"Actor: John Fo"

• The Lion In Winter | DVD | (08/09/2003) from £8.66   |  Saving you £4.33 (50.00%)   |  RRP £12.99

  In this 12th-century version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Henry II of England (Peter O'Toole) and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn), meet on Christmas Eve to discuss the future of the throne. These two are having slight marital problems, as she is kept in captivity most of the year for raising a rebellion against him, and he flaunts his young mistress. Then there are the problems raised by their three treacherous and traitorous sons. James Goldman won an Oscar for the brilliant screenplay, based on his Broadway play. It is a tad wordy, as the action is kept to a minimum, but those words are sharp as daggers. The humour is wicked and black and delivered with very dry, dead-on precision. Sparks fly and the screen sizzles whenever Hepburn and O'Toole tango, which is often. Both were nominated for Academy Awards for their vigorous performances. (She won, he didn't.) There is also an infamous homoerotic exchange between Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) and Richard the Lionhearted (Anthony Hopkins). Both actors were making their feature film debuts. --Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com

• War Hunt | DVD | (07/08/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  No one is a better soldier than Pvt. Raymond Endore (John Saxon) at least in his own mind. Stationed in Korea as the conflict between the United States and the divided peninsula is coming to an end Endore sleeps while his platoon works to gear up for his nightly patrols of the area. These patrols used to bring vital information but now they have become a nightly ritual for Endore to slash the throats of suspected enemies tolerated by a Captain (Charles Aidman) who fears Endore's unstable nature. A Korean war orphan (Tommy Matsuda) befriends Endore as well as an idealistic soldier (Robert Redford) and these two soldiers must decide the fate of the child as the ceasefire is announced.... Madness in men during their tour of duty a subject also at the heart of Hell Is For Heroes and Attack! is the focus of this brutal 1961 war drama. Redford in his film debut offers a strong counterpart to the criminally underrated John Saxon (who would go on to a career of character work) who gives a stunning performance as a killer who only seems at peace after taking the life of another victim.

• The Man Who Sued God | DVD | (01/12/2003) from £6.48   |  Saving you £4.77 (91.38%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Man Who Sued God defies simple definition, managing to be several types of movie all at the same time. As a theological-romantic-comedy-drama, it's in a somewhat unique category all of its own. Perhaps only Billy Connolly could carry off a central role that combines slapstick with raging anger, puppy-dog disappointment and strong language delivered in his distinctive accent. These facets of performance are used and abused in a tale that feels like it really ought to be based on a true story, but isn't. Connolly's life as a fisherman is sunk by the destruction of his boat by a bolt of lightning. The insurance company won't pay up because it falls under that age-old excuse of being an "Act of God". So Connolly decides to sue the deity. The premise raises issues about how the law and the church have apparently conspired together. But at heart the film is a simple character study, so any pondering on legal or theological implications will have to be done on your own time; the screen is occupied with family issues, underhand dealings and a maybe-maybe romance with Judy Davis. Big Yin fans at least will enjoy the Connolly's composite character. --Paul Tonks

• Sleeper | DVD | (19/02/2001) from £9.43   |  Saving you £6.56 (69.57%)   |  RRP £15.99

  If Interiors was Woody Allen's Bergman movie, and Stardust Memories was his Fellini movie, then you could say that Sleeper is his Buster Keaton movie. Relying more on visual/conceptual/slapstick gags than his trademark verbal wit, Sleeper is probably the funniest of what would become known as Allen's "early, funny films" and a milestone in his development as a director. Allen plays Miles Monroe, cryogenically frozen in 1973 (he went into the hospital for an ulcer operation) and thawed 200 years later. Society has become a sterile, Big Brother-controlled dystopia, and Miles joins the underground resistance--joined by a pampered rich woman (Diane Keaton at her bubbliest). Among the most famous gags are Miles' attempt to impersonate a domestic-servant robot; the Orgasmatron, a futuristic home appliance that provides instant pleasure; a McDonald's sign boasting how many trillions the chain has served; and an inflatable suit that provides the means for a quick getaway. The kooky thawing scenes were later blatantly (and admittedly) ripped off by Mike Myers in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. --Jim Emerson

• Widow's Peak | DVD | (15/03/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Edwina has moved into the neighbourhood known as 'Widows' Peak' so called due to the prevalent maritial status of the residents. The residents are all curious about their new neighbour Edwina including Mrs Counihan the residents leader whose son is busy wooing Edwina. Miss O'Hare and Edwina have an immediate dislike for each other and some accidential encounters look like Edwina is trying to ruin her new rival.

• Genevieve | DVD | (01/10/1999) from £13.66   |  Saving you £-0.68 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  For anyone who travels the congested roads of Britain these days the utterly delightful Genevieve will provoke a wistful, nostalgic sigh of regret for times gone by when there were no motorways, traffic jams were almost non-existent and friendly police motorcyclists riding classic Nortons (without helmets) cheerfully let people driving vintage cars race each other along country lanes. Even in 1953, Henry Cornelius’ gentle comedy must have seemed pleasingly old-fashioned, concerned as it is with the antics of two obsessive enthusiasts on the annual London to Brighton classic car rally. The principal quartet could hardly be bettered: though John Gregson is something of a cold fish as Genevieve’s proud owner, the radiant warmth of Dinah Sheridan as his long-suffering wife more than compensates. Kenneth More is ideally cast in the role of boastful rival enthusiast and Kay Kendall has possibly the best comic moment of all when she astonishes everyone with her drunken trumpet playing. Cornelius also directed Ealing’s Passport to Pimlico, so his sure eye for gently mocking and celebrating British eccentricities is never in doubt. The screenplay by (American writer) William Rose now seems like an elegy to a way of life long disappeared: the pivotal moment when Gregson stops to humour a passing old buffer about his love of classic cars comes from a vanished era of politeness before road rage; as does the priceless exchange between hotel owner Joyce Grenfell and her aged resident: "No one’s ever complained before", says the mystified Grenfell after Gregson and Sheridan moan about the facilities, "Are they Americans?" asks the old lady, unable to conceive that anyone British could say such things. Genevieve is both a wonderful period comedy and a nostalgic portrait of England the way it used to be. On the DVD: the "Special Edition" version of Genevieve has a decent new documentary with reminiscences from Dinah Sheridan (still radiant), the director of photography and the film’s editor, who talk about the challenges of filming on location. Most treasurable of all, though, is legendary harmonica player Larry Adler, who remembers his distinctive score with much fondness and is not at all embittered by his Hollywood blacklisting, which meant he was denied an Academy Award nomination. There’s also a short piece on some of the locations used (which for economic reasons were mostly in the lanes around Pinewood studios), cast biographies and a gallery of stills. The 4:3 ratio colour picture looks pretty good for its age and the mono sound is adequate. --Mark Walker

• Morning Departure | DVD | (13/04/2015) from £6.72   |  Saving you £6.27 (93.30%)   |  RRP £12.99

  World War Two thriller starring John Mills. While out on routine patrol, the Royal Navy submarine Trojan accidentally strikes an electronically-operated drifting mine, and plunges immediately to the sea bed. As time - and air - start to run out, the Captain, Lt Cmdr Armstrong (Mills) gathers the handful of survivors together and tries to figure out the best means of escape. Richard Attenborough and Nigel Patrick co-star.

• Operation Pacific | DVD | (21/07/2003) from £6.59   |  Saving you £7.40 (112.29%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Submarine commander Duke Gifford feels guilty in the death of his former commanding officer, as well as about his failed marriage. These issues pull at him during a hazardous mission against the Japanese in World War II.

• Duel At Diablo | DVD | (01/03/2004) from £7.96   |  Saving you £5.03 (63.19%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Sidney Poitier and James Garner put in excellent performances as men on either side of the colour divide forced to fight side by side against the might of the Apache Indians...

• A Midsummer Night's Dream | DVD | (23/08/2004) from £15.35   |  Saving you £-2.36 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  One of the best known Shakespeare comedies which blends romance fun confusion and fairies.

• Primary Colors | DVD | (03/08/2009) from £5.38   |  Saving you £10.61 (197.21%)   |  RRP £15.99

  John Travolta stars as Jack Stanton a presidential hopeful whose campaign is challenged by dual dilemmas: how to squelch a scandal involving the candidate's alleged sex with an underage girl and how to handle information that could potentially ruin Stanton's opponent (superbly played by Larry Hagman). Stanton's wife (Emma Thompson) stands by her man despite awareness of his infidelities but his loyal campaign planners (played by Billy Bob Thornton Maura Tierney and promising newc

• Coming 2 America | DVD | (07/03/2022) from £7.05   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Akeem and Semmi are back! Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York where it all began. Returning to their original roles in this long awaited sequel are James Earl Jones, John Amos, Louie Anderson, and Shari Headley, alongside new characters from Wesley Snipes, Tracy Morgan, and Leslie Jones.

• Get Carter | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Why did Hollywood think it was a good idea to take Get Carter--Mike Hodges' classic 1971 study in gangster psychology--transplant the setting from decaying Tyneside to a present-day American metropolis, neuter the screenplay so that precious little of the original's acerbic humour and subtlety remain, and assign the lead role of Jack Carter, memorably taken by Michael Caine in the original, to Sylvester Stallone? No amount of Rocky-cum-Rambo routines can convince you that he's remotely inside the character, even though here Carter's psychotic side has been airbrushed out as he seeks revenge for the murder of his brother and rape of his niece. Miranda Richardson is a wearily sympathetic Gloria, and Rachel Leigh Cook a not-too-bratish Doreen (is this actually used as an American name?). Mickey Rourke looks suitably wasted as loutish businessman Cyrus; Alan Cumming is an annoyingly smug computer whizz Kinnear (wouldn't you have pulled the trigger?), while Michael Caine loses all credibility for his cameo appearance as Cliff Brumby. Did he really need the cash? On the DVD: Get Carter on disc is a classy but lifeless production. Extras include the theatrical trailer, cast and crew details, and six deleted scenes which are too brief to be more than off-cuts. Three spoken and nine subtitled languages are provided, and there's director Stephen Kay's pithy running commentary to enjoy. Even he, however, often sounds at a loss to explain just why the film was made. Thank goodness the original movie is also available on DVD. --Richard Whitehouse

• Bedknobs And Broomsticks | DVD | (22/07/2002) from £4.24   |  Saving you £13.75 (324.29%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Angela Lansbury plays a good witch who uses her powers against the Nazis in World War II and is aided by three children in the effort. This 1971 movie directed by Disney stalwart Robert Stevenson (Mary Poppins) was never up to the studio's best efforts--the music isn't all that good and the idea just doesn't quite catch on. But Lansbury, David Tomlinson and the late Roddy McDowall are good and there are some clever sequences blending animation and live action, most memorably a soccer game between the kids and some cartoon animals. --Tom Keogh

• Down From The Mountain | DVD | (05/11/2001) from £14.54   |  Saving you £5.45 (37.48%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Down from the Mountain is a treasurable record of a unique event: a live concert from Nashville featuring the artists and songs from the Coen Brothers' film O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Anyone who was delighted by that enchanting film and its traditional Americana soundtrack will find this concert an irresistible delight. It's not just a rehashing of the songs from the film, however, but an opportunity for some of the finest names in Bluegrass to perform a variety of traditional songs. Here we have Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris playing separately before coming together for an a cappella rendition of "(Didn't Leave) Nobody but the Baby". Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley chills the spine with his lonesome "O Death", while bluesman Chris Thomas King wails "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'". There are other marvellous performances from old-timey stalwarts The Cox Family and The Whites, more Gospel-infused singing from the Fairfield Four, and impressively authentic fiddling from John Hartford. Oddly, the only song not to be heard is the original film's standout item, "Man of Constant Sorrow". The concert is also available on CD. On the DVD: The disc's packaging is misleading, as it only lists 12 songs when there are several more in the concert, all of which are listed and can be accessed from the menu. There's a good 25-minute backstage documentary also included, plus some liner notes from the Coens. --Mark Walker

• Christine | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £22.98   |  Saving you £-16.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  She can't (and won't) drive 55.... Stephen King's novel about the twisted love affair between a boy and his car gets transferred to the screen, courtesy of suspense master John Carpenter. Although lacking some of the more outré supernatural elements of the source material, this high-octane cinematic tune-up more than delivers the goods, horror-wise (Christine's midnight rampages will never be forgotten)--as well as being a sly exposé of the random cruelties within the high-school pecking order. Keith Gordon (who has gone on to become a stellar director in his own right, with films such as A Midnight Clear and Mother Night to his credit) gives a wonderfully controlled central performance. Carpenter's atmospheric original score is backed up by a well-chosen collection of rock classics, including George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" (the titular character's all-too-apt theme song). --Andrew Wright, Amazon.com

• Spartacus | DVD | (27/11/2000) from £10.23   |  Saving you £2.76 (21.20%)   |  RRP £12.99

  For a limited time only, Universal Pictures are re-releasing five of their most beloved Cinema Classics in cinemas around the UK. The following films will be released: Spartacus, Blues Brothers, Scar Face, The Thing and Animal House.

• Sergeant Cork: The Complete Series | DVD | (19/02/2018) from £84.74   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  John Barrie is Sergeant Cork, one of the early members of London's Metropolitan Police C.I.D. plain-clothes detectives tasked with maintaining law and order in the seething metropolis of Victorian London. Assisted by Bob Marriott (William Gaunt) from his attic office at Old Scotland Yard, Cork has to contend with the heavy crimewave created by the massive population boom, industrial expansion and an ever-widening gap between the rich and poor. Devised by Dixon of Dock Green creator Ted Willis and produced by Jack Williams best known for the classic series Within These Walls and New Scotland Yard Sergeant Cork features inventive scripts from Willis, Man in a Suitcase contributor Richard Harris, Police Surgeon co-creator Richard Bond, and Timeslip contributor Bruce Stewart, among others. This complete set features all six series, comprising 66 episodes.

• Martin | Blu Ray | (27/03/2023) from £16.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A troubled young man, who believes himself to be a vampire, goes to live with his elderly and religious cousin in a small Pennsylvania town where he tries to redeem his blood-craving urges after he falls for a lonely housewife, all the while his hostile cousin becomes convinced that the young man is actually Nosferatu. Product Features A new Second Sight 4K restoration supervised and approved by Director of Photography Michael Gornick Audio commentary by George A Romero, John Amplas and Tom Savini Audio commentary by George A Romero, Richard P Rubinstein, Tom Savini, Michael Gornick and Donald Rubinstein A new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger A new audio commentary by Travis Crawford Taste the Blood of Martin: A new feature length documentary including location tour Scoring the Shadows: A new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein 'J Roy - New And Used Furniture': a short film by Tony Buba Making Martin: A Recounting Trailer, TV and radio spots

• Abbott And Costello - The Collection | DVD | (28/08/2006) from £39.99   |  Saving you £-19.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £20.00

  *Titles to be confirmed