Absolute Beginners 1986  PG-13, 107 min.
Genre: Musical / Drama / Fantasy / Romance
Director: Julien Temple
Cast: Patsy Kensit, Eddie O'Connell, David Bowie, James Fox, Ray Davies, Mandy Rice-Davies, Steven Berkoff, Bruce Payne, Anita Morris, Paul Rhys, Eve Ferret, Tony Hippolyte, Graham Fletcher-Cook, Joe McKenna, Alan Freeman
This musical is based on Colin MacInnes' popular novel and revolves around English teenage lovers, photographer Colin (Eddie O'Connell) and emerging model Crepe Suzette (Patsy Kensit) who are in love with each other. Colin is trying to get into London's pop world during the late 1950s, and ad executive Vendice Partners (David Bowie) helps him to achieve his goal. When Crepe finds success, she abandons Colin who then must decide whether to continue his goal of being a photographer or to try to win back Suzette.
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Anna Karenina 2000  TV, 230 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: David Blair
Cast: Helen McCrory, Kevin McKidd, Stephen Dillane, Douglas Henshall, Mark Strong, Amanda Root, Paul Rhys, Paloma Baeza, Abigail Cruttenden, Sara Kestelman, Gillian Barge, Michael Cronin, Deborah Findlay, Malcolm Sinclair, William Scott-Masson
This made-for-TV miniseries features Helen McCrory in the title role of Anna Karenina who is married to a prominent nobleman, Alexi Karenin (Stephen Dillane). When Anna begins a passionate affair with wealthy army officer Count Vronsky (Kevin McKidd), Alexi will not grant her a divorce and refuses to let Anna visit her eight-year-old son Sergei (Michael Cronin). Anna continues her affair, has a child with Vronsky, and the ensuing scandal results in isolating her from her family and friends–and, ultimately, to her death.
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 Chaplin 1992  PG-13, 144 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Richard Attenborough
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Geraldine Chaplin, Anthony Hopkins, Paul Rhys, Dan Aykroyd, Marisa Tomei, Penelope Ann Miller, Kevin Kline, Diane Lane, James Woods, John Thaw, Moira Kelly, Maria Pitillo, Milla Jovovich, Kevin Dunn
Screen pioneer Charlie Chaplin (Robert Downey Jr.) discusses events of his life with his editor George Hayden (Anthony Hopkins) concerning his professional as well as his controversial personal life–as covered in Chaplin's autobiography. Through flashbacks, Chaplin's childhood in London, his vaudeville days, many marriages, and accusations of anti-American sentiments are told in this enjoyable film, which features Chaplin's real-life daughter Geraldine in the role of his mentally ill mother Hannah.
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 From Hell 2001 R, 137 min.
Genre: Drama / Mystery / Thriller
Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Cast: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Jason Flemyng, Robbie Coltrane, Lesley Sharp, Susan Lynch, Terence Harvey, Katrin Cartlidge, Estelle Skornik, Ian Richardson, Paul Rhys, Nicholas McGaughey, Annabelle Apsion, Joanna Page
Life is not easy in 1888's London for Mary Kelly (Heather Graham) and her group of fellow prostitutes who roam the Whitechapel streets. But things could always get worse as the women learn when, one after the other, they turn up dead. In this rendition of a theory behind legendary Jack the Ripper exploits, Scotland Yard calls out opium addicted Inspector Aberline (Johnny Depp) to solve the case.
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 King Lear 1998 TV, 150 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Richard Eyre
Cast: Ian Holm, Barbara Flynn, Amanda Redman, Michael Bryant, David Lyon, Michael Simkins, Adrian Irvine, Paul Rhys, Timothy West, Finbar Lynch, David Burke, Martin Chamberlain, Victoria Hamilton, Nicholas R. Bailey, William Osborne
This made-for-TV film stars Ian Holm in the title role of King Lear, and Barbara Flynn, Amanda Redman, and Victoria Hamilton play his daughters Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. When Lear decides to leave his kingdom to the daughter who proves that she loves him most, tragedy lies in wait. Meanwhile, Gloucester (Timothy West) and his sons Edmund and Edgar (Finbar Lynch and Paul Rhys) have their own family problems to deal with. Tragedies lie ahead for both families. This is one of the better productions of Shakespeare's tragedy.
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Little Dorrit 1988 G, 360 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Christine Edzard
Cast: Derek Jacobi, Sarah Pickering, Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Cyril Cusack, Amelda Brown, Paul Rhys, Miriam Margolyes, Robert Morley, Michael Elphick, Max Wall, Patricia Hayes, Luke Duckett, Daniel Chatto, Bill Fraser
Charles Dickens' novel is told in two parts revealing perspectives of both cold businessman Arthur Clennam (Derek Jacobi) and the innocent Amy Dorrit (Sarah Pickering). Part I is told through the eyes of Clennam who returns home to London after a 20-year absence and becomes interested in William Dorrit (Alec Guinness) who is serving time in debtor's prison. Dorrit's daughter Amy is a seamstress working for Clennam's mother (Joan Greenwood), and Clennam sets out to help the Dorrits reclaim a fortune. In Part II, Amy's side of the story is told as her life crosses that of Clennam. This six-hour film is a well-acted adaptation of Dickens' tale and received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Guinness) and Best Writing.
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| 1. Absolute Beginners (1986)
2. Anna Karenina (2000)
3. Chaplin (1992)
4. From Hell (2001)
5. King Lear (1998)
6. Little Dorrit (1988)
7. Vincent & Theo (1990)
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