When Inspector Morse first appeared on television in 1987, nobody could have predicted that it would run into the next century, maintaining throughout a quality of scripts and story lines that raised the genre of the detective series to a new level. Much of its success can be attributed to John Thaw's total immersion in the role. Morse is a prickly character and not obviously easy to like. As a detective in Oxford with unfulfilled academic propensities, he is permanently excluded from a world of which he would dearly love to be a part. He is at odds with that world--and with his colleagues in the police force--most of the time. Passionate about opera and "proper beer", he is a cultural snob for whom vulgarity causes almost physical pain. As a result, he lives from one disillusionment to another. And he is scarred--more deeply than he would ever admit--by past relationships. But he also has a naïve streak and, deep-down sensitivity, which makes him a fascinating challenge for women. At the heart of Morse's professional life is his awkward partnership with Detective Sergeant Lewis, the resolutely ordinary, worldly sidekick who manages to keep his boss in an almost permanent state of exasperation while retaining his grudging respect. It's a testament to Kevin Whateley's consistently excellent performance that from such unpromising material, Lewis becomes as indispensable to the series as Barrington Pheloung's hypnotic, classic theme music. Morse's investigations do occasionally take him abroad to more exotic locations, but throughout 14 successful years of often gruesome murders, the city of Oxford itself became a central character in these brooding two-hour dramas: creator Colin Dexter stating he finally had to kill Morse off because he was giving Oxford a bad reputation as a dangerous place! --Piers Ford
This dynamic and tightly scripted drama centres on the search for the perpetrators of a multi-million-pound gold bullion robbery; Peter Vaughan stars as the C.I.D. officer doggedly tracking down all those who hold clues to the identity of the mastermind behind the raid. Vaughan's strong performance is supported by some of the key dramatic actors of the late `60s, including Joss Ackland, Alfred Lynch, George Cole, Bernard Hepton, George Innes, Roy Dotrice and Peter Bowles.
With a remarkable cast headlined by Ian Carmichael, Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price and Terry Thomas, WWII army comedy Private's Progress was one of the major British hits of 1956. Carmichael is Stanley Windrush, a naïve young soldier who during training falls in with the streetwise Private Cox (Attenborough). Windrush's uncle is the even more ambitiously corrupt Colonel Tracepurcel (Price), who plans to divert the war effort to liberate art treasures already looted by the Germans. The first half of the film is quite pedestrian, though the pace picks up considerably once the heist gets underway, and the cheery tone masks a really rather dark and cynical heart. Carmichael's innocent abroad quickly wears thin, but Attenborough and Price steal the film, as well as the paintings, with typically excellent turns. With a nod in the direction of Ealing's The Ladykillers (1955) the film also anticipates the attitudes of both The League of Gentlemen (1959) and Joseph Heller's novel Catch 22 (1961), though lacks the latter's greater sophistication. The cast also contains such British stalwarts as William Hartnell, Peter Jones, Ian Bannen, John Le Mesurier, Christopher Lee and David Lodge, and was sufficiently popular to reunite all the major players for the superior sequel, I'm Alright Jack (1959). On the DVD: Private's Progress is presented in black and white at 4:3 Academy ratio, though the film appears to have been shot full frame and then unmasked for home viewing so there is more top and bottom to the images than at the cinema. The print used shows constant minor damage and is quite grainy, though no more than expected for a low-budget film of the time. The mono sound is average and unremarkable, and there are no special features. --Gary S Dalkin
Eureka Entertainment to release WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?, Clive Donner's zany screwball comedy starring Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole, for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK as part of the Eureka Classics range from 2 December 2019. It's tough being the cat's meow! A zany blend of slapstick gags and madcap comedy, What's New Pussycat?, starring Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole and Woody Allen in his acting and screenwriting debut, is the wildest, wackiest film to emerge from the swinging '60s. Michael (O'Toole) is a mademoiselle magnet. His demented psychiatrist (Sellers) and sex-starved friend (Allen) would kill for this problem, but his would-be fiancé (Romy Schneider) might just kill him. Undergoing therapy, Michael tries to reform, but it won't be easy with sex kittens like Ursula Andress, Paula Prentiss and Capucine on his tail! Wonderfully directed by Clive Donner (The Caretaker) and featuring the hit title song written by Burt Bacharach and performed by Tom Jones, Eureka Classics presents What's New Pussycat? on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK. Features: Presented in 1080p from a high-definition digital restoration Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Uncompressed LPCM 2.0 audio Brand new and exclusive audio commentary by film critics Emma Westwood and Sally Christie Original theatrical trailer A collector's booklet featuring a new essay by Simon Ward
PART MAN, PART MACHINE, ALL COP RoboCop, from Orion Pictures, marked director Paul Verhoeven's (Flesh + Blood) Hollywood debut and instantly became an enduring sci-fi/action classic when it landed in theaters in the summer of 1987. Verhoeven's peerlessly exciting and kinetic visuals were matched by a sharp script, iconic cast and exceptional special effects by Rob Bottin (The Thing) and Phil Tippett (The Empire Strikes Back). The film takes place in Detroit in the not-too-distant future. Heroic cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai) is gunned down in the line of duty, only to be resurrected as RoboCop a cybernetic mix of spare human parts and Motor City steel, and the latest defense against crime designed by the all-powerful OCP Corporation. As RoboCop's memories of his former life as Murphy resurface, only his ex-partner (Nancy Allen, Dressed To Kill) stands beside him to fight against the vicious thugs responsible for his death, as well as a nefarious top-level OCP executive orchestrating the chaos from above. Unsurpassably thrilling, unexpectedly moving and unforgettably hilarious in equal measure, the future of law enforcement is back in a definitive Blu-ray⢠presentation packed with hours of brand new bonus features. Steelbook Contents: 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul Verhoeven Director's Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film on two High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray⢠discs Original lossless stereo and four-channel mixes plus DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound option on both cuts Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts Limited edition collectors' booklet featuring new writing on the film by Omar Ahmed, Christopher Griffiths and Henry Blyth Disc One Director's Cut Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for the Theatrical Cut and re-edited in 2014 for the Director's Cut) New commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon New commentary by fans Christopher Griffiths, Gary Smart and Eastwood Allen The Future of Law Enforcement: Creating RoboCop, a newly filmed interview with co-writer Michael Miner RoboTalk, a newly filmed conversation between co-writer Ed Neumeier and filmmakers David Birke (writer of Elle) and Nick McCarthy (director of Orion Pictures' The Prodigy) Truth of Character, a newly filmed interview with star Nancy Allen on her role as Lewis Casting Old Detroit, a newly filmed interview with casting director Julie Selzer on how the film's ensemble cast was assembled Connecting the Shots, a newly filmed interview with second unit director and frequent Verhoeven collaborator Mark Goldblatt Composing RoboCop, a new tribute to composer Basil Poledouris featuring film music experts Jeff Bond, Lukas Kendall, Daniel Schweiger and Robert Townson RoboProps, a newly filmed tour of super-fan Julien Dumont's collection of original props and memorabilia 2012 Q&A with the Filmmakers, a panel discussion featuring Verhoeven, Davison, Neumeier, Miner, Allen, star Peter Weller and animator Phil Tippett RoboCop: Creating a Legend, Villains of Old Detroit and Special Effects: Then & Now, three archive featurettes from 2007 featuring interviews with cast and crew Paul Verhoeven Easter Egg Four deleted scenes The Boardroom: Storyboard with Commentary by Phil Tippett Director's Cut Production Footage, raw dailies from the filming of the unrated gore scenes Two theatrical trailers and three TV spots Extensive image galleries Disc Two Theatrical Cut Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for Theatrical version of the film) Two Isolated Score tracks (Composer's Original Mix and Final Theatrical Mix) in lossless stereo Edited-for-television version of the film, featuring alternate dubs, takes and edits of several scenes (95 mins, SD only) Split screen comparison of Theatrical and Director's Cuts RoboCop: Edited For Television, a compilation of alternate scenes from two edited-for-television versions, newly transferred in HD from recently-unearthed 35mm elements
1991 – seven year-old Jane bears witness to the inexplicable murder of her mother. Jane saw the killer’s face but despite investigation his identity and motive remain unknown and to this day he roams free. Twenty-three years later Jane (Clare Goose - Mount Pleasant Exile Waking the Dead) is a grown woman married with a daughter of her own. Her mother’s murder still haunts her and the spectre of that man has stalked her into adult life. She wakes up and the thought of him is there… She goes to work and the thought of him is there… She returns home at night and the thought of him is there… One day she pays a routine visit to the local hospital and comes face to face with him. Jane is utterly convinced that she has found her mother’s killer a ghost from the past here in the flesh. She sets about trying to prove it any way that she can determined to bring to justice the man who took her mother away. But what if Andrew Rawlins (Peter Firth - World Without End Spooks) a well-respected doctor and a beloved family man is just as ordinary and innocent as he claims. After all Jane has been wrong before… Written by acclaimed writer Chris Lang (A Mother’s Son The Reckoning) this gripping and tense psychological thriller for ITV1 co-stars Felix Scott (Doc Martin Missing) Christine Bottomley (DCI Banks) and Pippa Haywood (Scott & Bailey).
An intense drama of life and death amongst fighter pilots in World War I. A moving story of comradeship and bravery loneliness and fear from award winning director Jack Gold 'Aces High' contains some of the most magnificent aerial battles ever staged leading to a BAFTA nomination for Best Cinematography and Best Film at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.
Once hounded from his castle for creating a monstrous living creature Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) returns to his ancestral home in Karlstaad determined to continue his experiments into the creation of life. High in the mountains Frankenstein and his faithful assistant Hans stumble on the body of the creature perfectly preserved in ice. He is brought back to life but Frankenstein is forced to employ a hypnotist Zoltan to complete the process. Unbeknown to Frankenstein Zoltan now controls the creature and has plans to use him to rob and pillage the local villages. Can Frankenstein break Zoltan's hypnotic spell or will Zoltan induce the creature to destroy its creator?
A great British crime comedy always worth another watch, Two Way Stretch is the one about the cosily imprisoned crooks who hatch a scheme to pull off a heist with a perfect alibi by breaking out of their nick, doing the job and then breaking back into the jug again to serve out their sentences. Peter Sellers, usually an eccentric support in these things, takes a rare lead as cocky mastermind Dodger Lane, confident enough to share the screen with performers who would be doing serious time if scene-stealing were an actual offence. The chief delight of the film, obvious inspiration for Blakey from On the Buses, is Lionel Jeffries' bristling, infuriated, hilariously humiliated warder Sidney Crout, forever fuming as Dodger gets away with some new scheme. Also in on the scam: Wilfrid Hyde White as a bogus clergyman of extreme unctuousness, David Lodge as the dim-witted muscle bloke, and Bernard Cribbins in the nice young man part. The wayward plot finds room for cameos from such national institutions as Beryl Reid, Irene Handl and Liz Fraser. Director Robert Day, probably best known for the Hammer version of She, is nobody's idea of an auteur, but he puts this pacey little gem together perfectly. The British cinema has been turning out an unheralded series of wonderful caper comedies for decades, from The Lavender Hill Mob through A Fish Called Wanda to The Parole Officer; this effort--along with the follow-up The Wrong Arm of the Law--ranks among the best. On the DVD: Two Way Stretch comes to disc in a nice print. The film is also available as part of the four-disc Peter Sellers Collection.--Kim Newman
Wilbur Gray a horror writer has stumbled upon a terrible secret that cats are supernatural creatures who really call the shots. In a desperate attempt to get others to believe him Wilbur spews three tales of feline horror.
Arguably the archetypal Gothic thriller The Dark Angel is a sensual and stylish adaptation of Uncle Silas - Sheridan le Fanu's influential Victorian literary masterpiece. Starring Peter O'Toole in a wonderfully rich performance as the dangerous scheming and perhaps quite mad Silas Ruthyn this three-part drama is elegantly directed by cult favourite Peter Hammond (Sherlock Holmes The Avengers) and also features Beatie Edney as the unfortunate Maud Jane Lapotaire as the grotesquely sinsiter Madame de la Rougierre Tim Woodward as the brutal Dudley and Hammer Horror doyenne Barbara Shelley in her final dramatic television role. Sparkling with corrupted elegance its dark brooding atmosphere makes The Dark Angel the definitive adaptation of this literary classic. When her father unexpectedly dies young Maud Ruthyn becomes heiress to a large fortune that is held in trust for her until she comes of age. Romantically obsessed by a youthful Byronic painting of her Uncle Silas she readily agrees to being placed in his care - ignoring warnings of his behaviour as a known rake wastrel and opium fiend. Unfortunately for Maud things are not what they seem and Silas's benevolent demeanour hides a web of deception and terror.
Danny Champion Of The World (Dir. Gavin Millar 1989): In a small English town a widowed father and his son own and operate a gas station that rests on land coveted by a local developer. They must fight to keep their land and retain the traditional values they have come to live by against harsh government inspectors who are privately in league with the developer. The Witches (Dir. Nicolas Roeg 1990): Saving the world from witches is a tall order for a boy they've turn
A satirical, surreal and acutely observed comedy-drama from the mid-1980s, A Very Peculiar Practice stars Peter Davison, who, following turns as a vet in All Creatures Great and Small and the Doctor in Doctor Who, here plays naïve Dr Stephen Daker, a profoundly nervous new addition to Lowlands University's medical practice. The distinctly eclectic team he meets is headed by the compassionate, incompetent, alcoholic and suicidal "Jock" McCannon (the gloriously theatrical Graham Crowden). Barbara Flynn is marvellous as the manipulative bisexual Dr Rose Marie, and David Troughton as Dr Bob Buzzard personifies the "greed-is-good" ethos of the era. The seven 50-minute episodes here form an overall arc following Daker from sheer terror through romance with behavioural psychologist Lyn Turtle (Amanda Hillwood), to ethical conflict with the sociopathic vice-chancellor (played with relish by John Bird). Increasingly surreal (from strange nuns to stranger dream sequences--the second, even better series was more bizarre still), the series launches an acidic assault on the Thatcherite asset-stripping mentality that was then laying waste not just British universities, but the entire nation. Written with an acute irony by Andrew Davies, whose move into more mainstream adaptations such as Pride and Prejudice (1995) was contemporary TV drama's greatest loss, A Very Peculiar Practice is a television landmark that, alongside The Singing Detective and Edge of Darkness, marks 1986 as one of the finest years in the history of the medium. --Gary S Dalkin
It could have been a stroke of genius reuniting Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore in a send-up of The Hound of the Baskervilles. In the event, director Paul Morrissey goes for Carry On-style humour: plenty of coarse word-play and camp innuendo, but little wit or subtlety. Cooke is a rather androgynous Sherlock Holmes, while Moore inexplicably attempts a Welsh accent to portray Dr Watson (his cameo as Holmes' mother is far less contrived). The support cast is a compendium of British comedy acting of the period--all now departed, and clearly relishing the one-liners and musical-hall farce. There are excellent contributions from Max Wall, Joan Greenwood (priceless in the seduction scene), and--in one of his last major screen appearances--Terry Thomas, as well as a winning "madame" from Penelope Keith. Don't expect even a free adaptation of Conan Doyle's novel, just let the humour take its enjoyably silly course. On the DVD: The Hound of the Baskervilles film reproduces very decently in the 4:3 aspect ratio, with stereo sound that's not too artificial in effect. Special features consist of nine biographical overviews, the re-release trailer, and a six-minute interview with director Morrissey. Die-hard fans of "Pete and Dud" will most welcome the inclusion of the original theatrical feature, playing for almost 80 minutes and featuring extra footage of Moore's wonderfully inept piano playing. --Richard Whitehouse
This box set features all the special episodes of the classic British Television drama Inspector Morse. Episodes comprise: 1. Way Through The Woods: A man accused of being the Lover's Lane killer is killed in a prison fight before his trial. But Inspector Morse is convinced that he was innocent and that the key to the murderer can be found in the depths of Wytham Woods... 2. The Daughters Of Cain: What first appears as a routine case for Morse and Lewis becom
This box set features the entire first series of the classic British Television drama Inspector Morse. Episodes comprise: 1. The Dead of Jericho: Morse who never quite finds romance thinks that at last things will turn out differently when he meets beautiful Anne Stavely (Gemma Jones). But it is a love destined not to be when Anne is found hanging from a beam in mysterious circumstances. Morse suspects murder and sets out to discover the truth. Joining him is Serg
Struggle between a Liverpool Juvenile Liaison officer and a young and dangerous pyromaniac.
The Salem witch hunts are given a new and nasty perspective when a vengeful teenage girl uses superstition and repression to her advantage, creating a killing machine that becomes a force unto itself. Pulsating with seductive energy, this provocative drama is as visually arresting as it is intellectually engrossing. Arthur Miller based his classic 1953 play on the actual Salem witch trials of 1692, creating what has since become a durable fixture of school drama courses. It may look like a historical drama but Miller also meant the work as a parable for the misery created by the McCarthy anti-Communist hearings of the 1950s. This searing version of his drama delves into matters of conscience with concise accuracy and emotional honesty. Three passionate cheers for Miller, director Nicholas Hytner and costars Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. --Rochelle O'Gorman
If a musical sci-fi satire about an alien transvestite named Frank-n-Furter, who is building the perfect man while playing sexual games with his virginal visitors, sounds like an intriguing premise for a movie, then you're in for a treat. Not only is The Rocky Horror Picture Show all this and more, but it stars the surprising cast of Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick (as the demure Janet and uptight Brad, who get lost in a storm and find themselves stranded at Frank-n-Furter's mansion), Meat Loaf (as the rebel Eddie), Charles Gray (as our criminologist and narrator) and, of course, the inimitable Tim Curry as our "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania". Upon its release in 1975, the film was an astounding flop. But a few devotees persuaded a New York cinema to show it at midnight, and thus was born one of the ultimate cult films of all time. The songs are addictive (just try getting "The Time Warp" or "Toucha Toucha Touch Me" out of your head), the raunchiness amusing and the plot line utterly ridiculous--in other words, this film is simply tremendous good fun. The downfall, however, is that much of the amusement is found in the audience participation that is obviously missing from a video version (viewers in cinemas shout lines at the screen and use props--such as holding up newspapers and shooting water guns during the storm and throwing rice during a wedding scene). Watched alone as a straight movie, Rocky Horror loses a tremendous amount of its charm. Yet, for those who wish to perfect their lip-synching techniques for movie cinema performances or for those who want to gather a crowd around the TV at home for some good, old-fashioned, rowdy fun, this film can't be beat. --Jenny Brown
Prime Suspect 1 (1991): When DCI Jane Tennison (Mirren) takes over the running of what appears to be an open and shut murder case her investigations lead her into a male dominated world and the hunt for a serial killer. Prime Suspect 2 (1992): DCI Tennison begins an investigation into the death of a young girl whose body is found in the back garden of a house in London. Prime Suspect 3 (1993): Chief Inspector Jane Tennison investigates the discovery of a male prostitute's charred body in the burnt-out flat of a transsexual... Prime Suspect 4 - Inner Circles (1995): Detective Superintendent Tennison investigates the mysterious death of a local country club manager and is led to a hidden political scandal... Prime Suspect 4 - Scent Of Darkness (1995) A series of brutal sex murders disturbingly similar to the pattern of Tennison's first major case leads to the awful suggestion that she may have caught the wrong man... Prime Suspect 4 - The Lost Child (1995): Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison's return to London's Southampton Row is complicated by personal upheaval and an investigation into the disappearance of a child... Prime Suspect 5 - Errors Of Judgement (1996): Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison has been transferred to Manchester and finds herself in a world she does not know surrounded by people she cannot trust and invloved with a man she cannot have. Her latest case is destined only to make things worse... Prime Suspect 6 - Last Witness (2003): Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) returns for a sixth investigation and another battle with the male establishment. Tennison is back in London heading a large murder squad dealing with numerous cases. She's facing the prospect of early retirement and has ambitious underlings snapping at her heels. When the body of a young Bosnian woman is found with evidence of torture Tennison takes personal charge of the case. Her investigation leads her to one possibly two Serbian war criminals eager to silence the last witness to a massacre a decade before. Prime Suspect 7 (2006): This tense uncompromising drama by distinguished dramatist and novelist Lynda La Plante has received critically acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic; winning 14 international awards including a BAFTA for Best Drama Serial and Best TV Actress (Helen Mirren). Retirement loom large for Detective Inspector Tennison but as her exemplary career draws towards its inevitable conclusion Jane is paying dearly for 35 years of repressed rage and loneliness. When the body of a missing schoolgirl is discovered the hunt for her killer begins. However as Jane and her team struggle to track down the brutal child murderer the world-weary Detective Tennison begins to unravel.
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