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In his "Lives of the Artists", Vasari wrote: "While we may ... Read more

In his "Lives of the Artists", Vasari wrote: "While we may term other works paintings, those of Raphael are living things, the flesh palpitates, the breath comes and goes, every organ lives, life pulsates everywhere." In this extensively illustrated book featuring some 300 illustrations, the author takes a critical look at the life and work of Rafaello Sanzio, or as he signed certain paintings, Raphael Urbinas, in homage to his native city of Urbino. Described as "an artist touched by grace," he is considered, along with Michelangelo and Leonardo, to be one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance. Raphael (1483-1520), whose birth and death were on a Good Friday, belonged to a family of merchants; aside from his training in the studio of Perugino, little is known about his earliest years. He arrived in Florence in 1504, where he studied the masters and produced magnificent paintings of the Madonna, as well as remarkable portraits. In 1508 he went to Rome, where he died a dozen years later at the height of his powers, after creating monumental works at the Vatican. De Vecchi re-examines the scholarship surrounding each of the major periods of Raphael's short career, dispelling the myths about him that have accumulated over the centuries. He reminds us that the most "profound" element of Raphael's art was his striving to express the dialectic between earthly and heavenly love, an important concern of his contemporaries. The coverage of the text extends beyond the paintings to Raphael's significant work as an architect and designer of interiors. Minimize

When he was born, Michelangelo Buonarroti was put into the ... Read more

When he was born, Michelangelo Buonarroti was put into the care of a stonecutter's family. He often said it was from them that he got his love of sculpture. It certainly didn't come from his own father, a respectable magistrate who beat his son when he asked to become an artists apprentice.But Michelangelo persevered. His early sculptures caught the attention of Florence's great ruler, Lorenzo de' Medici, who invited the boy to be educated with his own sons. Soon after, Michelangelo was astonishing people with the lifelike creations he wrested from marble--from the heartbreaking Pieta he sculpted when he was only twenty-five to the majestic David that brought him acclaim as the greatest sculptor in Italy.Michelangelo had a turbulent, quarrelsome life. He was obsessed with perfection and felt that everyone--from family members to his demanding patrons--took advantage and let him down. His long and difficult association with Pope Julius II yielded his greatest masterpiece, the radiant paintings in the Sistine Chapel, and his most disastrous undertaking, the monumental tomb that caused the artist frustration and heartache for forty years.With her thoroughly researched, lively narrative and superbly detailed illustrations, Diane Stanley has captured the life of an artist who towered above the late Renaissance--and whose brilliance in architecture, painting, and sculpture amazes and moves us to this day.Children's Books 2000-NY Public Lib., Books for Youth Editor's Choice 2000 (Booklist), Lasting Connections 2000 (Book Links), Best Books 2000 (School Library Journal), Top 10 Youth Art Books 2000 (Booklist), and Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2001, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council Minimize

When Alija Osmanovic, a Bosnian war orphan who is the prota ... Read more

When Alija Osmanovic, a Bosnian war orphan who is the protagonist of Knife, goes in search of the identity of his murdered birth-parents, a sense of thwarted justice motivates him, and expresses itself as burning passion for revenge. This is summed up by the novel's title. The opening chapter describes the massacre of a Serbian village by Muslim Ustase on Christmas Day (January 7) of 1942. The sole survivor is a newborn male infant, spared at the last moment and given to a Muslim woman who lost her husband in the raid. The boy is named Alija, and is raised as a Muslim, and later comes to believe that his family was killed by Serbs. Twenty-one years later, Alija, now a medical student in Sarajevo, discovers that the newspapers are interested in his story. An article about him is published in a Sarajevo daily, and he begins receiving mail. Most of it is sympathetic but unhelpful, although he does receive an enigmatic letter which reads: You are certainly not what you are, nevertheless, you are what you are not. Alija seeks out Sikter Effendi, an eccentric and reclusive Muslim cleric, to help him interpret the enigma. Sikter Effendi, an irascible outsider, is, nevertheless, considered to be honest, because he has suffered at the hands of each regime: Ustase as well as Communist. He has responded by developing a fine sense of disgust for the human race, and he steeps himself in history, trying to untangle the threads of misfortune. But when Alija enters the Effendi s life, a transformation occurs. Sikter Effendi finds a spiritual heir. Through Sikter Effendi s mentorship, Alija discovers the truth: that his heritage is Serbian; that he was born not far away but in the neighboring village; and that his adoptive family was guilty of murdering his birth-family. A crisis of identity ensues. Each possible course of action open to him is bad. How is he to go on? Minimize

Art-Toys is a massive collection of Brian McCarty's meticul ... Read more

Art-Toys is a massive collection of Brian McCarty's meticulously composed photographs that uniquely chronicle the Art-Toy movement. For six years, McCarty worked alongside a host of international artists, photographing their toy characters in actual locations ranging from the Grand Canyon to Times Square. The resulting photos are sometimes dark, often funny, and always hinting at a deeper story. The moments that McCarty manufactures in front of the camera feel real, as if he's simply documenting the day-to-day lives of toys.Each of the over 100 photographs stand alone on a page, allowing viewers an unfettered look at the world from McCarty's toy-based perspective. An extensive behind the scenes section is included at the back of the book, providing a narrative glimpse at McCarty's methods and the artists with whom he collaborates. Snapshots taken on set reveal the brilliantly simple techniques behind some of his most magical and iconic images.Because the toys that McCarty photographs are simultaneously art objects and consumer goods, many of his images were created to serve both creative and commercial goals. As such, they provide a unique perspective on the art and commerce of the Designer Toy / Urban Vinyl movement. A number of books have explored the content of the Art-Toy movement before, but this is the only collection that captures the energy and the attitude of a new era in Pop Art from the perspective of a fellow artist. Minimize

She Was A Good Witch. Julia is a young woman with extraord ... Read more

She Was A Good Witch. Julia is a young woman with extraordinary powers. She has the ability to heal people with her touch. She also knows things that are happening in far-off places when she looks in water that has sunlight shining on it. She comes from a tradition of witches -- good witches. But before Julia's mother died, she warned her daughter never to look in water that had moonlight shining on it. Unfortunately, almost by accident, Julia does. What she sees is a vision of the future, a scene in which a young man she doesn't know is shot in a hold-up and dies in her arms. Only later, when Julia attends a football game at school, does she meet the young man. He is her girlfriend's new boyfriend. Julia immediately falls for the guy, but it is an ill-fated love. He does not belong to her and he is supposed to die. Or does he have to die? Julia doesn't know if her vision of the future is set, or if it can be changed. She doesn't know why the gunman in her vision evokes such hatred in her, and why she feels she must destroy him at all costs. But using the supernatural powers at her command, and risking her own life plus the lives of her friends, Julia will find the answers to all these questions, at a terrible cost. Minimize

Director Mike Nichols's THE GRADUATE is the satirical comin ... Read more

Director Mike Nichols's THE GRADUATE is the satirical coming-of-age comedy that became an emotional touchstone for an entire generation. In the mid-1960s, Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a confused college graduate, is pulled in myriad directions by family, friends, and associates just days after receiving his degree. Seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), an older friend of the family, Ben carries on an affair with the married woman even as he falls for her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross). However, Ben and Elaine's attempts at romance are threatened by the spiteful rage of Mrs. Robinson, who proceeds to hastily arrange Elaine's marriage to someone else, leading up to one of the most memorable endings in cinema history. With its striking photography and clever editing, THE GRADUATE established Nichols as a major director. The film also made a star out of young Hoffman, who gives an understated portrayal of the perplexed Ben--the actor's first role in a Hollywood film, which he almost didn't get because he wasn't Waspy enough. Outstanding performances by the rest of the cast are highlighted by Bancroft's sexy, embittered turn as Mrs. Robinson and Ross's endearing presence as the gorgeous yet innocent Elaine. The film's impact on popular culture is immeasurable: "Plastics" will live on eternally as depressing but solid career advice, and older women will never eye younger men without fear of becoming a "Mrs. Robinson." Buck Henry (who appears briefly in the film) cowrote the influential screenplay, based on the novel by Charles Webb, and the soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel remains a movie classic. Minimize

Jokingly referred to as the White Stripes' British album, E ... Read more

Jokingly referred to as the White Stripes' British album, Elephant is scattered with cultural references that give away the fact it was recorded far from home. Just listen to the lyrics on "Seven Nation Army" ("From the Queen of England to the hounds of Hell") or the album outro, in which someone chips in, "Jolly good, cup of tea?" But while there are new twists here, from Meg White discovering her voice to a tongue-in-cheek threesome with Holly Golightly, Elephant is no great departure for Jack and Meg White. They still push their creativity (and the boundaries of their eight-track) to new heights. Check out the startling, Queen-inspired "There's No Home for You Here," while the deep bass line on "Seven Nation Army" makes it a classic indie dance track. But while some songs fly off into new realms, there's plenty of their trademark straight-up bluesy rock, notably the overtly sexual "Ball and Biscuit." And there's Jack's plaintive, resolutely modest and yet theatrical voice. --Caroline Butler Minimize

The MGA was the first British sports car to sell more than ... Read more

The MGA was the first British sports car to sell more than 100,000 units - and more than 80 per cent of the production went to North America. The streamlined MGA - the first production MG capable of topping 100mph - was a big departure from the upright midgets which the factory had produced since the 1930s and was a huge international success. In this text the author has gone back to factory records and to the people who worked on the car in the 1950s, to find out how it was conceived, manufactured and marketed. It describes MGA's engineering, body styling and every aspect of the car's development and production - including MG's strategy to beat its competitors. In seven years of production, there were major successes and disappointments. The MGA was the car that was "right first time" and though the Twin Cam variant was troublesome for the factory, it is now the most sought after model. This text tells how the sleepy Thames-side village of Abingdon became a mass-production centre for MGA, how the MGA became one of America's best-loved sports cars and how the MGA has become one of today's classic cars. Minimize

The first gymnast to ever score a perfect 10 at the Olympic ... Read more

The first gymnast to ever score a perfect 10 at the Olympics was Nadia Comaneci. From a small town in Romania, Nadia (Leslie Weiner, in her only feature film role) rose to international stardom. Under the coaching guidance of Bela Karoli, she pushed herself with the will of a champion. This movie does a wonderful job of showing how hard gymnasts must work as well as showing how much they must give up in their personal lives in order to achieve success. After winning three gold medals at the 1976 Olympics, her life spins out of control when Bela is removed as her coach. For the first time in her life she is on her own, she is the object of jealousy from her teammates, and her weight is out of control. She seeks out her former coach and asks for his help. Together they put Nadia back on the winning track. A family film with a lot to offer, Nadia shows in a credible way the highs and lows of celebrity. The gymnastics portions are terrific. A must if there's a budding gymnast or gymnastic enthusiast in your home. Made in 1984 for television. (Ages 5 to adult) --Peggy Maltby-Etra Minimize

There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected ... Read more

There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys reawaken the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney. The 10th anniversary edition of the landmark film repackages most of the extras found in the original Ultimate Toy Box set plus a few more. Two keen retrospectives are new, one with an assortment of talents including Roy Disney and Peter Jackson chiming in on the film's impact. The other is a roundtable with Lasseter and three of the creators simply talking about the experiences without--thankfully--any cutaways to noisy film clips. There's a load of other extras since the Ultimate Toy Box was one of the first and best DVD sets. Missing (besides the second film, which will be released separately) is the effects- and music-only tracks. Added is a whopping DTS soundtrack along with a remixed Dolby 5.1 track. The DVD has a higher transfer bit rate for a better picture, but only high-end enthusiasts will notice it. Since the film is a digital-to-digital transfer, both versions are eye-popping. A must-have set unless you have the Ultimate Toy Box. Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas The Pixar Feature Films Toy Story, 1995A Bug's Life, 1998Toy Story 2, 1999 Monsters, Inc., 2001Finding Nemo, 2003The Incredibles, 2004 Minimize

A World of Beautiful Colors comes alive as players choose c ... Read more

A World of Beautiful Colors comes alive as players choose commission cards picturing 34 of the finest European art works of the past six centuries. Players score their commissions by mixing primary colors through clever tile placement and recreating the palette of colors used by the masters who created these works. Explore the paintings palettes and pasts of the artists in this unique and challenging game for the whole family. While placing hexagonal pieces to gain palette (color) cards players become familiar with the different color combinations that produce the many hues of an artists palette... all listed on the Player Reference Card. Players also learn to recognize many great artists and their works as they complete commissions. Minimize

The title credit for Delicatessen reads "Presented by Terry ... Read more

The title credit for Delicatessen reads "Presented by Terry Gilliam," and it's easy to understand why the director of Brazil was so supportive of this outrageously black French comedy from 1991. Like Gilliam, French codirectors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro have wildly inventive imaginations that gravitate to the darker absurdities of human behavior, and their visual extravagance is matched by impressive technical skill. Here, making their feature debut, Jeunet and Caro present a postapocalyptic scenario set entirely in a dank and gloomy building where the landlord operates a delicatessen on the ground floor. But this is an altogether meatless world, so the butcher-landlord keeps his customers happy by chopping unsuspecting victims into cutlets, and he's sharpening his knife for a new tenant (French comic actor Dominque Pinon) who's got the hots for the butcher's nearsighted daughter! Delicatessen is a feast (if you will) of hilarious vignettes, slapstick gags, and sweetly eccentric characters, including a man in a swampy room full of frogs, a woman doggedly determined to commit suicide (she never gets its right), and a pair of brothers who make toy sound boxes that "moo" like cows. It doesn't amount to much as a story, but that hardly matters; this is the kind of comedy that springs from a unique wellspring of imagination and inspiration, and it's handled with such visual virtuosity that you can't help but be mesmerized. There's some priceless comedy happening here, some of which is so inventive that you may feel the urge to stand up and cheer. --Jeff Shannon Minimize

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help ... Read more

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - For some reason the desert scene before Lucy Bostil awoke varying emotions - a sweet gratitude for the fullness of her life there at the Ford, yet a haunting remorse that she could not be wholly content - a vague loneliness of soul - a thrill and a fear for the strangely calling future, glorious, unknown. She longed for something to happen. It might be terrible, so long as it was wonderful. This day, when Lucy had stolen away on a forbidden horse, she was eighteen years old. The thought of her mother, who had died long ago on their way into this wilderness, was the one drop of sadness in her joy. Lucy loved everybody at Bostil's Ford and everybody loved her. She loved all the horses except her father's favorite racer, that perverse devil of a horse, the great Sage King. Lucy was glowing and rapt with love for all she beheld from her lofty perch: the green-and-pink blossoming hamlet beneath her, set between the beauty of the gray sage expanse and the ghastliness of the barren heights; the swift Colorado sullenly thundering below in the abyss; the Indians in their bright colors, riding up the river trail; the eagle poised like a feather on the air, and a beneath him the grazing cattle making black dots on the sage; the deep velvet azure of the sky; the golden lights on the bare peaks and the lilac veils in the far ravines; the silky rustle of a canyon swallow as he shot downward in the sweep of the wind; the fragrance of cedar, the flowers of the spear-pointed mescal; the brooding silence, the beckoning range, the purple distance. Minimize

Cluzzle is the comical game of Clay Puzzles where players o ... Read more

Cluzzle is the comical game of Clay Puzzles where players outwit their friends through bad sculpting, tricky questions and insightful guessing. The challenge is to create a clay sculpture that others will guess - eventually. The longer it takes for the other players to guess a sculpture correctly, the more points the sculptor receives. Many party games reward players for conveying a concept as quickly as possible, so those with an artistic ability have an advantage, but Cluzzle allows kids to do just as well as their parents, and lets art class drop-outs compete with the local Michelangelo. This fast-paced and entertaining game is fun for everyone.What in the World is a Cluzzle?The Clue is in the Clay!Cluzzle (kluh' zel)1. n. A clay puzzle2. v. To create a hilarious clay puzzles that can't be guessed right away.Cluzzlers (kluh' zel' erz)1. n. People so badat sculpting they might actually be good at this game.Cluzzle is about sculpting, but you don't need artistic ability to be good at this game. Each player sculpts a Cluzzle, then asks questions to figure out what the other Cluzzles are. Players are awarded more points the harder their Cluzzles are to guess, but no points for something that can't be guessed at all. So get your party started with this hilarious game of clay and creativity. Get Cluzzle where the clue is in the clay!Includes:- Personalized Cluzzle Cards created by such wonderful people as Alanis Morissette, Bruce Crapuchettes (the game designers father), and maybe even you!-950 Clay Subjects-High Quality Modeling Clay!! (It doesn't dry out, always soft and easy to mold, and does not stain your hands) Minimize

As the 2005 theatrical release of Serenity made clear, Fire ... Read more

As the 2005 theatrical release of Serenity made clear, Firefly was a science fiction concept that deserved a second chance. Devoted fans (or "Browncoats") knew it all along, and with this well-packaged DVD set, those who missed the show's original broadcasts can see what they missed. Creator Joss Whedon's ambitious science-fiction Western (Whedon's third series after Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) was canceled after only 11 of these 14 episodes had aired on the Fox network, but history has proven that its demise was woefully premature. Whedon's generic hybrid got off to a shaky start when network executives demanded an action-packed one-hour premiere ("The Train Job"); in hindsight the intended two-hour pilot (also titled "Serenity," and oddly enough, the final episode aired) provides a better introduction to the show's concept and splendid ensemble cast. Obsessive fans can debate the quirky logic of combining spaceships with direct parallels to frontier America (it's 500 years in the future, and embattled humankind has expanded into the galaxy, where undeveloped "outer rim" planets struggle with the equivalent of Old West accommodations), but Whedon and his gifted co-writers and directors make it work, at least well enough to fashion a credible context from the incongruous culture-clashing of past, present, and future technologies, along with a polyglot language (the result of two dominant superpowers) that combines English with an abundance of Chinese slang. What makes it work is Whedon's delightfully well-chosen cast and their nine well-developed characters--a typically Whedon-esque extended family--each providing a unique perspective on their adventures aboard Serenity, the junky but beloved "Firefly-class" starship they call home. As a veteran of the disadvantaged Independent faction's war against the all-powerful planetary Alliance (think of it as Underdogs vs. Overlords), Serenity captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) leads his compact crew on a quest for survival. They're renegades with an amoral agenda, taking any job that pays well, but Firefly's complex tapestry of right and wrong (and peace vs. violence) is richer and deeper than it first appears. Tantalizing clues about Blue Sun (an insidious mega-corporation with a mysteriously evil agenda), its ties to the Alliance, and the traumatizing use of Serenity's resident stowaway (Summer Glau) as a guinea pig in the development of advanced warfare were clear indications Firefly was heading for exciting revelations that were precluded by the series' cancellation. Fortunately, the big-screen Serenity (which can be enjoyed independently of the series) ensured that Whedon's wild extraterrestrial west had not seen its final sunset. Its very existence confirms that these 14 episodes (and enjoyable bonus features) will endure as irrefutable proof Fox made a glaring mistake in canceling the series. --Jeff Shannon On the Blu-ray discs Firefly has a picture that's a little softer than most Blu-ray discs (especially in the effects shots), but it is an improvement over the DVDs (even in an upconverting DVD player or Blu-ray player), and the punchy sound (DTS HD 5.1 compared to the DVDs' 2.0 surround) is a definite upgrade. In addition to the original bonus features, there are a couple new ones: a 25-minute conversation among Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Ron Glass, and Alan Tudyk in which they discuss the series and a number of specific episodes (Fillion recalls thinking he was getting fired after the first episode), and a new commentary track by the four fellows on "Our Mrs. Reynolds." And since it's easy to get sucked into watching multiple episodes, it's nice to have a Play All feature on the BDs. --David HoriuchiBeyond Firefly on Blu-ray Stargate: Continuum Blu-ray Sci-Fi Bundle Sunshine Stills from Firefly (Click for larger image) Minimize

Directed by and starring Jackie Chan, and set in 1930s Hong ... Read more

Directed by and starring Jackie Chan, and set in 1930s Hong Kong, Miracles is a gangster film that is equal parts comedy and action film, with a touch of melodrama thrown in for good measure. Chan stars as a young man who rescues a dying crime boss in 1930s Hong Kong. When the boss passes away, he is tapped to become the new leader. He attributes his good luck to an old rose seller and the roses he buys off of her. To pay her back for all of his good fortune, he helps her pretend to be a wealthy socialite, just as she had described herself in letters to her daughter in order to help impress her daughter's wealthy fiancé and not queer their upcoming marriage. The plot is lifted from Frank Capra's Lady for a Day (1933), which Capra remade in 1961 as Pocketful of Miracles. Of course, like all Jackie Chan films, this movie contains more--and more innovative--fight scenes than Capra could ever dream of. Two set pieces in particular are stunning: A big fight in a restaurant and the final battle in the warehouse of a rope factory. Along the way, Chan throws in a musical number inspired by Busby Berkeley and a whole lotta heart, making this a well-rounded and entertaining film, which Chan himself has allegedly referred to as his favorite. --Andy Spletzer Minimize

Format: DVD Jan 1997 Rated PG Recording Mode: (unknown) ... Read more

Format: DVD Jan 1997 Rated PG Recording Mode: (unknown) Sound: THX, HiFi 111 min. Color Movie Description In James Bond's third cinematic adventure, the dangerously suave spy (Sean Connery) must stop the criminal capitalist Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) from contaminating Fort Knox's gold with atomic radiation. Aiding the villain is the alluring Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) and the imposing Oddjob (Harold Sakata). Bond, on the other hand, is armed with his trademark charm and, of course, a slew of gadgets, courtesy of Q (Desmond Llewelyn). Encountering the usual bevy of beautiful women and perilous traps, 007 sets out for America to foil Goldfinger's financial fiasco. Based on Ian Fleming's 1959 novel, GOLDFINGER marks the appearance of a more carefree, wisecracking Bond and is widely considered to be one of the best films in the series. In fact, with stylized elements such as the gold-painted girl, the wince-inducing laser beam, Oddjob's razor-sharp bowler hat, and Bond's modified Aston Martin car, the film is quite possibly the most memorable Bond outing, and would be famously parodied decades later in the AUSTIN POWERS series, particularly GOLDMEMBER. Credits Cast: Sean Connery Director: Guy Hamilton Film Notes DVD Features: Region 1 Encoding Keep Case Theatrical release: December 25, 1964. Shot in Technicolor. Minimize

Drums pound, building excitement; the music bursts into lif ... Read more

Drums pound, building excitement; the music bursts into life with a cry of "Stingray! Stingray!" Who can resist? Especially when a dramatic voice announces, "Anything can happen in the next half hour!" Stingray (1964) was the show Gerry Anderson made just before he really hit the big time with Thunderbirds (1965), producing 39 episodes of the 21st-century adventures of Troy Tempest--tall, dark, and handsome (his voice was based on James Garner) captain of the titular submarine. His mission: to protect the seas on behalf of WASP (World Aquanaut Security Patrol). With complex underwater model and puppet effects, this was groundbreaking television, especially as it was the first British series to be made in color, though for years it was seen only in black and white. Special effects director Derek Meddings later graduated to the James Bond movies, while Moneypenny herself (actress Lois Maxwell) voiced Atlanta Shore. Here, just as in the Bond movies, she played second fiddle in our hero's affections, the mute Marina becoming Stingray's sex goddess. The end credits even featured a song in her honor, "Aqua Maria," which became an international hit. As for the bad guys: half-man, half-fish Titan and his Terror Fish wage dastardly war against humanity and the peaceful underwater citizens of Pacifica. Four decades on, the model and underwater sequences still impress, and surely much of the inspiration for the underwater city in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace came from locations in Stingray. Whether as bizarre '60s nostalgia, or winning a new generation of fans, Stingray remains eccentric cult family entertainment. --Gary S. Dalkin Minimize

After terrorizing a convenience store salesgirl with tomato ... Read more

After terrorizing a convenience store salesgirl with tomatoes, three lowlifes on a crime spree hide out at an isolated farmhouse occupied only by teenage Lisa and her pathetically paralyzed grandpa. Bad move, guys, for while Lisa looks innocent enough, she's actually a ticking-time-bomb-of-psychotic-aggression who spends her days killing chickens, feeding raw eggs to her granddad, staring blankly into space, and hallucinating blood on a mirror. So when the three numbskulls add Lisa to their list of people to abuse, she promptly puts an end to their antisocial activities with the help of her two best friends, a straight-edge razor and her handy Axe. Bonus feature: Who shot the Reverend Sam and cut his girlfriend's tongue out? Was it religious fanatic Mose Cooper? Or that idiot Crazy Billy? Whoever it is will end up paying the ultimate price by frying in The Electric Chair (1972, 85 min.), written, produced, and directed by "Axe's" J.G. "Pat" Patterson (who also plays the creepy Cooper), which gleefully details a hot-seat execution; Trailers for this, under the titles Axe, Lisa, Lisa and The Virgin Slaughter, plus trailers for Harry Novak's Behind Locked Doors, Booby Trap, The Child, Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks, Kidnapped Coed, The Mad Butcher, The Toy Box and Toys are Not for Children; Two Archival Short Subjects: Don't be like Lisa! Learn how to stay sane with 1952's Mental Health: Keeping Mentally Fit, and sexy sword-swallower Maria Cortez in We Still Don't Believe It; Gallery of Harry Novak Exploitation Art; Horrorama Radio-Spot Rarities. Minimize

The second season of Angel saw the cult vampire show finall ... Read more

The second season of Angel saw the cult vampire show finally stand on its own from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, assembling all the members of the show's core cast, transferring the action to a fashionably run-down L.A. hotel, and bringing in a few Buffy characters from Angel's history to further establish the moody vampire's own mythology. Moving their Angel Investigations to posher digs, Angel (David Boreanaz), Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), and Wesley (Alexis Denisof) were soon joined by street fighter (J. August Richards)–-and by street fighter, of course we mean demon street fighter. But just as this group was solidifying, up popped Angel's old love, Darla (the fantastic Julie Benz), freshly arrived in L.A. from a hell dimension… just in time to be turned into a vampire again by her old cohort, Drusilla (Juliet Landau), and lure Angel into abandoning his newly formed team. It was the best and worst of times for Angel in its second year, for while the basis was being set for the show's stellar third and fourth seasons, dramatic tension was diluted by Angel's going solo and the necessary (but plot-debilitating) flashbacks to various points in Angel's history. However, just when it seemed everything was about to fly out the window, Angel's creative team threw its characters for a loop--literally--by transporting them to the demon dimension of Pylea, a medieval-style fantasyland populated by monsters and humans alike. It shouldn't have worked, as hokey as it was... but it did, thanks to crack storytelling, sharp dialogue, and the sheer joy the actors unleashed, especially the gifted and fiendishly funny Carpenter. The second half of the season also saw the addition of two of Angel's best characters: the horned Lorne (Andy Hallett), a green demon with a penchant for karaoke, and Fred (Amy Acker), a physicist trapped in Pylea who helped the gang engineer their escape. With these two in tow, Angel began to soar. --Mark Englehart Minimize

The Efficiency Expert (released in theaters as Spotswood), ... Read more

The Efficiency Expert (released in theaters as Spotswood), a warm-hearted, wacky comedy with a social conscience, takes place in Australia in the "Swinging '60s," and its character, substance, music, and design are so authentic one nearly forgets that it was made in 1991. Sir Anthony Hopkins is wonderful as Errol Wallace, the efficiency expert of the title, who devises painful belt-tightening measures for struggling companies. Wallace is hired to modernize the dotty, antiquated Ball Moccasin Factory, and he's stunned at the impossibility of the task. The cutting room resembles a workshop full of Santa's elves; the men literally dance jigs while they work. Still, Wallace takes the bull by the horns and deputizes a young man, Carey (the winning Ben Mendelsohn), to help him downsize the factory. It's like trying to disband a tribe; many of the employees have been there for 30 years; romances blossom there. Homely Wendy (Toni Colette, of Muriel's Wedding and The Sixth Sense) loves Ben, but he lusts after tarty Cheryl (Rebecca Rigg), whose nasty shark of a boyfriend, Kim, is played by a young Russell Crowe. Wallace thinks he's teaching these factory workers how business works, but it's he who learns a lesson. "Work isn't just about money," declares old Mr. Ball, the factory's owner (the exceedingly touching Alwyn Kurts). "It's about dignity, about treating people with respect. People need to make things." The movie's message has timeless resonance, as job security and pride in manufacturing vanishes from large industrialized nations. --Laura Mirsky Minimize

K-Pop Das Musical ELISABETH OST (3CD+1DVD) (OSTMU04) Pre-Or ... Read more

K-Pop Das Musical ELISABETH OST (3CD+1DVD) (OSTMU04) Pre-Order * Please consider that product information, release date or special content could be change without notice depend on publisher * If you order Pre-order product and regular product at same time, our handling time could be longer than usual. Please consider it. ■ Product Title: Das Musical ELISABETH OST (3CD+1DVD) ■ Singer Name(s): Korean Various Artists (Ock Joo Hyun) ■ Release Date: 2012.04.06 ■ Genre： Musical Original Soundtrack ■ Disc Format(s): CD ■ Language: Korean ■ Number of Disc：3 CD + 1 DVD ■ KJCstar Product ID：OSTMU04 ■ DVD Region Code 【3】 In United States You could watch the DVD on Region Code 1 or all only. Caution : There is no return or money back because of Region Code. If you do not open DVD you can return but you charge restocking fee and shipping cost to send DVD to us. Please make sure that your DVD player and product region code then purchase it. ■ Track List (CD1) Actors - Ryu Jeong Han, Choi Min Chul, Min Young Gi, Lee Jung Hwa, Kim Sun Young, Ryu Jung Han, Lee Jun Seo, Kim Seung Dae (CD2) Actors - Ock Joo Hyun, Song Chang Eui, Park Eun Tae, Yoon Young Suk, Lee Tae Won, Tang Jun Sang, Jeon Dong Suk 01. Prologue 02. Please God, Save the Our Young Emperor 03. Plan is Useless 04. Don't Leave Me Alone 05. Last Dance 06. Empress Must Be Shine 07. I am My Own 08. Happy Ending 09. Opened the Door, Elizabeth 10. Milk 11. I am My Own 12. Kitsch 13. When I Want to Dance 14. Where is My Mom? 15. Stop the Shamming 16. Bellaria 17. Nothing 18. The Shadows Lengthened 19. If I am Your Mirror 20. Happiness is Too Far 21. Veil falls (Special CD) (Special DVD) Minimize

Welsh writer Tyvian Jones (Stanley Baker) seems to have it ... Read more

Welsh writer Tyvian Jones (Stanley Baker) seems to have it all, Sixties style -- an international best seller, an apartment in Rome, a gorgeous fianc+ªe in Virna Lisi - but he's bitter anyway. He meets his existential match in ennui in the mod seductress Eve, played by Jeanne Moreau, who was never more cynical or iconic. Decked out in pointy pumps and heavy eyeliner, listening to Billie Holiday on scratchy LPs as she counts the lire and smokes endless packs of cigarettes in strangers' bedrooms, she is the epitome of frayed glamour. An emotional tyrant, Eve's casual maneuvering forces Baker to confront his past - and his weaknesses - as a man and an artist. With the Hakim brothers (the notorious producers of The Long Night, Purple Noon & Belle De Jour) handed Losey a fat contract and a pulp potboiler (by James Hadley Chase), Losey was sure it was his break. After years of tightly budgeted British programmers, he hoped Eva would be his ticket to the glossy world of the international cinema. But while Losey's final cut was hailed by critics as equal to his materpiece The Servant, it was barely released and remains largely unseen after more than 30 years. Losey disowned the producers' version, 15 minutes shorter than his own. Recently released in its entirelty for the first time in the U.S. by Kino International, Losey's original verison of Eva (entitled Eve), which he described as "almost an orgasm," is also included on this DVD. The only surviving print of the longer version is a Swedish/Finnish release print preserved by the British Film Institute. It is through the efforts if the BFI that Kino is able to present this version on DVD, with Swedish and Finnish subtitles and English dialogue. Minimize

Your genius could have been such a boon to humanity. Your d ... Read more

Your genius could have been such a boon to humanity. Your death ray had wonderful pest control applications and your volcano activator was perfect for fighting global warming. But the fools at the institute they wouldn't listen. They called you mad! You built a monster to rend them limb from limb which your minions assured you was the very worst way to be rended. When it became clear that the only hope for the world was your own benign leadership you took control of TV to announce this fact. But your broadcast was interrupted by someone else taking control of TV and announcing his own plan for world domination ? and then that broadcast was interrupted by yet another interloper. So. Competition. Well the world will never be as scared of these upstarts as it will be of you. Archimedes once said Give me a long enough lever and a place to stand and I will move the world. You will be the most terrifying lever the world has ever seen. Nefarious is a quick-playing game in which the players race to build inventions like a freeze ray cloaking device or robotic pet before their opponents can do the same. (Interesting side note: Eighteen different artists contributed to the artwork on the different inventions in the game.) Nefarious is played over several rounds. In each round the players simultaneously choose and reveal one of their actions that will allow them to allocate one of their Minions to an area on their Lair obtain money obtain a blueprint for an invention or build one of their inventions if they have enough money to do so. The minions that you allocate to your Lair can earn you additional income depending on the actions that your neighbors choose. The first player to build 20 or more points worth of Inventions AND have more points than any other player wins. There is a twist to the game though ? actually two twists! At the beginning of the game you randomly draw two Twist cards which change the environment so that t Minimize

Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham's second live-performance DVD, Sp ... Read more

Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham's second live-performance DVD, Spark of Insanity, is much funnier than his first, Arguing With Myself, perhaps because his new puppets allow him to cover more controversial territory beyond skits about family beefs and office humor. Though some puppets reappear, like the beloved Peanut, a purple monkey who loves wordplay, new characters emerge as the stars of this hour-long stand-up show. A tense laughter ripples through the audience, for example, when Dunham announces his wish to talk with a terrorist as he brings out Achmed the Dead Terrorist, a turban-sporting skeleton who's refrain is "I will kill you!" Previous show star, Jose Jalapeño, a Mexican chili pepper on a stick, returns for a discussion about whether the puppet has a green card. If his racial jokes rode a line slightly too Caucasian to clarify his point of view before, Dunham has achieved real satire in Spark of Insanity, showing his audience how ridiculous it is to create stereotypes of any sort. Additionally, Dunham mocks his own culture with Walter, a grumpy old white man whose parental chiding rings true for many. Moreover, Dunham impresses with his ventriloquism skills, and shows off some new vocalization techniques that will stun anyone interested in this fascinating art. --Trinie Dalton Minimize

Finally back on the market after many years, and with a hig ... Read more

Finally back on the market after many years, and with a higher standard of quality control for ZZMs original line of products! These areandnbsp;NOT cheap Chinese replicas that will break andandnbsp;notandnbsp;last beyond the third time. Originally conceived as a gag/comedic item, they quickly found their way into the Magic community thanks to people like Ken Brooke and, later, by Mike Ammar. There are an infinite number of great gags possible with this product line, like harmless sparks flying from the fingers on command. For example, the magician can create the illusion of being shocked by their microphone every time they switch it on. They can then take the mic to an audience member, and ask that they switch it on instead. After, they happily refuse, a wave of the magicians wand will cause the mic to actually turn off the house lights (comedic gag). Or, in a packed elevator, you can create the illusion of a static shock from the buttons, but other riders wont be affected, and can press the buttons normally. Another common use may be as an ignition source for flash paper, pyrotechnics, and other combustibles. The trick has been produced for many years in Germany under the highest of standards. With all metal parts and and an effective distance of up to 4 inches (depending on flint quality, which is replaceable) Minimize

To own Goldfinger (1964) on digital video disc is to have a ... Read more

To own Goldfinger (1964) on digital video disc is to have at your fingertips the proof that Sean Connery is the definitive James Bond. Dry as ice, dripping with deadpan witticisms, only Connery's Bond would dare disparage the Beatles, that other 1964 phenomenon. No one but Connery can believably seduce women so effortlessly, kill with almost as much ease, and then pull another bottle of Dom Perignon '53 out of the fridge. Goldfinger contains many of the most memorable scenes in the Bond series: gorgeous Shirley Eaton (as Jill Masterson) coated in gold paint by evil Auric Goldfinger and deposited in Bond's bed; silent Oddjob, flipping a razor-sharp derby like a Frisbee to sever heads; our hero spread-eagle on a table while a laser beam moves threateningly toward his crotch. Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore is the prototype for the series' rash of man-hating supermodels. And Desmond Llewelyn makes his first appearance as Q, giving Bond what is still his most impressive car, a snazzy little number that fires off smoke screens, punctures the tires of vehicles on the chase, and boasts a handy ejector seat. Goldfinger's two climaxes, inside Fort Knox and aboard a private plane, have to be seen to be believed. --Raphael Shargel Minimize