"Actor: Ed"

• Carry On Jack | DVD | (27/08/2001) from £4.50   |  Saving you £11.49 (255.33%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Carry On Jack was the 1963 offering from a team which had, by then, become a repertory company with special guests dropping in for a dose of innuendo. "What's all this jigging in the rigging?" demands Kenneth Williams, this time playing a ship's captain, and the scene is set for 90 minutes of ribaldry involving cross-dressing, press-ganging and plank walking. The plot scarcely matters. It's set after the Battle of Trafalgar and the sea is awash with Spanish galleons and pirates as the British navy sets about defending its shores with as much incompetence as possible. Sally, a barmaid at the Dirty Duck (Juliet Mills in feisty principal boy mode), knocks Bernard Cribbins on the head and steals his uniform so that she can go in search of her childhood sweetheart. He is promptly press-ganged and they end up on the same ship. Williams, on the brink of his ascendancy as a star turn, just about keeps the mannerisms under control enough to build the character of the naïve and neurotic captain. Familiar Carry On faces on top form include Charles Hawtrey and Jim Dale, while Peter Gilmore--in his pre-Onedin Line days--appears as a pirate. Peter Rodgers' script is not quite vintage Carry On but the jokes keep coming and it's all good, clean fun. On the DVD: This was one of the first Carry On films to be made in colour. The print is in reasonable condition. The picture quality, apart from a couple of scratchy scenes of sailing ships that were probably drafted in from stock footage, is fair, as is the sound. But apart from the scene index there are no extras on the disc. Given the cult status of the Carry On films, and the wealth of documentary material which has been made about them and their stars, you'd think something extra could have been offered with the DVD releases to make them a more worthwhile alternative to the video. --Piers Ford

• Crone Wood | DVD | (08/02/2021) from £13.04   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Midsomer Murders Series 17 - The Dagger Club | DVD | (02/03/2015) from £17.98   |  Saving you £2.00 (12.51%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Britain’s best-loved detective series starring Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby who continues to fight crime in the beautiful but deadly villages of Midsomer. DCI Barnaby is enjoying some family time with wife Sarah and baby Betty when he is called back into work. Artist Suzie Colebrook has been murdered shortly after discovering a break-in at her home in Luxton Deeping. The newly discovered priceless manuscript written by the late famous author George Summersbee has been stolen jeopardising its great unveiling at Luxton Deeping’s Crime Festival. Barnaby and Nelson uncover a hotbed of tension jealousy and obsession but will they find the manuscript and the killer?

• Ed Sullivan's Rock 'N' Roll Classics - Chart Toppers 1965/66/67 | DVD | (28/06/2004) from £14.98   |  Saving you £-7.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £6.99

  For 23 years Ed Sullivan hosted an American institution ""The Ed Sullivan Show"". Every Sunday at 8 o'clock Americans turned on their televisions to watch his live variety show not only hoping to catch a glimpse of the established stars of popular music but also to discover new trends and up and coming stars. One thing that could be counted on was you'd witness legendary performances that would be riveting to watch and exhilarating to hear. This series of DVD releases captures the v

• Mary Poppins/Alice In Wonderland (Disney) | DVD | (01/10/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Mary Poppins: Mary Poppins is one of Disney's most enchanting fantasies and the motion-picture hit that made 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' a household word! Julie Andrews stars as the loveable nanny who soars out of the skies and into the hearts of everyone she encounters. Toting a carpetbag full of magical adventures Mary and her fun-loving sidekick Bert (Dick Van Dyke) deliver endless joy and surprises to a troubled family. Alice In Wonderland: In the hands of Disney's extraordinary animation artists Lewis Carroll's immortal literary classic comes to life like never before. The surprises begin when a daydreaming Alice encounters a White Rabbit who is frantically running late. She chases him and falls into the magical madcap world of Wonderland with its kaleidoscope of off-the-wall characters. Filled with topsy-turvy fun Alice in Wonderland is teeming with spectacular songs and astounding animation in the highest Disney tradition.

• Blue Collar | DVD | (06/02/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Whatever became of the American dream? In Blue Collar Paul Schrader's strong directorial debut three assembly-line auto workers (Richard Pryor in one of his only serious dramatic roles Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto) are equally angry and disenchanted at factory management and their own union. They are also as the film reveals in long detailed vignettes struggling just to make ends meet. As they ruminate together on their dead-end jobs and the fears of a de

• Alita - Battle Angel (4K Ultra HD) (+ Blu-ray 3D) (+ Blu-ray 2D) | Blu Ray | (01/08/2019) from £52.62   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• 2001 : A Space Odyssey - Special Edition | DVD | (11/06/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  A daring experiment in unconventional narrative inspired by Arthur C Clarke's short story "The Sentinel", 2001: A Space Odyssey is a visual tone poem (barely 40 minutes of dialogue in a 139-minute film) that charts a phenomenal history of human evolution. When Stanley Kubrick recruited Clarke to collaborate on "the proverbial intelligent science fiction film", it's a safe bet neither the maverick auteur nor the great science fiction writer knew they would virtually redefine the parameters of the cinema experience with the result. From the dawn-of-man discovery of crude but deadly tools in the film's opening sequence to the journey of the spaceship Discovery and metaphysical birth of the "star child" at film's end, Kubrick's vision is meticulous and precise. In keeping with the director's underlying theme of dehumanisation by technology, the notorious, seemingly omniscient, computer HAL 9000 has more warmth and personality than the human astronauts it is supposedly serving. (The director also leaves the meaning of the black, rectangular alien monoliths open for discussion.) This theme, in part, is what makes 2001 a film like no other, though dated now that its post-millennial space exploration has proven optimistic compared to reality. Still, the film is timelessly provocative in its pioneering exploration of inner and outer-space consciousness. With spectacular, painstakingly authentic special effects that have stood the test of time, Kubrick's film is nothing less than a cinematic milestone--puzzling, provocative and perfect. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

• Magic | DVD | (21/08/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Abracadabra I sit on his knee. Presto change-o and now he's me! Hocus Pocus we take her to bed. Magic is fun...we're dead. Anthony Hopkins is Corky a painfully shy failed magician who finds overnight success as a ventriloquist. His brash foul-mouthed dummy Fats becomes a huge nightclub hit. With his star on the rise talent agent Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith) arranges an important shot at national TV. But the pressure of failing the network's required physical sends Corky into a panic. With Fats in tow he flees the city to a nearly-deserted resort in the Catskills run by the love of his youth Peggy Ann Snow (Ann-Margret). Peg's spent years trapped in a loveless marriage with her high-school sweetheart Duke (Ed Lauter). In Corky she sees the chance for a loving relationship and accepts an offer to run away with him. However when Corky confides to Fats that he may leave show business altogether Fats becomes furious and lashes out at him playing on his guilt and insecurity. Now under Fats' control Corky is manipulated into a series of violent and unexpected confrontations. Based on the novel by William Goldman writer of the Marathon Man and Butch Cssidy And The Sundance Kid novels and screenplays who had previously collaborated with Richard Attenborough in supplying the script for epic war film A Bridge Too Far.

• KING KONG - MOVIE | DVD | (20/08/2002) from £12.43   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Cedar Rapids | Blu Ray | (19/09/2011) from £9.68   |  Saving you £13.30 (198.80%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When a naive, small-town insurance agent named Tim Lippe (Ed Helms, The Hangover) goes to a convention in the big city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, his life gets turned inside out under the influence of three convention veterans. This sort of fish-out-of-water comedy could have been a flimsy excuse for broad slapstick and absurd high jinks; instead, in the confident hands of director Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl, Chuck & Buck), Cedar Rapids becomes something more humane and, in a quiet way, more ambitious. Helms manages to make Tim genuine, a man-child but not a cartoon; the movie's situations skirt wackiness, yet always remain in the realm of something emotionally real. (The movie also reflects the influence of producers Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, who created the similarly character-rich movies Sideways, Almost Schmidt, and Election.) The whole cast hits the right notes, from such familiar faces as John C. Reilly (Magnolia, Talladega Nights), Anne Heche, and Sigourney Weaver to such stealthy character actors as Stephen Root (NewsRadio), Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (The Wire), and Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development). Cedar Rapids is sweet without being cloying, funny without being manic, and even a little sad at times, without ever turning up the violins on the soundtrack. It's an honest movie, and there are all too few of them out there. --Bret Fetzer

• Ruby Strangelove The Young Witch | DVD | (05/10/2015) from £5.13   |  Saving you £4.86 (94.74%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Young Ruby Strangelove has a very special secret she is a Witch! When she discovers her long lost mother was abducted by evil forces she sets out to use all her magical powers to get her back. Ruby Strangelove is a magical story, with amazing special effects, about a young girl journeying through the universe defeating evil to be reunited with the mother she thought she would never see again.

• Needful Things | DVD | (02/06/2014) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

  Newly arrived and seemingly kindly antique shop owner Gaunt (Max von Sydow) has the strange talent of finding the perfect present for each of Castle Rock's quiet townsfolk. However, Gaunt does not want any money in return - instead he asks a small favour from each of them. These favours start off as pranks, but gradually increase in their nastiness. Sheriff Panghorn (Ed Harris) resists the sinister Gaunt, even while he is working his evil persuasive charm on Panghorn's girlfriend.

• Dolly Parton - Blue Valley Songbird | DVD | (25/06/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  In a totally unexpected piece of casting, Blue Valley Songbird stars Dolly Parton as a country singer/songwriter with big hair, large breasts and lots of lippy. The comparison ends there, though, because here she plays Leana Taylor, a talented performer hampered by her provincial background (and unpleasant manager/boyfriend) who realises she must escape her small-town roots in order to achieve her true potential. This isn't the most taxing of narratives, but it's the music that counts here. This movie is of the "musical drama" genre--take a star musical performer, give them the lead role in a movie, then furnish them with every excuse to perform therein so long as it can be done as a realistic element within the overall story--and as such it's highly agreeable. Parton not only has buckets of musical talent but also has plausible acting skills, even if the viewer is bound to think that these are mainly to do with being Dolly Parton. In any event, the songs are excellent, so this is well worth watching even if you find yourself fast-forwarding until you see someone picking a guitar up.--Roger Thomas

• Ed Sullivan's Rock 'N' Roll Classics - Chart Toppers 1968/69/70 | DVD | (08/10/2007) from £11.98   |  Saving you £-0.99 (-9.00%)   |  RRP £10.99

  For 23 years Ed Sullivan hosted an American institution. Every Sunday at 8 o'clock Americans turned on their TV's to watch his live variety show not only hoping to catch a glimpse of the established stars of popular music but also to discover new trends and up and coming stars. Tracklisting: Gary Puckett & The Union Gap - Lady Willpower / Tommy James & The Shondells - Mony Mony / The Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come Today / The Beach Boys - Do It Again / Spanky & Our Gang - Lik

• Skokie | DVD | (11/08/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

  In a comfortable Chicago suburb the advantages of life are abundant but when a politically astute Nazi organizer selects Skokie as the site of his next rally feelings run riot. This film drama spans over a year of legal battles and explores the very meaning of freedom in America.

• Callie And Son | DVD | (02/08/2004) from £4.98   |  Saving you £-0.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

  Lindsay Wagner stars as Callie who battles her way up the ladder from waitress to fabulously wealthy Texas socialite. The price for her success is her son Randy played by Jameson Parker. Through weilding great power Callie is nearly powerless in her efforts to keep Randy away from beautiful young schemer Michelle Pfeiffer. The film's many intrigues result in a sensational murder trail.

• Bare Witness | DVD | (09/10/2003) from £6.32   |  Saving you £-0.33 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Julie Spencer likes her work as an adult film actress and call girl. She especially likes watching the videotape she makes of herself and her clients. When Julie turns up dead in an alley after her roommate Carly drives her to the location of another film shoot Carly first becomes a suspect and then an intended victim. Julie's murderers frantically search for her last videotape which implicates a ruthless businessman and a highly placed politician in a deadly plot reaching all the way to City Hall and the Mayor's office. Carly's only protection is Detective Killian who has more than a professional interest in keeping her safe while he tries to unravel the web of murder and intrigue surrounding her and the mysterious missing tape...

• Jacknife | DVD | (24/09/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Fifteen years previously three friends were drafted into the Vietnam War and only two came home. Still traumatised by their experiences and estranged from each other for many years Dave and 'Jacknife' meet again in a confrontation which will test their friendship and shape their futures.

• Night Of The Hunter | DVD | (26/11/2001) from £6.89   |  Saving you £-0.90 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  A young lad called John son of a convicted bank robber is suspicious when a prison chaplain calls at his house claiming to have heard his father's last confession. It soon becomes clear to the boy that the 'priest' is really an imposter after his father's hidden loot but terrifyingly no-one will believe him...