Stevens, the perfect English butler, looks back on his years of impeccable service at Darlington Hall, where Lord Darlington seemed to exercise great influence. Only gradually does he realize that his employer was a mere pawn for the Nazis, and his own dignity, an excuse for cowardice.

The Beastie Boys took a great leap forward for rap, unveiling their sampling masterpiece, PAUL'S BOUTIQUE. While the album failed to make a dent in the charts, its urbane raps and layered-sonic tapestry shaped DJ tastes right up to the millennium.