The second half of the acclaimed second series of the classic BBC drama. Welcome to Cornwall near the turn of the nineteenth century where an air of celebration pervades. However even as Admiral Lord Nelson defeats the french fleet in the battle of the Nile the situation between the recently returned Ross Poldark and George Warleggan is no nearer a conclusion. And things at home aren't much better for Ross for Demelza is playing a very dangerous game with Lord Falmouth's nephew
This is a double-feature of two British crime classics, The Blue Lamp (1949) and The Nanny (1965). The Blue Lamp is the film that introduced PC George Dixon, played by Jack Warner, later immortalised in the BBC's long-running Dixon of Dock Green (1955-76). Here Dixon's murder is the catalyst for an exciting London manhunt, shot largely on location in a fast-moving, starkly efficient style showing the influence of The Naked City (1948). The war-damaged East End and the car chases through almost vehicle-free streets offer a documentary-like vision of a London now long gone, and a young Dirk Bogarde makes a serious impact in an early starring role. In contrast, The Nanny has a superstar, the imported Hollywood legend Bette Davis, in the declining years of her career. Just one of three psychological thrillers Hammer produced in 1965 (the others were Frantic and Hysteria), the film capitalises on the popularity of Davis's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) with a comparable mix of hateful insanity and paranoia. The screenplay skilfully juggles the audience's sympathies between a superb Davis and the dysfunctional family of which she becomes a part, developing a powerful sense of dread which shows such clichéd later fare as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) how to do this sort of thing with real class. On the DVD: The Blue Lamp and The Nanny are presented in black and white with adequate mono sound. The Blue Lamp is in its original 4:3 ratio; The Nanny is cropped from its theatrical 1.85:1 to 4:3, though it's only in a few shots that it becomes obvious that information is missing at the sides of the screen. The print of The Blue Lamp is soft and grainy, while The Nanny is grainy with a considerable amount of flicker. There are no extras. --Gary S. Dalkin
Freely adapted from Robert Ludlum's 1980 bestseller, The Bourne Identity starts fast and never slows down. The twisting plot revs up in Zurich, where amnesiac CIA assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), with no memory of his name, profession, or recent activities, recruits a penniless German traveler (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente) to assist in solving the puzzle of his missing identity. While his CIA superior (Chris Cooper) dispatches assassins to kill Bourne and thus cover up his failed mission, Bourne exercises his lethal training to leave a trail of bodies from Switzerland to Paris. Director Doug Liman (Go) infuses Ludlum's intricate plotting with a maverick's eye for character detail, matching breathtaking action with the humorous, thrill-seeking chemistry of Damon and Potente. Previously made as a 1988 TV movie starring Richard Chamberlain, The Bourne Identity benefits from the sharp talent of rising stars, offering intelligent, crowd-pleasing excitement from start to finish. --Jeff Shannon
Brutal and breathtaking, Sin City is Robert Rodriguez's stunningly realized vision of Frank Miller's pulpy comic books. In the first of three separate but loosely related stories, Marv (Mickey Rourke in heavy makeup) tries to track down the killers of a woman who ended up dead in his bed. In the second story, Dwight's (Clive Owen) attempt to defend a woman from a brutal abuser goes horribly wrong, and threatens to destroy the uneasy truce among the police, the mob, and the women of Old Town. Finally, an aging cop on his last day on the job (Bruce Willis) rescues a young girl from a kidnapper, but is himself thrown in jail. Years later, he has a chance to save her again. Based on three of Miller's immensely popular and immensely gritty books (The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard), Sin City is unquestionably the most faithful comic-book-based movie ever made. Each shot looks like a panel from its source material, and director Rodriguez (who refers to it as a "translation" rather than an adaptation) resigned from the Directors Guild so that Miller could share a directing credit. Like the books, it's almost entirely in stark black and white with some occasional bursts of color (a woman's red lips, a villain's yellow face). The backgrounds are entirely digitally generated, yet not self-consciously so, and perfectly capture Miller's gritty cityscape. And though most of Miller's copious nudity is absent, the violence is unrelentingly present. That may be the biggest obstacle to viewers who aren't already fans of the books and who may have been turned off by Kill Bill (whose director, Quentin Tarantino, helmed one scene of Sin City). In addition, it's a bleak, desperate world in which the heroes are killers, corruption rules, and the women are almost all prostitutes or strippers. But Miller's stories are riveting, and the huge cast--which also includes Jessica Alba, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Devin Aoki, Carla Gugino, and Josh Hartnett--is just about perfect. (Only Bruce Willis and Michael Madsen, while very well-suited to their roles, seem hard to separate from their established screen personas.) In what Rodriguez hopes is the first of a series, Sin City is a spectacular achievement. --David Horiuchi, Amazon.com
Twenty-four year old Marnie has bad thoughts all the time and she can't tell anyone. Her mind is XXX-rated and intrusive thoughts are piling up inside her head. She is caught in the grip of an excruciating form of obsessive compulsive disorder nicknamed pure O' where her obsessions take the form of intrusive sexual thoughts, and the compulsions are unseen mental rituals that deeply affect her daily life. Something. Has. Got. To. Give. At breaking point, she packs a bag and, with no plan, jumps on a coach to London. In the capital, Marnie soon discovers she's not the only one who's lost. On her search for herself, Marnie finds a gang of new friends, all with their own foibles. She moves in with her deceptively cheery old school friend Shereen. She befriends Charlie, who is in recovery, having torpedoed his love and work life, due to his porn addiction. He's now single, stuck with an old-school flip-phone and attends weekly Sex Addicts Anonymous meets. Queen among Marnie's new gang is journalist and ladies-woman, Amber who has been gaining a problematic rep. for her promiscuity. Then there's Amber's housemate, the irresistible and unassuming Joe whom Marnie shares a will-they-won't-they romance.
A collection of 9 Spike Lee's most known films. Films Comprise: 1. Mo' Better Blues 2. Crooklyn 3. Inside Man 4. Clockers 5. School Daze 6. She Hates Me 7. Do the Right Thing 8. Get on the Bus 9. Jungle Fever
Inspired by a true story, "The Boys Are Back" is a deeply moving, wryly confessional tale of fatherhood, that intimately evokes both the fragility and wonders of family life.
The Very Best of Dad's Army, Vol 2 is a further helping of episodes from the BBC's most durable comedy, well chosen to illustrate the variety of situations and predicaments in which Warmington-on-Sea's home guard find themselves. "Menace from the Deep" sees them marooned on the town pier, having to contend with a rogue mine and an inebriated Hodges. "Mum's Army" has Captain Mainwaring set up a women's division and promptly fall for the charming Miss Gray, in a cunning take on Brief Encounter. "No Spring for Frazer" charts Frazer's beleaguered attempts to locate a missing gun part with predictably disastrous results. "When Did You Last See Your Money?" similarly puts Corporal Jones through the mill after he switches a package containing £500 with one containing a half-pound of sausages. Finally, "The Honourable Man" brings the enmity of Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson to a head when the latter inherits an honorary title. The performances have that spontaneity and gently self-mocking humour so familiar, yet so enjoyable, however many times around. On the DVD: The Very Best of Dad's Army, Vol 2 on disc has an accompanying documentary (partially reprised from that on Volume 1) containing interviews with surviving cast members, present-day comedians and Messrs Croft and Perry, whose inspired scriptwriting continues to amuse and entertain. The early-70s prints have come up well, with subtitles and six chapter headings per episode to make locating favourite scenes easier than ever. --Richard Whitehouse
Thirty years ago half a million flower children set sail for the Isle Of Wight in search of peace love and understanding. They also witnessed one of the greatest ever rock festivals with legendary live performances from well known greats of the era. This DVD tells the story of the great event from backstage banter to the terrific live performances. Featuring performances by: The Doors - 'When The Music's Over' The Who - 'Young Man Blues' Jimi Hendrix - 'Machine Gun' Joni
All six episodes from the first series which finds Danny Spencer facing up to the death of his wife - but instead of grief he feels guilty to find a sense of freedom... Episodes: Personality Crisis / I'm Doing It For Me / Chained To An Idiot / Desperate Dan / Celebration / Forty
The complete second series of this hugely successful television series starring John Thaw as the legendary Jack Regan and Dennis Waterman as sidekick George Carter. Episodes comprise: 1. Chalk and Cheese 2. Faces 3. Supersnout 4. Big Brother 5. Hit and Run 6. Trap 7. Golden Fleece 8. Poppy 9. Stay Lucky Eh? 10. Trojan Bus 11. I Want The Man 12. Country Boy 13. Thou Shalt Not Kill
The controversy that surrounded Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Anthony Burgess's dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange while the film was out of circulation suggested that it was like Romper Stomper: a glamorisation of the violent, virile lifestyle of its teenage protagonist, with a hypocritical gloss of condemnation to mask delight in rape and ultra-violence. Actually, it is as fable-like and abstract as The Pilgrim's Progress, with characters deliberately played as goonish sitcom creations. The anarchic rampage of Alex (Malcolm McDowell), a bowler-hatted juvenile delinquent of the future, is all over at the end of the first act. Apprehended by equally brutal authorities, he changes from defiant thug to cringing bootlicker, volunteering for a behaviourist experiment that removes his capacity to do evil.It's all stylised: from Burgess' invented pidgin Russian (snarled unforgettably by McDowell) to 2001-style slow tracks through sculpturally perfect sets (as with many Kubrick movies, the story could be told through decor alone) and exaggerated, grotesque performances on a par with those of Dr Strangelove (especially from Patrick Magee and Aubrey Morris). Made in 1971, based on a novel from 1962, A Clockwork Orange resonates across the years. Its future is now quaint, with Magee pecking out "subversive literature" on a giant IBM typewriter and "lovely, lovely Ludwig Van" on mini-cassette tapes. However, the world of "Municipal Flat Block 18A, Linear North" is very much with us: a housing estate where classical murals are obscenely vandalised, passers-by are rare and yobs loll about with nothing better to do than hurt people. On the DVD: The extras are skimpy, with just an impressionist trailer in the style of the film used to brainwash Alex and a list of awards for which Clockwork Orange was nominated and awarded. The box promises soundtracks in English, French and Italian and subtitles in ten languages, but the disc just has two English soundtracks (mono and Dolby Surround 5.1) and two sets of English subtitles. The terrific-looking "digitally restored and remastered" print is letterboxed at 1.66:1 and on a widescreen TV plays best at 14:9. The film looks as good as it ever has, with rich stable colours (especially and appropriately the orangey-red of the credits and the blood) and a clarity that highlights previously unnoticed details such as Alex's gouged eyeball cufflinks and enables you to read the newspaper articles which flash by. The 5.1 soundtrack option is amazingly rich, benefiting the nuances of performance as much as the classical/electronic music score and the subtly unsettling sound effects. --Kim Newman
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS is the visually spectacular new adventure film from Luc Besson, the legendary director of The Professional, The Fifth Element and Lucy, based on the ground-breaking comic book series which inspired a generation of artists, writers and filmmakers. In the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alphaan ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and cultures with each other. There is a mystery at the center of Alpha, a dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe. Also starring Rihanna, Clive Owen, Rutger Hauer, Kris Wu, Ethan Hawke and Herbie Hancock.
A drama series directed by Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich Contagion Ocean's Eleven) The Knick looks at the professional and personal lives of the staff at New York's Knickerbocker Hospital ("the Knick") during the early twentieth century. The Hospital operates with innovative surgeons nurses and staff who have to overcome medicinal limitations to prevent staggeringly high mortality rates. Dr. John Thackery (Clive Owen) is the newly appointed leader of the surgery staff who battles his cocaine and opium addictions with his ambition for medical discovery and reputation among his peers. While literally struggling to keep the lights on the hospital attempts to attract a wealthy clientele without sacrificing quality care.
As Hitlers Blitzkrieg sweeps across the Low Countries in early 1940, a squadron of Belgian pilots take temporary shelter with their aircraft on a Flemish Farm. Here, farmers daughter Trescha tends the wounded pilot Matagne and the two fall in love. When the decision comes to evacuate to RAF bases in England, Matagne secretly buries the Regimental Flag rather than destroy it as ordered. As the time comes to leave, Matagne has to be forced to go and leave his beloved Trescha. Now safe in England, he dreams of retrieving the Regimental Flag from underneath the noses of the invading Germans.
Celebrating twenty years of classic Carry On films two of the film's best loved stars Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor return to Pinewood Film Studios to unwrap some rib-tickling moments to the series. From the original military mayhem of 'Carry On Sergeant' through to the really ancient archaeological gags of 'Carry On Behind' our saucy hosts get their titters out for this laugh-a-second gallop through the most successful series of British comedy films ever made. With a cast
Cracker The Complete Collection - Case Files Contains 11 discs, over 22 hours and all 11 episodes Starring Robbie Coltrane, Created by Jimmy McGovern cat.no. 3711533263 "Fitz'Fitzgerald is an insulting, nosy, loathsome individual who is a drunken excuse for a husband, a lousy father and a gambling washout but he has one saving grace -he is a brilliant psychologist with an uncanny ability to see evil in people, make them confess and walk away unscathed. He seems to understand the criminal mind, most probably because his mind isn't that far removed from the criminals he deals with." 11 DISC SET The Mad Woman In The Artic, To Say I Love You One Day A Lemming Will Fly, To Be A Somebody The Big Crunch, Men Should Weep Brotherly Love, Best Boys True Romance, White Ghost , Cracker Stories: The Cracker Complete Collection Box Set features all episodes from the critically acclaimed crime series, which follows Manchester criminal psychologist Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald (Robbie Coltrane)as he attempts to crack complex cases. Sexist, provocative and almost devoid of social morals, Fitz is a man of many excesses. He's addicted to smoking, drinking, gambling, and he's neither a considerate nor faithful husband to his wife, Judith (Barbara Flynn). With his sharp intellect and ability to get inside the mind of criminals though, Fitz is a precious resource for the Manchester Police, who couldn't do without him--even though he isn't exactly the most liked person on the force. Starring alongside Coltrane is Kieran O'Brian (as Mark Fitzgerald, Fitz's surprisingly grounded son), Geraldine Somerville (as DS Jane Penhaligon, a colleague), Richard Coyle (as DI Walters, an ambitious young gun who has read all of Fitz's work), and Saleh Nisha Nayar (as DS Saffron, who also studied Fitz). ITV
Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare's tragic story of young impetuous love thwarted by a bitter Veronese family feud. Romeo heir of the Montague family attends a masquerade dance at the home of the Capulets where he meets Juliet the Capulets' daughter. It is love at first sight. Their love is torn asunder by the feud between their families. It is only after the double suicide of the young lovers that their long divided kinsmen are reconciled in sorrow.
Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) is searching for a wife. Because of a complicated situation he needs a mate so he can qualify as king of the land. The 3-foot-tall despot has already banished all the fairy tale characters from his land, resulting in a diaspora of familiar bedtime figures. Shrek (Mike Myers) and the obnoxious Donkey (Eddie Murphy) factor in when Farquaad concludes that he needs dragon-slaying assistance. The woman he wants is the beautiful Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), who's imprisoned in a castle by said dragon. To cut a deal to keep his house, the antisocial Shrek accepts the mission, except he falls in love with the princess he's been ordered to find!
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