Universal Story, The

VHS, NR, 125 minutes, MCA / UNIVERSAL

Celebrate the exciting, colorful history of "Universal," one of Hollywood's premier studios. Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss hosts a fascinating look at the triumphs, challenges and controversies that helped shape the destiny of this legendary dream factory. "The Universal Story" explores the studio's films and filmmakers through excerpts from over 100 movies: from "All Quiet on the Western Front" (which won the studio's first Oscar for Best Picture) to "Apollo 13". From horror icons Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff to America's sweetheart Deanna Durbin; from the antics of Abbott and Costello and the thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock to such classics as "Spartacus", "American Graffiti", "The Sting", "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial", "Jurassic Park", "Schindler's List" and many more. This engrossing tale features the insights of Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Paul Newman, Sigourney Weaver, Orson Welles, James Stewart, Lew Wasserman, Sid Sheinberg and others, plus rare archival footage-some of it never-before-seen. Back in 1915. studio founder Carl Laemmle promised "to make the people laugh or cry or sit on the edge of their chairs the world over." Today, his vision endures, and thrives as Universal continues to draft a living legacy of entertainment. Portions of this program will be in stereo or mono depending on the particular film clip being shown.