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Embassy Pictures
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Foundation date 1 january 1942
Embassy Pictures Corporation (later known as Avco Embassy Pictures and later Embassy Films Associates) was an independent studio and distributor responsible for such films as The Graduate, The Lion in Winter, Carnal Knowledge, This Is Spinal Tap and Escape from New York.
Best films
(1967)
(1981)
(1981)
(1985)
(1968)
(1981)Filmography of Embassy Pictures (163 films)
Production
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Harlow (1965)
, 2h5Directed by Gordon Douglas, Alex Segal
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography
Themes Films about television
Actors Carroll Baker, Carol Lynley, Red Buttons, Efrem Zimbalist II, Raf Vallone, Ginger Rogers
The film opens with Harlow as a struggling extra and bit actress dealing with her greedy stepfather Marino (Raf Vallone) and oblivious mother "Mama Jean" (Angela Lansbury, only six years older than Carroll Baker). With the help of Arthur Landau (Red Buttons), she rises to fame and gains the unwanted attention of the Howard Hughes-inspired Richard Manley (Leslie Nielsen). She then marries Paul Bern (Peter Lawford), an absentee husband who kills himself some time after the marriage. His death, combined with the stress of her career leads Harlow on an odyssey of failed relationships and alcoholism, culminating in her death of kidney failure at the age of twenty-six.
Distribution
Raw Deal (1986)
, 1h46Directed by John Irvin
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Action, Crime
Themes Mafia films, Gangster films
Actors Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Harrold, Darren McGavin, Sam Wanamaker, Paul Shenar, Steven Hill
On December 16, 1985, in a remote wooded cabin, a mob informant is under protection by the FBI. They are ambushed by a hit squad who brutally slaughter the bodyguards and the witness. One of the agents killed is Blair Shannon, son of FBI Chief Harry Shannon (Darren McGavin), who vows revenge.
The Supernaturals (1986)
, 1h44Directed by Armand Mastroianni
Origin USA
Genres Horror
Themes Films about music and musicians, Political films
Actors Maxwell Caulfield, Nichelle Nichols, Talia Balsam, Bobby Di Cicco, LeVar Burton, Scott Jacoby
One hundred years ago, deep in the sullen backwoods of the Southern United States, a Confederate town is held captive, the soldiers forced to walk through a piece of woodland laced with mines. Because he is found wearing a Confederate States Army outfit, Jeremy (Chad Sheets), a young boy is also forced to make the crossing. If they make it across the minefield the Union Army 44th will set them free. Only Jeremy and his mother (Melanie) - who runs to save him - survive, despite the fact that the mother has stepped on a mine. Jeremy exhibits unearthly powers. Jump to circa 1985 and a platoon of soldiers are out on manouevres in the same backwoods. They too are the 44th, descendants of the Union platoon of years before, those who committed the atrocities. The main character here is Pvt. Ellis (Maxwell Caulfield), the only soldier to catch glimpses of the beautiful and mysterious Melanie; Ellis also has a romantic interest in Pvt. Lejune (Talia Balsam). The platoon decide to camp inside a circle of yellow grass seemingly caused by brush fire, a spot from which the wind only blows outward. Pvt. Ellis is reluctant to camp there, but Sgt. Hawkins does not like having her authority undermined. Whilst the platoon are setting up camp, Melanie reappears - this time witnessed by all in the platoon - and takes a strong interest in Pvt. Ellis who bears an uncanny resemblance to her husband, Evan.
The Emerald Forest (1985)
, 1h50Directed by John Boorman
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure
Themes Environmental films, Indiens d'Amazonie
Actors Charley Boorman, Powers Boothe, Meg Foster, Tetchie Agbayani, Dira Paes, Átila Iório
Bill Markham is an engineer who has moved to Brazil with his family to complete the construction of a large hydro-electric dam. The construction requires large areas of forest to be cleared, even more to be flooded. Its completion will bring more people to the areas who will clear the jungle for agriculture and living space.
The Sure Thing (1985)
, 1h40Directed by Rob Reiner
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Adventure, Romance
Themes Transport films, Road movies
Actors John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Viveca Lindfors, Nicollette Sheridan, Anthony Edwards, Tim Robbins
High school senior Walter Gibson (John Cusack) and his best friend Lance (Anthony Edwards) are celebrating the fact they are moving on to college, but all Walter can do is lament the fact that he has lost his touch with women. Lance heads to UCLA while Walter moves on to college in New England. The two keep in touch by writing letters, but Walter's luck has not changed. His attempt to get close to Alison Bradbury (Daphne Zuniga) from his English class by tricking her into tutoring him only results in his angering and alienating her. Eventually he receives a phone call from Lance telling him to come to California for Christmas break because he has set him up with the beautiful girl (Nicollette Sheridan), assuring him she is a Sure Thing.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
, 1h22Directed by Rob Reiner
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical theatre, Musical
Themes Seafaring films, Films about music and musicians, Transport films, Musical films
Actors Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Fran Drescher, Bruno Kirby
Stylistically the movie is a parody of rock documentaries, purportedly filmed and directed by the fictional Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner, who was also the actual director of the movie). The faux documentary covers a 1982 United States concert tour by the fictional British rock group "Spinal Tap" to promote their new album Smell the Glove, but interspersed with one-on-one interviews with the members of the group and footage of the group from previous periods in their career.
Champions (1984)
, 1h46Directed by John Irvin
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Films about animals, Sports films, Films about horses, Horse sports in film
Actors John Hurt, Edward Woodward, Janet Stephanie Francis, Ben Johnson, Alison Steadman, Kirstie Alley
The Bear (1984)
, 1h50Directed by Richard C. Sarafian
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography
Themes Sports films, American football films
Actors Gary Busey, Jon-Erik Hexum, Cary Guffey, D'Urville Martin, Michael McGrady, Harry Dean Stanton
The Bear follows the life of Paul "Bear" Bryant (Busey), head coach of the University of Alabama football team, who died in 1983. Jon-Erik Hexum, who played Pat Trammell, also stars in the film.
Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)
, 1h35Directed by Martin Davidson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Musical, Crime
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Tom Berenger, Michael Paré, Joe Pantoliano, Matthew Laurance, John Stockwell, Michael Antunes
A television reporter named Maggie Foley (Ellen Barkin) investigates the mysterious death of rock legend Eddie Wilson (Michael Paré). Flashbacks dramatize Eddie's life and the rise and fall of his rock and roll band, Eddie and the Cruisers.
Get Crazy (1983)
, 1h32Directed by Allan Arkush
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Malcolm McDowell, Allen Garfield, Daniel Stern, Gail June Edwards, Ed Begley Jr., Miles Chapin
It is December 31, 1982, and the Saturn Theater is preparing for its big New Year's Eve concert under the direction of owner and master showman Max Wolfe (Allen Garfield, credited as Allen Goorwitz), who has operated the Saturn since 1968. Assisting Max are stage manager Neil Allen (Daniel Stern), and visiting former stage manager Willy Loman (Gail Edwards). Also caught up in the wild activity is beleaguered stagehand Joey (Dan Frischman), temperamental lighting director Violetta (Mary Woronov), and Neil's younger sister Susie (Stacey Nelkin).
Losin' It (1983)
, 1h40Directed by Curtis Hanson
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Films about sexuality, Transport films, Erotic films, Films about automobiles, Road movies, Films about virginity
Actors Tom Cruise, Shelley Long, John Stockwell, John P. Navin, Jr., Jackie Earle Haley, Henry Darrow
Four teenagers from late 1950s Los Angeles are on their way to Tijuana, Mexico: Dave, Woody, Spider, and Dave's brother Wendell. Dave, Spider, and Woody are there to lose their virginity, while Wendell came along with them to buy fireworks. They end up picking up a woman named Kathy, who goes with them because she wants a fast divorce from her husband, and they get into a series of misadventures south of the border.
The Devonsville Terror (1983)
, 1h22Directed by Ulli Lommel
Origin USA
Genres Horror
Actors Suzanna Love, Donald Pleasence, Robert Walker Jr., Paul Willson
The film opens in 1683 Massachusetts where three women in the town of Devonsville are kidnapped by the townsfolk and systematically tortured and executed. After the final woman's execution, her apparition appears in the sky and a thunderstorm begins.
Hysterical (1983)
, 1h23Origin USA
Genres Fantastic, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Ghost films, Vampires in film, Zombie films
Actors Bill Hudson, Richard Kiel, Cindy Pickett, Julie Newmar, Bud Cort, Franklyn Ajaye
Frederic "Casper" Lansing (Bill Hudson) is a writer who hopes to find inspiration while vacationing in Hellview, Oregon; however, the lighthouse in which he's staying is haunted by the ghost of Venetia (Julie Newmar), who had killed herself 100 years ago and now wants to use Lansing as a vessel for her dead husband, Captain Howdy (Richard Kiel). When Howdy's ghost starts killing people, two bumbling scientists (Brett Hudson and Mark Hudson) are brought in to investigate the history of the lighthouse and solve the case.
The Challenge (1982)
, 1h53Directed by John Frankenheimer
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Action
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Scott Glenn, Toshiro Mifune, Kenta Fukasaku, Donna Kei Benz, Atsuo Nakamura, Calvin Jung
The sword (one of a pair known as "The Equals") was a family heirloom, passed down through the generations, and had been lost during World War II. It was finally tracked down in California where Yoshiida's son, Toshio, finds it. He looks for someone to hire to act as a decoy in order to safely smuggle it into Japan, and back to its rightful owner, Yoshida-san. Rick Murphy (Scott Glenn) is contracted to smuggle a rare sword into Japan, only to find upon his arrival that it is a fake. Aggravated that he has been used as a decoy, he is faced with the prospect of being killed by Yoshida-san's (Toshirō Mifune) brother, Hideo. Instead, he is advised to infiltrate Yoshida's martial arts school and obtain the sword. He does so, yet finds himself being drawn into the ways of Japanese etiquette and tradition to the point where he returns the sword to Yoshida himself after having the perfect opportunity to escape with it. Murphy then humbly asks Yoshida-san if he can be forgiven and taken back in because he wants to learn the ways of Bushido. Yoshida agrees, but only if Murphy follows Yoshida's conditions.
The Plague Dogs (1982)
, 1h43Directed by Martin Rosen
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Environmental films, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Films about dogs, Political films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors John Hurt, Christopher Benjamin, James Bolam, Nigel Hawthorne, Warren Mitchell, Bernard Hepton
Rowf (a Labrador-mix) and Snitter (a smooth fox terrier) are two of many dogs used for experimental purposes at an animal research facility in the Lake District of north-western England. Snitter has had his brain experimented upon while Rowf has been drowned and resuscitated repeatedly. One evening, Snitter squeezes under his cage and into Rowf's, where they discover his cage is unlatched. Eager to escape the tortures of life inside the facility, they explore, knocking over other cages and finally sneaking into the incinerator, where they are nearly killed before escaping.