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 | With the publication in 1951 of his book Catcher in the Rye, Jerome David Salinger became one of the fundamental American writers of the 20th century. But for reasons that still remain shrouded in mystery, he disappeared in 1965, withdrawing from the world and refusing any contact. Yet Salinger is said to be alive today and living somewhere in New Hampshire. After the success of his mythical book, the man himself has become a living legend. In 2007, French writer Frédéric Beigbeder decided to travel to the United States in search of J.D. Salinger, who would have been 89 years old. As he searches for Salinger, followed closely by the camera of Jean-Marie Périer, a film unfolds of a French writer seeking his personal and cultural sources, while at the same time creating a vivid portrait of contemporary American culture. Directed by Jean-Marie Perier (less) Director: Jean-Marie Perier ♦ Actors: Frederic Beigbeder | $9 - $19  10 Merchants |
|  | This film tells the story of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, English writer, poet, philologist and author of many stories, including most famously The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It describes the importance of the rural English West Midlands, where Tolkien grew up, in shaping his literary imagination and how the ancient northern languages he studied and taught throughout his life influenced his writing. These factors stimulated him to provide a context in which his own, invented languages might be spoken: an imaginary land called Middle-earth. Accounts of the origins of The Hobbit and of The Lord of the Rings, and the phenomenal success that Tolkien somewhat reluctantly enjoyed when taken up by the counter-culture of the 1960s are included. Narrator: Juliet Aubrey The Hobbit Performed by Rob Inglis Readings by Chris Villiers Produced and Directed by Julian Birkett Series Editor: Michael Poole (less) Director: Julian Birkett ♦ Actors: Juliet Aubrey, Rob Inglis | $9 - $21  12 Merchants |
|  | The doorbell rings, the cry goes out: Trick 'R Treat! But, wait. What's actually going on during this ghostly All Hallows Eve? Something eerie and unexpected. Something splattered and spooky. Something that brings ghouls, vampires and werewolves into the night. Answer the door – a shocking surprise awaits. From producer Bryan Singer (director of X-Men and Superman Returns) and writer-director Michael Dougherty (co-scripter of X2 and Superman Returns) comes a multitale bag of wicked yarns, four cleverly interlocked stories built on Shocktober admonitions like always check the candy and don’t extinguish the jack-o-lantern before midnight. So answer the door now: Experience horror made for today's fright fan. (less) Director: Michael Dougherty ♦ Actors: Dylan Baker, Brian Cox, Anna Paquin, Leslie Bibb, Tahmoh Penikett | $15 - $29  11 Merchants |
|  | Though the "inspirational teacher" theme may feel done to death, Freedom Writers succeeds because it emphasizes the students as much as the teacher. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby , Boys Don't Cry ) comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism, but quickly discovers that her unruly classroom isn't easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives--an assignment that the class bites into with relish, which eventually bonds them together and pushes racial rivalries aside. This plotline has been made before, sometimes well, sometimes poorly; Freedom Writers , by drawing heavily from the published journals of the students--and thanks to a (mostly) unheroic script, direction that emphasizes individual characters over stereotypes, and rigorous performances from the whole cast--makes the story seem fresh and genuin... (less) Director: Richard LaGravenese ♦ Actors: Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, April L. Hernandez | $4 - $23  16 Merchants |
|  | Though the "inspirational teacher" theme may feel done to death, Freedom Writers succeeds because it emphasizes the students as much as the teacher. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby , Boys Don't Cry ) comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism, but quickly discovers that her unruly classroom isn't easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives--an assignment that the class bites into with relish, which eventually bonds them together and pushes racial rivalries aside. This plotline has been made before, sometimes well, sometimes poorly; Freedom Writers , by drawing heavily from the published journals of the students--and thanks to a (mostly) unheroic script, direction that emphasizes individual characters over stereotypes, and rigorous performances from the whole cast--makes the story seem fresh and genuin... (less) Director: Richard LaGravenese ♦ Actors: Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, April L. Hernandez | $5 - $20  13 Merchants |
|  | Jack Klugman and Tony Randall give an advanced course in chemistry in the auspicious first season of The Odd Couple , which would only get better as the veteran character actors made themselves at home in their signature roles and the series switched from a laugh track to a live audience. In these first episodes, The Odd Couple hews pretty much to the voice and spirit of Neil Simon's play about mismatched roommates, sloppy sportswriter Oscar Madison and "miserable, picky, irritating" photographer Felix Unger ("That was the point," defends series executive producer and writer Garry Marshall, who provides lively audio introductions for each episode and commentary for the pilot). Playing pivotal roles this first season are Felix and Oscar's poker playing buddies, Murray the cop (Al Molinaro), Vinnie, Roy, and Speed, the fabulous Pigeon sisters (Monica Evans and Carole Shelley reprising their Broadway and film roles), and, of course, Neil Hefti's jaunty, jazzy theme, which was introduce... (less) Director: Harvey Miller, Alex March, Charles R. Rondeau, Jack Winter, George Marshall ♦ Actors: Joan Hotchkis, Archie Hahn, Doney Oatman, Carole Shelley, Garry Walberg | $18 - $40  15 Merchants |
|  | SUSPENSE IS ON THE LINE! After getting a frantic call on his cell phone from a kidnapped woman, a young man must battle his way through a ruthless world of lies and murder to rescue her. A fast-paced thriller in the vein of Phone Booth and Speed that will keep you riveted with edge-of-your-seat car chase scenes. DVD Features: Audio Commentary: with Director David Ellis, writers Larry Cohen and Chris Morgan DVD ROM Features: Script-to-Screen Deleted Scenes: w/optional Director commentary Featurette: 3 Exciting Featurettes! "Celling Out"A look at cellphones in today's culture "Dialing Up Cellular"Making of The Film "Code of Silence: Inside the Rampart Scandal" Theatrical Trailer (less) Director: David R. Ellis ♦ Actors: Caroline Aaron, Brenda Ballard, Kim Basinger, Will Beinbrink, Jessica Biel | $3 - $20  20 Merchants |
|  | WRITER OF O is a unique drama/documentary hybrid about the author of the notorious erotic novel STORY OF O, who kept her identity a closely guarded secret for 40 years. Filmmaker Pola Rapaport explores the writer's clandestine romantic inspiration, re-creating the world of '50s literary Paris and setting it against provocatively dramatic sequences that bring the infamous book to life. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES - 16:9 transfer, formatted for widescreen televisions - Additional video interviews with writer John de St. Jorre, who revealed Dominique Aury s identity as the author of O in a groundbreaking 1994 New Yorker article - Liner notes by John de St. Jorre - Dominique Aury bio - Director s statement - Original theatrical trailer (less) Director: Pola Rapaport ♦ Actors: Catherine Mouchet, Barney Rosset, Dominique Aury, John de St. Jorre, Cyril Corral | $14 - $30  11 Merchants |
|  | Phil Potter (Reynolds) is a low-key, contented magazine writer who tries to put his life back together after his wife (Bergen) opts for independence as a singer-songwriter. Wacky nursery school teacher (Clayburgh) tries to help him surmount the emotional hurdles, but it's rough as he's still hung up on his ex-wife. (less) Director: Alan J. Pakula ♦ Actors: Burt Reynolds, Jill Clayburgh, Candice Bergen, Charles Durning, Frances Sternhagen | $4 - $15  12 Merchants |
|  | There's no such thing as going too far for John (Alan Cumming, X-Men 2, "Tin Man"), a control-freak music teacher obsessed with his handsome lodger Sebastian (David Boreanaz, "Bones"), an aspiring author. When Sebastian threatens to leave, John is driven to punish the writer - with shocking results. Then, after a literary agent (Anne Heche, "Men in Trees") comes calling, John hatches a plot to find the fame and fortune he craves. An intense and over-the-top thriller, Ghost Writer will leave you at a loss for words. Also starring Henry Thomas, Jane Lynch, Karen Black and Carrie Fisher. Stills from Ghost Writer (Click for larger image) (less) Actors: David Boreanaz, Alan Cumming, Anne Heche, Karen Black, Carrie Fisher | $6 - $23  14 Merchants |
|  | Nanny has gone on vacation and left Eloise in the care of Nicole, a hip, fun-loving girl. They have a lot of fun together until Nicole starts spending too much time with Bill, Eloise's favorite Plaza employee. She must overcome her jealousy and learn an important lesson about love and friendship. (less) Director: Wesley Archer ♦ Actors: Tim Curry, Lynn Redgrave, Kathleen Gati, Mary Matilyn Mouser, Curtis Armstrong | $2 - $18  13 Merchants |
|  | While flying under the ratings radar on Showtime, Odyssey 5 drew loyal fans with a premise that could have yielded fascinating developments beyond its 19-episode run. Before taking show-runner jobs on UPN's ill-fated Star Trek: Enterprise and Fox's 24 , creator-writer-producer Manny Coto dreamed up this provocative pastiche of sci-fi ideas, connecting an end-of-the-world scenario with a time-travel twist and an alien invasion plot with X-Files overtones. You could argue that Coto's reach exceeded his grasp, since none of these elements combine to form a fully satisfying whole (especially since the series was cancelled before it reached its intended conclusion), but there's something to be said for the show's entertaining tangents and unexpected complications. It all begins when the five-member crew of the space shuttle Odyssey witnesses the shocking implosion of the Earth, leaving them stranded and doomed to suffocate when their air supply is depleted. Instead, they are rescued by t... (less) Director: David Winkler, Milan Cheylov, David Straiton ♦ Actors: Peter Weller, Sebastian Roché, Christopher Gorham, Leslie Silva, Tamara Craig Thomas | $17 - $50  15 Merchants |
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