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80s Action favourite Red Dawn gets a lavish 4K Uhd release from Altitude and we have a copy for you to win.

Win Red Dawn on 4K Uhd

An incredible cast – including Patrick Swayze (Roadhouse), C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders), Charlie Sheen (Platoon), Lea Thompson (Back to the Future), Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) and Powers Boothe (Southern Comfort) – take up arms against an invading Soviet army in Red Dawn, the superb hit 1980s actioner written a directed by cinematic powerhouse John Milius (Conan the Barbarian), and co-written by Kevin Reynolds (Waterwold).

Hugely entertaining, packed with explosive action set pieces and a line up of A-list actors to die for, this is thrilling, escapist fun of the highest order. The film is released in a 4K Uhd edition with a bonus disc filled with extras, as well as a collectable Steelbook edition and also on Blu-ray.

Synopsis:

It is the dawn of World War III.

To celebrate the release of Red Dawn on 4K Uhd edition, collectable Steelbook edition and Blu-ray available now, we are giving away a 4K Uhd edition!

80s Action favourite Red Dawn gets a lavish 4K Uhd release from Altitude.

An incredible cast – including Patrick Swayze (Roadhouse), C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders), Charlie Sheen (Platoon), Lea Thompson (Back to the Future), Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) and Powers Boothe (Southern Comfort) – take up arms against an invading Soviet army in Red Dawn, the superb hit 1980s actioner written a directed by cinematic powerhouse John Milius (Conan the Barbarian), and co-written by Kevin Reynolds (Waterwold).

It is the dawn of World War III. In the western mountains of America, a group of teenagers band together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces.

Hugely entertaining, packed with explosive action set pieces and a line up of A-list actors to die for,...

Texan author Robert E. Howard (1906-1936) was a prolific writer of pulp fiction stories. In his own lifetime, his most popular stories were his Westerns. However, in the decades following his death, one of his characters in particular has come to overshadow all his other creations: Conan the Barbarian. First appearing in the pages of the iconic pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1932, Conan has gone on to become not only Howard's most popular and enduring creation, but one of the most influential characters in the Fantasy genre, period.

There are two primary reasons why Conan has remained Howard's most popular character. The first is the influence of the 1982 Conan the Barbarian movie, directed by John Milius, co-written by Milius and Oliver Stone, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which helped propel both Conan as a character and Schwarzenegger as an actor to new heights of popularity.

The second reason is that Conan...

The director Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted for his breakout movie, Conan the Barbarian, told the Austrian action legend he should change his signature look. Schwarzenegger first rose to prominence when he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Debut Acting in a Motion Picture for his appearance in 1976's Stay Hungry, before following it with the acclaimed bodybuilding docudrama Pumping Iron. His breakthrough role as an action icon came with 1982's John Milius sword-and-sorcery epic Conan the Barbarian, but the director could have been very different if things had gone to Schwarzenegger's original plan.

It seems that the Terminator 2 star originally wanted the project to be helmed by American animator and filmmaker Ralph Bakshi, who made the dark fantasy Fire and Ice and the animated 1978 epic The Lord of the Rings. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Bakshi, now retired, revealed that Schwarzenegger took him to lunch to ask him...

We hear all the time that a movie starts on the page, and while this is true in an overarching sense, for practical purposes, the process of making a motion picture intended to screen in theaters or stream into living rooms starts when you've raised enough money to hire the actors and crew and so on required to get that page-bound vision before a camera. It's at this point that you begin fretting about getting a return on your investment and, just maybe, turning a profit. In this sense, all filmmaking is risk-taking.

This is the movie business, and it didn't used to be of widespread public interest. Once in a blue moon, people would be aware that a film like Joseph L. Mankiewicz's "Cleopatra" cost a studio-devouring amount of money; meanwhile, they could tell "The Exorcist," "Jaws" and "Star Wars" were making scads of money because they could...

Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze are forever entrenched in the annals of romance cinema with their roles in Dirty Dancing. However, they would actually couple up a few years earlier in the action thriller Red Dawn in 1984. Grey would recently appear on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast and recount a time they were filming a scene where their characters were supposed to snuggle up in a sleeping bag and become intimate with each other. The chemistry between the two stars in their later provocative hit would resonate with audiences, but their first attempt to make love on screen became so anxiety-induced that Grey said Swayze had started the scene fairly inebriated.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Grey confessed, “We were in this, you know, sleeping bag and he, I guess, was nervous or whatever. And he came into the sleeping bag drunk, and he didn’t know his lines.

Steven Spielberg is one of the most prolific filmmakers of the latter half of the 20th and 21st centuries. Behind amazing projects like Jaws and Jurassic Park, which changed how people talk about blockbusters and theatrical releases forever, Spielberg has also been deeply interested in stories about World War II. Spielberg's early upbringing was colored by the impact of WWII, like most Americans during these years. This was because he was born in 1946. It makes sense that this experience colored his later projects, as many filmmakers attempt to bring large parts of their childhood to life onscreen.

There are many great movies Spielberg produced but didn't direct within multiple genres, but he helmed almost every film project involving World War II. In recent years, he's continued moving into the producer role in television as well as cinema. Spielberg co-created the hit miniseries Band of Brothers with Tom Hanks, which was...

We all know Arnold Schwarzenegger terminated the 1980s as the premiere action movie star alongside Stallone, but what about the 90s? Beyond Total Recall, T-2: Judgment Day, and True Lies, what’s the best Arnie action flick released between 1990 and 1999? And when we mean best, we don’t mean box office success, we’re talking about old-school ass-kicking Schwarzenegger action hinting at the halcyon days that date back to Commando and Conan the Barbarian. Is it Last Action Hero? End of Days? Or is it Chuck Russell’s underrated 1996 conspiracy espionage thriller Eraser? If you said Junior, Jingle All the Way, or Batman & Robin, you may kindly show yourselves out the door this instant. Better yet, stick around, Eraser is about to wipe your memory and prove why it’s the last great Arnie action flick to blast the masses in the 1990s.

From the rocky relationship between producer and director,...

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In this age of superhero movies, we rarely see a blockbuster take over the conversation in pop culture. Yes, I know there is Top Gun: Maverick, Barbie, and Oppenheimer but the true era of blockbusters is long gone and so are the movie stars there were times when blockbusters were all the rage and in this list, we are talking about that time, 1990s. Countless films were released in the 1990s and several of them became blockbusters but now many people don’t even remember them and even if they do they are not talking about them. So, we took it upon ourselves to create a list of the best 10 forgotten blockbusters that were released in the 1990s.

Air Force One (Rent on Prime Video) Box Office: $315.2 Million Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79% Credit – Sony Pictures

Air Force One is...

Next week’s hyper-contentious election and its face-off between virulently opposed camps has cast a fearful pall over our culture, creating an atmosphere where political terrors are outdoing the movie versions. Why hasn’t someone made a slasher pic about volunteers canvassing door-to-door at dusk?

This uneasy vibe has foregrounded an uncomfortable truth about horror films: how they often come with subtle political messages that are not always subtle enough to obscure which way they might vote in November. (To be clear, films cannot cast votes in a presidential election.) For example, you could easily argue that one of the most blatantly Republican horror movies was The Exorcist, along with the entire satanic-possession genre. In William Friedkin’s 1972 original, science and modern medicine are completely powerless to dent the demon who has possessed the innocent victim, leaving it up to the patriarchal Catholic Church to take on Pazuzu (and forge...

This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" season 5, episode 3, "The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel," sees Lieutenant Boimler (Jack Quaid) assigned to a covert, potentially dangerous spy mission. He is to join Commander Ransom (Jerry O'Connell) and Lieutenant Commander Billups (Paul Scheer) on a mission to the Cosmic Duchess, an ultra-swanky, high-end resort-like cruise ship, floating gently through deep space. His assignment is to penetrate deep into the hotel to retrieve Admiral Milius (Toby Huss), a Starfleet officer who has gone Awol thanks to "a touch of vacation madness." The writers of "Lower Decks" missed an opportunity in not saying that he had been infected with Paradise Syndrome.

The Cosmic Duchess, however, is such a massive ship that it incorporates artificial recreations of every possible vacation-ready biome. There's a tropical beach biome, a skiing resort biome, and a water park biome.

Megalopolis helmer Francis Ford Coppola is set to receive the American Film Institute’s 50th Life Achievement Award, AFI’s highest honor for a career in film, during a Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 26, 2025.

Coppola is the latest in a line of esteemed artists to receive the award. Nicole Kidman took this year’s, with Julie Andrews, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Diane Keaton and John Williams also recently being honored.

Said Kathleen Kennedy, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees, “Francis Ford Coppola is a peerless artist – one who has created seminal works in the canon of American film, and has also inspired generations of filmmakers who now embody his artistry and his independent spirit. AFI is honored to present him with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award.”

Most recently seeing Lionsgate release his film Megalopolis, a Roman epic set in modern times starring Adam Driver,...

The multiple Apocalypse Now versions that have come out over the years have offered a lot of different ways to watch the acclaimed question as well as a lot of questions about which is the best version. Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam War film stands out within the genre at least partly because of the different versions that exist and the debate that has cropped up as a result. Coppola has his own opinions of each, which can differ from and line up with some of the widely accepted attitudes towards each version.

The movie not only goes down in history as one of the best war movies ever made but one of the most controversial behind the scenes. Martin Sheen had a heart attack, Francis Ford Coppola fired a key actor and had a nervous breakdown, and Marlon Brando showed up overweight and underprepared. Despite the difficult time making the movie,...

Picture this: A big-name actor strolls on stage to intro a screening of one of his classic flicks. So far, so good. But hold up – he’s rocking a dress? Wild. The crowd’s eating it up, but then some stagehands rush in to yank it off him. He doesn’t put up much of a fight, but the audience is not having it – they’re booing like crazy. It turns out that the dress was part of the gag all along, but maybe not the awkward strip show. Little did they know, this wacky moment was just a warm-up for what was coming: Richard Dreyfuss going off about kids changing genders, the parents that push them into it, women in Hollywood (including a dig at his old co-star Barbra Streisand), and the whole #MeToo thing. Talk about a plot twist.

Was this just another celeb crash-and-burn, Hollywood chewing up and spitting out another star?...

Movie battles have been criticized by experts for accuracy and realism, and the same goes for some examples from popular TV shows. TV faces a tumultuous production cycle where accuracy may be sacrificed to produce a spectacle on time, but this becomes a more glaring issue amid recent TV trends. With more fantasy/historical epics and larger budgets than ever for TV, audiences expect that the people behind the show do at least some research to make their battle scenes legitimate.

This issue is not restricted to biographical dramas, as fantasy TV battles have also been critiqued, with the genre blowing up in movies and TV in recent years. Even series claiming some of the best TV show battles of all time have not entirely escaped such faults. Experts (or even general audience members) highlight inaccuracies and errors that many would have missed based on historical research and real military...

The 1970s were truly an extraordinary time for movie comedies, as many incredible films broke down social and political boundaries. This was an era where it became possible to joke about subjects related to sex and vulgarity that had previously been off-limits, and many iconic comedians became household names. While this was the decade in which filmmakers like Mel Brooks and Woody Allen took Hollywood by storm, even those acclaimed directors had some comedies that barely anyone remembers today.

The very best comedies of the 1970s have remained beloved classics that film lovers rewatch and enjoy countless times over. However, when digging deep to rediscover some long-forgotten hidden gems, it's striking just how many underappreciated releases with stars like John Belushi, Jack Nicholson, and Gene Wilder there are out there for those willing to wade through the rough. Although there are some 1970s comedies that have been forgotten for a reason,...

You can't have "Jaws" without Quint, a modern Captain Ahab if he'd been hunting a great white shark rather than a white whale. It's difficult to picture anyone but Robert Shaw (in one of his last roles before his premature death in 1978) in the part, but the actor actually wasn't who director Steven Spielberg first had in mind.

In "Spielberg: The First Ten Years" by Laurent Bouzereau, Spielberg claimed his first choice for Quint was Lee Marvin. He wanted a big star and Marvin was famous for playing sinister tough guys. See: "The Big Heat," "Point Blank," "The Dirty Dozen," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (directed by the man who taught Spielberg how to frame a horizon.) Marvin, though, said no. Spielberg recounted: "What I heard was that [Marvin] wanted to go fishing for real! He took his fishing very seriously and didn't want to do it from a 'movie' boat.

There's no doubt that HBO's Rome, a well-received historical epic that was praised by experts, was canceled way too soon. Set in Ancient Rome during the 1st century BC, Rome centers on Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) and Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd). Against all odds, the Roman soldiers are pulled into crucial historical events as their beloved civilization transforms from a Republic into an Empire under Julius Caesar's (Ciarn Hinds) ambitious rule. Rome's characters also include Caesar's ruthless-yet-memorable niece, Atia of the Julii (Polly Walker), who aims to put her son, Octavian (Max Pirkis), on the throne.

A ratings success for both HBO and the BBC, Rome was lauded by critics, historians, and audiences alike. However, despite all the praise, Emmy nominations, and surges in viewership that Rome garnered for the network, HBO canceled the series after just two seasons. Initially, Rome's creators had planned for at least five seasons,...

From gunslinging one-liners to angry cop retorts, Clint Eastwood quotes keep his characters iconic decades later. Eastwood is a seasoned Hollywood legend with dozens of classic films under his belt, both as a leading man and a sharp-eyed director. Throughout his career, Eastwood has played such unforgettable roles as vigilante cop Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry series and vengeful bounty hunter The Man with No Name in the Dollars trilogy. These antihero characters are full of quotable lines.

In his Oscar-nominated career as an actor, Eastwood has delivered quotes written by John Milius, Paul Haggis, and William Goldman. Their scripts have given him plenty of great one-liners and impassioned speeches to work with, and hes nailed every on-camera delivery to create some fan-favorite quotes. From Walt Kowalskis quippy grumblings in Gran Torino to William Munnys grizzled monologues about the many regrets from his gunfighting days in Unforgiven, there are...

Darth Vader cannot be left out of a conversation about iconic Hollywood villains simply because, well, simply because he is The Darth Vader. Voiced by James Earl Jones in the Star Wars franchise, the antagonist’s name is enough to send a chill down our spines even after all these years. That’s how you know Hollywood hit the ball out of the park with the villain.

James Earl Jones’ Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back | Credits: Lucasfilm Ltd.

However, Darth Vader isn’t the only iconic villain the late James Earl John Milius’ Conan the Barbarian, brings a far worse villain to the screen, someone even the legendary Darth Vader would want to run and hide from.

Darth Vader’s Got Nothing on James Earl Jones’ Thulsa Doom James Earl Jones in Conan the Barbarian | Credits: Universal Pictures

We rarely get to see an...

Clint Eastwood may not hold the youthful charm he once did in the 1950s or be the leading star of Spaghetti Westerns, but the Eastwood name can never be replaced as long as Hollywood stands. The movie star and cowboy actor of the century transitioned perfectly from the old talkies to the 21st-century Oscar-winner Million Dollar Baby without breaking a sweat.

Clint Eastwood in the Dollars Trilogy [Credit: United Artists]

Meanwhile, the industry stepping out of its Western fixation failed to outgrow and catch up to the rapidly transforming world outside. Their inability to adapt to the changing times and customs posed a huge red flag for the industry, marking the end of an era. Gone were the days of simplicity when all that the audience was curious about was if Frank Sinatra really had connections with the mob. The 1970s were all about the neo-noir classics and action thrillers.

Frank...

The early 80s were a tumultuous period for much of the world. Tensions were high as the Second Cold War continued to play out between the U.S. and the Soviet Union; the ramifications of what would happen if the two nations fell out would be felt across the globe. America had elected Ronald Reagan to the Oval Office, and his passionate rhetoric about the Soviets did little to calm concerns about a possible third World War – which, thanks to nuclear weaponry, wouldn’t be as much a war as a worldwide holocaust. So yeah, it was a bit of a nerve-jangling time to be alive, but thankfully we still had the movies to chill us out.

While Hollywood was still dealing with the fallout from Vietnam with pictures as diverse as The Deer Hunter, Coming Home and First Blood, they were about to start making movies about the New...

Steven Spielberg's classic blockbuster Jaws is heading to Netflix in September, and the sequels will also be coming to the platform. The movie was based on Peter Benchley's book, which was published just one year before Spielberg released his breakout movie. While the director previously worked on Duel (1971) and The Sugarland Express (1974), it was Jaws that made him the famous creator he is today.

With sharks bringing havoc to various fictional tourist destinations, staying at home and watching the adventures of SeaWorld and Amity Island is likely the wisest decision. Three of the four Jaws movies will now stream directly from a popular platform. Jaws, Jaws 2, and Jaws 3-D will be coming to Netflix on September 1st, where they will join Spielberg's Band of Brothers for easy viewing.

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Did You Know: The shark would have appeared more regularly, if...

Zack Snyder's first major comic book adaptation, 300, is coming to Netflix soon. A historical epic based on the comic book by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, it tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, where a small group of Spartans stood against Persia's forces to defend the whole of Greece. While the story is an entirely fantastical version of the actual battle, it became a box office hit, earning $456 million on a budget of just $65 million. 300 also saw largely positive reviews from critics and exceptional audience responses.

With an all-star cast, consisting of Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Michael Fassbender, and more, the acting has only become more acclaimed over the years. The 1 hour and 57-minute movie has aged gracefully, especially since Zack Snyder went on to direct Man of Steel, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and Watchmen. It will now be coming to Netflix on September 1st,...

The minute Mola Ram (Amrish Puri) sunk his digits into the chest of one very unfortunate Thuggee cultist and extracted his still-beating heart for his followers -- and moviegoers all over the world -- to see, the Motion Picture Association of America (now the Motion Picture Association) finally had to admit it had a ratings problem on its hands.

This horrific scene arrives halfway through Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," the kickoff film of the 1984 summer movie season, and as the sequel to 1981's box office champ "Raiders of the Lost Ark," easily the year's most anticipated release. Like its predecessor, it was sold as an all-ages adventure, which the MPA certified with a PG rating. For 12 years, PG suggested "Parental Guidance," though most parents treated the rating as a guarantee they could drop off their kids at the theater secure in the knowledge there would be no f-bombs,...

During the summer of 1984, parental outrage over the unexpected gore and graphic violence in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Gremlins” led to a ratings change by the Motion Picture Association of America. Encouraged by Steven Spielberg, director of “Temple of Doom” and producer of “Gremlins,” on July 1, 1984, the MPAA introduced the “PG-13” rating, indicating that “parents are strongly cautioned to give special guidance to children under 13.” A few weeks later, on August 10, 1984, “Red Dawn” became the first American film released with the new rating. Although it got mixed reviews upon its debut, it has become a cult classic both for featuring a group of young actors who went on to become some of the biggest stars of the decade, and for its themes that are reminders of the real fear Americans felt over the Cold War. Read on for more about the “Red Dawn” 40th anniversary.

Writer...

House of the Dragon finally redeemed Game of Thrones for its terrible ending and it seems that the fans of the high fantasy series are getting back up on the Got train. Based on George R.R. Martin‘s book Fire & Blood, the Game of Thrones prequel series takes place 200 years before the events of the original series and it revolves around the internal conflicts of the House of Targaryen. House of the Dragon stars Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otta Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole. So, if you loved the high fantasy, political drama, brutal violence, and medieval setting in House of the Dragon here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Game of Thrones (Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – HBO

Game of Thrones is an epic fantasy and...

Those About to Die is an epic sword-and-sandal historical drama series created by Robert Rodat. Based on the 1958 novel of the same name by author Daniel P. Mannix, the Peacock series revolves around the lives of the gladiators and citizens of the Roman Empire in Ancient Rome, where violence, greed, and lust run rampant. Those About to Die stars Anthony Hopkins, Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins-Court, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, Moe Hashim, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Gabriella Pession, Dimitri Leonidas, and Emilio Sakraya. So, if you loved the epic fights, brutal violence, and historical drama in Those About to Die here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Rome (Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – HBO

Rome is a historical drama series created by John Milius, William J. MacDonald, and Bruno Heller. The HBO series is set in the 1st century BC during Ancient Rome’s transition from Republic to Empire,...

TakenImage: 20th Century Fox

Sometimes a single quote can carry an entire movie. More often, good films are built from sharp screenplays with writing that acquires even more meaning thanks to the emotions evoked by the narrative. A classic line becomes a classic line because of its context. Both the...

The troubled production of Apocalypse Now, lasting over a year in extreme conditions, involved firing the lead actor and dealing with a civil war. Francis Ford Coppola obsessively edited over a million feet of film, delaying the release date several times, but still managed to deliver a cinematic masterpiece. The chaotic behind-the-scenes drama of Apocalypse Now, captured in the documentary Hearts of Darkness, would make a great TV miniseries.

The making of Francis Ford Coppolas 1979 Vietnam War movie masterpiece Apocalypse Now would make for a compelling TV miniseries. Screenwriter John Milius, the real-life inspiration for The Big Lebowskis Walter Sobchak character, reimagined Joseph Conrads classic 1899 novella Heart of Darkness as the ultimate war picture. Milius switched out Conrads late-19th-century Congo setting for the battlefields of Vietnam. He switched out Conrads story of a steamboat captain heading upriver to meet the mysterious Kurtz for the story of a disillusioned soldier...

George Lucas established himself as a blockbuster filmmaker with 1977’s Star Wars, which has had an enduring legacy in cinema. However, before undertaking the epic space opera saga, Lucas was once considering directing a war drama film focusing on the Vietnam War, which Francis Ford Coppola eventually directed.

Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now was initially developed by George Lucas (Credit: United Artists).

The 1979 war drama Apocalypse Now was initially going to be helmed by Lucas, who was involved in the project since the writing stage. Moreover, Lucas and writer John Milius had an extremely outrageous idea for the film’s production as the duo intended to shoot on actual locations where the war was still taking place. Here is everything you need to know about what could’ve been George Lucas’ Apocalypse Now.

George Lucas Almost Directed Apocalypse Now Before Creating Star Wars

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Apocalypse Now...

After breaking into Hollywood in the 1970s, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas laid the groundwork for modern blockbuster cinema. The duo is also known for collaborating on hits like the Indiana Jones film series, which has become a cinematic icon over the years. Both have also expressed their joy in working together and their mutual admiration.

Steven Spielberg and George Lucas | Credit: Jarc12030 via Wikimedia Commons

After meeting in the late 60s, the two bonded over a shared love of cinema and respect for each other’s craft. Lucas even visited Spielberg during the pre-production of his iconic thriller Jaws. However, Spielberg’s antics and his friend’s mischievous nature could have taken a drastic turn amid an unexpected malfunction with the mechanical shark used in the movie.

George Lucas Stuck His Head in the Mechanical Shark Used in Jaws

According to the Inside Jaws podcast, filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s...

To celebrate the release of Once Upon a Time in the West on 4K Ultra HD today, as part of a 4K Uhd & Blu-Ray Collector’s Edition, we have a Collector’s Edition to give away to a lucky winner!

Director Sergio Leone’s monumental Western classic Once Upon A Time In The West celebrates its 55th anniversary this year and to mark the occasion Paramount Home Entertainment will release the fully restored film for the first time on 4K Ultra HD on May 13, 2024, as part of a 4K Uhd & Blu-ray Collector’s Edition.

One of the most iconic and influential movies ever made, Once Upon A Time In The West has been restored from the original 35mm Techniscope camera negative by Paramount’s archive team, L’Immagine Ritrovata and The Film Foundation. This restoration honours the 2007 Film Foundation photochemical restoration overseen by legendary director Martin Scorsese by matching its build and colour palette.

Behind-the-scenes drama in filmmaking can mirror the intensity of on-screen stories. Apocalypse Now faced setbacks like actor replacements and logistical challenges. The Shining's demanding director pushed actors to the brink, leading to a grueling filming experience.

In the world of filmmaking, drama isn't limited to what unfolds in front of the camera. Often, there's even more drama behind the scenes. From heated rivalries between lead actors to directors pushing their cast and crew to the brink, the production process can be filled with tension, controversy, and unexpected challenges. Movies like Apocalypse Now, The Shining, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? are notorious examples of films where the off-screen drama rivaled the intensity of the stories being told on-screen.

These behind-the-scenes conflicts, whether stemming from creative differences, personal feuds, or the relentless pursuit of perfection, have often added to the mystique and fascination surrounding these films. In some cases, the...

With the back-to-back blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg had firmly established himself as a sui generis Hollywood visionary when, in 1978, he chose to make "1941." Most people consider this a near-disaster of a decision. The anarchic World War II comedy, set in panicked Southern California in the immediate wake of the assault on Pearl Harbor, was a 180-degree turn from the spirited adventure and childlike yearning of his previous two films. It was silly, vulgar and more than a little mean. And, most audaciously, it was making light of the country's understandably crazed reaction to an attack that killed thousands of U.S. military personnel.

Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...

For his forthcoming one from the heart, Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola has once again violated the cardinal rule of the entertainment business: Never invest your own money in the show. Reports are that to bankroll the $120 million epic he has literally mortgaged the farm, or vineyard. The investment is slated to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14.

We — and he — have all been here before. Coppola last went into hock for another long-aborning and cost-overrunning project, which 45 years ago, almost to the day, also premiered at Cannes: the now legendary Apocalypse Now (1979).

At the time, Coppola was bathing in the afterglow of one of the most astonishing back-to-back double, or triple, plays in the industry’s history: The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974), the operatic two-part saga of mob family business in which organized crime serves less as a metaphor for American capitalism than its purest expression (“Michael,...

Until recently, if one were asked to name some of the best films of preeminent 1970s filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, it would be easy to pick the big hits. “The Godfather” (1972), “The Godfather II” (1974) and “Apocalypse Now” (1979) are definitely his most iconic and respected films. You’d also be hard-pressed to find a person aged 25-50 who isn’t keenly aware of his adaption of S.E. Hinton’s mandatory high school assigned “The Outsiders” (1983) or his classics “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986) and maybe even “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” (1988). Yet lately, Coppola’s “The Conversation” (1974) has entered the chat as a somewhat under the radar, low-key masterpiece from the filmmaker, and this year the film celebrates its 50th birthday.

After honing his directorial chops on films like the Roger Corman-produced horror film “Dementia 13” (1963) and fledgling films like “You’re a Big Boy Now” (1966), “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968) and “The Rain People...

It’s not just action stars going to unscrupulous lengths to achieve cinematic prowess in their movies, Action megastar Arnold Schwarzenegger also proved his commitment to his roles by doing what could be unthinkable for many. The actor has endured a lot for his character in his 1982 movie Conan the Barbarian.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan the Barbarian

In his book, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, the actor revealed the extent of the path he took to meet the demand of the director to acutely portray his character. Schwarzenegger’s confession might be a goosebump for many fans, but it shows how the actor went on to do terrible things for the sake of perfecting a character.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Endured Terrible Things For Conan The Barbarian

Arnold Schwarzenegger in and as Conan the Barbarian

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an action legend with several blockbusters to his credit in his career spanning several decades.

Shōgun is one of the best beautiful and intense action drama series ever. Based on a 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell, the FX series is adapted for television by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks. Set in the year 1600 in Japan, the historical series follows the story of Lord Yoshii Toranaga as enemies unite and come to take his life, but he sees an opportunity when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a village nearby. Shōgun has a brilliant ensemble cast including Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Néstor Carbonell, and Fumi Nikaido. So, if you loved the beautiful imagery and ruthless action of Shōgun, then you should check out these shows next.

Medici: Masters of Florence (Netflix) Credit – Rai

Medici: Masters of Florence is not big on action but if you loved all the politics and scheming in Shōgun, then it might be right up your alley.

War movies don't always stick to realism; some embrace psychedelia and surrealism for a trippy experience. Directors like Coppola and Kubrick use experimental approaches to depict the horrors of war in unique ways. Movies like "Apocalypse Now" and "Come and See" offer nightmarish, unsettling views on war that defy traditional storytelling.

While war movies are often acclaimed for their realism, some of the genre’s greatest achievements utilize psychedelia and surrealism, leading to some trippy moments. It is tough to bring the horrors of war to life onscreen. Some directors, like Platoon’s Oliver Stone, drew from personal experience to illustrate the realities of war. Others, like Saving Private Ryan’s Steven Spielberg and Redacted’s Brian De Palma, used visceral violence, suspense, and relentless editing to provide their movies with an appropriately thunderous atmosphere and intensity that mirrored war’s worst realities. Still others, like Full Metal Jacket’s Stanley Kubrick,...

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger,” reads the Nietzschean maxim that serves as epigraph for writer-director John Milius’s 1982 adaptation of Conan the Barbarian, thereby encouraging viewers to plumb the philosophical depths of this rousing sword-and-sorcery epic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger from the get-go. So it’s sort of ironic to consider that, given the film’s commercial success and subsequent cult status, Milius no doubt contributed to the seemingly endless proliferation of this slogan across multiple platforms, emblazoned on everything from motivational posters to coffee mugs.

Milius’s seriousness of intent is signaled from the opening scene when Conan’s father (William Smith) advises his young son (Jorge Sanz) to trust nothing in this world but his sword. Critics at the time believed this solipsistic bit of paternal advice to reflect the ruthless individualism of Reagan’s America. But things are a bit more complicated than that,...

In a 2000 Star Wars Insider interview with "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" director Irvin Kershner, he admits that he was initially reluctant to take on the project: "'Star Wars' was one of the greatest successes we ever had in film, and I felt to follow it would only be to make a film not as good." Even the studio did not want him to get involved with the sequel, feeling that Kershner was "too old, because it's a young person's film." He also knew next to nothing about special effects.

But as much of a success as "Star Wars" became, it was not initially received that way. In the same interview, Kershner recalls viewing a trailer at Francis Ford Coppola's New Year's Eve party: "We were all baffled, to tell you the truth. We did not believe that he was going to get away with this. We all had...

This post contains spoilers for the "Dirty Harry" films.

Don Siegel's "Dirty Harry" changed cop movies forever upon its release in 1971. Capitalizing on the "law and order" craze stoked by President Richard Nixon, which was a reaction to the perceived anarchy of the various protest movements of the 1960s, Clint Eastwood's Miranda rights-flouting Harry Callahan fed conservative moviegoers a big, juicy slab of red meat. It also allowed the actor to flourish in a genre outside of Westerns, thus expanding his appeal and turning him into one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood.

"Dirty Harry" ends with Callahan, having caught and killed (in self-defense) a vicious serial killer, hurling his badge into a quarry. Throughout the movie, his hard-driving, occasionally extrajudicial methods, which could've resulted in a swift arrest and saved multiple lives, are decried by his superiors. It appears the inspector has had enough. Audiences, however,...

The Israeli-Gaza morass this week seemed to defy coherent media coverage, reminding me of critic David Thomson’s conclusion about Hollywood war movies and how they “used to celebrate courage, not confusion.”

Thomson’s new book, The Fatal Alliance, deals with the history of the war movie from Gallipoli to Saving Private Ryan, guiding readers from “war is hell” to “war is a blur.”

The war movie once constituted a reliable genre product for Hollywood, along with the Western and the musical. To be sure, Israel-Gaza is a tragedy of enormous and dramatic proportions, as symbolized by its chaotic cross-cutting from drones to tunnels.

From Paths of Glory to Dunkirk, war movies once set forth a structure and pathos to guide audiences through the nihilism of combat.

Thomson reminds us of the pageantry of the knights on horseback in Olivier’s Henry V, the churning helicopters in Apocalypse Now or...

Titan Books and Heroic Signatures are offering audiences the chance to experience the story of Conan the Barbarian in a novelization format, expanding on the screenplay by John Milius and Oliver Stone. The novelization, written by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, was first released in 1982 and is now back in print, allowing fans to revisit the iconic film and its story. In addition to the novelization, there has been a surge of Conan the Barbarian content in 2023, including a new series of short stories and a making-of book, providing fans with new ways to engage with the beloved character.

Conan the Barbarian is a classic character who has been explored in nearly all forms of media but is best known thanks to the hit 1982 film directed by John Milius and written by Milius and Oliver Stone. Though first created in 1932 by Robert E. Howard, Conan the Barbarian will...

One of the curious things about "The Twilight Zone's" enduring popularity is that Rod Serling's classic anthology series has been rebooted three separate times, and even spun off into movies, and yet the original series is still considered the gold standard. You'll hear "Star Trek" fans sing the praises of "The Original Series," sure, but you'll also find lots of them who think the franchise peaked with "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," or "Enterprise." But the reboots of the "Twilight Zone" aren't nearly as well remembered or celebrated as the original series, no matter how many great filmmakers or actors appeared in them.

Take the first TV reboot, for example. That version of "The Twilight Zone" aired for three seasons between 1985 and 1989 — peak, influential pop culture years — and featured episodes directed by cinematic luminaries like Wes Craven, Joe Dante, John Milius, Curtis Harrington, Bill Duke, Martha Coolidge,...

This episode of Revisited was Written by Cody Hamman, Narrated by Travis Hopson, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Adam Walton and Chris Bumbray, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Intro: The eyes of the ranger are upon you… and while his name isn’t Walker, he is played by Chuck Norris. Ten years before he started playing a Texas Ranger on TV, Norris brought another Ranger to life in a feature film. His name was J.J. McQuade, and this martial arts practicing lawman brings down an international gun smuggler in an action-packed adventure released in 1983. Lone Wolf McQuade (watch it Here) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year – so it’s time for it to be Revisited.

Set-up: Writer B.J. Nelson was inspired to write Lone Wolf McQuade after hearing about the life of a real-life Texas Ranger. A man who also had the nickname “Lone Wolf”: Manuel T.

To mark the release of his upcoming book, “Be Useful: Tools for Life”, Arnold Schwarzenegger came up with a pretty fitting way to unveil his copies: by using his Conan the Barbarian sword to open the box. Outside of firing a rocket launcher at the box, it seems to be about the coolest way for Schwarzenegger to promote the release.

Not only did Arnold Schwarzenegger get to show off copies of his self-help book – which is now out – to his Instagram followers but he also got his miniature pony Whiskey, donkey Lulu and pig Schnelly in on the fun. And while Arnold is known to be an animal lover, we just don’t see him teaching these barnyard creatures how to read.

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While it can be hard to pinpoint exactly how much the Conan the Barbarian sword is worth,...

Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s self-help book and memoir Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life is now on store shelves (copies can be purchased at This Link), and in that book Schwarzenegger discusses some of the terrible stuff – actually, he says terrible shit, but I didn’t want to put that in the headline – that Conan the Barbarian director John Milius had him doing during the making of that classic.

Schwarzenegger wrote (with thanks to Insider for sharing), “I learned to ride horses and camels and elephants. I learned how to jump from large rocks, how to climb and swing from long ropes, how to fall from a height. I basically went to another vocational school, this one for aspiring action heroes. Then on top of that, Milius had me doing all kinds of terrible shit. I crawled through rocks, take after take, until my forearms bled. I ran from wild dogs...

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s new self-help book and memoir “Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life” recalls the crazy things he had to do to pull off his most iconic film roles. Most wildly, he reveals that he bit into a real, dead vulture while filming takes for 1982’s “Conan the Barbarian.” Schwarzenegger writes that the film’s director, John Milius, forced him to do “terrible shit” during the making of the film.

“I learned to ride horses and camels and elephants. I learned how to jump from large rocks, how to climb and swing from long ropes, how to fall from a height,” Schwarzenegger writes (via Insider). “I basically went to another vocational school, this one for aspiring action heroes.”

“Then on top of that, Milius had me doing all kinds of terrible shit. I crawled through rocks, take after take, until my forearms bled. I ran from wild dogs that...