Hannibal Brooks (Blu-ray)

From Michael Winner, the acclaimed director of The System, The Jokers, Lawman, The Nightcomers, The Mechanic, Death Wish and The Sentinel, comes this charming WWII adventure-comedy. Stephen “Hannibal” Brooks (Oliver Reed, Burnt Offerings, The Hunting Party) is a British prisoner of war assigned to care for an elephant named Lucy in a Munich zoo. When the zoo is bombed by the Americans, Brooks is ordered to transport Lucy by train to a safer zoo in Innsbruck. But when the train is commandeered by German troops, Brooks must escort the feisty pachyderm across the Austrian border on foot. Two of the film’s best features are the terrific color photography by Robert Paynter (Little Shop of Horrors) and original musical score by the great Francis Lai (Love Story). Co-starring Michael J. Pollard (Bonnie and Clyde) and Wolfgang Preiss (The Train), Hannibal Brooks was the fourth of six collaborations between star Reed and director Winner.