Ambush 1949  N/R, 89 min.
Genre: Western
Director: Sam Wood
Cast: Robert Taylor, John Hodiak, Arlene Dahl, Don Taylor, Jean Hagen, Bruce Cowling, Leon Ames, John McIntire, Chief Thundercloud, Pat Moriarity
An Indian is involved in tracking a missing woman in this run-of-the mill Western which pits the U.S. Cavalry against the Apaches.
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Battleground 1949  N/R, 118 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William A. Wellman
Cast: Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, James Whitmore, Marshall Thompson, Jerome Courtland, Don Taylor, Richard Jaeckel, Leon Ames, Bruce Cowling, Douglas Fowley, Herbert Anderson, Thomas E. Breen, Denise Darcel
The Battle of the Bulge provides the setting for this realistic look at the pathos of war. Led by Holley (Van Johnson), the men of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division spend the winter of 1945 in the Ardennes Forest preparing to battle the German army. Trapped and demoralized, the men do manage to work together to defend their position. Academy Award nominations included Best Picture, Director (William A. Wellman), and Supporting Actor (James Whitmore, for his role as the battle-scarred sergeant, Kinnie). It won for Best Writing and Cinematography.
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Damien: Omen II 1978 R, 107 min.
Genre: Horror / Drama / Thriller
aka: Omen II: Damien
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: William Holden, Lee Grant, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Robert Foxworth, Nicholas Pryor, Lew Ayres, Sylvia Sidney, Lance Henriksen, Meshach Taylor, Allan Arbus, Elizabeth Shepherd, Lucas Donat, Fritz Ford, John J. Newcombe, John Charles Burns
It's seven years later (although only two years since the original "Omen"), and Damien (Jonathan Scott-Taylor) has moved in with his rich Aunt Ann and Uncle Richard (Lee Grant and William Holden) after getting rid of his parents in the prior movie. Those who cross Damien are quickly, and grossly, done away with as he plots to inherit his uncle's wealth. The special effects are great. Followed by "The Final Conflict" and "The Awakening."
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Escape from the Planet of the Apes 1971  PG, 98 min.
Genre: Sci-Fi
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Eric Braeden, Bradford Dillman, Natalie Trundy, William Windom, Sal Mineo, Albert Salmi, Harry Lauter, M. Emmet Walsh
After a nuclear disaster, two apes (Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter) have escaped their lost planet and arrive on Earth. Unfortunately, humans greet them warily–afraid that apes will gain control of Earthlings.
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Father of the Bride 1950 N/R, 94 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Bennett, Don Taylor, Billie Burke, Leo G. Carroll, Moroni Olsen, Melville Cooper, Paul Harvey, Russ Tamblyn, Taylor Holmes, Frank Orth, Tom Irish, Marietta Canty, Fay Baker
This excellent film depicts a father Stanley T. Banks' (Spencer Tracy) emotions surrounding the approaching wedding of his only daughter Kay (Elizabeth Taylor). Mother Ellie (Joan Bennett) and daughter prepare wedding plans, but Father becomes concerned with financing the wedding. Underlying all this is Father's problem of coming to grips with losing his place of importance in his daughter's life. Academy Award nominations were received for Best Picture, Actor (Tracy), and Writing.
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Father's Little Dividend 1951  N/R, 82 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor, Don Taylor, Billie Burke, Moroni Olsen, Russ Tamblyn, Paul Harvey, Richard Rober, Frank Faylen, Tom Irish, Hayden Rorke, Marietta Canty, Dabbs Greer, Howard M. Mitchell
This sequel to "Father of the Bride (1950)" has Stanley Banks (Spencer Tracy) trying to adjust to becoming a grandfather. His daughter Kay (Elizabeth Taylor) is now married to Buckley (Don Taylor), and they are expecting a baby. Stanley's overbearing wife Ellie (Joan Bennett) is worried throughout the pregnancy, but their young grandson arrives safely. The baby now screams whenever Stanley comes near–until Stanley mistakenly leaves the baby alone in his carriage for a half hour. When Stanley returns, he is greeted by a smiling baby, and he is finally a proud grandfather.
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 The Final Countdown 1980 PG, 103 min.
Genre: Adventure / Drama / Sci-Fi
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino, Ron O'Neal, Charles Durning, Victor Mohica, Soon-Tek Oh, James C. Lawrence, Joe Lowry, Alvin Ing, Lloyd Kaufman, Mark Thomas, Dan Fitzgerald, Harold Bergman
The nuclear aircraft carrier U.S.S. Nimitz is time-warped from 1980 back to 6 December, 1941. Captain Matthew Yelland (Kirk Douglas) is faced with the dilemma of altering history by interfering with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Senator Samuel Chapman (Charles Durning) has his ideas about the course of action, while Warren Lasky (Martin Sheen) is very concerned about possible outcomes and their effect on the future. Time is running out, and a decision must be made.
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Flying Leathernecks 1951 N/R, 103 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Nicholas Ray
Cast: John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Don Taylor, Janis Carter, Jay C. Flippen, William Harrigan, Carleton Young, Harry Lauter, Adam Williams, Barry Kelley
This story about United States Marine Corps pilots stationed in the Pacific during World War II focuses on the interplay between the commanding officer (John Wayne) and his executive officer (Robert Ryan) who often do not see eye-to-eye.
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The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday 1976  PG, 102 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: Lee Marvin, Oliver Reed, Robert Culp, Elizabeth Ashley, Kay Lenz, Strother Martin, Sylvia Miles, Howard Platt
A bizarre group of misfits plot to get rich quick while two of their members, Sam (Lee Marvin) and prostitute Thursday (Kay Lenz), fall in love.
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 The Island of Dr. Moreau 1977 PG, 98 min.
Genre: Adventure / Horror / Thriller / Sci-Fi / Romance
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Michael York, Nigel Davenport, Barbara Carrera, Richard Basehart, Nick Cravat, The Great John L., Bob Ozman, Fumio Demura, Gary Baxley, John Gillespie, David S. Cass Sr.
This film, based on an H.G. Wells story, is a remake of "Island of Lost Souls." Braddock (Michael York) is shipwrecked on an uncharted island in the Pacific Ocean and runs into a mad scientist, Dr. Moreau (Burt Lancaster), who turns wild animals into monster humans.
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I'll Cry Tomorrow 1955 N/R, 117 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Daniel Mann
Cast: Susan Hayward, Richard Conte, Eddie Albert, Jo Van Fleet, Don Taylor, Ray Danton, Margo, Virginia Gregg, Don "Red" Barry, Peter Leeds
This film is based on Lillian Roth's autobiography about her triumph over alcoholism. Susan Hayward portrays the star as she sinks further into her abyss with the bottle and in and out of six marriages. Hayward received an Oscar nomination.
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Johnny Dark 1954 N/R, 85 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: George Sherman
Cast: Tony Curtis, Piper Laurie, Don Taylor, Paul Kelly, Ilka Chase, Sidney Blackmer, Scatman Crothers, Russell Johnson, Joe Sawyer, Robert Nichols
After being cheated by the automaker for whom he works, engineer Johnny Dark (Tony Curtis) steals the sports car he designed and enters a Canada to Mexico race.
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My Wicked, Wicked Ways...The Legend of Errol Flynn 1985 TV, 143 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: Duncan Regehr, Barbara Hershey, Darren McGavin, Lee Purcell, George Coe, Michael C. Gwynne, Hal Linden, Michael Callan, Deborah Richter, Stefan Gierasch
This made-for-TV biography of Errol Flynn draws heavily from his autobiography, and covers his life to the mid-1940s.
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The Naked City 1948 N/R, 96 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Jules Dassin
Cast: Barry Fitzgerald, Howard Duff, Dorothy Hart, Don Taylor, Ted de Corsia, Adelaide Klein, House Jameson, Frank Conroy, David Opatoshu, Paul Ford
This is one of "eight million stories in the naked city." In this story, the search for a killer leads to a ring of jewelry thieves and a wild chase through the city. Very good for its time and a model for cop shows to follow on TV and in the movies.
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Ride the Wild Surf 1964 N/R, 101 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: Fabian, Shelley Fabares, Tab Hunter, Barbara Eden, Peter Brown, Susan Hart, James Mitchum, John Anthony Hayes, Roger Davis, Catherine McLeod, Murray Rose
In this beach party film, Malibu surfers–Jody (Fabian), Chase (Peter Brown), and Steamer (Tab Hunter)–head for Hawaii in search of big waves and find local girls–Brie (Shelley Fabares), Augie (Barbara Eden), and Lily (Susan Hart)–in the process. Good surfing scenes.
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Song of the Thin Man 1947 N/R, 87 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Edward Buzzell
Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Keenan Wynn, Dean Stockwell, Philip Reed, Patricia Morison, Gloria Grahame, Jayne Meadows, Don Taylor, Leon Ames
Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) stumble onto a murder, and soon they are in the middle of the investigation. This time around (their sixth and last film in the series) is still fun.
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 Stalag 17 1953  N/R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger, Robert Strauss, Harvey Lembeck, Richard Erdman, Peter Graves, Neville Brand, Sig Ruman, Peter Baldwin, Michael(2) Moore, Robinson Stone, Gil Stratton, William Pierson, Robert Shawley
William Holden captured the Oscar for his portrayal of Sefton, a P.O.W., suspected of collaborating with his Nazi captors. Intrigue continues throughout as clues are dropped that lead to the identity of the real informer. Oscar nominations were received for Best Supporting Actor (Robert Strauss) and Director.
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Submarine Command 1951 N/R, 87 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: John Farrow
Cast: William Holden, Nancy Olson, William Bendix, Don Taylor, Arthur Franz, Darryl Hickman, Jack Kelly, Moroni Olsen, Jerry Paris, Charles Meredith
Set during the Korean War, the psychological conflicts of submarine Captain White (William Holden) outweigh his sea battles as he deals with his role in the death of two shipmates.
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Tom Sawyer 1973 PG, 104 min.
Genre: Family / Adventure / Musical
Director: Don Taylor
Cast: Johnny Whitaker, Celeste Holm, Warren Oates, Jeff East, Jodie Foster, Lucille Benson, Henry Jones, Noah Keen, Dub Taylor, Richard Eastham
This musical version of "Tom Sawyer" is entertaining. It features Johnny Whitaker in the title role, while Jeff East takes on the role of Tom's friend, Huckleberry Finn. The film includes episodes of the boys many pranks–all of which are delightfully choreographed.
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 The Truman Show 1998  PG, 104 min.
Genre: Drama / Sci-Fi
Director: Peter Weir
Cast: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Ed Harris, Brian Delate, Una Damon, Paul Giamatti, Philip Baker Hall, Blair Slater, Peter Krause, Heidi Schanz, Ron Taylor, Don Taylor
Insurance salesman Truman Burbank's (Jim Carrey) entire life has been documented as well as broadcast nationally on a 24-hour basis. All the people around Truman are actors, and Truman lives and works in a huge studio. Despite his made-up world, Truman thinks he is an ordinary man–until he decides to experience life in the outside world. Academy Award nominations included Best Director and Supporting Actor (Ed Harris). 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | A good movie that doesn't quite gel | 1fatts 03/31/2007 | The elements are all here, and it is a professonal job. Weir directs; Ed Harris was up for an oscar; a solid performance from Laura Linney and Jim Carrey plays confused without going over the top.
And the script is everyone's paranoid fantasy brought to life.
It is enertaining, amusing, more-or-less satisfying, and has a couple of nice scenes taking advantage of good production values.
Then why isn't it better than this? Why isn't this allegory of the central question in so many lives -- isn't there more to me than this? -- more moving? more challenging? more significant?
I think the director sets the mark rather lower than he might have. Carrey is fine, but not better than fine. There are levels of shading that the actor doesn't bring and the director doesn't seek. Ed Harris' final confrontation with Truman, which should be man facing his creator, falls flat because Carrey isn't man enough and Harris' creator isn't high enough.
Still, a good film and well worth a few hours of your time. But one of those films where you wonder what someone else who was willing to take a few more chances could have made of this. |
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| 1. Ambush (1949)
2. Battleground (1949)
3. Damien: Omen II (1978)
aka: Omen II: Damien
4. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
5. Father of the Bride (1950)
6. Father's Little Dividend (1951)
7. The Final Countdown (1980)
8. Flying Leathernecks (1951)
9. The Gift (1979)
10. The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday (1976)
11. Honky Tonk (1974)
12. The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)
13. I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955)
14. Johnny Dark (1954)
15. The Manhunt (1985)
16. My Wicked, Wicked Ways...The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985)
17. The Naked City (1948)
18. Ride the Wild Surf (1964)
19. Song of the Thin Man (1947)
20. Stalag 17 (1953)
21. Submarine Command (1951)
22. Tom Sawyer (1973)
23. The Truman Show (1998)
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