Category: Adventure

Lawrence of Arabia: David Lean’s magnum opus is an astounding mix of cinema-art and popular entertainment, with Peter O’Toole giving one of the greatest screen performances ever

Lawrence of Arabia(1962) is the great British director, David Lean's magnum opus, and features Peter O'Toole as T. E. Lawrence, along with a great supporting cast of Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn and Jack Hawkins. The film, based on Lawrence's autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, depicts Lawrence's adventures during WW I ,when he lead … Continue reading Lawrence of Arabia: David Lean’s magnum opus is an astounding mix of cinema-art and popular entertainment, with Peter O’Toole giving one of the greatest screen performances ever →

The Comancheros: John Wayne directed much of this wildly entertaining Western that was legendary director Michael Curtiz’s final film

The Comancheros(1961), a very entertaining, big-scale Western, was legendary director, Michael Curtiz's final film. John Wayne, who stars in this film alongside Stuart Whitman, took over the directorial duties and completed the film after Curtiz became afflicted with cancer. Another one of those rollicking, large-scale Western adventures made at a time when John 'Duke' Wayne … Continue reading The Comancheros: John Wayne directed much of this wildly entertaining Western that was legendary director Michael Curtiz’s final film →

Von Ryan’s Express: Frank Sinatra leads a group of Allied POWs to freedom in this interesting and entertaining variation on the WWII prison escape Adventure

Von Ryan's Express(1965), directed by Mark Robson from a novel by David Westheimer, is a WWII Action\Adventure thriller featuring Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard in lead roles. The film provides an interesting variation on the 'Prison Escape' drama template, with Sinatra's character hijacking a prison train to lead a group of Allied POWs to freedom. … Continue reading Von Ryan’s Express: Frank Sinatra leads a group of Allied POWs to freedom in this interesting and entertaining variation on the WWII prison escape Adventure →

Dark of the Sun: Rod Taylor and Jim Brown lead a band of mercenaries into war-torn Congo in this dark, raw and ultra-violent Men-on-a-Mission Actioner

Dark of the Sun(1968), directed by the legendary cinematographer, Jack Cardiff, and starring Rod Taylor and Jim Brown in lead roles, is a gritty, brutal and the most violent 'Men on a Mission' war action-adventure ever made. I was surprised to see the great British cinematographer, Jack Cardiff, credited as the director of the 1968 … Continue reading Dark of the Sun: Rod Taylor and Jim Brown lead a band of mercenaries into war-torn Congo in this dark, raw and ultra-violent Men-on-a-Mission Actioner →

The Train: Burt Lancaster and John Frankenheimer created the most dynamic, sophisticated and thought-provoking World War II Action picture

The Train(1964), directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Burt Lancaster and Paul Schofield in lead roles, is a brilliant WWII action thriller that details the attempts of the French underground resistance to stop the Germans from stealing valuable pieces of French paintings in the days leading up to the liberation of Paris. I love films … Continue reading The Train: Burt Lancaster and John Frankenheimer created the most dynamic, sophisticated and thought-provoking World War II Action picture →

The Outlaw Josey Wales: Clint Eastwood created his definitive Western masterpiece with this post-civil war saga that seamlessly combines the traditional and revisionist elements of the genre

Clint Eastwood directs and stars in The Outlaw Josey Wales(1976), an epic Western saga set in the aftermath of the American civil war. The film finds Clint as his very best as an actor and director, as he fashions a sweeping narrative that encompasses a wide range of emotions and landscapes. It details an epic … Continue reading The Outlaw Josey Wales: Clint Eastwood created his definitive Western masterpiece with this post-civil war saga that seamlessly combines the traditional and revisionist elements of the genre →

Ice Station Zebra: Patrick McGoohan steals the show in John Sturges’ taut cold war thriller adapted from the Alistair MacLean bestseller

Ice Station Zebra(1968), directed by the great action director, John Sturges, is an adaptation of Alistair McLean's eponymous adventure novel set during the cold war, and features Rock Hudson, Jim Brown and Earnest Borgnine in key roles alongside the great British actor, Patrick McGoohan, in a scène-stealing performance. The first time i saw Patrick McGoohan … Continue reading Ice Station Zebra: Patrick McGoohan steals the show in John Sturges’ taut cold war thriller adapted from the Alistair MacLean bestseller →

North to Alaska: John Wayne at his romantic-comic best in this rollicking Western adventure

North to Alaska(1960), directed by Henry Hathaway and starring John Wayne, Stewart Granger and Capucine in lead roles, is a highly enjoyable comic-Western set in turn-of -the-century Alaska, and showcases Wayne's talents for comedy and romance to the fullest. Big Sam left Seattle in the year of ninety-twoWith George Pratt his partner and brother Billy … Continue reading North to Alaska: John Wayne at his romantic-comic best in this rollicking Western adventure →

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford created an endearing pop culture icon and the definitive modern blockbuster

Raiders of the lost Ark(1981) was conceived by George Lucas as a tribute to the adventure serials of the 1940s. The film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford as the Professor-archeologist, Indiana Jones, created its own legend by becoming a trendsetting box office blockbuster that ushered in a new kind of action hero … Continue reading Raiders of the Lost Ark: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford created an endearing pop culture icon and the definitive modern blockbuster →

The Dirty Dozen: Lee Marvin leads a dozen cutthroats into battle against Nazis in this hard-hitting WWII Actioner

The Dirty Dozen(1967), directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Earnest Borgnine and Robert Ryan, is a violent action film set in the backdrop of WWII, and the first of the countercultural war movies which critiques the military top brass. "One: down to the road block, we've just begun. Two: the guards … Continue reading The Dirty Dozen: Lee Marvin leads a dozen cutthroats into battle against Nazis in this hard-hitting WWII Actioner →

Westworld: Yul Brynner’s heroic Gunslinger is reincarnated as a killer android in Michael Crichton’s cult genre mashup

Westworld(1973), written and directed by Michael Crichton, is a seminal Sci-fi thriller that incorporates elements from Westerns and horror movies to tell a chilling tale of robots turning against humans in a futuristic society. The film can be basically summed up as a 'Western' themed 'Jurassic Park' Steven Spielberg once called his friend and frequent … Continue reading Westworld: Yul Brynner’s heroic Gunslinger is reincarnated as a killer android in Michael Crichton’s cult genre mashup →

The Train Robbers: An alluring Ann-Margaret and a twist ending adds freshness to this unabashedly traditional John Wayne Western shoot-’em-up

In one of his last outings as the legendary Western hero, John Wayne joins up with a team of adventurers, played by Rod Taylor, Ben Johnson, etc. to help out Ann-Margaret's widow recover half-a million dollars worth of gold from Mexico in this Burt Kennedy written and directed 1973 Western. The Train Robbers(1973), written and … Continue reading The Train Robbers: An alluring Ann-Margaret and a twist ending adds freshness to this unabashedly traditional John Wayne Western shoot-’em-up →

The Electric Horseman: Robert Redford is supercool as the modern-day cowboy who sets himself and a horse free in this enjoyable Romance-Western

Robert Redford and Director Sydney Pollack teamed up for the fifth time for this very entertaining modern-day, Romance-Western that features Jane Fonda, John Saxon and Willie Nielsen in major roles. “For me it was a chance to demonstrate my own particular affinity for horses, but the film is also about a way of life out … Continue reading The Electric Horseman: Robert Redford is supercool as the modern-day cowboy who sets himself and a horse free in this enjoyable Romance-Western →

Kelly’s Heroes: Clint Eastwood reteams with his ‘Where Eagles Dare’ director to put an irreverent, satirical spin to the ‘Men on a mission’ WWII adventure

Kelly's Heroes(1971), directed by Brian G. Hutton, and starring Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles and Telly Savalas is a satirical take on wartime heroism, with Eastwood leading a band of soldiers on a private mission behind enemy lines to steal Nazi gold. In 1968, Clint Eastwood teamed up with director Brian G. Hutton to … Continue reading Kelly’s Heroes: Clint Eastwood reteams with his ‘Where Eagles Dare’ director to put an irreverent, satirical spin to the ‘Men on a mission’ WWII adventure →

The Appaloosa: Marlon Brando is driven by atonement, pride and revenge to reclaim the eponymous equine from John Saxon in this baroque, eccentric Western

The Appaloosa(1966), starring Marlon Brando, Anjanette Comer and John Saxon, and directed by Sidney J. Furie, is a visually innovative, psychological Western that details the physical and psychological duel between two men, an American and a Mexican, to possess the titular stallion. Matt Fletcher: I'm having a little trouble getting started, Father. Priest: You are … Continue reading The Appaloosa: Marlon Brando is driven by atonement, pride and revenge to reclaim the eponymous equine from John Saxon in this baroque, eccentric Western →

Silverado: Lawrence Kasdan’s exuberant tribute to traditional Westerns gave Kevin Costner his breakout role

Silverado(1985), co-written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan, and starring Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline, Danny Glover and Kevin Costner, was an attempt to reinvigorate the 'Western' that was considered dead by the mid 1980s. In his attempt to create the ultimate Western tribute, Kasdan throws every genre trope and cliché into the pot, but the result … Continue reading Silverado: Lawrence Kasdan’s exuberant tribute to traditional Westerns gave Kevin Costner his breakout role →

Big Jake: The ‘Dirty Harry’ writers spins a ripping, turn-of-the-century adventure yarn for Duke that’s perhaps the last of the great archetypal ‘John Wayne Westerns’

Big Jake(1971), directed by George Sherman and starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara and Richard Boone, is a deliciously entertaining Western adventure that adds some modern elements to the standard 'John Wayne Western' template. John Fain(Richard Boone): Who are you?Jake(John Wayne): Jacob McCandles.John Fain(Richard Boone): I thought you were dead.Jake(John Wayne): Not hardly.from Big Jake(1971) You … Continue reading Big Jake: The ‘Dirty Harry’ writers spins a ripping, turn-of-the-century adventure yarn for Duke that’s perhaps the last of the great archetypal ‘John Wayne Westerns’ →

A Bridge too Far: Richard Attenborough’s spectacular, authoritative, all-star cast WWII epic is exhausting but audacious in its depiction of the Allies’ biggest military fiasco

A Bridge too far(1977), directed by Richard Attenborough from Cornelius Ryan's book, is an all-star cast, historically accurate, and spectacularly mounted war epic that truthfully tries to delve into the reasons behind one of the biggest Allied military failures in World War II. Major General Urquhart: I took 10,000 of our finest troops to Arnhem; … Continue reading A Bridge too Far: Richard Attenborough’s spectacular, authoritative, all-star cast WWII epic is exhausting but audacious in its depiction of the Allies’ biggest military fiasco →

The Horse Soldiers: John Ford’s lone stab at a Civil War Western is consistently entertaining and features strong performances from John Wayne and William Holden

Though Director John Ford has been the pre-eminent chronicler of American history, he has never made a film set during the American civil war. The Horse Soldiers (1959), starring John Wayne and William Holden, which came pretty much at the end of his illustrious career was the only film set during that period. Though not … Continue reading The Horse Soldiers: John Ford’s lone stab at a Civil War Western is consistently entertaining and features strong performances from John Wayne and William Holden →

The Bravados: A taut, brooding Revenge-Western that puts a dark spin on Gregory Peck’s heroic persona

The Bravados(1958), starring Gregory Peck and Directed by Henry King, is an intense, brooding Western that finds Peck taking revenge against the outlaws who killed his wife. When one thinks of the great actor-director combos from the golden age of Hollywood, the names that come immediately to mind would be John Wayne and John Ford, … Continue reading The Bravados: A taut, brooding Revenge-Western that puts a dark spin on Gregory Peck’s heroic persona →