Menahem Golan Movies
As one of the leaders in Israeli cinema, filmmaker/producer Menahem Golan has collaborated with his cousin Yoram Globus since the early '60s to produce over 150 movies. He spent many years directing theatrical productions in Israel before coming to the U.S. to study film in New York and later became a protegé of director Roger Corman. When Golan returned to his homeland, he and Globus worked together to create Israel's film industry with prestigious films such as Sallah Shabati (1964). In 1979, Golan and Globus took over the Cannon group in Hollywood where for the next 10 years they produced quality independent films such as Love Streams (1984) and Barfly (1987). In 1989, the two producers went their separate ways with Globus becoming the head of Pathe International, and Golan moving to take over the 21st Century Film Corporation. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 2009
While Israel is a nation that has been in the center of the public eye ever since its birth, its national cinema has received relatively little attention, and only a handful of Israeli films have received extensive distribution outside the country. Raphael Nadjari at once addresses the story of filmmaking in Israel, the politics and aesthetics behind Israeli cinema, and how the nation's film industry has grown outside the interference of the west in this documentary. A History of Israeli Cinema is divided into two parts; the first half covers the years 1932 to 1978, beginning with Zionist films shot in Palestine by Jewish directors from Europe, and the second part is devoted to 1978-2005, when filmmakers embraced what locals critics called "The New Sensibility" and features with brave and defiant Sephardic heroes gave way to more nuanced fare dealing with the spiritual, political and ethical grey areas of a nation of immigrants. Along with extensive clips from a broad variety of key films, the documentary also includes interviews with noted film critic, actors and directors who talk about cinema and its role in a nation whose story is still being written. A History Of The Israeli Cinema received its world premiere at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Armand Assante and Udo Kier star in director Ivan Nichev's tale of two warring gangs of drug dealers struggling to gain the upper hand in the lucrative Berlin drug trade. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Armand Assante, Udo Kier, (more)
- 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
Directed by Menahem Golan, Return From India centers inside of a chaotic Tel-Aviv hospital, where administrator Lazar (Assi Dayan) requests that a young surgeon named Dr. Rubin (Aki Avni) accompany him and his wife on a trip to India in hopes of rescuing his daughter, who had originally left for India in hopes of gaining spiritual enlightenment, but quickly found herself suffering from hepatitis. Though Lazar only wanted Dr. Rubin's presence for his medical expertise, it doesn't take long for a romance to develop between the surgeon and Lazar's wife, Dori (Riki Gal). ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 1998
The hunt is on with this story of the investigation into the murder of fashion mogul Gianni Versace (Franco Nero). Based on the true story, Steven Bauer stars as FBI agent John Jacoby as he conducts the manhunt for spree serial killer Andrew Phillip Cunanan (Shane Perdue). Miami Beach heats up as California's notorious killer starts a cat-and-mouse game with Jacoby that ends in a nationwide investigation. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Franco Nero, Steven Bauer, (more)
A man becomes the unwitting last barrier between terrorists and nuclear holocaust in this action thriller. Rod Armstrong (Frank Zagarino) is a former Navy SEAL who travels to Moscow with his old friend Bob (Charles Napier) and Bob's wife Susan (Kimberly Kates) on a vacation. However, Armstrong soon discovers fun and games is not the first thing Bob and Susan have in mind; it seems that the happy couple is also working with U.S. Intelligence, and they've been sent to Russia to crack open a ring of illegal arms dealers selling stolen nuclear weapons to terrorists with cash in hand. However, shortly after Bob reveals this secret to Armstrong, he is killed. Now Armstrong and Susan are on the run from the Russians as they try to find the kingpin and bring him to justice before terrorists with nuclear weapons can destroy the world. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Zagarino, Kimberley Kates, (more)
This Israeli drama is based on Yaakov Shabtai's novel Past Continuous and tells the story of three men living in Tel Aviv. Caesar loves his wife and son; he is devastated that they have separated. Now he leads a miserable life in a run-down apartment shared with the sluggardly Israel, a dead-beat musician. Together the two set off to attend the funeral of their friend Goldman's father. Unfortunately, they cannot find the right cemetery. Later the story shifts to their complex love lives. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Justin Lazard plays a crack-cocaine dealer who is caught in a police dragnet. The cops cut a deal with Lazard: they'll let him off the hook if he agrees to be trained as a professional assassin. Not unexpectedly, Lazard finds the police no more trustworthy than his former drug cronies. The last time we saw this story, it was called La Femme Nikita and the leading man was a leading lady. Dead Center is rated R, for several very good reasons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
In this quasi-semi-documentary, a Russian angel leads viewers in a quest to discover what, if anything, remains of the great, utopian "American Dream" now that the so-called "Worker's Paradise" dream of Russia has passed completely into oblivion. Along the way, real celebrities and working members the film community in Hollywood are interviewed, and a number of "types" are impersonated by actors. Some of the celebrities interviewed include Jacqueline Bisset, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and screenwriter Jonathan Lawton (the Pretty Woman script writer). ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alena Antonova, Phillipe Bergerone, (more)
- 1993
In this action-thriller, Brad Cartowski (Michael Pare) is a Navy SEAL whose wife, Marcy (Claudette Mink), has been kidnapped by a band of Libyan terrorists. The terrorists have also hijacked an airliner filled with passengers, and in exchange for the return of both Marcy, the jet, and its passengers, they're demanding the release of Carlos (Billy Drago), the leader of their organization who has been captured by American operatives. The United States warily agrees to the deal, but after Carlos is set free in Athens, he and his men decide to keep the plane -- and Marcy. An outraged Brad discovers the U.S. military is hesitant to step in and save Marcy, so he teams up with fellow SEAL Cody (Jan-Michael Vincent) to stage a rescue mission on their own. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Paré, Billy Drago, (more)
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)
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)
