New Acquisition: Sight and Sound

 

Hell Is for Heroes (1962)

Small squad must hold off German attack.

Tightly directed, tough war drama with good cast doesn't really add much to the genre, but is quite watchable.

Halliwell*: "Fairly routine anti-war film with a strong cast and effectively-directed moments battling a generally artificial look."

Maltin***: "Tough, taut WW2 film...Takes its time getting started but builds in intensity to a riveting climax. Only incongruous note: young Newhart, who even interpolates a variation on one of his telephone monologues into the story!"

The Hunter (1980)

The story of professional bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson.

From memory: Although Steve McQueen plays the lead, it's the action and stunts that are front and center in this nearly plotless celebration of mayhem.

Halliwell (no star): "The action scenes salvage a mysteriously banal screenplay full of continuity lapses and unexplained characters."

Maltin BOMB: "Incomprehensible bio...has plot holes that Hannibal could have led elephants through. McQueen's last movie and probably his worst."

Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_McQueen

The Great Escape (1963)

Papillon (1973)

A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.