Author: King of the Island

Excalibur

VHS covers: Excalibur. Adventure fantasy movie starring Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Cherie Lunghi, Paul Geoffrey, Nicol Williamson. With Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart. Based on the Arthurian legends written by Sir Thomas Malory. Directed by John Boorman. 1981.

Excalibur on VHS. Starring Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Cherie Lunghi, Paul Geoffrey, Nicol Williamson. With Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart. Based on the Arthurian legends written by Sir Thomas Malory. Directed by John Boorman. 1981.

From the box:

Forged By A God. Foretold By A Wizard. Found By A King.

All the elements of Sir Thomas Malory’s classic Le Morte Darthur are here: Arthur (Nigel Terry) the boy king, removing the magical sword Excalibur from the stone and setting out to unite the land; the valorous Knights of the Round Table, sworn to the chivalric ideals of truth, courage and purity of heart, but decaying into drunkenness and squabbling; the gallant attempt to restore honor by seeking out the Holy Grail, the cup used by Christ during the Last Supper; and the wizard Merlin (Nicol Williamson) and temptress Morgana (Helen Mirren), medieval alchemists who use their powers to affect the course of human events… but are powerless to prevent the old pagan gods of wood and stream from giving way to the new gods of logic and science.

DVD Upgrade: Excalibur

Watch Now: Excalibur

The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword: Le Morte D’Arthur: Complete, Unabridged, Illustrated Edition

Bird

Bird on VHS. Movie starring Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Michael Zelniker. Directed by Clint Eastwood. 1988.

Bird on VHS. Starring Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Michael Zelniker. Directed by Clint Eastwood. 1988.

From the box:

The year: 1946. The event: Oakland’s “Jazz at the Philharmonic.” The music streaked into the unknown, daring listeners to grab hold and fly there too. On stage was the creator of those new sounds: Charlie “Yardbird” Parker. In the crowd was the 16-year-old who would someday bring Parker’s extraordinary story to the screen: Clint Eastwood.

DVD Upgrade: Bird

CD Upgrade: Charlie Parker Immortal Concerts: Jazz at the Philharmonic, 1946

Charly

Charly VHS cover. Movie starring Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom. With Lilia Skala, Leon Janney, Ruth White, Dick Van Patten. Based on the book Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Directed by Ralph Nelson. 1968.

Charly on VHS. Starring Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom. With Lilia Skala, Leon Janney, Ruth White, Dick Van Patten. Based on the novel Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Directed by Ralph Nelson. 1968.

The VHS cover says:

Based on Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon, this is the story of Charly Gordon, a gentle man determined to learn. When a breakthrough neuro-surgical procedure is discovered, Charly agrees to try it, unaware that he will also encounter complex emotions for the first time in his life. Charting Charly’s development is his devoted caseworker who soon discovers along with Charly that the surgery’s effects may not last forever.

DVD Upgrade: Charly

Use Your Words: Flowers for Algernon Paperback by Daniel Keyes


Evolution

Evolution VHS box cover. Comedy sci-fi movie starring David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, Julianne Moore. With Ted Levine, Dan Aykroyd, Sarah Silverman, Richard Moll. Directed by Ivan Reitman. 2001.

Evolution on VHS. Starring David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, Julianne Moore. With Ted Levine, Dan Aykroyd, Sarah Silverman, Richard Moll. Directed by Ivan Reitman. 2001.

From the box:

From The Maker Of Ghostbusters And Road Trip

[obscured by sticker]… hilarious look at life on Earth and joins forces with the biggest stars in the universe. David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott and Academy Award-nominee Julianne Moore make a discovery of alien lifeforms that could change the world. But, when the aliens try to take over the planet, our four stellar heroes rocket into action to save us. The laughter hits you at the speed of light in this comedy about heavenly bodies, mutual attraction and close encounters.

DVD Upgrade: Evolution

Serial Experiments Lain: Knights

Serial Experiments Lain: Knights on VHS. Anime starring Bridget Hoffman. Character Design by Yoshitoshi Abe. 1998.

Serial Experiments Lain: Knights on VHS. Starring Bridget Hoffman. Character Design by Yoshitoshi Abe. 1998.

From the box:

Close the world, Open the nExt.

Fulfill the Prophecy…

“KNIGHTS” — a super hacker group that has large effects in the wired. No one knows who the members are, but they control information and sometimes develop and distribute illegal information equipment. The KNIGHTS are trying to make Lain do something… When Lain metaphorizes her physical self into the wired to search for an answer of incidents that kids commit suicide. She finds that the KNIGHTS are behind this incident. One day, a group of men in black suits make a contact Lain. They ask “Are those people who you live with really your parents?” “Are you Lain of the wired?” and “Who are you really?”

DVD Upgrade: Serial Experiments – Lain: Knights (Layers 5-7)

Connect To The Wired: Serial Experiments Lain: Complete Series – Classic (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)


Serial Experiments Lain: Navi

Serial Experiments Lain: Navi on VHS. Japanese anime starring Bridget Hoffman. Character Design by Yoshitoshi Abe. 1998.

Serial Experiments Lain: Navi on VHS. Starring Bridget Hoffman. Character Design by Yoshitoshi Abe. 1998.

From the box:

Close the world, Open the nExt.

We’re All Connected

There is a world around us, a world of people, tactile sensation, and culture. There is the wired world, inside the computer, of images, personalities, virtual experiences, and a culture all of its own. The day after a classmate commits suicide, Lain, a thirteen year-old girl, discovers how closely the two worlds are linked when she receives an e-mail from the dead girl: “I just abandoned my body. I still live here…” Has the line between the real world and the wired world begun to blur?

DVD Upgrade: Serial Experiments – Lain: Navi (Layers 1-4)

Connect To Everything: Serial Experiments Lain: Complete Series – Classic (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Ninja Vs. Ninja

Ninja Vs. Ninja on VHS. Starring Hung Gai Chan, Kwan Cheung, Norman Chu. Directed by Nick Cheung. 1987.

Ninja Vs. Ninja on VHS. Starring Hung Gai Chan, Kwan Cheung, Norman Chu. Directed by Nick Cheung. 1987.

From the box:

Bitter Rivals Fight To The Bitter End.

An international cast is featured in this wacky Ninja saga, as an evil drug baron hires a Ninja sect to wipe out a cure for heroin addiction. It’s up to a secret police agent who is also an undercover Ninja to fight the bad guys! Featuring Ninjas of all races and the legendary ‘Five Elements’ Ninja, NINJA VS. NINJA is a must-see for Ninja and kung fu fans!

DVD Upgrade: Ninja vs. Ninja

Screaming Ninja

Screaming Ninja aka Wang Yu, King of Boxing on VHS. Classic 70s martial arts movie starring Jimmy Wang Yu, Zhang Qing-Qing, Kang Hai, Zi Lan, Lung Fei. Directed by Jian Lung. 1973.

Screaming Ninja aka Wang Yu, King of Boxing on VHS. Starring Jimmy Wang Yu, Zhang Qing-Qing, Kang Hai, Zi Lan, Lung Fei. Directed by Jian Lung. 1973.

From the box:

AKA Wang Yu, King of Boxing

Rare was the film in 1973 that incorporated the star’s name in the title. One of the few such film was Screaming Ninja, aka Wang Yu, King of Boxing. The story is set in China in the early 1900s. Essentially playing an extension of himself, action-star Wang-Yu spends much of the time defending himself against evil martial-arts masters. He also tries to make sense of a tragic incident in his past.

DVD Upgrade: Blood of the Dragon/Screaming Ninja

Enter The Dragon

Enter The Dragon on VHS. Classic martial arts movie starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Ahna Capri, Kien Shih, Jim Kelly. Directed by Robert Clouse. 1973.

Enter The Dragon on VHS. Starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Ahna Capri, Kien Shih, Jim Kelly. Directed by Robert Clouse. 1973.

From the box:

Enter the Dragon takes Lee to the island fortress of a criminal warlord whose martial-arts academy covers up opium-smuggling and prostitution activities. To avenge the death of sister, Lee infiltrates the stronghold and enters Han’s brutal martial-arts tournament–a breathtaking visual feast of competitions fusing skills in karate, judo, tai kwan do, tai chi chuan and hapkido, staged by Lee himself.

Choose Your Dragon:

Enter the Dragon

Enter the Dragon: 25th Anniversary Edition

Enter the Dragon (40th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

DragonHeart

DragonHeart VHS b0x cover art. Action adventure fantasy movie starring Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, Dina Meyer, Jason Isaacs, Julie Christie, Sean Connery. Directed by Rob Cohen. 1996.

DragonHeart on VHS. Starring Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, Dina Meyer, Jason Isaacs, Julie Christie, Sean Connery. Directed by Rob Cohen. 1996.

From the box:

You Will Believe.

Bowen (Quaid) is a knight dedicated to The Old Code — a noble creed of honor. When his pupil, Prince Einon, becomes an even crueler king than his father, Bowen’s idealism turns to bitterness. Believing Einon’s soul to have been poisoned by a dragon, Bowen vows to destroy them all. On his quest for revenge, he meets “Draco” (Connery), a dragon whose power, strength and wit prove to be more than a match for the disillusioned knight. Soon, what begins as a life or death struggle between the two evolves into a friendship that will change the face of their medieval world.

DVD Upgrade: Dragonheart – Collector’s Edition