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The Vikings:
Kirk Douglas produced the trendsetting barbarian epic The Vikings and took the star role of Viking Prince Einar, the "only son of King Ragnar (Ernest Borgnine). Douglas battlesw with defiant slave Tony Curtis (the long-lost heir to the British throne and hi shalf brother) for the hand of the beautiful princess Janet Leigh. With brawling Viking parties, furious sieges, and clanging broadsword battles the film was an enormous hit in 1958. |
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Spartacus:
Epic 1960 saga, in which the rebellious slave Spartacus (played by Douglas) leads a freedom revolt against the decadent Roman Empire. Spartacus remains one of the best of Hollywood's grand historical epics. Jean Simmons plays the slave woman who becomes Spartacus's wife, and Peter Ustinov steals the show with his frequently hilarious, Oscar-winning performance as a slave trader who shamelessly curries favor with his Roman superiors. Also stars Laurence Olivier as thel Roman senator and Tony Curtis as a slave. Spartacus is a film with a story as impressive as its widescreen action and Oscar-winning sets. |
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Ben Hur
Ben-Hur scooped an unprecedented 11 Academy Awards® in 1959 and, unlike some later rivals, richly deserved every single one. This is epic filmmaking on a scale that had not been seen before and is unlikely ever to be seen again. But it's not just running time or a cast of thousands that makes an epic, it's the subject matter, and here the subject--Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) and his estrangement from old Roman pal Messala (Stephen Boyd)--is rich, detailed, and sensitively handled. Director William Wyler, who had been a junior assistant on MGM's original silent version back in 1925, never sacrifices the human focus of the story in favor of spectacle, and is aided immeasurably by Miklos Rozsa's majestic musical score, arguably the greatest ever written for a Hollywood picture. At four hours it's a long haul (especially given some of the portentous dialogue), but all in all, Ben-Hur is a great movie, best seen on the biggest screen possible. |
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The Greatest Story Ever Told
The life of Jesus Christ in this 1965 film directed by George Stevens. Max von Sydow plays the role of Jesus beautifully, rendering the familiar tale with a handsome authenticity. |
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Cleopatra:
Cleopatra starring the glamourous Liz Taylor, handsome Richard Burton as the tormented Marc Antony and Rex Harrison as the ageing Julius Caeser. Pure magic. |
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The Ten Commandments:
Legendary 1956 biblical drama The Ten Commandments (DeMille had already filmed an earlier version in 1923) has an anachronistic, impassioned style with impressive preformances from lead actors Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner, complete with several still-impressive effects such as the parting of the Red Sea. |
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Titanic (1997)
It has to be admitted, Titanic is a masterpiece and the sheer scale of the film is awesome. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane and Gloria Stuart. It's a love story which is abruptly shattered when the ship hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic and shows their struggle to survive through the chaos and mayhum of people as the ship finally sinks. The soundtrack for the film is excellent, composed by James Horner (Troy, Braveheart) with the main title piece being sung by Celine Dion. |
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Gladiator
Ridley Scott's glossy historical epic Gladiator. Essentially a remake of Anthony Mann's Fall of the Roman Empire. The overall visual effects are hugely impressive. |
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The Long Ships:
The Long Ships is an action-packed Viking adventure saga starring Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier. Viking brothers Rolfe (Widmark) and Orm (Russ Tamblyn) steal the Norse king's funeral ship as well as his beautiful daughter, Gerda (Beba Loncar), and head off in search of the fabled "Mother of Voices," a huge solid-gold bell "as tall as three tall men." |
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Charles Dickens: Great Expectations / A Tale Of Two Cities / Oliver Twist
Excellent trio of Dickens' masterpieces reflect the genius of the master writer. Tale of Two Cities captures the mood of the time. Oliver Twist is one of David Lean's best films, about the waif who endures many hardships before a realistic happy ending. Stars Alec Guinness as Fagin. Great Expectations, starring John Mills. For Classic Action and Adventure DVDs Click here |