Classic Cinema Zone

An obsessive perfectionist who methodically worked in virtual reclusion, director Stanley Kubrick was at once widely praised for his technical brilliance and scorned for his film’s lack of emotional depth. He was one of the most influential directors in postwar Hollywood and has been hailed as the source of inspiration for many of Hollywood’s top directors past and present.

One of the most revered directors of his generation, Sidney Lumet produced an extraordinary body of work that included some of New Hollywood’s most seminal classics. While his best work was made in the 1970s, Lumet spent the previous decades earning a reputation as a consummate professional capable of drawing stellar performances out of his actors, some of whom won Academy Awards. He employed an economical visual style and a strong social consciousness to create thought-provoking films that were also commercial hits.

Alfred Hitchcock’s career spanned across six decades and over 50 feature films. The acknowledged “Master of Suspense” practically invented the thriller and was a brilliant technician who deftly blended sex, suspense and humor into the genre.

One of the finest actors of his generation, Richard Burton delivered a number of high-caliber performances. He was nominated for seven Academy Awards – six for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor – but never won. Still, he was one of the best performers on either side of the Atlantic. Here are nine of his best movies.

James Stewart has long been remembered for his work with Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Capra. But just as famous as ‘Rear Window’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ were a series of Westerns he made in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly his image-changing films with Anthony Mann. Though not as identifiable with the genre as John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, Stewart’s Westerns rank among the best work of his career.

For more than 80 years, the gangster flick has been a staple at Warner Bros. So it should come as no surprise that the studio plans to release two gangster collections as part of their 90th anniversary celebration. … Read Full Post

One of the most taciturn leading men of any era, Charles Bronson spent years working as supporting player throughout the 1950s and early ’60s until finally becoming a star. Known for playing unemotional tough guys more comfortable using violence over words, Bronson became a top box office draw during the turbulent late-1960s and early ’70s, when he played hard-nosed vigilantes who took matters into their own hands. Though his starred dimmed in the following decades, Bronson lived on as one of the great action stars of his generation.

Whether about a specific battle or serving merely as a backdrop, The Civil War has been a frequent setting for many great films. That’s because it remains a contentious war with consequences that still simmer beneath the surface even today. A blight on American History, The Civil War has been the source of great dramatic films, six of which are listed here.

While there are more films about World War II, there are several great movies from the classic era that were made about the war to end all wars. Because World War I is often viewed today as tragic and unnecessary, more movies about it have taken on a decidedly antiwar tone, which is in sharp contrast to flag-waving pictures about its predecessor that came out in the 1940s and ‘50s. This sharper tone has resulted in some rather intense movies that showcase war in a more realistic light while seemingly presaging the dark, cynical mood following the Vietnam War. Though fewer movies about the war are made these days, World War I remains a period of fascination for filmmakers and moviegoers alike.

Usually I’m hard-pressed to find enough movies for this article, but this month there are tons of classics being released on Blu-ray. In fact, there are so many that I need two lists. Those making the transfer in part I are a classic World War II action thriller; an iconic biblical musical; a searing courtroom drama starring Paul Newman; an experimental thriller from Alfred Hitchcock starring James Stewart; a biopic of a Mexican revolutionary with Marlon Brando; and a psychological Western adapted from an early Elmore Leonard short story. As always, these releases make for great gifts for casual fans and classic movie buffs alike.