"Actor: Roddy McDowall"

• Cleopatra | Blu Ray | (30/01/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  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

• The Martian Chronicles | DVD | (18/04/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

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• 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

• Planet of the Apes -- 35th Anniversary Special Edition (2 discs) | DVD | (26/04/2004) from £4.89   |  Saving you £18.10 (370.14%)   |  RRP £22.99

  A genuine genre classic whose impact remains undimmed either by time, increasingly dire sequels, or Tim Burton's lacklustre 2001 "reimagining", the original Planet of the Apes richly deserves this 35th Anniversary special edition. Here you'll find a glorious anamorphic presentation of Franklin J Schaffner's painterly CinemaScope framing, accompanied by a new DTS 5.1 soundtrack that makes the movie seem even more vibrant and immediate than ever before. On disc one the film is accompanied by two audio commentaries: one from composer Jerry Goldsmith, and another with Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Natalie Trundy and make-up artist John Chambers. These are reasonably interesting, though with a few too many gaps. Better is Eric Greene's exhaustive text commentary. Better still are the features on the second disc. Disc two contains the exhaustive two-hour Behind the Planet of the Apes documentary (also to be found in the six-disc box set) as well as a host of other behind-the-scenes nuggets for die-hard fans: dailies and outtakes, make-up tests and Roddy McDowall's home movies. There's some overlap between a 1967 NATO presentation of the movie hosted by Charlton Heston and other featurettes from 1968 and 1972. Sequel directors Don Taylor and J Lee Thompson are seen in action, and there are trailers, film reviews from 1968 and picture galleries. --Mark Walker

• Planet Of The Apes - Primal Collection (Eight Films Box Set) | Blu Ray | (24/11/2014) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.00

  Packed with nonstop action iconic imagery and thrilling twists and turns the Planet of the Apes Primal Collection contains all eight films. See how it all began — and ended — as legendary stars including Charlton Heston Roddy McDowall Kim Hunter Ricardo Montalban James Franciscus and Claude Akins dominate the screen in these spectacular adventures that belong in every movie lover’s library!

• Agatha Christie's Evil Under The Sun | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A star-studded cast heads this Agatha Christie story about the efforts of Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) to fathom the mysterious death of a capricious star in a Mediterranean resort hotel...

• Man Hunt | Blu Ray | (19/06/2017) from £11.76   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  British hunter Thorndike vacationing in Bavaria has Hitler in his gun sight. He is captured, beaten, left for dead, and escapes back to London where he is hounded by German agents and aided by a young woman.

• Laserblast | DVD | (08/12/2013) from £10.10   |  Saving you £1.15 (13.01%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A Sci-Fi classic! A desert exploration leads to an explosive discovery for Billy - his own personal laser gun. Each time he fires the laser he begins to mutate into an alien. Billy terrorizes the town but it's only a matter of time before the aliens return to reclaim their weapon and his life. With Roddy McDowall and Keenan Wynn. Special Features: All Region Codes Anamorphic Widescreen Numbered Spine Original Trailer Full Moon Trailer Park Reversible Sleeve Incorporating Original Artwork Red Case

• Planet Of The Apes Red Tag Boxset | DVD | (15/09/2008) from £29.99   |  Saving you £-10.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Planet of the Apes:Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall star in this legendary science-fiction masterpiece. Astronaut Taylor (Heston) crash lands on a distant planet ruled by apes who use a primitive race of humans for experimentation and sport. Soon Taylor finds himself among the hunted, his life in the hands of a benevolent chimpanzee scientist (McDowall). Winner of an honorary Academy Award for Outstanding Make-Up Achievement, Planet Of The Apes is grand entertainment, from its visually arresting beginning to the chilling last moment. Beneath The Planet of The Apes:In the acclaimed sequel to Planet of the Apes, another astronaut (James Franciscus) crashes through the time barrier searching for the missing Taylor (Charlton Heston). The daring rescue mission leads to a subterranean city where mutant humans, who practise mind control, worship a weapon capable of destroying the entire planet. Escape From The Planet of The Apes:Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter reprise their roles from the original Planet of the Apes in this third chapter of the Apes saga. Two intelligent simians from the future, Cornelius (McDowall) and Zira (Hunter) travel to present-day Earth. They become instant sensations, wined and dined and treated like celebrities - until a high-level plot forces them to run for their lives! Conquest of The Planet of The Apes:The fourth episode of the legendary Apes saga, stars Roddy McDowall and Ricardo Montalban. The time is the near future. Apes have substituted cats and dogs as household pets, and replaced servants as personal assistants - until their continual mistreatment provokes one advanced ape from the future, Caesar (McDowall), to lead a spectacular revolt that marks the beginning of the ape revolution. Battle For The Planet of The Apes:The fifth and last chapter of the legendary Apes saga is set in 2670 A.D. After the revolution, brought about by Caesar, the world is now a desolated place. Now man and apes try to live together in an uneasy harmony, with apes having the edge over man as the leaders. When the smoke clears the carnage is everywhere, but there is hope for a new beginning for man and ape. Rise of The Planet of The Apes:From the creators of Avatar comes the number 1 UK blockbuster and ultimate Sci-fi re-boot – Rise of the Planet of the Apes an origin story set in present day San Francisco, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy. Planet of the Apes (2011):In the year 2029, interstellar reconnaissance missions are relegated to chimpanzee pilots from the space station OBERON in deep space. On one such mission, a chimp loses communication and vanishes from the radar. Fearless astronaut Leo Davidson launches a rescue mission and, following a malfunction, lands on a jungle-like planet not unlike Earth. To Leo's astonishment, English-speaking apes and primitive humans inhabit the planet. Following his capture by the apes and his subsequent escape, Leo assembles a small band of defiant humans and empathetic apes in an attempt to re-establish contact with Oberon, but his focus changes following an unexpected discovery. Armed with this new information, Leo leads a rebellion against an overpowering ape force that will result in freedom or complete annihilation.

• Cleopatra | DVD | (07/12/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  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 Caesarion. 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.

• PLANET OF THE APES 50TH ANNIVERSARY 9-MOVIE BD COLLECTION | Blu Ray | (29/10/2018) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  All nine films in the science-fiction franchise thus far. In 'Planet of the Apes' (1968) a group of astronauts, led by George Taylor (Charlton Heston), crash-lands on a strange planet where mute humans are treated as slaves by intelligent apes. Taylor is hunted down and captured by horse-riding gorillas and then taken for experimentation by chimpanzee Dr Zira (Kim Hunter). When Zira discovers Taylor's intelligence, she and her fiancé Cornelius (Roddy McDowall) appeal to the governing council on his behalf, but the appeal fails, leaving the astronaut no choice but to go on the run. Fleeing for his freedom, Taylor soon makes a shocking discovery about the provenance of this strange planet. In 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes' (1970) astronaut Brent (James Franciscus) is on a special mission to rescue George Taylor. After travelling to the ape village where he was imprisoned, he meets Dr Zira and learns that Taylor was last seen in the Forbidden Zone. Setting off in pursuit he soon discovers that his colleague has been taken prisoner by an underground society of telepathic mutant humans who worship an atomic warhead. In 'Escape from the Planet of the Apes' (1971) Dr Zira, Cornelius and Dr Milo (Sal Mineo) escape the nuclear devastation of Earth by travelling back in time in Taylor's spaceship, arriving in Los Angeles in the year 1973. They are initially held in captivity in a zoo, where Milo is attacked and killed by a savage gorilla. When Zira and Cornelius prove their intelligence they are released and hailed as celebrities, but some resent the apes' arrival, seeing them as a threat to human supremacy. In 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' (1972) the year is now 1991. Caesar (McDowall), the son of Zira and Cornelius, has been sheltered for 18 years by circus owner Armando (Ricardo Montalban). Following a plague which wiped out all cats and dogs, apes have been adopted as pets by humans, but when Caesar sees them being treated as slaves, he leads his fellow simians i

• Agatha Christie DVD Collection | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £24.99   |  Saving you £15.00 (60.02%)   |  RRP £39.99

  The four films in this Agatha Christie Murder Mystery Collection demonstrate exactly why Christie's reassuringly formulaic whodunits have been extraordinarily resilient source material. In each we find a corpse (or several), an assorted group of suspects gathered in a self-contained location, all with a motive to commit murder, and the coincidental presence of the totem detective (Poirot or Miss Marple). Between 1974 and 1981, producers John Brabourne and Richard Goodwin mined the Christie seam for some of its ripest riches. Murder on the Orient Express (1974), directed by Sidney Lumet, features a cavalcade of stars including Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall, John Gielgud and Sean Connery; while Christie herself gave Albert Finney's Poirot her blessing. The Art Deco setting exudes glamour; the plot is preposterously diverting; the lighting, silvery and washed-out, giving the suspects an appropriately grim and ghoulish air. With a superior Anthony Shaffer screenplay Death on the Nile (1978) saw Peter Ustinov taking over as Poirot. The backdrop of ancient Egyptian monuments helps bring this adaptation a touch of class, complemented by composer Nino Rota's epic theme tune. The Mirror Crack'd (1980) features Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak as rival Hollywood legends descending on a quaint English village to make a film, with Rock Hudson as Taylor's husband and Angela Lansbury as a rather unconvincingly robust Miss Marple. Shaffer returned to the fray, adapting Evil Under the Sun (1981) and moving Poirot from the Cornish Riviera to an island off the coast of Albania. Ustinov reprises his role and Maggie Smith returns, camper than ever, as the hotel owner inconvenienced by murder. On the DVD: It's a pity that the sound quality hasn't been sharpened up, though: Murder on the Orient Express sometimes evokes memories of the muffled incoherence of an old fleapit. Apart from trailers, extras are few and far between. There are no cast lists or filmographies. But Death on the Nile and Evil Under the Sun both feature interesting short promotional "'making of"' documentaries in 4:3 format. --Piers Ford

• Embryo | DVD | (09/08/2008) from £8.08   |  Saving you £-0.09 (-1.10%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Rock Hudson portrays Dr. Paul Holliston a scientist who is deeply involved in experimental work on human foetuses. During a flash storm he accidentally runs down and kills a pregnant dog and whilst attempting to save the dog's unborn pups he inadvertently discovers how to accelerate the growing process of a foetus into a mature adult in just a few days. Driven by curiosity he tries the same process on a human female foetus the result is Victoria who grows rapidly into a 25 year old voluptuous woman. Dr Holliston soon falls in love with Victoria but her drugs start to cause side effects and she begins to kill in order to survive. The race is now on... for a kill or cure solution.

• Funny Girl / Funny Lady | DVD | (04/03/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Like giant monuments to good old-fashioned star quality, Funny Girl (1968) and Funny Lady (1975) hark back to the golden days of American vaudeville, while essentially celebrating one of the great, egotistical show-business talents of all time. Viewed end to end, these two films, which tell the story of Ziegfeld comedienne Fanny Brice, run for almost five hours. That's a lot of biopic. But with the greatest of respect to Brice, undoubtedly a formidable star of her time, the talent really in the spotlight here belongs to Barbra Streisand. Streisand created the role of Fanny Brice in the 1964 Broadway stage musical and her performance for the big screen is a tour de force, fully deserving the Best Actress Oscar which she received. As a biopic, Funny Girl is superior fare, full of sumptuous production numbers. Brice's glory days are explored against the background of her turbulent private life with her flawed playboy husband Nicky Arnstein (a sympathetic performance from Omar Sharif) with considerable attention to the details of her inner turmoil. More rambling and less cohesive, Funny Lady finds Fanny divorced but still in love with Arnstein (Sharif also revisiting his role), drifting into marriage number two with uncouth songwriter and impresario Billy Rose (the excellent James Caan), her successful career again juxtaposed with a less than happy personal life. Combined, both films measure Streisand's rise to greatness. In Funny Girl, the bravura of the performance as a whole masks occasional gaucheness, while if Funny Lady is the less impressive picture overall, it still marks how far she has developed as a screen actress. The rough edges are gone, replaced by a sophisticated poise and the sense of a talent that has come to terms with itself. And of course throughout she is superb in the musical numbers, which include her theme song "People" and the classic belter "Don't Rain on my Parade", as well as Brice's classic torch song, "My Man". On the DVD: this package of tremendous, old-fashioned entertainment takes the viewer back to pre-multiplex days when going to the cinema was an event you might dress up for. Funny Lady's soundtrack includes a pre-picture "Overture" to give you time to unwrap the chocolates. You really need some plush velvet curtains to swing back across the television screen. Then, guaranteeing a twinge of nostalgia, there's an intermission break. Both films are presented in their original widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Dolby Digital 5.0 (Funny Girl) and LCR (Funny Lady) soundtracks do justice to Streisand's lung power. The first disc offers the most interesting extras, including a couple of featurettes about Streisand. Both discs provide standard filmographies and song highlights so Streisand addicts can skip between numbers to their hearts' content.--Piers Ford

• Dead of Winter (Slasher Classics) | Blu Ray | (01/06/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Struggling actress Katie McGovern (Mary Steenburgen) is made to believe she has landed an audition for a role replacing an actress with a similar appearance. To record the requested audition tape she is taken to an isolated mansion where she is given the part. Soon Katie begins to realise that there is something much darker than film-making going on. She is held hostage by the disabled Dr. Joseph Lewis (Jan Rubes) and his assistant (Roddy McDowall) and becomes involved in their plot with a ferocious woman whose recently murdered sister looked very like Katie.

• How Green Was My Valley | DVD | (18/02/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

• Thunderhead: Son of Flicka | DVD | (09/04/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  In this sequel to the heartwarming classic My Friend Flicka, Ken McLaughlin (Roddy McDowall) sets out to raise the rebellious offspring of the famous mare. Although the young albino colt presents many challenges, Thunderhead also proves very helpful. And when it becomes apparent that the beautiful Thunderhead can race, Ken enters him into competition. But after an injury and an unexpected confrontation, Ken realises that the majestic animal is destined for a life of freedom amidst the stunning landscape.

• Man Hunt | DVD | (31/01/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Director Fritz Lang's political thriller follows a British hunter's attempts to outrun Nazi agents after he targets Adolf Hitler. While on holiday in Bavaria willdlife hunter Alan Thorndike (Walter Pidgeon) stumbles upon the Fuhrer's country retreat eventually spotting Hitler in the gardens. After lining up the leader in the crosshairs of his empty rifle Thorndike is arrested by members of Hitler's Gestapo bodyguard who try to beat a confession out of him. After eventually escaping and navigating a tortuous route back to Britain Thorndike is forced to seek help from local seamstress Jerry Stokes (Joan Bennett) when he discovers German agents are hunting him down.

• Night Gallery - Season 1 | DVD | (11/01/2016) from £14.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (66.71%)   |  RRP £24.99

  14 TERRIFYING STORIES PLUS THE ORIGINAL PILOT MOVIE! Prepare for the chill of a lifetime as the master of suspense, Rod Serling, hosts 17 episodes of terror in this classic series, featuring the original pilot movie and every spine-tingling episode from the complete First Season of Night Gallery. Be thrilled by stories adapted from short stories by such legendary writes as H.P. Lovecraft and Conrad Aiken, starring Hollywood greats including Diane Keaton, Joan Crawford and Roddy McDowall, and directed by cinematic masters like Steven Spielberg in this unforgettable series.

• My Friend Flicka | DVD | (28/07/2003) from £11.10   |  Saving you £1.89 (17.03%)   |  RRP £12.99

  In this touching family film based on the celebrated novel by Mary O'Hara ten-year-old Kenny McLaughlin a rancher's son deperately wants a horse of his own. When his father finally agrees to let him choose a foal Ken picks Flicka a beautiful but high-spirited filly who comes from a bloodline considered to be hopelessly wild. It is up to Ken to prove Flicka is tamable or risk losing her. Along the way Ken and his family learn some important lessons in this poignant tale of love