A New ‘Tales of Adventure’ Collection Brings Four Tales of Bravery to Blu-ray

Australian label Imprint Films, a implausible line below the ViaVision imprint, releases older movies to Blu-ray every month. Most get their very own launch, however the label has accomplished good work accumulating some titles collectively in field units celebrating administrators, genres, and extra. Their Tales of Journey collection kicked off final 12 months with a celebration of “Arabian” adventures whereas assortment two set its sights on jungle thrills. Tales of Journey: Assortment Three finds its thrills from Algeria to Norway and contains a roster of huge names together with Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Anthony Quinn, and extra.

Hold studying for a have a look at all 4 movies within the new Tales of Journey: Assortment Three, the brand new restricted version — 1500 copies solely! — from Imprint Movies!

Ten Tall Males (1951)

Sgt. Kincaid (Burt Lancaster) is a fun-loving member of the French International Legion, however he’s all enterprise in the case of wooing the women and beating down the baddies. Information of an impending assault on their outpost sees him tasked with holding off the invaders till reinforcements arrive, however to try this he’ll want a little bit assist from a handful of rogues, thieves, and rapscallions.

Whereas Tales of Journey: Assortment Three is a field of plain goodness, The Tall Males is sadly its weakest hyperlink. The movie began life as a critical western earlier than Lancaster and associates shifted gears and turned it into an abroad journey run by way of with comedy. Neither selection appears to have been the best one, although.

The French Legion itself is a stable sufficient setting for an exciting story because the African panorama and warring factions presents up battle and dramatic wrestle, however director Willis Goldbeck is unable to ship a compelling or convincing expertise. This by no means seems like Morocco, not to mention Africa, and as a substitute bounces between Southern California and minimally dressed soundstages. That lack of tactile ambiance instantly squashes any try at suspense, thrills, or drama. Worse, although, is the movie’s comedic efforts that fall flat at each flip as huge bads are bonked over the pinnacle and get trounced through slapstick antics.

In the end, it’s Lancaster who makes the movie watchable. All the time the acrobat, he turns Kincaid right into a energetic, punchy man vulnerable to knocking guys out and rolling about as a type of protection. He’s enjoyable, however the script thinks he’s additionally humorous, and that’s the place the 2 diverge. Just like the movie itself, Lancaster tries to carry the laughs, however as a substitute all of it simply feels foolish and missing in stakes. The core concept right here — “dangerous” guys stepping up and doing good — is best served in one thing like The Soiled Dozen (1967) or The Magnificent Seven (1960).

Area free, with no extras.

The Heroes of Telemark (1965)

The small city of Telemark sits amid the attractive mountains of Norway alongside a superbly serene lake, however all isn’t nicely. It’s World Struggle II, the nation is occupied by German troopers, and the Nazis are producing heavy water to be used in atomic bombs. It’s the type of factor that might flip the struggle of their favor, and the one hope of stopping it rests with a small group of Norwegian resistance fighters.

This wartime epic from Paramount isn’t all that nicely regarded, and even nicely remembered, however watching it now stirs up an appreciation for old-fashioned motion pictures of its ilk. A serious enchantment right here is the idea on a real story, and director Anthony Mann brings the manufacturing to the very city the place all of it unfolded. We’re watching issues play out round the exact same streets, manufacturing unit, and lake the place — no exaggeration — Hitler’s greatest probability at buying an atomic weapon was stopped. That alone provides a stage of curiosity to the movie.

Mann’s course ensures the entire maintains that curiosity, too, as he crafts a compelling mix of drama, espionage, and motion. It’s removed from action-packed, however the movie’s methodical nature has an enchantment of its personal as we transfer step-by-step with the resistance and their plan. You possibly can really feel the icy chilly permeating outside scenes, elevated additional because the Nazi risk collides with the great thing about the environment en path to a satisfying conclusion.

Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, and Michael Redgrave take the lead right here, and all do good work. Douglas performs a physicist who’d relatively hold the women heat than tangle with Nazis, however he’s satisfied by Harris’ younger freedom fighter as to only how vital their effort is. The character drama could underwhelm at occasions, however Douglas and Harris, particularly, are not often lower than charismatic and fascinating.

Area free, with the next extras.

• *NEW* Commentary with movie historians Steve Mitchell and Steven Jay Rubin
• *NEW* The Making of The Heroes of Telemark [1:24:43]
• *NEW* Taking part in a Hero: Interview with actor David Weston [17:58]
• Location studies from Norway [43:21]
• Location report from Weymouth [12:41]
• Interview with Richard Harris on location [6:13]
• Interview with Michael Redgrave on location [4:24]
• Interview with Ulla Jacobsson on location [4:33]
• Interview with Anthony Mann on location [4:40]
• Interview with Kirk Douglas at Pinewood Studios [5:58]

Sands of the Kalahari (1965)

A small chartered aircraft takes off for a flight over the Kalahari Desert, however when a freak cloud of locusts disables the engines, the aircraft and its passengers crash into the recent sands under. The survivors — six males and one girl — appear to initially work collectively, but it surely’s not lengthy earlier than worry and ego start to rattle their efforts. Add in dehydration, starvation, and a close-by pack of territorial baboons, and issues get even worse. After which, in fact, it’s important to take care of a shirtless Stuart Whitman.

Author/director Cy Endfield delivers one hell of a survival story right here — my favourite movie within the set, by far — that works superbly as each a conventional story of survival and an exploration of humankind’s animalistic tendencies. One character shares his information on the baboons, describing their tribal nature, the dominance of a single male, and the possession the beast takes over the females, and it’s not lengthy earlier than we start witnessing the people devolve in related vogue.

The messaging by no means tries being as on level as say, one thing like Lord of the Flies, however related themes are at play right here. Whitman’s Brian O’Brien is an skilled hunter, and he comes armed with a rifle, a barrel chest, and sure opinions on masculinity. He’s implausible within the position, exuding a sweaty confidence that leads viewers and the woman (Susannah York) into his orbit — nicely, a minimum of till he begins actively eliminating the opposite males who he sees as each useful resource drains and threats to his dominance.

Endfield shot the movie on location, and it’s an efficient selection dropping audiences into the tough desert panorama alongside the characters. Their wrestle performs out with suspense and gentle motion beats, and watching Whitman’s descent in direction of his animalistic methods is at occasions thrilling. The baboons don’t come into play as a lot as an eco-horror fan like myself would have appreciated, however they get the final chortle with a fairly spectacular finale that performs out with solely the sounds of nature barking out out of your tv. It’s a fantastic movie deserving of extra eyeballs.

Area free, with the next extras.

• *NEW* Commentary with movie historian Scott Harrison
• *NEW* Sounds of the Kalahari: Interview with sound digital camera operator Arkadi de Rakoff and clapper loader Douglas Milsome [32:42]

Misplaced Command (1966)

A Lt. Col. within the French navy fights and loses an epic battle in Vietnam, however he finds new alternatives after being launched from a POW camp. It’s referred to as failing upward, and for Pierre Raspeguy (Anthony Quinn), it’s the trail he takes into Algeria as a part of France’s combat in opposition to the resistance. He gathers a ragtag group of troopers together with males he fought alongside beforehand, however he quickly discovers that a kind of males is now the chief of the very resistance he’s going to fight.

Director Mark Robson, or a minimum of his 1st and 2nd A.D.s, handle some stable battle scenes right here capturing the explosive chaos of the battlefield. They’re one in all two actual highlights, and whereas they’re relegated principally to the entrance and the again of the movie they nonetheless elevate the vitality. Set-pieces are allowed room to breath with quite a lot of broad pictures exhibiting scale and tighter sequences showcasing particular person character beats.

The movie is a bit much less profitable off the battlefield, although, because the various character dramas aren’t equally compelling. Quinn’s terrific because the disgraced navy man in search of a second shot at navy success, however pretty much as good as these parts are his extra intimate scenes are a combined bag. Alain Delon has the extra attention-grabbing position as a captain rising uninterested in struggle, however what to make of the horribly miscast George Segal — as an Algerian officer in brown face. Wild stuff.

The identical 12 months noticed the discharge of The Battle of Algiers, and that’s the one you need for a extra critical and thought-provoking have a look at the French try at quelling the revolt. Should you’re okay with an easier method, although, yet one more fascinated about viewers approval and an entertaining satisfaction, than this could scratch the wartime cinema itch.

Area free, with no extras.

Buy Tales of Adventure: Collection Three from Imprint Films!

Associated Subjects: burt lancaster, Home Video, Imprint, Kirk Douglas

Rob Hunter has been writing for Movie College Rejects since earlier than you had been born, which is bizarre seeing as he is so rattling younger. He is our Chief Movie Critic and Affiliate Editor and lists ‘Broadcast Information’ as his favourite movie of all time. Be at liberty to say hello when you see him on Twitter @FakeRobHunter.