In 1984 and 1985, The Tripods was the show that the BBC used to fill its traditional Saturday teatime Doctor Who slot. Adapted from the first two books in John Christopher's "Tripods" trilogy, the show frustratingly failed to deliver the final story that winds everything up. This release collects the first series of 13 episodes, which covers the first book (The White Mountains). In 2089, the human race lives a peaceful, agrarian existence in post-technological communities under the rule of the Tripods, vast alien machines that look like the Martians from War of the Worlds. In a small English village, teenage cousins Will (John Shackley) and Henry (Will Baker) are troubled as they near the age at which they will be "capped", fitted by the local Tripod with a metallic hairnet which will turn them into docile, uncreative, happy servants of the invaders. A wily vagrant tells the boys that far to the south, a community of uncapped freemen resists the Tripods, and they set off on a 13-episode journey that takes them to the coast, across the English Channel and down through France, with stop-offs in the impressive ruins of Paris, at a medieval-style chateau and on a vineyard in the Jura. Along the way, the lads fall in with "Bean Pole" (Ceri Seel), a gangling, bespectacled French rebel who is fascinated with the lost arts of machine-making, but at each of their stopovers there are temptations, mostly in the forms of appealing French girls, to settle down and become happy conformists, but in the end they do join up with the rebels, ready for a mission to the city of the Tripods that comes in Series Two. With production values significantly higher than Doctor Who at that time, the show conserves its effects and makes them count, with the Tripods only rarely intervening directly. Watched at a sitting, it seems padded and the three lead actors are variable, but taken in single-episode chunks it works quite well, with a subtly unsettling depiction of a backward world where everyone seems happy but actually isn't and actual villainy comes as a relief amidst the overwhelming niceness. The English and French locations are very well used, and the production design and costuming (lots of hats to cover the "caps") is imaginative without being panto-like. --Kim Newman
John Travolta Collection
In 'Lawless Range' a cowboy anxious to win a rodeo becomes involved in a saloon robbery. In 'Lawless Frontier' a man pursues his parents' killers but finds himself framed for a crime.
A winner always knows where he is going. A champion never forgets. Emmy Award-winning screen and stage star John Leguizamo stars and makes his directorial debut in this hard-hitting story of a talented young boxer who must navigate the path between his newfound fame with all its seductive trappings and his humble yet proud roots as a Latin growing up in Jackson Heights Queens. Surrounded by his childhood friends and an old school trainer Lex Vargas endures a devastating personal loss before turning professional eventually signing with a high-profile promoter in order to accelerate his career and get a title shot. The move brings Lex fame fortune a new house and a sexy girlfriend - but threatens to undermine the longtime bonds and proud heritage he shares with his old friends from Queens.
John Cena and Alberto Del Rio battle for the WWE Championship in a brutal Last Man Standing Match that will test their will, determination and resolve. Plus will the World's Largest Athlete finally avenge the career-threatening injury he suffered at the hands of the World's Strongest Man? Find out when Big Show challenges Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight Title. Mortal foes untie as CM Punk and Triple H try to put their differences aside to take on their common enemies, The Miz and R-Truth in an explosive tag team match. The Superstars of Raw and SmackDown look to settle scores in WWE Vengeance.
The Rottentrolls are a group of crazy three-foot-high trolls who live in a strange Yorkshire valley called Troller's Ghyll. When young Roger Becket crashes his bike into the valley he doesn't suspect that he is about to be crowned King of the Rottentrolls and set out on a series of amazing adventures. Episode titles: The Civil War The Miner's Strike Dirty Tricks The First Rottentroll Revolution plus a special episode The Rottentroll Files.
Brennan and Dale are live-at-home grown-ups who become step-brothers overnight and struggle to deal with their parents wish for them to leave home and get lives of their own.
The body of criminal Ronnie Stokes is found in the middle of a crop circle in Midsomer Parva with his hands burnt puncture wounds in his back and a chunk of his hair missing. Lloyd Kirby the local UFOlogist believes that it is the work of aliens however Barnaby and Troy are not convinced by his theory. John Nettles and Daniel Casey star in another installment of this rural detective series based on the novels by Caroline Graham.
Join Lassie the ever-faithful companion and her friends in their exciting adventures. The courageous canine will always be there in times of trouble and strife helping those in need. Lassie truly is everyone's best friend!
Be afraid. Be very afraid... The Fly (1958) A brilliant scientist becomes obsessed with perfecting a device that can transmit matter from one location to another. Successful in his initial tests he experiments with a human guinea pig - himself. But an ordinary housefly makes the journey with him and when they emerge both creatures have been extraordinarily changed. This is the chilling story of a man fighting to retain his humanity and a desperate woman's attempt to
Saracen: The Complete Series
Nothing is as it seems behind the well-trimmed hedges of the picturesque cottages in the idyllic English county of Midsomer. Beneath the tranquil surface of sleepy village life exist dark secrets scandals and downright evil. John Nettles stars as the humorous thoughtful and methodical Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby.
Full of verve and wit Shrek is a computer-animated adaptation of William Steig's delightfully fractured fairy tale. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts local fairy tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio and the Gingerbread Man), they settle in the ogre's swamp and Shrek wants answers from Farquaad. A quest of sorts starts for Shrek and his new pal, a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), where battles have to be won and a princess (Cameron Diaz) must be rescued from a dragon lair in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare but it's the jokes that make Shrek a winner. The PG rating is stretched when Murphy and Myers hit their strides. The mild potty humour is fun enough for the 10-year-old but will never embarrass their parents. Shrek is never as warm and inspired as the Toy Story films, but the realistic computer animation and a rollicking soundtrack keeps the entertainment in fine form. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at its cross-town rival, Disney. --Doug Thomas, Amazon.com On the DVD: DVD could have been invented to showcase Shrek's stunning computer animation--admirably served here by 16:9 anamorphic widescreen presentation--while the exuberant soundtrack comes alive in 5.1 Dolby Digital. There are plenty of extras to choose from on this DVD, from The Tech of Shrek and fake Character Interviews to the amusing Swamp Karaoke Dance Party featuring the whole cast. However, none of these features have much depth, nor do they last long and it would be easy to feel slightly disappointed--were it not for the excellent Shrek's ReVoice Studio. This first-of-its-kind feature requires a computer running Microsoft Windows 98SE or higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, an Internet connection and a DVD-ROM drive. However, once the DVD-ROM is up and running, the instructions could not be clearer and within minutes the whole family will be dubbing their voices over favourite characters and scenes--rendering the other extras almost irrelevant.--Helen Baker
Classic silent adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novel about a doctor who conducts experiments that are intended to reveal the dark hidden nature of man and unwittingly ends up developing a murderous alter ego.
In the first Prime Suspect, Helen Mirren's ballsy woman Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennyson battled the boys club and their sexist barbs to prove herself in a chauvinist department. In Prime Suspect 2, she's assigned to head a racially charged murder investigation in a largely African/Caribbean neighbourhood. It's politics as usual in the image-conscious organization, so the superintendent adds to the team black Detective Robert Oswalde (Colin Salma), a sharp but hot-headed investigator who has just broken off an affair with Tennyson. Now Tennyson grapples with her own conflicted feelings while fighting political and public-relations battles both in the media and within the police system itself in the midst of investigating the labyrinthine case. Between the scant clues left to sift, a prime suspect on the verge of death himself and divisions in her own team that result in a devastating death, Tennyson soon begins to suspect she's been hung out to dry by the department. Screenwriter Allan Cubitt dives into the murky waters of volatile racial and social relations to create an even more complex and compelling mystery in Tennyson's second appearance and Mirren rises to the challenge to explore the contradictions of an uncompromising cop in a compromising position. --Sean Axmaker
Set in the deep American south Claude Montgomery (Thornton) and his wife Ruby (Dern) head back to their roots in Little Rock Arkansas to reunite with their family and lend support to their Uncle Hazel (Varney) who has been arrested for attempted murder. Here they meet with Ruby's eccentric mother Jewel (Ladd) her sultry sister Rose (Preston) and other members of their outrageous family in an amusing yet poignant story of family feuds mixed with sweeter emotions.
Anunzio Mantovani was the most successful orchestra leader ever selling 70 million records from the 1950's to the 1970's. Known for his unmistakable cascading strings and recordings such as Charmaine Mantovani enthralled the world with his sublime arrangements. This documentary is the story of the man and his music.
Set early in the 22nd century 'Enterprise' focuses on a history of the galactic upheaval that leads to the formation of The Federation. Its compelling stories of team bravery and individual heroism are sure to answer countless questions for both die-hard fans of the series and neophytes to the 'Star Trek' universe. Starring a fresh young cast this exciting new chapter continues to push the edge of the visual envelope with the kind of state of the art special effects that have made
Tough biker babes stomp a couple of vicious racist rapists and then cool their heels in a rural commune while the men hit the road for a biker rally. The vacation is short-lived when the women discover the seemingly peace-loving guru is actually a drug kingpin with a vicious gang and a side business in human sacrifices...
Starring British blonde bombshell Sally Gray opposite debonair film/radio star songwriter and music-hall veteran Billy Milton Saturday Night Revue is a delightfully engaging musical comedy/drama set in '30s London which showcases some the era's finest light musical talent – including Sydney Kyte and his Orchestra Billy Reid and his Accordion Band and Webster Booth. This rare film is presented here in a brand-new digital transfer from original film elements in its original aspect ratio. There are two clubs in London called Moons; one in Mayfair and one in Soho. Mary Dorland is singing at the cheap one but her father who does not approve of her singing career believes she is performing at the Society one...
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