"Actor: Paul Kynman"

• Hound of the Baskervilles | DVD | (17/02/2003) from £19.99   |  Saving you £-4.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  With 17 previous screen adaptations behind it, this 2002 BBC version of The Hound of the Baskervilles might have been inhibited by the sheer weight of expectation. But in this production--marking the centenary of Arthur Conan Doyle's novel--director David Attwood rings the changes subtly and strikingly, helped by Allan Cubitt's tautly argued script and Christopher Hall's vivid production: the viewer feels the "presence" of the moors as never before. Richard Roxburgh is a thoughtful, understated Sherlock Holmes--self-absorbed yet observant of life around him. There's nothing bumbling or ineffectual about Ian Hart's Dr Watson--a resourceful thinker who, often sceptical of Holmes, complements him in human awareness. Richard E Grant dons a plausibly sociopathic manner as Stapleton, and there's a touching portrayal of his put-upon sister from Neve McIntosh. John Nettles and Geraldine James contribute sterling character parts as Dr and Mrs Mortimer, and Matt Day is a suave, not too sophisticated Sir Henry Baskerville. It adds up to a convincing rethink of a hallowed tale. On the DVD: The Hound of the Baskervilles on disc comes with a 16:9 picture that reproduces the sombre atmosphere of Baskerville Hall--shot at a variety of English locations--with real immediacy, and the Dolby Digital sound has 5.1 surround enhancement. Subtitles are in 11 languages, with 10 scene selections--framed in a stylishly- presented main menu. Special Features include a 12-minute making of documentary and interviews with the cast members, as well as a running commentary from Attwood and Hall. --Richard Whitehouse

• Battle of Britain Double DVD Box Set - Containing First Light (BBC1) and The Battle of Britain (BBC1 Ewan McGregor) | DVD | (24/10/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Battle Of Britain: There are few occasions in history when we can say that the actions of a few changed the destiny - not just of a country - but of the world. The Battle of Britain is one of those moments. To mark the Anniversary of the Battle of Britain arguably the most important event in modern British history brothers Colin and Ewan McGregor present a ninety minute special for BBC1 leading us through the timeline of events during the height of the Battle. Colin is an R.A.F veteran of twenty years' service - Ewan a hero of the big screen and fledgling pilot himself. Together they take us on a journey to honour the heroes of 1940 both on the ground and in the air bringing the story of the Battle of Britain to a new generation. They will take to the skies over Southern England as Spitfires and Hurricanes once again fly over the White Cliffs of Dover. They discover the legacy of the Battle and reveal the inspiring personal stories of the few who were there and those still with us today. Using great aerial footage mixed with impressive historical archive film material this is truly the definitive programme on the Battle of Britain. First Light: Thrown into the crucible of the most violent air war ever seen a boy barely out of school is determined to fight for survival... Seventy years later that same boy is still yearning to be free. At the age of nineteen Geoffrey 'Boy' Wellum was the youngest Spitfire pilot in the Battle of Britain. This is the dramatic story of the teenager who went to war with the Nazis and with the fear that threatened to engulf him... Combining Geoffrey Wellum's compelling first person testimony with intensely evocative action on the ground and in the air First Light is a powerful drama that documents the universal stark horror experienced by those involved in battle.