"Actor: John Rich"

• Hobson's Choice / The Sound Barrier | DVD | (14/04/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Hobson's Choice (1953) and The Sound Barrier (1952) is a double bill of cleverly juxtaposed films from David Lean's early canon, demonstrating that even without the landmark epics to come, British cinema would have been an infinitely poorer place without his tremendous contribution. Both films reflect his endlessly penetrating view of human behaviour and its perseverance through obstacles great and small. And both are effectively prisms that reflect all the aspects of that view, keeping the audience's sympathies constantly on the move. Hobson's Choice, based on Harold Brighouse's eternally popular 1916 comedy, boasts fine turns from Charles Laughton--at his brilliant, physical best--as the boot-shop owner with three troublesome daughters, and John Mills as the lowly boot maker, elevated and improved by the eldest daughter Maggie in a neat inversion of the Pygmalion fable. But both are kept in their place by Brenda de Banzie's portrayal of Maggie, a performance that glows with intelligence, truth and increasing warmth. The Sound Barrier is a drama about the race for a supersonic aeroplane. Superficially, its setting is quintessential post-World War II Britain: stiff upper lips, twin beds and clipped Rattigan dialogue. But it's prescient stuff. Ralph Richardson's aircraft manufacturer, sinister in his obsession, is an ominously skilful film performance. And Lean's take on the unthinkable cost of human achievement, interwoven with some spectacular cinematography, absorbs and unsettles. It's especially poignant now that the supersonic age has been summarily ended by Concorde's retirement. On the DVD: Hobson's Choice and The Sound Barrier are both black-and-white films presented in 4:3 picture format, from reasonable prints, and with a mono soundtrack of suitably robust quality for Malcolm Arnold's inventive scores. There are no extras, apart from scene indexes. --Piers Ford

• Nip/Tuck - Season 2 | DVD | (30/05/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £50.99

  The turbulent lives of two handsome and high-priced Miami plastic surgeons may be one of the more unusual premises for a television series, but the FX Channel's Nip/Tuck combines sudsy sex and biting wit with the emotional quandaries involved in body modification in a way that makes for an engrossing--and occasionally gross--hourlong drama. The show benefits greatly from its two leads--Dylan Walsh as the troubled "good" surgeon and Julian McMahon as his predatory (but equally troubled) "bad" partner--as well as Joely Richardson as Walsh's wife and Roma Maffia as the surgeons' nurse. If Nip/Tuck does have a stumbling point, it's in its occasionally glib dialogue (series creator Ryan Murphy was a writer for the verbally flashy high school series Popular), which can clash with an episode's more dramatic and poignant moments. The show also doesn't shy away from showing the more gruesome aspects of plastic surgery, but viewers can often see more stomach-churning images on the top-rated CSI. But the strength of the performances and the originality of the premise make these rough spots manageable for viewers looking for an interesting spin on the usual "doctor show." --Paul Gaita

• Are You Being Served? - Series 7 | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  There's hilarity at Grace Brothers the High Street department store with a difference. Join in the fun as limp-wristed Mr Humphries and that blue-rinsed batle axe Mrs Slocombe lead the outrageous department store staff through a seventh series of outrageously funny episodes! Episodes Comprise: 1. The Junior 2. String Stuff This Insurance 3. The Apartment 4. Mrs. Slocombe Senior Person 5. The Hero 6. Anything You Can Do 7. The Agent 8. The Punch And Judy Affair

• Fly, The / Return Of The Fly | DVD | (22/10/2001) from £12.55   |  Saving you £2.44 (19.44%)   |  RRP £14.99

  The Fly: 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 save the man she loves. Return Of The Fly:

• Welcome To The Jungle | DVD | (14/04/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  In 1961 Michael Rockefeller - a member of the wealthy family and son to the future Vice-President - travelled to New Guinea on his second visit to study the remote Asmat tribe. After the boat he was travelling in capsized Rockefeller swam for shore and was never seen again. Some say that he was cannibalized by the natives others that he chose to live in seclusion amongst them. Almost 50 years later two young couples head into the wilderness in an attempt to find Rockefeller and solve the mystery once and for all. But if Michael met a grizzly end does the same fate await them? Written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh the prolific writer behind smash hit movies such as Jumanji Die Hard With A Vengeance and Armageddon Welcome to the Jungle is a taut and thought provoking journey into the heart of darkness.

• The West Wing - Complete Seasons 1 and 2 | DVD | (17/11/2003) from £79.99   |  Saving you £2.00 (2.50%)   |  RRP £81.99

  Aaron Sorkin's American political drama The West Wing is more than mere feel-good viewing for sentimental US patriots. It is among the best-written, sharpest, funny and moving American TV series of all time. In its first series, The West Wing established the cast of characters who comprise the White House staff. There's Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), a recovering alcoholic whose efforts to be the cornerstone of the administration contribute to the break-up of his marriage. CJ (Alison Janney) is the formidable Press Spokeswoman embroiled in a tentative on-off relationship with Timothy (Thirtysomething) Busfield's reporter. Brilliant but grumpy communications deputy Toby Ziegler, Rob Lowe's brilliant but faintly nerdy Sam Seaborn and brilliant but smart-alecky Josh Lyman makes up the rest of the inner circle. Initially, the series' creators had intended to keep the President off-screen. Wisely, however, they went with Martin Sheen's Jed Bartlet, whose eccentric volatility, caution, humour and strength in a crisis make for such an impressively plausible fictional President that polls once expressed a preference for Bartlet over the genuine incumbent. The second series of The West Wing takes up where the first one left off and, a few moments of slightly toe-curling patriotic sentimentalism apart, maintains the series' astonishingly high standards in depicting the everyday life of the White House staff of a Democratic administration. With Aaron Sorkin's dialogue ranging as ever from dry, staccato mirth to almost biblical gravitas, an ensemble of overworked (and curiously undersexed) characters and an overall depiction of the workings of government that's both gratifyingly idealised yet chasteningly realistic, The West Wing is one of the all-time great American TV dramas. --David Stubbs

• Fun With Dick And Jane | DVD | (22/05/2006) from £4.75   |  Saving you £15.24 (320.84%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni star in this remake of the 1977 comedy.

• The Boy In The Plastic Bubble | DVD | (01/09/2001) from £6.94   |  Saving you £-5.95 (-601.00%)   |  RRP £0.99

  A boy with no immunity lives in an isolation bubble. A girl brings brightness into his closet world and forces him to choose between life or love & death. From the Director of 'Grease'.

• They Live | DVD | (21/10/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  John Nada (Piper) is a struggling labourer who drifts into town and luckily scores a job at a construction site. Discovering a box of sunglasses Nada swipes a pair and is shocked to find what he can see through them; billboards demand citizens 'Eat' or 'Sleep' TV shows spout orders at him and some people look rather less than human...

• Inspector Morse - Series 4 | DVD | (21/02/2005) from £16.22   |  Saving you £8.77 (54.07%)   |  RRP £24.99

  This box set features the entire fourth series of the classic British Television drama Inspector Morse. Episodes comprise: 1. Infernal Serpent: Morse investigates the death of an environmentalist killed only minutes before he was due to give a highly controversial lecture... 2. The Sins Of The Fathers: Morse and Lewis are called in to investigate the mystery of an unwelcome takeover bid of a family-run real ale brewery and the death of the current managing d

• The People That Time Forgot | DVD | (02/02/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  If you like big fake dinosaurs--and who doesn't?--then The People That Time Forgot is the movie for you. The third in a loosely themed trilogy of Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptations from director Kevin Connor, all of which starred Doug McClure, this one also features Patrick Wayne (son of John) as the intrepid Major Ben McBride, searching the Arctic for his lost friend (McClure). Sarah Douglas is at his side as Charly, the spunky lady photographer with a dainty puckish streak. As luck would have it, they come across a tropical zone that is home to big fake dinosaurs, surly Neanderthals and nubile cavewomen with truly astonishing cleavages. Ah, but if only it were that simple. An evil rival tribe has been exterminating the gentle cave people and must be stopped. Whatever else you may want to say about producers Samuel Z Arkoff and John Dark, they simply do not skimp on explosions. The People That Time Forgot has a detonation-filled corker of an ending that leaves the cast absolutely showered with dirt clods. Highly entertaining. --Ali Davis

• One Million Years BC | DVD | (29/07/2002) from £17.98   |  Saving you £-1.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  One Million Years B.C. might be about as palaeontologically accurate as The Flintstones, but it's still a lasting kitsch masterpiece, as much for Raquel Welch’s Amazonian presence in an abbreviated fur bikini as for Ray Harryhausen’s wonderful stop-motion dinosaurs. A rare big-budget venture from Hammer Films, this 1966 version of the 1940 Victor Mature classic One Million B.C. is set in a fantasised prehistory where Caucasian cavemen coexist with dinosaurs. Loana (Welch) of the Shell People teaches Tumak (John Richardson) of the Rock Tribe that harmonious cooperation on the beach is a better way of life than rule-of-the-mightiest savagery in caves. Every quarter of an hour, the gibberish-spouting ("Akita akita"), skin-wearing, remarkably clean cave folk are inconvenienced by special effects: a giant sea turtle, a hungry Allosaur, a Triceratops/Iguanodon battle, a Pterodactyl that wants to feed Raquel to its chicks, a major volcanic upheaval. Poster icon Welch gets stiff competition from a lithe Martine Beswick in a cat fight, and the camp goings-on are given real screen presence by gorgeous, primitive Canary Isles locations and an epic score from Mario Nascimbene. On the DVD: One Million Years B.C. arrives on DVD with minimal extras: a wonderfully ballyhoo-intensive trailer, plus nice little retrospective chats with Welch and Harryhausen. The picture is an anamorphic print of the original 1.85:1 ratio, and sound is Dolby mono.--Kim Newman

• Goin' South | DVD | (03/03/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  About to be hung by a posse a man is given a second chance at redemption but the cost may be more than he's willing to pay: he must give up his wiley ways and marry a widow to help her work her mine.

• McCallum: The Complete Collection | DVD | (05/09/2016) from £27.95   |  Saving you £22.04 (78.86%)   |  RRP £49.99

  Too late, perhaps, for a cure. Too late for an early diagnosis to save the life of the poor wretch on the cold steel slab. But not too late to solve the puzzle, to right a wrong... To make a bit of difference in this bad, hard world. McCallum is a series unlike any other. This isn't a glossy cop show where the smiles dazzle more than the badges. This isn't a tale of heroes and villains, of extraordinary people. Just the entirely believable tales of a man in crisis, the dedicated team around him struggling to work with slashed budgets, and the mysteries of forensic pathology, where a spot of lateral thinking can mean the difference between a right and a wrong conclusion, and an over-looked point can result in the conviction of an innocent man. Set in the East End of London hunting ground of the notorious Jack the Ripper the series stars John Hannah (The Mummy / Four Weddings and a Funeral) in the title role of Dr. Iain McCallum, a motorcycling forensic pathologist with a passion for truth and more women problems than he can handle. Surrounding him are the dedicated St. Patrick's team of Angela Moloney, Sir Paddy Penfold, Fuzzy and Bobby... close friends at the sharp end, making up a formidable body of opposition to those determined to flaunt the law. Nominated for a BAFTA in 1996 and the 1997 BAFTA Award Scotland for Best Single Drama Starring BAFTA Film Award nominee John Hannah (The Mummy / Four Weddings and a Funeral) Also features Suzanna Hamilton (1984), Hugo Speer (The Full Monty), Eva Pope (Waterloo Road) and Nathaniel Parker (Stardust)

• Empire Of The Sun - Special Edition | DVD | (06/03/2006) from £7.49   |  Saving you £9.50 (55.90%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Roundly dismissed as one of Steven Spielberg's least successful efforts, this very underrated film poignantly follows the World War II adventures of young Jim (a brilliant Christian Bale), caught in the throes of the fall of China. What if you once had everything and lost it all in an afternoon? What if you were only 12 years old at the time? Bale's transformation, from pampered British ruling-class child to an imprisoned, desperate, nearly feral boy, is nothing short of stunning. Also stunning are exceptional sets, cinematography and music (the last courtesy of John Williams) that enhance author J.G. Ballard's and screenwriter Tom Stoppard's depiction of another, less familiar casualty of war. In a time when competitors were releasing "comedic", derivative coming-of-age films, Empire of the Sun stands out as an epic in the classic David Lean sense--despite confusion or perceived competition with the equally excellent The Last Emperor (also released in 1987, and also a coming-of-age in a similar setting). It is also a remarkable testament to, yes, the human spirit. And despite its disappointing box-office returns, Empire of the Sun helped to further establish Spielberg as more than a commercial director and set the standard, tone and look for future efforts Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. --N.F. Mendoza

• Why We Fight | DVD | (24/03/2008) from £5.98   |  Saving you £16.00 (401.00%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Inspired by Dwight Eisenhower's legendary farewell speech filmmaker Eugene Jarecki surveys the scorched landscape of a half-century's military adventures asking how - and telling why - a nation of by and for the people has become the savings-and-loan of a system whose survival depends on a state of constant war. Why We Fight won the Grand Jury Prize (Documentary) at the Sundance Film Festival. It is an unflinching look at the anatomy of the AMerican War Machine weaving unforgettable personal stories with commentary by a 'who's who' of military and Washington insiders. Featuring John McCain Gore Vidal William Kristol Chalmers Johnson Richard Perle and others.

• The Four Minute Mile | DVD | (27/03/2006) from £6.98   |  Saving you £-3.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  In 1954 four athletes across three continents were trying to run a mile under the milestone 4 minute mark - a feat then thought impossible. With two supremely gifted athletes emerging as front runners: England's Roger Bannister and Australia's John Landy a race into the history books was on...Based on Roger Bannister's sporting achievement this film is a story of dedication perseverance and glory.

• Digby - the Biggest Dog in the World | DVD | (25/09/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  ""Everybody's Favourite Shaggy Dog Story!"" Young Billy can't keep Digby the lovable sheepdog he brought home from the pound so he decides to leave him with animal expert Jeff (Jim Dale). But while Jeff's back is turned Digby accidentally drinks a top secret chemical which makes him grow... and grow... and grow! The gigantic Digby is soon being chased all over the country. The army think he dangerous and want to blow him up. Two thieves are trying to sell him to the circus! In this frantic and hilarious race against time Billy and the hapless Jeff must get to Digby with the antidote or lose him forever. With and all star cast including Spike Milligan and Victor Spinetti Digby The Biggest Dog In The World is a classic adventure story for the whole family. Available for the first time on DVD!

• Undefeatable | DVD | (23/06/2003) from £12.14   |  Saving you £-4.16 (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  Out of the ring into the fire...in a fight to the finish! All action martial arts film in which a woman is hell-bent on getting revenge on the man who attacked and raped her sister....

• Whodunnit? - The Complete Series 2 | DVD | (13/08/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Doctor Who star Jon Pertwee is your host in this highly popular, light-hearted panel game where viewers are invited to play detective - pitting their wits against a panel of celebrities to solve a fictitious murder mystery. The show's brilliantly original formula, devised by comedians Lance Percival and Jeremy Lloyd, presented short dramas laden with clues and red herrings to be pieced together by the celebrity panellists, who would then question the characters involved and finally point the finger at the most likely suspect. Lively repartee was the order of the day and joining Pertwee in this series is a veritable who's who of 1970s television: Richard O'Sullivan, Patrick Mower, Aimi Macdonald, Anthony Valentine, Harry H. Corbett, Arthur Mullard and Rodney Bewes join up with celebrities Jackie Collins, Henry Cooper and Kingsley Amis to track down "whodunnit".