The Night of the Generals: After their star-making turns in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif reunited in this strange, lurid and lavishly mounted World War II Thriller

In his 1967 production, The Night of the Generals, movie mogul, Sam Spiegel, reunited Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif after their star-making performances in 'Lawrence of Arabia'. This strange, genre-bending, all-star cast WWII drama, directed by Anatole Litvak, was a box office disappointment at the time of its release, but remains a very interesting watch … Continue reading The Night of the Generals: After their star-making turns in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif reunited in this strange, lurid and lavishly mounted World War II Thriller →

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 →

Escape from Alcatraz: The final collaboration between Clint Eastwood and Don Siegel resulted in a subdued and suspenseful prison-break thriller

Escape from Alcatraz(1979) brought together Clint Eastwood and director, Don Siegel for the fifth and final time. In this low-key, slow-burn, prison-break thriller, Clint plays Frank Lee Morris, a real-life convict who escaped from the Alcatraz prison in 1962. "If you disobey the rules of society, they send you to prison. If you disobey the … Continue reading Escape from Alcatraz: The final collaboration between Clint Eastwood and Don Siegel resulted in a subdued and suspenseful prison-break thriller →

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 →

The Wild Bunch: Sam Peckinpah’s magnum opus is an epic tragedy about the wild men of the old West who find themselves out of place and out of time in a new West

The Wild Bunch(1969), directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Jonson, Robert Ryan and Warren Oates in lead roles, is a violent, seminal Western that set benchmarks in American Cinema. "We're not gonna get rid of anybody! We're gonna stick together, just like it used to be! When you side with … Continue reading The Wild Bunch: Sam Peckinpah’s magnum opus is an epic tragedy about the wild men of the old West who find themselves out of place and out of time in a new West →

In Harm’s Way: Otto Preminger’s sprawling World War II drama rides on the charisma of John Wayne and Kirk Douglas

In Harm's Way(1965), directed by Otto Preminger from James Bassett's novel, and starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas in lead roles, is a war-action drama set during the early days of United States' participation in World War II. Like other Preminger films, this is a sprawling drama encompassing multiple sub plots and flawed heroes. "I … Continue reading In Harm’s Way: Otto Preminger’s sprawling World War II drama rides on the charisma of John Wayne and Kirk Douglas →

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 →

Escape from New York: John Carpenter’s cult sci-fi classic transformed Kurt Russell from a Disney Kid into one of the greatest action icons of all time

Escape from New York(1981), directed by John Carpenter is a superbly realized futuristic action thriller set in a dystopian New York of 1997. The film is most famous today for giving star, Kurt Russell, his breakout and most iconic role of Snake Plissken . Except for Elizabeth Taylor, few actors have had such a long and … Continue reading Escape from New York: John Carpenter’s cult sci-fi classic transformed Kurt Russell from a Disney Kid into one of the greatest action icons of all time →

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 →

Open Range: Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner created a lush love letter to the traditional Western genre

Open Range(2003), starring Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall and Annette Benning, and directed by Kevin Costner, is the last of the great traditional Westerns. Apart from delivering all the ingredients that one expects from a Western, the film also features one of the greatest climactic gunfights in Western film history. I don't think i have ever … Continue reading Open Range: Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner created a lush love letter to the traditional Western genre →

The Godfather Part II: Al Pacino and Robert De Niro redefines screen acting with their astounding performances in Francis Ford Coppola’s ultimate American epic

Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part II(1974), starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton and Lee Strasberg, is an extraordinary continuation to the director's magnum opus, The Godfather(1972). In many ways, the film is even better than its predecessor, and marks the height of auteur-driven  New-Hollywood cinema of the 1970s. The Godfather … Continue reading The Godfather Part II: Al Pacino and Robert De Niro redefines screen acting with their astounding performances in Francis Ford Coppola’s ultimate American epic →

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 →

Magnum Force: Clint Eastwood’s ‘Dirty Harry’ battles ultra-vigilantes in this expansive, episodic and very entertaining sequel

Magnum Force(1973), directed by Ted Post, is the very successful sequel to the iconic 1971 crime thriller, Dirty Harry. Clint Eastwood returns as the renegade-cop, Harry Callahan, in its relatively subdued version; the filmmakers have created a quartet of ultra-vigilante super-cops as the antagonists to tone down the criticism that Harry faced in the original … Continue reading Magnum Force: Clint Eastwood’s ‘Dirty Harry’ battles ultra-vigilantes in this expansive, episodic and very entertaining sequel →

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 →