"Actor: Derek"

• Yes Minister - Series 1 | DVD | (01/10/2001) from £5.30   |  Saving you £7.69 (145.09%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The first series of the elegant sitcom-cum-farce-cum-sophisticated political satire Yes Minister, setting off Paul Eddington's Jim Hacker, Minister for Administrative Affairs, against Nigel Hawthorne's discreetly obstructive civil servant Sir Humphrey. Series One features the pilot episode, "Open Government", curious in that it contains different and distinctly inferior opening and closing credits to the rest of the series. You also sense that Mrs Hacker was originally intended to have a larger role, with comedy focussing on the clash between political and domestic commitments, until the writers wisely decided to focus on the stand-off between Jim and Sir Humphrey, with Derek Fowlds' mousy private secretary Bernard making occasional interjections. While the series doesn't quite come fully to light--Sir Humphrey is at times a little too sinister for sitcom consumption--all the classic features quickly show up. Hacker's occasional Churchillian bombast, followed by panicky blank double-takes when flummoxed, Sir Humphrey's unflappable verbosity as he brings the dead weight of civil service bureaucracy to bear against Hacker's naively optimistic schemes for open government, Quangos and slashing red tape in episodes like "The Economy Drive". Ironic, that when this was first screened in the 80s, it was during the rampages of early Thatcherism in which Government had never been less like the ineffectual politicking satirised here. On the DVD: Full screen, no special features except scene selection and straightforward text profiles of the principal actors here. --David Stubbs

• All Gas and Gaitors | DVD | (02/11/2009) from £15.62   |  Saving you £0.37 (2.37%)   |  RRP £15.99

  All 11 surviving episodes of the classic TV comedy. All Gas And Gaitors is a sitcom centred on the ecclesiastical rivalries at St. Oggs a 13th Century cathedral. Episode titles: The Bishop Rides Again The Bishop Gets The Sack The Bishop Sees A Ghost The Bishop Loves His Neighbour The Bishops Heats The System The Bishop Warms Up The Bishop Entertains The Bishop Gives A Present The Bishop Shows His Loyalty The Bishop Has A Rest The Bishop Loses His Chaplain

• Jabberwocky | DVD | (17/02/2003) from £6.91   |  Saving you £6.08 (87.99%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A medieval comedy-adventure starring Michael Palin and directed by Terry Gilliam, Jabberwocky is an episodic adaptation of Lewis Carrolls surreal poem. Having previously directed Monty Python and The Holy Grail (1975) with Terry Jones, Jabberwocky marked Gilliams solo directorial debut--is it coincidental that Jones is killed by the titular monster in the opening scene? Palin plays the naive Dennis Cooper, a man seeking his fortune just as the Jabberwocky is laying waste to the country. Its much the same world as Holy Grail, with all the trappings of the romantic Hollywood epic being liberally coated with literal and metaphorical muck. Palins character causes unwitting mayhem wherever he goes--one stand-out scene involves the destruction of a maintenance shop for damaged knights-in-armour--though as much humour comes from exposing the foibles of the people he meets. And those people constitute a roll call of contemporary British comedy: Harry H Corbett as a sex-mad squire, Warren Mitchells Mr Fishfinger, plus Annette Badland, Max Wall, John Le Mesurier, Rodney Bewes, John Bird, Neil Innes and John Gorman. Jabberwocky lacks the hilarity of Holy Grail, but is a consistently amusing, exceptionally atmospheric, gleefully gory yarn which points the way to Gilliams Time Bandits (1981) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). On the DVD Jabberwocky is distinguished by an engaging and enthusiastic commentary from Gilliam and Palin, in which they delight in the amazing cast and ponder how such a handsome film was made. Otherwise the extras are a short sketch-to-screen comparison, three posters and three trailers (only one for Jabberwocky). Transferred anamorphically enhanced at 1.77:1, the picture is variable, with many beautifully lit indoor scenes looking fine, while other exterior, daylight shots appear washed out. There is some minor print damage. The sound is a revelation for a low-budget 1970s film originally released in mono. Given a full Dolby Digital 5.1 remix the tremendously detailed, rich and involving soundscape really brings Gilliams world alive and puts many much more recent and expensive titles to shame. --Gary S Dalkin

• Anonymous | DVD | (05/03/2012) from £4.40   |  Saving you £13.59 (308.86%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds, namely: who actually created the body of work credited to William Shakespeare?

• Heartbeat - The Complete Series 14 | DVD | (04/03/2013) from £32.99   |  Saving you £17.00 (51.53%)   |  RRP £49.99

  All 26 episodes from the fourteenth series of the Yorkshire Television police drama. Set in rural North Yorkshire during the 1960s, Heartbeat's combination of crime and medical storylines, charismatic regular characters and wonderfully nostalgic soundtrack made it staple Sunday-night viewing for two decades, with the series' many prestigious awards including Best Performing Peak-Time Drama and several ITV Programme of the Year awards. Attracting a peak audience of 14 million, Heartbeat has ga...

• Heartbeat - The Complete Series 16 | DVD | (29/07/2013) from £30.92   |  Saving you £19.07 (61.68%)   |  RRP £49.99

  Set in rural North Yorkshire during the 1960s, Heartbeat's combination of crime and medical storylines, charismatic regular characters and wonderfully nostalgic soundtrack made it staple Sunday-night viewing for two decades, with the series' many prestigious awards including Best Performing Peak-Time Drama and several ITV Programme of the Year awards. Attracting a peak audience of 14 million, Heartbeat has garnered a devoted following and remains prime-time viewing world-wide. This series s...

• A Bunch Of Amateurs | DVD | (27/04/2009) from £6.75   |  Saving you £13.24 (196.15%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A sleazy Hollywood agent tricks one of his clients, a faded action star, into playing King Lear in an amateur charity production in London.

• The Odessa File | DVD | (08/03/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Originally released in 1974, The Odessa File is set in Hamburg a decade earlier. Its starting-point is the Nazi support network Odessa, and its involvement with Egyptian plans to destroy Israel. Peter Miller is a freelance journalist whose interest appears initially to be a professional one, before a personal dimension finally becomes apparent in his confrontation with SS Captain Roschmann. Kenneth Ross adapts a well-honed screenplay from Frederick Forsyth's bestseller, and director Ronald Neame captures a typically Cold War sense of individuals and organisations playing out a scenario of political right and wrong. John Voight, long before he became a cameo star, makes a sympathetic lead, able to judge between the moral and material aspects of his profession. Mary Tamm is photogenic, if uninvolving, as his girlfriend, while Maximillian Schell is a convincing Nazi stereotype. Andrew Lloyd-Weber contributes a serviceable score, centred on the catchy "Christmas Dream" sung by Perry Como. Not a classic suspense thriller, but an enjoyable and thoughtful one. On the DVD: the letterbox widescreen format preserves the 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the cinema release with decent if not exceptional clarity, with optional 16:9 TV enhancement. There are French, German, Italian and Spanish overdubs, and subtitles in 21 languages. Detailed filmographies for Neame, Voight and Schell are included and the theatrical trailer is to the point in a way they so rarely are these days. --Richard Whitehouse

• Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 1 | DVD | (03/10/2016) from £19.22   |  Saving you £20.77 (108.06%)   |  RRP £39.99

  By popular demand, the anime fan-favourite released for the first time on DVD! Seven kids at summer camp are mysteriously transported to another reality, where they are befriended by a group of strange creatures who call themselves Digimon , Digital Monsters. The seven children are now dubbed as the DigiDestined, tasked with protecting the Digital World from evil Digimon like Devimon. Can they save the Digital World and find a way back home? Special Features: Original Japanese opening

• Silent Dust | DVD | (16/02/2015) from £8.19   |  Saving you £1.80 (21.98%)   |  RRP £9.99

  This powerfully emotional post-war drama from acclaimed British director Lance Comfort features commanding performances from Sally Gray, Stephen Murray, Nigel Patrick and Seymour Hicks, among others, with an excellent score by leading French composer Georges Auric. Released in 1949, Silent Dust is presented here in a brand-new digital transfer, in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Sir Robert Rawley is a self-made man in the most successful sense. The spur for his ambition had always been his son, Simon, but since Simon's death under fire his love has grown into an obsession. All is not as it seems, however - Simon deserted his post and faked his own death, and is now on the hunt for money...Special Feature: Original Theatrical Trailer

• Ealing Studios Boxset 3 | DVD | (16/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  A box set of classic film gems from Ealing studios Includes: 1. The Ladykillers (Dir. Alexander Mackendrick 1955) 2. The Man in The White Suit (Dir. Alexander Mackendrick 1951) 3. The Magnet (Dir. Charles Frend 1950) 4. Scott of The Antarctic (Dir. Charles Frend 1948)

• Orca, The Killer Whale (Cult Classics) | Blu Ray | (02/09/2024) from £7.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  From Academy Award® nominated director Michael Anderson (Around The World In Eighty Days) and starring screen legends Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling, ORCA, THE KILLER WHALE is a terrifying tale of man versus beast. Initially on the hunt for a great white shark, the obsessive Captain Nolan (Harris) accidentally kills a pregnant orca. Seeking vengeance, her mate begins to terrorise the nearby fishing village in a rampage of death and destruction. Realising that only he can bring an end to the carnage, Nolan sets out on a deadly quest to face his enemy from the deep

• Most Haunted Live 2 | DVD | (27/12/2004) from £10.82   |  Saving you £9.17 (84.75%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In one of the biggest ghost-busting events ever held the investigative team travel to historic Beaulieu for Halloween 2003 on one of the most important dates in the paranormal calendar. Focus shifts to the South-East as the team embark on a three-day trek on the trail of Dick Turpin in December 2003 taking in several locations the lone highwayman is known to have been in culminating in York on New Year's Eve. February 2004 sees the team visit Stratford-Upon-Avon and its Tudor cottages where attempts are made to unravel the life and loves of William Shakespeare on Leap Day. Lastly the Most Haunted team visit Essex investigating paranormal activity relating to the area's witch trials and Matthew Hopkins the notorious Witchfinder General responsible for the execution of hundreds of locals accused of practicing witchcraft. Plus in a candid behind-the-scenes documentary viewers can now meet some of the team and see how they all contribute to getting the UK's biggest national ghost-hunt live on-air in a special programme filmed at Beaulieu Motor Museum. With engaging historical insight into each venue and chilling stories of paranormal events and hauntings this Volume 2 captures the thrills and excitement of the next four events in the Most Haunted Live DVD collection.

• Nightingale's Boys - The Complete Series | DVD | (01/07/2013) from £8.39   |  Saving you £11.60 (138.26%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Nightingale's Boy's shows what happens when a master at a northern grammar school, Bill 'Tweety' Nightingale, tries to organise a reunion with the boys of the 'star' class of his career: the 1949 sixth form. Nearing retirement and aware that his gifts are fading, Bill fondly regards the class as the high point of his career, and now hopes to recapture some of its alchemy; as this seven-part series unfolds, we see just how the likely lads of '49 turned out - and whether Bill is doomed to disillusion. Derek Farr - like several cast members a former teacher himself - brings great sympathy to the role of Bill Nightingale, a radical who had fought in the Spanish Civil War, and a distinguished master with 35 years' teaching experience. Each drama focuses on a particular member of his favourite class, with Anton Rodgers, Ronald Lewis, David Swift and Bernard Gallagher among the noted actors portraying the sixth-formers in adult life; writers include award-winning playwright Jack Rosenthal, Arthur Hopcraft.

• Mario Lanza - The Best of Everything | DVD | (27/03/2017) from £8.75   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Tomb Raider | Blu Ray | (16/07/2018) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father's global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he's truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can't understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death. Leaving everything she knows behind, Lara goes in search of her dad's last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous. Suddenly, the stakes couldn't be higher for Lara, whoagainst the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spiritmust learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.

• Heartbeat: the Complete First | DVD | (27/09/2010) from £20.89   |  Saving you £4.10 (19.63%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Heartbeat: Series 1 (3 Discs)

• Notorious | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £1.99   |  Saving you £18.00 (904.52%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The tragic story of Christopher Wallace - a young man who would go on to take the R&B world by storm under the alias of The Notorious B.I.G.

• Dad's Army: The Movie | DVD | (16/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £11.99

  In the 1970s the British film industry went through a craze for turning hit TV comedies into big screen features. From On the Buses (1971) to Porridge (1979), Dad's Army was one of the few which made the transition with style. Set in the small south coast town of Walmington-on-Sea in 1940, the film does have the structure of three TV episodes remade and sequenced together. Beginning with the formation of the local Home Guard, the company has a self-contained adventure on military manoeuvres, before a finale which allows for some heroism as three German officers take over the church hall. Dad's Army has all the gentle character comedy of the classic BBC TV series, benefiting enormously by retaining the entire television cast, headed by the incomparable Arthur Lowe as the blustering Captain Mainwaring and supported by the equally wonderful John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn. The cinema budget allows far superior production values to the original series, with a loving re-creation of 1940's England and some surprisingly beautiful cinematography. Above all, the film is both funny and a nostalgic reminder of a time when ordinary middle-aged and old men could be both real and movie heroes. --Gary S. Dalkin

• Scott Of The Antarctic | Blu Ray | (06/06/2016) from £10.18   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  John Mills stars as Captain Robert Scott in this film of the explorer's ill-fated expedition to be the first man to discover the South Pole, following every twist and turn on the great British explorer's perilous journey. Directed by Charles Frend, who went on to direct The Magnet, the film was nominated for both the Golden Lion in Venice and the BAFTA® for Best British Film.