If the mark of a successful TV comedy is that repeat showings attract new viewers, then Dad's Army must be one of the best. The Very Best of Dad's Army includes five episodes almost covering its whole time span--from 1969's "Sons of the Sea", an entertaining caper when lost at home, to 1977's final episode "Never Too Old", in which sparky Corporal Jones marries his longtime sweetheart, and the ageing Second World War platoon drinks a toast to Britain's Home Guard. Along with these is 1973's "The Deadly Attachment", where a captive U-boat crew falls prey to dummy hand-grenades; 1972's "Keep Young and Beautiful", a touching tale of looking younger and sticking together; and the same year's "Asleep in the Deep", where the platoon uses its skill and judgement, plus a little luck, to escape a life-threatening situation. Fans and newcomers will enjoy the priceless interplay of Arthur Lowe and John le Mesurier, along with the contributions of Clive Dunn, John Laurie, Arnold Ridley, Ian Lavender and James Beck, in this nostalgic depiction of Britain as it once was. On the DVD: The 4:3 picture reproduction has come up well and the dual mono sound is more than adequate. Each episode features six scene selections, while the artist profiles provide brief but relevant biographical details. The half-hour Selection Box gives celebrities past and present a chance to pick their favourite extracts and explain just why they're hooked. Chances are you will be too.--Richard Whitehouse
Norman Jewison's dystopian Rollerball portrays a near-future in the aftermath of the Corporate Wars, in which nations have crumbled and conglomerates rule. In place of freedom the people are given bread and circuses: material comfort and rollerball itself. Played on a circular, slanted track by men on skates and motorbikes, this extreme sport is the ultimate extrapolation of the primitive blood lust implicit in many team sports. James Caan is outstanding as Jonathan E, star player with the Houston team. In the elegant detachment of Jewison's direction, emphasised by the stark, alienating use of classical music, there are echoes of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Notwithstanding the brilliantly staged arena sequences, Rollerball is essentially about freedom versus conformity and the corruption of unfettered capitalism, with Caan leading an existential rebellion in the tradition of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 which leads to a chilling, apocalyptic finale. Certainly the most prophetic film of the 1970s, Rollerball has an intelligence and power overlooked by those who simply denounce its brutal violence. On the DVD: Rollerball arrives on DVD with clear three-channel Dolby Digital sound, although obviously it lacks the impact of a more modern 5.1 soundtrack. The 1.77:1 transfer is anamorphically enhanced and is generally very sharp and detailed with excellent colour. Some scenes show a lot of grain, but this is presumably a consequence of having to shoot with very fast lenses to capture the swift and dramatic action under indoor lighting conditions. "Return to the Arena--The Making of Rollerball" is a new 25-minute documentary (4:3 with letterboxed film clips) that features Jewison, Harrison and various other personnel reminiscing about the making of the film. The highlight of the extras are commentary tacks from the Jewison and Harrison, and while there is inevitably some overlap of information, and some quite lengthy gaps in Harrison's track, there is also much to interest the serious film buff. Also included is an original seven-minute promotional featurette "From Rome to Rollerball: The Full Circle", the chilling original trailer, the teaser trailer and a trailer for the remake.--Gary S Dalkin
Five fine episodes of the evergreen Home Guard sitcom here. Dad's Army endures because it combines a healthy dollop of self-mockery with a sense of pride in Britain's lonely defiance against Hitler's might in 1940, encapsulated in the pompous and incompetent yet courageous Captain Mainwaring. Arthur Lowe is sublime in this role. Though he generally acts as a foil to his flippant platoon of funny stereotypes (Walker, Frazier, Godfrey, etc.), his subtle double-takes and apoplectic facial expressions of exasperation are endlessly hilarious. Corporal Jones' doddery recklessness can generally be relied upon to culminate in a finale involving trousers, cries of "Don't panic!" and chases across country but the masterstroke of this series was the casting against type of John Le Mesurier as the vague, aristocratic Sergeant and Lowe as his military but not social superior. These episodes include "The Day The Balloon Went Up" (a typically frantic caper involving a stray barrage balloon), "The Two And A Half Feathers" (including a wonderful Jonesy flashback to his days in the Sudan) and "The Deadly Attachment", in which Pike cheeks the captain of a captive U-Boat crew, who demands his name to add to his "list" of insolent Englanders. "Don't tell him, Pike!" urges Mainwaring. --David Stubbs
Digitally re-mastered for superior sound and picture quality Lovin’ You is a genuine Elvis classic and an absolute “must have” for any true fan of the undisputed King of Rock’n’Roll from the days when he was lean mean and magnificent and had a hip wiggle that drove the girls crazy. Only Presley’s second ever feature film and his first in colour this rocking romance uncannily mirrors Elvis’s own explosion onto the music scene and rocket ride to fame and fortune. His raw animal prescence leaps sensationally from the screen in the all-singing all-dancing story of a humble delivery boy turned rock’n’roll star Deke Rivers – featuring the hit songs Teddy Bear Got A Lot Of Lovin’ To Do Hot Dog Mean Woman Blues Party and of course the tender ballad Lovin’ You. First released in the cinema in 1957 the movie showed Elvis had genuine acting talent with his gritty and emotional portrayal of a simple country boy catapulted to stardom. Interestingly two versions of the title song were recorded for the film and although two versions are on the Complete Fifties Masters both are shorter than the 2 minutes 12 seconds on-screen version here!
Best of enemies. Deadliest of friends. They are fast friends and worse foes. One is Billy the Kid (Kris Kristofferson) a law unto himself. The other is the law: Sheriff Pat Garrett (James Coburn) who once rode with Billy. Set to a bristling score by Bob Dylan (who also plays Billy's sidekick Alias) and with a `Who's Who' of iconic Western players Sam Peckinpah's saga of one of the West's great legends is now restored to its intended glory. For the first time since it left
DON'T DRINK THE WATER! From cult director Nico Mastorakis (Island of Death, Hired to Kill) comes Nightmare at Noon, a hectic mashup of eco-horror and shoot em up full of daring stunts and explosive action! Something strange is afoot in a small remote town in Utah, as a series of sinister state experiments in the surrounding desert leads to the contamination of its water supply, transforming the residents into lethal brainless maniacs. Enter vacationing lawyer Ken Griffiths (Wings Hauser, Vice Squad), his sassy wife Cheri (Kimberly Beck) and Reilly (Bo Hopkins), the mysterious hitchhiker they pick up on the road, who find themselves thrust into the midst of this madness when they stop for a drink at the local diner. Featuring an epic score by Stanley Myers and Hans Zimmer (Inception, The Dark Knight series) and set amongst the spectacular backdrop of Arches National Park, Nightmare at Noon is a non-stop adrenaline pumping thrill ride! Product Features Brand new restoration from the original negative High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Original uncompressed stereo audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Optional Greek subtitles The Films of Nico Mastorakis: Nightmare at Noon, featurette on the making of the film with commentary from director Nico Mastorakis Behind-the-scenes footage Original onset interviews with actors Wings Hauser, Bo Hopkins, Kimberly Beck, George Kennedy and Brion James Trailer Image gallery accompanied by the film's score from Stanley Myers and Hans Zimmer Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Johnny Mains
True Believer is an effective mystery by thrillmeister director Joseph Ruben (Sleeping with the Enemy), that allows star James Woods to do some real acting as he conveys his character's denial and sense of disappointment in himself. Eddie Dodd (Woods) is a former '60s radical lawyer who now spends his time cynically defending drug dealers for the big bucks. But an idealistic young protégé (Robert Downey Jr.) convinces him to take one case from the heart: a young Chinese immigrant unjustly accused in a gang slaying. Woods (complete with add-on ponytail) fairly hums with energy once he gets cooking here. Playing the been-there-done-that mentor--not to mention legal gadfly--gives him plenty of opportunity to run off at the mouth with spicy one-liners and zingers. --Marshall Fine, Amazon.com
Action adventure directed by Douglas Hickox and starring James Coburn and Robert Culp. When a rich industrialist by the name of Bracken (Culp) finds that his wife and children have been kidnapped by terrorists, he has the police try to capture them and rescue his family. But the police fail in every attempt and Bracken's last hope lies in his wife's former husband McCabe (Coburn) who has his own plan of action and recruits a team of professional hang gliders for a daring mountain top rescue.
This morning they were playing ping-pong in the hospital rec room. Now they're lost in New York and framed for murder. This was never covered in group therapy. Michael Keaton heads an all-star cast in this irresistible comedy about four mental patients who are seperated from their therapist on the way to a baseball game. A chronic liar with a violent streak Billy (Michael Keaton) finds himself on the loose in New York City with his fellow group-therapy patients: Henry (Chri
""Don't panic! Don't Panic!"" the hapless homeguard of Walmington-On-Sea have returned for series 5 of Dad's Army. Episodes comprise: 1. Asleep in the Deep 2. Keep Young and Beautiful 3. A Soldier's Farewell 4. Getting the Bird 5. The Desperate Drive of Lance Corporal Jones 6. If the Cap Fits... 7. The King Was in His Counting House 8. All is Safely Gathered In 9. When Did You Last See Your Money? 10. Brain Versus Brawn 11. A Brush Wit
Although it could have been twice as long, this double-DVD set effectively captures over three hours of highlights from one of the most comprehensive and diverse collection of guitarists ever assembled for a single event. Recorded over three days in June of 2004 to benefit Eric Clapton's Crossroads Center in Antigua (as do the sales of this set), the show is not surprisingly heavy on the rootsy blues and country that comprise Clapton's primary inspirations. But it also includes folk (James Taylor), gospel (Robert Randolph & the Family Band), fret-shredding rockers (Steve Vai who delivers a dazzling performance), jazz (John McLaughlin), and, most interestingly, Indian classical music (a stunning piece from Vishwa Mohan Bhatt). Most compelling are the rare and sometimes unusual collaborations. Joe Walsh and Taylor clown around on "Steamroller Blues" and Booker T. & the M.G.'s back both Joe Walsh on a rollicking "Rocky Mountain Way" and Los Lobos' David Hidalgo tearing into a sizzling "The Neighborhood". Clapton and J.J. Cale share the stage as do Clapton and Carlos Santana, and a show-stopping blues summit with Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, Hubert Sumlin, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Clapton is a treat for all involved. There are some shortcomings. The event isn't presented in chronological order--different stages, days, and backing bands are shuffled with Clapton's own set scattered throughout--ZZ Top's closing is a bit anticlimactic, and there are many omissions due to time constraints. But every act rises to the occasion, and this expertly recorded and shot DVD gives the viewer a front-row seat to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. --Hal Horowitz
Arguably the greatest black comedy ever made, Stanley Kubrick's cold war classic is the ultimate satire of the nuclear age. Dr. Strangelove is a perfect spoof of political and military insanity, beginning when General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden), a maniacal warrior obsessed with "the purity of precious bodily fluids," mounts his singular campaign against Communism by ordering a squadron of B-52 bombers to attack the Soviet Union. The Soviets counter the threat with a so-called "Doomsday Device," and the world hangs in the balance while the US president (Peter Sellers) engages in hilarious hot-line negotiations with his Soviet counterpart. Sellers also plays a British military attaché and the mad bomb-maker Dr. Strangelove; George C. Scott is outrageously frantic as General Buck Turgidson, whose presidential advice consists mainly of panic and statistics about "acceptable losses." With dialogue ("You can't fight here! This is the war room!") and images (Slim Pickens' character riding the bomb to oblivion) that have become a part of our cultural vocabulary, Kubrick's film regularly appears on critics' lists of the all-time best. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com --This text refers to another version of this video.
The complete collection of the third series of episodes (in colour) featuring the inept Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe) and his unruly Home Guard platoon... Episodes comprise: 1. The Armoured Might Of Lance Corporal Jones 2. Battle School 3. The Lion Has Phones 4. The Bullet Is Not For Firing 5. Something Nasty In The Vault 6. Room At The Bottom 7. Big Guns 8. The Day The Balloon Went Up 9. War Dance 10. Menace From The Deep 11. Branded 12. Man Hunt 13. No Spring
Soon after qualifying as doctors from St. Swithins young Burke and Hare set up in practice and get involved in a number of amorous exploits...
In the year 2018, violence and crime have been totally eliminated from society and given outlet in the brutal blood sport of rollerball, a high-velocity blend of football, hockey, and motor-cross racing sponsored by the multinational corporations that now control the world following the collapse of traditional politics. James Caan plays Jonathan ., the reigning superstar of rollerball, whose corporate controllers fear that Jonathan's popularity has endowed him with too much power. They begin to pressure him according to their own ruthless set of rules, but Jonathan has rules of his own--ones for a man determined to retain his soul in a world gone mad. As directed by Norman Jewison (who was enjoying a peak of success during the early and mid-1970s), Rollerball creates a believable society that's been rendered passive and compliant by the homogenisation of corporate dictatorships, where the control and flow of information is the only currency of any importance. It's a world in which natural human aggressions have been sublimated and vented through the religious fervour toward rollerball and its players. Rollerball now looks like one of those 1970s science fiction films (another example being Logan's Run) that seems a bit dated and quaint, but its ideas are still provocative and fascinating, and the production is visually impressive. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Vintage comedy by Jimmy Perry and David Croft. As Walmington-on-Sea trembles at the thought of a mighty Nazi invasion the indefatigable Captain Mainwaring and his eager Home Guard are ready and waiting - regardless that some of them are so old they can hardly stand up... Starring Arthur Lowe John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn. Winner of 3 Writers Guild awards and a BAFTA. Episodes Comprise: 1. The Deadly Attachment 2. My British Buddy 3. The Royal Train 4. We Knows Our Onions
In a time when it seems that every other movie makes some claim to being a film noir, LA Confidential is the real thing--a gritty, sordid tale of sex, scandal, betrayal and corruption of all sorts (police, political, press--and, of course, very personal) in 1940s Hollywood. The Oscar-winning screenplay is actually based on several titles in James Ellroy's series of chronological thriller novels (including the title volume, The Big Nowhere and White Jazz)--a compelling blend of LA history and pulp fiction that has earned it comparisons to the greatest of all Technicolour noir films, Chinatown. Kim Basinger richly deserved her Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a conflicted femme fatale; unfortunately, her male costars are so uniformly fine that they may have canceled each other out with the Academy voters: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey and James Cromwell play LAPD officers of varying stripes. Pearce's character is a particularly intriguing study in Hollywood amorality and ambition, a strait-laced "hero" (and son of a departmental legend) whose career goals outweigh all other moral, ethical and legal considerations. If he's a good guy, it's only because he sees it as the quickest route to a promotion. --Jim Emerson
Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler If you think we're on the run. We are the boys who will stop your little game We are the boys who will make you think again. So who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler If you think old England's done. Mr. Brown goes off to town on the 8:21. But he comes home each evening and he's ready with his gun. So who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler If you think old England's done. The hapless homeguard of Walmington-On-Sea
The Beiderbecke Collection' is a charming mix of comedy and drama that has all the hallmarks of a classic detective thriller. Follow the exploits of jazz fan Trevor and his long-suffering girlfriend Jill as they find themselves embroiled in various mysteries which follow them to Amsterdam and Edinburgh and include dodgy businessmen black economies refugees and much much more.... This box set contains the following titles: 'The Beiderbecke Affair' 'The Beiderbecke Tapes' and 'The Beiderbecke Connection'.
SPIDERMAN TRILOGY ORIGINS COLLECTION Swing into action with the groundbreaking original cinematic SpiderMan trilogy from direction Sam Raimi. Join Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as he becomes the iconic webslinging SpiderMan, battles supervillains Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Sandman and Venom, wins the heart of Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), and learns that with great power, comes great responsibility. THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN EVOLUTION COLLECTION The untold story of the legendary webshooter unfolds in the blockbuster Amazing SpiderMan films, directed by Marc Webb. The saga begins in The Amazing Spider Man, as Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) becomes SpiderMan and balances being asuperhero doing battle against the villainous Lizard alongside his developing relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Then when SpiderMan's new enemies including the powerful Electro unite in The Amazing SpiderMan 2, Peter Parker finds that his greatest battle is about to begin. EXTRAS INCLUDE: SPIDERMAN TRILOGY ORIGINS COLLECTION SpiderMan 3 Editor's Cut All New Alternate Version of the Movie SpiderMan 2.1 Includes both Theatrical & Extended Versions The Stan Lee Legacy: From Comic Book to Homecoming featurette Over 18 Hours of Special Features from all 3 films THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN EVOLUTION COLLECTION The Stan Lee Legacy: From Comic Book to Homecoming featurette 15 Rare Archival featurettes Over 7 Hours of Special Features from both films
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