"Actor: Andrew Davis"

• Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades) | DVD | (21/01/2002) from £20.02   |  Saving you £6.23 (33.21%)   |  RRP £24.99

  This Glyndebourne production of Pique Dame ("The Queen of Spades") received rave reviews when it appeared in 1992 due to its claustrophobic intensity and powerful acting, and these qualities help it to transfer to DVD with great success. Graham Vick's direction ensures that the story is told clearly and simply but includes a wealth of telling details: the pastoral scene from Act 2, for example, uses the boys from the opening chorus as comical sheep and the effect is enchanting. But there are much darker undertones too: Richard Hudson's slanting, angular designs produce a disorientating atmosphere which mirrors Herman's increasing mental deterioration with uncanny precision. There is a brilliant stroke of visual assonance when the Countess returns to haunt Herman and all the furniture from her death scene appears on the roof. The singing is generally good, though Yuri Marusin's voice may not be to everyone's taste; sometimes he sounds like he's shouting, and his frequent lack of vibrato produces a piercing, uncomfortable effect. Nancy Gustafson is a fine Lisa, however, and Dimitri Kharitonov (Yeletsky) is heartbreaking in the famous "Ya vas lyublyu" ("I love you") aria. For overall better singing but a more plodding production, try the 1992 Kirov recording, but for spine-tingling drama this is the one to go for. On the DVD: Pique Dame on disc has subtitles in English, German, French and Spanish. The camerawork captures the odd angularity of the designs and gives an excellent account of a fast-paced, powerful production.--Warwick Thomson

• Lover Come Back/Pillow Talk/Send Me No Flowers | DVD | (02/10/2006) from £17.55   |  Saving you £2.44 (13.90%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Lover Come Back: Jerry Webster (Hudson) and Carol Templeton (Day) are rival Madison Avenue advertising executives who each dislike each other's methods. After he steals a client out from under her cute little nose revenge prompts her to infiltrate his secret VIP campaign in order to persuade the mystery product's scientist to switch to her firm. Trouble is the product is phony and the scientist is Jerry who uses all his intelligence and charm to steal her heart! (Dir. Delbert Mann 1961) Pillow Talk: Day is an uptight interior decorator forced to share a party line with an amorous playboy who ties up the line with his exploits while she is trying to conduct business. When the two accidentally meet he's taken with her beauty and pretending to be a wealthy Texan begins to court her mercilessly. Though flattered by this stranger's attention it's not long before she discovers his true identity. Now it's her turn to have a little fun...at his expense! (Dir. Michael Gordon 1959) Send Me No Flowers: Rock is ready to make love yesterday tomorrow and especially to Day (Doris that is!) When he overhears a doctor discussing the imminent death of a patient hypochondriac George (Hudson) believes the doc is referring to him. Convinced he's living on borrowed time George enlists the aid of his best friend Arnold (Randall) to find a new husband for his soon-to-be-widowed wife Judy (Day). Already alarmed by her husband's increasingly strange behavior Judy is even more bewildered when an old flame shows up George bends over backwards to encourage his advances! (Dir. Norman Jewison 1964)

• Hellraiser / Hellraiser 2 | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £19.78   |  Saving you £-1.79 (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful, Hellraiser visions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain from Dirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach for Barker's film, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror. --Jeff Shannon

• Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito -- Glyndebourne | DVD | (29/04/2002) from £11.74   |  Saving you £14.51 (138.45%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Mozart's Clemenza di Tito ("The Clemency of Titus") makes for riveting viewing in this Glyndebourne performance directed by Nicholas Hytner and conducted by Andrew Davis staged in the composer's bicentenary in 1991. Mozart's last opera, Clemenza was for some time considered below par by his own exalted standards. He composed it in a rush, the recitatives are by a pupil and it had to be on an appropriate theme to please the new Hapsburg monarch, for whose enthronement it was designed. There's little character development and the musical style harks back to operatic conventions Mozart had done so much to overthrow. Watching this production one would scarcely credit that such reservations once held sway. Hytner and his team have put a contemporary angle on a story set in Rome AD 78 in which sets, props and the stage itself are constructed to different dimensions offering alternate perspectives on a static tale. A slanting pillar and a sloping corridor allude to the unhinged mind of the scheming Vitellia, the central character, who puts her confidant Sesto on an emotional roller coaster ride as she ensnares him to plot the downfall of Titus. The principals use their eyes to communicate to one another as well as the audience and in the imaginatively staged entrances and exits of the ensembles one senses Hytner's choreographic instincts coming to the fore. The superb cast sing magnificently and look stunning. Philip Langridge is an eloquent Titus, Diana Monatgue a sincere Sesto and Ashley Putnam brings a touch of Alexis Colby to her portrayal of Vitellia. The London Philharmonic are all fired up under conductor Andrew Davis' fervent direction. The performance (the "Overture" accompanied by a visual montage of artefacts of Ancient Rome) is played on modern instruments yet articulated and reproduced with the clarity and definition associated with period ones. On the DVD: La Clemenza di Tito has no special features save for the obligatory subtitles. The picture quality is outstanding with the imaginative and colourful production design caught, like the music, with exceptional fidelity. The high drama at the conclusion of Act 1 justifies running on without a break into Act 2. This is a must for all lovers of opera. --Adrian Edwards

• Doris Day Box Set: Lover Come Back/Pillow Talk/Send Me No Flowers | DVD | (04/10/2004) from £29.99   |  Saving you £-16.00 (-114.40%)   |  RRP £13.99

  A triple bill of Doris Day movies including Lover Come Back Send Me No Flowers and Pillow Talk. Lover Come Back: Jerry Webster (Hudson) and Carol Templeton (Day) are rival Madison Avenue advertising executives who each dislike each other's methods. After he steals a client out from under her cute little nose revenge prompts her to infiltrate his secret VIP campaign in order to persuade the mystery product's scientist to switch to her firm. Trouble is the product is phony and the scientist is Jerry who uses all his intelligence and charm to steal her heart! Send Me No Flowers: When he overhears a doctor discussing the imminent death of a patient hypochondriac George (Hudson) believes the doc is referring to him. Convinced he's living on borrowed time George enlists the aid of his best friend Arnold (Randall) to find a new husband for his soon-to-be-widowed wife Judy (Day). Already alarmed by her husband's increasingly strange behavior Judy is even more bewildered when an old flame shows up George bends over backwards to encourage his advances! Pillow Talk: Day is an uptight interior decorator forced to share a party line with an amorous playboy who ties up the line with his exploits while she is trying to conduct business. When the two accidentally meet he's taken with her beauty and pretending to be a wealthy Texan begins to court her mercilessly. Though flattered by this stranger's attention it's not long before she discovers his true identity. Now it's her turn to have a little fun...at his expense!

• Ermione - Glyndebourne Festival Opera | DVD | (30/01/2006) from £68.99   |  Saving you £-51.00 (-283.50%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Rossini's rarely performed 'opera series' Ermione was a surprise hit when it was first performed at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1995. Set in Troy after the fall of the city to the Greeks this tragedy of great histrionic force concentrates on the bitter struggle for the love of Pyrrhus between Hector's widow Andromache and the jealous Ermione sister of Helen of Troy. Graham Vick sets this highly effective production in the classically-inspired auditorium of an

• Capriccio: Metropolitan Opera (Davis) | DVD | (07/11/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Wacko | DVD | (11/11/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Voluptuous nymphets young studs the last virgin in school a bald nutcase and an obsessed detective are all plagued by the return of the infamous 'Lawnmower Killer' in this comedy that satirises scenes from such films as 'Alien' 'Saturday Night Fever' 'Grease' and 'The Exorcist'!

• Andy Williams - The Best Of The Andy Williams Show | DVD | (25/09/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  There is no denying that Andy Williams is one of the greatest entertainers of our time. During its 9 year run on NBC ""The Andy Williams Show"" was enjoyed by millions of people around the world and won three Emmys for Best Variety Series. This compilation hand-picked by Andy himself features priceless moments from the golden age of live television. This digitally remastered video presents Andy at his best performing both solo and with some of the greatest music stars of our time among them Tony Bennett Bobby Darin Sammy Davis Jr. Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland. Take center stage with Andy as he and these entertainment legends perform some of the most memorable duets ever seen on music TV! Tracklist: 1. On A Wonderful Day Like Today 2. Do Re Mi - Andy Williams & Eddie Fisher/Bobby Darin 3. Give Me The Simple Life - Andy Williams & Pearl Bailey 4. I'm An Old Cowhand - Andy Williams & Sammy Davis Jr. 5. Way You Look Tonight 6. City Medley - Andy Williams & Tony Bennett 7. In The Arms Of Love - Andy Williams & Henry Mancini 8. Introduction - Judy Garland 9. In A Little Spanish Town - Andy Williams & Bing Crosby 10. Lida Rose - Andy Williams & The Osmonds 11. Look Down That Lonesome Road - Andy Williams & Ella Fitzgerald 12. Girl From Ipanema - Andy Williams & Antonio Carlos Jobim 13. Introduction - Jerry Lewis 14. Pawnbroker 15. Language Of Love - Andy Williams & Julie Andrews 16. May Each Day

• Camp Hell | DVD | (26/12/2011) from £9.96   |  Saving you £6.03 (60.54%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Evil invades a children's spiritual retreat.

• Dream Of Gerontius | DVD | (26/06/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Edward Elgar's choral masterpiece telling of an ordinary man on the point of death and facing his judgement before God is considered one of the greatest spiritual adventures in the Romantic repertoire. This monumental performance was broadcast live on BBC television from St Paul's Cathedral in London as part of the celebrations for the Cathedral's 300th anniversary on November 26 1997. Conducted by Andrew Davis and featuring Philip Langridge Catherine Wyn Rogers and Alastair Miles.

• Last Night Of The Proms 2000 | DVD | (03/09/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Numerous compilations of The Last Night of the Proms have been available in the past. Yet it makes sense to see and hear the event whole, and the 2000 Last Night was among the best of recent years. The range of music is excellent: Bach bizarrely orchestrated by Elgar, Mozart's Fourth Violin Concerto given with classical poise by Hilary Hahn, and Jane Eaglen thrilling in the closing scene from Richard Strauss' opera Salome. In the second half, a scintillating and newly discovered jazz suite by Shostakovich, Percy Grainger's affectionate Tribute to Stephen Foster, and Delius' heartfelt Walk to the Paradise Garden. That it all works so well is a tribute to Sir Andrew Davis, who conducts with conviction and is clearly enjoying himself in the standard items by Elgar, Wood, Arne and Parry. As his last concert at the helm of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, it's fitting that he received a special presentation--following on from his typically enthusiastic Last Night speech.On the DVD: Presentation is excellent, with profiles of the main works and interviews with the artists performing them. Picture quality reproduces the colourful array of flags and festivities with admirable definition and naturalness. Sound quality is good, though recorded levels vary between music and interviews, and may need some volume adjustment during playback. There are 23 access points, and an introduction to the Last Night that sets the scene without pre-empting the occasion. Whether or not you've attended the event in person, you won't get a better sense of the fun, frivolity, and also the musical quality of the Last Night than here. --Richard Whitehouse

• Cider With Rosie | DVD | (03/03/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Based on a memoir of English writer Laurie Lee and featuring narration by Lee himself, this made-for-television adaptation begins in wartime 1918 with Lee's family moving to the Gloucestershire countryside. Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply) shines as the matriarch of this large blended family, a compassionate and distracted woman who pines for the brood's missing father. The movie takes Lee from a young boy sleeping in his mother's bed through his girl-obsessed adolescence, fondly dealing with an assortment of relatives, schoolmates and villagers along the way. Lee doesn't actually have cider with girlfriend Rosie until a few minutes before the 82-minute movie ends, but in the meantime Charles Beeson, directing from an adaptation by John Mortimer, has offered up a gentle homage to long-passed era. --Kimberly Heinrichs, Amazon.com

• A Gala Evening - In The Presence Of HRH The Prince Of Wales From The Glyndebourne Festival Opera | DVD | (11/01/2004) from £21.38   |  Saving you £3.61 (16.88%)   |  RRP £24.99

  From the Glyndebourne Festival Opera a host of leading opera stars perform for HRH The Prince Of Wales. Works include Mozart's Le Nozze Di Figaro - 'Voi Che Sapete' and Rossini's Il Barbiere Di Siviglia - 'Un Voce Poco Fa'.

• Hellraiser | DVD | (27/09/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  In a place between pleasure and pain there is sensual experience beyond limits. And in a world between paradise andpurgatory there is a horror that feeds the souls of evil. When Frank Cotton solves the mystery of a Chinese puzzle box he enters the world of the Cenobites a world where the cruel sadists thrive on pain. Restored to life by the blood of his brother Larry Frank rises to feed on the life force of others. When Larry's wife agrees to provide the sacrifices he needs the chills are just beginning...

• Hellraiser | UMD | (17/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful visions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain from Dirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach for Barker's film, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror. --Jeff Shannon

• No Way Back | DVD | (11/12/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

• Hellraiser / Children Of The Corn | DVD | (03/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Hellraiser A man is brought partially back to life by the blood of his brother. He befriends his sister-in-law who agrees to supply the blood he requires to live but he is still haunted by the evil forces which held him captive in death. Children Of The Corn In Gatlin Nebraska the corn crop has failed. When a sinister boy comes into the small community preaching a solution the adults need to watch their backs.