"Actor: Henry D"

• 20 Million Miles To Earth | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Notable neither for its director nor its stars, 20 Million Miles to Earth has been given the widescreen spit 'n' polish treatment because of its special-effects man, the legendary Ray Harryhausen. And it's his work here that makes this daft slice of hokum so watchable. When a group of Italian boat fishermen investigate a crash-landed space rocket returned from a trip to Venus, they find one surviving all-American hero and an alien in aspic: the Emere, a tiny homunculus hungry for sulphur and growing faster than a teenager on steroids. Cue man-vs-alien mayhem, screenfuls of avuncular patriarchs and the gratuitous destruction of Rome. A by-numbers B-movie, Harryhausen's sixth feature isn't a patch on his later Technicolor masterpieces, but the unusual Italian setting ("I wanted a trip to Europe") adds an exotic quality and his effects are as solid and convincing as ever. The film only really begins to crackle when his stop-motion creation is onscreen. Like a scaly King Kong, he's as likely to engender sympathy as fear: surely anyone who's been bombed, blasted, burnt, electrocuted, shot at by trigger-happy squaddies and involved in a punch-up with a pachyderm is entitled to lose their rag a little. And fans will enjoy spotting in the Emere the flowerings of Harryhausen's later and greater creations, Sinbad's Cyclops and The Titans' Calibos and Kraken. The denouement, with the creature atop the Colosseum, is as effective as that of Kong's. It wasn't beauty who killed the beast here, however, it was bombs. On the DVD: 20 Million Miles to Earth's black and white picture is clean and crisp in this anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, and the Dolby digital mono soundtrack is clear enough. The theatrical trailer will please fans of kitsch, as will the featurette "This Is Dynamation" produced at the same time as the first Sinbad movie. The real corker here, though, is the generously lengthed documentary "The Harryhausen Chronicles". Narrated by Leonard Nimoy, this features a stellar cast of devotees (George Lucas among them) waxing lyrical about the influence of Harryhausen's films, and allows the man himself to ramble fascinatingly over clips of his filmic canon. The claw-slash menu marker is a nice touch, too. If you're a fan, this disc is Harryhausen heaven. --Paul Eisinger

• The Greed Of William Hart | DVD | (11/02/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  This classic tale of grave robbers and murderers who sold the corpses for medical science was banned in its original title of Burke and Hare, which was of course a true story. The film is set in Edinburgh in the 1800's starring Tod Slaughter as William Hart; this dark and gory film tells the story of the infamous grave robbers. Burke was hanged and Hare avoided the gallows by testifying against Burke. This film is rarely seen and is graced with a fine cast. Alongside Tod Slaughter, top honours go to Henry Oscar (1891-1969) as Mr. Moore who equals Slaughter's treacly malevolence to such an extent that neither actor steals the scenes over the other. It is equally delightful to see a very young Aubrey Woods and also Tod's wife Jenny Lynn in the role of Helen Moore.

• The Times Of Harvey Milk | DVD | (26/01/2009) from £3.98   |  Saving you £11.00 (552.76%)   |  RRP £12.99

  With testimonies news items and extensive film archives this documentary recollects the story of Harvey Milk the gay politician who became a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and along with Mayor George Moscone was assassinated by Supervisor Dan White in 1978.

• F.I.S.T. | DVD | (23/06/2003) from £15.55   |  Saving you £-2.56 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  When a professional couple who have lived & worked together for many years finally decide to marry, their sudden betrothal causes many unexpectedly funny and awkward difficulties.

• Mission: Impossible Collector's Edition | DVD | (01/05/2006) from £7.62   |  Saving you £10.37 (57.60%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Expect the Impossible. Tom Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt a secret agent framed for the deaths of his espionage team. Fleeing from government assassins breaking into the CIA's most impenetrable vault clinging to the roof of a speeding bullet train Hunt races like a burning fuse to stay one step ahead of his pursuers and draw one step closer to discovering the shocking truth. ""This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.""

• Sherlock Holmes - The Woman in Green | DVD | (07/09/2009) from £7.90   |  Saving you £3.08 (62.73%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Sherlock Holmes: The Woman In Green

• In The Line Of Duty - Kidnapped | DVD | (08/10/2001) from £6.54   |  Saving you £-4.55 (-228.60%)   |  RRP £1.99

  The horrendous true story of a cat-and-mouse game between an FBI agent and a devious kidnapper who targets the children of rich families in Los Angeles.

• All The Pretty Horses | DVD | (05/11/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Matt Damon and Henry Thomas star as John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins, two young cowboys in 1949 who ride from Texas into Mexico in search of what may be left of the Old West.

• Arsenal - Centurions - 100 Goals Of Dennis Bergkamp / 100 Goals Of Thierry Henry | DVD | (18/08/2003) from £9.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (100.10%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A programme celebrating the Arsenal careers of Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp and his French counterpart Thierry Henry who both recently scored their 100th individual goal for the Gunners to join a select group of players.

• Stardust / Ondine | DVD | (30/05/2011) from £2.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (77.00%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Stardust: A young man named Tristan tries to win the heart of Victoria the beautiful but cold object of his desire by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star. His journey takes him to a mysterious and forbidden land beyond the walls of his village. On his odyssey Tristan finds the star which has transformed into a striking girl named Yvaine. However Tristan is not the only one seeking the star. A king's four living sons - not to mention the ghosts of their three dead brothers - all need the star as they vie for the throne. Tristan must also overcome the evil witch Lamia who needs the star to make her young again. As Tristan battles to survive these threats encountering a pirate named Captain Shakespeare and a shady trader named Ferdy the Fence along the way his quest changes. He must now win the heart of the star for himself as he discovers the meaning of true love. Ondine: Ondine is a lyrical modern fairy tale that tells the story of Syracuse (Colin Farrell) an Irish fisherman whose life is transformed when he catches a beautiful and mysterious woman (Alicja Bachleda) in his nets. His daughter Annie (Alison Barry) comes to believe that the woman is a magical creature while Syracuse falls helplessly in love. However like all fairy tales enchantment and darkness go hand in hand.

• All Or Nothing | DVD | (28/04/2003) from £6.85   |  Saving you £13.14 (191.82%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A 2002 Mike Leigh drama, All or Nothing is at times almost unbearably bleak and poignant, yet funny, truthful and richly rewarding. The film's revolves around Timothy Spall's mini-cab driver, his family and the various characters and acquaintances on the South-east London estate where he lives. It's perhaps even better than Secrets and Lies, in which Spall also starred, which was marred a little by some of the tearful excesses of Brenda Blethyn's bravura performance. It's evidence that Leigh has matured and improved with age, rather than mellowed and softened. He's developed into a highly distinctive but rounded and humane filmmaker. Spall's cabbie is too gentle and thoughtful to be described as a slob, but his lack of even the most basic ambition and stoic non-resistance to life has created an unspoken rift between him and wife Penny (Lesley Manville). Working on a supermarket checkout, she must cook dinner and fend off insults from her fat, frustrated, obnoxious 18-year-old son Rory. She receives only passive sympathy from her older daughter Rachel. Only when Rory is taken ill is Phil snapped out of his torpor as the family pull together. A host of minor characters also feature; fatuous cabbie Ron (Paul Jesson) his alcoholic wife and sluttish daughter, as well as the wonderfully good-humoured and resilient Maureen, Penny's best friend, concerned at her daughter's relationship with a violent boyfriend. Once accused of caricaturing his "lower class" characters, here Leigh (with the collaborative assistance of his actors) exhibits them in all their authentic complexity, neither idealising nor sentimentalising them. On the DVD: All or Nothing's extras include the original trailer, as well as interviews with several members of the cast. Timothy Spall is interesting on the unnerving process of collaboration favoured by Leigh, whereby characters are "built from zero" by the actors. The smart and rather posh Lesley Manville strikes quite a contrast in real life with her mousey, put-upon character. There's also a meticulous and absorbing commentary from Mike Leigh, who talks about filming in Greenwich and how he has moved away from some of the more dogmatic ideas about filmmaking of his earlier, avant-garde days. --David Stubbs

• You're Under Arrest - Mini Specials | DVD | (17/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The mean streets of Tokyo are that much safer when the ladies of Bokuto Police Station are on patrol! When the fun-loving and free-wheeling Natsumi teams up with the mechanical wizard Miyuki criminals don't stand a chance. From booby-trapped handbags to exhibitionists from beyond the grave to geriatric gearheads you'll be rolling on the floor with laughter at these 20 mini-episodes. Will they be able to protect their undergarments and co-workers from the depredations of an army of T

• Punk In London | DVD | (28/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Re-mastered from the original negative featuring The Clash and some of punks most important bands. Directed by German filmmaker Wolfgang Buld this is a unique visual record of London punk life in the late seventies. Filled with unseen live footage and some incredibly naive comments. Punk in London is so loaded with history and brilliance that you can almost smell the energy! Tracklist: 1. The Adverts - Gary Gilmore's Eyes 2. Jimmy Pursey Interview 3. Chelsea Interview 1 4. C

• Greta Garbo Collection | DVD | (12/10/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Titles Comprise: Anna Christie (1930): Garbo made her landmark transition to Talkies with this film playing a former prostitute whose past threatens her chance for happiness. A different director and cast join Garbo in a German-language version (Side B with English subtitles) filmed on the same sound stages immediately after the English version. Later Garbo called it the better film and this new DVD release gives fans the rare opportunity to compare the two versions. Mata Hari (1931): Garbo is mesmerizing as a dancer turned German secret agent in wartime Paris seething with secrets and betrayal. The notable supporting cast includes Lionel Barrymore as a Russian general in love with her Lewis Stone as an icy master spy and Ramon Novarro as a handsome aviator who wins the heart Mata Hari did not know she possessed. Queen Christina (1933): To escape the burdens of the monarchy Sweden's Queen Christina (Garbo) rides into the countryside disguised as a boy. She meets and secretly falls for a dashing Spanish envoy on his way to the royal court. When her lover's true identity is revealed Christina knows her people will not accept her marriage to a foreigner. Torn between her duty and her heart she must make a fateful decision. Garbo is luminous in this lavish costume drama starring with her one-time off-screen fianc'' John Gilbert under the direction of Rouben Mamoulian. Anna Karenina (1935): Leo Tolstoy's novel of a dutiful wife and doting mother who gives up her life of contentment to experience real passion receives sumptuous treatment in a David O. Selznick production. Clarence Brown directs a stellar cast - including Fredric March Basil Rathbone Maureen O'Sullivan and Freddie Bartholomew. Greta Garbo is the soul of the film in a nuanced performance that won the New York Film Critics Best Actress Award. At the height of her art Garbo is unforgettable as a woman helpless in love's grasp and heartbroken at the loss of her son. Camille (1936): Life in 1847 Paris is as spirited as champagne and as unforgiving as the gray morning after. In gambling dens and lavish soirees men of means exert their wills and women turned courtesans exult in pleasure. One such woman is Marguerite Gautier (Garbo) the Camille of this sumptuous romantic tale based on the enduring Alexandre Dumas story. Garbo earned an Academy Award nomination and the New York Film Critics Best Actress Award for her memorable work in this George Cukor-directed film. Ninotchka (1939): Garbo shines in her first comedy a frothy tale of a dour Russian envoy sublimating her womanhood for Soviet brotherhood until she falls for a suave Parisian man-about-town (Melvyn Douglas). Working from a clever script written in part by Billy Wilder director Ernst Lubitsch knew better than anyone how to marry refinement with sublime wit. That's how we see Garbo's love struck Ninotchka: serenely dignified yet endearingly ridiculous.

• Sagebrush Trail | DVD | (02/05/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £3.99

  A young cowboy (Wayne) breaks out of jail after being falsely accused of murder and must prove his innocence before the authorities lock him back up...

• Hamilton Mattress | DVD | (05/04/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Hamilton Mattress is a cheering half-hour of stop-frame animation featuring Sludger, an awkward aardvark with amazing rhythmical ability. As he searches the dusty land for ants with his down-at-heel aardvark companions, Sludger dreams of bettering himself and of wearing "important trousers". His big chance comes when his talent for drumming is spotted by Feldwick, caterpillar-cum-agent. Before he can say "anty"--aardvark for all things good--Sludger finds himself in Beak City where birds rule the roost and beaks are beautiful. Feldwick and Sludger--the latter now transformed into drummer extraordinaire, "Hamilton Mattress", a name he takes from a billboard advertisement--must overcome avian prejudice and discover the true meaning of friendship if they are to survive and get to wear the trousers of Sludger's dreams. Hamilton Mattress is the first in a trilogy of films produced by Christopher Moll whose other credits include the Wallace and Gromit adventure The Wrong Trousers and it will be interesting to see where the characters go next. This light modern fable may not have the mass appeal of Wallace and Gromit but with its infectious dance rhythms and unassuming aardvark hero, the tale is sure to be a hit with the whole family. As the advertisement says: "everyone loves a Hamilton Mattress". --Helen BakerDVD DescriptionDVD Special Features:An Interview With the WritersBehind the Scenes FeaturesDeleted ShotsTwo Audio CommentariesTrailersWeblink5:1 Track Option

• Emma | DVD | (27/09/2004) from £4.99   |  Saving you £8.00 (160.32%)   |  RRP £12.99

  An adaptation of Jane Austen's story of marriage and manners set in a picturesque 19th Century village which revolves around a spoilt young woman Emma Woodhouse who delights in influencing the love-lives of her friends with disastrous results.

• Atanarjuat - The Fast Runner | DVD | (25/08/2003) from £19.88   |  Saving you £0.11 (0.55%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Fast Runner turns the frozen landscape of northern Canada into the stage for an adventure as sweeping as The Odyssey or Beowulf. Adapted from an Inuit legend, The Fast Runner centres on Atanarjuat, a charismatic young hunter struggling for the affections of Atuat, who has already been promised to Oki, the son of the camp's leader. When Atuat chooses Atanarjuat, Oki seems to accept it, but later events turn his anger and hatred into a murderous spite. This story, as passionate and primal as any film noir, is framed by the daily lives of the Inuit--a struggle for survival that is both simple and vivid, foreign yet immediately understandable. No one in the cast is a professional actor, but the performances are direct and compelling, telling a story that is epic and intimate. --Bret Fetzer

• The Ox-Bow Incident | DVD | (02/08/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Two drifters are passing through a Western town when news comes in that a local farmer has been murdered and his cattle stolen. The townspeople joined by the drifters form a posse to catch the perpetrators. They find three men in possession of the cattle and are determined to see justice done on the spot.

• 3 Classic Award Winning Dramas - Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe / Sophie's Choice / On Golden Pond | DVD | (20/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  The sunny streets of Brooklyn, just after World War II. A young would-be writer named Stingo (Peter MacNicol) shares a boarding house with beautiful Polish immigrant Sophie (Meryl Streep) and her tempestuous lover, Nathan (Kevin Kline); their friendship changes his life. This adaptation of the bestselling novel by William Styron is faithful to the point of being reverential, which is not always the right way to make a film come to life. But director Alan J. Pakula (All the President's Men) provides a steady, intelligent path into the harrowing story of Sophie, whose flashback memories of the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp form the backbone of the movie. Streep's exceptional performance--flawless Polish accent and all--won her an Oscar, and effectively raised the standard for American actresses of her generation. No less impressive is Kevin Kline, in his movie debut, capturing the mercurial moods of the dangerously attractive Nathan. The two worlds of Sophie's Choice, nostalgic Brooklyn and monstrous Europe, are beautifully captured by the gifted cinematographer Néstor Almendros, whose work was Oscar-nominated but didn't win. It should have. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com