"Actor: Pamela Brown"

• Richard III | DVD | (06/02/2006) from £13.48   |  Saving you £1.51 (11.20%)   |  RRP £14.99

  ""Why I can smile and murder while I smile And cry 'Content' to that which grieves my heart And wet my cheeks with artificial tears And frame my face to all occasions..."" Soon after Edward IV is crowned King his brother Richard a hunchback twisted in mind as well as body starts scheming for the throne of England. He woos and wins Lady Anne and then poisons Edward's mind against their brother Clarence later organising his death. But even after his coronation

• Cleopatra | DVD | (13/05/2013) from £8.49   |  Saving you £4.50 (53.00%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Still the most expensive movie ever made, Cleopatra nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. It also scandalised the world with the very public affair of its two major stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. But Joseph L Mankiewicz's 1963 epic deserves to be remembered for more than its off-screen troubles. An extravagantly elaborate production, the sets and costumes alone are awe-inspiring; Mankiewicz's own literate screenplay draws heavily on the classics and Shakespeare; while the supporting cast, led by Rex Harrison as Caesar and Roddy McDowall as his nephew (and future emperor) Octavian, are all first-rate thespians and generally put in more convincing performances than either of the two leads. Mankiewicz's original intention was to make two three-hour films: the first being Caesar and Cleopatra, the second Antony and Cleopatra. But before the film’s completion, and following a boardroom coup worthy of Ancient Rome itself, legendary mogul Darryl F Zanuck took back control of Fox and insisted that Cleopatra be cut to a more economical length. A heartbroken Mankiewicz was forced to trim his six-hour vision down to four. This was the "roadshow" version shown at the film’s premiere and now restored here. Then following adverse criticism and pressure from cinema chains Zanuck demanded more cuts, and the final released version ran a mere three hours--half the original length. Capitalising on the feverish publicity surrounding Burton and Taylor, the shortened version played up both their on- and off-screen romance. This longer four-hour roadshow version allows for a broader view of the film, adding some depth to the politics and manipulation of the characters. But the director’s original six-hour edit has been lost. Perhaps one day it will be rediscovered in the vaults and Mankiewicz’s much-maligned movie will finally be seen the way it was meant to be. Until then, Cleopatra remains an epic curiosity rather than the complete spectacle it should be.

• Cleopatra -- Three-Disc Special Edition | DVD | (15/04/2002) from £24.94   |  Saving you £0.05 (0.20%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Still the most expensive movie ever made, Cleopatra nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. It also scandalised the world with the very public affair of its two major stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. But Joseph L Mankiewicz's 1963 epic deserves to be remembered for more than its off-screen troubles. An extravagantly elaborate production, the sets and costumes alone are awe-inspiring; Mankiewicz's own literate screenplay draws heavily on the classics and Shakespeare; while the supporting cast, led by Rex Harrison as Caesar and Roddy McDowall as his nephew (and future emperor) Octavian, are all first-rate thespians and generally put in more convincing performances than either of the two leads. Mankiewicz's original intention was to make two three-hour films: the first being Caesar and Cleopatra, the second Antony and Cleopatra. But before the film’s completion, and following a boardroom coup worthy of Ancient Rome itself, legendary mogul Darryl F Zanuck took back control of Fox and insisted that Cleopatra be cut to a more economical length. A heartbroken Mankiewicz was forced to trim his six-hour vision down to four. This was the "roadshow" version shown at the film’s premiere and now restored here for the first time. Then following adverse criticism and pressure from cinema chains Zanuck demanded more cuts, and the final released version ran a mere three hours--half the original length. Capitalising on the feverish publicity surrounding Burton and Taylor, the shortened version played up both their on- and off-screen romance. This longer four-hour roadshow version allows for a broader view of the film, adding some depth to the politics and manipulation of the characters. But the director’s original six-hour edit has been lost. Perhaps one day it will be rediscovered in the vaults and Mankiewicz’s much-maligned movie will finally be seen the way it was meant to be. Until then, Cleopatra remains an epic curiosity rather than the complete spectacle it should be. On the DVD: this handsome three-disc set spreads the restored four-hour print of the movie across two discs. The anamorphic widescreen print looks quite magnificent and Alex North’s wondrous score comes up like new in Dolby 5.1 sound. There’s a patchy and only intermittently revealing commentary from Chris Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky. Much better is the comprehensive two-hour documentary that occupies disc three, which tells in hair-raising detail the extraordinary story of a film production that became totally out of control. This is accompanied by some short archival material, but the documentary alone is a compelling reason to acquire this set. --Mark Walker

• One Of Our Aircraft Is Missing | DVD | (15/05/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  After being shot down over Nazi occupied Holland an RAF bomber crew attempt to make their way back to England with the help of the Dutch resistance.

• Ken Loach at the BBC | DVD | (05/09/2011) from £19.99   |  Saving you £-0.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.00

  1965 saw Ken Loach working as one of the in house directors of the groundbreaking The Wednesday Play series at The BBC which included Three Clear Sundays Up the Junction and The End of Arthur's Marriage. Of these plays Up The Junction had the most impact telling the story of three young women factory workers in their work and home lives focusing on Rube as she meets her first boyfriend and chronicles the significant life changing events that follow including an illegal abortion. Not only controversial at the time Loach's inter-cutting of real life interviews mixed in with drama became a signpost for his future directing style striving for naturalism and realism. 1966 saw Ken Loach's breakthrough piece Cathy Come Home. The play follows the lives of young sweethearts Cathy (Carol White fresh from Up The Junction) and Reg (Ray Brooks) starting out as a newly married couple moving into a new place and having children. Reg then suffers an accident which means he is unable to work and they end up being evicted and separated. With Cathy homeless but still looking after the children she faces having her children taken away from her by Social Services. This is perhaps the play that has had more impact than any other on television highlighting the very real problem of homelessness. Even some forty years later the power of Cathy Come Home remains undiminished. In Two Minds charts the turbulent life of a young woman who endures a difficult family life and after throwing a kitchen knife at her mother is diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Much like Cathy Come Home the realistic documentary style helps provide veracity to the story. Written by Jim Allen The Big Flame is a story of striking Liverpool dock workers who decide that to safeguard their futures they must control the port themselves. This was the first of several Ken Loach / Jim Allen collaborations - many of which would be starkly political. The BAFTA nominated Days of Hope was Jim Allen's tale of a working-class family in the period from 1916 to 1926 taking in the First World War events in Ireland and the General Strike of 1926. Running to well over six hours the series tells an epic story particularly in the light of the parlous state of the economy and labour relations in Britain at the time. A radical series in every sense Jim Allen was able create real parallels in Days of Hope that resonated with the working class of the mid 1970's and the political climate at that time. Loach returned to the BBC with The Price of Coal (written by Kes author Barry Hines) a film which depicted the lives of those living in a coalfield community. The first part subtitled Meet The People is a comic tale surrounding the story of a colliery community in preparation for a visit by Prince Charles and the efforts being put on by the management to make the pit fit for a future king involving grassing over an unsightly coal slag heap and whitewashing everything in site. The second part Back To Reality is completely different in tone when the colliery suffers a sudden underground explosion trapping killing and injuring the miners and as the rescue team work frantically to rescue those trapped those above ground argue about who is to blame. The Rank and File which completes the collection again written by Jim Allen is a story based around the strike by the Pilkington Glass workers. This beautifully packaged collection displays some of Loach's very best work and gives a real insight into working class life in the 60's and 70's. The collection also features an interview with Ken Loach a documentary entitled Housing Problems and a commentary track for Cathy Come Home.

• Tales Of Hoffman | DVD | (03/09/2007) from £5.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (166.94%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger create a phantasmagoric marriage of cinema and opera in this one of a kind take on a classic story. In Jacques Offenbach's fantasy opera The Tales of Hoffman a poet dreams of three women - a mechanical performing doll a bejeweled siren and the consumptive daughter of a famous composer - all of whom break his heard in different ways. Powell and Pressburger's feverishly romantic adaptation is a feast of music dance and visual effects an

• Wuthering Heights | DVD | (07/02/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Haunting passionate and unforgettable this beautiful version of Emily Bronte's timeless masterpiece stars Anna Calder-Marshall and Timothy Dalton as Cathy and Heathcliff star crossed lovers destined for a doomed romance.....

• Fright Night 4K Ultra HD SteelBook (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) | Blu Ray | (04/10/2022) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Dracula | DVD | (05/10/2015) from £14.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Academy Award® winner Jack Palance stars in this terrifying adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic     vampire legend with screenplay by sci-fi/horror master Richard Matheson and produced by the legendary Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows). Palance is Count Dracula whose existence is threatened after he attacks Lucy (Fiona Lewis) and her fiancé (Simon Ward); and they call in vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Nigel Davenport).Transferred and restored from the original 35mm camera negative. Features: First ever UK release on DVD of this critically acclaimed Dracula film  Remastered and restored to HD  Directed by renowned horror film director Dan Curtis “More faithful to the novel than any of the cinematic variations” - dailymotion.com

• On A Clear Day You Can See Forever | DVD | (06/06/2005) from £6.73   |  Saving you £9.26 (137.59%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Daisy Gamble an unusual woman who hears phones before they ring and does wonders with her flowers wants to quit smoking to please her fiance Warren. She goes to a doctor of hypnosis to do it. But once she's under her doctor finds out that she can regress into past lives and different personalities and he finds himself falling in love with one of them!

• One of Our Aircraft Is Missing | DVD | (12/05/2014) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £6.99

  Now stunningly repackaged 50p from the sale of this DVD will be paid to Royal British Legion Trading Limited which gives its taxable profits to The Royal British Legion (Charity no. 219279) and Poppy Scotland (Scottish Charity No. SC014096). Nominated for two Academy Awards One of Our Aircraft Is Missing is a dramatic and suspenseful World War II action story based on the actual methods by which the Dutch smuggled crashed British airmen back to England. Six such airmen parachute from their crippled plane into a wood and are discovered by children who take them to a farm where the Dutch question them at length before offering them help. They endure many narrow escapes from the Nazis before they reach a sea port. Their attempted journey across the Channel is fraught with many dangers and an unexpected turn of events.

• A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum | DVD | (12/01/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The words of the opening song pretty much describe the menu in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum--"Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone: a comedy tonight!"--a frantic adaptation of the stage musical by Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove. The wild story, based on the Latin comedies of Plautus and set in ancient Rome, follows a slave named Pseudolus (Zero Mostel, snorting and gibbering) as he tries to extricate himself from an increasingly farcical situation; Mostel and a bevy of inspired clowns, including Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford and Buster Keaton, keep the slapstick and the patter perking. The cast also includes the young Michael Crawford as a love-struck innocent. This project landed in the lap of Richard Lester, then one of the hottest directors in the world after his success with the Beatles' films. Lester telescoped the material through his own joke-a-second sensibility, and also ripped out some of the songs from Stephen Sondheim's Broadway score. The result is very close to the vaudeville spirit suggested by the title--though anyone with a low tolerance for Zero Mostel's overbearing buffoonery may be in trouble. Oddly enough, amid all the frenzy, Lester creates a grungy, earthy Rome that seems closer to the real thing than countless respectable historical films on the subject. Frankie Howerd, who played Pseudolus on the London stage, kept the tradition going with his Up Pompeii TV series. --Robert Horton

• Lust For Life | DVD | (20/03/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Vibrant orange sunflowers. Rippling yelow grain. Trees bursting with white bloom. ""The pictures come to me as in a dream "" Vincent Van Gogh said. A dream that too often turned to life-shattering nightmare... Winner of Golden Globe and New York Film Critics Best Actor Awards Kirk Douglas gives a fierce portrayal as the artist torn between the joyous inspiration of his genius and the dark desperation of his tormented mind. The obsessed Van Gogh painted the way other men breathe drivi

• Secret Ceremony | DVD | (15/05/2006) from £16.67   |  Saving you £-6.68 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  It's time to speak of unspoken things... This offbeat psycho-drama follows a wealthy mentally unbalanced young woman who mistakenly believes an aging prostitute is her dead mother. The hooker Leonora has lost her own daughter and is in mourning. But because she has strong maternal feelings she is more than happy to play mother to the orphaned Cenci. However the two women's strange relationship takes a problematic turn when Cenci's stepfather Albert enters her life onc

• Now and Forever | DVD | (12/10/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Former child star Janette Scott stars opposite Vernon Gray in a story of runaway romance that transcends the class barrier. Based on R.F. Delderfield's play The Orchard Walls, Now and Forever stars Scott as a well-to-do girl for whom the path of true love runs anything but smooth, and Gray as the young car mechanic who fails to impress his future fiancee's snobbish mother. This heart-warming drama is featured here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements, in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Janette Grant is a lonely schoolgirl with divorced parents. She lives with her mother in a provincial town, where she falls in love with Mike, the son of a local garage owner. Appalled on discovering the alliance, Mrs Grant decides to send Janette to Canada. When a desperate bid to kill herself thankfully fails, the young girl hatches a plan to elope with Mike to Gretna Green...SPECIAL FEATURESOriginal theatrical trailerImage galleryPromotional material PDFs

• 3 Powell And Pressburger Films - A Matter Of Life And Death / Life And Death Of Col. Blimp | DVD | (20/10/2003) from £24.28   |  Saving you £-6.29 (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp: Drama about the life of Clive Candy an English soldier who served in three wars (Boer World War I World War II) and had relationships with three women along the way (each played by Deborah Kerr). Despite Candy's tours-of-duty he harbors no ill will towards the Germans instead he believes they have been the pawns of military leaders. Colonel Blimp an old befuddled British military officer reminisces about his past glories in this witty w

• In This House Of Brede | DVD | (11/02/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Phillipa Talbot (Diana Rigg) was a widowed successful career woman. She had position wealth a devoted lover. She also had a heart numbed by self-hatred. A heart that refused to love. In This House of Brede is the story of Phillipa's search for love in the mysterious sequestered world of Benedictine nuns at Brede Abbey. It tells of her tormented relationships with two women: A young novice who questions her fidelity to her vows which causes her pain and an older woman whose hatred almost destroys her. She ultimately learns to love both in equal measure. Based on the best-selling novel by Rumer Godden and filmed on location at genuine convents in London and Ireland.

• Cleopatra (Special Edition) | DVD | (08/02/2006) from £29.87   |  Saving you £-9.88 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Possibly the most alluring mysterious and powerful woman of all time Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) changed the course of history when two of the most powerful men in Rome fell in love with her. Rex Harrison is Julius Caesar who wins the Egyptian throne for Cleopatra marries her and provides her with a child Caesarean. Upon returning to his native country Caesar is crowned Dictator of Rome but his desperate desire for even greater power causes a worried Roman Senate to fatally conspire against him on the Ides of March.

• Scared To Death | DVD | (14/10/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  An ex-cop now working as a hack novelist is called out of retirement to help investigate a string of deaths that appear to be the work of a serial killer but soon are revealed to be the work of an unstoppable synthesized genetic organism! Can he and his ex-partner stop the creature before it spawns to create a human holocaust?

• Richard III | DVD | (17/09/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  The third and final entry in Laurence Olivier's Shakespeare triptych, Richard III is an audacious portrait of a man determined to prove himself a villain. A pure master of the political stage, Richard deploys a barrage of odious, unscrupulous traps in an attempt to exercise complete control over his rivals. As the personification of evil impudence, Olivier portrays the Duke of Gloucester with such aplomb that he even lures the audience on to his side. This is true even as Richard engineers plots to murder his brother Clarence (John Gielgud), betray his cousin Buckingham (Ralph Richardson) and seduce his niece Lady Anne (Claire Bloom). From the play's famous opening lines ("Now is the winter of our discontent"), Olivier delivers every speech with truly Machiavellian splendour. As usual, his voice is a force of nature--a full-bodied coloratura at one moment, an earthy baritone cello a few beats later. As a director, Olivier fully realises but underplays the corners of the script that most directors would hinge their dramatisation on. But he can also play it large: Olivier's superb staging of the climactic battle rivals his work on Henry V. Though Richard is finally brought down by the whispered curses of Queen Margaret, the audience exits feeling that the journey has been both entertaining and complete. Regrettably, this would be Olivier's last Shakespeare film, as a planned adaptation of Macbeth was abandoned for financial reasons. Olivier justly received an Oscar nomination for his performance; and believe it or not, this film was the inspiration for the original Blackadder! --Kevin Mulhall