Synopsis ~ With awards season in full swing, Lionsgate debuts five breathtaking films that nabbed Best Picture - the most prestigious and coveted Academy Award® - together for the first time with the release of the Best Picture Academy Award Winners – Five Film Collection on Blu-ray Disc and DVD.
The compilation includes Best Picture Oscar® winners Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient, Chicago, No Country for Old Men and Crash. In addition to winning the Best Picture statuette, these five films garnered a total of 19 additional Academy Award® wins and a total of 22 other nominations, further illustrating the mark that these pictures have left on movie history.
Studio: Lionsgate
Running Times:
Shakespeare in Love: 122 minutes
The English Patient: 162 minutes
Chicago: 113 minutes
No Country for Old Men: 122 minutes
Crash: 112 minutes (DVD), 115 minutes (BD)
Running Times:
Shakespeare in Love: 122 minutes
The English Patient: 162 minutes
Chicago: 113 minutes
No Country for Old Men: 122 minutes
Crash: 112 minutes (DVD), 115 minutes (BD)
Ratings:
Shakespeare in Love: R
The English Patient: R
Chicago: PG-13
No Country for Old Men: R
Crash: R
Shakespeare in Love: R
The English Patient: R
Chicago: PG-13
No Country for Old Men: R
Crash: R
*SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE SYNOPSIS ~
Shakespeare in Love garnered seven Academy Awards® (1998), including Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Gwyneth Paltrow and Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench. Co-starring Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth and Ben Affleck, the film transported audiences to Elizabethan England. Out of ideas and cash, a young Will Shakespeare (Fiennes), is in search of a muse to break his creative drought. After meeting the lovely Lady Viola (Paltrow), the two find themselves entangled in a secret romance that rejuvenates Will’s creativity. His pen flows like never before until he uncovers two unexpected truths about his new lover – she’s promised to marry someone else, and she’s successfully impersonating a man to play the lead in Will’s latest play.
Shakespeare in Love garnered seven Academy Awards® (1998), including Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Gwyneth Paltrow and Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench. Co-starring Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth and Ben Affleck, the film transported audiences to Elizabethan England. Out of ideas and cash, a young Will Shakespeare (Fiennes), is in search of a muse to break his creative drought. After meeting the lovely Lady Viola (Paltrow), the two find themselves entangled in a secret romance that rejuvenates Will’s creativity. His pen flows like never before until he uncovers two unexpected truths about his new lover – she’s promised to marry someone else, and she’s successfully impersonating a man to play the lead in Will’s latest play.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Shakespeare in Love and On Film: Making-Of Featurette
- Academy Award® winning costumes
- Audio commentary with John Madden
- Audio commentary with cast and crew
- Deleted scenes
- Theatrical trailer
- Television spots
- Shakespeare Facts (DVD ONLY)
- Shakespeare in Love and On Film: Making-Of Featurette
- Academy Award® winning costumes
- Audio commentary with John Madden
- Audio commentary with cast and crew
- Deleted scenes
- Theatrical trailer
- Television spots
- Shakespeare Facts (DVD ONLY)
*THE ENGLISH PATIENT SYNOPSIS ~
An epic story of love during World War II, The English Patient received nine Academy Awards® (1996), including Best Picture. The film is beautifully executed by veteran actors Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas. The film was based on the international bestselling novel of the same name by Michael Ondaatje. At the close of the Second World War, Count Laszlo de Almásy (Fiennes) lays on his deathbed after a plane crash. Unrecognizable and without memory of who he is, the Count is cared for by a young nurse (Binoche). As she slips deeper in love with her ward, the Count’s life and his great romance slowly comes back to him.
An epic story of love during World War II, The English Patient received nine Academy Awards® (1996), including Best Picture. The film is beautifully executed by veteran actors Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas. The film was based on the international bestselling novel of the same name by Michael Ondaatje. At the close of the Second World War, Count Laszlo de Almásy (Fiennes) lays on his deathbed after a plane crash. Unrecognizable and without memory of who he is, the Count is cared for by a young nurse (Binoche). As she slips deeper in love with her ward, the Count’s life and his great romance slowly comes back to him.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Audio commentary with Screenwriter/Director Anthony Minghella
- Audio commentary with Screenwriter-Director Anthony Minghella, Producer Saul Zaentz and English Patient author Michael Ondaatje
- Master Class with Anthony Minghella – Deleted Scenes
- CBC Documentary: Making of The English Patient
- A Historical Look at the Real Count Almásy Featurette
- The Formidable Saul Zaentz” featurette
- From Novel to Screenplay: interviews with cast and crew
- About Michael Ondaatje” featurette
- The Work of Stuart Craig – Production Designer
- The Eyes of Phil Bray – Still Photographer
- Filmmaker Conversations With: Anthony Minghella, Saul Zaentz, Michael Ondaatje and Walter Murch
- Audio commentary with Screenwriter/Director Anthony Minghella
- Audio commentary with Screenwriter-Director Anthony Minghella, Producer Saul Zaentz and English Patient author Michael Ondaatje
- Master Class with Anthony Minghella – Deleted Scenes
- CBC Documentary: Making of The English Patient
- A Historical Look at the Real Count Almásy Featurette
- The Formidable Saul Zaentz” featurette
- From Novel to Screenplay: interviews with cast and crew
- About Michael Ondaatje” featurette
- The Work of Stuart Craig – Production Designer
- The Eyes of Phil Bray – Still Photographer
- Filmmaker Conversations With: Anthony Minghella, Saul Zaentz, Michael Ondaatje and Walter Murch
*CHICAGO SYNOPSIS ~
Honored with six Academy Awards® (2002) – Best Picture, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and Best Sound – the Broadway hit turned film sensation Chicago took audiences by storm. A multi-talented ensemble cast is led by Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones and also features Richard Gere, Queen Latifah and John C. Reilly. Roxie Hart (Zellweger) killed her boyfriend because he couldn’t make her a star. Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) axed her husband and sister when she found them in bed together. These two murderesses find themselves on death row together in 1920s Chicago, but long for fame and fortune.
Honored with six Academy Awards® (2002) – Best Picture, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and Best Sound – the Broadway hit turned film sensation Chicago took audiences by storm. A multi-talented ensemble cast is led by Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones and also features Richard Gere, Queen Latifah and John C. Reilly. Roxie Hart (Zellweger) killed her boyfriend because he couldn’t make her a star. Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) axed her husband and sister when she found them in bed together. These two murderesses find themselves on death row together in 1920s Chicago, but long for fame and fortune.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Audio commentary with director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon
- Deleted musical number “Class” performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah
- Behind the Scenes Featurette
- From Stage to Screen: The History of Chicago Featurette
- Musical Performances
- An Intimate Look at Rob Marshall Featurette
- When Liza Minnelli Became Roxie Hart
- Academy Award® Winning Production Designer John Myhre Featurette
- Academy Award® Winning Costume Designer Colleen Atwood Featurette
- Director and Screenwriter Feature Commentary
- Audio commentary with director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon
- Deleted musical number “Class” performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah
- Behind the Scenes Featurette
- From Stage to Screen: The History of Chicago Featurette
- Musical Performances
- An Intimate Look at Rob Marshall Featurette
- When Liza Minnelli Became Roxie Hart
- Academy Award® Winning Production Designer John Myhre Featurette
- Academy Award® Winning Costume Designer Colleen Atwood Featurette
- Director and Screenwriter Feature Commentary
*NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN SYNOPSIS ~
Hailed as “an indisputably great movie” (Rolling Stone), No Country for Old Men received four Academy Awards® (2007) including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Performance by a Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem. The epic crime drama stars Bardem plus Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson and Kelly Macdonald. Adapted and directed by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen (True Grit), the film is based on the bestselling novel by Cormac McCarthy. While hunting in the Rio Grande, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin), stumbles upon more than two million dollars in cash and dead bodies. He grabs the cash, but not before witnessing another crime by the person who has come back for the money. Anton (Bardem), a ruthless murderer, will stop at nothing to retrieve the money, and Llewlyn must run for his life.
Hailed as “an indisputably great movie” (Rolling Stone), No Country for Old Men received four Academy Awards® (2007) including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Performance by a Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem. The epic crime drama stars Bardem plus Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson and Kelly Macdonald. Adapted and directed by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen (True Grit), the film is based on the bestselling novel by Cormac McCarthy. While hunting in the Rio Grande, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin), stumbles upon more than two million dollars in cash and dead bodies. He grabs the cash, but not before witnessing another crime by the person who has come back for the money. Anton (Bardem), a ruthless murderer, will stop at nothing to retrieve the money, and Llewlyn must run for his life.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- The Making of No Country for Old Men Featurette
- Working with the Coens Featurette
- Diary of a Country Sheriff Featurette
- The Making of No Country for Old Men Featurette
- Working with the Coens Featurette
- Diary of a Country Sheriff Featurette
*CRASH SYNOPSIS ~
Challenging and thought provoking, Crash takes a provocative and unflinching look at the complexities of racial tolerance in the diverse melting pot of post-9/11 Los Angeles. Given “Two thumbs way up,” by Ebert & Roeper, the drama features an all-star cast including Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Ryan Phillippe among others. The film, which was awarded three Academy Awards® (2005) -- Best Picture, Original Screenplay and Film Editing – was co-written and directed by Paul Haggis (The Next Three Days). Crash focuses on the lives of a Brentwood housewife and her DA husband, a Persian storeowner, two police detectives who are also lovers, an African-American television director and his wife, a Mexican locksmith, two carjackers, a rookie cop and a middle-aged Korean couple who live in LA, and during the next 36 hours, their lives will all collide. This compelling urban drama follows the volatile intersections of a multi-ethnic cast of characters as they struggle to overcome their fears, while reminding us of the importance of tolerance.
Challenging and thought provoking, Crash takes a provocative and unflinching look at the complexities of racial tolerance in the diverse melting pot of post-9/11 Los Angeles. Given “Two thumbs way up,” by Ebert & Roeper, the drama features an all-star cast including Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Ryan Phillippe among others. The film, which was awarded three Academy Awards® (2005) -- Best Picture, Original Screenplay and Film Editing – was co-written and directed by Paul Haggis (The Next Three Days). Crash focuses on the lives of a Brentwood housewife and her DA husband, a Persian storeowner, two police detectives who are also lovers, an African-American television director and his wife, a Mexican locksmith, two carjackers, a rookie cop and a middle-aged Korean couple who live in LA, and during the next 36 hours, their lives will all collide. This compelling urban drama follows the volatile intersections of a multi-ethnic cast of characters as they struggle to overcome their fears, while reminding us of the importance of tolerance.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Introduction by Paul Haggis
- Audio commentary with Paul Haggis, Don Cheadle and Bobby Moresco
- Crash Behind the Scenes
- Trailers
- Introduction by Paul Haggis
- Audio commentary with Paul Haggis, Don Cheadle and Bobby Moresco
- Crash Behind the Scenes
- Trailers
Shakespeare, musical smashes and dramatic car crashes are just a few of the enticements that make up this must-have set, and with the added draws of nurses who truly LOVE their work – and patients - and Javier Bardem sporting one of the worst haircuts ever to be intentionally put on film; well, there’s little reason why each of these films shouldn’t have snagged a little statue.
It’s always a daunting task when trying to bring something new to the table of these collections, especially with the words “Best Picture” in the set’s title. All that can be said is that for those cinematic “completists” who’ve always wanted to but haven’t yet had the experience, here’s a way to knock out five films in a flash.
Having not received the individual Blu-ray’s themselves but only this collection I can’t say for certain that there are any additional special features included in this set that aren’t available on the individual releases, but everything I’ve seen thus far does elude to that very conclusion.
So for those interested in all five films, this would make a great price pick-up, but for all you cherry-pickers out there – especially if you’re only interested in one or two titles – plucking per picture may be the ultimate way to savings.
So with a bundled up batch of Best Picture prowess and a cumulative running time that will keep you entertained for hours, the Best Picture Academy Award Winners: Five Film Collection gathers up greatness in one grab-it-and-go grouping.
It’s always a daunting task when trying to bring something new to the table of these collections, especially with the words “Best Picture” in the set’s title. All that can be said is that for those cinematic “completists” who’ve always wanted to but haven’t yet had the experience, here’s a way to knock out five films in a flash.
Having not received the individual Blu-ray’s themselves but only this collection I can’t say for certain that there are any additional special features included in this set that aren’t available on the individual releases, but everything I’ve seen thus far does elude to that very conclusion.
So for those interested in all five films, this would make a great price pick-up, but for all you cherry-pickers out there – especially if you’re only interested in one or two titles – plucking per picture may be the ultimate way to savings.
So with a bundled up batch of Best Picture prowess and a cumulative running time that will keep you entertained for hours, the Best Picture Academy Award Winners: Five Film Collection gathers up greatness in one grab-it-and-go grouping.
*Purchase this title and other recent releases locally HERE
Additional Resources:
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
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