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Setsuna comes to take baby Hotaru from Professor Tomoe. Meanwhile, as Chibiusa prepares to go back to the future, a mysterious presence frees Nehelenia, who learns of Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon's survival as she sends glass shards from her broken mirror to Earth. One of the broken shards falls in Mamoru's eye, while the disturbance interferes with Chibiusa's attempts to go back to the future. Meanwhile, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus fight glass monsters that appear from the glass shards. Sailor Pluto arrives with baby Hotaru, who gives Uranus, Neptune and Pluto the power to transform into their newly evolved and strengthened Super Sailor forms, just like the rest. After the battle, Hotaru suddenly starts growing up and gives a warning of a revolution that will put the Moon Princess in danger.

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Setsuna comes to take baby Hotaru from Professor Tomoe. Meanwhile, as Chibiusa prepares to go back to the future, a mysterious presence frees Nehelenia, who learns of Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon's survival as she sends glass shards from her broken mirror to Earth. One of the broken shards falls in Mamoru's eye, while the disturbance interferes with Chibiusa's attempts to go back to the future. Meanwhile, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus fight glass monsters that appear from the glass shards. Sailor Pluto arrives with baby Hotaru, who gives Uranus, Neptune and Pluto the power to transform into their newly evolved and strengthened Super Sailor forms, just like the rest. After the battle, Hotaru suddenly starts growing up and gives a warning of a revolution that will put the Moon Princess in danger.

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English scientist Professor Willingdon (Barry Jones, Brigadoon) runs away from a research center with an atomic bomb. In a letter sent to the British Prime Minister, he threatens to blow up the center of London if the government doesn’t stop stockpiling nuclear warheads. Special agents from Scotland Yard, led by Superintendent Folland (André Morell, The Frightened Bride), try to stop him with help from the scientist’s assistant and future son-in-law. Beautifully shot by the great Gilbert Taylor (Star Wars, Repulsion) and directed, edited and produced by John Boulting (Brighton Rock) and Roy Boulting (Run for the Sun), who also co-wrote the screenplay with Frank Harvey (I’m All Right Jack). Special Features: -Trailers

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Product Description Arbelos Films Presents THE JUNIPER TREE - Starring BJÖRK, with a new 4K restoration! An unsung talent in her lifetime, director, professor and Fulbright scholar Nietzchka Keene's stark, stunning debut feature THE JUNIPER TREE is loosely based on a Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same name, and stars Björk in her first on-screen performance. The film premiered to glowing reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991 and led Keene to further direct HEROINE OF HELL (1996) starring Catherine Keener and BAREFOOT TO JERUSALEM (2008), the latter completed after her tragically early death in 2004. Set in medieval Iceland, THE JUNIPER TREE follows Margit (Björk in a riveting performance) and her older sister Katla (Bryndis Petra Bragadottir) as they flee for safety after their mother is burned to death for witchcraft. Finding shelter and protection with Johan (Valdimar Orn Fygenring), and his resentful young son, Jonas (Geirlaug Sunna Pormar), the sisters help form an impromptu family unit that's soon strained by Katla's burgeoning sorcery. Photographed entirely on location in the stunning landscapes of Iceland in spectacular black-and-white by Randy Sellars, THE JUNIPER TREE is a deeply atmospheric film, evocative of Carl Theodor Dreyer's DAY OF WRATH and Ingmar Bergman's THE VIRGIN SPRING, and filled with indelible waking dream sequences (courtesy of legendary experimental filmmaker Pat O'Neill). A potent allegory for misogyny and its attendant tragedies, THE JUNIPER TREE is a major rediscovery for art house audiences. New restoration by the Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by the George Lucas Family Foundation. SPECIAL FEATURES: New 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by the Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by The George Lucas Family Foundation. 3 newly remastered short films by Nietzchka Keene. New video interview with cinematographer Randy Sellars. Archival video interview with Nietzchka Keene. Never before seen outtakes. U.S. Theatrical Trailer. New essays by Amy Sloper, Angeline Gragasin, and Patrick Moyroud. Review Björk's presence is immediately spellbinding, fueled by a cherubic yet witchy energy. --Pitchfork THE JUNIPER TREE… has a voice all its own. --The New York Times A major rediscovery. --The New Yorker

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Good Omens (BD)

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Gone Fishin’ is a hilarious hit starring Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon) and Joe Pesci (Goodfellas) as the funniest fishermen ever to throw out a line. Best buddies Gus (Glover) and Joe (Pesci) eagerly anticipate another quiet, relaxing fishing trip. Only things don’t go quite as they planned. Instead, they innocently create an unstoppable series of outrageous mishaps, destroying everything in their wake. Catch all the crowd-pleasing fun and nonstop laughs as these pals land in one comic disaster after another, and deliver one of the wildest comedy adventures in years. Special Features: -Theatrical Trailer

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After learning their beloved matriarch has terminal lung cancer, a family opts not to tell her about the diagnosis, instead scheduling an impromptu wedding-reunion back in China. Headstrong and emotional writer Billi rebels against her parents' directive to stay in New York and joins the family as they awkwardly attempt to rekindle old bonds, throw together a wedding that only grandma is actually looking forward to, and surreptitiously say their goodbyes. A heartfelt celebration of both the way we perform family and the way we live it, THE FAREWELL masterfully interweaves a gently humorous depiction of the good lie in action with a thoughtful exploration of how our cultural heritage does and does not travel with us when we leave our homes. Writer/director Lulu Wang imbues THE FAREWELL with warmth and knowing wit, while the uniformly excellent ensemble cast (anchored by a breakout performance by Awkwafina) invites us to share this extended clan's joy and sorrow--and to feel, for the len

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An archetypal example of its genre, The Far Country is one of five superb westerns the screen legend James Stewart (Vertigo, Man of the West) made with acclaimed Hollywood auteur Anthony Mann (El Cid, The Man from Laramie). Mann s film tells of Jeff Webster (Stewart) and his sidekick Ben Tatum (Walter Brennen, My Darling Clementine): two stoic adventurers driving cattle to market from Wyoming to Canada who come to logger heads with a corrupt judge (John McIntire, Psycho) and his henchmen. Ruth Romain (Strangers on a Train) plays a sultry saloon keeper who falls for Stewart, teaming up with him to take on the errant lawman. An epic saga set during the heady times of the Klondike Gold Rush, The Far Country captures the scenic grandeur of northern Canada s icy glaciers and snow-swept mountains in vivid Technicolor. Mann s direction expertly steers the film to an unorthodox, yet thrilling all guns-blazing finale, whilst the imposing landscape takes on a whole new splendour in High Definition. TWO-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS Two presentations of The Far Country in both original aspect ratios of 1.85:1 and 2.00:1 Brand new 4K restoration from the original film elements by Arrow Films Original 1.0 stereo audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Limited edition booklet with new writing on the film by Philip Kemp and original reviews Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys DISC ONE High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 New audio commentary by film scholar Adrian Martin American Frontiers: Anthony Mann at Universal, an all-new, feature-length documentary with Mann biographer Alan K. Rode, western author C. Courtney Joyner, script supervisor Michael Preece, and critics Michael Schlesinger and Rob Word Mann of the West, a newly filmed appraisal of Far Country and the westerns of Anthony Mann by the critic Kim Newman Image gallery Original trailer DISC TWO High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film in the alternate original aspect ratio of 2.00:1

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All the demons of hell summoned to earth to claim "The Devil's Bride!" The debonair Duc de Richleau has been entrusted with the care of his deceased friend's son, Simon Aron. The Duc discovers that the young man has been seduced into joining a satanic cult headed by the diabolic Mocata, who is intent on making Simon one of the Devil's disciples. Having rescued Simon from a bloodied ritual, de Richleau is pursued by Mocata, who will stop at nothing to destroy the Duc and his friends, even summoning the Angel of Death itself. Starring Christopher Lee in one of his personal favorite roles and based on the celebrated novel by Dennis Wheatley, The Devil Rides Out is one of Hammer's most accomplished and thrilling mystery horrors. Bonus Content: Audio Commentary with Author/Film Historian Steve Haberman, Filmmaker/Film Historian Constantine Nasr, and Author/Screenwriter Richard Christian Matheson Satanic Shocks – Author/Film Historian Kim Newman Discusses The Devil Rides Out Folk Horror Goes Haywire – Author/Film Historian Jonathan Rigby Discusses The Devil Rides Out Audio Commentary with Actors Christopher Lee and Sarah Lawson Black Magic: The Making of The Devil Rides Out Dennis Wheatley at Hammer World of Hammer Episode – Hammer Theatrical Trailers Still Gallery

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Brand New 4K Master! From Don Siegel, the legendary director of The Shootist, Coogan’s Bluff, The Black Windmill and Two Mules for Sister Sara comes this tough-as-nails action classic about a small-time crook who outfoxes the mob and the law. Screen great Walter Matthau (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Laughing Policeman) stars as the titular career criminal, with the powerful Joe Don Baker (Walking Tall, Framed) as the tough Mafia hitman on his tail. Charley robs small banks with small payrolls. That keeps him out of trouble until he stumbles onto the mob’s secret stash. The chase is on as the Big Boys go after the “Last of the Independents.” It’s a heart-pounding ride that builds to a fiery airborne climax as Charley makes his last desperate run for the Mexican border and safety. The stellar cast includes Felicia Farr (3:10 to Yuma), Andy Robinson (Dirty Harry), John Vernon (Point Blank), Sheree North (Madigan), Norman Fell (Bullitt), Benson Fong (Our Man Flint), Woodrow Parfrey (Papillon) and William Schallert (In the Heat of the Night). Two of the film’s best features are the terrific photography by Michael C. Butler (The Missouri Breaks) and original music score by Lalo Schifrin (Prime Cut). Special Features: -Refracted Personae: An examination of Don Siegel’s signature directorial style and key thematic elements in his later masterpiece, CHARLEY VARRICK by Film Historian Howard S. Berger -Last of the Independents: The Making of Charley Varrick – 72-Minute doc featuring interviews with Kristoffer Tabori (Siegel’s son), actors Andy Robinson and Jacqueline Scott, stunt driver and actor Craig R. Baxley, composer Lalo Schifrin, and Howard A. Rodman (son of screenwriter, Howard Rodman) -Audio Commentary by Film Historian Toby Roan -"Trailers From Hell" with Josh Olson and Howard Rodman -Theatrical Trailer

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Buffet Froid (Cold Cuts, 1979) is a beguiling black comedy from director Bertrand Blier (Going Places) starring Gérard Depardieu. Depardieu plays unlucky Alphonse, who keeps stumbling upon corpses, both of strangers and of ones he loves. He drops his knife on the subway, only to find it sticking out of a dying man, and death seems to stalk him in bizarrely surreal ways the rest of the movie. He reports the stranger’s demise to his police inspector neighbor (Bernard Blier, Bertrand’s father), who reacts with casual apathy. This morbid duo then meets up with a confessed killer (Jean Carmet), and the three of them embark on a series of darkly comic incidents that overthrow any notion of morality or decency. Special Features: -Archival interview with director Bertrand Blier -Audio commentary by film critic Nick Pinkerton -Booklet essay by film critic Gavin Smith -Theatrical trailer

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Art House & International, Drama

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The documentary, AQUARELA, takes audiences on a deeply cinematic world journey through the transformative beauty and raw power of Earth's most precious resource, water. Director Victor Kossakovsky captures her many personalities in startling visual detail.

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Red, Chuck, Bomb and the rest of their feathered friends unite with the green pigs when aggressive birds from an ice-covered island plan to use an elaborate weapon to destroy them both.

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Red, Chuck, Bomb and the rest of their feathered friends unite with the green pigs when aggressive birds from an ice-covered island plan to use an elaborate weapon to destroy them both.

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Watchmen: Director's Cut - In an alternate 1985 United States, superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the Doomsday Clock -- which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union -- moves closer to midnight...When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the outlawed but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion -- a disbanded group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers -- Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future.Their mission is to watch over humanity... but who is watching the Watchmen? Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter - This animated short -- based on the story-within-a-story in the graphic novel Watchmen -- follows a shipwrecked sailor as he endures ghastly horrors to get home and protect his family.

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Five backpackers, diving in a ruined underwater city, quickly learn they are not alone in the submerged caves.

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For five seasons, our heroes did whatever it took to survive on Earth...and nothing worked. Their inability to overcome the instinct to fight caused the destruction of the planet. Now, after 125 years in cryosleep traveling through the stars, our heroes wake up to a new home -- a final gift from their dearly departed friend Monty -- a place where they can try again. Their task is simple: Do better. Be the good guys. With this credo in mind, Clarke and Bellamy (Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley) lead a group down to this mysterious world, Sanctum, hoping to start anew and finally find peace. But old habits die hard, and when they discover an idyllic society, it quickly becomes clear that not everything on Sanctum is as perfect as it seems. Despite their determination to do better, threats both seen and unseen, internal and external, will once again force our heroes to fight for their lives and the future of humanity

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For five seasons, our heroes did whatever it took to survive on Earth...and nothing worked. Their inability to overcome the instinct to fight caused the destruction of the planet. Now, after 125 years in cryosleep traveling through the stars, our heroes wake up to a new home -- a final gift from their dearly departed friend Monty -- a place where they can try again. Their task is simple: Do better. Be the good guys. With this credo in mind, Clarke and Bellamy (Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley) lead a group down to this mysterious world, Sanctum, hoping to start anew and finally find peace. But old habits die hard, and when they discover an idyllic society, it quickly becomes clear that not everything on Sanctum is as perfect as it seems. Despite their determination to do better, threats both seen and unseen, internal and external, will once again force our heroes to fight for their lives and the future of humanity

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For five seasons, our heroes did whatever it took to survive on Earth...and nothing worked. Their inability to overcome the instinct to fight caused the destruction of the planet. Now, after 125 years in cryosleep traveling through the stars, our heroes wake up to a new home -- a final gift from their dearly departed friend Monty -- a place where they can try again. Their task is simple: Do better. Be the good guys. With this credo in mind, Clarke and Bellamy (Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley) lead a group down to this mysterious world, Sanctum, hoping to start anew and finally find peace. But old habits die hard, and when they discover an idyllic society, it quickly becomes clear that not everything on Sanctum is as perfect as it seems. Despite their determination to do better, threats both seen and unseen, internal and external, will once again force our heroes to fight for their lives and the future of humanity

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Grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, and a satanic Sabbath: Benjamin Christensen’s legendary silent film uses a series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that the witches of the Middle Ages suffered the same hysteria as turn of the century psychiatric patients. Far from a dry dissertation on the topic, the film itself is a witches’ brew of the scary, the gross, and the darkly humorous. Christensen’s mix and match approach to genre anticipates gothic horror, documentary re creation, and the essay film, making for an experience unlike anything else in the history of cinema. BLU RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • New 2K digital restoration • Music from the original Danish premiere, arranged by film music specialist Gillian Anderson and performed by the Czech Film Orchestra in 2001, presented in 5.0 surround DTS HD Master Audio • Audio commentary from 2001 featuring film scholar Casper Tybjerg • Witchcraft Through the Ages (1968), the seventy six minute version of Häxan, narrated by author William S. Burroughs, with a soundtrack featuring violinist Jean Luc Ponty • Director Benjamin Christensen’s introduction to the 1941 rerelease • Short selection of outtakes • Bibliothèque Diabolique: a photographic exploration of Christensen’s historical sources • PLUS: Essays by critic Chris Fujiwara and scholar Chloé Germaine Buckley, as well as remarks on the score by Anderson

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Il lungometraggio racconta la storia della band irlandese dal periodo successivo a The Joshua Tree sino ad arrivare alla performance di Glastonbury del 2011, concentrandosi narrativamente sulla storia della realizzazione di Achtung Baby. Più che un documentario però, presentando una trama narrativa tipica della commedia romantica, la pellicola indaga a livello psicologico nelle menti dei componenti del gruppo (Bono e The Edge, ovviamente, sono i protagonisti assoluti) al fine di far comprendere come i quattro dubliners abbiano vissuto il periodo successivo alla fama ottenuta una volta ottenuta in America, e affrontato la crisi artistica e personale prima della realizzazione dell'album del 1991, registrato tra gli Hansa Ton Studios di Berlino e gli Windmill Lane Studios di Dublino. Review Davis Guggenheim's making-of-the-album docu From the Sky Down takes an enjoyably novel approach to rock stars known for their fine-tuned products, focusing on the awkwardly embryonic growth of artistic and interpersonal elements that resulted in a classic disc. --Variety It is, quite simply, one of the most transcendent close-up looks at the process of creating rock & roll I've ever seen. --Entertainment Weekly

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In his first starring role (and the film that launched his career), Buster Keaton stars in The Saphead as Bertie Van Alstyne, the spoiled son of a powerful Wall Street financier. Unable to escape the wealth and comfort that are foisted upon him, he pursues individuality in a series of comic misadventures in the speakeasies of New York, at the altar of matrimony, and even on the floor of the American stock exchange. The Saphead was instrumental in establishing Keaton as a bona fide star and greatly influenced his formulation of the Buster persona: a lonely, stone-faced soul thwarted by circumstance yet undauntedly resourceful and indefatigable in his struggle for love and survival within a chaotic world. BONUS FEATURES: Loaded with special features including an alternate version of the film and more (TBD).

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Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson go for the gold (and the diamonds, emeralds and rubies) as a just-divorced couple who bicker and banter their way through an adventure- and laugh-packed undersea treasure hunt. McConaughey is Finn, in love with his ex (Hudson) and in deep with gangster Bigg Bunny. After eight years of searching, Finn gets a clue to the whereabouts of the Queen’s Dowry, a fabulous fortune that mysteriously disappeared in the Caribbean in 1715. Now all he has to do is get the gold, get the girl and get going before Bigg Bunny gets him. Directed by Andy Tennant (Hitch), Fool’s Gold glitters with danger, action, romance, comedy, great one-liners – and a great time to be had by all! Bonus Content: Additional Scenes Gag Reel

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Echo In The Canyon celebrates the explosion of popular music that came out of LA’s Laurel Canyon in the mid-60s as folk went electric and The Byrd's, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and The Mamas and the Papas gave birth to the California Sound. 1965-67 was a moment when bands came to LA to emulate The Beatles, and Laurel Canyon emerged as a hotbed of creativity and collaboration for a new generation of musicians who would soon put an indelible stamp on the history of American popular music. Featuring Jacob Dylan, the film explores the Laurel Canyon scene via never-before-heard personal details behind the bands and their songs, and how that music continues to inspire today. Echo in the Canyon contains candid conversations and performances with Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys), Michelle Phillips (The Mamas & the Papas), Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield), David Crosby, Roger McGlinn (The Byrd's), their contemporaries Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Graham Nash, and slightly younger followers Jackson Browne and Tom Petty (in his last film interview), as well as contemporary musicians influenced by their music such as Beck, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Regina Spector and Norah Jones.

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In May 1940, the German troops enter France. Frightened by the progress of the enemy, the people of a small village of Pas-de-Calais decide on the recommendations of the prefecture, to give up everything to go on the road, fleeing to the coast. Among them, there is Paul, the village mayor. He led the group, seeks to maintain a minimum of order and republican spirit in this nomadic life. Mado, his wife, plays music trying to find the fragrance of those that took place in his coffee in the village. Suzanne, a young teacher, goes to meet to choose the least congested route. And she especially supports a small German boy, Max, 8 years old, whose father Hans was arrested after the declaration of war. During the Arras attack, residents are released from prison and abandoned in the deserted city. Hans managed to flee the city, accompanied by a Scottish officer, Percy, whose entire unit died under German bullets. These two will travel together. Hans seeking to recover his son who fled the vill

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Captured in London at the Hard Rock Calling Festival on June 28, 2009 in HD, the 163-minute film documents 26 tracks of live Springsteen that begin in daylight and progress through a gorgeous sunset into night. Viewers are able to see Springsteen spontaneously directing the E Street Band and shaping the show as it evolves. The set list spans from 'Born To Run' era to 'Working On a Dream' and includes rare covers such as The Clash's "London Calling," Jimmy Cliff's "Trapped," The Young Rascals' "Good Lovin'," and Eddie Floyd's "Raise Your Hand." Springsteen also performs fan favorite "Hard Times (Come Again No More)," written by Stephen Foster in 1854. Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem joins the band as a guest vocalist on Springsteen's own "No Surrender." GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning producer and editor Thom Zimny and director Chris Hilson, both members of Springsteen's video team dating back over a decade, oversaw the film. Audio was mixed by Bob Clearmountain. TRACK LISTING: 1. London Calling 2. Badlands 3. Night 4. She's The One 5. Outlaw Pete 6. Out In The Street 7. Working On A Dream 8. Seeds 9. Johnny 99 10. Youngstown 11. Good Lovin' 12. Bobby Jean 13. Trapped 14. No Surrender 15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day 16. The Promised Land 17. Racing In The Street 18. Radio Nowhere 19. Lonesome Day 20. The Rising 21. Born To Run 22. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) 23. Hard Times (Come Again No More) 24. Jungleland 25. American Land 26. Glory Days 27. Dancing In The Dark 28. Credits (Raise Your Hand)Raise Your Hand (Instrumental) 29. The River (Glastonbury) 30. Wrecking Ball (Live at Giants Stadium)

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American tourists David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are savaged by an unidentified vicious animal whilst hiking on the Yorkshire Moors. David awakes in a London hospital to find his friend dead and his life in disarray. Retiring to the home of a beautiful nurse (Jenny Agutter, Walkabout) to recuperate, he soon experiences disturbing changes to his mind and body, undergoing a full-moon transformation that will unleash terror on the streets of the capital.. An American Werewolf in London had audiences howling with laughter and recoiling in terror upon its cinema release. Landis film has gone on to become one of the most important horror films of its decade, rightly lauded for its masterful set-pieces, uniquely unsettling atmosphere and Rick Bakers ground-breaking, Oscar-winning special makeup effects. Now restored in 4K, and presented with an abundance of extra features, this big beast of horror can be devoured as never before... LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS New 2018 4K restoration from the original camera negative supervised by John Landis High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Original uncompressed 1.0 mono and optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Optional subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing New audio commentary by Beware the Moon filmmaker Paul Davis Audio commentary by actors David Naughton and Griffin Dunne Mark of The Beast: The Legacy of the Universal Werewolf, newly produced, feature-length documentary by filmmaker Daniel Griffith, featuring interviews with John Landis, David Naughton, Joe Dante and more An American Filmmaker in London, a newly filmed interview with John Landis in which he reflects on British cinema and his his time working in Britain I Think He's a Jew: The Werewolf's Secret, new video essay by filmmaker Jon Spira (Elstree 1976) about how Landis film explores Jewish identity The Werewolf s Call, Corin Hardy, director of The Nun, chats with writer Simon Ward about their formative experiences with Landis film Wares of the Wolf, new featurette in which SFX artist Dan Martin and Tim Lawes of The Prop Store look at some of the original costumes and special effects artefacts from the film Beware the Moon, Paul Davis acclaimed, feature-length exploration of Landis film which boasts extensive cast and crew interviews Making An American Werewolf in London, a short archival featurette on the film s production An Interview with John Landis, a lengthy archival interview with the director about the film Makeup Artist Rick Baker on An American Werewolf in London, the legendary make-up artist discusses his work on the film I Walked with a Werewolf, an archival interview with the make-up artist about Universal horror and its legacy of Wolfman films Casting of the Hand, archival footage from Rick Baker's workshop as they cast David Naughton's hand Outtakes Original trailers, teasers and radio spots Extensive image gallery featuring over 200 stills, posters and other ephemera Reversible sleeve featuring original poster art and artwork by Graham Humphreys Double-sided fold-out poster Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions Limited 60-page booklet featuring new writing by Travis Crawford and more

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Story of Rapunzel, a girl, who after being locked in a tower by an evil witch, lets her beautiful hair grow until it was long enough to reach the ground. Soon, a prince arrives and calls to Rapunzel to let down her hair so he can climb into the tower window to rescue her.

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In the animal city of Zootopia, a fast-talking fox who's trying to make it big goes on the run when he's framed for a crime he didn't commit. Zootopia's top cop, a self-righteous rabbit, is hot on his tail, but when both become targets of a conspiracy, they're forced to team up and discover even natural enemies can become best friends.

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Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect, Dutton family patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is determined to protect his ranch and his family's legacy by any means necessary.

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Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect, Dutton family patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is determined to protect his ranch and his family's legacy by any means necessary.

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Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect, Dutton family patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is determined to protect his ranch and his family's legacy by any means necessary.

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Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren are members of a prototype military unit known as the Universal Soldiers, the two possess extraordinary skills and powers, and are devoid of pain, emotions...or memories of their lives before they become UniSols.

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The coolest spy in the game is back in this hilarious sequel starring Michael Jai White (Spawn, Mortal Kombat) and Vince Swann (50 Central) as his less-than-cool younger brother, Lionel. Way back in 2002, the brothers were hot on the heels of The Man, the leader of a racist, worldwide syndicate known as The Organization, but accidentally got caught in an avalanche of oppressive, white snow. Sixteen years later, they are discovered, thawed out, and as Undercover Brother remains in a coma, Lionel sets out to finish the job they started. With the help of The Brotherhood, an old foe, and an ethereal vision of Undercover Brother guiding him along the way, Lionel must take on an even more dangerous threat to the black community and the world -- extreme "wokeness"!

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A female twist on the traditional Frog Prince tale that takes place in New Orlean's French Quarter.

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A group of kids face their fears in order to save their town.

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A group of kids face their fears in order to save their town.

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From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes Moana, an epic adventure about a spirited teen who sets sail on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors' unfinished quest. During her journey, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) meets the mighty demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and together they cross the ocean on a fun-filled, action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and impossible odds. Along the way, Moana discovers the one thing she's always sought: her own identity.

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Based on the Vertigo comic book series from DC Entertainment, the film stars Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss as three 1978 Hell’s Kitchen housewives whose mobster husbands are sent to prison by the FBI. Left with little but a sharp ax to grind, the ladies take the Irish mafia’s matters into their own hands—proving unexpectedly adept at everything from running the rackets to taking out the competition…literally. Bonus Content: - Running Hells Kitchen - Taking Over the Neighborhood - Deleted Scenes

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Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham return to their unforgettable roles as Hobbs and Shaw in this action-packed feature from the blockbuster Fast & Furious franchise! For years, hulking lawman Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and lawless outcast Deckard Shaw (Statham) have traded smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, Hobbs and Shaw must partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves! Bonus Content: Includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray and a digital copy of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.) Features Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color Alternate Opening Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes Johnson & Statham: Hobbs & Shaw Progress of a Fight Scene with Director David Leitch Practical Action The Bad Guy The Sister Hobbs' Family Tree The Matriarch New Friends Elevator Action Stunt Show and Tell Keeping it in the Family: A Conversation with Roman and Dwayne Blind Fury Dwayne and Hobbs: Love at First Bite Feature Commentary with Director David Leitch

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Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham return to their unforgettable roles as Hobbs and Shaw in this action-packed feature from the blockbuster Fast & Furious franchise! For years, hulking lawman Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and lawless outcast Deckard Shaw (Statham) have traded smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, Hobbs and Shaw must partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves! Bonus Content: Includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray and a digital copy of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.) Features Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color Alternate Opening Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes Johnson & Statham: Hobbs & Shaw Progress of a Fight Scene with Director David Leitch Practical Action The Bad Guy The Sister Hobbs' Family Tree The Matriarch New Friends Elevator Action Stunt Show and Tell Keeping it in the Family: A Conversation with Roman and Dwayne Blind Fury Dwayne and Hobbs: Love at First Bite Feature Commentary with Director David Leitch

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With THE CORPSE VANISHES (1942 ), Monogram Pictures might have, possibly, hit its finest hour. The film, which definitely falls within the realm of horror, owes much, if not everything, to the Weird Menace pulp magazines of the time. The movie is, at its very heart, a lurid dime novel come to life, complete with demented henchmen, evil dwarfs and a bevy of wilting Brides collapsing at the altar. Bela Lugosi packs a lot of unrepentant evil into his role of Dr. Lorenz, equally matched by the untamed wickedness of his own bride, played expertly by CAT PEOPLE's Elizabeth Russell. Angelo Rossitto adds to his Lugosi legacy as he is once more is literally kicked to the curb. BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT (1942) compliments CORPSE perfectly, taking its own cue from even more trashy pulp goodness. Featuring a very good cast that included Tom Neal (DETOUR), Wanda McKay (VOODOO MAN) and David O'Brien (THE DEVIL BAT)... and a cellar full of Zombies! Now in HD from a 2K Film Transfer. Includes a 6 Minute HD film interview with Lugosi as he returns from England after making VAMPIRE OVER LONDON.

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Based on the comic book characters 'Big Hero 6' who first appeared in 'Sunfire and Big Hero 6 #1' created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau and published by Marvel Comics September 1998.

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Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a heartwarming tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through his unique insight into the human condition, Enzo helps his owners — racecar driver Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), his wife Eve (Amanda Seyfried) and daughter Zoe — navigate life with a refreshing perspective on friendship, family and unconditional love.

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Product Description Radically combining collaborative documentary, western, and musical elements, the new film by Robert Greene (KATE PLAYS CHRISTINE) follows several members of a close-knit community as they attempt to reckon with their town s darkest hour. In 1917, nearly two-thousand immigrant miners, on strike for better wages and safer working conditions, were violently rounded up by their armed neighbors, herded onto cattle cars, shipped to the middle of the New Mexican desert, and left there to die. This long-buried and largely forgotten event came to be known as the Bisbee Deportation. BISBEE 17 documents locals as they play characters and stage dramatic scenes from the controversial story, culminating in a large scale recreation of the deportation itself on the exact day of its 100th anniversary. These dramatized scenes are based on subjective versions of the story and offer conflicting views of the event, underscoring the difficulty of collective memory, while confronting the current political predicaments of immigration, unionization, environmental damage, and corporate corruption with direct, haunting messages about solidarity and struggle. Audio Commentary by Director Robert Greene Bisbee 17 Shorts (36 minutes) Ghost Towns of Arizona, a short film by Robert Greene (2006, 7 minutes) Deleted and Extended Scenes (37 minutes) Theatrical Trailer Booklet featuring an Oral and Visual History of the Making of Bisbee 17 Review The best film of the year. --A.O. Scott, The New York Times "A riveting, emotionally galvanizing achievement." --Justin Chang, The LA Times "An American riff on THE ACT OF KILLING; a fascinating and dream-like mosaic about a forgotten American tragedy." --David Ehrlich, Indiewire

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Robert Duvall (Apocalypse Now) is Mac Sledge, a down and out country singer. His struggle with fame was over. His fight for respect was just beginning as he struggles with alcohol and depression. His ex-wife, Dixie (Betty Buckley, Frantic), with whom he had a tortured life, will not allow him to see their 18-year-old daughter Sue Ann (Ellen Barkin, Sea of love) and she is now making popular the songs Mac had written and sung. Mac's new family, Rosa Lee (Tess Harper, No Country For Old Men) and her son Sonny, will not let his heartbreaks bring him down again. Together they are determined to find happiness and success. From Bruce Beresford, acclaimed director of Breaker Morant and written by Horton Foote, screenwriter of To Kill A Mockingbird.

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A disastrous online hookup turns into an unexpected emotional connection when a blizzard traps two mismatched strangers together for one very long night.

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Product Description Twin Spirits is a unique and intimate, live theatrical performance by a chamber ensemble of actors, singers and musicians, portraying the deep and ultimately tragic love between the composer Robert Schumann and his pianist wife Clara Wieck. In this intensely moving performance of words, song and music, the Schumanns’ long separation, so formative an influence on their lives, is reflected in the division of the ensemble into male and female groups. Robert's letters to Clara are read by Sting and his songs sung by Simon Keenlyside, with accompaniments and instrumental music played by Iain Burnside and Sergej Krylov. Clara's letters to Robert are read by Trudie Styler and her songs sung by Rebecca Evans, with accompaniments and instrumental music played by Natalie Clein and Natasha Paremski. The narrator, Derek Jacobi, links together the letters and lyrics to complete the essential outline of the story. Conceived and directed by John Caird, Twin Spirits was first performed in June 2005 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London and has since been experienced only at private performances for charity by small audiences of all ages and interests, leaving them deeply touched and inspired. Press Reviews "Twin Spirits portrays the life and love of Robert and Clara Schumann through readings of their surviving letters. These are read by Sting and Trudie Styler, with Derek Jacobi authoritatively filling in any gaps in the story. In one sense it's a static productions, with everyone seated throughout, but it's actually quite engrossing - perfectly paced and beautifully filmed. It's impossible not to emerge with both a true empathy for the Schumanns and a renewed or awakened interest in their music. The acting stays just the right side of luvviness, with Sting and Styler delivering strong, subtly believable performances. They're supported by beautifully executed interludes from a top line-up of soloists. This is tender, moving, well put together, and supplemented by an enlightening bonus DVD." (Classic fM) "John Caird's Twin Spirits, filmed live at the Royal Opera House, is beautifully constructed and performed with extraordinary fervour… Sting and Trudie Styler's own marriage undoubtedly informs their profoundly affecting portrayal of the Schumanns… Musical choices are mostly Schumann, a bit of Clara and some evocative Mozart and Chopin... often in special arrangements. Bonus material is generous... The issues are fascinating, though. How good is Clara's music? The jury is still out." (BBC Music Magazine) Cast Sting (Actor) Trudie Styler (Actor) Derek Jacobi (Narrator) Simon Keenlyside (Tenor) Sergej Krylov (Violin) Iain Burnside (Piano) The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Production Company: Royal Opera House Stage Director: John Caird Disc Information Catalogue Number: OABD7043D Date of Performance: 2005 Running Time: 206 minutes Sound: 2.0 & 5.0 PCM Aspect Ratio: 1080i High Definition / 16:9 Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, ES, IT + EN (SONGS ONLY) Label: Opus Arte Review A Great Love Story is Told in Words and Music The nearly legendary story of Robert and Clara Schumann was staged and filmed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2007. The production, titled "Twin Spirits," is now available in a 2-DVD set from Opus Arte, and it is impressive and unusual. As Narrator, Derek Jacobi has center stage. On his right are actor Sting to read from Robert Schumann's letters, baritone Simon Keenlyside to sing Schumann's songs, Sergej Krylov (violin), and Iain Burnside (piano). On his left are actress Trudie Styler to read from Clara's letters, soprano Rebecca Evans to sing selections as a solo or as a duet with Keenlyside, Natalie Clein (cello), and Natasha Peremski (piano). The first disc contains the performance, which is an expert balance of narration and dramatic readings with solos and accompaniments from the musicians. As is explained in the program notes, some of the selections were edited in various ways for theatrical effect. All in all, it provides a fascinating insight into two human beings who loved, created complex and beautiful music, and finally suffered when Robert had a mental breakdown. The second disc offers another set of insights into the genius of the two when different members of the cast, actors and players, discuss the personalities and works of the two Schumanns. The educational value of this disc alone is great. I would like to see similar formats used for other famous musicians--but only with such skilled artists as were used in "Twin Spirits." But when will art departments stop using white print over colored backgrounds in the booklets, which might please their eyes but ruin ours? -- Art Times, Frank Behrens, December 2009 Better than you'd expect. This entertainment comes out of a charity event held at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. If you don't blink, you can see Alfred Brendel schmoozing before the curtain goes up. Basically, it pairs the music of Robert and Clara Schumann with their writings to and about one another (with side trips to Mozart and Chopin). The texts and notes don't line up chronologically, but emotionally. The words, from letters and diaries (particularly the so-called "marriage" diary which they kept jointly), chronicle the couple from pre-courtship to Robert's insanity and death, with a bit on Clara's long widowhood. A whiff of the "high-class" charity event lingers a little over the enterprise. Frankly, when I saw Sting's name, I muttered, "God save us from arty rockers." However, Sting surprised me. His delivery was intelligent, understated, with just enough "characterization" that you felt the presence of another personality, perhaps even Schumann's. In other words, he convinced me. It's the professional actors -- Jacobi and Styler -- that I occasionally caught "acting." Jacobi at times became a Masterpiece Theatre compère, while Styler here and there over-emoted. Her young Clara Wieck was a little too cute. However, Jacobi's lines functioned simply for set-ups and connections, and Styler became genuinely moving as Clara bears the family catastrophe. However, the real glory of the evening lies -- don't be too surprised -- in the music and the performances. Evans does well with her songs, although she occasionally slips into opera mode. Burnside supplies sensitive accompaniments -- a pro who knows his Schumann. The cellist Natalie Clein . . . well, I couldn't concentrate too well on her music-making, she's so gorgeous -- a bit like the young Argerich. What I did get showed a fiery but musical personality. She's wonderful in chamber music. American pianist Natasha Paremski negotiated some fiendish passage-work from Clara's piano concerto with spirit and aplomb. Violinist Sergei Krylov seemed uncomfortable in a chamber setting, but he certainly set the tone of the playing. You couldn't accuse him of bland good taste or timidity. However, baritone Simon Keenlyside stood out. I've heard few better Lieder singers. Furthermore, his duet with Evans in Mozart's "Là ci darem" from Don Giovanni provided the musical highpoint of the enterprise -- silkily seductive and a better aphrodisiac than oysters (though not as tasty). It strikes me as ironic that Mozart beats out Schumann in a Schumann documentary -- home-field advantage notwithstanding. The music, for the most part, serves the drama. Sometimes, we get abbreviations or cutoffs so the readings may continue. At other times, piano pieces have been "orchestrated" for the instrumental ensemble and at least one solo song turned into a duet. However, Martin Ward displays great taste, even in a chamber arrangement of something like "Träumerei" -- a trap that can lead to sugar coma if you don't take care. Some of the best bits come from the bonus disc, which contains, among other things, interviews with the musicians and the actors as well as a short documentary made at the Schumann-Haus in Zwickau, the composer's birthplace. John Caird serves as interlocutor. As he talks with the actors, it becomes clear that the group brings contemporary cultural perspectives to the marriage. Clara becomes the put-upon mother of the brood, while Robert flits about doing as he pleases -- writing symphonies and music criticism, preparing to conduct, and so on. This really doesn't survive a moment's thought. Clara, one of the greatest pianists of her day, was the primary breadwinner (one of her tours paid the family's expenses for three years) and had plenty of domestic help. She couldn't have practiced otherwise, and she set herself challenging programs. Don't get me wrong. She had plenty to put up with otherwise from Schumann, who among other things couldn't bear extraneous noise while he worked. I don't remember how they worked it out. She may have had to practice off-premises or Schumann may have composed off-premises. At any rate, musicologist Daniel Gallagher sits in and occasionally and gently puts things right. I should point out that these are extremely informal conversations among intelligent people. My favorite moment comes from pianist Natasha Paremski, who uses the word "vibe" and then asks, "That's not too American a word, is it?" Iain Burnside replies in his Best British Manner, "It's a word, yes." For me, however, the documentary, One Heart, One Soul, counts as the most interesting portion of the bonus features. It consists of the director of Schumann-Haus, Gerd Nauhaus, a man who knows his Schumann as well as anybody, discussing the composer. He too corrects some of the misperceptions that have arisen during the other interviews. Nauhaus speaks German, but you can choose subtitles from among several languages, including English. One may very well ask what audience these discs serve. Sting provides one answer: those not normally interested in classical music can come to the genre by getting involved in the story. It is a cracking good story, if a little weepy -- a Romance novel that happens to be true. Die-hard Sting fanatics will probably want it, even though he doesn't sing. Those who know their Schumann may or may not find something to interest them. The performances all shine, but it's not a Schumann concert, after all. You'll just have to work it out for yourselves. -- Classical CD Review, Steve Schwartz, February 2010 Having brought John Dowland to the masses with his album Songs from the Labyrinth, Sting takes another shot at presenting classical music to a wider audience which has developed the infuriating habit of not taking any notice of it. In this live performance, Sting portrays the passionate and tragically short-lived Robert Schumann by reading from his letters, while his wife Trudie Styler enacts the role of Robert's spouse Clara Schumann (formerly Wieck). In between, selections from the Schumanns' music are played by an ensemble comprising cellist Natalie Clein, pianists Iain Burnside and Natasha Paremski, violinist Sergej Krylov and singers Simon Keenlyside and Rebecca Evans. "I think it's a great `in' for people who don't normally listen to classical music," says Sting. Twin Spirits was devised as a fundraiser for a variety of charities, including the Royal Opera House, so we probably have to forgive its overtones of highbrow schlock. However, our task is not made easier by Derek Jacobi's performance as narrator. Ensconced on a throne and dressed like a Victorian philanthropist, Sir Del is at his fruitiest and most orotund. Fans of Frasier may be reminded of his guest performance as Jackson Hedley, the world's most preposterous Shakespearean actor. However, although Sting has suffered his share of critical brickbats, here he keeps a straight bat and delivers his readings with a mixture of wry humour and quiet sincerity. Trudie sometimes lurches into over-emoting luvviedom, but then again, she was a member of the RSC back in the day, which is how the RSC's John Caird was recruited to direct the project. And it can't be denied that the saga of the Schumanns' doomed greatest-love-of-all is a powerful tear-jerker. "There are moments in the story that make me very fearful," Styler admits. "The idea of losing my husband confronts me when I look at Sting as Robert. There are a few moments in the script where Robert and Clara are having a good time, so I try to make the most of them, just as I do in my own life." At 90 minutes, Twin Spirits cries out for some editing scissors, but perseverance is rewarded by the quality of the musical performances. Simon Keenlyside brings thunderous conviction to his musical portrayal of Robert Schumann, and the quartet performance of Traumerei, which marks the composer's solitary and miserable death, feels lonelier than a coyote's howl. Surprisingly, the second disc of additional features contains some of the best bits, especially Caird's conversations with the participants. All the musicians offer useful insights into the music, with Iain Burnside contributing shrewd remarks about the way Robert Schumann's music demands active intervention from the performer to bring it to life. When Caird introduces musicologist Daniel Gallagher to supply commentary on the Schumanns' life and work, he's so fascinating that that even Sting and Trudie find themselves spontaneously quizzing him. Despite all this, if you really want to explore the Schumanns' work, you might consider buying a selection of CDs and playing them a lot. -- The Arts Desk, Adam Sweeting, October 1, 2009 In his lifetime, Robert Schumann remained in the shadow of his wife Clara Wieck, whose concert career as a pianist took her all over Europe while he labored as a music journalist and largely unrecognized composer. Clara's overbearing father had taught them both piano, but his callous objections to the growing romance between Robert and Clara resulted in a physical separation that -- happily for musicologists -- left hundreds of letters detailing the musical and emotional development of this fascinating couple. While in different cities, they would often arrange to play the same piece at the same time, and then write to each other about the emotions aroused; once they were finally married, they kept a joint "marriage diary" for three and half years that recorded their musical and domestic happiness. Sting and his wife, actor Trudie Styler, are joined by Derek Jacobi, soprano Rebecca Evans, baritone Simon Keenlyside, and four instrumentalists for Twin Spirits, an educational project from London's Royal Opera House that presents the lives and works of Clara and Robert Schumann. Sting and Styler portray the couple in words, Keenlyside and Evans in music. Jacobi narrates. Devised and directed by John Caird, the show was recorded live in an intimately arranged and lit studio space at the opera house. It weaves together musical excerpts, love letters, diary entries and narration to tell the story of their love and marriage, tragically shortened when Robert's mental illness forced his commitment to an asylum. The show itself, which has been given as charity performances since 2005, is both informative and affecting, with spontaneous and energetic musical contributions, especially Evans's urgent rendition of Clara's "Er ist gekommen" and Keenlyside's sweeping "Ich grolle nicht," capped by a powerful high A. Evans's controlled voicing of "Ich hab im Traum geweinet" and Keenlyside's "Stille Liebe" are also effective. Most of the musical selections are short, and many have violin and cello additions, which lend an appropriate salon atmosphere, though the opening of "Carnaval" sounds odd with strings. Because of its placement in the storyline (and the use of Chopin's variations on its tune), "Là ci darem la mano" receives an odd interpretation, but Keenlyside's and Evans's skill and naturalness are winning. Another huge plus is Styler's warm, expressive delivery. With her wispy hair, vulnerable face and a faraway look in her eyes, Styler embodies the romantic, artistic spirit who rejoices in her soul mate; in passages detailing the end of Robert's life, Styler makes Clara's pain palpable. Sting's spiky, contemporary look is a bit of a jolt, but his connection to the material and identification with the obsessive, suffering composer are genuine. All the artists contributed their time to the project without remuneration; only Jacobi (whose presence undoubtedly signals "class") seems arch and distanced in his narration. Several bonus offerings include lengthy, round-table discussions in which the singers, instrumentalists and actors speak of how powerfully the interaction of words and music affected their interpretations and delivery. A thirty-five-minute lecture at the Robert Schumann Haus in Leipzig provides biographical details and background on the Schumanns' careers and training, as well as on their marriage and children. All proceeds from DVD sales benefit outreach projects of the Royal Opera House Education Programme. -- Opera News Online, Judith Malafronte, Decmber 2009 Like cucumber sandwiches at high tea, this depiction of the romance between two German musicians is a uniquely English confection. It follows in the tradition of BBC radio's dramatization of biographical presentations. In this case, the extended courtship and all-too-brief marriage is rendered with convincing fidelity through an enlightened blending of the spoken word and musical examples from the respective compositions of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. Nobly narrated by Derek Jacobi, the dialogue is ably conveyed by Sting (when will he, as an emerging musical polymath, be granted a knighthood so that his real name may enter common usage?) and Trudie Styler reading the lovers' correspondence compiled over decades. An unusual form of entertainment, but it kept a capacity audience in rapt attention over a long evening at Covent Garden. The singers and musicians give heartfelt support to the story with immaculate performances. The set includes close to two hours of extra features. It is also available from Opus Arte on conventional DVD format. Highly recommended to admirers of the Schumanns and all collectors with a special interest in German music of the Romantic period. -- La Scena Musicale, October 2009 One of the most moving love stories in the world of music is the relationship between Robert and Clara Schumann. In 2007, the British producer David Caird put together a music theater piece called Twin Spirits at London's Covent Garden in which Derek Jacoby narrated the romantic and tragic story, with Sting and his wife Trudie Styler reading passages from Robert and Clara's letters and the remarkable diary they kept together in the first years of their marriage. Some excellent chamber musicians and singers punctuate the readings with excerpts from the works of both Robert and Clara. Twin Spirits tells the story of Robert Schumann coming to Leipzig to study with the renowned music teacher Friedrich Wieck. Wieck's daughter Clara was a piano prodigy, by far the most talented of his six children. Robert was nine years older than her. He lived with the Wiecks for a year. By the time Clara was in her mid teens, they had fallen in love. Wieck was violently opposed to this romance. Clara's career came first. He refused to permit the marriage and ultimately the two lovers went to court for permission. Clara was 21; Robert 30. Wieck eventually relented when the couple had the first of their eight children, only four of whom outlived their parents. Clara was much more famous than Robert, and traveled extensively giving recitals, which were admired by the greatest musical figures of the time. She inspired Robert -- the year before they were married, he wrote more than 100 of his greatest songs. And she helped further his career by playing his compositions. Robert Schumann suffered from periodic mental breakdowns; tragedy struck when he tried to drown himself. He was institutionalized, but Clara was forbidden to see him for more than two years, until he was actually dying. She spent the rest of her life giving concerts and performing her husband's music. In his musical selection, Twin Spirits producer/director David Caird is less concerned with chronology than with finding something appropriate for each part of the story. Purists might object to the way Caird has rearranged some of the original music for this production. But in this dramatic context, I find these new arrangements both tasteful and effective. Sting, we've come to know, has a serious interest in classical music; he's also a coolly expressive actor and reader. Trudie Styler is particularly affecting reading what Clara wrote during her final visits to Robert. The most disappointing element of Twin Spirits is the rather artificial narration by Derek Jacobi, an actor I usually admire. But the whole enterprise is a compelling and poignant retelling of the story, and the well-chosen and well-performed music make this an outstanding addition to the year celebration of Robert Schumann's bicentennial. -- NPR, Lloyd Schwartz, February 17, 2010 Sting has been taking ever braver leaps into the classical music world over the last few years. As someone who doesn't enjoy his singing, I heaved a sigh of relief that he is on speaking duty in this fascinating musical dramatization of the often difficult, artistically inspirational, romantically fulfilling relationship between composer Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. Sting is Robert to Trudie Styler's Clara as they sit with narrator Derek Jacobi on the Covent Garden stage, surrounded by exceptional musicians, including tenor Simon Keenlyside, soprano Rebecca Evans and violinist Sergei Krylov. Excerpts from the lovebirds' letters are interwoven with Schumann's music (and a bit of Mozart and Chopin). Once you get into the slow, black-backdropped pace of the story, you come to appreciate what an amazing job director John Caird has done to make the 90-minute show absorbing. A second DVD has more than an hour of extras, including background interviews and a documentary. This is inventive classical programming at its best, though music purists might prefer to hear uncut versions of many of the pieces on the program. -- TheStar.com, John Terauds, November 17, 2009 This is an uncharacteristically small-scale production for writer-director John Caird, who is more closely associated with such spectacles as Les misérables and Nicholas Nickleby. It's a 90-minute account, through words and music, of the personal and professional relationship between Robert Schumann and his wife, née Clara Wieck, devised in 2005 for the education division of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and since then trotted out for various fundraising events with different performer rosters. This version was recorded before a silent audience in late 2007. Despite the number of artists on stage, it seems quite intimate; the actors are low-key, and the musicians, while rising to the passions of the music as necessary (particularly in the finale of Robert's Piano Trio No. 1, which closes the program), are direct and obviously under no pressure to play to a large hall. Although the proceedings are conveyed mainly through close-ups and two- and three-shots, the placement of the performers is interesting and deliberate. In the center, to the rear, on what looks almost like a throne, Sir Derek Jacobi offers bits of introduction and narrative context. Down front, at opposite sides of the stage, sit the actors portraying the Schumanns: pop star Sting, who has always struck me as more intelligent and subtle than he is generally given credit for, and Trudie Styler, best known in America as Mrs. Sting, but in England an accomplished actress with (like Jacobi) a Shakespearean background. Clustered near each of the two main actors is a trio of musicians, divided by gender. On Robert's side are a baritone and a male violinist and pianist; on Clara's, a soprano and a female cellist and pianist. The musicians do not remain segregated all the time; obviously, there's crossover in the trio movement, and both singers deliver Mozart's "Là ci darem la mano," which was important in the Schumanns' personal history. There's also an arrangement of "Träumerei" that manages to include all the instrumentalists. But for the most part, each historical figure is represented by his or her own group of musicians. As you might have guessed, the music comes in bits and pieces, mostly songs and instrumental miniatures (by both Robert and Clara), but for the most part each item is complete in itself and only occasionally, mainly in the beginning, do the actors talk over the music. The spoken lines are drawn from the Schumanns' letters; Caird has heavily edited them and mingled missives from various periods to create a coherent narrative. This overall approach will obviously not satisfy purists who seek an impartial documentary account of the Schumanns, nor music lovers who prefer to hear song cycles and chamber works in their entirety. But that's not the point of this project; it's an introduction to the general, intelligent, curious music lover of the personalities behind this music, and to Clara's essential role in Robert's life and career. If Sting and Styler, sometimes reading from scripts but often looking straight into the camera, don't fully convey the excitement of early love, they are very good at communicating the comfortable intimacy, affection, and mutual respect of an old married couple. Perhaps each is best when not speaking; they can communicate quite a lot in the cutaway shots of one watching the other deliver lines, or in listening to the musicians (who are also seen being quietly attentive during some of the spoken passages). The musical performances are quite good, even if Simon Keenlyside, like most baritones, finds Schumann's top notes taxing. Those requiring a more straightforward documentation of the Schumann situation may prefer the 35-minute documentary in which a curator from the Schumann House museum and archive speaks, in subtitled German, about their marriage and careers, repeating some material from the stage presentation but elaborating on other issues. There's also a surprisingly engaging series of chats with Caird, the performers, and musicologist Daniel Gallagher about the Schumanns and their music. Gallagher's contributions are especially good, even for non-specialists, and while the actors don't have much of substance to contribute, they do at least chime in with the occasional smart observation and perceptive question. The Blu-ray video quality is, as usual, superb, although there's nothing more technically challenging here than maintaining clarity on a rather dark stage. The aspect ratio is 16:9, and the audio options are limited to PCM 2.0 and 5.0. Subtitles are available for the songs and the German documentary. Old hands at this subject may feel that its treatment here is too superficial, but take this for what it is: an educational entertainment designed to introduce the Schumanns' music and cobiography to the uninitiated without insulting their intelligence. "Twin Spirits" surely succeeds on those grounds, most touchingly. -- Fanfare, James Reel, Mar-Apr 2010 Twin Spirits is a live theatrical performance that features narration, impersonation (in an epistolary manner), and chamber music centered on the lives and love of Robert and Clara Schumann. Evidently the work, created and directed by John Caird, toured in smaller venues before being presented at the Royal Opera House. It is indeed a unique experience, the letters of the Schumann's used as the basis for a story of their lives, dramatized here to excellent effect, and enhanced by their music. One can think of no more worthy subjects than these two hyper-romantic figures, celebrated in their day and long afterwards, with personal connections tying them into the fortunes and foibles of Brahms, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Joachim, and Chopin. Their love story is one that was well known even in their own day, and their passion for one another is marked only by the equal degree of tragedy and sorrow that graced their short time together. I will not dwell on aspects of that story here, as it is well known, and if unknown easily found in books and on the Web. Suffice it to say, the story begins with Robert's first studies with Clara Wieck's father (Robert was essentially self-taught), his aspirations as a pianist until he ruined his hands, his solicitation of love from Clara and desire to marry her (against her father's wishes), the frustration they experienced until they could get married, early bliss in their marital life and the success of each, Robert's seminal decline and mental instability, Clara's heartrending final years with Robert in an asylum, and her life after Robert's death. All of this seems like it might be too much for a stage production, but the letters have been carefully vetted in order to keep the action--such as it is--moving along. The story is given general guidelines by Derek Jacobi--superb as usual--and the parts of Robert and Clara taken by Sting and wife Trudie Styler. This might seem an odd choice at first, but Sting seems to have had a late-in-life classical-music conversion (remember his Dowland record?), and his performance as Robert is outstanding, as seasoned as from any actor I can imagine playing the part. Trudie Styler is equally affecting, and her moment of breakdown towards the end is truly distressing. But this is not a play at all--there is no dramatic movement or stage acting. Most of the time, Sting and Trudie are seated close to one another, and they often lean towards each other when speaking. Jacobi is seated pretty much center stage, and they all can be seen watching each other. Interspersed among the talkers are a series of musicians, an all-male group (baritone, violin, piano) on Robert's side, and a female group (soprano, cello, piano) on Clara's side. At different times in the "action," the music of one of the Schumanns is played by one of these groups, or a portion of each. For the most part, the performances are excellent, the singing of Simon Keenlyside being notable, along with the last selection, the Finale from the D-Minor Piano Trio, op. 63, a real barnburner and triumphant ending to an otherwise factual human misfortune that nonetheless had moments of supreme joy. But its protagonists were certainly as star-crossed as Romeo and Juliet ever were. If there is a downside, it would be the lack of more representative music on Robert's part. The very nature and intimacy of this production nixes the idea of large ensemble performances, but one feels like part of the emotional picture is missing without them. Some of the music has been doctored or altered, nothing egregious, but odd sounding to those who know it. This was probably unavoidable in order to make the music portion fuller while using only chamber pieces. The songs are what they are, and there are a few pieces pertinent to the Schumanns at certain times that are by other composers. The staging is wonderful, making it easy to follow what is happening; the sound is equally pleasing, LPCM stereo or DTS surround (my choice). The music however, is only secondary to the engrossing tale, and is chosen wisely to enhance the story where the words end. As bonuses, we get a substantial amount, the cast talks and the documentary being of more than casual interest. I enjoyed this thoroughly, and I can't imagine any music lover who wouldn't. -- Fanfare, Steven E. Ritter, Jan/Feb 2010 Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann [Blu-ray]

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