The debut film of director Joel Coen and his brother-producer Ethan Coen, 1983's Blood Simple is grisly comic noir that marries the feverish toughness of pulp thrillers with the ghoulishness of even pulpier horror. (Imagine the novels of Jim Thompson somehow fused with the comic tabloid Weird Tales and you get the idea.) The story concerns a Texas bar owner (Dan Hedaya) who hires a seedy private detective (M Emmett Walsh) to follow his cheating wife (Frances McDormand in her first film appearance) and then kill her and her lover (John Getz). The gumshoe turns the tables on his client, and suddenly a bad situation gets much, much worse, with some violent goings-on that are as elemental as they are shocking. (A scene in which a character who has been buried alive suddenly emerges from his own grave instantly becomes an archetypal nightmare.) Shot by Barry Sonnenfeld before he became an A-list director in Hollywood, Blood Simple established the hyperreal look and feel of the Coens' productions (undoubtedly inspired a bit by filmmaker Sam Raimi, whose The Evil Dead had just been coedited by Joel). Sections of the film have proved to be an endurance test for art-house movie fans, particularly an extended climax that involves one shock after another but ends with a laugh at the absurdity of criminal ambition. This is definitely one of the triumphs of the 1980s and the American independent film scene in general. --Tom Keogh
Dan Snow takes on one of the most famous dates in British history when, 950 years ago, William of Normandy, soon to be Conquerer, defeated Harold, King of England, at the Battle of Hastings. But 1066 is more than just one battle on one day. It is the dramatic story of a single year when the ancient world of the Anglo-Saxons is swept aside and the dominance of the Vikings is brought to a shuddering halt. It's the year when the power balance of Europe is upturned and Britain's future determined. Dan reconstructs the events of 1066 as they unfolded, and brings them vividly to life in action-packed drama as our three warlords Harold (Adam James), William of Normandy (Ed Stoppard), and the Viking Harald Hardrada (Clive Russell) fight for supremacy.
Orson Welles' Macbeth is an expressionist masterpiece about a doomed man of ordinary ambition who believes an evil prophecy that he will become King. The shortest of Shakespeare's tragedies, Welles long considered Macbeth to be the most filmable of the Bard's work. Produced on a slim budget over a mere 32 days, the results are consistently impressive. As depicted by Welles, the title character is not a warrior king or conscience-stricken, poetic soul on a par with Hamlet; rather, he is revealed to be a facile, superstitious man consigned to fate even as the character does not trust to fate. For her part, Lady Macbeth (Jeanette Nolan) is merely obsessed with the unimpeded exercise of her will to power, viewing her husband's life as a tale told by an idiot (she is particularly effective during the "out, damned spot" scene from Act V). Welles has also created some new scenes here, conflating several characters into a "Holy Father" (Alan Napier) while eliciting strong supporting turns from actors such as Dan O'Herlihy (Macduff) and Roddy McDowall (Malcolm). All of this unfolds within a highly disordered state in which nature itself is on the rant ("Fair is foul and foul is fair"). Though the technically poor soundtrack and the occasional indecipherable Scottish brogue make the film seem a trifle compromised at times, each moment feels preternaturally alive. There is an almost Brechtian quality here, with Welles giving us splendid pieces then leaving it to us to fit them into a theatrically coherent puzzle. Refusing to believe that Birnham Wood could ever travel to Dunsinane, Macbeth is finally exposed as a man of insufficient character. As such, some might suggest that this Macbeth is more accurately described as the story of how Malcolm became King. --Kevin Mulhall
Marge In Chains (Season 4): When Marge is charged with shoplifting from the Kwik-E-Mart she is also accused of everything from being a drunk to being involved in the Kennedy assassination. Homer The Vigilante (Season 5): Homer is elected leader of a vigilante group to catch the Springfield Cat Burglar. However with Homer at the helm the group wreaks more havoc than they fight crime. You Only Move Twice (Season 8): The Simpsons relocate to another community a
A handicapped person takes revenge on criminals by using a magic spell that transforms him into an oily monster/superhero.
Everyone's favourite Super family is back in Disney Pixar's Incredibles 2! Helen is called on to lead a campaign to bring Supers back, and Bob must juggle the day-to-day heroics of home life. But when a new villain emerges with a brilliant and dangerous plot, the Parrs meet the challenge together - with Frozone by their side. Bonus: Bao
The blockbuster global "Mummy" franchise takes a spellbinding turn as the action shifts to Asia for the next chapter in the adventure series, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor".
Just when you thought Phineas and Ferb had done it all (including winning an Emmy Award), they take their adventures to a whole new dimension in their first full-length movie - Phineas And Ferb The Movie: Across The 2nd Dimension - featuring exclusive deleted scenes and bonus only on Disney DVD!When Phineas, Ferb and Perry follow Dr. Doofenshmirtz through his Otherdimensionator, they find themselves in an alternate universe where a second, truly evil Dr. Doof rules over his Tristate Area with an army of iron-fi sted robots. To save his friends from certain doom, Perry makes the ultimate sacrifice by revealing his secret identity as Agent P. Phineas and Ferb escape, meet their 2nd dimension selves, and begin their own mission to rescue Perry. So begins an epic battle as our heroes try to save their home from the clutches of Evil Dr. Doof...and his sidekick Platyborg! Will Evil Doof succeed and achieve dual world domination? Will Candace finally bust her brothers? Find out in this action-packed, epic adventure - so huge that it crosses over time and space!
The first three series, plus the Christmas special, of the ITV costume drama following the lives and loves of those above and below stairs in an English stately home. In series one, set before the outbreak of World War One, the Grantham family, long time custodians of Downton Abbey, face a crisis when the heir to the estate dies on the Titanic. With his three daughters unable to inherit by law, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), the current Earl of Grantham, must try and marry his eldest daughter off in order to obtain an heir. Meanwhile, the family's determination to cling to class and rank is mirrored in a number of growing rivalries between the servants which threaten to undermine the smooth running of the house. In series two, after the outbreak of WWI, Matthew (Dan Stevens) and Thomas (Rob James-Collier) are off fighting at the Somme, while both Lord Grantham and William (Thomas Howes) feel frustrated at being barred from taking part in the war. Meanwhile, Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay) defies her aristocratic position and enlists in the Royal Army Nursing Corps and Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) puts on a brave face when Matthew arrives home on leave with his future wife, Lavinia Swire (Zoe Boyle), in tow. In series three, with the war finally over, the 1920s heralds the promise of a new age for those at Downton Abbey. But while the family prepare for the wedding of Lady Mary and Matthew, Lord Grantham learns that the future of Downton is in grave jeopardy after the collapse of investments made with his wife (Elizabeth McGovern)'s fortune. With the family beginning to gather for the wedding celebrations, a grand entrance by Cora's thoroughly modern mother, Martha Levinson (Shirley MacLaine), threatens to ruffle a few of the Dowager (Maggie Smith)'s feathers.
Based on the Marvel comics and featuring a powerful, all-star cast including DAN STEVENS, AUBREY PLAZA, JEAN SMART and RACHEL KELLER LEGION follows the story of David Haller (STEVENS), a troubled young man who may be more than human. Diagnosed as schizophrenic, David has been in and out of mental hospitals for years. But after a startling encounter with a new patient (KELLER), he must confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees might be real. With the help of a psychiatric therapist (SMART) and her unconventional methods, David embarks on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery that leads to a new world of possibilities...and a new level of unexpected danger. Special Features: Fractured Reality: A Different Kind of Superhero Inside the Looks including Production Design, Makeup and Visual Effects Deleted Scenes
Caddyshack: Greenkeeper Carl Spackler is about to start World War III - against a gopher. Pompous Judge Smails plays to win but his nubile niece Lacey Underall wants to score her own way. Playboy Ty Webb shoots perfect golf by becoming the ball. And country club loudmouth Al Czeervik just doubled a $20 000 bet on a 10-foot putt. Insanity? No Caddyshack! Chevy Chase Rodney Dangerfield Bill Murray and Ted Knight tee off for a sidesplitting round of fairway foolishness! Ca
Jaws 2 (Dir. Jeannot Szwarc 1978): Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) is walking his beach beat a few years on from the horrible shark attacks on Amity Island. A missing diver's camera shows what looks like a shark fin but Amity''s cowardly Mayor (Murray Hamilton) plays down the incident. Brody raises a panicky false alarm from his observation tower and is fired for it. Suddenly the new killer shark attacks a group of small boats manned by teenagers which include his own sons... Jaws 3 (Dir. Joe Alves 1982): A deadly new attraction. The brand new ''Sea World'' complex in Florida offers visitors the chance to view the undersea kingdom from the safety of glass tunnels on the sea-bed. All seems well until a thirty-five foot Great White shark appears on the scene..... Jaws 4 - The Revenge (Dir. Joseph Sargent 1987): This time... It's personal. Lorraine Gary repeats her role of Ellen Brody widow of Chief Martin Brody in this suspenseful sequel starring Oscar-winner Michael Caine. After Deputy Sean Brody is killed by a shark off Amity Island she joins her other son Michael a marine biologist his wife Carla and their daughter Thea in the Bahamas. There she falls for Hoagie a carefree pilot and starts putting her life back together - until a Great White threatens Thea and Ellen knows she has no choice but to face her fear in a final fatal showdown...
When Santa cancels his annual flight because of a hurt reindeer, a young Christmas loving dog named Olive is convinced she has what it takes to get Santa's flight off the ground and save Christmas.
The first volume of four animated adventures with the Care Bears with a bonus episode on this DVD! Welcome to the wonderful world of Care-a-Lot and its magical inhabitants the Care Bears! These adorable furry friends each have their own individual caring mission. With a bright-coloured logo adorning each of their tummies these friendly little guys share their own uniquely special gift of caring with all who need their help. Episodes Comprise: 1.Care-A-Lot's Birthday 2.Gr
The Simpsons have never been as big on Christmas as they have on Halloween and while Christmas with The Simpsons contains five episodes, one of them, "Mr Plow", is only seasonal insofar as it contains snow. Fortunately, it's also a cracker, with Homer resorting to low-budget screen advertising to launch his snowploughing business ("It may be a lousy channel but the Simpsons are on TV!") before a pep-talk he gives to inebriate buddy Barney encourages the latter to set up as a rival. This compilation also contains "The Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", the very first Simpsons episode broadcast, in which their dog Santa's Little Helper is introduced. Years on, this episode looks ancient and a little average by later, stratospheric standards. "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" is a slightly downbeat parody of It's a Wonderful Life, in which the town turns on the Simpsons after helping them out when Bart lied about their presents being burgled. "Grift of the Magi" features luckless ex-sitcom star Gary Coleman reprising his real-life job as a security guard as an unscrupulous toy company aggressively merchandise a faddish new toy in time for Christmas ("If you don't have Funzo, you're nothing".) The plot is very similar to "She of Little Faith"--uncharacteristic repetition for this show--but that's forgiven as Lisa is forced to become a Buddhist following the commercialisation of the church in another episode that's as un-seasonally un-cosy as you'd expect from the greatest TV programme ever made. On the DVD: Christmas with The Simpsonscontains one extra feature: a short montage of evil power plant boss Mr Burns' finest comedic moments, including his tussle with baby Maggie over ownership of teddybear BoBo and a money fight with the servile Smithers. --David Stubbs
Colin McCormack thinks he has it all a great job, a stream of hot young guys, and a best friend whose devotion he takes for granted. When a charming intern sweeps Colin off his feet, his lifelong friendship is put to the test. In the intern, Colin sees his chance to start a family, but what he comes to discover may cost Colin everyone and everything he holds dear.
A road trip goes terrifyingly awry when a family become stranded in a government atomic zone.
The biggest change for Stargate's sixth season was its move to the Sci-Fi Channel. Financial rescue or genre haven from cancellation? Whatever the behind-the-scenes politics, the departure of Daniel Jackson (actor Michael Shanks) the previous year most certainly contributed to the need to run a tighter ship somewhere. With the addition of his replacement, Jonas Quinn, the new show dynamic (hinted at by the new title theme tune) meant far more convoluted arc-stories and less individual focus. One of very few solo spotlights came from Christopher Judge writing his own show, when "The Changeling" saw Teal'c act out a life as a fireman. One reason for being a fan favourite was its cameo from still-alive-after-all Daniel Jackson. There'd be several more through the year, culminating in a finale that tested how much attention you'd been paying to that all-important back-story. Other kooky cameos included Dean Stockwell in one of the many spotlights on the energy resource n'quadria, Ian Buchanan as one of the devilish Replicators (and hopefully the end of that plotline) and regular spots from John DeLancie, Ronny Cox and Tom McBeath as the Earth-bound series baddies. More pertinently, we also saw Byers from The X-Files (Bruce Harwood) as a scientist involved with the Antarctic Gate. Lest we forget, there are other portals on Earth. Is that an already planned spin-off on the horizon? --Paul Tonks
Only one swashbuckling man of mystery can deliver Royalist rebels from Napoleon's clutches! Paris, 1803: as Napoleon is set to declare himself as leader of the freshly instituted French Empire, an underground movement of Royalist rebels is fired up by the daring deeds of the mysterious Purple Mask. The unknown swordsman boldly rescues noblemen from the guillotine and kidnaps Napoleon's cronies to extort ransom money for the Royalist cause. Laurette de Latour (Colleen Miller), the niece of a jailed marquis, hatches a scheme in which the foppish Count Rene de Traviere (Tony Curtis) imitates the Purple Mask and allows himself to be captured to encourage the release of her uncle. Little does Laurette realise she has engaged the Purple Mask himself! Continuing the charade, and attracting amused ridicule, Rene is swiftly imprisoned alongside the marquis. But the intrepid one has a trick or two up his lacey sleeve, and as the two men are marched towards the guillotine, at an agreed signal rebels spring from the Paris sewers, swords at the ready.
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