Reviews of Famous Martial Arts Movies, Sword of Swords

If someone tells me that they have had enough and now they have had enough of Jimmy Wang-Yu, they are not to be blamed. Cheng Pei-Pei, known as the "Master of the Flying Guillotine", was cool albeit in a funny way, but one will agree that it becomes very difficult to digest the awkwardly bloody "The Golden Swallow". Although the movie was made by the legendary Chang Cheh, it did not have the usual light mood but was packed with oppression and the overall mood of the movie was heavy which made it more difficult to watch.

The difference as an audience was as evident as that between John Ford's "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and "The Wild Bunch" by Sam Peckinpah. Both the movies were western classics with some common thematic factors. However, the way in which the movies were made and delivered created that world of difference.

One good point that can be said about "Sword of Swords", which released in the year 1968, was that the film had many familiar faces which we were used to seeing in Shaw Brother's wuxia movies. These included Tian Feng (see "Raw Courage" by Cheng Pei-Pei) and Huang Chung Hsin (famous for his role in Pei-Pei's "dragon Swamp) who played the lead negatives roles in the movie. The disappointments - Yeung Chi Hing (from "Rivers of tears" by Jenny Hu) and Ouyang Sha Fei (see "Sweet and Wild" by Li Ching) were completely wasted in the movie. The director of the movie was the father of the legendary director and choreographer Ching Siu-Tung, Cheng Kang.

After watching "Sword of Swords", one is compelled to feel that the role played by Li Ching was written to be bashed and beaten repeatedly, to help Jimmy's character get instigated and act on taking revenge!

In the film, Jimmy Wang-Yu is a member of a clan who is trying to get hold of the Sword of Swords. This sword was said to possess the strength of the Wind if used in a certain manner. This special power of the sword was shown in a hilariously choreographed scene.

The film basically comprises of scenes in which either Jimmy is resisting his fighting desire, or protecting the powerful sword against the bad guys, or getting beaten, or getting his family bashed up and his house getting burned.

However, he is the hero and heroes just doesn't seem to die! Therefore, even though Jimmy is blinded and is repeatedly stabbed, he just freezes in the snow and recovers with the help of a poor old woman!

Overall, the movie is neither funny nor witty to amuse the audience. Neither does the movie have an enticing plot. However, this movie will surely be liked and maybe worshiped by Chang Cheh fans, as the movie has is super-violent and has the ultra-male factor playing throughout.

My advice - try watching Chang Pei-Pei's films once more, just to get your sanity back! Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Mad Men Commentary: Episode 511, The Other Woman

Joan and Peggy. These two have been the subject of much contrasting over five seasons of Mad Men, and this week's episode, titled The Other Woman, casts their differences in the sharpest relief yet.

That title - The Other Woman - refers to a mistress, which is how Don and his creative team think of Jaguar. As he explains it to Megan, "The Jaguar is beautiful, but unreliable. It comes with a toolkit the size of a typewriter. You basically have to have another car to go places. What we're saying is it's your gorgeous mistress." Megan is not impressed. "So, a wife is like a Buick in the garage?" "We're trying to make a weakness into a strength. We're selling to men," Don explains. "No, I get it. Doesn't being a mistress make the car immoral?" Megan asks. "The word 'mistress' won't be in the ad," Don says. To Don, this is simply a metaphor, but for Megan, it's a reminder of Don's past, and it stirs her insecurities.

The episode gives us other mistresses, second-place women who are looking to make it in a man's world and are thus making the weakness of femininity into a strength. We're talking about Joan and Peggy and the wildly diverging paths that each takes to a better position and what they're wiling to trade to get there. And though each is able to leverage herself to a new plateau, in the end, one will feel like a trap, while the other, though terrifyingly unknown, will feel like flying.

And in the middle of all of this is Don Draper, whose great victory will be tinged with bitterness and loss.

The episode opens with Don, Stan, Ginsberg, and some freelancers huddled up in the conference room, struggling to come up with a big idea for the Jaguar campaign. They've decorated one wall of the room with various photos and icons, designed to inspire. But it's not working.

Peggy catches Don in hallway, and asks him to approve some copy for Secor Laxatives, but he's in a rotten mood and brushes her off, telling her she's in charge of everything other than Jaguar and to make a decision. It's a great vote of confidence, but in life it's not so much the message, but how it's delivered that counts.

As this exchange is wrapping, Joan shows up with a fancy lunch - lobster - that is wheeled into the conference room courtesy of Roger Sterling. The men applaud as the covers are removed from the trays. Peggy watches this from the other side of the glass wall that separates her from the big time action.

While Don and the creatives tackle the look and feel of the campaign, Pete and Ken work on the politics of the campaign, securing it against some formidable competition. This includes wining and dining guys like Herb Rennet (Gary Basaraba), the president of the Jaguar dealer's association. Herb plays his cards close to the chest, until the end of the meal, when Pete assures him that SCDP will do whatever it takes to make him happy. Seeing his opportunity, Herb tells them that there is one thing that will certainly help them win his vote - a night with Joan Harris. A night in bed with Joan Harris. In a show filled with slimy guys and shady deals, this is a new depth. Luckily, Ken Cosgrove is at the table, but just as he's about to inform Herb that Joan is married, Pete cuts him off.

Herb excuses himself for a moment, and while he's away, Ken asks Pete why he didn't tell Herb the truth about Joan, rather than lead him on. Pete says that Herb himself is married, knows that Joan is married, and doesn't care about either. Ken is disgusted at this. "Well, we wanted to be in the car business," he says, lighting a cigarette.

Don arrives home from work to learn that Megan has a big audition the next day. She's nervous and needing support, but she shifts the attention to Don, asking him what he planned on doing. "I was just going to watch Carson and cry myself to sleep," he says, giving her a hangdog look. She tells him not to worry, that he'll think of something. He says that maybe she'll think of something, inviting her to help. She goes along, and asks for the strategy. That's when he tells her about the Jaguar being like a beautiful, high-maintenance mistress.

These two have been tiptoeing through a minefield these last few episodes, each always on the verge of saying or doing the wrong thing to set off an argument. This time it's Don who gets under Megan's skin, but rather than fight, she simply retreats to the living room, leaving him with Johnny Carson and his drink.

The next morning, Pete shows up early and corners Joan in her office. "I got bad news last night," he tells her. "And I hoped you'd help me deliver it." Like it was her responsibility.

Joan, being the gossip she is, is all ears, and Pete takes his time building up to the ask. "I don't know what to do," he says. "It turns out he wanted something we're not prepared to give. Something very unorthodox." "What does he want?" Joan asks. "We're going to lose Jaguar unless an arrangement is made between you and him," Pete says. Joan is shocked, but Pete piles insult on top of insult. "If you can think of some way to break this to the company, I'd appreciate it."

This launches Joan on the offensive, and she reminds Pete of her marital status and what an asshole he is. He simply throws up his hands, saying it's Herb bringing this up and not him - the don't-shoot-the-messenger defense.

The scene is like a boxing match, and Pete counters Joan's moral outrage by being the amoral pragmatist. He brings up the idea that we all make mistakes in life - mistakes that don't get us anything. They're free. Well, this is a mistake that could help her tremendously. She could get paid from this mistake.

"You're talking prostitution," Joan says. "I'm talking about business at a very high level," Pete counters, sounding like the devil himself.

Pete goes for his knockout punch - the offer of power. "Do you think Cleopatra was a prositute?" he asks. "She was a queen," he continues. "What would it take to make you a queen?" "I don't think you could afford it," Joan says.

Round 1 - Joan Harris.

Next, we find Peggy and Ken in Harry's office. They're about to get on a conference call with Chevalier Blanc, who wants to pull their Beatles-inspired campaign. Harry asks if Peggy will pose as Ginsberg's assistant (Ginsberg can't be pulled away from Jaguar), but Peggy absolutely refuses, making Harry introduce her as Ginsberg's supervisor, which he does.

When they get on the call, Harry and Ken start off talking, but soon the hot potato is tossed in Peggy's lap, and she improvises a compelling new campaign, set in France with a Lady Godiva theme that the buyer from Chevalier Blanc loves.

Score one for Peggy - she maintains her dignity and saves the account in one call.

Pete gathers the partners together to tell them the news about the dinner with Herb Rennet and his demand. At first blush, all the men are shocked by this news and make a show of being outraged, but after Pete does the math for them, their moral outrage elasticizes, allowing for the proper rationalizations to be made that will allow them to sleep at night.

Bert simply gives way. Roger says he'll go along, but he won't pay for it. Lane makes a weak stand, telling Pete he has some nerve. "that's right," Pete says. "We've gone too far to walk away...over what?" It's a chilling remark, but Lane folds. It comes down to Don, who is no stranger to misogyny. He's against the proposal, but for mixed reasons. He's disgusted by the blatant filth and arrogance of the demand, but he also has his pride mixed up in his reasons. He thinks they can win despite Herb, based on the strength of his and his team's ideas. He wants to win the business fair and square or not at all. But Pete won't back down. Don states his position, and leaves to return to his work.

With Don gone, Pete does the math for the remaining partners, reminding them that they don't need Don's blessing to do this. "So, we're 75% of this company. There's no need to create a conspiracy by having a vote, is there?" Like Pontius Pilate, they wash their hands of Pete while giving him their blessing to pursue Joan for the deal. One by one, they slink out of the office.

Back in the writer's room, Don tells the guys to abandon the mistress concept. "It's vulgar. We're going back to racing heritage," he informs them, feeling not only the weight of what he's just witnessed, but the sting of Megan's judgment from before - that this is immoral.

So, just when Don is looking like Mr. Sensitive, in walks Harry, Ken, and Peggy, to tell him of the good news about Chevalier Blanc. It's interesting that so much of the time, Don's miscommunications with Peggy and even Pete come when they approach him right after some stress-inducing incident. Such is the case here.

They tell Don that Peggy has saved the day with a brilliant idea. Peggy plays the humble card, but there's no need. Don doesn't really hear a word they say, until Peggy gets snippy with him. He bursts her bubble by reminding her that it's Ginsberg's account, which causes her to fire back with "I guess I'm not in charge of everything else after all," which is a call-back to his earlier sarcasm. This causes him to explode on her, in front of Harry and Ken. "You want to go to France?" he asks, yelling and pulling a wad of money from his pocket. "Here! Go to France!" he says, throwing the money in her face. It's an unconscionable move, and it sends her out of the office, followed closely by Ken and then Harry.

But ain't that the way life is? One minute, you're the hero, and then you turn around and you're the world's biggest asshole.

And the same goes for Peggy. Ken follows her to her office, where she assures him that she's not crying. When he tells her he didn't think that she was, she gets nasty with him, asking "What? Suddenly, we're all interested in each other's lives?" Megan was right about them. They're SO jaded.

Ken ignores the insult and tries to soften the blow by telling her that Jaguar is slipping away, and that Don is feeling the pinch. Peggy says she doesn't care. Ken, who's turned into one of the only decent men on the show, tells her he'll get her to France, and if he doesn't then they'll leave together. She fixes him with a condescending look. "You and your stupid pact," she says. "Save the fiction for your stories." Ken says nothing. He just turns and leaves her there. Alone.

Lane may have given up in front of the partners, but he decides to pay Joan a visit, to give her an idea. When he brings up the demand, she is offended by the intrusion, misinterpreting his motives. Of course, his motives are as much self-serving as they are altruistic, but he does show her a way to become a queen. He points out that a payoff will not do much for her or her son's future, but if she were to push for a partnership and 5% of the company, then she'd be looking out for their future for a very long time.

There's a moment of great irony in the scene. When Joan still thinks that Lane is in it only for the company, she points out that she makes around $13,000 a year. "I guess you wouldn't even be tempted," she tells him, not realizing, of course, that he's been tempted and seduced by $8,000.

That night, as Don and his team pull a late-night writing session, they are visited by Megan and her friend Julia, the redhead whom Megan was helping audition for Dark Shadows a couple of episodes ago.

As Megan takes Don back to his office, for a little pre-audition hanky-panky to boost her confidence, Julia entertains the writers by climbing on the conference room table and crawling across it on all fours, growling and clawing at the men like a jaguar. I couldn't help but feel that, with her red hair, and the way she was shot from behind, with her butt hanging out of her panties, she was meant to be a stand-in for Joan, that it was a commentary on her role in this ecosystem - the sex kitten.

At home, Pete reads to his daughter before retreating to his hi-fi system, where he listens to classical music under a pair of headphones. Trudy comes to him, once their daughter is in bed, and he starts griping about how he was in a good mood when he left work, but the long trip home exhausts him. He informs her that once the Jaguar account is landed, he'll have to get an apartment in the city, to which she says absolutely not.

"It's an epic poem to get home, and you're dressed for bed at dinner," he complains. She tells him that his love affair with Manhattan has to end. "How can you stand living out in this cemetery?" he asks her. "There's not any good night noises anywhere." She ends the argument by telling him that she wants to raise her children in the fresh air.

It's funny how at work, he can get people to do the most immoral acts, but at home, he wields none of that influence.

Another fruitless domestic argument takes place at the Draper residence when Megan tells Don that she's gotten a call back for Little Murders, the play she needed the confidence for. At first, Don is happy, but when he learns that Megan will be traveling to Boston for out of town tryouts for a few months, he tells her to forget it. This lights the fuse to a big fight that ends with her telling Don that she's doing it anyway and storming off.

The next morning, Joan meets with Pete to discuss the arrangement. She wears a stunning brown dress with a collar done in a print - tiger...or jaguar - that provides a call-back to Megan's friend Julia.

Joan is all business with Pete. She gives him her terms, exactly as Lane advised, and when he starts to protest, she cuts him off. After a beat, he agrees.

As she gets up to leave, she pauses at the door to ask which one he is. "He's not bad," Pete assures her. "He's doing this," she says, then leaves.

Later, Ginsberg interrupts Don in his office to bounce an idea off him. "I know I'm not a manager," Ginsberg says. "But it's hard to get things done with you in another room." "Well, I obviously have the opposite feeling," Don says. "Permission to speak freely," Ginsberg says. "What?" Don is frustrated by him, but it's a funny scene that builds to a breakthrough.

Ginsberg can't quit thinking about the mistress angle, and he drops a line on Don. "Jaguar, at last, something beautiful you can truly own." Don takes a beat, closes his eyes, and sighs a sigh of relief, signifying that at last, the words have been found on which the campaign will be built. Don's relief is palpable.

At about the same time, Peggy is having lunch with Freddie Rumsen, always a welcome sight. She vents to one who knows about the peculiarities of working for Don Draper. "I can never tell, Ballerina, if you're ambitious or if you like to complain," he tells her. She wonders why she can't do both.

During the course of their conversation, Freddie gives her a ton of sound advice, reminding her finally that if Don were sitting where he sits, and he wasn't the subject of the conversation, he'd tell her the same thing - make your move.

This is hard for Peggy to digest, and as she backs away from the idea, he gets her. "You let him know you're not some secretary from Brooklyn who's dying to help out." It's that line that seals the deal because it's so true, at least from Peggy's perspective. He tags the scene by reminding Peggy that she can't get mad if he goes after he job, once it's vacant.

That night, the night before the pitch, Pete pays a visit to Don as he's wrapping up at the office. Pete compliments Don on the tagline. Pete being Pete, he's got a hidden agenda, and we soon see what it is when he tells Don that all impediments have been removed, that it will all boil down to the pitch. What Pete means is that, "Hey Don, I've Don the hard work, now you just go in there and say your magic words."

This doesn't sit well with Don, and as he leaves, he tells Pete that he doesn't want it this way. Pete couldn't be happier.

Don races to Joan's apartment, where her mother answers the door. After a short wait, Joan appears in an emerald green kimono. The mother disappears. "I wanted to tell you that it's not worth it," Don says. "And if we don't get Jaguar, so what? Who wants to be in business with people like that?" Joan seems surprised. "I was told everyone was on board." Don explains that he said no, but that they voted after he left the room. "You're a good one, aren't you?" she says. "So, you understand what I'm saying?" "Yes I do," Joan says. "I'm all right. And thank you."

As Don leaves, Joan sends him off with a tender touch to the cheek. He goes home to prepare, feeling as though he's saved Joan and preserved his chance to win fair and square.

The next day is the pitch, and this is where the show hit another level, putting on par with some of the best episodes in the entire five season run.

Don shows up at the Jaguar showroom, flanked by Roger, Pete, Ken, and the creative team, and as they stride down the middle of the showroom, a competing agency walks past, going in the opposite direction. It's like an old west showdown.

As Don gets into his pitch, he's in old form. But there's a twist.

"You must get tired of hearing what a beautiful thing this car is, but I've met a lot of beautiful women in my life, and despite their protestations, they never tire of hear it," he says. "But when deep beauty is encountered, it arouses deep emotions, because it creates a desire."

At this moment, there's a cut to the night before, as Joan shows up at Herb Rennet's place. It turns out that she did go to him. But why?

Don continues the pitch, and as he does, Joan's night with Herb is intercut, a contrast to the words Don uses, the mistress metaphor.

Finally, as Don closes his pitch, he ends with these words. "Gentlemen, what price would we pay? What behavior would we forgive? If they weren't pretty, if they weren't temperamental, if they weren't beyond our reach, and a little out of our control, would we love them like we do? Jaguar. At last, something truly beautiful you can truly own."

And here, we get the twist. The moment of brilliance. It turns out that Don showed up at Joan's just after she returned from Herb's hotel. It turns out Don was too late.

The pitch was a beautifully constructed scene that reminded me of the end of the Godfather 1, when Michael settles family business as he becomes godfather to his nephew. Don's words, used to sell a car, are perverted by the offer of the man who sits in judgment of him. Don thinks nothing of the metaphor, but Megan was right - the car has become immoral because it was bought with dirty money.

Fade to Don's triumphant return to the office. He's exultant, and as he sees Joan, he asks if she wants to have a drink with the rest of the team. She declines.

At Megan's meeting with the producers and playwright (Jules Pfeiffer), she is asked to turn around in her short dress, so they can look at her. It's a brief moment, but one that is meant, I think, to level the playing field a little. Megan doesn't get off unscathed either.

Next, it's Peggy's turn. She's at a diner, dressed up and waiting. After a moment, Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm) shows up. He's a nemesis of Don, a hated rival, and he's eager to win Peggy over to his agency - Cutler Gleason and Chaough. Ted praises Peggy to the moon, and asks her what it will take to get her away from Don. Peggy pulls out a SCDP note pad and writes "Copy Chief $18,000/year" on it. Ted takes the pad, crosses out SCDP and $18,000 and writes $19,000 and checks the words "Copy Chief" and pushes the pad back to Peggy. "If this is your last meeting," he offers as his only condition. Peggy starts doing that nervous Peggy thing, where she jerks her head like a bird and says she needs a chocolate shake.

That night, Don returns home, surprised to find Megan there. He learns that she didn't win the role, and tries to console her. She asks about the pitch, and he keeps it low key. She knows better, and says she bets he was great. He says the same about her. "The difference is, I want you to get it," Megan says. Like Betty never would, she calls out his bad behavior, pointing out the reasons why it has to change if their marriage is to work. She reaffirms her love for him, telling him that if it came to acting or him, she's choose him - but she'd hate him for being put in the position to choose. He pulls her to him, telling her that he doesn't want her to fail.

Things seem okay for now.

The next morning, Don shows up for work to learn that Peggy is looking for him. As he calls her to his office, all hell breaks loose, as the word begins to reach SCDP of the agencies who didn't get the Jaguar business. As it becomes clear that Don won the account, Peggy fades into the background.

Roger calls for all the partners to gather in his office, and as they do, Don is shocked to see Joan enter in an emerald green dress - the same color as the emerald in the necklace that was a gift from Herb.

Finally, the official call comes. Roger takes it and thanks Jaguar for making the right choice. As he hangs up the phone, a cheer goes through the room. But Don's not celebrating. After a pause, Pete looks to Joan. "Shall we address the men?" Pete asks.

Don follows the partners to the conference room, where the rest of the company has gathered to celebrate. Peggy is in the hallway. "You wanted to talk to me?" Don asks. "Aren't you busy?" Peggy asks. "I'm not in the mood," Don says, referring to the celebrating. "You really have no idea when things are good, do you?" Again, Peggy catches him at one of those bad moments.

Don gestures that they go to his office, where he asks her to have a drink with him. Peggy goes into her windup. She takes her time, and remains standing as he sits.

"I want you to know that the day you saw something in me, well my whole life changed. And since then, it's been my privilege to not only be at your side, but to be treated like a protégé and for you to be my mentor. And my champion."

Don shifts uncomfortably. "But..." he says.

"But, I think I've reached a point where it's time for me to have a new experience." "Really?" Don says, not taking her seriously. "I'm giving my notice. I've accepted another offer."

Don tries to buy her back with an extravagant raise, but she's made up her mind. Unlike Joan, she won't be bought. And once Don gets it, the look on his face is devastating - the realization that she's really leaving. He asks where she's going, and when she tells him, his reaction is visceral. He tells her to forget about the notice, that she can leave immediately. It's a painful goodbye, and when she offers her hand, rather than shake it, he gives it a long kiss, causing her to tear up. "Don't be a stranger," she says, choking back tears.

She leaves him there, and returns to her office, where she gets her coat, her purse, a thermos, and a mug. The rest she leaves behind. As she leaves SCDP one final time, she passes the celebration that carries on in the conference room, and as she disappears to the lobby, Joan catches a glimpse of her. The look on Joan's face provided the final contrast between these two women. As Peggy leaves on her own terms, a free woman, Joan is left behind, trapped by the bargain she's made. Yes, Joan made partner, but is she truly free?

The episode ends as Peggy takes a final look back. It's a heartbreaking moment. But as the elevator pings and the door opens, Peggy smiles as she steps into the future. And as she does, the opening riff of the Kinks' You Really Got Me sends her on her way. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Best Scary Flicks for Family Fun

The latter part of 2012 featured the release of a trio of films that delivered family friendly frights. "ParaNorman" followed a young boy as he learned to adapt to his ability to communicate with the dead. "Hotel Transylvania" features hotel owner Dracula, who invites all of the famous monsters to his daughter's birthday party, only to find a human in the mix. In "Frankenweenie," a young scientist uses the power of electricity to bring his dead dog back to life. Though these movies are all animated, the list of scary movies suitable for children includes both live-action and animated classics.

Tim Burton directed "Frankenweenie" as well as "Beetlejuice," a 1988 film that sounds rather dark on paper but is comedy, right down to its unforgettable dinner dance scene. Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin star as the Maitlands, a married couple who are killed in a car accident and return to their former home as ghosts. When a new family moves in, led by insufferable parents (Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones), the Maitlands decide to spook them out of the house. The couple's gothic daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder), who can see ghosts, complicates matters. Michael Keaton's titular character is a smarmy "bio-exorcist" the Maitlands hire to help get rid of the family. Keaton is only onscreen for about 20 minutes, but those are the most iconic scenes of the film.

Tim Burton was behind another hair-raising family friendly film, though he served as the co-writer and co-producer on this title. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a stop-motion animated film featuring Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, as he pursues his dream of being Santa Claus for a change in holiday pace. The residents of Halloween Town are darkly rendered but have a wide range of personalities that make it easy for children to find a favorite. Sally, Jack's love interest, assembled like Frankenstein's monster out of rag doll parts, has a sweet and protective disposition. The only character that might spook small children is Oogie Boogie, a singing and dancing bogeyman who threatens Santa. This film achieved cult status, and is particularly popular around the Halloween season.

"Hocus Pocus" is another popular film with a Halloween theme. The 1993 live-action movie starts in the past, during the times of the Salem Witch Trials, and introduces the Sanderson Sisters. The trio of sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) is caught sucking the life out of children to gain eternal youth and beauty. While attacking one girl, the witches turn her brother, Binx, into a cat. The witches are killed by a mob, but issue a curse that if a virgin lights a candle during a full moon, the sisters will return. That happens in the 1990s when Max (Omri Katz) lights the candle to impress a girl and lures the witches onto the trail of him and his kid sister Dani (Thora Birch). The children, aided by the talking cat Binx, attempt to outwit the witches.

"The Witches," Jim Henson's classic film based on a Roald Dahl story, is much more sinister than "Hocus Pocus." A young boy (Jasen Fisher) stumbles upon the fact that a group of women has formed a witch society and is planning to turn all the world's children into mice. It is up to the boy and his plucky grandmother (Mai Zetterling) to take down the head witch, portrayed by a delightfully evil Angelica Huston. There are some genuine scares in this film as the witches' true appearances are less than pretty.

"Gremlins" has a pair of teenagers spending the night evading creatures somewhat more scaly than the characters in "Witches." After Billy (Zach Galligan) receives a mysterious Mogwai named Gizmo, he's told three rules for the upkeep of his new pet: don't get him wet, don't feed him after midnight, and never expose him to sunlight. After the first two rules are violated, Gizmo sprouts some new Mogwai, who have a much meaner disposition. It's a race across town for Billy to destroy the evil Mogwai and keep his friends and family safe.

When selecting a family friendly movie with scary elements, it's important to consider the ages and specific fears of the children involved. While "Arachnophobia" is appropriate for most ages, it wouldn't be wise to show it to a child who is already afraid of spiders. For the best message, choose films where the heroes, with the help of family or friends, win in the end. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Marilyn Monroe's Most Famous Happenings

Marilyn Monroe was an American film actress who was born on June 1, 1926, and died on August 5, 1962. Although her career was commercially successful back in the 1950s and early 1960s, she remains a household name to this day. Notable events in Monroe's life include her multiple marriages and her death from barbiturate overdose.

Monroe spent most of her childhood living with distant relatives or in foster homes. She did some modeling in 1945 before signing a film contract with Twentieth Century-Fox in 1946. Her early film career consisted of minor roles, but Monroe began to attract serious attention with her performances in the 1950 dramas "All About Eve" and "The Asphalt Jungle." Monroe's first starring role was in the 1952 thriller "Don't Bother to Knock." This was followed by a series of comedies that made good use of her "dumb blond" persona, for which she became typecast.

Monroe began taking formal acting lessons in 1955 to broaden her acting range and received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the 1956 drama "Bus Stop." She was also nominated for a BAFTA Award for the 1957 drama "The Prince and the Showgirl." Her performance in the 1959 comedy "Some Like it Hot" won Monroe a Golden Globe Award and is often considered her best performance. The 1961 drama "The Misfits" was Monroe's last completed film, which received critical acclaim despite being commercially unsuccessful. The actress died while filming "Something's Got to Give," a comedy that was never completed.

All three of Monroe's marriages ended in divorce, and she is also alleged to have had affairs with President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy. She never had children, having suffered an ectopic pregnancy and two miscarriages throughout her marriages. Monroe married James Dougherty on June 19, 1942, shortly after her 16th birthday. Dougherty did not approve of her modeling career, and Monroe divorced him in 1946.

Next, Monroe married retired baseball player Joe DiMaggio in a civil ceremony on January 14, 1954. They met in 1952, although Monroe was initially reluctant to date the retired athlete. Monroe performed a series of USO shows in Japan during the couple's honeymoon, which is widely believed to have created the initial strain on the marriage. The troubled marriage reached the final straw when Monroe filmed the iconic skirt-blowing scene for "The Seven Year Itch" on September 14, 1954. The shoot became a media circus and ended with DiMaggio and Monroe in a shouting match. Monroe filed for a divorce the following month.

Monroe's third marriage was with playwright Arthur Miller in a civil ceremony that took place on June 29, 1956. They met in 1950, although the relationship did not become serious until 1955, when Monroe was filming "Bus Stop." The couple dated discretely over the next year, until their relationship began to receive media attention. The private ceremony was followed by a formal Jewish wedding two days later. Miller wrote the screenplay for "The Misfits" in 1959, intending it as a Valentine gift for Monroe. However, the marriage was irreparable when filming began in 1960 and the couple obtained a divorce in Mexico on January 24, 1961.

Monroe died at her home in Brentwood, California. Her housekeeper discovered her body and called Monroe's psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson. Greenson reported Monroe's death at 4:25 a.m. on August 5, 1962. An autopsy detected chloral hydrate in her blood at a concentration of 8 milligrams per deciliter of blood and 4.5 mg/dL of Nembutal, more than enough to be lethal. The Los Angeles County Coroners office ruled the death a probable suicide due to barbiturate poisoning. Many conspiracy theorists have advanced theories that Monroe's death was arranged by various parties, including John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, the CIA, and the Mafia.

Monroe's body was interred in Los Angeles at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery on August 8, 1962. The funeral was attended by only 31 people, a very small number considering her fame and the circumstances of her death. Joe DiMaggio handled the arrangements, which included a police presence to keep the media away.

Monroe's will left her personal effects to her coach Lee Strasberg, specifying that he distribute them among her friends and colleagues. However, Strasberg stored the items in a warehouse and they went to his wife Anna upon his death in 1982. Anna auctioned off the majority of Monroe's effects through Christie's auction house in October 1999, netting $13,405,785.

Anna Strasberg was also granted ownership of Monroe's home after a long legal battle. She received the proceeds from the sale of the home in July 2010, at a total of $3.6 million. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Private Practice, The Attempt To Defeat Grey's Anatomy

"Private Practice" enters the world of medical dramas in a way that many people really didn't expect to see a new TV show enter a network. There's plenty of competition with many medical dramas already winning the hearts of viewers around the world which definitely indicates that making this show a success isn't the easiest accomplishment for anyone. Is "Private Practice" going to be the show that's able to defeat the ever-so-popular series of "Grey's Anatomy" on ABC or is it just going to end up being seen as a desperate attempt of a network trying to make their presence known once again?

Kate Walsh stars as Dr. Addison Montgomery who's a genius neonatal surgeon that went to Los Angeles in the search for a new way of life and better opportunities. Immediately upon arrival, she was able to secure a position at the Oceanside Wellness Center where the staff there also plays critical roles in the development of this unique storyline. While doing whatever it takes to save lives, they also have the time to pursue normal lives (if that's what you would honestly call it) that are showcased as well throughout the series of "Private Practice."

There's a great deal of mixed emotions from viewers about Private Practice, ranging from the hatred that they have for this show trying to take over the spotlight that "Grey's Anatomy" was known for holding all the way to how powerful and emotional the storyline is as each episode airs. This is something that you would expect when you hear about any medical-related TV show, because the audiences of these particular shows have been known to be somewhat controversial in their approaches.

One thing that "Private Practice" seems to be good at is making sure that all actors and actresses get their time to shine. The writers have also ensured that the parts aren't the easiest ones to play, which only provides an even greater opportunity for those who took part in the making of "Private Practice." Not only does it challenge their skills by doing this, it keeps the viewers on their toes unable to truly predict what's going to be the next twist in this rather different story.

The ratings that this TV show has received really don't support the idea that it beat "Grey's Anatomy" in its own game, because they were pretty poor when a comparison was made to be honest. However, you still have the loyal "Private Practice" fans that say this is a show that's touched them in ways that no other TV series has done before. As you can see, the truth is rather hard to find and it really depends on who watches it and what their taste is where these types of medical dramas are concerned.

If you take a look at this show from all angles, you can tell it's hard to decide whether or not it's better than "Grey's Anatomy." However, both shows seem to have their own loyal fans. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Games Of Thrones, Underestimated Masterpiece or Complete Flop?

"Game of Thrones" is your classic tale of a TV series that was highly underestimated right from the beginning, by critics and avid television viewers alike. In fact, there were some that even waited until there were a lot of people talking about it to take time out of their days and watch it simply because they thought it was another case of "déjà vu" in the world of fantasy shows. Were the assumptions right or is the "Game of Thrones" a series on HBO that would soon set records, leaving other television shows trailing in the dust?

"Game of Thrones" is an HBO production based off of a bestselling series of fantasy book s. While the books may have enjoyed massive popularity, fantasy has not been the most successful genre when it comes to television. A long history of airing mediocre fantasy shows to downright failures has perhaps unfairly earned fantasy shows a bad reputation with most viewers.

Thankfully, the "Game of Thrones" series entered this particular genre in a way that would change how people would think of it. Although many were reluctant to give the show a chance in the beginning, it quickly became clear that this was something worth paying attention to. A true masterpiece that was truly worth every bit of time it took for something of its kind to finally become aired. For those who want a non-graphic show to watch, this isn't the one as it's a very explicit series.

The "Game of Thrones" vividly details the fight that noble families had with each other in an attempt to take control of the Iron Throne. From snow and ice that made things extremely difficult all the way to violent battles, this TV show definitely doesn't hold back in showing every single bit of detail. This all leads to helping viewers see what it's like to lack a particular power in society and each episode ensures that it's built to show this each and every time without taking a lot of thinking in order to understand it.

A dwarf, dragons, and a teen girl that was bound to marriage by rape in a world where the men have the upper hand is what helped make this series very unique and breath-taking at the same time. This is also how it became a highly addictive show to watch for many people all around the world. While some may not agree with its graphic nature, this is definitely an approach that other fantasy shows haven't taken prior to the release of the "Game of Thrones."

Not only is it packed with scenes that helped craft a masterpiece in the world of fantasy, but it has also helped the Northern Ireland economy where the show's setting is located. The Northern Ireland government actually helped make this show possible by financing filming. This led to a high amount of spending within their country and also helped develop an even higher interest among tourists.

From being looked at as a failure from the beginning to outperforming "The Sopranos" which was one of the most popular HBO series to winning countless awards, this is your perfect example of why one shouldn't ever underestimate the potential of anything in this modern day and age. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

The Story Behind Bollywood

With a world population of 182 million speakers of Hindi and a thriving cultural industry, we investigate the story behind Bollywood in translation - the focal point of traditional India cinema enjoyed the world over. However, there are lots of misconceptions about this worldwide phenomenon. Although it is commonly interpreted as a wide spanning term for Indian cinema, it is actually a smaller part of it. Bollywood is only part of the Indian film industry, which produces films in regional language. Known formally as Hindi cinema, it also has an increasingly common feature of incorporating Indian English in songs and dialogue (Hinglish in translation).

So where did the word come from? It's a portmanteau of Bombay (former name of Mumbai) and the multimillion-dollar film industry of Hollywood. However, the similarity ends here as it's not an actual physical place, although it does reside in pride of place in the Oxford English Dictionary. The name has also been contested over its original coinage - from the scholar Amit Kannar to journalist Bevinda Collaco.

The story behind Indian cinema began with the screening of six silent films at the Watson Hotel in Bombay from the Lumiere Brothers. Having watched a screening in 1910, Dadasaheb Phalke decided to make his own screening, with the silent film Raja Harishchanda in 1913.

To reflect the times socially, culturally and historically, Indian cinema and Bollywood cinema underwent many trends in subject matter. During the 30s and 40s alongside social upheavals and the partitioning of India, more lighthearted subjects came from a wave of directors who used this political backdrop and freedom movement to flavour their scripts, dissecting many various issues and bringing them to life.

Following the 1940s and 50s, the independence of India heralded the Golden Age of Hindi cinema. These covered a wide range of issues, including social themes dealing with urban life in the famous films of critical acclaim such as the Raj Kapoor films Awaara and Shree 420. Black and white films were still prevalent until the 1960s, although the 1950s heralded in the new age of colour films. The plots now gravitated to romance and dramatic themes with famous actors such as Raj Kapoor and Meena Kumari and then eventually action.

So here is a snapshot of the famous industry, with now such famous stars as Rani Mukeraji and Aishwarya Rai. Hopefully we've helped to shed some more light in translation of Bollywood and the influence it has had over history!

Read up on Hindi interpreting services for more information on the relationship between English and Hindi. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

It's a Knockout

Its's a Knockout TV Series

The iconic television series It's a Knockout had an illustrious innings. Beginning in the UK in 1966, it transmitted its last show in 2001. In one special programme, it even had members of the British royal family, Princes Andrew and Edward, Princess Anne and Fergie, as team leaders.

Despite its British team character and typically Anglo-saxon slapstick humour, the series was the brainchild of French Premier Charles de Gaulle, who mooted the European version of the series, Jeux San Frontieres, as a way of uniting European nations in friendship and fun. It even provided the inspiration for Peter Gabriel's song Games without Frontiers, a eulogy to the TV phenomenon.

In the UK, the show hosted 3 teams each week, for example Bristol, Bath and Minehead, all hotly competing for the much sought after 'Tip Top Town Trophy'. The programme billed itself as 'an inter-town contest of skill and strength' and the population of Britain collectively tuned in to watch. In its heyday, in the 70s and 80s, the show boasted audiences of up to 16 million.

As the theme tune 'Bean bag' by Herb Alpert and Tijuanna Brass started playing, people knew that they were in for madness, mayhem and a right good laugh. The teams competed against each other in obstacle races and silly versions of games lifted from the Olympics, school sports days and the producer's fertile imagination.

The competitors always had to wear costumes and these were usually enormous. The huge feet and giant bodies and heads made the racers cumbersome and clumsy and hilariously liable to fall over.

There were relay races, massive rubber inflatables and vast quantities of foam and water, for slipping, sliding and generally getting dunked in. Part of the show's appeal was its jolly, colourful, slapstick and custard pie nature, but perhaps the main factor in its success was the eccentric presenter Stuart Hall, whose infectious laugh sent audiences, and himself, into peals of uncontrollable laughter. If teams did well, they could compete for Great Britain in Jeux Sans Frontieres.

With a bigger budget, and an even bigger audience, the show featured ever more outlandish costumes and fancier props. One game featured giant Frankenstein chasing a flower-planting damsel in a mini-dress and the immortal line "just a friendly tap and he's fractured her skull, but never mind". With penguin suits, revolving platforms, plenty of competitors getting utterly soaked and a punchline of "here come the Belgians", it was a runaway Saturday night success.

For the Brits, as with all great British endeavours, it was the taking part that counted. Love it or loathe it, it was ground breaking TV and it epitomised the best of British spirit in a nutshell. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

The Finest Hours Of Alfred Hitchcock, As Decreed By Us

Unfortunately for our leading meanie, his crimes come back to bite him when a victim's murder is blamed on her boyfriend - who proves his innocence the 'attempted murder' way. Don't try this at home, folks; two wrongs don't make a right.

Then there's Rope, cinematic proof that mates who think they're clever than you are like, really annoying. In this case, two men murder their pal just to prove their intellectual superiority - that's taking it a bit far if you ask us, but hey it's not our plot. Even worse, they then have a party for all their other mates with the dead guy stuffed in a chest.

Luckily, Jimmy Stewart is on hand to figure it all out using a couple of hats and a touch of movie magic. Ah! One of the first proper psychological thrillers and still one of the best.

Imagine something really, really scary. Like the most terrifying thing EVER. Chances are it's not a bunch of birds flapping around your head and threatening to poke your eyes out, but that just means you haven't yet seen The Birds. Hitchcock's avian mafiosos can blow up petrol stations, peck their way into houses and are the sole reason why we'll never set foot in a phone box again. Shudder.

1946's Shadow of a Doubt was Hitch's personal favourite of all his films, and it's really not hard to see why. The central performance by Joseph Cotton is uber-creepy, and this was the first film to set terror in the heart of a quaint suburban neighbourhood. Halloween, Scream and all the rest of them have a lot to thank this one for. And isn't 'Merry Widow Murderer' a cheerful term for serial killer?

Two men meet on a train. They're strangers, but you probably got that from the title of the movie being Strangers on a Train. Anyway, they agree to each kill a member of the opposite guy's family (because apparently they're annoying and that's the first thing you think of on meeting a stranger.) Cue murderousness, double crossing and a trip to the theme park you'll never forget.

Now we come to the masterwork. Vertigo, another Jimmy Stewart flick, is one of our favourite movies in the history of ever. Stewart is everyman no more - here he's cold, obsessed and kinda neurotic. We like it.

Plot-wise it's not that new: private detectives, body doubles, hoaxes and a man who wants his wife dead are all par for the course. But it's also one of Hitch's most personal movies - apparently the idea of remaking a woman in the image of one lost is related to Hitchcock's obsession with casting blondes who looked like Grace Kelly, who retired from acting in 1956 to become a princess. Isn't that sweet!

Oh yeah, and he made some movie called Psycho too. It's pretty good, you should probably go check it out. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.