Great Expectations (1946) - David Lean directed this stylish film presentation of Charles Dickens' heart warming story of a young man befriending an escaped convict who becomes his unknown benefactor and of the consequences for the young man as he establishes himself in the world. A Tale Of Two Cities - Dickens' epic tale set during the French Revolution follows the fortunes of a disillusioned English lawyer Sidney Carton (Dirk Bogarde) whose solace is drink and who bears an uncanny resemblance to a young French aristocrat named Darnay. Carton defends Darnay but ends up falling in love with Darnay's fiancee Lucy. When Darnay is imprisoned by the revolutionary mob Carton is given the chance to redeem himself as he leaves for Paris for Darnay's aid. A truly gripping tale incomparably told and flawlessly performed. Oliver Twist - Oliver Twist (John Howard Davies) orphaned at birth and raised in the workhouse is expelled for daring to ask the Beadle (Francis L. Sullivan) for more food. Unhappily apprenticed to an Undertaker Oliver escaped to London where he meets the cheeky Artful Dodger (Anthony Newly) the villainous Fagin (Alec Guiness) the aggressive Bill Sykes (Robert Newton) and the kindly but doomed Nancy (Kay Walsh). Torn constantly between the forces of good and evil Oliver eventually seals his fate by picking the pocket of a rich gentleman (Henry Stephenson).
Based on the novels by Bernard Cornwell, Sharpe (1993-7) ran to 14 full-length television films that follow the adventures of the titular soldier through the later years of the Napoleonic Wars. The programmes are an outstanding achievement for the small screen, dominated by Sean Beans central performance as the heroic, troubled outsider who turns out to be a resourceful and loyal leader. Bolstered by a strong supporting cast, particularly Daragh O'Malley as Harper and (in later episodes) Abigail Cruttenden as Jane, Sharpe is often visually striking, the action tense and gripping. Consistency is maintained by all 14 episodes being directed by Tom Clegg. On the DVD: Sharpe on DVD contains a photo gallery and several screens of background text. The sound is full-bodied stereo while the very "sharp" (pun intended) picture has been transferred slightly letterboxed at 14:9. Though looking much better than the original TV transmissions the occasionally cropped framing makes it apparent the films were shot in 16:9 widescreen, so it is regrettable they have not been transferred to DVD in that format. Otherwise these are first-rate releases.--Gary S Dalkin
It was the sister ship of the infamous Titanic...and its final destiny was the same. Experience the true untold story of Britannic a tumultuous epic voyage of human passion courage and betrayal aboard an ill-fated ocean liner bound for a shattering demise. With the world at war an undercover British agent (Amanda Ryan) embarks the Britannic in search of a German spy believed to be on board to sabotage the ship. Posing as a governess the undercover agent finds herself falling in love with the ship's chaplain (Edward Atterton Man In The Iron Mask). In a stunning discovery the lovers suddenly find themselves enemies of war. And when a massive explosion deals a deathblow to the ship their battle becomes one for their own survival. With a dynamic international cast and story line that hosts a chilling tale of espionage politics and romance Britannic brings one of history's most devastating events to riveting new life.
Flintstone's Christmas Carol
The incredible story of how the Beatles emerged from post war Liverpool and turned music upon its head with their changes from skiffle to rock and roll and the creation of the Mersey Beat sound.
Like a good claret laid down for a couple of decades, Victor Victoria (1982) just improves with age. Based on a 1930s German screenplay, Blake Edwards' cross-dressing musical tackles sexuality and gender with a sweet generosity of spirit and endearing warmth. To Edwards' credit and that of his wife Julie Andrews in the title role it is far more than a star vehicle, with James Garner, Lesley Ann Warren and, particularly, Robert Preston (as worldly gay Toddy) contributing quick-fire performances that brim with brilliant timing. Andrews, too, is wonderful in a deceptively complex part. It shouldn't have worked at all. Victor Victoria was made at a time when the Hollywood musical's currency was at its lowest and Andrews might have been deemed a rather old-fashioned sort of star. But by keeping Henry Mancini's songs in context as stage numbers, the traditional values of the musical are subverted. And the whole thing is bathed in a soft, intimate light; this is a film of considerable artistry on every level. On the DVD: Victor Victoriais presented in widescreen with a sharp Dolby Digital soundtrack; the picture quality is splendid. Extras include lists of cast, crew and awards as well as the original theatrical trailer. Best of all is a touching--if occasionally repetitive--commentary from Blake Edwards and Julie Andrews, who clearly remember the project with great pride and affection. Somewhat belatedly they resurrected it as a Broadway show in the 1990s, in which Andrews again scored a considerable personal triumph. --Piers Ford
Stop On By And Give Afterlife A Try. Zach Galligan (Gremlins) teams up with special effects wizard Bob Keen (Alien Highlander) to star in this spine-tingling horror. Mark and his college class decide to have a little fun and attend a 'private' midnight showing at the new waxwork museum. Admission is free... but getting out may cost them their lives! Join them in this roller-coaster ride into terror in Waxwork.
When the Krugs animal-warriors with an evil overlord kidnap the wife of Farmer he sets out seeking vengeance.
Monty Python goes to the movies in this DVD boxset packed with three of their classic cinematic adventures. Enjoy And Now For Something Completely Different', Monty Python and the Holy Grail' and Life of Brian'. And Now For Something Completely Different Monty Python's Flying Circus is regarded as a milestone In British Comedy, This, their first feature film, is an anthology of the funniest sketches from the legendary BBC television series. Pick one of your favourites from among many, including the famous Say No More, Nudge, Nudge sequence, the Hell's Grannies and The Dead Parrot. Monty Python and the Holy Grail After a chance meeting with a rather irate God, King Arthur and his Knights of The Round Table are set the sacred task of retrieving the all powerful Holy Grail. On their long quest they encounter a number of terrifying hazards the taunts of the abusive French Knight, disgruntled peasants, the Knights who say Ni' and the deadly rabbit with the big pointy teeth. (Double Disc Set) Life of Brian The Pythons deliver a scathing, anarchic satire of both religion and Hollywood's depiction of all things biblical with their third film. The setting is Judea 33 A.D., a time of poverty and chaos, with no shortage of messiahs, followers willing to believe in them, and exasperated Romans trying to impose some order. (Double Disc Set)
"Family Guy" revolves around the Griffin family and their madcap adventures.
The Living Daylights, new boy Timothy Dalton's first Bond outing, gets off to a rocking start with a pre-credits sequence on Gibraltar, and culminates in a witty final showdown with Joe Don Baker's arms dealer, set on a model battlefield full of toy soldiers. While the Aston Martin model whizzing through the car chase has been updated for the late 1980s--including lethal lasers and other deadly gizmos--the plot is pretty standard issue, maybe a little more cluttered and unfocused than usual, involving arms, drugs and diamond smuggling. Nevertheless, the action-formula firmly in place, this one rehearses the moves with ease and throws in some fine acting. Maryam d'Abo, playing a cellist-cum-spy, is the classy main squeeze for 007 (uncharacteristically chaste for once). Dalton, with his wolfish, intelligent features, was a perfectly serviceable secret agent, but never caught on with the viewers, perhaps because everyone was hoping for a presence as charismatic as Sean Connery's in the franchise's glory days.--Leslie Felperin On the DVD: Casting the new Bond takes up much of the "making-of" documentary: first Sam Neill was in the running, but vetoed by Cubby Broccoli, who wanted Timothy Dalton and had considered him as far back as On Her Majesty's Secret Service (but Dalton felt he was just too young at the time). When Dalton proved unavailable, Pierce Brosnan was hired. Then, at the last minute, Brosnan's Remington Steele contract was renewed and he had to drop out. Dalton came back in, on the proviso that he could give Bond a harder, more realistic edge after the action-lite of the Roger Moore years. The second documentary attempts to profile the enigmatic Ian Fleming, who was apparently as mysterious and chameleon-like as his alter ego. The commentary is a miscellaneous selection of edited interviews from various members of the cast and crew. There's also Ah-Ha's "Living Daylights" video, and a "making-of" featurette about it. A brief deleted scene (comic relief--wisely dropped) and trailers complete another strong package. --Mark Walker
Realising that the rising Nazi empire will swallow Holland and create the holocaust of every innocent Jew, Corrie ten Boom faces this deadly threat with a surprising remedy: an army comprised of untrained teenagers. Because Hans Poley chooses not to join the Nazi party, he is forced into hiding in the home of Corrie ten Boom. He witnesses the atrocities toward the suffering Jews and decides he must do something. Hans is drawn by resistance fighter, Piet Hartog, and the love of Piet's life - Aty van Woerden (Corrie ten Boom's niece) into an intricate web of espionage and clandestine activities centered in the famous Hiding Place. Hans, Piet, and their friends navigate a deadly labyrinth of challenges to rescue the Jewish people while embarking on an action-packed hunt with the underground, involving Gestapo hijacks, daring rescues, and stunning miracles. The film climaxes in the true, breath-taking rescue of an entire orphanage of Jewish children marked for mass execution by Hitler's assassins. Extras: Behind the Scenes Deleted Scenes Theatrical Trailer
All six volumes of adventures starring Sam Neill as the British master spy.
Mastermind Quinn Mallory (Jerry O'Connell) returns for more fantastical adventures as he continues traveling from universe to universe in the complete third season of Sliders. Along with comrade Wade (Sabrina Lloyd) physics professor Arturo (John Rhys-Davies) and Rembrandt ""Crying Man"" Brown (Cleavant Derricks) Quinn explores new and mysterious Earths; and along the way encounters tornadoes droughts wizards warlocks and even his own younger-self! Featuring a plethora of guest
Remastered in amazing high definition, SHOGUN is one of the most famous and award-winning television events in history. From bestselling author James Clavell comes the sweeping story of love and war, set against the brutal background of feudal Japan at the beginning of the 17th century. Richard Chamberlain stars as John Blackthorne, a sailor shipwrecked off the coast of Japan. Rescued, he becomes an eyewitness to a deadly struggle involving Toranaga, a feuding warlord intent on becoming SHOGUN - the supreme military dictator. Blackthorne is irresistibly drawn to the magnificent Lady Mariko, the married confidant to Toranaga, while at the same time vying to become the first-ever foreigner to be made a samurai warrior. For the first time on Blu-ray, this landmark television event is packed with fascinating special features that take you inside the spectacular world of SHOGUN.
Mystery buffs will find Hetty Wainthropp to be delightful and uniquely entertaining company. Hetty has just turned 60, but she is not about to "ride serene into the evening tide," as her doting husband so poetically puts it. "I'm not 60 and I never will be," Hetty proclaims. "I'm not a senior citizen." Hetty wants to matter, so she gets a job at her local Lancashire post office. But that wouldn't make for much of a miniseries. Before you can say "cheeky monkey," she has involved herself in a deadly case of pension-fund fraud, and made a splash on the front pages as a "Super Gran Sleuth." The redoubtable Patricia Routledge, best known as Hyacinth Bucket on the beloved Keeping Up Appearances), does lovely work as Hetty, who first appeared in David Cook's 1986 novel, Missing Persons (Cook co-wrote the six first-season episodes contained here). Hetty is not as quaint as Miss Marple, nor her cases as seamy as Jane Tennison's Prime Suspect mysteries. She is a formidable character in her own right, opening her own private detective agency, and recruiting a 17-year-old shoplifter (Dominic Monaghan from the Lord of the Rings trilogy) to be her "devoted sidekick." A rogue cop, a roving arsonist, and other unsavory characters are no match for the woman who won't rest until things add up. As one police inspector grudgingly admits, "She's an extraordinary woman. She's no Miss Marple, but..." But, indeed. --Donald Liebenson
The Very Best of Dad's Army, Vol 2 is a further helping of episodes from the BBC's most durable comedy, well chosen to illustrate the variety of situations and predicaments in which Warmington-on-Sea's home guard find themselves. "Menace from the Deep" sees them marooned on the town pier, having to contend with a rogue mine and an inebriated Hodges. "Mum's Army" has Captain Mainwaring set up a women's division and promptly fall for the charming Miss Gray, in a cunning take on Brief Encounter. "No Spring for Frazer" charts Frazer's beleaguered attempts to locate a missing gun part with predictably disastrous results. "When Did You Last See Your Money?" similarly puts Corporal Jones through the mill after he switches a package containing £500 with one containing a half-pound of sausages. Finally, "The Honourable Man" brings the enmity of Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson to a head when the latter inherits an honorary title. The performances have that spontaneity and gently self-mocking humour so familiar, yet so enjoyable, however many times around. On the DVD: The Very Best of Dad's Army, Vol 2 on disc has an accompanying documentary (partially reprised from that on Volume 1) containing interviews with surviving cast members, present-day comedians and Messrs Croft and Perry, whose inspired scriptwriting continues to amuse and entertain. The early-70s prints have come up well, with subtitles and six chapter headings per episode to make locating favourite scenes easier than ever. --Richard Whitehouse
John Thaw takes the first starring role of his career in 'RedCap' in which he plays Sergeant John Mann of the Royal Military Policess Special Investigation Branch. Made in 1964 at a time when the British army was still highly active Redcap's scripts cover investigations in Germany Aden Cyprus and Borneo. Featuring guest stars of the calibre of Keith Barron ('Duty Free') Leonard Rossiter ('Rising Damp') Ian McShane (Deadwood Lovejoy)) and David Burke (The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes)); Redcap was a series brimming with quality. Not seen since its original transmission this set contains the entire first series of thirteen episodes featuring scripts from Troy Kennedy Martin and Roger Marshall (who both worked extensively on 'The Sweeney') and Leon Griffiths (who created 'Minder'). The series was recently 're-imagined' with former Eastenders star Tamzin Outhwaite as the lead. Episodes comprise: 1. It's What Comes After 2. A Town Called Love 3. Epitaph for a Sweat 4. Misfire 5. Corporal McCann's Private War 6. The Orderly Officer 7. Night Watch 8. The Boys of B Company 9. A Regiment of the Line 10. The Man they Did 11. A Question of Initiative 12. A Place of Refuge 13. The Patrol
As the remains of a blazing asteroid travels across the universe, six adventures are uncovered which herald danger at every turn. Starring (Scott Adkins, The Bourne Ultimatum, Zero Dark Thirty), Michael Jai White (The Dark Knight), Michelle Lee (Pacific Rim, The Pirates of the Caribbean series) and John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), The Metal Hurlant heroes are back.With a planet devastated by war between human and alien races, an icy hush spreads as ashes settle across the charred landscape. Meanwhile, a loyal warrior seeks an elixir to cure his beloved princess from a terrible disease while, across the galaxy, two brothers battle for control of an almighty kingdom, each drawing upon their powerful and supernatural skills to claim victory.In the follow up to Metal Hurlant Chronicles and based on the popular comic book franchise comes an action-packed, sci-fi adventure exploding with peril, destruction and the bravery of a select few in a vast universe.
This box set features the entire fifth series of the classic British Television drama Inspector Morse. Episodes comprise: 1. Second Time Around: Morse becomes concerned when an ex-Deputy Police Commissioner is murdered. He also discovers that there exists a connection between a missing chapter from the murdered man's memoirs and himself... 2. Fat Chance: A woman deacon dies in suspicious circumstances and Morse is called in... 3. Who Killed Harry Field?:
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