Editor

Orchard Press Mysteries

[Order your movies here - some titles available in DVD]

Editor's Favorites

Big Deal On Madonna Street (1957) VHS
A band of inept burglars and ne'er-do-wells attempts to break into a pawnshop and loot its safe, only to see their elaborate plan disintegrate in front of them. Hilarious Italian comedy, remade as "Crackers," stars Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale and Toto. 91 min. In Italian with English subtitles.

Chinatown: 25th Anniversary Edition(1974) VHS
Roman Polanski's marvelous blend of '40s "noir" mystery and modern sexual tensions stars Jack Nicholson as Jake Gittes, the L.A. gumshoe involved in a case of shady business dealings and corrupt politics who sticks his nose where it doesn't belong one time too many. Faye Dunaway, John Huston, John Hillerman co-star. Special anniversary edition includes interviews with Polanski, producer Robert Evans and writer Robert Towne. 131 min.

The Maltese Falcon: Special Edition (1941) VHS
One of the finest detective films ever, with Bogie as private eye Sam Spade, up to his trench coat in greed, deception and murder. Joining him in the search for the priceless "black bird" are Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Elisha Cook, Jr. and Lee Patrick. John Huston's directorial debut. Special restored version includes the documentary "Becoming Attractions: Humphrey Bogart," and a new digital transfer. 149 min. total.

Thelma & Louise(1991) VHS
Controversial "female road movie" stars Susan Sarandon as a bored waitress and Geena Davis as a put-upon housewife who decide to take a trip to a friend's cabin for some R&R. While stopping at a bar, a man attempts to rape Davis and Sarandon shoots him dead, sending the pair on the run from the police and on a wild and woolly drive across the Southwest. Harvey Keitel, Brad Pitt also star; Ridley Scott directs. 130 min.

The Usual Suspects(1995) VHS
Four small-time criminals and a crooked former New York cop, brought together in a police lineup, pool their expertise for a multi-million-dollar heist. The caper lands them in California and in the grip of a feared and enigmatic crime boss named Keyser Soze, who blackmails the quintet into pulling a job that turns into a bloodbath. Wonderfully witty and complex thriller with more than one surprise twist stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak and, in an Academy Award-winning turn, Kevin Spacey. 106 min.

Film Noir

The Asphalt Jungle(1950) VHS
A gang of small-time crooks plans and executes the "perfect crime" in this gritty, trend-setting drama co-written and directed by John Huston. Sterling Hayden, Sam Jaffe, Jean Hagen and (in one of her first major roles) Marilyn Monroe star. 111 min.

The Best Of Film Noir VHS
Tough guys, femmes fatales, criminal activities and shadowy atmospherics are the hallmarks of the "film nor" films popularized in the 1940s and 1950s. This program salutes the classics, such as "Kiss Me Deadly," "Double Indemnity," "Touch of Evil," "Detour," "Out of the Past" and many others. 60 min.

The Blue Dahlia(1946) VHS
Written by Raymond Chandler, this crackerjack film noir features Alan Ladd as a sailor returning home to Los Angeles who discovers that his wife is involved with another man. When she's found murdered, Ladd becomes the prime suspect, forcing him to launch his own investigation with Veronica Lake, the estranged spouse of his wife's lover. With William Bendix. 100 min.

The Blue Gardenia(1953) VHS
A blind date leads to murder in this classic noir suspenser from director Fritz Lang. Anne Baxter wakes from a hangover to discover that playboy Raymond Burr, with whom she went out the night before, was found slain in his apartment and she is the mysterious "Blue Gardenia" sought by police. Baxter desperately turns to newspaper columnist Richard Conte for help in learning if she is in fact the killer. With Ann Sothern and Nat King Cole, who sings the title song. 90 min.

The Big Combo(1955) VHS
Downbeat "noir" thriller whose violence raised a few eyebrows upon the film's release. Cornel Wilde plays a dedicated cop out to bring down crime boss Richard Conte who gets involved with icy blonde Jean Wallace, Conte's mistress. With Brian Donlevy, Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman. 88 min.

The Big Heat(1953) VHS
Knockout film noir from director Fritz Lang stars Glenn Ford as a no-nonsense cop investigating the suicide of another cop. His findings reveal that the cop's suicide note cited widespread corruption under the guidance of ruthless mob boss Alexander Scourby. Danger and murder follow Ford as he delves deeper into the case. Gloria Grahame and Lee Marvin also star. 90 min.

The Big Sleep(1946) VHS
Raymond Chandler's witty and convoluted whodunit comes to life under director Howard Hawks. Humphrey Bogart is private eye Philip Marlowe, investigating a wealthy family's dark secrets, and Lauren Bacall is the sharp-tongued rich girl ensnared with him in a murderous web of deceit, blackmail and murder. With Martha Vickers, John Ridgely, Elisha Cook, Jr., Dorothy Malone. This is the theatrical release version; 114 min.

Black Angel(1946) VHS
Complex film noir from Cornell Woolrich's story stars Dan Duryea as an alcoholic songwriter whose adulterous wife is found murdered. When the woman's lover is tried and sentenced to death, his estranged wife, singer June Vincent, coaxes Duryea, who was cleared of the crime, to help her search for the real killer. With Peter Lorre, Broderick Crawford. 81 min.

Blood Simple(1984) VHS
Double and triple crosses abound in this mystery that is "film noir" Texas style. A love triangle between a bar owner, his wife and a handsome bartender explodes with fatal consequences. John Getz, M. Emmet Walsh, Frances McDormand star; written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. 96 min.

Call It Murder (1934) VHS
(1934) VHS
One of Humphrey Bogart's first featured roles was as a gangster in this story of a man who must help his daughter when she is accused of murder. Henry Hull, O.P. Heggie, Sidney Fox also star. AKA: "Midnight." 80 min.

The City That Never Sleeps(1953) VHS
Chicago cop Gig Young is tempted to quit the force and run away with his showgirl mistress, but an offer from a corrupt lawyer, a friend-turned-killer, and a store window ``mechanical man'' all play a part in this intriguing tale. Mala Powers, Edward Arnold, Wally Cassell co-star. 90 min.

Criss Cross(1949) VHS
Memorable "noir" thriller stars Burt Lancaster as an armored car driver whose affair with ex-wife Yvonne De Carlo forces him to help her husband, gangster Dan Duryea, in a heist. Slickly staged by director Robert Siodmak, the film also features Tony Curtis in his film debut, playing a gigolo. 98 min.

The Dark Corner(1946) VHS
Private eye Mark Stevens is a man backed into a corner, framed for the murder of his ex-partner, in an intriguing "film noir" thriller that also stars Lucille Ball as Stevens' lovestruck secretary, Clifton Webb as a well-to-do art dealer and William Bendix in his patented "neanderthalic gunsel" role. 99 min.

Dark Passage (1947) VHS
Escaping from prison after being framed for his wife's murder, Humphrey Bogart hides out with Lauren Bacall and undergoes plastic surgery in an attempt to find the real killer. Offbeat mystery, fueled by the Bogey/Bacall magic, also stars Agnes Moorehead, Tom D'Andrea. 106 min.

Dead End (1937) VHS
Landmark drama of life in the crime-ridden slums of Depression-era New York stars Humphrey Bogart as a hoodlum who returns to his old neighborhood and is idolized by the local youths (the Dead End Kids, in their film debut). William Wyler's classic crime tale, scripted by Lillian Hellman, also stars Joel McCrea, Sylvia Sidney, Wendy Barrie. 92 min.

The Desperate Hours (1955) VHS
A trio of escaped prisoners terrorize a suburban family while hiding out in their house in William Wyler's gripping drama. Humphrey Bogart plays the lead con, and Fredric March is the father trying to protect his family. Arthur Kennedy, Martha Scott co-star. 112 min.

Detour(1945) VHS
Made on pennies by Edgar G. Ulmer, this noir thriller follows a down-and-out nightclub pianist hitchhiking from L.A. who is picked up by an amiable gambler. When the driver dies of a heart attack, the pianist takes his wallet and dumps the body, but when he picks up a woman on the road, he finds himself in trouble because of her suspicions and reckless nature. Tom Neal and Ann Savage star. 69 min.

Detour(1992) VHS
This remake of the film noir classic stars Tom Neal, Jr. (in the same role his father played) as a down-and-out piano player, hitchhiking cross-country to see his girlfriend, who is thrown into a series of events involving deceit, murder and a nasty, double-crossing woman named Vera. Lea Lavish and Susannah Foster also star. 91 min.

D.O.A.(1949) VHS
A masterpiece of low-budget "noir" cinema, with Edmond O'Brien as a businessman vacationing in San Francisco who learns he has been poisoned with a "luminous toxin" and has mere days to live. A desperate search for his own killer follows. Luther Adler, Neville Brand, Pamela Britton also star in director Rudolph Mate's classic thriller; score by Dmitri Tiomkin. 83 min.

Double Indemnity(1944) VHS
A masterpiece of film noir cinema from director Billy Wilder, who also co-scripted with Raymond Chandler. Barbara Stanwyck is the definitive femme fatale who lures insurance salesman Fred MacMurray into a twisting plot of murder. Edward G. Robinson co-stars. 107 min.

He Walked By Night(1948) VHS
Based on a true case, this fine film noir details the Los Angeles Police Department's search for a technically adept but mentally unbalanced thief who killed a policeman. With Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Whit Bissell and Jack Webb, who supposedly based his "Dragnet" radio show on this movie; directed by Alfred Werker and (uncredited) Anthony Mann. 79 min.

The Hitch-Hiker(1953) VHS
Riveting film noir classic concerning two family men on a fishing trip who make the deadly mistake of picking up a psychotic thumb-tripper. Based on the William Cook kill-spree, the film boasts fine performances from Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Talman; directed by Ida Lupino. 71 min.

In A Lonely Place(1950) VHS
Potent and brooding film noir from Nicholas Ray, with Humphrey Bogart as a short-fused screenwriter, exonerated in the murder of a hat-check girl through the alibi of neighbor Gloria Grahame. But as the romance between Bogart and Grahame grows, doubts to his innocence begin to arise. Co-stars Frank Lovejoy and Carl Benton Reid. 92 min.

Key Largo (1948) VHS
Gangster Edward G. Robinson takes the inhabitants of a Florida coast hotel hostage as a storm sweeps in, and engages in a battle of wills with world-weary veteran Humphrey Bogart, in John Huston's classic drama. With Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore and Oscar-winner Claire Trevor; look for Jay Silverheels as an escaped con. 101 min

The Killing(1956) VHS
Classic caper drama that established director Stanley Kubrick has Sterling Hayden assembling a motley crew to knock off a racetrack. Kubrick's tight, claustrophobic camera work (done in part to hide the film's shoestring budget) and fine supporting turns by Elisha Cook Jr., Ted de Corsia, Marie Windsor and Timothy Carey make this a film noir favorite. 83 min.

Kiss Me Deadly(1955) VHS
Mickey Spillane's pugnacious private eye, Mike Hammer, becomes involved with femmes fatale, diabolical doctors and, perhaps, the end of the world, courtesy of a nuclear bomb. A noir classic noted for its influence on French New Wave filmmakers, director Robert Aldrich's two-fisted thriller stars Ralph Meeker, Cloris Leachman, Gaby Rogers Albert Dekker. Special video edition also includes the original and long-lost theatrical ending.

Kiss Of Death(1947) VHS
Superior "noir" crime thriller stars Victor Mature as a crook who turns state's evidence when his gang betrays him and leaves him to rot in jail. Richard Widmark, in his screen debut, is unforgettable as a sadistically giggling killer with an affinity for wheelchair-bound ladies and staircases. With Coleen Gray, Brian Donlevy, Karl Malden. 99 min.

Laura(1944) VHS
One of the greatest Hollywood whodunits ever made, Otto Preminger's noir-flavored thriller stars Dana Andrews as a detective investigating the murder of New York socialite Gene Tierney who becomes infatuated with her image and memory. Memorable support is given by Clifton Webb as a sardonic columnist and Vincent Price as Tierney's callous playboy fiance. 88 min.

Murder, My Sweet(1944) VHS
Considered by many to be the definitive private eye "film noir," this adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "Farewell, My Lovely" stars Dick Powell as gumshoe Philip Marlowe, whose search for a thug's ex-girlfriend leads him into a convoluted plot of blackmail and murder. With Claire Trevor, Otto Kruger, Anne Shirley, Mike Mazurki. Special video release includes the original theatrical trailer, a "making of" documentary, and an interview with director Edward Dmytryk. 95 min.

Out Of The Past(1947) VHS
The classic "film noir" mystery that was remade as "Against All Odds." Robert Mitchum is a detective hired by gangster Kirk Douglas to track down girlfriend Jane Greer, who Douglas says ran off after stealing $40,000. Tracking Greer to Mexico, Mitchum falls for her and tries to help her elude Douglas and his henchmen, but who can be trusted? With Steve Brodie, Rhonda Fleming; Jacques Tourneur directs. 97 min.

The Postman Always Rings Twice(1981) VHS
Jessica Lange and Jack Nicholson are the people involved in a torrid love affair that leads to a murder plot. Intense, erotic reworking of the John Garfield-Lana Turner classic. Bob Rafelson directs from James M. Cain's novel. 123 min.

Raw Deal(1948) VHS
Knockout film noir involving a gangster seeking revenge after being framed and sent to jail. With help from an innocent woman he seduces, the ex-con carries out his murderous plan of vengeance, eventually coming face-to-face with the pyromaniacal creep responsible for his prison stay. Dennis O'Keefe, Claire Trevor and Raymond Burr star; Anthony Mann directs. 79 min.

The Street With No Name(1948) VHS
Fine film noir thriller, filmed in semi-documentary style, stars Mark Stevens as an FBI agent who goes undercover and joins psychopathic mobster Richard Widmark's gang. Lloyd Nolan, Ed Begley, Barbara Lawrence also star. 91 min.

This Gun For Hire(1942) VHS
The movie that made Alan Ladd a star. He's a cold-blooded killer out to get back at a double-crossing nightclub owner. Secret formulas, Nazis and vicious chauffeurs pop up in this "film noir" classic based on Graham Greene's thriller. Veronica Lake is the beautiful femme fatale; with Laird Cregar, Robert Preston. 81 min.

The Woman In The Window(1945) VHS
Dazzling film noir from director Fritz Lang showcasing Edward G. Robinson as an amiable professor invited to join beautiful model Joan Bennett in her apartment when his wife and children are on vacation. His fantasies turn to terror when he kills her tough boyfriend and finds himself in the middle of a deadly blackmail plot. Raymond Massey, Dan Duryea, Bobby Blake and Spanky McFarland also star. 99 min.

Crime Drama, Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense

At Close Range(1986) VHS
Powerful drama about two brothers in a small Pennsylvania town whose father, a shiftless hood, comes back after many years. The boys emulate their dad's violent, crooked ways, but soon realize the danger they're in. Christopher Walken, and Sean and Christopher Penn star. 115 min.

Beat The Devil (1954) VHS
Offbeat is the only way to describe this John Huston/Truman Capote collaboration about a ragtag group of con men out to swindle each other while on a Mediterranean cruise. Wild action spoof stars Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Robert Morley, Peter Lorre and Gina Lollobrigida. 89 min.

Body And Soul(1947) VHS
Classic boxing drama stars John Garfield as a champion fighter who, on the eve of a match he's scheduled to throw for the mob, looks back on his rise to the top and the people he used to get there. With Lilli Palmer, Anne Revere, William Conrad, Canada Lee. 104 min.

Body And Soul(1998) VHS
In this reworking of the John Garfield classic, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini plays ambitious young boxer Charlie Davis, who, with help from his friend Tiny, climbs to the top of the ring game. During his rise to stardom, however, he forgets the people who helped him get there. With Michael Chiklis, Jennifer Beals, Rod Steiger and Joe Mantegna. 95 min.

A Bullet In The Gun Barrel(1958) VHS
Gritty crime drama co-directed by Michel Deville ("La Lectrice") centers on three pals who fought together in Vietnam and use $75,000 from another friend to open a nightclub in France. When that friend resurfaces as a mob boss, he demands his money back, and now the trio have to pull of a heist to get it. With Roger Hanin, Pierre Vaneck and Mijanou Bardot (Brigitte's sister). AKA: "A Slug in the Heater," "Une Balle Dans Le Canon." Dubbed in English.

Call Northside 777(1948) VHS
Set and filmed in Chicago, this gritty, based-on-fact newspaper drama stars James Stewart as a cynical reporter who discovers that the wrong man may be behind bars for the killing of a cop that occurred years earlier. Stewart's investigation leads him to the witness to the murder and makes him question the police department's motives. Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb and E.G. Marshall star. 111 min.

Cape Fear(1962) VHS
The Southern backwoods become a setting for suspense and shock, as sadistic ex-con Robert Mitchum tracks down lawyer Gregory Peck and his family for vengeance. The original version of the classic thriller, based on a John MacDonald novel, also stars Polly Bergen, Martin Balsam, Telly Savalas. 106 min.

Cape Fear(1991) VHS
Martin Scorsese's suspenseful reworking of the 1962 thriller stars Robert De Niro as a psychotic ex-con seeking vengeance against Nick Nolte, the attorney who represented him in a rape case. De Niro terrorizes Nolte, wife Jessica Lange and daughter Juliette Lewis, using the law to his own ends and forcing a violent final confrontation. With Joe Don Baker and the original's Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. 128 min.

Casablanca (Special Edition) (1942) VHS
As time goes by, one of the best-loved films ever made. Humphrey Bogart is cafe owner Rick, Ingrid Bergman lost love Ilsa, and Paul Henreid resistance leader Victor. Their lives and destinies come together in the exotic Moroccan city. Winner of three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. With Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Dooley Wilson, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet; Michael Curtiz directs. This special video version includes an introduction by Lauren Bacall and the documentary "You Must Remember This," with newly-found outtakes and screen tests. 145 min. total.

Clouzot Suspense 2-Pack VHS
This money-saving package features two classics from the French master of cinematic suspense: "Diabolique" and "The Wages of Fear."

The Conversation(1974) VHS
Francis Ford Coppola's intense study of Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a surveillance expert who tapes a conversation shared by a young couple in San Francisco's Union Square. As Caul comes to believe the recording may lead to their deaths, he begins to question his profession and his own sense of privacy. John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams, Teri Garr, Harrison Ford and Robert Duvall also star in this stunning Watergate Era effort. Includes an 8-minute "Close-Up on 'The Conversation'" featurette.113 min.

The Dark Mirror(1946) VHS
Olivia de Havilland turns in a pair of riveting performances as twin sisters--one good, the other evil--who undergo examinations from psychologist Lew Ayres (who becomes the object of both women's affections) to determine who may have been responsible for the murder of a prominent physician; directed by Robert Siodmak ("The Spiral Staircase"). 85 min.

Dead Calm(1989) VHS
A couple out on a sailing vacation rescue a man from his sinking ship and take him aboard, but soon learn that he was responsible for his crew's deaths, and a dangerous game of survival begins. Sam Neill, Billy Zane, Nicole Kidman star. 96 min.

Death Of A Salesman(1985) VHS
Dustin Hoffman offers a memorable turn as Willy Loman, the world-weary drummer trying to cope with family crises and the end of his career, in director Volker Schlondorff's acclaimed version of Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. With Kate Reid as Hoffman's wife, Linda, and John Malkovich and Stephen Lang as their sons. This two-tape set also includes the behind-the-scenes documentary, "Private Conversations on the Set of 'Death of a Salesman'." 218 min. total.

Death In Venice(1971) VHS
Luchino Visconti's brilliant version of Thomas Mann's classic story. Dirk Bogarde stars as a jaded, middle-aged German composer on holiday on Venice who spots a handsome young boy on the beach. His doomed obsession with the youth renews his interest in living. With Silvana Mangano, Bjorn Andresen. 130 min. Filmed in English.

Deep Cover(1992) VHS
An unrelenting cop thriller starring Larry Fishburne as a cop who poses as a drug dealer in Los Angeles' seedy underworld. He partners with sleazy lawyer Jeff Goldblum and is quickly seduced by the criminal lifestyle. Eventually, he must decide which side of the law he's really on. Victoria Dillard and Charles Martin Smith co-star. 107 min.

Devil In A Blue Dress(1995) VHS
An unemployed ex-G.I. in 1948 Los Angeles is hired to locate a missing woman with ties to a mayoral candidate, but the search lands him in a deadly web of political corruption and forbidden passions. Denzel Washington shines as reluctant PI "Easy" Rawlins in this atmospheric mystery based on Walter Mosley's novel, features fine supporting turns by Jennifer Beals, Tom Sizemore, and Don Cheadle as Washington's trigger-happy sidekick, Mouse. 101 min.

Diabolique(1955) VHS
Taut thriller from Henri-Georges Clouzot that rivals Hitchcock's best. A cruel schoolmaster is murdered by his wife and his mistress... or is he? A frightening tale of suspense and desperation with Simone Signoret, Vera Clouzot and Paul Meurisse. 116 min. In French with English subtitles.

Diabolique (Dubbed Version) VHS
Also available in a dubbed-in-English edition.

Dirty Money (Un Flic)(1972) VHS
Top-notch crime drama from Quentin Tarantino fave Jean-Pierre Melville ("Bob le Flambeur") stars Alain Delon as a cop who travels to a seaside town seeking the principals in a drug-smuggling operation. While searching for the criminals, he falls for lovely Catherine Deneuve, who happens to be the mistress of gang leader Richard Crenna. 92 min. Dubbed in English.

Diva(1982) VHS
A wildly colorful and complex French thriller from director/co-scripter Jean-Jacques Beineix whose marvelously convoluted plot involves a young Paris mail carrier obsessed with an opera star who refuses to make records, a tape spelling out police corruption, Taiwanese mobsters, New Wave assassins, and a wild chase through the Paris Metro. Frederic Andrei, Richard Bohringer, Gerard Darmon and Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez star. 123 min. In French with English subtitles.

The Elegant Criminal(1992) VHS
Based on a true story, this compelling French drama tells of a 19th-century French aristocrat whose murder trial held the nation's attention as much for the shocking nature of his crimes as for his debonair, charismatic attitude. Daniel Auteuil, Jean Poiret, Jacques Weber star. 120 min. In French with English subtitles.

Fallen Angel(1998) VHS
Alexandra Paul is a Philadelphia detective looking forward to her 10-year high school reunion who gets a rude awakening when she discovers several of her classmates have been brutally murdered. Her investigation leads to a former classmate out for revenge for an incident that occurred years earlier. Anthony Michael Hall, Vlasta Vrana and Michelle Johnson also star. AKA: "Reunion." 90 min.

Force Of Evil(1949) VHS
John Garfield stars in this dark drama of an attorney working for an underworld kingpin who must choose between his security and helping his brother fight the gangsters. Thomas Gomez, Roy Roberts, Marie Windsor co-star. Newly restored version includes an introduction by Martin Scorsese. 82 min. total.

Frantic(1988) VHS
A trip to Paris becomes a rollercoaster ride of danger and suspense for doctor Harrison Ford when his wife is kidnapped by criminals after a mysterious item in a thriller from shockmaster Roman Polanski. Emmanuelle Seigner co-stars as the sultry smuggler who aids Ford in his search. 120 min.

The French Connection(1971) VHS
Five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director and Actor, were copped by William Friedkin's fast-moving, fact-based cop drama. Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider are the New York detectives who reluctantly work with federal agents to crack a multi-million-dollar heroin ring. The harrowing car chase scene is a film classic. With Fernando Rey, Tony Lo Bianco. 104 min.

La Femme Nikita(1991) VHS
Exciting, sexy and violent thriller about a beautiful junkie, condemned to die for murdering a policeman, who is given a second chance by becoming a secret political assassin for the government. Nikita eventually falls in love with a grocery clerk who has no idea of her real identity. Anne Parillaud and Jeanne Moreau star; directed by Luc Besson ("Subway"). 117 min. In French with English subtitles.

Frantic(1958) VHS
Louis Malle made his directorial debut with this early French New Wave thriller about two lovers who plan to murder the woman's husband, only to see their "perfect crime" come apart at the seams. Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet star. AKA: "Elevator to the Gallows." 90 min. In French with English subtitles.

Gilda(1946) VHS
Rita Hayworth's unforgettable allure--as evidenced in the torrid "Put the Blame on Mame" number--is on view in this classic drama. She's part of a problematical love triangle involving husband George Macready and his partner, Glenn Ford, set against a South American gambling casino. 110 min.

The Grifters(1990) VHS
In this seedy, emotionally-charged film noir set in contemporary Los Angeles, Anjelica Huston is the horse-playing mother of con artist John Cusack who doesn't like her son's romantic interest with sexual swindler Annette Bening. You never know who's duping whom in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed production, directed by Stephen Frears ("Dangerous Liaisons") and based on Jim Thompson's novel. 114 min.

Grisbi(1953) VHS
The model for many French New Wave films that followed, this superb crime drama stars Jean Gabin as an aging gangster who agrees to one last robbery, but is undone by the jealousy and treachery of his colleagues and their women. Jeanne Moreau, Lino Ventura also star; directed by Jacques Becker. AKA: "Honour Among Thieves," "Touchez Pas Au Grisbi." 94 min. In French with English subtitles.

The Hit(1985) VHS
John Hurt is a world-weary hit man and Terence Stamp is his unusually cooperative target in this offbeat thriller laced with tension and dark humor. With Laura De Sol as a lovely hostage and Tim Roth (in his film debut) as Hurt's over-eager assistant. Stephen Frears ("The Grifters") directed. 97 min.

Homicide(1991) VHS
Writer/director David Mamet's riveting drama stars Joe Mantegna as a respected Jewish Baltimore detective who, while investigating the murder of an elderly shopkeeper, is drawn into allegations of an anti-Semitic conspiracy that lead him to reconsider his work, life and faith. W.H. Macy and Natalija Nogulich co-star. 100 min.

I Wake Up Screaming(1942) VHS
Cast against type, Betty Grable and Victor Mature prove themselves capable actors in this mystery about an actress' murder and her sister's (Grable) attempt to clear the victim's agent (Mature) of the crime. Tense drama also stars Laird Cregar, Carole Landis, Elisha Cook, Jr. 82 min.

Kansas City Confidential(1953) VHS
A bitter ex-cop becomes the criminal mastermind behind a huge armored car heist, and a former con must turn investigator when he's falsely accused of the crime. Intriguing underworld saga stars John Payne, Neville Brand, Coleen Gray, Lee Van Cleef. 98 min.

The Killers(1946) VHS
Ernest Hemingway's short story served as the basis for this tough crime saga of a down-and-out boxer (played by the debuting Burt Lancaster) who is executed by two small-time criminals. Insurance investigator Edmond O'Brien looks into the pug's policy and uncovers his involvement with crooks and beautiful, double-crossing Ava Gardner. Directed by Robert Siodmak; remade in 1964. 103 min.

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye(1950) VHS
Jimmy Cagney is in fine fettle as a ruthless hood who breaks out of prison and lets nobody on either side of the law get in his way. Slam-bang gangster thriller also stars Ward Bond, Barbara Payton, William Frawley; look for Cagney's brother William as his screen sibling. 102 min.

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye(2000) VHS
Jason Priestley directed this steamy film noir starring Nick Lea as a film exec who wakes up on a beach after a wild night of drinking to find a dead woman sprawled nearby. Holt McCallany, a homeless man, claims Lea killed the woman, and he strikes a deal: McCallany will get rid of the body if Lea "takes care of him." The problem is that McCallany wants everything Lea has--including sexy girlfriend Kari Wuhrer.

The Lady From Shanghai(1948) VHS
Orson Welles and then-wife Rita Hayworth combine for a classic ``film noir'' tale of a roguish sailor who signs on for a Mexican cruise with a crippled businessman, his maniacal partner and his unfaithful wife. Along the way is romance, treachery, murder and a memorable climax in a hall of mirrors. Written and directed by Welles; with Everett Sloane, Ted de Corsia. 87 min.

Lady In The Lake(1946) VHS"
YOU look into the gun of a fear-maddened killer," thanks to the "subjective camera" of director/star Robert Montgomery in this adaptation of the Raymond Chandler mystery. Detective Philip Marlowe (Montgomery) returns to sleuthing after a stint at writing novels to locate a missing woman. Tough dialogue, complications and red herrings abound. With Lloyd Nolan, Audrey Totter, Jayne Meadows. 104 min.

Little Caesar(1930) VHS
Masterful crime drama starring Edward G. Robinson as the Al Capone-inspired Italian hood who moves from petty thief to mob kingpin, blasting his machine gun all the way. Mervyn LeRoy's film hailed a new era in screen realism, made a star out of Robinson and gave us the line "Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?" With Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Glenda Farrell. 80 min.

The Long Goodbye(1973) VHS
Robert Altman's quirky, semi-satiric updating of Raymond Chandler stars Elliott Gould as laid-back gumshoe Philip Marlowe, investigating the murder of his friend's wife and getting involved with gangsters, alcoholic writers and deceptive women. With Sterling Hayden, Nina van Pallandt, Jim Bouton, Henry Gibson; look for a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. 113 min.

Maigret: Boxed Set #1(1991) VHS
Georges Simenon's Parisian detective, Chief Inspector Jules Maigret, is memorably brought to life by Michael Gambon in this series that ran on PBS's "Mystery." This boxed collection features six whodunits, including "Maigret and the Burglar's Wife," "Maigret and the Mad Woman," "Maigret Goes to School," "Maigret on Home Ground," "Maigret Sets a Trap" and "The Patience of Maigret." 339 min. total.

Maigret: Boxed Set #2(1991) VHS
Michael Gambon's brilliant interpretation of Georges Simenon's chief inspector Jules Maigret takes the spotlight in this six-tape set. Among the mysteries featured are "Maigret and the Hotel Majestic," "Maigret and the Maid," "Maigret and the Minister," "Maigret and the Nightclub Dancer," "Maigret on the Defensive" and "Maigret's Boyhood Friend." 307 min. total.

The Man I Love(1946) VHS
First-rate melodrama spiked with great music about a singer (Ida Lupino) caught between a tough gangster (Robert Alda) and a piano player (Bruce Bennett). Andrea King, Martha Vickers and Alan Hale also star in this atmospheric story, said to be an inspiration for Martin Scorsese's "New York, New York." Songs include "The Man I Love" and "Body and Soul." 96 min.

The Man On The Eiffel Tower(1949) VHS
Based on a novel by Georges Simenon, this superb piece of "continental noir" stars Charles Laughton as Parisian police inspector Maigret, whose investigation of a rich woman's murder leads him into a battle of wills with a psychotic killer-for-hire and a showdown at the title landmark. Franchot Tone, Robert Hutton and Burgess Meredith, who also directed, co-star. 84 min.

The Mask Of Dimitrios(1944) VHS
Superior thriller featuring Peter Lorre as a mystery writer on vacation in Istanbul when the body of infamous criminal Zachary Scott is found there. Beginning a global search for the facts behind Scott's life, Lorre joins forces with Sydney Greenstreet, one of the crook's victims, and soon uncovers some unsettling facts. Faye Emerson and George Tobias also star. 96 min.

Mildred Pierce(1945) VHS
Fine Hollywood tearjerker with Joan Crawford (in her Oscar-winning role) as the waitress-turned-businesswoman who struggles to provide a good life for her children, only to have older daughter Ann Blyth repay her by having an affair with her stepfather. Michael Curtiz directs; with Zachary Scott, Jack Carson, Eve Arden. 109 min.

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil(1997) VHS
New York magazine writer John Cusack is sent to picturesque Savannah, Georgia, to cover a lavish Christmas party hosted by local antiques merchant Kevin Spacey, but he gets more of a story than he imagined when Spacey is charged with shooting his male lover and the subsequent trial exposes the private lives of many of the quirky town's citizens. Director Clint Eastwood's adaptation of the John Berendt best-seller also stars Jack Thompson, Jude Law, Alison Eastwood, and local drag queen Lady Chablis as herself. 150 min.

Murder At 45 R.P.M.(1961) VHS
A famous singer carries on an affair with her accompanist which causes her husband to leave her. Soon, the husband is murdered, and the lovers suspect each other is the killer. Things get creepier when the dead hubby leaves a recorded message. With Danielle Darriux, Michel Auclair. Dubbed in English.

The Naked City(1948) VHS
This masterful, gritty crime drama, shot on location in New York City, details the investigation of a murdered woman by two policemen, a crafty veteran (Barry Fitzgerald) and his brash young assistant (Don Taylor). After numerous dead ends, the clues lead to a surprising suspect. Jules Dassin directs in slam-bang realistic fashion; with Howard Duff and Dorothy Hart. 96 min.

Night And The City(1992) VHS
Robert De Niro turns in an electrifying performance as a sleazy accident lawyer, desperate to make a big score. Along with bar owner's wife Jessica Lange, he begins promoting boxing matches, but the scheme eventually leads to trouble with gangsters. Alan King, Cliff Gorman and Jack Warden also star in this powerful reworking of the 1950 film noir favorite. 104 min.

Night Moves(1975) VHS
Gene Hackman is a football player-turned-detective, hired to locate a teenage runaway, who uncovers a bizarre web of smuggling, deception, and murder. Intriguing thriller by Arthur Penn also features Jennifer Warren, Susan Clark, and early appearances by Melanie Griffith and James Woods. 100 min.

Ossessione(1942) VHS
Not seen in America for over 30 years, Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti's first film is an unauthorized rendition of "The Postman Always Rings Twice" that closely follows the plot of James Cain's classic novel, while adding Visconti's distinctive neo-realist touches. Clara Calamai, Massimo Girotti star. 140 min. In Italian with English subtitles.

Obsession(1954) VHS
Trapeze artists Michele Morgan and Raf Vallone fall in love, but Morgan doesn't know of Vallone's past--he thinks he killed a man. An injury to Vallone's arm and a new partner with ties to his past add to the suspense in this French melodrama. With Jean Gaven; Jean Delannoy directs. 105 min. Dubbed in English.

Passage To Marseille(1944) VHS
Epic WWII drama stars Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet and Michele Morgan in a story of Devil's Island escapees who join up with Free French sailors on a ship bound for Nazi-occupied France. Michael Curtiz directs. 109 min.

Philip Marlowe, Private Eye: Pickup On Noon Street/Guns At Cyrano's VHS
Marlowe comes to the aid of a cigarette girl (guest star Robin Givens) whose dreams of stardom get her mixed with a film actor taking the role of "ladykiller" literally in "Pickup on Noon Street." Next, a boxer is pressured to lose his next fight, and Marlowe could be "taking a fall," in "Guns at Cyrano's," with John Ireland and Roxanne Hart. 101 min.

Philip Marlowe, Private Eye: Trouble Is My Business/Spanish Blood VHS
"Trouble Is My Business" finds Marlowe up to his fedora in big bucks and big crimes when he must save a wealthy man's nephew from gambling debts. Then, the gumshoe must investigate a pal's murder in "Spanish Blood," with Helen Shaver and Ron Van Hart. 101 min.

Philip Marlowe, Private Eye: Blackmailers Don't Shoot/Red Wind VHS
Maybe "Blackmailers Don't Shoot," but whoever's kidnapped the film actress (guest star Melody Anderson) Marlowe was hired to guard has fatal plans for her, unless he can find her in time. And a party ends in murder in "Red Wind," and eyewitness Marlowe must track down the gunman in order to learn the shocking motive for the crime. Linda Griffiths, Maury Chaykin guest. 98 min.

Pickpocket(1959) VHS
A young man finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a criminal lifestyle, and neither his friends nor the woman who loves him can stop him, in Robert Bresson's powerful French New Wave crime drama. Martin Lassalle, Marika Green. 71 min. In French with English subtitles.

Pickup On South Street(1953) VHS
Sam Fuller's classic crime thriller stars Richard Widmark as a New York pickpocket whose latest heist carried an unexpected bonus--microfilm stolen by Communist spies--that puts him on the run from government agents as well as the spy ring. Gritty melodrama also stars Richard Kiley, Jean Peters, Thelma Ritter. 80 min.

The Player(1992) VHS
Scathing satire of contemporary Hollywood, scripted by Michael Tolkin from his novel and directed by Robert Altman, stars Tim Robbins as a hot shot studio executive attempting to find an angry screenwriter who has been sending him death threats. His search leads him into a world of romance, murder and "high-concept vehicles" for Julia Roberts and Bruce Willis. With Greta Scacchi, Whoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Stevenson, Lyle Lovett, Fred Ward and dozens of cameos. 123 min.

Point Blank(1967) VHS
Betrayed by his partner and left for dead, a man who engineered a heist of mob money recovers and plans his revenge, but the mob is after both of them. Stylish thriller from director John Boorman, remade as 1999's "Payback," stars Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn, John Vernon and Carroll O'Connor. 89 min.

Police(1985) VHS
Gerard Depardieu is a tough but understanding cop who falls in love with the girlfriend of an Algerian drug dealer and finds the more involved he becomes with the woman, the closer his ties get to the underworld. Sophie Marceau and Sandrine Bonnaire also star; directed by Maurice Pialat ("A Nos Amour"). 113 min. In French with English subtitles.

Portrait Of An Assassin(1949) VHS
Crackerjack suspense yarn stars Pierre Brasseur as a reckless motorcycle rider who, while attempting to kill his nagging wife, accidentally wounds carnival owner Maria Montez. Brasseur and Montez soon start a heated relationship which draws the attention of a vengeful, paralyzed Eric Von Stroheim, her ex-lover. With Arletty. 100 min. In French with English subtitles.

Prince Of The City(1981) VHS
A knock-out drama about an honest cop called to testify about drug dealings involving his friends. An unflinching look at corruption, city life, and the compromises we must make. Treat Williams, Jerry Orbach star; Sidney Lumet directs. 167 min.

Repulsion(1965) VHS
Classic psychological drama that was director Roman Polanski's first big international success. A young woman with an abnormal fear of men is left alone by her sister in their apartment for a week, and her descent into madness is chillingly portrayed. Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry star. 105 min. Filmed in English.

Rififi(1955) VHS
Jules Dassin's groundbreaking French crime drama, with a memorable dialogue-free opening scene, follows four thieves who pull a jewelry store heist and watch their "perfect crime" fall apart before their eyes. Jean Sevais, Carl Mohner and Dassin, under the alias "Perlo Vita," star. 118 min. In French with English subtitles.

Scarlet Street(1945) VHS
Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett star in director Fritz Lang's compelling drama concerning a lonely middle-aged bank cashier whose life is tragically changed when he becomes involved with a predatory, manipulating woman. 103 min.

Shoot The Piano Player(1960) VHS
An important early film from the French New Wave, Francois Truffaut's dark mystery stars Charles Aznavour as a concert pianist-turned-bar musician involved with the underworld. With Marie Dubois. 84 min. In French with English subtitles.

The Spanish Prisoner(1998) VHS
David Mamet's surprise-filled thriller features Campbell Scott as the inventor of "the Process," a mysterious formula that will make his company extremely rich. While at a conference in the Caribbean, Scott is befriended by businessman Steve Martin, who uses his cunning to make Scott suspicious of his employers' motives. With Rebecca Pidgeon, Ben Gazzara and Ricky Jay. 110 min.

Special Police(1985) VHS
A police inspector involved in investigating a criminal organization known as the Movement, which is tied to several important politicians, is forced to protect the sister of an old friend who is killed by hit men seeking evidence gathered against the Movement. Richard Berry, Carole Bouquet star. 92 min. In French with English subtitles.

The Stranger(1946) VHS
Suspenseful cat-and-mouse thriller features director/star Orson Welles as an escaped Nazi war criminal living as a teacher in a small Connecticut college town, with Edward G. Robinson as a federal agent tracking him down. The final chase scene in an old clock tower is a classic; with Loretta Young. 94 min.

Strangers On A Train (Restored British Version)(1951) VHS
This restored edition includes two minutes of extra footage not shown in American theaters, plus the original theatrical trailer. 103 min.

The Swindle (Rien Ne Va Plus)(1997) VHS
A stylish tale of romantic deceptions and elaborate cons, director Claude Chabrol's 50th film stars Isabelle Huppert and Michel Serrault as a team of French scam artists. The pair's relationship--business and personal--may be threatened by their latest scheme, in which Huppert attaches herself to the money courier for a crime syndicate, but who is betraying whom? With Francois Cluzet, Jean-Francois Balmer. 105 min. In French with English subtitles.

The Thief(1952) VHS
There's no dialogue in this unusual "Red Scare" thriller with Ray Milland as an American physicist who is persuaded to turn military secrets over to the Russians, then must try and flee the country when he's discovered. With Rita Gam, Martin Gabel. 85 min.

The Third Man (Restored Director's Cut) VHS
Also available in a special edition that includes the original theatrical and 50th anniversary re-release trailers. 104 min. Also available in a special edition that includes the original theatrical and 50th anniversary re-release trailers. 104 min.

Three Cases Of Murder(1955) VHS
First-rate British omnibus that offers three thrillers in one. An art museum guide finds himself in a familiar painting in "In the Picture"; a young woman admired by two school friends is murdered by one of them in "You Killed Elizabeth"; and Orson Welles plays "Lord Mountdrago," a Parliament member who destroys the life of an associate. With Alan Badel, John Gregson. 99 min.

To Have And Have Not (1944) VHS
Bogart and Bacall (in her film debut) set the screen ablaze in this wartime adventure/romance, based on Ernest Hemingway's novel. A boat captain in Martinique joins the French Resistance and gets involved with a young woman. Classic Howard Hawks drama co-stars Walter Brennan, Hoagy Carmichael, Sheldon Leonard, Dan Seymour. 100 min.

Touch Of Evil(1958) VHS
Orson Welles' twisting cinematic masterpiece of style and suspense features Welles as a corrupt cane-wielding official in a seedy Mexican border town at odds with a newly married narcotics cop (Charlton Heston). Embroiled in the murder mystery are Janet Leigh, Akim Tamiroff, Joseph Cotten, Marlene Dietrich and Joseph Calleia. Original 108 min.-version.

U-Turn(1997) VHS
Small-time hustler Sean Penn is driving to Las Vegas to pay off a gambling debt, but a broken radiator hose strands him in a remote Arizona desert town whose off-the-wall residents include grimy auto mechanic Billy Bob Thornton, crooked sheriff Powers Boothe, and wealthy realtor Nick Nolte and seductive wife Jennifer Lopez, each of whom offer Penn money to bump off their spouse. Director Oliver Stone's noir thriller also stars Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Voight. 125 min.

Underworld U.S.A.(1961) VHS
Seeking revenge on the gangsters who murdered his father years earlier, Cliff Robertson infiltrates the mob and attacks it from within in this gritty crime drama from writer/director Samuel Fuller. Co-stars Richard Rust, Dolores Dorn. 99 min.

The Wrong Man(1956) VHS
Perhaps the most harrowing of all of Alfred Hitchcock's films...because it actually happened. Henry Fonda stars as a New York nightclub musician trapped by circumstantial evidence and convicted of robbery in this compelling drama. Co-stars Vera Miles, Anthony Quayle. 105 min.

The Wrong Man(1993) VHS
Stylish, sensual noir thriller about an American sailor, accused of killing a smuggler in Mexico, who attempts to elude the authorities by hitching a ride with an expatriate and his sexy wife. Soon, the sailor finds himself involved with deception, danger and double-crosses. Rosanna Arquette, John Lithgow and Kevin Anderson star in this surprise-filled suspenser. 98 min.

Comedy, Mystery and Crime

Beverly Hills Cop(1984) VHS
Eddie Murphy is Axel Foley, a Detroit detective who heads to Southern California to track down a friend's killer, only to find resentment from both sides of the law. Action and laughs are mixed perfectly in one of the biggest comedy hits ever. Lisa Eilbacher, Judge Reinhold also star. 105 min.

Big Trouble(1986) VHS
Peter Falk and Alan Arkin star in this zany comedy about two ordinary guys who concoct a wild insurance fraud scheme that will either land them in the life of Riley...or in jail! With Beverly D'Angelo, Charles Durning, Robert Stack. 93 min.

Deal Of The Century(1983) VHS
Chevy Chase gets mixed up in the illegal arms race in this comedy filled with wackiness and zany sight gags, as well as some timely spoofing of nuclear proliferation. Sigourney Weaver, Gregory Hines co-star; directed by William Friedkin. 96 min.

Disorganized Crime(1989) VHS
With their ringleader caught and jailed before he can reveal his plans for a mammoth bank heist, four inept crooks must try to find him and evade a pair of cops even stupider than they are. Comedic crime caper stars Lou Diamond Phillips, Fred Gwynne, Corbin Bernsen, Ruben Blades and Ed O'Neill. 99 min.

Double Dynamite(1951) VHS
It's money, money everywhere and not a dime to spend for Frank Sinatra and Jane Russell, two lovebirds in a bank teller's cage who are suspected of embezzlement when Frank's big racing bet pays off. Groucho Marx has some great moments as the couple's pal, a greasy spoon waiter, in this light comedy. 80 min.

Fletch(1985) VHS
Chevy Chase plays an unorthodox reporter with a penchant for disguise who gets involved in a murder plot. This thriller, laced with laughs and based on Gregory McDonald's novel, co-stars Tim Matheson, Joe Don Baker and Geena Davis. 96 min.

48 Hrs.(1982) VHS
Boisterous comedy/thriller marked Eddie Murphy's screen debut, with him playing a wisecracking con sprung from prison to help detective Nick Nolte nab a pair of cop killers. With Annette O'Toole, James Remar; Walter Hill directs. 97 min.

Le Gendarme A New York(1966) VHS
Inspector Louis De Funes and his somewhat less-than-crack squad of St. Tropez police officers have their work cut out for them when a visit to America turns into a series of comical calamities in this satirical sequel. With Michel Galabru, Genevieve Grad.100 min. In French with English subtitles.

Le Gendarme De Saint-Tropez(1964) VHS
The first entry in a successful series starring Louis De Funes as an ambitious police officer transferred to a laid-back station in the resort town of St. Tropez. Just as he adjusts to his new environment, his daughter begins having a bit too much fun. In French with English subtitles.

Johnny Stecchino(1993) VHS
Funny farce from Italy, directed by and starring comic Roberto Benigni ("Life Is Beautiful") as a shy bus driver whose life takes some hilarious turns when he's mistaken for a mob boss. Nicoletta Braschi also stars. 100 min. In Italian with English subtitles.

The Lavender Hill Mob(1951) VHS
Timid bank clerk Alec Guinness hatches a scheme for stealing a fortune in bullion, melting the gold down and disguising it as miniature Eiffel Tower souvenirs, in this hilarious Oscar-winning comedy. With Stanley Holloway, Alfie Bass, Sidney James; look for a young Audrey Hepburn in the opening scene. 77 min.

My Cousin Vinny(1992) VHS
Side-splitting farce stars Joe Pesci as a streetwise but inexperienced lawyer from New York who gets the call to defend his cousin and a friend when they're accused of shooting a convenience store clerk in the Deep South. With Ralph Macchio, Fred Gwynne, and Academy Award-winner Marisa Tomei as Pesci's feisty fiancee. 120 min.

Once Upon A Crime(1992) VHS
All-star caper farce stars John Candy, Richard Lewis, James Belushi, Cybill Shepherd, Sean Young, George Hamilton and Giancarlo Giannini romping through Europe in a wild-and-wacky story about a prized canine and the mysterious murder of its owner. 94 min.

The Pink Panther(1964) VHS
The original in filmdom's most hilarious series! Peter Sellers is fumble-footed French Inspector Jacques Clouseau, hot on the trail of a jewel thief after the fabulous Pink Panther diamond. David Niven, Capucine, Robert Wagner and Claudia Cardinale head the list of suspects; Blake Edwards directs. 113 min.

The Pink Panther Strikes Again(1976) VHS
Inspector Clouseau is up to his old tricks again--driving his boss to insanity, blundering his way through an ingenious caper, and having the time of his life with a beautiful Russian spy. Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Lesley-Anne Down star. 110 min.

The Private Eyes(1981) VHS
In this wacky comedy thriller, Tim Conway and Don Knotts play clumsy Scotland Yard detectives out to solve a double murder. Their investigation takes them to a creepy mansion inhabited by an heiress and her crew of zany characters, but the slapstick sleuths soon encounter strange happenings of the ghostly kind. Trisha Noble, Bernard Fox co-star.

The Return Of The Pink Panther(1974) VHS
The relentless Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) is back once more on the trail of the stolen Pink Panther diamond. Rib-tickling return of filmdom's most inept sleuth also stars Christopher Plummer, Catherine Schell, Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk as Cato. 113 min.

Revenge Of The Pink Panther(1978) VHS
Peter Sellers returns once more as Inspector Clouseau (his final performance as the maladroit detective) trotting across the globe on a mission to crack a heroin ring, while being helped by a drug lord's former mistress (Dyan Cannon) and hindered by a hired assassin. Co-stars Herbert Lom, Paul Stewart, Robert Webber. 99 min.

Stir Crazy(1981) VHS
Comedy smash reteams Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder as a wannabe actor and a wannabe playwright from New York who can't even get arrested...until they sport woodpecker costumes for a promotional event on their way to Los Angeles, are mistaken for a pair of bank robbers, and get sent to prison. Co-stars JoBeth Williams, Georg Stanford Brown; directed by Sidney Poitier. 111 min.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil(1989) VHS
Together again, Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are a deaf man and a blind man who become accidental witnesses to mob murder and have to team up to stay alive. Hit slapstick farce also stars Joan Severance, Kevin Spacey. 103 min.

Spies Like Us(1985) VHS
Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd are two bumbling agents on a top secret assignment to foil a group of international missile maniacs. But they're the ones who get foiled, hung upside down, and lost, a lot, in this frantic comedy feast. Co-stars Donna Dixon, Steve Forrest. 103 min.

The Sucker (Le Corniaud)(1965) VHS
A French businessman on vacation in Italy becomes the unwitting dupe of smugglers when he's involved in an auto accident and is given a car stuffed with drugs and mob money to drive across the border in this slapstick comedy. Bourvil and Louis de Funes star; Gerard Oury directs. 90 min. In French with English subtitles.

The Wrong Arm Of The Law(1962) VHS
Peter Sellers leads a band of cockeyed crooks on a hilarious caper in this crime-spree comedy. Disguised as police, the gang finds itself chased by both sides of the law! Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbins also star. 94 min.

Agatha Christie

A Caribbean Mystery VHS
Miss Marple's holiday in the exotic West Indies is a rather dull affair until Major Palgrave turns up murdered. Now she must find out who committed the ugly deed amidst the lovely scenery. 100 min.

Death On The Nile(1978) VHS
Agatha Christie's master detective, Hercule Poirot, is back, this time solving a murder on board a tourist steamer cruising through Africa. Peter Ustinov is a delight as Poirot; with Bette Davis, David Niven, Angela Lansbury and Mia Farrow. 140 min.

Evil Under The Sun(1982) VHS
Murder never takes a holiday, especially for Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov), whose stay at a luxury island resort is interrupted by a perplexing murder. James Mason, Diana Rigg, Roddy McDowall, Maggie Smith also star in Agatha Christie's whodunit. 116 min.

A Murder Is Announced VHS
What starts out as a parlor game of ``murder'' becomes a deadly reality, and Miss Marple must find out which player isn't playing. 155 min.

Murder On The Orient Express(1974) VHS
Albert Finney is Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this classic Agatha Christie thriller. An American businessman has been killed on board the famed transcontinental train and it's up to Poirot to uncover the murderer. Lauren Bacall, Anthony Perkins, Sean Connery and, in an Oscar-winning performance, Ingrid Bergman head the all-star cast. 127 min

Poirot: Murder In Mesopotamia VHS
A vacation in the Middle East turns into a busman's holiday for Hercule Poirot when he visits an archeological dig to see Captain Hastings and is called on to solve the murder of the expedition head's wife. 100 min.

Poirot: The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd/Lord Edgware Dies VHS
David Suchet's Hercule Poirot is featured in two mysteries. In "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd," the Belgian sleuth investigates the strange death of his neighbor. And in "Lord Edgware Dies," the detective becomes infatuated with a pretty actress, but when he asks her estranged husband to divorce her, Poirot finds him dead. 200 min.

Sparkling Cyanide(1983) VHS
What starts out as an elegant society party for a wealthy couple's anniversary turns into a double murder and a complex mystery--thanks to a cyanide-laced bottle of champagne--in Agatha Christie's whodunit. The cast includes Anthony Andrews, Pamela Bellwood, Nancy Marchand, Harry Morgan and Deborah Raffin. 96 min.

Witness For The Prosecution(1957) VHS
Superior, sublimely entertaining treatment of Agatha Christie's play stars Charles Laughton as an elderly London barrister who ignores his physician's orders and defends a drifter accused of killing a wealthy widow. Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Elsa Lanchester also star in this Billy Wilder classic that's sure to keep you guessing to the end. 116 min.

Alfred Hitchcock

To Catch A Thief(1955) VHS
Cary Grant is John "the Cat" Robie, a suave ex-burglar whose life of ease along the French Riviera is torn asunder when a new string of robberies are committed with his trademark style. Can Grant prove his innocence, or will beautiful heiress Grace Kelly lure him back into a life of crime, in Alfred Hitchcock's seductively stylish thriller? With John Williams, Christine Auber. 103 min.

Dial M For Murder(1954) VHS
Elaborate Hitchcock murder thriller, with Ray Milland as a tennis pro whose plot to commit the "perfect" crime, the murder of his unfaithful wife (Grace Kelly), unravels after an unexpected kink in his plan forces him to do some quick thinking. Co-stars Robert Cummings, John Williams. Originally filmed in 3-D. Includes original trailer; 105 min.

The Man Who Knew Too Much(1934) VHS
A British couple on holiday in Switzerland are told by a dying government agent of a plot to kill a diplomat in London, but when the assassins kidnap their daughter, the couple must race against time to save her and the intended victim. Terrific Hitchcock thriller stars Leslie Banks, Edna Best and Peter Lorre. 84 min.

The Man Who Knew Too Much(1956) VHS
Alfred Hitchcock's exhilarating suspense classic stars James Stewart and Doris Day as an American couple faced with blackmail, danger and kidnapping while vacationing in Morocco. Hitch throws in lots of red herrings and unforgettable moments in this remake of his own 1934 thriller; features the Oscar-winning song "Que Sera, Sera." 120 min.

Notorious(1946) VHS
Superlative Hitchcock thriller of espionage, deception and thwarted love. Ingrid Bergman, daughter of a war criminal, is persuaded by U.S. agents to marry Claude Rains, head of a Nazi spy ring in Brazil...much to the distress of agent Cary Grant, who's fallen in love with her. Leopoldine Konstantin co-stars. 103 min.

North By Northwest: Special Edition(1959) VHS
Ad executive Cary Grant finds himself chased by criminals, framed for murder, sharing a sleeper berth with Eva Marie Saint, dusted by a crop plane and hanging from Mt. Rushmore in Hitchcock's gem of thrills and mystery. With James Mason, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau. This newly transferred special edition also includes the original theatrical trailer and the documentary "The Man on Lincoln's Nose: The Making of North By Northwest." 171 min. total.

Rear Window(1954) VHS
Confined to a wheelchair after breaking his leg on an assignment, photojournalist James Stewart's "hobby" of spying on his neighbors with a telephoto lens leads him and girlfriend Grace Kelly to believe that one of his subjects may be a murderer. One of Hitchcock's personal favorites, this innovative suspense classic also stars Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr. Remastered edition also includes a 15-minute documentary on the film's restoration. 114 min.

Vertigo(1958) VHS
Considered by many to be Alfred Hitchcock's most personal film. This restored print of the suspense masterpiece stars James Stewart as an ex-cop with a fear of heights who is hired by an old friend to uncover the secret wife Kim Novak is keeping from him. What Stewart finds is a forbidden romance, a deadly plot, and an obsession that transcends the grave. With Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore; music by Bernard Herrmann. 120 min.

Sherlock Holmes

The Hound Of The Baskervilles(1959) VHS
Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes classic is given an atmospheric treatment by the Hammer studio. Peter Cushing is Holmes, investigating the case of a legendary beast roaming the English moors, Andre Morell is Dr. Watson, and Christopher Lee is Sir Henry Baskerville; Terence Fisher directs. 86 min.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles(2000) VHS
In this Sherlock Holmes classic, Matt Frewer is Holmes and Kenneth Welsh is Dr. Watson, out to investigate the creature that has been killing the heirs of the Baskervilles estate for 250 years. Can Holmes and Watson discover if it's really a supernatural beast or a real hound controlled by a master with more earthly motives? With Jason London and Emma Campbell. 90 min.

Sherlock Holmes And The Deadly Necklace(1962) VHS
The only actor to portray Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and Sherlock Holmes on the screen, Christopher Lee dons deerstalker and Inverness for this rare German-made thriller. Holmes and Watson investigate the theft of a priceless Egyptian artifact and come up against Professor Moriarty. Senta Berger, Thorley Walters co-star. 84 min. Dubbed in English.

Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Disappeared(1951) VHS
Sample from lesser-known but well-done TV series based on Conan Doyle's immortal detective stars John Longden as Holmes and Campbell Singer as Watson. The sleuth must uncover the strange secret of a well-to-do businessman. 27 min.

The Six Napoleons VHS
Why would someone break into homes and then destroy plaster busts of Napoleon, leaving valuables untouched? Holmes, Watson and Lestrade have a real puzzler on their hands.

The Woman In Green(1946) VHS
Sherlock Holmes is called to solve the "finger murders," a series of brutal and seemingly unconnected killings of women in London, and finds a beautiful hypnotist and his old enemy, Professor Moriarty, lurking in the shadows. Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Henry Daniell and Hillary Brooke star. 68 min.

Alfred Hitchcock Movies

Orson Welles Movies