Yoram Globus Movies
A leading figure in the Israeli filmmaking industry since the 1960s, filmmaker/producer Yoram Globus, working closely with his cousin Menahem Golan, produced more than 150 films. The duo came to the U.S. in 1979 and began producing independent films, including Love Streams(1984) and Barfly(1987). Ten years later, Golan and Globus dissolved their partnership and Globus took over as chief of Pathe International. In 1990, Globus was appointed president of MGM/United Artists. ~ MaryAnn Henry, All Movie Guide
- 2006
An upstanding lawyer discovers where his loyalties truly lie while embarking on a personal crusade of vengeance and struggling with his own integrity. Israel, 2006: young lawyer Uri wrestles with his own morality after being asked by his best friend to lie in court. His friend has been accused of killing a young Arab boy, and with Uri's testimony he will surely be judged innocent. Traumatized by his own memories from the battlefield, Uri is preparing to tell the truth when his wife, a benevolent social worker, is brutally killed while attempting to do her job. With crime and corruption running rampant, Uri reaches to find the limits of justice as his determination to do the right thing gives way to his unquencable thirst for revenge. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2006
In Tel Aviv, Israel, in the early 1960s, a Jewish family still chafes from the wounds it endured in the Holocaust. So begins Israeli director Hanan Peled's period drama Dear Mr. Waldman (AKA Michtavim Le America, 2006). At the center of the family unit stands 10-year-old Hilik, who sees it as his mission to pool his resources with those of his brother and help their parents bury the nightmare of the concentration camps. The father, Moishe's, trauma may be more deep-rooted than it appears, however; not only is he unable to free himself from the grip of the Holocaust, he lives with the persistent delusion that his son from his first marriage evaded murder in the camps, fled to a new life in America, and took a position as John F. Kennedy's assistant. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Although it claims to be "suggested by an Edgar Allen Poe" story, this British production is basically a remake of Karl Freund's 1932 The Mummy -- but with nude shower scenes. Tony Curtis, in the Boris Karloff role, becomes obsessed with a young blonde woman whom he believes to be the reincarnated spirit of an Egyptian princess. She begins having nightmares, hallucinations, and starts hearing voices, while people around her suddenly start turning up brutally murdered. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
The highlights of this classic children's story are the performances of Diana Rigg as the Mean Queen and Billy Barty as Biddy the Dwarf. The seven-year-old Snow White is played by Nicola Stapleton, with Sarah Patterson portraying the princess at age 16. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diana Rigg, Billy Barty, (more)
This retelling of Charles Perrault's ever-popular children's tale, Puss In Boots is about Puss, a cat who is full of schemes and strategies, and who can turn into a human being Christopher Walken when he wants to. In this film, Puss is the sole inheritance of Corin (Jason Connery), a young man who is now living on the streets. The cat reveals some of his abilities to the lad, and promises to bring him all sorts of good things. In a series of amusing adventures, Puss proceeds to make good on his word. This children's tale also features a number of song interludes. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Walken, Jason Connery, (more)
Powaqqatsi was the second of the feature-length "non narrative" films produced, directed and co-scripted by Godfrey Reggio. As in his earlier Koyaanisqatsi, Reggio utilizes a collage of sounds and gimmicked-up images to make a comment on modern life. And as in the earlier film, Reggio's onslaught of imagery is backed up by the music of Philip Glass. This time, Reggio concentrates on Third World cultures, and the way those cultures are perceived and sometimes exploited by the power merchants of the world. Powaqqatsi was supposed to be the second in a trilogy, but wasn't as eagerly embraced by viewers and critics as its popular predecessor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In this mystery, Peter Ustinov reprises the role of Hercule Poirot, the fussy and flower-tending detective from Belgium created by Agatha Christie. In 1937, Mrs. Emily Boynton (Piper Laurie) is on an archeological dig in Palestine; she inherited the wealth of her recently deceased husband and feels little inclination to share it with her relatives. When she turns up murdered, there are plenty of logical suspects among the people who hated Emily, so which one did the deed? It's up to Poirot to find out. The supporting cast includes Lauren Bacall, John Gielgud, and Carrie Fisher; the film was Ustinov's sixth go-round as Poirot. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Ustinov, Lauren Bacall, (more)
This uneven reworking of the famous Grimm Brother's fairy tale stars Amelia Shankley as Red Riding Hood. Craig T. Nelson plays a double role of twin brothers. Godfrey is the evil brother who rules the kingdom when the virtuous Percival is missing in action after riding off to war. Lady Jeanne (Isabella Rossellini) is Percival's faithful wife who uses magic to change Dagger (Rocco Sisto) into a wolf to enable him to spy. She also fends off the unwanted advances of her lecherous brother-in-law. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Craig T. Nelson, Isabella Rossellini, (more)
- 1987
The professional wrestling world's battling "Barbarian Brothers" are featured as the heroes in this sword-and-sorcery fantasy film. They're out to rescue their lovely queen and retrieve a magic ruby, stolen from them years before. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Paul, Peter Paul, (more)
- 1987
For all we know, there may be even more unknown and unseen Dom DeLuise films lurking around out there. Until we did the research, we didn't know My African Adventure existed. Based loosely on a comic novel by Tamar Burstein, the film concerns the son of an American ambassador who meets a steady stream of merry mercenaries while heading into the African interior. One of the plot-motivating factors is a talking monkey; other devices aren't quite as subtle. In addition to Mr. DeLuise (who isn't the lead, though he gets top billing), My African Adventure also features Jimmy "Dy-No-Mite" Walker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dom DeLuise, Jimmie "J.J." Walker, (more)
- 1987
Two highly talented and innovative directors -- filmdom's Jean-Luc Godard and the theatre world's Peter Sellars -- join forces in this unusual (to say the least) slant on Shakespeare's King Lear. This offbeat adaptation gives the viewer a postmodern taste of Shakespeare through the eyes of a deliberately obscure auteur. The film is set some time after Chernobyl has wiped everything out, and the world is trying to set itself right again. William Shakespeare Jr. the Fifth (Peter Sellars) is faced with the task of restoring his famed ancestor's lost works. He visits a resort in Switzerland and becomes fascinated with a visiting gangster, Don Learo (Burgess Meredith) and his lovely daughter, Cordelia (Molly Ringwald), who converse in actual Shakespearean lines. That's as close to the bard as this King Lear gets. It also includes appearances by Woody Allen, Norman Mailer, and director Godard himself as "The Professor," a deranged individual who seems fascinated with Xeroxing his own hand. ~ John Voorhees, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burgess Meredith, Peter Sellars, (more)
- 1987
Featuring several gorgeous ballet sequences, Sleeping Beauty is a live-action telling of the classic fairy tale, starring Tahnee Welch as Beauty. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Who else but a California Valley Girl could stumble down a hole in the ground and end up in the lost city of Atlantis: "Ooooh, and the buildings are sooo spiffy..." The Atlanteans are quite sure she's on their side, so they decide she's gotta' go and send out the death squads. The "Alien" in this film is played by model Kathy Ireland. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathy Ireland, Thom Matthews, (more)
- 1987
American Ninja 2: The Confrontation spotlights Michael Dudikoff and Steve James as a pair of combustible U.S. Army Rangers. Dudikoff and James are ordered to find out why so many Marine guards have been disappearing from their posts at the US Embassy in a mythical Carribean country. Turns out that villain Gary Conway has been kidnapping the Marines and forcing an abducted engineer to reprogram the captive Leathernecks so that they'll join Conway's army of zombielike assassins. Naturally, the scientist has a beautiful daughter (Michelle Botes) whom Conway uses as leverage. Battling not only Conway's minions but the corrupt local authorities, martial arts experts Dudikoff and James effectively lay waste to the villain's previously impenetrable stronghold. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, (more)
This live-action version of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast stars Rebecca De Mornay as the woman who learns to see the charm and love beneath the exterior of a boorish beast who imprisons her in his castle in order to collect a debt from her father. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rebecca De Mornay, John Savage, (more)
This witty version of Hans Christian Anderson's moral tale of a king whose vanity makes him an easy mark for con artists, features Sid Caesar and Art Carney. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sid Caesar, Clive Revill, (more)
In this live-action version of the classic fairy tale, Hansel (Hugh Pollard) and Gretel (Nicola Stapelton) are the offspring of an impoverished woodcutter (David Warner) and his wife (Emily Richard) who wander into the woods in this Grimm Brother's fairy tale. The trail of bread crumbs they leave to find their way back is eaten by birds, and the children are lured into the gingerbread house of the wicked witch (Cloris Leachman). ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Pollard, Nicola Stapleton, (more)
- 1987
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Charles Bukowski, the talented crown prince of self-abuse, wrote the short stories upon which the surprisingly entertaining Barfly was based. The film concentrates on alcoholic writer Mickey Rourke (the Bukowski alter ego) who carries on a hate-hate relationship with bartender Frank Stallone. Rourke makes the acquaintance of another of society's castaways, Faye Dunaway, who in addition to being a souse is said to be crazy. They move in together, even though Dunaway all but promises to be unfaithful for the price of a drink. Rourke has a chance to clean up his act when offered a large commission for his writings by publisher Alice Krige. They too end up in bed, each trying to change the other. The clarion call of the cheap wine bottle overrides Rourke's half-hearted efforts to enter the mainstream. Watch for author Charles Bukowski, as well as Fritz "Pop!" Feld and Vance Colvig (who's made a career out of playing street people) in Barfly bit parts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Rourke, Faye Dunaway, (more)
In Assassination, a routine political thriller directed by Peter Hunt, Jay Hillion (Charles Bronson) is a secret service agent assigned to protect First Lady Lara Royce Craig (Jill Ireland). Lara hates Hillion and tries to get away from him but finds she needs him when her life is threatened by a series of assassination attempts which may have originated from the White House. This routine actioner has little to offer that is new or different, but it tells its tale at a good pace and has some nice location photography. Charles Bronson gives his usual steely performance, while Jill Ireland is more sympathetic as the First Lady who likes her independence but must learn to trust a man she detests. This film, while routine and somewhat predictable will be enjoyed by Bronson fans. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, (more)
- 1986
Produced in the Autumn of the Golan-Globus collaboration, Avenging Force serves as a vehicle for American Ninja costar Michael Dudikoff. Cast as a retired secret service agent, Dudikoff runs up against a sinister right-wing political organization called the Pentangle. He comes to the aid of his best friend Steve James, a black political candidate who has become a target for the Pentangle's henchmen. Impressed by Dudikoff's martial arts skills, the Pentangle leaders try to convince him to join their cause-and to ensure his cooperation, they kidnap his little sister Alison Gereighty. Avenging Force concludes with a violent Enter the Dragon-style mano y mano squareoff between Dudikoff and the Pentangle flunkeys. The film's finale is "open" enough to allow for a sequel, which has yet to appear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, (more)
- 1986
This future dystopia tale is set in what remains of the U.S.A. 900 years after a nuclear war. People have banded into clans, where women fight and win control over a region while men are held as slaves and divided into functional groups, such as laborers, servants, or those who father children. When the leader of the dominant female clan dies, there is a dispute over her vacated position; two sisters vie for the honor and are challenged by the leader of a another clan. Meanwhile, one of the men has found an old presidential bunker and a stash of weapons. His plan is to use his discovery to free the men at last. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chuck Wagner, Laurene Landon, (more)
- 1986
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After receiving a mysterious gold piece, Quatermain travels to Africa to find his brother, who is searching for a lost white tribe. In his search, Quatermain discovers a lost civilization. This film is a follow-up to King Solomon's Mines. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, (more)
- 1986
This comedy about the "sanity" of those in an asylum focuses on popular Israeli comic Seffi Rivlin, who plays a bank manager who discovers that the inmates of a mental institution are running a counterfeiting operation from the basement of their hospital. Actors exaggerate their portrayals of the patients, and the plot zooms off in several directions at once. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seffi Rivlin, Arik Lavie, (more)
Billy Barty, one of the world's biggest little people, stars in this musical children's fable from the Brothers Grimm. Rumpelstiltskin (Barty) promises the miller's daughter Katie (Amy Irving) that she will be able to spin straw into gold in order to win the love of the Prince (John Mouler-Brown). After the marriage, Katie gives birth to a son that the nasty gnome abducts. Rumpelstiltskin agrees to give the child back to Katie if she can guess his name. An excellent performance from Billy Barty who began his career in the silent film era. Amy Irving's brother David provides the direction. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Irving, Billy Barty, (more)
