"Actor: Carmen Scarpitta"

• La Cage Aux Folles | DVD | (01/07/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  A likeable 1977 French farce (and the basis for the 1996 American remake, The Birdcage), this popular comedy was one of the most successful international films of all time, and even spawned a Broadway musical and two sequels. It tells the story of a gay couple who--when one man's son from a previous liaison brings home his fiancée--masquerade as husband and wife for their prospective in-laws. Le Cage Aux Folles is saved from becoming an exercise in silliness by the heartfelt characterisations of the gay nightclub owners. La Cage aux Folles is one of the funniest imports from Europe and a great comedy in any venue. --Robert Lane

• Years of Lead: Five Classic Italian Crime Thrillers 1973-1977 | Blu Ray | (13/12/2021) from £29.85   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The 1970s were a time of intense uncertainty and instability in Italy. Political corruption and widespread acts of left and right-wing terrorism, alongside a breakdown in social cohesion and a loss of trust in public institutions such as the government and police, created a febrile atmosphere of cynicism, paranoia and unexploded rage. Throughout this period, these sentiments found expression in a series of brutal, often morally ambiguous crime thrillers which tapped into the atmosphere of violence and instability that defined the so-called Years of Lead. This box set gathers five films from the heyday of the poliziotteschi the umbrella term used to describe this diverse body of films. In Vittorio Salerno's Savage Three (1975) and Mario Imperoli's Like Rabid Dogs (1976), random acts of violence committed by vicious young sociopaths threaten the fragile fabric of respectable society. In Massimo Dallamano's Colt 38 Special Squad (1976) and Stelvio Massi's Highway Racer (1977), renegade cops battling against red tape and political corruption turn to new and morally dubious methods to dispense justice. Finally, class dynamics are explored in Salerno's No, the Case is Happily Resolved (1973) as an innocent man finds himself under suspicion for a savage crime committed by a highly respected member of society. Decried by critics for their supposedly fascistic overtones, the poliziotteschi were in fact more ideologically varied and often considerably more nuanced than such superficial readings would suggest, and proved a huge hit with theatregoers, who responded to their articulation of present day social concerns. Featuring an impressive line-up of Euro-cult stars, including Joe Dallesandro (The Climber), Ivan Rassimov (Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key), Maurizio Merli (Violent City) and Enrico Maria Salerno (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage), this collection of stylish, hard-hitting Euro-crime thrillers showcases the range and breadth of the genre and is a must-have for newcomers and grizzled veterans alike. Special Features High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all five films, restored from the original camera negatives Original lossless mono Italian audio on all five films Original lossless mono English audio on Colt 38 Special Squad and Savage Three English subtitles for the Italian soundtracks Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack on Colt 38 Special Squad and Savage Three Poliziotteschi: Violence and Justice in the Years of Lead, a visual essay by critic Will Webb exploring the recurring traits and themes of the genre Rat Eat Rat, an interview with writer/director Vittorio Salerno and actress Martine Brochard on Savage Three The Savage One, an interview with actor Joe Dallesandro on Savage Three When a Murderer Dies, an interview with cinematographer Romano Albani and film historian Fabio Melelli on Like Rabid Dogs It's Not a Time for Tears, an interview with assistant director Claudio Bernabei on Like Rabid Dogs Music sampler for Like Rabid Dogs Always the Same Ol' 7 Notes, an interview with composer Stelvio Cipriani on Colt 38 Special Squad A Tough Guy, an interview with editor Antonio Siciliano on Colt 38 Special Squad Archival introduction to Colt 38 Special Squad by Stelvio Cipriani Faster Than a Bullet, an interview with film historian Roberto Curti on Highway Racer Mother Justice, an interview with writer/director Vittorio Salerno on No, the Case is Happily Resolved Alternate ending to No, the Case is Happily Resolved Original trailers for Like Rabid Dogs, Colt 38 Special Squad and No, the Case is Happily Resolved Poster galleries Reversible sleeves featuring original artwork for all five films

• La Cage Aux Folles | Blu Ray | (02/04/2018) from £23.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The Outrageous, Uproarious Smash ArtHouse Comedy of The 1970S! Renato (La grande bouffe's Ugo Tognazzi) and Albin (Diabolique's Michel Seerrault) a middleaged gay couple who are the manager and star performer at a glitzy drag club in St. Tropezagree to hide their sexual identities, along with their flamboyant personalities and home decor, when the ultraconservative parents of Renato's son's fiancée come for a visit. This elegant comic scenario kicks off a wild and warmhearted farce about the importance of nonconformity and the beauty of being true to oneself. A modest French comedy that became a breakout arthouse smash in America, Edouard MolInaro's La Cage aux Folles inspired a major Broadway musical and the blockbuster remake The Birdcage. But with its hilarious performances and aheadofitstime social message, there's nothing like the audacious, dazzling original movie. Features: New 2K digital film restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack New interview with director Edouard Molinaro Archival footage featuring actor Michel Serrault and Jean Poiret, writer and star of the original stage production of La Cage aux Folles New interview with Laurence Senelick, author of The Changing Room: Sex, Drag and Theatre French and U.S. trailers New English subtitle translation Plus: A booklet featuring an essay by critic David Ehrenstein

• Fellini's Casanova | DVD | (31/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Eschewing the path of glorification Fellini's Casanova seeks to humanize the man behind the myth by presenting him as just a normal human being swept up by extraordinairy circumstances. Rather than depict the great lover as a romantic compassionate man Fellini sought to present him as a pompous sex machine therefore stripping the character of his literary majesty. For his tremendous efforts Danilo Donati won an Oscar for Best Costume Design and the film just missed