"Actor: Dick Martin"

• The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy | DVD | (28/01/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The original BBC radio adventures of Arthur Dent (an ape-descendant whose anger at the apparently inexplicable destruction of his home planet Earth, situated in an obscure corner of the outer spiral arm of the galaxy, is expressed in frequent irritation at friendly automatic doors and vending machines) and his travelling companions, Ford Prefect (an itinerant towel-carrying hitch-hiker originally from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse), Zaphod Beeblebrox (the notorious ex-Galactic President and patron of Eccentrica Galumbits, the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon Six) and Marvin the Paranoid Android (who's still suffering from that terrible pain in all the diodes down his left side) proved to be such a success for the BBC that its transition to TV was (almost) inevitable. In 1981 several key members of the radio cast made the move to the small screen. Simon Jones' bewildered Arthur Dent remains the central character, shambling around in his dressing gown (a fact easy to forget on radio); Mark Wing-Davey's Zaphod Beeblebrox is the same as his boastful radio persona, even if the second head utterly fails to convince. Unfortunately, newcomers David Dixon (as Ford Prefect) and the irritating Sandra Dickinson (as Trillian) are no match for their radio predecessors.The problem here is not so much the low-budget look as the script itself, which is lovingly faithful to the radio series in a way that Douglas Adams' novels aren't. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was a lucid, satirical, occasionally profound, utterly unique comic invention on radio. As such, it has nothing to gain from TV. The script needs no visual elaboration--that's best left to the listener's own imagination. Only the animated renditions of the Guide itself enhance Peter Jones' wonderfully dry narration; otherwise--paradoxically, perhaps--by supplying images the concept is oddly diminished here.On the DVD: A suitably eclectic not to say eccentric collection of extra features makes this a wholly satisfying two-disc set, neatly packaged in a fold-out slipcase. On the second disc there's an hour-long "making of" documentary from 1992 featuring contributions from the cast and crew, including Douglas Adams; and then there's even more in a 20-minute section entitled "Don't Panic!". A fascinating behind-the-scenes peek at filming as the clock runs out on studio time and a look at the recording of the original radio series complete the first part. Then navigate to the "Outer Planets" to find outtakes, a deleted scene, Zaphod's animatronic second head on Tomorrow's World and Peter Jones's witty and shambolic introduction to the first episode, plus more besides. The series itself is presented in standard 4:3 ratio and Dolby stereo. --Mark Walker

• The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Special Edition | Blu Ray | (01/10/2018) from £12.99   |  Saving you £5.00 (38.49%)   |  RRP £17.99

  For the first time in the history of the universe, the complete Hitcher's Guide to the Galaxy is available in high definition! The cult classic British series from the mind of Douglas Adams is back in this very special edition. Featuring all episodes in full HD and 5.1 audio plus over 5 ½ hours of new and existing bonus material. Unbeknownst to its inhabitants, Earth is to be demolished to make way for an intergalactic highway. Arthur Dent (Simon Jones), an unassuming Englishman, is whisked off the planet to safety by his alien friend Ford Prefect (David Dixon), and launched on a dizzying journey through space and time (with only a towel, and a fish to help them) to discover the meaning of life itself.

• Following | DVD | (07/07/2003) from £14.74   |  Saving you £1.25 (8.48%)   |  RRP £15.99

  When writer Bill (Jeremy Theobald) is confronted by his latest 'target' of inspiration a man called Cobb (Alex Haw) he is drawn into a life of snooping and breaking and entering...

• Red Road | DVD | (19/02/2007) from £5.99   |  Saving you £14.00 (233.72%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A CCTV operator has to confront a man she thought she would never see again.

• Red Road | Blu Ray | (25/01/2010) from £7.99   |  Saving you £12.00 (150.19%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A CCTV operator has to confront a man she thought she would never see again.

• Help I'm A Fish | DVD | (06/01/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £1.99

  Help! I'm a Fish is an action-packed, entertaining 78-minute animated feature film, made in Denmark and dubbed for British audiences, starring the vocal talents of distinguished actor Alan Rickman and Monty Python's Terry Jones. The plot is simple but creative. Three children--Fly, Chuck and Stella--are on a clandestine fishing trip, when they stumble upon a mad professor whose potion transforms humans into fish. Stella innocently drinks the liquid, becomes a starfish and is thrown into the ocean. In an attempt to save her, the boys follow suit with Fly changing into a Californian flyfish and Chuck into a jellyfish. The antidote falls into the hands (or fins!) of a pilot fish, Joe, who drinks it and acquires human intelligence, the power of speech, a tyrannical desire for world control and a following of militant crabs. The threesome has 48 hours to retrieve the antidote, or they will remain fish forever. Traditional hand-drawn cartoons are interspersed with more modern computerised animations. The variety of life underwater is beautifully portrayed, adding greatly to the colour and interest of the film. Terry Jones is suitably loopy as Professor MacKrill and Alan Rickman creates a villain to match his baddie roles in Die Hard and Prince of Thieves. There are several key themes including the importance of intelligence, determination and friends and of being kind to animals and respecting the environment. Overall, this is a fast paced video with catchy songs and the occasional scary moment that will excite and delight children aged four and over. --Tracey Hogan

• Hollywood Musicals Of The 60's | DVD | (01/09/2000) from £6.76   |  Saving you £-0.77 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  The 60's were the last great decade for the American movie musical but it was also probably its best. With blockbusters like The Sound of Music West Side Story My fair Lady Mary Poppins Oliver! and Funny girl the artform reached its peak. Join us on a singing and dancing tour from the Austrian Alps to the vauderville halls of Brooklyn... from dancing in the streets of Spanish Harlem to the shores of River City... from the chimneys of Old London to the sound stages of Hollywoo

• Daddy-O | DVD | (29/11/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Dick Contino stars as Phil Sandifer a part time truck driver and singer who is almost run off road by a feisty buxom platinum blonde. They meet up again in a local bar and she challenges him to a midnight drag race through Griffith Park. Meanwhile Phil's friend Sonny is forced off the road and dies in a car crash. Phil is arrested for wreckless driving and accussed of killing Sonny he proves his innocence but has his driving license revoked.

• Charly | DVD | (02/07/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Released in 1968, Charly is a period-piece from the summer of love when "natural" was nirvana, the air hummed with the mantra "Everybody's beautiful", and all ills stemmed from institutional monoliths such as Science, Government, Education, and Religion. It is adapted from Daniel Keyes' novel Flowers for Algernon and its hero, Charly (Cliff Robertson), is 30 years old and mentally handicapped. His innocent sweetness makes him superior to most able-minded folk, whether they're the bigoted dolts he sweeps floors for or the ambitious scientists who see him as the human equivalent of Algernon, a mouse they've surgically (but impermanently) smartened up. Naturally, post-op Charly, sporting a genius IQ, "sees things as they are". Trotted out as the neurosurgeons' poster boy, he stands up to the "learned" audience--shot as faceless, inhuman interrogators. He's every 60s flower child, berating his "elders" for blighting their brave new world. The one reward Charly derives from his higher IQ is sex. In a lengthy montage resembling a retro TV commercial, he and his teacher (Claire Bloom, a madonna with an eternal Mona Lisa smile) romp through Edenic gardens, their embraces hallowed by sunlight glinting through leaves, moonlight glinting on water, and sappy Ravi Shankar music (stylistic clichés also include embarrassing outbreaks of split screens and multiple small screens within the frame, notably when rebellious Charly turns biker). Robertson's performance is well-meaning but mawkishly sentimental. Still, in the penultimate moments when Charly begins to slide back into mental illness, the actor achieves a genuine tragic gravity, and he became a surprise Oscar winner for his pains. --Kathleen Murphy, Amazon.com

• The Toxic Avenger | DVD | (02/02/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  The foundation stone of the Troma label's trash-movie empire, The Toxic Avenger introduces the character of nerdy janitor Melvin, who suffers heaps of abuse from local bad-guys and is stuffed into a vat of toxic waste while dressed in a ballerina outfit. He emerges mutated into a Swamp Thing/Hulk-style monster hero who romps around the blighted township of Tromaville, New Jersey, offing the grotesque villains in nastily gruesome ways and mooning over his blind true love. The Troma style is unique, and perhaps predates the anything-gross-for-a-laugh approach of the Farrelly Brothers by a good 10 years, but it sometimes wavers between the good-natured gags and genuinely unpleasant plot images that somewhat spoil the tone. Entry-level filmmaking, but with surprisingly professional head-squashing effects and a degree of enthusiasm that breaks down most resistance. Several sequels have ensued, including The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie. -- Kim Newman

• Rio Bravo | Blu Ray | (01/08/2023) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Donkeys | DVD | (20/08/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  This BAFTA award winning feature is a blackly comic look about the fragility of life and what family means. Starring Martin Compston (The Disappearance of Alice Creed) and James Cosmo (Game of Thrones). Alfred is 64. he has lost touch with his family and a threat to his health sees him wanting to make amends. But his past ways are going to prove an obstacle to his estranged family. Written by Lone Scherfig (An Education) and directed by Morag McKinnon.

• Air Bud - Golden Receiver | DVD | (20/09/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  This time out Buddy the hoop-shooting hotshot canine tackles a new sport - American football. When his teenage owner reluctantly becomes the school's new quarterback Buddy catches the spirit and joins theiteam. Soon the two find themselves leading the Timberwolves to the state championship. But victory hopes are sidelined when two sinister Russian circus owners take a bite out of everyone's plans and dognap Buddy for their star attraction! Give three cheers for Air Bud full o

• Truth Or Consequences N.M. | DVD | (14/04/2003) from £5.91   |  Saving you £7.08 (54.50%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Actor Kiefer Sutherland makes his directorial debut with Truth or Consequences NM, a ho-hum film about a threadbare subject: a drug heist that goes badly, resulting in the bad guys having to kidnap two people and the ensuing complications. A fine cast assures good performances all around, but it's hard to go down this narrative road for the umpteenth time in the 90s. One bonus is the presence of Kim Dickens, an interesting actress who started becoming more visible in films in 1997 and 1998 (Zero Effect, Great Expectations). The DVD release has optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, optional French and Spanish soundtracks and subtitles, and theatrical trailer. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

• Lady Of Burlesque | DVD | (01/09/2003) from £8.52   |  Saving you £-1.54 (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

• Divorce American Style | DVD | (18/09/2006) from £25.00   |  Saving you £-12.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  If you thought divorce was ugly try marriage! Meet Richard and Barbara Harmon. A typical American couple together for 17 years. But lately things have gotten too predictable and stale. The once loving couple spends their evenings arguing their marriage quickly unravelling. They visit a marriage counselor to no avail and when Richard pays a drunken visit to a prostitute (Lee Grant) they split up. But the Harmons find their newly-single lifestyle isn't going to be easy. Richard meets Jason Robards (All The President's Men) who plays matchmaker for his ex-wife Jean Simmons (Spartacus) figuring he won't have to pay alimony if she's re-married to Richard. Barbara falls for Big Al (Van Johnson) a car dealer with a mother fixation. but when Barbara and Richard are reunited at a nightclub one evening they come to the realization that even though they didn't have a perfect marriage it was a lot better than their divorce

• Bartleby | DVD | (04/10/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Bartleby is the only person to answer a job advert that describes the role as dead end and boring. After being hired he prefers not to work and after he is fired he prefers not to leave... Based upon Herman Melville's novella 'Bartleby' is a unique black comedy satire of modern bureaucracy. A film that will stay in your mind for a very long time!

• The Toxic Avenger | DVD | (20/11/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  The foundation stone of the Troma label's trash-movie empire, The Toxic Avenger introduces the character of nerdy janitor Melvin, who suffers heaps of abuse from local bad-guys and is stuffed into a vat of toxic waste while dressed in a ballerina outfit. He emerges mutated into a Swamp Thing/Hulk-style monster hero who romps around the blighted township of Tromaville, New Jersey, offing the grotesque villains in nastily gruesome ways and mooning over his blind true love. The Troma style is unique, and perhaps predates the anything-gross-for-a-laugh approach of the Farrelly Brothers by a good 10 years, but it sometimes wavers between the good-natured gags and genuinely unpleasant plot images that somewhat spoil the tone. Entry-level filmmaking, but with surprisingly professional head-squashing effects and a degree of enthusiasm that breaks down most resistance. Several sequels have ensued, including The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie. -- Kim Newman

• Air Bud | DVD | (04/10/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Air Bud: Golden Receiver: This time out Buddy the hoop-shooting hotshot canine tackles a new sport - American football. When his teenage owner reluctantly becomes the school's new quarterback Buddy catches the spirit and joins the team. Soon the two find themselves leading the Timberwolves to the state championship. But victory hopes are sidelined when two sinister Russian circus owners take a bite out of everyone's plans and dognap Buddy for their star attraction! Give three cheers for Air Bud full of outrageous fun and adventure it goes the whole nine yards for family fun. Air Bud: World Pup: Disney is proud to present the second heartwarming and hilarious sequel to the popular family favorite Air Bud! Buddy masters two new starring roles... soccer player and father. 'Air Bud: World Pup' is loaded with laughs and cool soccer action as Buddy teams up alongside U.S. women's soccer greats Brandi Chastain Briana Scurry and Tisha Venturini meanwhile keeping a protective eye over his adorable new family of soccer-playing puppies! Air Bud: Spikes Back: Disney serves up an all-new adventure starring everyone's favorite sports-playing golden retreiver Buddy! This time he masters the coolest sport under the sun... beach volleyball! But there's plenty of action off the courtias well - a rash of mysterious crimes have been puzzling everyone and the paw prints seem to point to Buddy! So it's up to Buddy to lead the authorities to the real culprit! With a special appearance by pro-volleyball champion Gabrielle Reece and a heartwarming story your family is sure to enjoy this fun-filled adventure! Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch: Air Bud knocks one out of the park when he takes up baseball in this all-new fun and heartwarming Disney adventure! This time Buddy joins in and shows that he's a natural baseball player with major league talent! In the midst of the season however a terrible discovery is made: Buddy's now grown puppies have mysteriously begun to disappear from their new homes. Now it's up to Buddy to stop the dog-nappings and find his pups before it's too late!

• Ocean's Eleven - The Documentary | DVD | (18/02/2002) from £17.97   |  Saving you £-4.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Released to coincide with Steven Soderbergh's classy remake, The Ocean's Eleven Story is a fascinating American television documentary that sets the original Ocean's Eleven film in its historical context. Despite the opportunistic title, the film itself only constitutes part of the story and is featured in only the briefest of clips--none of which include any dialogue. Despite this--and the rather shoddy nature of the interview footage--there is still enough excellent archive material and interesting stories to make The Ocean's Eleven Story a worthwhile proposition. Placing the film in the context of the whole "Rat Pack" period, the documentary also looks at the role of Sinatra and company in the political rise of the Kennedy clan, the involvement of the Mafia and their heady days in Las Vegas. It also focuses on the individual lives of the five principal members--Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop--and is particularly poignant with regard to Davis, who was treated as a god on stage but with utter contempt off it. This is maybe not the greatest piece of documentary film making ever made, but with a subject this engaging it would be difficult to fail. On the DVD: Despite the quality of much of the material involved (particularly the film of the Rat Pack performing in Las Vegas), there is a rather rushed feel to the release. DVD extras are minimal, featuring merely some dated TV footage and some equally odd trailers for other films starring the five. --Phil Udell