Anyone who was a child in the first half of the 1980s will be rushing out to buy Danger Mouse, a readymade time machine to transport you back to those halcyon days of coming home from school to collapse cross-legged in front of the TV. In each action-packed episodes, our righteous rodent triumphs time and again over his arch-nemesis Baron Silas Greenback--the world's most evil toad--battling off everything from aliens and monsters to exploding custard and runaway washing machines. As ever, each episode opens in Danger Mouse's hidden hideaway (located under a post box "somewhere in Mayfair"), the furry Secret Agent duly receiving his instructions from spluttering boss Colonel K. Then it's into the Mousemobile and out onto London's streets, as DM and his trusty sidekick Penfold set off to find their croaky foe and save the day. While the animation is basic and, at 20 minutes a pop, the stories have a tendency to lose momentum, the knowing wit and fabulous theme tune more than compensate. Much of the credit has to go to writer Mike Harding, who mercilessly mimics spy movie clichés until every last laugh is wrung out, but even more should go to David "Del Boy" Jason. Not content with simply voicing the eponymous hero, he also conjures up unrecognisable tones for Colonel K and two of Greenback's loyal hench-creatures, Nero and Count Duckula. And then there's his deliciously portentous voice-over, greeting each cross-cut with the obligatory "meanwhile . . .". An all-round must-buy, but with one important warning: don¹t expect to sleep once that signatory music starts whizzing round your head: "He's the greatest, he's fantastic, wherever there is trouble he's around. Danger Moooooouuuuseeee...". --Jamie Graham
A group of teens collide with their town's dark past when a prank went wrong making them the target of a family of bloodthirsty killers. A gory slasher horror in the vein of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and produced by MTV studios.
The second series of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine must have caused mixed feelings for those involved. There was a sense of optimism behind the scenes that stemmed from having gained a loyal following--made up of plenty of new fans--in its relatively short first year. The show had genuinely succeeded in being different from its predecessors. Better still, The Next Generation would be bowing out gracefully halfway through this year. So it was that, with several more series guaranteed, the writers changed tack from standalone tales and into long-running story arcs. This was immediately evident in the format-testing three-part opening. Through the actions of Kira and her old pals, we saw that the Bajorans would only ever work toward their own agenda, whereas the Cardassians easily switched sides to suit their various agendas. The Federation was hardly innocent of political machinations either, especially with the discovery of the Maquis terrorists a few episodes later. This three-way dynamic would underpin the entire run of the show. Expanding upon it was the handover of the Klingon saga from The Original Series and TNG, in which old warhorses Kor, Kang and Koloth first appeared. That left the Ferengi to maintain an element of fun with their Rules of Acquisition (Number 112: "Never have sex with the boss's sister"), exploration of their sexist culture and, naturally, through everything touched by the scene-stealing Quark (who was rewarded with a cameo for his real life wife). What seemed like standalone stories--Odo meeting his mentor, a trip into The Original Series' parallel universe and the culminating encounter with some super-soldiers (the Jem'Hadar)--later turned out to be more optimistic seed-sowing. Unfortunately, this second series also began with some concern about a competitor franchise, which started at exactly the same time as TNG ended. The impact of Babylon 5 on DS9 and TV SF in general by the end of the year could never have been envisioned at the start. --Paul Tonks
From the people who brought you ""Friday the 13th parts 1 and 2"" comes the most hair-raising horror yet - Part 3. An idyllic summer turns into a nightmare of unspeakable terror for yet another group of naive counsellors. Ignoring Camp Crystal Lake's bloody legacy one by one they fall victim to the maniacal Jason who stalks them at every turn... ""Friday the 13th part 3"" will have you frozen with fear as Jason finds his way into your living room.
One of Derek Jarman's most personal and innovative films The Last of England is a devastating vision of 80's Britain. Images of war and urban decay are intercut with Jarman's own childhood home movies creating a shocking yet beautiful and poetic film with a much praised soundtrack featuring Diamanda Glass Mayo Thompson Andy Gill and Marianne Faithfull.
Ice Age Seemingly anti-social Manny a woolly mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano) acts as if he just wants to be left alone. When he meets Sid (voiced by John Leguizamo) a sloth the two become unlikely traveling companions. The plot thickens when the duo finds a human infant and decides to try to return the child to its herd. Manny slowly but surely reveals his heart of gold while Sid continues to provide comic relief. Diego (voiced by Denis Leary) a saber-tooth tiger with ulterior motives soon joins them in their search for the humans. Ultimately this group of misfits becomes its own herd learning about friendship and loyalty as they brave snow ice freezing temperatures predators hail and even boiling lava pits. All the while a saber-tooth squirrel Scrat provides comic relief as he valiantly struggles with an acorn. Chicken Run Trouble is brewing down on Mrs Tweedy's poultry farm: the chickens are revolting (yes that old chestnut) and clucky hen Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha) is planning her latest coop um coup. Getting one or two birds out of the farm is no problem whatsoever. Unfortunately Ginger plans to get everyone out at the same time and when one of the would-be escapees happens to be kind-hearted but bird-brained Babs (Jane Horrocks) Ginger is fighting a losing battle. Home Alone Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) has become the man of the house overnight! Accidentally left behind when his family rushes off on a Christmas vacation Kevin gets busy decorating the house for the holidays. But he's not decking the halls with tinsel and holly. Two bumbling burglars are trying to break in and Kevin's rigging a bewildering battery of booby traps to welcome them! Mrs Doubtfire How far would an ordinary father go to spend more time with his children? Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) is no ordinary father so when he learns his ex-wife (Sally Field) needs a housekeeper he applies for the job. With the perfect wig a little makeup and a dress for all occasions he becomes Mrs Doubtfire a devoted British housekeeper who is hired on the spot. James And The Giant Peach James Henry Trotter a lonely orphan is sent to live with horribly wicked Aunts Spiker and Sponge. He escapes his aunts by climbing inside a giant peach from were he embarks on a series of wildly imaginative adventures.
The most dominant team in Premier League history. That's what the stats say as Chelsea stormed to their fifth title with a record-breaking run in pole position. Manager José Mourinho assembled a squad that combined devastating attacking invention with ruthless determination in defence. Irresistible force and immovable object. Among the highlights of a memorable campaign were the genius of Eden Hazard and the flair of Oscar and Willian complemented by the driving force up front of Diego Costa and the midfield mastery of Cesc Fabregas. Nemanja Matic a colossus in front of the best defence in the country led by the indomitable skipper John Terry whose consistently outstanding performances have rolled back the years. Ten years on from José's first incredible season in charge the Blues replicated that double triumph by capturing the Capital One Cup at Wembley against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The foundations have been well and truly re-laid. Featuring every goal from every game and exclusive interviews with the manager and players this is the definitive account of a champion season. Extras: Premier League trophy celebrations José Mourinho interview Eden Hazard interview
A down-and-out charter boat captain feels his luck has changed when a beautiful treasure hunter hires him to find the sunken ship El Diablo. Legend has it that the ship met its end while loaded with evil satanic artefacts. Meanwhile two divers accidentally discover the sunken tomb releasing a most terrifying force...
Jim has managed to get a job in one of the top universities but all he has to do to cement a future is survive a terrible weekend at his fellow professors deliver a lecture on 'Merry England' and resist the temptations of Christine...
Winning BAFTAs for Best British Screenplay and Best British Actor (Peter Sellers) I’M ALL RIGHT JACK is popularly considered to be the best of John and Roy Boulting’s social satires.Sellers plays both Sir John Kennaway and the tragic-comic trade union leader Fred Kite. The result is laugh-out-loud comedy with a satiric edge lampooning the then-burning issue of industrial relations. Bertram Tracepurcel (Dennis Price) plans to make a fortune from a missile contract a scheme that involves manipulating his innocent nephew Stanley Windrush (Ian Carmichael) into acting as the catalyst in an escalating labour dispute from which the socialist Mr. Kite is only too keen to make capital. Featuring a superb supporting cast including Terry-Thomas Richard Attenborough John Le Mesurier Irene Handl and Margaret Rutherford this is an ingenious comedy about the British workplace and self-serving hypocrisy. A sequel to 1956’s A Private’s Progress the film is bought roaringly to life by Sellers’ astonishing turn as the Stalinist unionist. Bonus Features: Brand new interview with Liz Fraser The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film Cinefile: Seller’s Best
Written by David Leland and directed by Alan Clarke, Made in Britain is a slice of horrible but not inaccurate life from 1982. It holds a terrific early performance from Tim Roth as a skinhead with a swastika caste-mark tattoo, who constantly bares shark-like teeth as he spits embittered, articulate defiance at caring social workers and truncheon-wielding policemen alike. Sixteen-year-old Trevor (Roth) is remanded to an assessment centre before sentencing, but remains determined to disobey the rules imposed on him by any authority figures and spends the whole 73-minute play challenging the system to smack him back down, by vandalising the Job Centre, using his case-file as a toilet, stealing cars, victimising members of the "immigrant community" and shouting bile at people. The cycle that will lead him to an adult life in prison is explained to him with blackboard diagrams, but he believes he's better off keeping his hatred burning than toeing the line to end up as a no-hoper in a society that prizes obedience over conscience. It was originally televised as one of four Leland-filmed dramas about different aspects of the British education system, which made it seem less monomaniacal in its focus on an extreme case. There's no denying that it's an honest portrait of a monster calculated to terrify even the most concerned liberals which still manages to celebrate his self-destructive defiance. A film for television rather than a TV play, it has very strong language but the violence is all in Roth's face.On the DVD: No extra features here, but it does come with optional English sub-titles, and the theme song by the Exploited over the menu. --Kim Newman
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
Action-god Jackie Chan does his best James Bond impression with First Strike, an ecstatic sequel to the classic Supercop. The bare-bones plot has Chan in pursuit of international terrorists, but the narrative quickly gives way to an unceasing barrage of insane stunt work (including a nitro-fuelled ski chase and a grandiose fight scene set inside a functioning shark tank). As with most of the ageing star's recent films, there is more of an emphasis placed on big, impersonal (albeit impressive) stunts rather than the close-up combat that made him famous; but the end result is still a must-see rush for longtime fans and a great introduction for newcomers eager to see what all the well-deserved fuss is about. The scene where Jackie takes on multiple goons while armed only with a ladder is one of his most jaw-dropping set pieces ever--and that's saying quite a lot. Be sure to stick around for the closing credits of gags gone awry, which graphically prove that Chan is truly the hardest working man in show business. --Andrew Wright
Could this be the funniest movie ever made? By any rational measure of comedy, this medieval romp from the Monty Python troupe certainly belongs on the short list of candidates. According to Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide, it's "recommended for fans only," but we say hogwash to that--you could be a complete newcomer to the Python phenomenon and still find this send-up of the Arthurian legend to be wet-your-pants hilarious. It's basically a series of sketches woven together as King Arthur's quest for the Holy Grail, with Graham Chapman as the King, Terry Gilliam as his simpleton sidekick Patsy, and the rest of the Python gang filling out a variety of outrageous roles. The comedy highlights are too numerous to mention, but once you've seen Arthur's outrageously bloody encounter with the ominous Black Knight (John Cleese), you'll know that nothing's sacred in the Python school of comedy. From holy hand grenades to killer bunnies to the absurdity of the three-headed knights who say "Ni--!," this is the kind of movie that will strike you as fantastically funny or just plain silly, but why stop there? It's all over the map, and the pace lags a bit here and there, but for every throwaway gag the Pythons have invented, there's a bit of subtle business or grand-scale insanity that's utterly inspired. The sum of this madness is a movie that's beloved by anyone with a pulse and an irreverent sense of humor. If this movie doesn't make you laugh, you're almost certainly dead. --Jeff Shannon
Colin Farrell stars as Jesse James in this new western about a group of young ranchers who set out to take back land acquired by a corrupt railroad baron, and become the object of the biggest manhunt in the history of the Old West.
Determined to recapture the beauty of her youth, a vain woman stumbles upon an elixir that will restore her beauty and give her the secret of eternal youth - but only when it is mixed with blood taken from the newly dead! Coleen Gray, Grant Williams (The Monolith Monsters), Gloria Talbott and Phillip Terry star in this Edward Dein sci-fi monster fi lm.
After 40 years Sir Terry Wogan returns to Ireland stepping back into his past to explore how the country helped shape him and looking at what it means to be Irish in the 21st century.
For Mark and his mates in eighties South London, life doesn't promise much more than a day job at the printers and nights out at the local boozer. But when they're given a chance to buy a young racehorse, Mark sees an opportunity to change everyone's lives forever. After some gentle persuasion, the six lads and their beautiful friend Katie pool their savings and take a gamble on this potential winner. Can 'The Mumper' really go the distance and win Mark the girl of his dreams?Join Bob Hoskins, Calum Macnab, Jenny Agutter, Emily Atack and a great British supporting cast for a feelgood adventure that beats the odds.Because sometimes getting what you want, means making an Outside Bet.
Make Mine Mink (1960) was adapted from a West End stage farce, Breath of Spring. In a mansion block in Knightsbridge, a gang of middle-aged biddies decide to brighten up "the dullness of the tea time of life" by staging a series of robberies on furriers, then donating the proceeds to charitable concerns. Terry Thomas as a retired army officer leads the gang, which includes Athene Seyler and Hattie Jacques, on a series of capers that nearly go awry when their maid, Billie Whitelaw, an ex-con and also a resident of the block, falls for a police officer. Among many funny scenes is a particular gem between Seyler and Kenneth Williams, her nephew to whom she hopes to palm off a stolen mink, and another where Terry Thomas enters a low-down dive to the accompaniment of the "Harry Lime theme". The playing of the whole cast is second to none under the direction of Robert Asher, who with his cameraman disguises the stage origins of the piece very adeptly. On the DVD: Make Mine Mink comes to DVD in 4:3 ratio with a mono soundtrack. The theatrical trailer is introduced by Terry Thomas, who presents us to his gang of fur thieves as the voice on the soundtrack announces him as "fur, fur funnier than you've seen him before". More TT tomfoolery can be found in the three-disc Terry Thomas Collection. --Adrian Edwards
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