The second volume in a series of videos collecting great short films, this program includes La Jetee,
Chris Marker's poetic science fiction story that inspired
Terry Gilliam's
12 Monkeys; A Girl's Own Story, a poignant look at adolescence from director
Jane Campion that's paired with a documentary on the making of Campion's
The Portrait Of A Lady; and
The Big Brass Ring, based on a story by
Orson Welles, in which
Malcolm McDowell plays a politician doing verbal battle with a reporter (the video also includes an interview with the film's director, George Hickenlooper). Six other shorts also appear. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide