of Titanic was the first truly global disaster, capturing the attention of the whole world. The opening credits of A Night to Remember

that has doomed the luxury liner. A cast of disparate characters displays a gradual shift from humour to annoyance at being roused from their warm beds. Hubris and arrogance soon give way to an ever-increasing tension that builds until a final harsh and terrifying reality descends on them – they could all die in the freezing waters of the Atlantic.

A Night to Remember brilliantly uses small but very effective images to increase the sense of impending doom. A serving trolley rolls across the first class dining room; a wine glass topples and breaks; oily seawater begins to gently lap at the foot of a companionway – all indicators that the ship is tilting at the bow. Many poignant scenes of individual moments of courage follow,

Aboard the British warship HMS Defiant , Captain Crawford (Alec Guinness) must battle Napoleon's fleet and the ruthless Lieutenant Scott-Padget (Dirk Bogarde), who incites the crew to mutiny. Also starring Maurice Denham and Anthony Quayle, this rousing

(1958) presents for the audience a swift mosaic of short scenes, commencing with old newsreels of the 1938 launch of the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth as a stand in for Titanic , as no motion

seafaring adventure is directed by Lewis Gilbert ( Alfie , The Spy Who Loved Me ). THE LONG SHIPS (1964)

footage of her launch existed. Various separate scenes follow that quickly

as people try to retain their dignity in the face of rising panic. A father watching his wife and three children slowly descend in a lifeboat is suddenly struck by the realisation that he will never see them again; a gentleman sits in the First Class Smoking Room quietly reading and resigned to his fate; the ship's orchestra on deck playing Nearer My God to Thee ; and, ultimately, the cries of hundreds of people in the water with no hope of surviving the icy temperature. All of these understated and restrained scenes are perfect cinematic depictions of humans powerless against the forces of nature, and remain with the viewer long after the film ends. Imprint brings A Night to Remember to Blu-ray in a limited edition including new video interviews with critic Matthew Sweet and film historian Jo Botting, a making-of documentary, and more.

Legendary cinematographer Jack Cardiff directs this Viking saga that stars Richard Widmark and Russ Tamblyn as brothers who steal the Norse King's funeral ship, setting sail in search of a fabled treasure known as "The Mother of All Voices" – a gigantic, solid gold

establish the peculiar British rigid class structure of first, second and steerage passengers. The final passenger tally of 2200 souls is relayed to Captain Smith and the ship departs. The next scene begins with a title caption reading “Sunday, April 14th.” British director Roy Ward Baker had a straightforward and compelling story to tell of the slow and chilling death of this beautiful floating vessel, and within just ten informative minutes of film he gets straight to the hub of the tragedy. The ignored warnings of icebergs and other small acts of absurdity culminate in a 200-foot gash in the side of the ship, allowing tons of seawater to pour into the forward compartments. The ship's designer quickly calculates that the damage to Titanic has identified a flaw in his bulkhead design

bell. The Vikings must battle a vengeful Moorish prince (Sidney Poitier) for this glittering prize.

• The new Imprint range is out on June 29 for a limited time only (while stocks last).

18 JUNE 2022

jbhifi.com.au