"Actor: Alec"

• The Bridge On The River Kwai | Blu Ray | (04/12/2017) from £19.99   |  Saving you £3.00 (15.01%)   |  RRP £22.99

  Based on the true story of the building of a bridge on the Burma railway by British prisoners-of-war held under a savage Japanese regime in World War II, The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) is one of the greatest war films ever made. The film received seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Performance (Alex Guinness), for Sir Malcolm Arnold's superb music, and for the screenplay from the novel by Pierre Boulle (who also wrote Monkey Planet, the inspiration for Planet of the Apes). The story does take considerable liberties with history, including the addition of an American saboteur played by William Holden, and an entirely fictitious but superbly constructed and thrilling finale. Made on a vast scale, the film reinvented the war movie as something truly epic, establishing the cinematic beachhead for The Longest Day (1962), Patton (1970) and A Bridge Too Far (1977). It also proved a turning-point in director David Lean's career. Before he made such classic but conventionally scaled films as In Which We Serve (1942) and Hobson's Choice (1953). Afterwards there would only be four more films, but their names are Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr Zhivago (1965), Ryan's Daughter (1970) and A Passage to India (1984). On the DVD: Too often the best extras come attached to films that don't really warrant them. Not so here, where a truly great film has been given the attention it deserves. The first disc presents the film in the original extra-wide CinemaScope ratio of 2.55:1, in an anamorphically enhanced transfer which does maximum justice to the film's superb cinematography. The sound has been transferred from the original six-track magnetic elements into 5.1 Dolby Digital and far surpasses what many would expect from a 1950s' feature. The main bonus on the first disc is an isolated presentation of Malcolm Arnold's great Oscar-winning music score, in addition to which there is a trivia game, and maps and historical information linked to appropriate clips. The second disc contains a new, specially produced 53-minute "making of" documentary featuring many of those involved in the production of the movie. This gives a rich insight into the physical problems of making such a complex epic on location in Ceylon. Also included are the original trailer and two short promotional films from the time of release, one of which is narrated by star William Holden. Finally there is an "appreciation" by director John Milius, an extensive archive of movie posters and artwork, and a booklet that reproduces the text of the film's original 1957 brochure. --Gary S Dalkin

• Murder By Death | DVD | (01/10/2007) from £17.07   |  Saving you £-7.08 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The world's greatest detectives have been invited to dinner. But when murder is on the menu who will make it to dessert? You are cordially invited to join an all-star cast featuring Peter Sellers David Niven Peter Falk James Coco Elsa Lanchester Maggie Smith Alec Guinness Eileen Brennan Nancy Walker James Cromwell and Estelle Winwood for Neil Simon's hilarious murder-mystery spoof Murder By Death. The isolated mansion of eccentric millionaire Lionel Twain (Truman Capote) is the setting for the twisted puzzler. Twain informs his guests that one of them will be murdered at the stroke of midnight. The pay-off: $1 million to whoever lives through the night. Murder By Death cleverly sends up both the mystery genre and the characterisations of a host of these instantly recognisable gumshoes. Match wits with the super sleuths but remember you can't win if you end up dying from laughter!

• It's Complicated | Blu Ray | (14/03/2011) from £20.00   |  Saving you £4.99 (24.95%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Writer/director Nancy Meyers ("What Women Want", "Something's Gotta Give", "The Holiday") directs Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in "It's Complicated", a comedy about love, divorce and everything in between.

• Hitchcock Collection- House of Hitchcock | Blu Ray | (14/10/2019) from £54.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Universally recognised as the Master of Suspense, the legendary Alfred Hitchcock directed some of cinema's most thrilling and unforgettable classics. The House of Hitchcock features 18 iconic films from the acclaimed director's illustrious career including Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window, Vertigo and North by Northwest, plus a range of limited edition extras including blueprints of the infamous Psycho House, original storyboards from some of his finest movies, movie poster artcards for all the films, and a booklet about the man himself. Includes: SABOTEUR SHADOW OF A DOUBT ROPE STRANGERS ON A TRAIN DIAL M FOR MURDER REAR WINDOW TO CATCH A THIEF THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH VERTIGO NORTH BY NORTHWEST PSYCHO (1960) THE BIRDS MARNIE TORN CURTAIN TOPAZ FRENZY FAMILY PLOT Bonus features: DOCUMENTARIES EXPERT COMMENTARIES INTERVIEWS SCREEN TESTS STORYBOARDS AND MUCH MORE! Plus: ORIGINAL LETTERS, STORYBOARDS, BLUEPRINTS AND MORE...

• Heaven's Prisoners | DVD | (19/03/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based on James Lee Burke's bestseller, Heaven's Prisoners is a sweaty revenge thriller with a twist. On the Louisiana rivers, Dave Robicheaux (Alec Baldwin) is an ex-cop and ex-alcoholic with a boat business hiding him and his wife Annie (Kelly Lynch) away from the world. When a light airplane crashes into the water right in front of them, and Dave rescues the surviving little girl who happens to be an illegal immigrant, all the peace and quiet is dashed away. Embroiled in an underground criminal element, Dave is forced to face the demons of his past all over again. Along the way he reunites with Bubba Rock (Eric Roberts), a high school classmate who turned into the local heavy, his scheming wife Claudette (Teri Hatcher), and boozy strip dancer Robin (Mary Stuart Masterson). These three character cameos are enormous fun to watch, as are the oily New Orleans street locations. Even if the revelation of who's behind all the skulduggery isn't all that much of a shock, the movie still has plenty to say about the emotions of family loyalty that drive us. On the DVD: The DVD release includes the trailer, a five-minute featurette, a brief look behind the scenes and interviews with cast and crew. --Paul Tonks

• The Good Shepherd | Blu Ray | (03/02/2014) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  In the life of a young CIA agent during the Cold War his dedication to work costs him his innocence his soul and his connection to family particularly his young son.

• The Fall Of The Roman Empire | DVD | (16/05/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  The second and last of Anthony Mann's historical epics is a smart, handsome spectacle of the decadence, corruption, and intrigue that tore apart the greatest empire the world has seen. The sprawling story spreads itself thin over a number of characters and stories. At the centre are handsome but stiff Stephen Boyd as Livius, the loyal soldier and symbolic son of the ageing emperor Marcus Aurelius(Alec Guinness), and Christopher Plummer as Commodus, the corrupt heir to the throne. They are boyhood friends turned enemies when the latter accedes to the throne and sells out the values of his father for greed and hedonistic pleasures. The three-hour running time is filled out with the tales of Sophia Loren (as the beautiful Lucilla in love with Livius but coveted by greedy Commodus) and a gallery of heroes and villains that includes James Mason, Mel Ferrer, Anthony Quayle, John Ireland, Omar Sharif, and Eric Porter. The film is highlighted with spectacular scenes--a grandiose funeral fit for an emperor, brutal battles in the provinces as the barbarians threaten the empire, and a climactic duel to decide the destiny of Rome--which Mann weaves into the shadowy intrigue of the halls of power. Like his previous epic El Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire remains one of the best of the 1960s epics: well written (and historically accurate up to a point) with strong performances and a consistently elegant style, It lacks a central core and the magnetic hero of its superior predecessor. Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) tackles the same story with an updated action-adventure slant. --Sean Axmaker

• Miami Blues | Blu Ray | (06/02/2023) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  George Armitage (Grosse Pointe Blank) adapted celebrated noir author Charles Willeford's novel Miami Blues for the screen with new star Alec Baldwin in the lead role as Frederick J. Frenger, Jr., a sociopathic criminal. Arriving in Miami fresh out of jail he commits one crime after another when he meets young hooker Susie (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Single White Female) who he starts to build a pseudo-married life with, including the home cooking and the white picket fence. As Frederick tries to juggle domesticity with his mounting crimes, dogged cop Hoke Moseley (Fred Ward, Tremors) threatens to put his freedom in jeopardy. Baldwin is brilliant as the unhinged criminal tearing through Miami while Armitage perfectly balances the humour and violence in this singular crime comedy that betrays the quirky influence of producer Jonathan Demme (Something Wild, Married to the Mob). Product Features High Definition digital transfer Original uncompressed stereo PCM audio Interviews with Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh (2015) David Jenkins looks at Miami Blues and Jonathan Demme's role in the production (2022) Pulp crime expert Maxim Jakubowski discusses the character of Hoke Moseley in both Miami Blues and Willeford's novels in which he is a recurrent character (2022) Behind-the-scenes and promotional image gallery Trailer Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters Limited Edition booklet featuring new writing on the film by Glenn Kenny, an interview with George Armitage by critic Nick Pinkerton, critic Leila Latif on Alec Baldwin in comedy, an archival feature on Fred Ward and an overview of reviews Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

• Twelfth Night | DVD | (04/05/2009) from £11.29   |  Saving you £1.70 (15.06%)   |  RRP £12.99

  One of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies Twelfth Night skillfully weaves a story of deception disguise and frustrated love amid the festivities of an ancient tradition: the Christmas holiday when for one night life is turned upside down and mischief reigns; men dress as women servants dress as their masters and authority is usurped. Heading an illustrious cast in this ITC production are two giants of the stage and screen: Alec Guinness is the pompous and puritanical steward Malvolio and Ralph Richardson plays Sir Toby Belch whose drunken prank deftly exposes Malvolio's vanity and hypocrisy and lies at the heart of the play's subplot. Tommy Steele is the wise fool Feste; renowned Shakespearean actress Joan Plowright plays Viola the shipwrecked young noblewoman posing as a page (Cesario) in the service of Duke Orsino. This acclaimed production is directed by the award-winning John Sichel who worked with some of the world's greatest actors and most prestigious theatre institutions and was originally screened in 1969 as part of the celebrated ITV Saturday Night Theatre series.

• Star Wars : The Empire Strikes Back | DVD | (01/06/2015) from £4.99   |  Saving you £15.00 (300.60%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Following the destruction of the Death Star Imperial forces pursue the Rebel Alliance to the ice planet Hoth. After a devastating defeat Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with the Jedi Master Yoda. Meanwhile in the Cloud City of Bespin Darth Vader attempts to lure Luke into a trap by kidnapping Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). When Luke comes to their rescue he must fght a ferce lightsaber duel with Darth Vader himself and come face to face with a stunning revelation that could change his destiny.

• The Cooler - Limited Edition | Blu Ray | (24/12/2018) from £16.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  101 Films presents Wayne Kramer's The Cooler, title number 006 in the 101 Films Black Label range. This Limited Edition version is limited to 3000 copies and includes a slipcase and a booklet. Extras include a brand new feature-length documentary on the making of the film. Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is an unlucky guy. Everything he touches turns bad. However, his ill fortune is actually the one thing he depends upon to do his job to the best of his abilities; Bernie Lootz is the best 'cooler' in town. Working in one of Las Vegas' few remaining golden-era casinos, Bernie is employed by the ruthless Shelly (Alec Baldwin in an Oscar® nominated role) to end the winning streak of anyone whose luck is on the up. But life in the bad luck lane has taken its toll and, after working for Shelly for years, Bernie has decided to move on. He then meets the hard-bitten Natalie (Maria Bello) and life takes a turn for the better. But as his fortunes change, so does his ability to 'cool' a winning streak, and soon an unhappy Shelly decides to make sure that Bernie never feels happiness again... Brand New Extras Lady Luck: The Making of The Cooler, a feature length (100 min) documentary on the making of the film, featuring director and writer Wayne Kramer, writer Frank Hannah, actors Alec Baldwin, Arthur Nascarella and Shawn Hatosy, producers Michael A. Pierce and Elliot Lewis Rosenblatt, composer Mark Isham and costume designer Kristin M. Burke. Limited edition booklet: includes ˜In the Shadow of Negativity' by director Wayne Kramer and ˜Heaven and Hell: The Cooler and Hollywood's Vegas' by Scott Harrison. Additional Extras Commentary with director Wayne Kramer and composer Mark Isham Commentary with director Wayne Kramer and cinematographer Jim Whitaker Deleted scenes (SD) Anatomy of a Scene featurette (SD) Storyboard comparisons (SD)

• A Run for Your Money | Blu Ray | (15/03/2021) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Alec Guinness, Donald Houston, Moira Lister and Hugh Griffith star in this classic piece of BAFTA-nominated Welsh whimsy from Ealing Studios. Made during their golden, post-war period, A Run for Your Money was directed by Charles Frend and is featured here as a High Definition remaster from original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio. Dai Number 9 and his brother Twm win a newspaper contest: £100 each and a trip to London to see Wales play England at Twickenham. But when the two colliers arrive at Paddington they miss their contact and fall in with an attractive blonde who just happens to overhear that they're in the money...

• Great Balls Of Fire | DVD | (23/06/2003) from £14.28   |  Saving you £-1.29 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The meteoric rise to fame of living legend Jerry Lee Lewis; the escapades that shot him to the top of the charts as well as his controversial third marriage to his thirteen-year-old cousin threatened to wreck his career...

• It's Complicated | DVD | (14/03/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  It's delightful to see Meryl Streep come into her own as a romantic comedian in her later career years--after all the accolades, the Oscars, the serious-as-marble dramatic roles. Streep is in fact a true cutup, as she has demonstrated in films like Mamma Mia and Julie & Julia--and she gets the guy. So if Nancy Meyers's It's Complicated is perhaps a bit facile in the plot department, it's saved by a splendid romp of a performance by Streep (as Jane), along with her two leading men, Alec Baldwin (Jane's ex-husband, Jake) and Steve Martin (her supposed boyfriend, Adam). Meyers, as she did in Something's Gotta Give and Baby Boom, turns notions of over-the-hilldom--at least for women--on their ear. Streep's Jane is a contented, affluent divorcée with excellent taste in furnishings, happily about to preside over an empty nest and feeling just fine about it. Who should bump into, and ruin, this perfect solitude but Jane's ex, Jake, played to a pompous (and hilarious) fare-thee-well by Baldwin. "Turns out I'm a bit of a slut," chirps the sexually awakened Jane. The beauty of It's Complicated is that it really isn't all that complicated--its chemistry depends on the wonderful actors (including the supporting cast of John Krasinski, Lake Bell, Mary Kay Place, and Rita Wilson) and the oft-forgotten reality that people over 25 can have great sex, and fall head over heels. --A.T. Hurley

• Heaven's Prisoners | DVD | (11/04/2011) from £8.98   |  Saving you £6.00 (85.84%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Based on James Lee Burke's bestseller, Heaven's Prisoners is a sweaty revenge thriller with a twist. On the Louisiana rivers, Dave Robicheaux (Alec Baldwin) is an ex-cop and ex-alcoholic with a boat business hiding him and his wife Annie (Kelly Lynch) away from the world. When a light airplane crashes into the water right in front of them, and Dave rescues the surviving little girl who happens to be an illegal immigrant, all the peace and quiet is dashed away. Embroiled in an underground criminal element, Dave is forced to face the demons of his past all over again. Along the way he reunites with Bubba Rock (Eric Roberts), a high school classmate who turned into the local heavy, his scheming wife Claudette (Teri Hatcher), and boozy strip dancer Robin (Mary Stuart Masterson). These three character cameos are enormous fun to watch, as are the oily New Orleans street locations. Even if the revelation of who's behind all the skulduggery isn't all that much of a shock, the movie still has plenty to say about the emotions of family loyalty that drive us. On the DVD: The DVD release includes the trailer, a five-minute featurette, a brief look behind the scenes and interviews with cast and crew. --Paul Tonks

• Children Of Dune | DVD | (22/09/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  Children of Dune is the sequel to the Sci-Fi Channel's Frank Herbert's Dune (2000), and surpasses that earlier mini-series in every way. The screenplay is again by John Harrison, who has combined Herbert's novels Dune Messiah and Children of Dune into three 84-minute TV movies, and continues the labyrinthine space opera with little concession to the uninitiated. Indeed, this a very rare attempt to put the complexity of printed SF on screen, and if the result is sometimes rather hermetic it is perhaps inevitable when realising Herbert's Byzantine, pseudo-Shakespearean tragedy. The same tableaux-like qualities infuse the new Star Wars films and the similarities between Herbert's and Lucas' worlds have never been more obvious than here. Performances range from excellent--Julie Cox, Alice Krige, Alex Newman (much better here than in the first series) and James McAvoy--to a surprisingly wooden Susan Sarandon. The set-pieces are exceptional, with many individual images sufficiently memorable to stand comparison with the work of Ridley Scott. Production-wise this is surely the most beautiful mini-series ever made, with gorgeous lighting by cinematographer Arthur Reinhart, breathtaking set design from Ondrej Nekvasil and a ravishing score from Brian Tyler. By TV standards the CGI is first-rate and, though rarely looking real, establishes a credible science fictional universe. Even when rather baffling, the production achieves moments of dramatic grandeur and a sense of wonder not experienced in TV SF since Babylon 5. On the DVD: Children of Dune on DVD has one feature-length episode on each disc. The picture is presented at 1.77:1 anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs. Shot in high definition, its clarity and detail is superb with virtually no blemishes to the image at all. Colour has a painterly beauty that is remarkable. However, some shots look inaccurately framed, with what was presumably a 4:3 image being a little too closely cropped for widescreen presentation. It's a minor flaw and really only noticeable in some close-ups. Sound is a richly luxuriant Dolby Digital 5.1, which gives no ground to any modern blockbuster movie. Perfunctory extras are confined to the first disc and consist of an interesting but short look at the special effects (13 minutes), a storyboard comparison for one key scene and a photo gallery. --Gary S Dalkin

• Hitler - The Last Ten Days | Blu Ray | (03/07/2017) from £7.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The last ten days of the Reich as seen from within Hitler's bunker, leading up to his suicide. Alec Guiness plays the Fuhrer.

• Thomas And Friends - Happy Little Helpers | DVD | (06/10/2003) from £12.98   |  Saving you £0.01 (0.08%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Thomas and friends are back with 8 exciting new episodes never before seen on DVD. Join Thomas Percy James Edward Toby Donald and Douglas Oliver Emily and The Fat Controller for more action packed helpful adventures on the island of Sodor. Episode titles: Three Cheers For Thomas Percy Gets It Right Edward's Brass Band James And The Queen Of Sodor Toby's Windmill Bad Day At Castle Loch Snow Engine Emily's New Coaches.

• Glengarry Glen Ross | Blu Ray | (22/10/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Adapted from his Pulitzer Prize winning play, Glengarry Glen Ross shows David Mamet, at his searing, profane best. A group of Chicago real-estate salesmen-cum-con artists live on the edge... life is good for the one on a roll, for the rest, life hangs in the balance. There is no room for losers. A-B–C Always Be Closing, sell or go under, is the salesman's mantra. With the pressure on, so begins a rainy night of cut-throat business and shattered lives. Oscar nominated Al Pacino plays the fast talking Ricky Roma, alongside a phenomenal performance by Jack Lemmon as the veteran Shelly The Machine Levene, struggling to keep his neck above water. With a star studded ensemble cast featuring Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin. Special Features: Commentary by Director James Foley A.B.C. (Always Be Closing): An original documentary tracing the psychological intersection of fictional and real life salesman A Tribute to Jack Lemmon J. Roy: New and Used Furniture - Short Clip Archives from The Charlie Rose Show and Inside the Actor's Studio Scenes with Bonus Audio Commentary by Alec Balwin, Cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchia, Alan Arkin, and Production Designer Jane Musky Original Theatrical Trailer

• State and Main | DVD | (24/09/2007) from £9.43   |  Saving you £6.56 (69.57%)   |  RRP £15.99

  A big-budget movie crew descends upon the sleepy town of Waterford Vermont. Soon money will change hands careers will be jeopardised and love will bloom. Pity the poor film director (William H. Macy) who's arrive only to discover that the local mill - a crucial location for his movie The Old Mill - burned down in 1960. On top of this he is faced with a problematic cast and crew. The idealistic screenwriter (Philip Seymour Hoffman) would rather pursue a pure-hearted local girl (Rebecca Pidgeon) than do a last-minute rewrite; the bimbo starlet (Sarah Jessica Parker) is now baulking at her contractual nude scene; and a local teenager (Julia Stiles) is only too willing to exploit the indiscretions of the film's skirt-chasing star (Alec Baldwin). And of course the power-wielding producer (David Paymer) is panicking about everything. David Mamet's State and Main is a hilarious screwball comedy and movie satire.