Gilatt Ankori Movies
A Jewish professor, an Arab trash collector and a novice Catholic nun find themselves together in a junk yard in this amusing film, which provides an upbeat message as it explores ethnocentrism and religious conflict in Israel. Professor Bauman, a historian, is interested in the furniture and architecture of Bauhaus. He lives in a run-down house in a junkyard. Phares, a garbage man from Palestine, believes Bauman's property is rightfully his because it is the former location of his father's orange grove. Much to Bauman's consternation, Phares refuses to leave his shack. When Sister Gina arrives, the two are so taken by her sexiness, they forget their fighting. Together the threesome decide to rebuild a statue of a flying camel that was the symbol of Tel Aviv's renewal at the 1934 Eastern Fair. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Salim Dau, Laurence Bouvard, (more)
- 1994
This Israeli comedy was shot in Tel Aviv. Itzik Finkelstein is a loser. Like many losers, he prefers blaming others for his condition rather than accepting responsibility for himself. A grown man, still living with his mother, Finkelstein is the classic hustler. As a get-rich scheme, he purchases 50,000 novelty key-chains depicting monks with large erections. Unfortunately, no one wants these novelties, and Finkelstein is devastated until one of the key-chains, which is really a six-foot genie in disguise, springs to life and offers to grant Itzik his wishes. No one else but Finkelstein can see this genie. With the help of the genie, Itzik seeks revenge on those "responsible" for his miserable life. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Moshe Ivgi, Esteban Gottfried, (more)
- 1992
- PG13
Emil Saber (Peter O'Toole) travels to Jerusalem to seek the seventh coin of King Herod to complete his collection. As Saber searches for the coins, he becomes more and more unhinged, eventually believing that he is the murderous incarnation of King Herod. When he discovers that the coin is in the possession of two youngsters, American tourist Ronnie (Alexandra Powers) and pickpocket Salim (Navin Chowdhry), the two must struggle to avoid becoming Saber's next victims. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter O'Toole, Navin Chowdhry, (more)
- 1992
- R
Ted Post directed this account of a former government agent (Michael Dudikoff) who must rescue his brother, a diabetic, from his Iraqi abductors. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Dudikoff, Tommy Hinkley, (more)
In Cover-Up, an espionage thriller, someone attacks a U.S. military installation in Israel and steals a secret "package" destined for the CIA. Mike Anderson (Dolph Lundgren) is in the country to report on the incident, and he runs into old acquaintances: the military attache, and his old romantic interest Susan (Lisa Berkely). Meanwhile, Susan has become engaged to the attache. Lou (Louis Gossett Jr.), a military official, is trying to cover up some of the facts regarding the raid, and when Mike begins to get too close to the truth he becomes a target. Cover-up has all the ingredients of a top-flight action adventure, but it is ruined by the wooden performance of Lundgren in the central role and a convoluted, overly complicated plot. However, the film moves with great pace and energy and should please action fans. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dolph Lundgren, Louis Gossett, Jr., (more)
- 1980
With a dated format that runs along like a vaudeville production, the numbers in this musical-variety show are barely strung together by the thin storyline of a group of soldiers coming to a village and engaging in romantic overtures with the local women. Performances are bracketed by dialogue as the "story" moves from one episode to the next. The main intent is to present the songs and routines on film that army performers used to do for their audiences. This type of light musical has no exact counterpart in the West but still entertained Israeli movie-goers in the early 1980s. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eli Gorenstein
- 1979
Critics hated the play this film was based upon and continued to hate the film itself. However, it was very popular with audiences. In the story, an Israeli post commander on the Suez receives a visit from his mother. She has all his leadership skills and more, and before long she is the true base commander. This results in military logic being contradicted, as mother's logic is different. Treaties require parity across the border with Egypt, and by the end of the film, the corresponding base in Egypt has recruited its own commanding mother. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gideon Singer, Gilatt Ankori, (more)
- 1979
This somber drama from the play by Moliere bears little resemblance to the original. It can only be termed as a low-budget quickie, with most of the money having been placed on advertising to dupe the public. An oily loan shark and miser tries to find himself a bride while destroying the lives of his son and daughter. None of the characters, or the film itself, are likeable, and the film took some pretty hard knocks from international critics, deservedly so. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Yosef Shiloah
The time is just after the 1967 Six-day War when a group of Israeli soldiers travel around the country entertaining their fellow servicemen and women in more or less amateur musical numbers and stand-up comedy routines. Interspersed with the entertainment scenes is a plot that brings certain characters together in romantic liaisons and separates others in jealous competition, as the troupe heads towards the goal of appearing on national television. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gidi Gov, Meir Swissa, (more)
