rs5mfc's - Rented List
-
London 1889 - When Scotland Yard fails to stop the gruesome rampage of Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and his trusted associate Dr. Watson (James Mason) decide to investigate. Undeterred by the police withholding crucial information, the duo begin a dangerous adventure through London's underworld, finding themselves at the door of psychic Robert Lees (Donald Sutherland) who helps to set them on the right path. But even if Holmes' remarkable powers of deduction can unmask the maniacal fiend, can he and Watson face the most shocking secret of all? - Director:
- Bob Clark
- Cast:
- Christopher Plummer, James Mason, David Hemmings
- Formats:
-
-
Waxworks (1924)Das Wachsfigurenkabinett
Waxworks (Das Wachsfignrenkabinett) was the final film Paul Leni directed in Germany before striking out for Hollywood and making such classic works of genre filmmaking as 'The Cat and the Canary', 'The Man Who Laughs', and 'The Last Warning'. Its sophisticated melding of genres was in fact what inspired Universal's Carl Laemmle to invite Leni to come to Hollywood in the first place, as Laemmle was hoping to capitalise on the emerging comedy-horror craze of the 1920's. Yet 'Waxworks' is, at heart, a pure example of German expressionism. Its stylised sets (designed by Leni), fantastical costumes, chiaroscuro lighting, and startlingly bold performances are paragons of the cinematic movement, and contribute heavily to the film's lasting appeal. The three separate episodes of 'Waxworks' are united by the character of a young poet (William Dieterle), who is hired by the owner of a wax museum to create backstories for a trio of the museum's figures: Caliph Harun al-Rashid (Emil Jannings), Ivan the Terrible (Conrad Veidt), and Jack the Ripper (Werner Krauss). The stories are depicted in succession, the poet casting himself - as well as the daughter of the wax museum's owner - at the centre of each tale. Though the poet and the daughter play different characters in the corresponding plots, they are always lovers whose relationship is threatened by the personages of the wax figures. - Director:
- Leo Birinsky
- Cast:
- Emil Jannings, Conrad Veidt, Werner Krauss
- Formats:
-
-
London 1893 is home to a killer with a macabre nickname...and also to a visionary genius who would write 'The Time Machine'. But what if H.G. Wells' invention wasn't fiction? And what if Jack the Ripper escaped capture, fleeing his own time to take refuge in ours - with Wells himself in pursuit? From writer/director Nicholas Meyer, 'Time After Time' is a marvelous entertainment of shivery suspense and sly social comment. In modern-day San Francisco, the Ripper (David Warner) finds our violent age to his liking. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) dislikes the brave new world of fast food and television, far from the utopia he envisioned. But he is cheered by the emancipation of women, particularly one irresistible banker (Mary Steenburgen). For mystery, romance and excitement, 'Time After Time' is time well spent. - Director:
- Nicholas Meyer
- Cast:
- Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, Mary Steenburgen
- Formats:
-