DECEMBER 5 - 7.00 pm
THE PROFESSIONALS
Richard Brooks (1966) 123 mins PG
Mercenaries are hired by a millionaire rancher to rescue his wife from a Mexican revolutionary only to discover that she doesn't wish to return to her husband. Brooks' finest film successfully integrates its themes & ideas into a tightly controlled & vigorous narrative structure, combining self-parodic humour with a serious exploration of the conflicting codes of loyalty & the need for a personal ethic. Starring Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Claudia Cardinale, Woody Strode, Jack Palance & Ralph Bellamy.
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DECEMBER 5 - 9.15 pm
HELL IN THE PACIFIC
John Boorman (1968) 103 mins
A shot-down American pilot finds his way to a small, unpopulated island where he hopes to find provisions. He soon discovers that he is not alone; there is also a Japanese officer marooned on the island.
A fascinating account of survival against the odds, a refection of cultural differences during a time of war. Strongly allegorical & stylised, the film features two of the icons of 60s masculine cinema, in brilliant form, the aggressive, brutal & loud Lee Marvin against the quieter, more methodical Toshiro Mifune. Yet in their battle for survival, the 2 men are indistinguishable, totally at the mercy of nature; a perfect metaphor for the human existence. Boorman's gripping 2 hander is a master-class in performance and a worthy addition to the Lee Marvin Retrospective.
The Melbourne Cinematheque wishes to acknowledge the support of Buena Vista International in bringing you "Hell In The Pacific".