IC Places Instant DVD Review The Centennial Collection From Paramount

Centennial DVD Collection From Paramount

 

 

 

Featuring...

Roman Holiday:
A modern-day princess "escapes" from her royal entourage while on a trip to Rome, and while incognito, falls in love with an American newspaperman. Oscar-winning story from then-blacklisted Dalton Trumbo was credited to Ian McLellan Hunter.

To Catch a Thief:
Cary Grant plays John Robie, reformed jewel thief who was once known as "The Cat," in this suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock classic thriller. Robie is suspected of a new rash of gem thefts in the luxury hotels of the French Riviera, and he must set out to clear himself. Meeting pampered heiress Frances (Grace Kelly), he sees a chance to bait the mysterious thief with her mother's (Jessie Royce Landis) fabulous jewels. His plan backfires, however, but France, who believes him guilty, proves her love by helping him escape. In a spine-tingling climax, the real criminal is exposed.

The Odd Couple:
Neil Simon has a special genius for finding the great hilarity in ordinary people doing everyday things. Like two divorced men who decide to share a New York apartment. That’s the premise of The Odd Couple, though there's nothing odd in the casting of two Oscar-winning talents like Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau. The two veteran funnymen work together with the precision timing of a vaudeville team, but always with bright spontaneity. Lemmon plays fussy Felix, fastidious to a fault. He proves that cleanliness is next to insanity. Matthau is Oscar, who wreaks havoc on a tidy room with the speed and thoroughness of a tornado. An enduring and endearing picture, with the intelligence on usually misses in comedies.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s:
Blake Edwards`s adaptation of Truman Capote`s classic novella is ideally cast with Audrey Hepburn in the role of Holly Golightly. The free-spirited gamine darts about New York, feted by wealthy men drawn to her megawatt charm and elegance, hoping that the party will never end. After "shopping" in front of Tiffany`s window, she meets aspiring writer Paul Varjak (George Peppard), and they begin a platonic friendship. "Sponsored" by an older woman (Patricia Neal) whose interest in the young man is more than literary, he can identify with her experience better than most, taking it upon himself to protect her from the worst aspects of city life. But she seems to need little protection from such friends as incarcerated mob boss Sally Tomato (Alan Reed), who pays her to carry messages to Sing Sing. With her infectious joi de vivre, she helps Paul break through a paralyzing case of writer`s block. But when the genial Doc Golightly (Buddy Ebsen) appears in New York in search of Holly, the sources of her gossamer lifestyle suddenly become clearer. Edwards`s lighter-than-air romantic comedy, set in a fantasy New York, rides on the irresistible charm of Hepburn at her peak, as well as a memorable score by Henry Mancini. Although George Axelrod`s screenplay is as different from the original story as George Peppard is from the young Capote, the film succeeds on its own terms.

Funny Face:
Splashes of vivid color light the way through Stanley Donen`s very modern musical. "Think pink!" commands Miss Prescott, head of Quality Woman fashion magazine, and American women obey--all except Jo (Audrey Hepburn), an intellectual young woman who tries to prevent Miss Prescott from staging a photo shoot in Jo`s bookshop. Photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) sees something interesting in Jo`s "funny face," and soon he`s lured her to Paris to model during the day and discuss philosophy in smoky cafes at night. Modeling Givenchy clothes, Hepburn steals the color in every scene, and her funny face enchants all, including Dick and, unexpectedly, the dark and handsome philosophy master whose theories Jo adores. The musical numbers are primarily duets--Jo and Dick glide together in each other`s arms, Jo and Miss Prescott find unexpected solidarity in womanhood, and Dick and Miss Prescott cavort in the philosopher`s salon--but the most engaging scene is when the three come to Paris, plead exhaustion to one another, then secretly race around the city, singing and dancing and reveling in being tourists.

Sabrina:
Billy Wilder`s adaptation of Samuel Taylor`s romantic comedy stars Audrey Hepburn in the title role. The daughter of the chauffeur (John Willliams) of the wealthy Larabee family, she becomes infatuated with the rakish, younger brother David (William Holden), while spying on their lavish parties as a teenager. Her father sends her to school in Paris to forget her romantic angst, but upon her return, the now fashionable young woman has suddenly become irresistible to David. Since his father and older brother Linus (Humphrey Bogart), who runs the family business, have engineered his forthcoming marriage to a wealthy heiress (Martha Hyer), they attempt to derail Sabrina`s romance with David. To cool his brother`s ardor, Linus temporarily puts David out of commission and begins dating Sabrina simply to distract her, but of course it`s he who becomes distracted. When David recovers from his injury and learns that Sabrina is now interested in her brother, the festivities begin. Hepburn, the ultimate ingenue, defines charm in this pleasant comic diversion.

Sunset Boulevard:
Billy Wilder`s masterpiece SUNSET BOULEVARD, a corrosive black comedy that remains the most memorable assault on the emptiness and vanity of the movie business, stars William Holden as young, down-and-out screenwriter Joe Gillis. Narrated in flashbacks by the now-deceased scribe, the film unwinds the series of events that left him lying face down in a pool. Unable to sell his most recent chef-d`oeuvre, and in hock up to his eyeballs, Joe stashes his car in the driveway of what appears to be an abandoned mansion on Sunset Boulevard while trying to elude some persistent repo men. Closer inspection reveals the decrepit property to be inhabited by grandiose former silent movie goddess Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), and her zombie-like manservant Max (Erich von Stroheim). Upon hearing that he`s a writer, the lonely but still wealthy woman offers to pay him generously to stay at the house and work on her "comeback" script on the life of Salome. Although spooked by the people and the surroundings, in desperate straits, Joe takes the job, little suspecting the madness of the netherworld he`s entered. Wilder`s merciless portrait of the dangers of a profession that trades in fantasy cagily couples the cynical amorality of the never-was with the near-psychotic narcissism of the has-been to reveal the vacuity of wealth and the transience of fame.

 

Brought to you by:

J&J Securities Lifestyle Design Group - www.jandjsecurity.com

An innovative provider of low voltage integration. At J&J Security, our primary focus and daily objective is to ensure our clients experience an unsurpassed level of customer service, regardless of their requirements. The atmosphere that surrounds our core operation is filled with technology professionals that continue to soar to new heights in our industry. With a prevailing and well structured corporate team, we are proud to offer ground-breaking low voltage solutions that immediately present a positive impact to our clients.

 

Kaleidescape

The Kaleidescape System simplifies the way you collect, manage and enjoy movies and music. Once your personal entertainment collection is stored on the Kaleidescape System, you can say goodbye to DVD and CD clutter and the frustration of storing and organizing your movies and music. And, since your Kaleidescape System uses high-speed networking to deliver your favorite movies and music throughout your home, you can instantly access and enjoy them when and where it's convenient for you, your family or your guests. Simply click PLAY, lean back and immediately enjoy the show with your closest friends and family.

 

Crestron

With distinctive features for every application, Crestron's broad range of over 100 touchpanels delivers maximum value to your customers. Only Crestron offers touchpanels with embedded PCs, built-in MediaMarker™ annotation and 802.11a/b/g capabilities. From 3.6" to 17" widescreen displays to handhelds, FlipTops, wall mounts and tiltcase designs - there's a Crestron touchpanel for every room and every budget.

 

Runco

Runco International, Inc. is the leading name in the "Home Theater" industry. For fourteen years, Runco has been synonymous with the leading edge of this steadily maturing industry. The company is credited with having the vision to see an industry evolving when none existed. Runco built a strong foundation for the home theater industry to become a distinguishable segment of the retail landscape.

 

Sony