Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom) takes a shot at reinventing Shakespeare's story of star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet as a visual pastiche inspired by MTV imagery, Hong Kong action-picture clichés, and Luhrmann's own taste for deliberate, gaudy excess. The result is explosive chaos, both in terms of bullets and visual sensibility, which some may find impossible to stick with for more than a few minutes. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes play the leads, though not with much distinction, while Pete Postlethwaite makes a huge impression as this movie's version of Friar Laurence. The film is successful in spots, but overall its fever-dream game plan is difficult to ride out. --Tom Keogh
Notoriously, and entirely appropriately, the original outline for Doug Naylor and Rob Grant's comedy SF series Red Dwarf was sketched on the back of a beer mat. When it finally appeared on our television screens in 1988 the show had clearly stayed true to its roots, mixing jokes about excessive curry consumption with affectionate parodies of classic SF. Indeed, one of the show's most endearing and enduring features is its obvious respect for the conventions of SF, even as it gleefully subverts them. The scenario owes something to Douglas Adams's satirical Hitch-Hiker's Guide, something to The Odd Couple and a lot more to the slacker SF of John Carpenter's Dark Star. Behind the crew's constant bickering there lurks an impending sense that life, the universe and everything are all someone's idea of a terrible joke. Later series broadened the show's horizons until at last its premise was so diluted as to be unrecognisable, but in the six episodes of the first series the comedy is witty and intimate, focusing on characters and not special effects. Slob Dave Lister (Craig Charles) is the last human alive after a radiation leak wipes out the crew of the vast mining vessel Red Dwarf (episode 1, "The End"). He bums around the spaceship with the perpetually uptight and annoyed hologram of his dead bunkmate, Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie, the show's greatest comedy asset) and a creature evolved from a cat (dapper Danny John Jules). They are guided rather haphazardly by Holly, the worryingly thick ship's computer (lugubrious Norman Lovett). On the DVD: Red Dwarf I arrives in a two-disc set, with all six episodes on the first disc accompanied by an excellent group commentary from Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John Jules and Norman Lovett. (There's also a bonus commentary on "The End" with the two writers and director Ed Bye.) The 4:3 picture is unimpressive, but sound is decent stereo. The second disc has an entertaining 25-minute documentary on the genesis of the series with contributions from the cast, writer Doug Naylor and producer Paul Jackson. Navigate the animated menus to find a gallery of extra features, including isolated music cues, deleted scenes, outtakes ("Smeg Ups"), a fun "Drunk" music montage, model effects shots, Web links, audiobook clips, the original BBC trailer and even the entire first episode in Japanese. --Mark Walker
Revealing a truly adult edge never previously seen Harry Enfield brings us the best bits of his 'Brand Spanking New Show' with a whole new gang of chums and catchphrases. New characters include: Cornish Ladies Man the last of the great West Country lovers; Chris Great the 'fictional' red-headed DJ who owns the radio station; Shagging Couple still at it after all these years; Paxman the journalist with a very direct interviewing style; The Pharmacist thorough but rather indiscreet; Mother & Daughter people think we're sisters; and loads more.
A truly epic saga of dynastic conflict at the heart of Imperial Rome, I Claudius was the landmark BBC drama series of the 1970s. Originally transmitted as 13 50-minute episodes, the series dramatises the human face of ancient Rome as interpreted by Robert Graves in his two enormously complex novels, I, Claudius and Claudius The God. Derek Jacobi gives one of the greatest television performances ever as Claudius, the appalled chronicler of the decadence, corruption, intrigue and carnage which comes with the absolute power of his ruling family. Augustus (Brian Blessed) is Emperor and Livia (Sian Phillips) his scheming, ambitious wife, Claudius's aunt. By virtue of his stammer and uncontrollable twitches, Claudius passes for a fool, thus escaping the poisonous machinations of Livia, all the while recording the comings and goings of the Imperial household. Events become increasingly frenzied as Caligula (John Hurt playing the tyrant with psychotic fury) bloodily slaughters his way to power, making a senator of his favourite horse along the way. Claudius eventually becomes Emperor himself, and Jacobi is simply magnificent in the intensely moving finale, which is not to overlook the rest of a fine cast, including: George Baker; Ian Ogilvy; Christopher Guard; Stratford Johns; John Rhys-Davies; Bernard Hepton and Patrick Stewart as the murderous Praetorian Guard Captain Sejanus. Inevitably lacking the visual scale of cinematic features such as Ben-Hur, and today looking more studio-bound than ever, I, Claudius remains a television masterpiece of intelligently written and rivetingly intense character drama. --Gary S Dalkin
Set on one block of Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy Do or Die neighbourhood, at the height of summer, this 1989 masterpiece by Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman) confirmed him as a writer and filmmaker of peerless vision and passionate social engagement. Over the course of a single day, the easy-going interactions of a cast of unforgettable characters Da Mayor, Mother Sister, Mister Señor Love Daddy, Tina, Sweet Dick Willie, Buggin Out, Radio Raheem, Sal, Pino, Vito, and Lee's Mookie among them give way to heated confrontations as tensions rise along racial fault lines, ultimately exploding into violence. Punctuated by the anthemic refrain of Public Enemy's Fight the Power, Do the Right Thing is a landmark in American cinema, as politically and emotionally charged and as relevant now as when it first hit the big screen.
The original Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of the silver screen's most unforgettable characters and, along with the other Universal Classic Monsters, defined the Hollywood horror genre. The Creature from the Black Lagoon: Complete Legacy Collection includes all 3 films from the original legacy including the gripping classic and the sequels that followed. These landmark motion pictures perfectly blended Universal's classic monster heritage with the science-fiction explosion of the 1950s and continue to inspire remakes and adaptations that strengthen the legend of the Creature from the Black Lagoon to this day. Bonus Features: Back to the Black Lagoon Documentary 3 Feature Commentaries Production Photographs Theatrical Trailers
This insightful film looks into the life and music of Billy Fury once labelled Britain's Elvis Presley. Featuring archive material interviews with those who knew Billy and expert analysis this is a film not to be missed by fans of the Fury!
INCLUDES OVER 4.5 HOURS EXCLUSIVE BONUS MATERIAL. Featuring interviews with former employees, fellow musicians, family members and journalists, and supported by original and exclusive never-seen-before footage, this star-studded rockumentary offers a fascinating insight into the creation and recording of one of the most ground-breaking and influential albums in pop history. BONUS MATERIAL: 1) Liverpool/London Introduced by Alan G. Parker 2) Director and Producer interviews 3) The Bootleg Beatles 4) Andy Peebles John Lennon Interview December 80 5) Pete Best Interview at The Hard Day's Night 6) Julia Baird (John Lennon's sister) Interview 7) John Lennon Blue Plaque 8) The Merseybeat 9) Ringo archive
Martin Chuzzlewit (Dir. Pedr James 1994): Martin Chuzzlewit is a wealthy old man. But who will inherit his riches? He has disinherited his grandson young Martin suspecting the motives of the young man's love for Mary Chuzzlewit's nurse and companion. With such a prize to play for the rest of his family - including the snivelling hypocrite Pecksniff and the fabulously evil Jonas - bring forth all of their cunning greed and selfishness. With his grandson floundering in Amer
Juggling some angry Russians, the British Mi5, his impossibly leggy wife and an international terrorist, Charlie Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) must traverse the globe armed only with his good looks and special charm in a race to recover a stolen painting.
Remember the outfit Cher wore to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her performance in this 1987 film? Ay-yi-yi. The actress' more retiring character in this infectious comedy leaps several psychological hurdles just giving her hair a permanent. But then the original screenplay of Moonstruck, by John Patrick Shanley (Joe Versus the Volcano), is a wonderful, gently satirical tale of an Italian-American family dealing with repression and dissatisfaction against a backdrop of cultural expectations. Cher is focused and funny as a widow who feels she should marry an older fellow (Danny Aiello), but then falls for his black-sheep brother (Nicolas Cage). Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia are perfect as her parents, and John Mahoney (of TV's Frasier) has a memorable, small role as a middle-aged man on the make who gets a lecture from Dukakis's character. Shanley's dialogue is comically stylised in a way that makes one appreciate how much words can inform an actor's performance. Taking its cues from him and director Norman Jewison (And Justice for All), the cast immerse themselves in a pool of hilariously operatic emotion. --Tom Keogh
A star-studded cast heads this Agatha Christie story of one man's efforts to fathom the mysterious death at a resort hotel in the Mediterranean. Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. Also stars Jane Birkin, Diana Rigg and Maggie Smith. EXTRAS: Making Of Interview with costume designer Anthony Powell Interview with writer Barry Sandler Interview with producer Richard Goodwin Behind the scenes stills gallery Costume designs stills gallery
Former cop Brian O'Conner partners with ex-con Dom Toretto on the opposite side of the law. Since Brian and Mia Toretto broke Dom out of custody they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad. Now he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey... before someone else runs them down first.
During the Civil War, Union "Redlegs" attack Southerner Josey Wales's dirt farm and wipe out his family. Seeking vengeance, Wales throws in with a company of Reb guerrillas. Tagged as a renegade after the surrender, he flees west into the vastness of the Indian Territories, where, quite unintentionally, he finds himself cast as the straight-shooting paterfamilias of an ever-growing, spectacularly motley community of misfits and castaways. Which is to say, Josey's personal quest for survival and something like peace of mind evolves into a funky, multicultural allegory of the healing of America. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Clint Eastwood's 31st film as an actor, 20th as international star and 5th as director, was the first to win him widespread respect. Critics had grumbled when the producer-star replaced Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff) in the director's chair a week into shooting. They ended up cheering when Eastwood delivered both his most sympathetic performance to date and--with the heroic collaboration of cinematographer Bruce Surtees--an impressive Panavision epic that stresses the scruffiness, rather than the scenic splendors, of frontier life. Though it's been honoured with a place in the National Film Registry, Josey Wales is good, not great, Eastwood. The big-gun fetishism can get tiresome, and too many characters exist only to serve as six-gun (and at one point Gatling gun) fodder. But mostly the film is agreeably eccentric, and almost furtively sweet in spirit--a key transitional title in the Eastwood filmography, and one of his most entertaining. --Richard T. Jameson
A scientist has his brain uploaded into a computer in a cutting edge experiment.
Joe Kidd which concerns a land war in New Mexico at the turn of the century marks Clint Eastwood at the top of his form as a western hero. Filmed in 1971 Kidd brings together a veteran western Director John Sturges the classic backdrop of the High Sierras the top notch acting skills of Robert Duvall and the rugged Eastwood as a ""hired gun"" who takes action based on his own particular sense of justice. And like a very classic western it has gunfights conflicts and a slam-bang f
Recorded live on November 27 2000 at the Royal Albert Hall London. Features the tracks 'Baba O'Riley' 'Won't Get Fooled Again' 'Pinball Wizard' 'Substitute' 'Behind Blue Eyes' 'So Sad About Us' 'I'm One' 'The Real Me' 'Who Are You' 'See Me Feel Me' 'You Better You Bet'.
In 1964 the biggest band on the planet made their big screen debut with A Hard Day's Night a ground-breaking film that presented a 'typical' day in the life of The Fab Four as they tried to outrun screaming fans find Paul's mischievous grandfather deal with a stressed TV producer and make it to the show on time. Directed with unrelenting verve by Richard Lester whose innovative techniques paved the way for generations of music videos the film's frenetic mix of comic escapades legendary one-liners and pop perfection captured a moment in time that defined a generation. The most iconic band in music history had arrived. Special Features: In their own voices: A new piece combining 1964 interviews with The Beatles with behind-the-scenes footage and photos You can't do that: The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night': a documentary by producer Walter Shenson including an outtake performance by The Beatles Things they said today: Documentary about the film featuring director Richard Lester music producer George Martin screenwriter Alun Owen and Cinematographer Gilbert Taylor Picturewise: A new piece about Richard Lester's early work featuring a new audio interview with the director Anatomy of a style: A new piece on Richard Lester's methods Interview with author Mark Lewisohn Audio Commentary with Cast and Crew 50th Anniversary Trailer
The second series of The Fast Show races on from where the first series left off, taking the now-familiar characters and projecting them into new and unusual situations. The "Suits You" men are let loose as waiters in a restaurant, Indecisive Dave finally makes his mind up, Unlucky Alf tries his hand at courting, Bob Fleming splutters his way through a midnight Badger Watch and Channel 9 branches out into light-entertainment with predictably incomprehensible results. The seven episodes also add further depth to many of the catchphrase-reliant characters. Rowley Birkin QC finds a touching reason to wish he hadn't been "very, very drunk", Ted and Ralph's romance stutters on, Brilliant! gets depressed and things turn sour for Which Was Nice. All our favourites are present and correct, but the freshest laughs come from the new characters and less-established sketches, such as an inept croupier blundering through his first day on the job, Brilliant!'s dad ("Rubbish!"), haughty, mistake-prone history presenter Gideon Soames, and the world-weary Carl Hooper's unspectacular show "That's Amazing!". On the DVD: The Fast Show, Series 2 comes to DVD with no extras, aside from some nicely animated menus, episode and scene selection. --Paul Philpott
Tune in with the King of Rock and Roll' with a curated collection of his finest movies. Includes performances of hit songs Wooden Heart , Shoppin Around , Little Egypt , Can't Help Falling In Love', Rock-A-Hula Baby , Bossa Nova Baby and Return To Sender . Lightweight fun and soundtracks to get you on your feet, there is no better gift for Elvis superfans. Collection Includes: G.I Blues Tulsa, a soldier with dreams of running his own nightclub, places a bet with his friend Dynamite that he can win the heart of an untouchable dancer...but when Dynamite is transferred, Tulsa must replace him in the bet. Blue Hawaii After arriving back in Hawaii from the Army, Chad Gates (Elvis Presley) defies his parents' wishes for him to work at the family business and instead goes to work as a tour guide at his girlfriend's agency. Girls! Girls! Girls! When he finds out his boss is retiring to Arizona, a sailor has to find a way to buy the Westwind, a boat that he and his father built. He is also caught between two women: insensitive club singer Robin and sweet Laurel. Roustabout After a singer loses his job at a coffee shop, he finds employment at a struggling carnival, but his attempted romance with a teenager leads to friction with her father. Fun in Acapulco A yacht owner's spoiled daughter gets Mike fired, but a boy helps him get a job as singer at Acapulco Hilton etc. He upsets the lifeguard by taking his girl and 3 daily work hours.
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