Richard Linklater's Tape doesn't announce itself as a Dogme movie, but it might very well qualify. Acted out in real time in a single setting--a cramped, grimy motel room--with no music score, a cast of just three and shot on grainy digital video, it marks a further step back to basics for Linklater after the woeful miscalculation of his gangster period drama The Newton Boys (1998). It's set in Lansing, Michigan, hometown of petty drug-dealer and part-time firefighter Vince (Ethan Hawke), who's come back for the screening, in Lansing's film festival, of the debut feature of his old school friend Johnny (Robert Sean Leonard), now an indie filmmaker. At least, that's Vince's ostensible reason--but it turns out he's got a hidden agenda that involves Amy (Uma Thurman), the girl they both fancied in high-school, and now the local assistant DA. Tape was adapted from a stage play (by Stephen Belber, who also scripted) and often feels like it, with characters announcing their motivations and reactions in grandstanding, tell-don't-show speeches. The camerawork tends to the tricky, too--tilted angles and way too many whip-pans during dialogue sequences--as if Linklater was worried his single set might get visually boring. But the tight, twisty plotting, compact running time and intense performances keep the film absorbing. Hawke and Leonard's mutual lacerations carry a rancid sense of resentments banked up and brooded on for years, while Thurman's Amy, arriving halfway through the action, visibly relishes setting both men by the ears. As a meditation on the relativity of truth Tape may not be in the Rashomon class, but it shows Linklater doing what he does best, making pungent use of minimal resources. On the DVD: Tape offers no extras on disc, just the trailer. Production-value splendour was obviously never on the menu here, but the 2.0 Dolby Digital sound and 16:9 anamorphic widescreen transfer do the original no disservice. --Philip Kemp
Vian (Sean Bean, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings) has just been released from prison after serving time for beating a man to death while he was drunk. Moving in with his sister, Bethley (Kate Walsh, The Perks of Being a Wallflower), he is desperate for retribution, and a chance to put right his terrible mistake. Making a promise to himself to stay dry, he finds a job, even a girlfriend (Eva Longoria,Desperate Housewives), and the future is looking up. But when an unexpected tragedy drives him back to the bottle, old demons wake, and Vian is faced with a final battle against alcohol, those who want to see him fail, and most importantly, himself. Will he crumble in the face of his enemies, or can he find the strength to fight his demons, and survive?
The film that established Terry Gilliam as more than just Monty Python’s resident animator this delightfully inventive children’s fantasy is about young Kevin (Craig Warnock) who finds himself travelling through holes in the space-time continuum in the company of half a dozen fractious dwarfs. Along the way he encounters Agamemnon (Sean Connery) Robin Hood (John Cleese) Napoleon (Ian Holm) and winds up as a passenger on the Titanic although not necessarily in that order. But is this just random entertainment laid on for history fan Kevin’s benefit or part of a wider struggle between the forces of good (Ralph Richardson) and evil (David Warner)? At the time this was a rare example of a small-budget British film successfully taking on American blockbusters. Now it's a much-loved fantasy classic bursting with inspired images and ideas: Gilliam and co-writer Michael Palin (who also appears) are clearly enjoying themselves as much as their audience. Special Features: Brand new 2k-resolution restoration of the film from the original camera negative approved by director and co-writer Terry Gilliam Original Stereo 2.0 and 5.1 Dolby Surround options Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Chasing Time Bandits: A new interview with Terry Gilliam Writing the Film that Dares Not Speak its Name: A new interview in which Michael Palin discusses co-writing and acting in Time Bandits The Effects of Time Bandits: A new interview in which Kent Houston founder of the Peerless Camera Company discusses Time Bandits’ optical effects Playing Evil: A new featurette in which actor David Warner remembers producer George Harrison and playing Evil in Time Bandits The Costumes of Time Bandits: A mew interview with costume designer James Acheson The Look of Time Bandits: A new interview with production designer Milly Burns From Script to Screen – A new animated featurette in which Milly Burns takes us through her production notebooks locations photographs and storyboards revealing how twentieth century Morocco was transformed into Ancient Greece Original Trailer Restoration Demonstration Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic James Oliver “An extraordinarily inventive fantasy” - Time Out
Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful, Hellraiser visions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain from Dirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach for Barker's film, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror. --Jeff Shannon
Giant earthworms are eating subway trains! A 60ft bumble bee is sucking up the entire city's electricity! A giant squid is munching on the ferryboats! A garbage monster is ripping up the skyline bridge! The only people who can save the City from total destruction are the Monster Warriors - four teenagers whose ingenuity cunning and initiative make them the only ones capable of vanquishing these ghastly creatures and finding out where they have come from!
An easygoing British Corporal (John Mills) in France finds himself responsible for the lives of his men when their officer is killed. He has to get them back to Britain somehow. Meanwhile British civilians are being dragged into the war with Operation Dynamo the scheme to get the French and British forces back from the Dunkirk beaches. Some come forward to help others are less willing...
Titles Comprise: Curfew: After breaking her curfew yet another time a rebellious teenage girl hurries home only to find that her family have been taken hostage by two escaped convicts. Axe: They seem to have it all: fame fortune and the hottest club act across the USA. But the price of fame is about to cost them dearly.... When two members decide to quit the future of the band hangs in the balance. Emotions are running high as they are booked for a final gig into an old meat packing factory now the notorious Club 905. When the mutilated body of one of their groupies turns up in a meat locker the band start to panic. Is it possible that the envy and anger amongst the band have spawned an uncontrolled psychopath who won't be happy until he or she is playing solo? Bachelor Party Massacre: A group of friends decide to throw a bachelor party in the mountains; little do they know an escaped killer is on the loose ready to kill the party... Pieces: Thirty five years after the death of a young boy's mother mutilated corpses are discovered on a university campus. Each body forms part of a huge jigsaw puzzle that the police have to piece together. Sickle: Blood will flow... Marty Sickle was a loner who lived and worked in the old slaughterhouse where a young woman was once murdered. Marty was the prime suspect but a lack of evidence kept him free. However the girl's boyfriend and his friends broke into the old slaughterhouse and left Marty for dead. Little did they know that Marty didn't die..
Starman is easily director John Carpenter's warmest and most beguiling film, and the only one that ever earned him an Oscar nomination. While most movie buffs are likely to call Halloween the best movie from Carpenter, die-hard romantics and anyone who cried while watching E.T. will vote in favour of the director's 1984 hit. Jeff Bridges is the alien visitor to Earth who is knocked off course and must take an interstate road trip to rendezvous with a mothership from his home planet. To complete this journey he assumes the physical form of the dead husband of a Wisconsin widow (Karen Allen) who responds first with fear, then sympathy, and finally love. Carpenter's graceful strategy is to switch the focus of this E.T.-like film from science fiction to a gentle road-movie love story, made believable by the memorable performances of Bridges and Allen. It's a bit heavy-handed with tenacious government agents who view the Starman as an alien threat (don't they always?), but Carpenter handles the action with intelligent flair, sensitivity and lighthearted humour. If you're not choked up during the final scene, well, you just might not be human. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com On the DVD: Starman on disc is presented in anamorphic widescreen transferred from NTSC and letterboxed at 2.35.1. The picture is clear and sharp with very little grain. The soundtrack is crisp, perfectly complementing the romantic nature of this film. The overriding reason to shell out on this special edition is the commentary from John Carpenter and Jeff Bridges, in which director and actor show a genuine affection for the film. Other extras are a featurette filmed around the original release in 1884, a music video starring Bridges and costar Karen Allen covering The Everly Brothers classic "All I Have to Do is Dream", and a trailer for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. --Kristen Bowditch
An explosive mix of Independance Day and District 9. A violent earthquake is followed by strange lights in the sky. All power has been cut across the planet. AS the clouds clear, a UFO appears, a UFO the size of a city. The attack has yet to begin but with no electricity, humanity is helpless in the face of a vast alien army. The battle for earth is drawn gear and everyone will need to fight not just for their own survival but for that of the human race. With a stunning cast that includes explosive new stars Bianca Bree and Sean Brosnan alongside Sean Pertwee (Event Horizon, Dog Solider), Julian Glover (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Empire Strikes Back), and action legend Jean Claude Van Damme (Expendables 2, Timecop), UFO is an action-packed sci-fi spectacular. Prepare for the invasion and try to remain calm... the fight against extinction is about to begin.
Hercules the epic story of the legendary half-man half-god that takes you to thundering new heights of adventure breath-taking high drama and unparalleled excitement. From his supernatural birth the adolescent discovery of his powers his passionate loves and above all his heroic feats that awed the world Hercules towers all others for fantastic entertainment in the telling of the mythical Greek hero's life.
In 1987 The Gate was at the forefront of what came and went as a purely 80s genre: Kiddie Horror. Just like The Lost Boys or The Monster Squad of the same year, the idea was to let a couple of younger-than-teenage kids loose in a well-worn horror scenario and play it for as many laughs as scares. Its 15 certificate (PG-13 in the States) meant The Gate had an enormous opening weekend, and a considerable shelf life. The kids in question here are a very young Stephen (Blade) Dorff as Glen and his best friend Terry. After some tree felling in Glen's seemingly miles-square back yard they discover a hole full of precious rock. This is of course the Gate to a demonic dimension. As things start levitating, Glen's dog dies and moths get into the most awkward of places, it becomes obvious that the Gate is open! A teenage sister does little to help early on, but naturally the story develops into one about banding together under extreme circumstances. The make-up and stop-motion animation effects remain impressive in scope and there are a couple of frights still just on the right side of cliché. Since it was so successful, the writer and director went on to make an inferior sequel some years later. On the DVD: Viewers should note this is a very murky transfer that's in an unspecified widescreen ratio. There's also an unspectacular (equally unspecified) sound mix. But a gallery of 10 photos and the theatrical trailer makes up for that, right? --Paul Tonks
One man's hope... One man's courage... Based on the true story of Don Smith's heroic experience at the Battle of the Bulge while with the 94th Infantry.
Life has pushed him into a corner and he's coming out fighting! After being sent to reform school after accidentally killing a fellow youth Chicago crime wave Mick O'Brien is forced to confront the victim's brother who wants deadly revenge...
Bergerac the Jersey-based detective series stars John Nettles as Jim Bergerac a recovering alcoholic divorcee and father to a young daughter. He is a Detective Sergeant with the Bureau des Etrangers a department for non-residents on the Channel Island of Jersey. Episodes Comprise: 1. A True Detective (1 of 2) 2. My Name's Sergeant Bergerac (2 of 2) 3. The Dig 4. Roots of Evil 5. Entente Cordiale 6. In Love and War 7. Under Wraps 8. All the Sad Songs 9. The Messenger Boy 10. Diplomatic Incident 11. There for the Picking
Sometimes the only way to uphold justice is to break the law. From Errol Flynn to Disney, Hollywood has long been fascinated with the legend of Robin Hood. Helmed by director Kevin Reynolds (Waterworld, The Count of Monte Cristo), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves pays homage to the past while transforming the famous outlaw of Sherwood Forest into a movie icon fit for the 1990s. Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner, Waterworld) returns from the Crusades to find his father dead and vows revenge. With his Moorish companion Azeem (Morgan Freeman, Unforgiven), he joins a band of peasant rebels to do battle against the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman, Die Hard) and win the hand of the fair Maid Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, The Abyss), cousin of the absent King of England. This grand, swashbuckling adventure in the classic tradition is brought to life by an all-star supporting cast, including Christian Slater (True Romance), Brian Blessed (Flash Gordon) and a memorable cameo from Sean Connery (himself a former Robin Hood), plus an instantly recognisable score by Michael Kamen (Highlander) not to mention a chart-topping Bryan Adams theme song. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves dazzles in an all-new 4K restoration, accompanied by a king's ransom of new and archival bonus features. Product Features Brand new 4K restorations of both the theatrical and extended cuts from the original negative by Arrow Films 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation of both cuts in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Limited Edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper 60-page perfect-bound illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jackson Cooper and Mark Cunliffe Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by José Saccone Six double-sided, postcard-sized artcards Original uncompressed stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Audio commentary with director Kevin Reynolds and actor Kevin Costner Audio commentary with actors Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater and writers/producers Pen Densham and John Watson Here We Are Kings: Making Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves a brand new, multi-part documentary featuring brand new interviews with Densham, Watson, director of photography Douglas Milsome, editor Peter Boyle, costume designer John Bloomfield and many more members of the creative team Robin Hood: The Myth, the Man, the Movie an archival 1991 documentary hosted by Pierce Brosnan One-on-One with the Cast archival 1991 interviews with Costner, Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Slater and Alan Rickman Bryan Adams (Everything I Do) I Do It for You performance at Slane Castle, Ireland Music soundtrack cues Theatrical trailer TV spots Image gallery
The evil organization SPECTRE has hatched a plan to steal a decoder that will access Russian state secrets and irrevocably unbalance the world order. It is up to James Bond to seize the device first but he must confront enemies that include Red Grant and the ruthless Rosa Klebb a former KGB agent with poison-tipped shoes. Even as Bond romances a stunning Soviet defector he realizes he is being lured into a deadly trap and he will need all of his courage abilities and cutting-edge technology to triumph over the forces that seek to destroy him.
Features all the official James Bond films from DR. No to Casino Royale.
The story of a man who wanted to keep the world safe for democracy...and meet girls. When John Winger (Bill Murray) loses his job his car his apartment and his girlfriend-all in one day-he decides he only has one option: volunteer for Uncle Sam. Way over their head they eventually learn the ropes and manage to take a top-secret U.S. recreational vehicle behind the Iron Curtain on a road trip...
As Sauron's evil threatens the whole of Middle-Earth, Frodo and Sam edge nearer to Mount Doom while the Fellowship must defend the human city of Minas Tirith in Peter Jackson's third and final instalment of the Tolkein trilogy.
Governments multinational corporations and religious organisations have secretly wielded tremendous power by holding back critical data or spreading misinformation to further their own aims. This program exposes the almost inconceivable stories of deceit conspiracy sanctioned piracy and scientific knowledge hidden from the world for far too long! American Midnight: This shocking power-packed indictment brings into sharp focus the Iran/Contra conspiracy through the least likely of events: the slaying of two innocent high school students. Out for a night of fun near a local airstrip these unassuming local boys witness an airdrop of drugs by the infamous international drug smuggler and CIA operative Barry Seal. Though some of the drug smugglers are jailed and others pay with thier lives the remaining victims - the boy's parents and the American people - have yet to achieve justice. H.A.A.R.P.: Holes In Heaven?: High-Frequency Active Aural Research Project or H.A.A.R.P. is a top-secret combined effort of the Air Force and Navy designed ostensibly to influence the weather. Consisting of large fields of high-energy projectors this brainchild of the controversial inventor Nikola Tesla has been associated with everything from the breakdown of the ozone layer to particle beam weapons. H.A.A.R.P. has achieved long-range undersea communications but its clandestine applications are what make it controversial as scientists research the system's potential use as a long-range particle beam weapon with the ability to alter the electrical impulses of the human brain. Narrated by Martin Sheen.
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