Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Out of Africa seems to have slipped more readily from public memory than other comparably lauded films. Yet Sidney Pollack's panoramic treatment of Karen Blixen's novel has retained its atmosphere and slow-burning emotion, and deserves reassessment. Meryl Streep is in her possibly most involving starring role as Baroness Karen Blixen, Danish free spirit whose ill-fated venture at the beginning of World War One to run a coffee plantation in Kenya is overlaid by her intimate yet distant relationship with adventurer and idealist Denys Finch Hatton, unselfconsciously portrayed by Robert Redford. Klaus Maria Brandauer puts in a rare and convincing English-language appearance as the amoral but charming womaniser Baron Bror Blixen. The film is tellingly held together by Kurt Luedke's finely honed screenplay, and John Barry's sumptuously expressive score. On the DVD: The anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen format reproduces superbly, as does the 4.1 discrete audio. 18 access points are provided, with printed and aural subtitles in English only. Pollack's feature commentary is amusing enough on a single run-through, but an on-location documentary would have been preferable. Production notes and biographies are very adequate, though the theatrical trailer reproduction is notably inferior. No matter, this is a major film, well worth the transfer to DVD.--Richard Whitehouse
Uma Thurman stars as a pregnant assassin who is shot by her boss, Bill, on her wedding day. After being in a coma for five years, she wakes to seek revenge on her co-workers and boss who had attacked her.
'The New Statesman' is a multi-award winning masterpiece of political satire. Rik Mayall stars as the ruthless Alan B'Stard the egocentric MP who will stop at nothing to further his political career. With no morals no depth to which he wouldn't sink and no plot too cunning following the antics of such an immoral MP makes for unbelievable nonstop comedy. This DVD box set features all four series of 'The New Statesman' culminating with the feature length special 'Who Shot Alan B'Stard'. Episodes Comprise: 1. Happiness Is A Warm Gun 2. Passport To Freedom 3. Sex Is Wrong 4. Waste Not Want Not 5. Friends Of St. James 6. Three Line Whipping 7. Baa Baa Black Sheep 8. Fatal Extraction 9. Live From Westminster 10. A Wapping Conspiracy 11. The Haltemprice Bunker 12. California Here I Come 13. May The Best Man Win 14. Piers of the Realm 15. Labour Of Love 16. The Party's Over 17. Let Them Sniff Cake 18. Keeping Mum 19. Natural Selection 20. Profit Of Boom 21. Back From The Mort 22. H*A*S*H 23. Speaking In Tongues 24. Heil And Farewell 25. A Bigger Splash 26. The Irresistible Rise Of Alan B'Stard 27. Who Shot Alan B'Stard?
Martin Scorsese does not sound like the logical choice to direct The Age of Innocence, an adaptation of Edith Wharton's novel about the manners and morals in New York society in the 1870s. But these are mean streets, too, and the psychological violence inflicted between characters is at least as damaging as the physical violence perpetrated by Scorsese's usual gangsters. At the centre of the tale is Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis), a somewhat diffident young man engaged to marry the very respectable May Welland (Winona Ryder). But Archer is distracted by May's cousin, the Countess Olenska (a radiant Michelle Pfeiffer), who has recently returned from Europe. As a married woman seeking a divorce, the Countess is an embarrassment to all of New York society. But Archer is fascinated by her quick intelligence and worldly ways. Scorsese closely observes the tiny details of this world and this impossible situation; this is a film in which the shift of someone's eyes can be as significant as the firing of a gun. The director's sense of colour has never been keener, and his work with the actors is subtle. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com
Welcome to Holmfirth, a breathtakingly beautiful village in the heart of the Holme Valley, home to our favourite idiosyncratic retired gentlemen. As they amble about the countryside, these unlikely lads are now enjoying a mischievous second childhood, devising and executing a multitude of (grey) hare-brained schemes. Which is just what you'd expect from Britain's oldest, if not wisest adolescents, and their equally eccentric fellow townspeople. Helped by a supporting band of formidable wives, hen-pecked husbands, sexually-charged mistresses, inventors, pigeon fanciers and balding lotharios, our three heroes are never far from one adventure or another. It'll end in trouble especially when the formidable Nora Batty finds out. Collecting the first ten series of one of the BBC's most popular and enduring comedies, the Early Years box set features 75 episodes, including memorable classics such as Forked Lightning where Clegg (Peter Sallis) has several extremely embarrassing accidents on his bicycle and And Who's That Dancing With Nora Batty Then? Where Compo (Bill Owen) finally gets to dance with Nora Batty, which ends after he steps on her foot.
Titles Comprise: Cars: Hit the road with the high-octane adventure comedy that shows life is about the journey, not the finish line. Hotshot rookie race car Lightning McQueen is living life in the fast lane until he inadvertently takes the scenic route on his way to the most important race of his life. Stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten town on the old Route 66, he meets Doc Hudson, Sally, Mater and a variety of quirky characters who help him discover that there's more to life than trophies and fame. Cars 2: Get ready for more freewheeling fun as star racecar Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater take their friendship to exciting new places when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage!Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales: Rev up your engines for this unforgettable collection of Cars Toons staring Mater, the love and hilarious tow-truck from the hit movie Cars. From the creative minds of Disney-Pixar come nine highly entertaining all Tales involving bullfights, drag races, rock concerts, monster truck showdowns an even UFOs - plus, check out the new, never-seen-before Cars Toons Mater Private Eye and Moon Mater. Join Mater, the heart and soul of Radiator Springs, and all your favourite characters from the world of Cars as they take you on a fun-filled ride that will have your family roaring with laughter!
One of the landmark films of the 1960s, Bonnie and Clyde changed the course of American cinema. Setting a milestone for screen violence that paved the way for Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch, this exercise in mythologized biography should not be labelled as a bloodbath; as critic Pauline Kael wrote in her rave review, "it's the absence of sadism that throws the audience off balance". The film is more of a poetic ode to the Great Depression, starring the dream team of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the titular antiheroes, who barrel across the South and Midwest robbing banks with Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman), Buck's frantic wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) and their faithful accomplice C W Moss (the inimitable Michael J. Pollard). Bonnie and Clyde is an unforgettable classic that has lost none of its power since the 1967 release. --Jeff Shannon
Blake's 7 was the hit BBC space opera launched in the wake of Star Wars, though with a grittier sensibility and produced on a fraction of the budget. Over 13 episodes the first series introduced freedom-fighter Blake (Gareth Thomas) as he escaped from the Orwellian Federation, gathered a crew of low-life rebels, salvaged an alien starship called the Liberator, and began striking back against the forces of Supreme Commander Servalan (sultry Jacqueline Pearce). The effects were cheap, and alien planets were represented by a disused quarry or an industrial complex, but the strong characters and cynical storylines created by Doctor Who veteran Terry Nation remain involving. The perfect foil for Blake was Paul Darrow's Avon, a near psychopathic criminal mastermind who only fought to save his skin. The cowardly Vila (Michael Keating) was almost as memorable, while the female leads were Jenna (Sally Knyvette), a smuggler and pilot, and determined Auron telepath Cally (Jan Chappell). Also on board was Gan (David Jackson), inhibited from violence by a brain implant. With even the good guys being criminals, including murderers, this was a galaxy far, far away from previous screen space opera. Though undeniably dated, the show is still vintage TV SF, right from the opening three-parter "The Way Back / Spacefall / Cygnus Alpha" to the cliff-hanging shocker "Orac", which introduces the final member of the un-magnificent seven. On the DVD: Blake's 7, Series 1 presents the 13 episodes across five DVDs so as to maximise picture quality. Following the BBC's Doctor Who DVDs the 4:3 images are as strong as one could expect from a 1970s TV show shot partly on video (interiors) and 16 mm film (exteriors). Film shots have some grain and vary considerably in quality while the video material shows occasional minor tearing and flaws in the tape. Otherwise these are as good as Blake's 7 is ever going to look. The same is true of the mono sound, which is clear and undistorted. Each DVD is introduced with a CGI reincarnation of the series' famous logo and three episodes are offered with a commentary. These are "Spacefall" (Sally Knyvette, Michael Keating and producer David Maloney), "Seek-Locate-Destroy" (Keating, Jacqueline Pearce and Stephen Greif) and "Project Avalon" (Knyvette, Pearce and Greif). The chat ranges from high-school reunion playfulness, including singing the title music, to some more serious insights into making the show, to an amusing running debate as to whether Glynis Barber appears in "Project Avalon". Other extras are "2 out takes, a missing scene, 1 robot, 2 flat feet and a blooper". These are exactly what they say: an extract from Blue Peter in 1978 with Lesley Judd making a Blake's 7 bracelet; nine clip compilations introducing the main characters; a synopsis for each episode; and a trailer for the Series 2 DVDs. --Gary S Dalkin
Wrestlemania XII: 1.Owen Hart British Bulldog & Vader vs Yokozuna Jake ""The Snake"" Roberts & Ahmed Johnson 2.Hollywood Backlot Brawl - ""Rowdy"" Roddy Piper vs Goldust 3.The Ringmaster vs Savio Vega 4.Ultimate Warrior vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley 5.Undertaker vs Diesel 6.WWE Iron Man Match for WWE Championship - Shawn Michaels vs Bret ""Hit Man"" Hart Wrestlemania XIII: 1.No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Fatal Four Way Elimination Match - The Headbangers vs The Godwinns vs Th
Tamsin Greig and Michael Landes star in this romantic comedy drama penned by sitcom legend David Renwick. Love Soup looks at what happens when your first love is a distant memory but you haven't yet found the one. Dealing with the parallel lives of a perfectly matched couple who have yet to meet each other the comedy-drama follows their hopes fears and dating disasters as they try to remain sane in a world from which they each feel increasingly excluded. Tamsin Greig (Green Wing) plays Alice Chenery an account manager for a perfume company in a London department store struggling to maintain a flat in Brighton she cannot afford. Michael Landes who has starred in The Wonder Years and The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air plays Gil Raymond a successful American comedy writer who has fled his home country in search of artistic integrity and a lasting relationship.
Alicia Silverstone was so hot after the success of Clueless that she formed her own production company at the age of 19, and Excess Baggage was the first movie she chose as a starring vehicle. Silverstone plays Emily, a spoiled rich girl who has everything but her father's affection, so she decides to stage her own kidnapping to see if dad will come to his senses and appreciate the daughter he so blindly disregards. But when Emily locks herself in the trunk of her own car, she's surprised when the car is stolen by Vincent (Benicio Del Toro, from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), a professional car thief whose partner (Harry Connick Jr.) has misplaced 200,000 dollars of the Mob's money. Christopher Walken stars as Emily's "Uncle Ray," who's hot on her trail as she goes on the lam with Vincent. It's not the meandering plot that matters so much as the funny dialogue between Silverstone and Del Toro, who steals his scenes with a smoky mumble and easygoing charm. Excess Baggage is mostly for Alicia fans, but the film has got enough good laughs and low-key appeal to make it a home-video sleeper. --Jeff Shannon
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of BBC News on television this is a fascinating series of programmes that look back on the past five decades. Each programme is a 30-minute segment covering a decade beginning with the 1950s. Providing insight into how BBC News is reported each segment is narrated by one of the following key news figures: Charles Wheeler Michael Buerk Kate Adie John Simpson and Jeremy Bowen. Also includes three extra programmes from 1953 1963 and 2004 about h
An amazing cast of big-screen favourites is directed by Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn), Frank Miller and special guest director Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill 1 and 2, Pulp Fiction) in an acclaimed and visually stunning hit that's the coolest movie of the year! Straight from the pages of Miller's hip series of Sin City graphic novels, Bruce Willis stars as a cop with a bum ticker and a vow to protect a sexy stripper (Jessica Alba Fantastic Four); Mickey Rourke (Man On Fire) as an outcast misanthrope on a mission to avenge the death of his one true love. (Jaime King Pearl Harbor); and Clive Owen (King Arthur) as Dwight, the clandestine love of Shellie (Brittany Murphy Little Black Book), who spends his night defending Gail (Rosario Dawson The Devil's Rejects) and her Old Town girls (Devon Aoki and Alexis Bledel) from a tough guy (Benicio Del Toro 21 Grams) with a penchant for violence. Also starring Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Michael Madsen, Carla Gugino and Michael Clarke Duncan.
Iron Eagles (short of Top Gun) is close to being the definitive boys' movie of the 1980s. An 18-year-old (Jason Gedrick) gets instruction from an old vet (Louis Gossett Jr) in how to fly an F-16 jet and kick butt in the Middle East, all while listening to his Walkman and--oh, yeah--saving his father from terrorist clutches. Gossett wears his tough-love face while the kids run rampant. Speaking of children, young guys must have like this comic-book movie, as its success spawned three sequels. But watch out for the Reagan-era jingoism and political reductiveness. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com
Known for her special rapport with troubled students,Paulette seems just the person to help Kip Bauchmoyer through various issues when he joins her literature class. But rumours soon start circulating that the bond between Kip and the good-looking,sympathetic Paulette goes far beyond any acceptable pupil teacher relationship. Following Kip's suicide,the wealthy community to which he belongs closes ranks against Paulette and she finds herself on trial amid a blaze of intrusive media attention...
Sometimes a day is all it takes. Today Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) metro editor of a New York tabloid has some very big decisions to make. His heavily pregnant wife (Marisa Tomei) is facing urgent deadlines of her own. Henry' boss the managing editor (Glenn Close) is also reaching a crisis in her life and her senior (Robert Duvall) has just discovered he is an extremely sick man. To top it all the paper is in pursuit of a hot story that could expose a major scandal and fre
First transmitted in 1973 this release features every episode from Series One and Two of 'Last Of The Summer Wine'. Episode titles: Short Back And Palais Glide Inventor Of The 40-Foot Ferret Pate And Chips Spring Fever The New Mobile Trio Hail Smiling Morn Or Thereabouts Forked Lightning Who's That Dancing With Nora Batty Then? The Changing Face Of Rural Blamire Some Enchanted Evening A Quiet Drink Ballad For Wind Instruments And Canoe Northern Flying Circus.
When a former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces (The Rock) returns to his small hometown and finds it besieged by drugs and violence, he becomes the sheriff to put things right.
Masters of horror Wes Craven and Sean Cunningham revisit their landmark film that launched Craven's directing career and influenced decades of horror films to follow: The Last House On The Left.
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