"Actor: Ulla Jacobsson"

• Zulu (50th Anniversary Edition) | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £5.99   |  Saving you £14.00 (233.72%)   |  RRP £19.99

  It’s a sad fact that many older films are shovelled onto the Blu-ray format, without a great deal of work put into improving their presentation. That’s an accusation that absolutely can’t be levelled at the outstanding transfer that Zulu has benefited from. It’s truly a template for other studios to follow, and a stunning high-definition upgrade. It’s a superb restoration job that’s been done here, and it’s fair to suggest that Zulu has never looked better. The sheer level of detail is amazing, particularly given the age of the material, and it’s presented in an utterly pristine fashion. It’s both a delight and a surprise to see the film fare so well. The audio side of things hasn’t benefited to quite the same degree, sadly, but it copes with the demands of the film perfectly well. The visuals, however, are dazzling. As for the movie? Zulu remains a classic. With a cast led by Michael Caine, the story centres around the seemingly impossible job of defending Rourke’s Drift in 1879. In a battle that’s stunningly brought to life, the British forces face insurmountable odds, something the film vividly gets across. It’s balanced film making too, and while it takes liberties with its recollection of history, it nonetheless sticks firmly in the mind long after the end credits have rolled. This surprisingly superb Blu-ray release is easily the best way to enjoy it, too. --Jon Foster

• Zulu | DVD | (18/11/2002) from £7.19   |  Saving you £10.06 (169.65%)   |  RRP £15.99

  One of the last of the classic-era widescreen epics, Zulu was also one of the last war movies to celebrate the virtues of the famous British stiff upper lip. At Rorke's Drift in 1879 a handful of British soldiers, hopelessly outnumbered by 4,000 Zulu warriors, fought one of the most celebrated defensive actions in military history. Zulu tells the story on an epic scale, bringing to life the heroism, courage, loyalty and sacrifice of those desperate hours. This is truly cast-of-thousands filmmaking, with vast action wonderfully captured in widescreen Technirama. John Barry, who also scored Goldfinger in the same year, provides a telling musical accompaniment. The superb cast includes Stanley Baker and Jack Hawkins, but Zulu's final claim to fame is that it made an instant international superstar of a young actor whose name is Michael Caine. A belated sequel arrived in 1979 in Zulu Dawn, which despite even more spectacular action and a great cast died at the box-office. It is nevertheless well worth seeing. On the DVD: Zulu on disc has excellent prologic stereo considering the age of the film, while the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 transfer is crystal-clear, boasting rich colours, strong contrast and detail and only occasional minor print flaws. The original American trailer, also presented anamorphically enhanced at 2.35:1, is a worthwhile addition. There is a very good new 45-minute "making of" (1.77:1 anamorphic, in stereo), curiously split into two parts. The heart of the programme consists of interviews with survivors from the film, focusing on Stanley Baker's widow. The only let down is lack of input from Michael Caine and composer John Barry. The commentary by film historian Sheldon Hall, author of a forthcoming book on the movie, and Second Unit Director Robert Porter is serious and packed with information. --Gary S Dalkin

• The Heroes Of Telemark | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £6.49   |  Saving you £6.50 (100.15%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Physics Professor Dr Pederson (Kirk Douglas) and underground leader Straud (Richard Harris) must convince British Intelligence that the Nazis are planning to build the A-bomb. The Norse Hydro Plant at Telemark is central to enemy strategy and the Allies decide to send in a task force to destroy it. Legendary director Anthony Mann (Winchester 73 El Cid The Fall of the Roman Empire) tells the story of nine courageous and indomitable Norwegians without whom the Second World War may ha

• Smiles Of A Summer Night | DVD | (24/09/2001) from £10.16   |  Saving you £9.83 (96.75%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The film which established its Swedish writer/director on the stage of world cinema, 1956's Smiles of a Summer Night is what some people would consider a contradiction in terms--an Ingmar Bergman comedy. Set in the 19th century, Smiles features Bergman stalwart Gunner Bjornstrand as Fredrik, a lawyer yet to consummate his marriage to his young wife Anne. He has hankerings after a former mistress, the voluptuous actress Desiree, who is now mistress to the bellicose Count Malcolm, whose own wife attempts to seduce Fredrik in order to make Malcolm jealous. Fredrik's wife, meanwhile, hankers after her own stepson, an austere young man confused by his repressed sexual longings. This web of romantic intrigue is eventually disentangled at a weekend party held by Desiree's mother, a formidably acerbic, fairy godmother-style figure.Smiles of a Summer Night is sparkling but mordant, stronger on absurdism than belly laughs and it is lent shade by the long shadows of existential angst. It conveys all of Bergman's core messages about human relationships but in a light, operatic bundle of cinematic joy.On the DVD: Presented in the original academy ratio, the film is restored here to its original, silvery glory. There are extensive notes from Bergman's memoirs, in which he talks candidly about the near-suicidal depression he was in when he wrote this ironically light script, as well as additional notes from critic Derek Malcolm, who aptly compares the film to a Mozart opera and Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game. --David Stubbs

• Zulu (50th Anniversary Edition) | Blu Ray | (05/05/2014) from £7.99   |  Saving you £19.00 (237.80%)   |  RRP £26.99

  It’s a sad fact that many older films are shovelled onto the Blu-ray format, without a great deal of work put into improving their presentation. That’s an accusation that absolutely can’t be levelled at the outstanding transfer that Zulu has benefited from. It’s truly a template for other studios to follow, and a stunning high-definition upgrade. It’s a superb restoration job that’s been done here, and it’s fair to suggest that Zulu has never looked better. The sheer level of detail is amazing, particularly given the age of the material, and it’s presented in an utterly pristine fashion. It’s both a delight and a surprise to see the film fare so well. The audio side of things hasn’t benefited to quite the same degree, sadly, but it copes with the demands of the film perfectly well. The visuals, however, are dazzling. As for the movie? Zulu remains a classic. With a cast led by Michael Caine, the story centres around the seemingly impossible job of defending Rourke’s Drift in 1879. In a battle that’s stunningly brought to life, the British forces face insurmountable odds, something the film vividly gets across. It’s balanced film making too, and while it takes liberties with its recollection of history, it nonetheless sticks firmly in the mind long after the end credits have rolled. This surprisingly superb Blu-ray release is easily the best way to enjoy it, too. --Jon Foster

• Zulu Special Collector's Edition | DVD | (05/11/2007) from £6.22   |  Saving you £3.77 (60.61%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The year: 1879. The place: Natal, Africa. One British garrison has already fallen to a huge army of Zulu tribesmen. The fearless native warriors are now heading for the isolated colonial outpost of Rorke's Drift, which is manned by no more than a hundred South Wales Borderers.A stirring tale of courage under fire, Zulu boasts fine performances from Michael Caine and Stanley Baker as conflicting British officers, and an unforgettable rendition of Men of Harlech.

• Michael Caine Box Set: Alfie/The Italian Job/Zulu | DVD | (07/06/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Zulu The year: 1879. The place: Natal Africa. One British garrison has already fallen to a huge army of Zulu tribesmen. The fearless native warriors are now heading for the isolated colonial outpost of Rorke's Drift which is manned by no more than a hundred South Wales Borderers. Alfie Alfie is a good-looking charmer who finds that the Swinging Sixties are a great time to be around in. He's always able to sweet-talk women into bed and he just doesn't care about t

• Zulu | DVD | (05/11/2007) from £11.20   |  Saving you £-1.21 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The year: 1879. The place: Natal Africa. One British garrison has already fallen to a huge army of Zulu tribesmen. The fearless native warriors are now heading for the isolated colonial outpost of Rorke's Drift which is manned by no more than a hundred South Wales Borderers. A stirring tale of courage under fire Zulu boasts fine performances from Michael Caine and Stanley Baker as conflicting British officers and an unforgettable rendition of ""Men of Harlech"".