Initially one of NBC network's most successful series, The A-Team ran for 90 one-hour episodes (with a few feature-length specials thrown in) from 1983 to 1987. The premise of the series was certainly different. A group of US operatives is sent to rob the Bank of Hanoi during the Vietnam War in an attempt to destabilise the country's economy, but the bigwig who organises the raid is killed, leaving no indication that the mission was officially sanctioned. Returning home, Smith (George Peppard), BA (it stood for "Bad Attitude") Baracus (Mr T), Face (Dirk Benedict) and that "crazy foo" Murdoch (Dwight Schultz) suddenly find themselves accused of criminal activity, obliging them to set up as benevolent mercenaries. They tear around the country in what looks like a delivery van, generally do-gooding while keeping one step ahead of the inept military police. Snappy, witty and fast paced, the series began as a spoof of the action-thriller genre. It wasn't until the later episodes that an element of seriousness crept in, which may have caused the decline in audience figures eventually resulting in the show's cancellation. On video and DVD though, it remains a feast for fans of classic cult TV.--Roger Thomas
Released for the first time on DVD to coincide with Duran Duran's 25th anniversary tour, Arena (An Absurd Notion) was the band's first live album and foray into film. Pop idols ranging from Elvis to the Spice Girls have all attempted to make the crossover to the big screen; often such celluloid adventures turn into disasters, with the performers' acting talents rarely matching their vocal proficiencies. Filming is squeezed into a few days between the recording of a new studio album and other duties such as touring, ensuring that the end result is typically dire. Arena manages to avoid many of those pitfalls by giving the band no opportunity to act, instead focusing exclusively on their live concert performance. An additional SF sub plot is included centred on Doctor Duran--the evil dictator from cult film Barbarella, from whom the band got their name. The doctor, played by original actor Milo O'Shea, returns to earth from exile confused by the fans' call for Duran Duran. Crash-landing his ship underneath the stage, he and his three Brummie henchmen are determined to disrupt the show. Despite their attempts to abduct fans, and create anarchy the band continue to perform. Very much a product of its time, the film combines nomadic futuristic imagery with a big budget. Following the critical acclaim of the "Wild Boys" video, Arena seeks to capitalise on its style but also take the promotional video to a new extreme using expensive sets and special effects. The Barbarella sub-plot serves little purpose apart from illustrating the story behind the band's name. The live performance footage is excellent though, not just because of the music but also the guys' authentic mullet hairstyles. On the DVD:The original "Making of Arena" documentary is included on the DVD, along with a vintage interview with Simon Le Bon. The dubbed TV ad for the video and album is also featured along with a trailer, and video mix. Considering the age of the film, the sound and visuals have both transferred well to DVD, with the extended mix of "The Reflex" sounding particularly good. --John Galilee
Jim and Hilda Bloggs are the typical retired couple in rural England. They drink endless cups of tea and have an unwavering faith in the wisdom of their government. They understand that a Third World War is imminent between the US and the Soviets. However they fail to grasp the concept that war will be fought by nuclear means and what consequences this will have. With the help of government issued pamphlets Jim builds a shelter to protect the couple and although they survive a n
Titles Comprise: Dirty Harry: Harry Callahan is a tough streetwise San Francisco cop whom they call Dirty Harry. In this action classic you'll see why - and also why Clint Eastwood's reputation as a premier film star and moviemaker is secure. A rooftop sniper (Andy Robinson) calling himself Scorpio has killed twice and holds the city ransom with the threat of killing again. Harry will nail him one way or the other no matter what the system prescribes. Filming on location director Don Siegel made the City by the Bay a vital part of Dirty Harry a practice continued in its four sequels. Thirty years after its arrival the original remains one of the most gripping police thrillers ever made. Magnum Force: Underworld figures are being murdered all over San Francisco. One by one criminals who have eluded prosecution are getting the justice they deserve justice you'd think Detective Harry Callahan might approve of with a tight-lipped smile. But if you think so you've misjudged Harry - and so have the killers. Written by future directors John Milius and Michael Cimino this Dirty Harry sequel stars Clint Eastwood in his signature role of Callahan here facing an unexpected kind of lawbreaker: one who carries a badge. Sharpshooting rookie motorcycle policemen have turned vigilante. Their real enemy is the system. But the system is what Harry is sworn to protect. And he does - with Magnum Force! The Enforcer: When detective Harry Callahan stops a liquor store hostage standoff in his own no-nonsense way he gets busted back to personnel. But not for long. When terrorists rob an arms warehouse and go on a blood-soaked extortion spree San Francisco's leaders quickly seek out Callahan: The Enforcer. Clint Eastwood takes dead aim again in this third of his five Dirty Harry films. Presaging her four-time Emmy-winning stint as half of TV's Cagney and Lacey Tyne Daly co-stars as Harry's new partner who has two jobs: nailing the terrorists - and winning hard-boiled Harry's confidence. Stoked with brisk humor and hard-hitting mayhem The Enforcer carves another winning notch in the handle of Harry's .44 magnum. Sudden Impact: Sensitive to outcries of police brutality the superiors of San Francisco Detective Harry Callahan have sent him on an out-of-town assignment until things cool down. But wherever Harry goes things just get hotter. Clint Eastwood hits the mark again in Sudden Impact. Callahan's older dirtier and the world hasn't gotten better. Which means this fourth Dirty Harry movie (which Eastwood also directs) is explosively exciting as Callahan tracks a traumatized rape victim (Sondra Locke) coldly gunning down her bygone attackers. Through the five Callahan films the lawman always struck a powerful chord. But Sudden Impact is particularly potent fueled by the line that became a national catchphrase: Go ahead. Make my day. The Dead Pool: Fame isn't detective Harry Callahan's style. He dislikes being grouped with a rock star a film critic and a TV host all slain celebrities in a macabre betting pool called the 'Dead Pool'. Another name just got added and it's his...
Few directors can meld high-tech whiz-bang with solid narrative values like Robert Zemeckis, a filmmaker whose best work (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the Back to the Future trilogy, Cast Away) stands tall among the blockbusters. Although there have been times when Zemeckis's insistence on pushing the special effects envelope can end up overshadowing the story being told (as in his animated version of A Christmas Carol), his innate gifts persist: when he's in the groove, he can show you something you've never seen before, as well as a reason to care about it. Flight, the director's first wholly live-action film in over a decade, serves as a reminder of just how good he can be, featuring both an exquisitely terrifying crash sequence and a fearless central performance from Denzel Washington. John Gatins's script serves as a bizarro inversion of the Sully Sullenberger tale: when a routine flight over Atlanta goes terrifyingly wrong, the aircraft's pilot (Washington) saves his passengers with a near-miraculous display of skill. As the investigation into the disaster begins, however, it becomes apparent that its hero's impromptu bravery hides a multitude of bad habits. Washington does a brilliant job as a man who is all too aware of his feet of clay, subverting his innate nobility to shattering effect. (As in the earlier Training Day, when he goes to the dark side, the shock ripples the screen.) The strength of his central performance is only amplified by some outstanding supporting work from Kelly Reilly (as a recovering heroin addict), Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, and a scene-stealing John Goodman, who gets a few lines crass enough to remind you that yes, Zemeckis is the same person who once made the low-taste classic Used Cars. Impressive as the cast is, though, it's unlikely that things would work nearly as well without the director's grasp of the material, which shifts between horror, black comedy, and uplifting pathos without missing a beat. In his hands, this potential sap story makes for a smart, worldly addiction saga that blessedly refuses to stay within the usual melodramatic lines. Just don't ever, ever expect to see it as the in-flight entertainment. --Andrew Wright
This harrowing but rewarding 1984 drama concerns the real-life relationship between New York Times reporter Sidney Schanberg and his Cambodian assistant Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor), the latter left at the mercy of the Khmer Rouge after Schanberg--who chose to stay after American evacuation but was booted out--failed to get him safe passage. Filmmaker Roland Joffé, previously a documentarist, made his feature debut with this account of Dith's rocky survival in the ensuing madness of the Khmer Rouge's genocidal campaign. The script of The Killing Fields spends some time with Schanberg's feelings of guilt after the fact, but most of the movie is a shattering re-creation of hell on Earth. The late Haing S. Ngor--a real-life doctor who had never acted before and who lived through the events depicted by Joffé--is outstanding, and he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Oscars also went to cinematographer Chris Menges and editor Jim Clark. --Tom Keogh
Regularly touted as one of the best British sitcoms ever, Only Fools and Horses kicked off in 1981 when mobile phones were the size of bricks and wine bars were the ultimate places to hang out. The formula was simple enough: Cockney wideboy Derek "Del Boy" Trotter (brilliantly played by David Jason) dreams of better things for himself while sharing a cramped council flat in the nicely named Peckham tower block Nelson Mandela House with his unworldly brother Rodney and his sweet but doddery old grandad. Trouble is, Del's endless money-making schemes (such as his attempt to flog a consignment of one-legged turkeys, or his plan to sell bottled tap water under the label "Peckham Spring") inevitably backfire, like the beat-up old Robin Reliant van he uses to cart around all this faulty gear in. Created by John Sullivan, who also sings the very catchy theme tune, Only Fools and Horses is a wonderful mix of dodgy but loveable characters (such as Del Boy's dimwit friend Trigger), knockabout slapstick (no-one falls down with as much comedic grace as Jason) and brilliantly crafted dialogue. Sadly, Leonard Pierce, who played Grandad, died in 1983 (his armchair in the Trotter household was filled in 1985 by Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert, an old merchant seaman who used to bore Del and Rodney with tales of his war days). The show ran to seven series and ended with characteristic warmth in 1991, when Del Boy became a father; but the Trotters made occasional returns to the small screens with six hugely popular one-off Christmas specials. This, as Del Boy himself might say, is "lovely jubbly". --Edward Lawrenson
When DCI Jane Tennison (Mirren) takes over the running of what appears to be an open and shut murder case her investigations lead her into a male dominated world and the hunt for a serial killer. Winner of BAFTA's Best Drama Serial in 1991 written by Lynda La Plante.
Hellboy: In the final days of World War II the Nazis attempt to use black magic to aid their dying cause. The Allies raid the camp where an occult ceremony is taking place but not before a demon Hellboy has already been conjured. Joining the Allied forces Hellboy eventually grows to adulthood under the supervision of his adopted 'father' Trevor Bruttenholm serving the cause of good rather than evil. When the powerful and evil Nazi figure who unleashed Hellboy suddenly reappears in modern times he discovers that Hellboy is now working as a paranormal investigator at a secret U.S. government agency dedicated to protecting humanity from the forces of darkness. Now Hellboy must fight to solve the riddle of his own existence and prevent the destruction of mankind... Hellboy 2: The Golden Army: After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader who treads the world above and the one below defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now it's up to the planet's toughest roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red. He may be horned. He may be misunderstood. But when you need the job done right it's time to call in Hellboy!
Prepare to sink your teeth into the complete fourth season of Adventure Time. A total of 26 episodes featuring fearsome creatures such as wolves who like hugging, an unstoppable horde of penguins and a Vampire Queen who plays bass guitar! Ooooh!! The scariest though is when Jake flips out over a game of card wars. Yikes!
Based on the million-selling Orange Prize winning novel by Lionel Shiver and directed by acclaimed film-maker Lynne Ramsay, We Need To Talk About Kevin is an emotional thriller starring Academy Award Winner Tilda Swinton, Academy Award nominee John C. Reilly, & Ezra Miller.Eva (Tilda Swinton) puts her ambitions and career aside to give birth to Kevin. The relationship between mother and son is difficult from the very first years. When Kevin is 15, he does something irrational and unforgivable in the eyes of the community. Eva grapples with her own feelings of grief and responsibility. Did she ever love her son? And how much of what Kevin did was her fault?
New Iberia Louisiana. Detective Dave Robicheaux (Tommy Lee Jones) is on the hunt for a serial killer who preys on young women. Driving home from another gruesome crime scene Dave meets glamorous Hollywood star Elrod Sykes (Peter Sarsgaard). Sykes is in town shooting his new movie with backing from local crime kingpin Baby Feet Balboni (John Goodman). He tells Dave he saw a body lying in a swamp - the decomposed corpse of a black man in chains. The discovery brings memories hurtling out of Dave's past. He senses the two cases are linked. But as Dave gets closer to the murderer the murderer gets closer to Dave and his family...
Based on the true story two homicide detectives (Travolta and Gandolfini) track Martha Beck and Raymond Martinez Fernandez a murderous pair known as the ""Lonely Hearts Killers"" who lure their victims through the personals...
When the public unwrapping of an allegedly ancient Egyptian mummy turns out to reveal the fresh corpse of a contemporary gentleman it is clear to Dr. Joseph Bell and Doyle that foul play is at hand. After a post mortem proves that the deceased was indeed the victim of a brutal murder the doctor and his friend resolve to discover the killer. In their search they become acquainted with a Canadian art collector who appears to be equally keen to solve the riddle of the mummy. But can
Based on James Herriot's autobiographical best sellers 'If Only They Could Talk' and 'It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet' the long running TV series 'All Creatures Great and Small' continued to satisfy the Herriot hysteria of the British public. Episode titles: 'Tricks Of The Trade' 'Pride Of Possession' 'The Name Of The Game' 'Puppy Love' 'Ways And Means' 'Pups Pigs And Pickle' 'A Dog's Life' 'Merry Gentlemen'.
The 'Fighting McGuinns' are a real tough boxing family suffering the pain of family conflict. It is only when the eldest son is murdered for refusing to fix a fight that the family comes together for their salvation lies not in the fate of a boxing match but in the future of their family.
The Legend Comes To Life. From the writers of the Superman trilogy comes Santa Claus The Movie! This is the delightful story of a master toymaker who discovers a magical kingdom of elves at the North Pole where he is entrusted with special powers to become Santa Claus! There he meets Patch (Dudley Moore) an eager-to-please elf who becomes mixed up with a dastardly tycoon's plans to take over Christmas!
Laurence Olivier produces, directs and stars in this glorious adaptation of Shakespeare's masterpiece - Richard III. Having helped his brother King Edward IV (Cedric Hardwicke) take the throne of England, the jealous hunchback Richard, Duke of York (Laurence Olivier), plots to seize power for himself. Masterfully deceiving and plotting against nearly everyone in the royal court, including his eventual wife, Lady Anne (Claire Bloom), and his brother George, Duke of Clarence (John Gielgud), Richard orchestrates a bloody rise to power before finding all his gains jeopardized by those he betrayed. Winner of multiple BAFTAs including Best British Film and Best British Actor this a stunning restoration produced in collaboration with The Film Foundation.
The Man from Laramie is the last of five remarkable Westerns Anthony Mann made with James Stewart (starting with Winchester '73 and peaking with The Naked Spur). Only John Ford excelled Mann as a purveyor of eye-filling Western imagery, and Mann's best films are second to no one's when it comes to the fusion of dynamic action, rugged landscapes and fierce psychological intensity. This collaboration marked virtually a whole new career for Stewart, whose characters are all haunted by the past and driven by obsession--here, to find whoever set his cavalry-officer brother in the path of warlike Indians. The Man from Laramie aspires to an epic grandeur beyond its predecessors. It's the only one in CinemaScope, and Stewart's personal quest is subsumed in a larger drama--nothing less than a sagebrush version of King Lear, with a range baron on the verge of blindness (Donald Crisp), his weak and therefore vicious son (Alex Nicol) and another, apparently more solid "son", his Edmund-like foreman (Arthur Kennedy). There are a few too many subsidiary characters, and the reach for thematic complexity occasionally diminishes the impact. But no one will ever forget the scene on the salt flats between Nicol and Stewart--climaxing in the single most shocking act of violence in 50s cinema--or the final, mountain-top confrontation. For decades, the film has been seen only in washed-out, pan-and-scan videos, with the characters playing visual hopscotch from one panel of the original composition to another. It's great to have this glorious DVD--razor-sharp, fully saturated (or as saturated as 50s Eastmancolor could be) and breathtaking in its CinemaScope sweep. --Richard T Jameson, Amazon.com
From legendary creator/writer Steven Bochco the multi award-winning Hill Street Blues is the original pioneering ' TV cop show' that blazed the trail for later ensemble hits such as NYPD Blue and L.A. Law. One of the most innovative and critically acclaimed series of its time this is the story of an overworked under-staffed police precinct in an anonymous inner city patterned after Chicago. 'Let's be careful out there.' So ends each roll-call session at the
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