"Actor: Tony Richardson"

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Peril At End House Parts 1 And 2 | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £13.48   |  Saving you £-3.49 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  While the little Belgian detective and his English sidekick are enjoying their holidays on the Cornish Riviera a chance meeting with Miss Buckley of nearby End House provides Poirot with the stimulation on which his little grey cells thrive.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Mysterious Affair At Styles | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Another intriguing investigation for Agatha Christie's famed Belgian detective... The Mysterious Affair At Styles was Agatha Christie's debut novel and was first published in 1920. The story introduced Poirot her eccentric and fastidious creation to an enthusiastic public. Lieutenant Hastings is recovering from his war injuries when he receives an invitation to visit his old friends the Cavendish family at Styles St Mary. Staying nearby as guests of the Cavendishs' are a group of Belgian refugees including much to Hastings' surprise his old acquaintance from the Belgian Police Hercule Poirot. Before long the pair are pitting their little grey cells against family machinations and manipulation; murder and mayhem; money and mendacity.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Adventure Of The Clapham Cook / Murder In The Mews | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £4.98   |  Saving you £5.01 (100.60%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Adventure Of The Clapham Cook: Mrs Todd from Clapham comes to ask Poirot if he will help her to find her cook Eliza who has disappeared. Poirot is at first insulted by such a trivial request for his talents but then decides the case could be intriguing. Murder In The Mews: Chief Inspector Japp calls on Poirot to assist in the investigation of the suicide of a young woman Mrs Allen who has been found in her London mews home on Guy Fawkes night. Poirot soon suspects that Mrs Allen is the victim of foul play.

• Catchfire | DVD | (13/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Previous UK releases of Catchfire have listed the pseudonymous Allan Smithee as director, but this version proudly opens with "a Dennis Hopper film". Also known as Backtrack, it offers a plot that advances by illogical leaps and bounds while whole scenes seem to go astray. With prominently billed actors getting almost nothing to do while major players go un-credited, a bland music score that might have been laid in from another film entirely and an ending that makes a lot of noise without actually resolving much, the film certainly has its bad points. However, it's also one of Hopper's more eccentric films, and more fun than Colors or The Hot Spot (which he had no trouble owning up to), partly because the director also takes a quirky lead role and his own personal interests are stirred by the modern art frills of the chase plot. The film opens with LA-based conceptual artist Jodie Foster, looking chunkily terrific just before her adult career took off, suffering a minor breakdown on the freeway and happening on a gangland execution. Pint-sized mob boss Joe Pesci sets his killers on her but the crooks ineptly murder Foster's boyfriend (Charlie Sheen, taking a very early bath). Pesci calls in Hopper, a professional hitman who immerses himself in Foster's life and art in order to track her down only to develop an obsessive crush on the woman. When he finds her, he gives her the choice between getting rubbed out or becoming his property. Hopper retains the knack for finding odd-looking byways of rural America, but is uncomfortable with helicopter chases and shoot-outs. The leads, despite great chunks of missing story, are both interesting--Foster sexily vulnerable and Hopper doing a wry New York drawl as the sax-playing hit man. Catchfire also offers an amazing supporting cast of the director's friends, including Dean Stockwell, Vincent Price, Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich), Tony Sirico (The Sopranos), Bob Dylan (with a chainsaw), Helena Kallianotes (Five Easy Pieces), Julia Adams (The Creature from the Black Lagoon), and John Turturro.On the DVD: the film itself comes in a good-looking widescreen transfer, but the lack of special features let the disc down, with only feeble notes for three cast members (and no Smithee filmography). --Kim Newman

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £10.09   |  Saving you £-0.10 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Murder of Roger Ackroyd opens with a retired Poirot (David Suchet) cursing vegetable marrows in his country garden. When his old friend is found stabbed in the neck, Poirot begins an investigation that reunites him with Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) and uncovers a chain of furtive phone calls and secret romances. Unfortunately, the restructuring necessary to adapt the story from text to film takes away some of the shock value of Christie's original ending, which caused quite a controversy when the book was first published in 1926. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Dumb Witness | DVD | (14/07/2003) from £24.93   |  Saving you £-14.94 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Poirot and Hastings are in Windermere watching Charles Arundel's attempt to break the world water speed record. They return to the Arundel's family members. The situation is exasperated when Aunt Emily falls down the stairs. Poirot suspects foul play and his suspicions are confirmed when she is found dead the following day. It becomes clear to Poirot that the only one who knows who murdered Emily is Bob the resident fox terrier. Poirot understands that this dumb witness must find its own way of telling him what he has seen...

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Sad Cypress | DVD | (19/04/2004) from £14.98   |  Saving you £-1.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Another intriguing investigation for the brilliant Belgian detective as the beautiful Elinor Carlisle stands accused of a double murder; that of her wealthy aunt Laura Wellman and also of her rival in love Mary Gerrard. Elinor had the motive and the opportunity to administer the fatal poison to both women. Poirot believes the evidence to be irrefutable but once his little grey cells get to work he begins to piece together another version of events as Elinor finds time running out...

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Tragedy At Marsden Manor / The Double Clue | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Tragedy At Marsden Manor: Poirot is called in to investigate a murder at the local hotel. The Double Clue: Four unsolved robberies are creating work for Inspector Japp who has to call in Poirot for some assistance.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Death On The Nile | DVD | (21/06/2004) from £20.00   |  Saving you £-7.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's whodunnit 'Death On The Nile' starring David Suchet as sleuth Hercule Poirot.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Hercule Poirot's Christmas | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £14.98   |  Saving you £-4.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A wealthy old man invites Poirot to his house as he fears for the safety of his family...

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Lord Edgware Dies | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £6.99   |  Saving you £3.00 (42.92%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Lord Edgware Dies finds Poirot (David Suchet) reopening his London office with the help of Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran) and Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser). As they celebrate their reunion, Japp quips that there's "only one thing missing...the body". Right on cue, a corpse turns up just moments later. Most of the suspects are actors by profession, but Poirot's "little grey cells" are able to penetrate the murderer's disguise--though only after two more victims heighten the suspense. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Adventures Of Johnnie Waverly / Four And Twenty Blackbirds | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £6.37   |  Saving you £3.62 (56.83%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Adventure Of Johnnie Waverly: Country squire Marcus Waverly calls on Poirot to ask for help in dealing with kidnap threats against his son Johnnie. It becomes a race against time to discover the identity of the mystery letter writer and save little Johnnie from a terrible fate. 4 & 20 Blackbirds: As elderly Anthony Gascoigne lies dying at his Brighton home his estranged twin brother Henry falls to his death. A tragic accident or murder? Poirot believes the answer lies in the eating of a blackberry pie.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Cornish Mystery / The Disappearance Of Mr Davenheim | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £7.68   |  Saving you £2.31 (30.08%)   |  RRP £9.99

  David Suchet brings the great detective Hercule Poirot to rich life in The Cornish Mystery / The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim. These two episodes are lovingly true to their 1930s settings. In The Cornish Mystery Poirot has an unusual visitor--a victim who says she's not dead yet but is slowly being poisoned. The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim takes the standard case of a businessman's disappearance and spices it up with a friendly wager that Poirot can't solve the mystery without leaving his apartment. --Ali Davis

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Adventure Of The Egyptian Tomb / The Underdog | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £6.28   |  Saving you £3.71 (59.08%)   |  RRP £9.99

  More intriguing investigations for Agatha Christie's famed Belgian detective... The Adventure Of The Egyptian Tomb: An archaeological expedition has discovered the tomb of King-Men-her-Ra in the Valley of the Kings. When Sir John Willard smashes the seal of the burial chamber he suffers a heart attack and dies. One by one the men involved in the expedition begin to drop off like flies. Is there a curse on the tomb or are there more sinister forces at work? Poirot is called in to investigate. The Underdog: Horace Trefusis the chief chemist at the chemical factory is going through confidential papers concerning a new compound called Astroprene when an intruder disturbs him. Poirot becomes involved and finds himself investigating a case of intruige and sabotage.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Affair At The Victory Ball / The Mystery Of Hunter's Lodge | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  More intriguing investigations for Agatha Christie's famed Belgian detective... The Affair At The Victory Ball: The Victory costume ball is in full swing just before midnight when a brutal murder is discovered. Poirot has only his own observations a mysterious note and a silver monogrammed case of cocaine to lead him to the killer. The Mystery Of Hunter's Lodge: Hastings accompanied by Poirot has been invited to a Grouse shoot on his uncle's estate. Amidst the gloomy Emglish weather and gun-smoke Poirot finds himself investigating a case of bizarre disguise and mistaken identity.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Kidnapped Prime Minister / Western Star | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £8.53   |  Saving you £4.45 (80.32%)   |  RRP £9.99

  In The Kidnapped Prime Minister / The Adventure of the Western Star David Suchet once again brings the great detective Hercule Poirot to rich life. In The Adventure of the Western Star a Belgian film star's priceless diamond disappears after she receives threatening letters from a Chinese man. When Britain's Prime Minister vanishes on the eve of important international negotiations, Poirot is called in to solve the case of The Kidnapped Prime Minister. The deceptions in each crime are elaborately plotted, but for Poirot the solution is usually as simple as a children's nursery rhyme. Suchet portrays the dapper detective with a quiet dignity and sublime smile that often infuriate his action-hungry clients. But as Agatha Christie readers know quite well, all of the real action takes place in Poirot's "little grey cells". Providing comic counterpoint to Poirot's method is his sidekick, Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), whose well-meaning but befuddled attempts to help solve each case make these episodes entertaining even if you've already figured out whodunit. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - Murder On The Links | DVD | (14/07/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Paul Renauld hopes to escape blackmail but his copy cat crime is more exact than he intended. He is found murdered with a love letter in his pocket. The plot is complicated by Bella Duveen the beautiful singer stealing the murder weapon and the discovery of the body of a tramp who was stabbed after he died...

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Dead Man's Mirror / Jewel Robbery At The Grand Metropolitan | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £11.23   |  Saving you £1.75 (21.24%)   |  RRP £9.99

  More intriguing investigations for Agatha Christie's famed Belgian detective... The Dead Man's Mirror: Art dealer Gervase Chevenix is not a popular man. So when he dies in mysterious circumstances Poirot has no shortage of suspects to choose from. The Jewel Robbery At The Grand Metropolitan: A holiday for Poirot on the South Coast turns into one of the most absorbing cases ever encountered. The pearls of the Tsar are missing and a man's life is at stake.

• Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Mystery Of The Spanish Chest / The Theft Of The Royal Ruby | DVD | (16/06/2003) from £9.96   |  Saving you £0.03 (0.30%)   |  RRP £9.99

  More intriguing investigations for Agatha Christie's famed Belgian detective... The Mystery Of The Spanish Chest: Poirot is approached by Lady Chatterton who believes that her beautiful friend Marguerite Clayton is in danger the suspect being her over-possessive husband. The mystery deepens when Poirot is summoned as a witness to a murder when a body is found in an ornate Spanish trunk. The Theft Of The Royal Ruby: Called urgently to the foreign office Poirot is briefed on the theft of a priceless ruby from the Prince of Egypt. He is forced to spend Christmas at the home of Colonel Lacev the infamous Egyptologist only to discover there is intrigue all around him.

• Chicken Run / James And The Giant Peach / Anastasia | DVD | (15/09/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99