Susannah York

Filmmaker Mark Hartley explores Australia's hidden genre in this documentary that casually casts aside "official" film history to celebrate the demented genius of director Brian Trenchard-Smith, and the exciting wave of little-known but supremely entertaining films that entertained adventurous Australian filmgoers throughout the 1970s and '80s. Every film student worth his or her weight in celluloid has seen Breaker Morant and Picnic at Hanging Rock, but what about the lesser-known gems that didn't make the film-school textbooks? In his forward to Tim Lucas' book Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark, director Martin Scorsese states, "We have to keep resisting the idea of official film history, a stately procession of 'important works' that leaves some of the most exciting films and filmmakers tucked away in the shadows." In this documentary, director Hartley explores the films forgotten by "official film history" with the comprehensive eye of a true film buff. As a child watching such films as Snapshot and The Man from Hong Kong, Hartley immediately recognized how wildly disparate they were in tone and execution from the films that comprised Australia's traditional film library. Appearing like American genre films that just happened to be shot in Australia and cast with Australian actors, these so-called "Ozploitation" flicks flourished in the wake of relaxed censorship laws down under. Yet despite constant chatter about the "new wave" of Australian cinema, financially successful films like The Man from Hong Kong and Patrick that were popular both at home and abroad were never mentioned, sneeringly dismissed as "genre" films rather than Australian films. Perhaps in the wake of such successful Australian films as Wolf Creek and Undead -- and looking ahead to such films as the slasher shocker Storm Warning and the eagerly anticipated remake of Long Weekend -- curious filmgoers are finally prepared to discover what they've been missing all these years. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Artful animation is employed to relate the story of a hero of the Buddhist faith in this docu-drama, the first directorial credit for noted composer Tibor Szemzo. Alexander Csoma de Körös was a learned man from Hungary with a taste for travel and adventure. In 1819, Alexander developed a theory that Hungarian culture had strong ties to Tibet, and he decided to put it to the test by making an epic journey through Iraq, India and Afghanistan to finally arrive in Tibet. When he reached his destination, Alexander was welcomed by a group of Buddhist monks who lived in the mountains, and he became fascinated with their spiritual literature. Wanting to share their message with others, Alexander took up the arduous task of translating the Tibetan writings into Hungarian, creating a comprehensive dictionary in the process. Alexander's efforts to share the fables of Tibet with the world won him the admiration of the Dalai Lama, who declared him a saint, and Buddhist pilgrims visit his final resting place to this day. A Guest of Life blends Alexander's story with the tales he shared with the world; the film is narrated by Susannah York, and received its American premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Venerable British actress Susannah York and up-and-coming star Radha Mitchell head up the cast of this Australian psychological thriller. Both actresses play the character of Carolyn at different stages of her life; bookended with scenes of the elder Carolyn (York) recalling her attempt to sail around the world, the bulk of the film involves the terror-stricken voyage itself. Only in her twenties, the young Carolyn (Mitchell) is filled with hope and fear for her daring solo journey, but once at sea, isolation and solitude begin to take their toll. Soon, Carolyn is encountering people and situations from her past, sometimes with violent, terrifying consequences. When she begins to notice physical evidence of her nightmarish visitors, Carolyn really begins to lose it. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

TV-commercial director Kevin W. Smith wrote and directed this British romantic comedy, his feature-film directorial debut. Composer Mike (Reece Dinsdale) hopes to create symphonies. Instead, he dashes off jingles for TV commercials and gets rhapsodic over memories of ex-girlfriend Helen (Victoria Smurfit). Mike's carefree buddy Tony (John Hannah) is a painter who alternates alcohol and a stressful relationship with tempestuous Moira (Rowena King). Soon Mike's life takes several unexpected twists and turns. First, he falls in step with a French female, Sara (Clara Bellar). The attraction is mutual, so the two depart together on an idyllic vacation. Next, Mike locates his mother (Susannah York), who 35 years previous had left his father (Frank Finlay). Mike's misadventures are chronicled in a narration delivered by Dinsdale. Shown at the 1997 London Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In this convoluted melodrama, a young wife has a mental breakdown and spends time in a hospital. Eventually, she wants to go home, but her doctor is hesitant to release her. Still the woman, wanting to save her disintegrating marriage, insists. Upon her return, she and her hubby are visited by his seductive "sister." The poor wife is appalled by the chemistry between the two and shares her discomfort with her landlord and he has a peculiar reaction. Meanwhile, the hapless wife seems to becoming increasingly paranoid and strange. She has no idea that drugs are behind her odd behavior. Eventually, she goes over the edge and shoots her sister-in-law, and still the madness continues until the story's violent climax. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This video production is from the earliest drama of this Russian playwright. ~ All Movie Guide

Old Martin (Espen Skjonberg) is haunted by his past, and he has a lot to be haunted by. When he was a young man (Nicolay Lange-Nielsen) his uncle gave him the money to set up business in the wilds of western Norway as a horse trader. His uncle also entrusted a girl, Anna (Camilla Strom Henriksen) to him. Martin was already involved in her life: Anna's father had raped her and gotten her pregnant, and Martin killed the man for this. The two worked hard to make a life for themselves in the wilderness, and they eventually had a social life and a child of their own. For some reason, Martin left his wife while she was giving birth to their child, and he had reason to doubt that she would live through the experience. Now, years later, she has contacted him. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this fact-based drama, a British man accused of his wife's murder becomes the target of his friends' and neighbors' wrath. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

American Roulette a routine, but exciting action feature directed by Maurice Hatton, involves a death plot against an exiled South American President. The President, hiding in London, finds that he is the target not only of death squads from his own country, but also the CIA and the KGB. The good cast includes Andy Garcia and Susannah York. Andy Garcia, in one of his earlier pictures, is excellent, and Susannah York also gives a good performance. The color photography of this film adds appeal, but does not make up for a lackluster plot or slow pacing. Devotees of action films will find this action thriller worth a view, if only to see Andy Garcia. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Nick Diamond (Colin Dale) is a private detective hired by a South American midget to guard a box containing a rare treasure. When Nick is jailed, his kid brother Tim (Dursley McLinden) is called on to take the case. Tim dodges bullets and escapes from being bound and gagged while battling hard-nosed cop Boyle (Jimmy Nail) and the shadowy thugs out to get the treasure. Susanna York plays the chanteuse Lauren Bacardi in this film-noir styled children's crime drama. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Five different marriages have left a legacy of families and children and provide plenty of fodder for conflict and confusion when the much-married, famous and wealthy psychiatrist John Gielgud summons them all to his deathbed. While the assembled relatives get better acquainted, the dying man submits to one last television interview upstairs. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this grim exploitation outing, a luckless detective begins working for a worried madam who wants him to find one of her hookers, a woman suffering from a dual personality, one of whom is a cold-blooded killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale of one man learning the true meaning of Christmas is brought to the screen once again in this made-for-TV movie. Ebenezer Scrooge (George C. Scott) is a cynical old man whose greatest concern is money, and who regards compassion as a luxury he can't afford. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley (Frank Finlay), his former business partner, who arranges for Scrooge to be visited by three spirits in an attempt to show him the error of his ways -- the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Angela Pleasence), Christmas Present (Edward Woodward), and Christmas Yet to Come (Michael Carter). The spirits force Scrooge to examine the failings of his own life, as well as the bravery and optimism of his loyal but ill-treated employee Bob Crachit (David Warner). A Christmas Carol also features Susannah York as Mrs. Crachit, Anthony Walters as Tiny Tim, and Joanne Whalley as Fan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide