Blu-Ray

• Carnival of Souls | Blu Ray | (23/10/2017) from £17.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  ONE OF THE MOST CHILLING AND INFLUENTIAL CULT HORROR FILMS OF ALL TIME A young woman in a small Kansas town survives a drag race accident, then agrees to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City. En-route, she becomes haunted by a bizarre apparition that compels her toward an abandoned lakeside pavilion. Made by industrial filmmakers on a modest budget, the eerily effective B-movie classic Carnival of Souls was intended to have the look of a Bergman and the feel of a Cocteauand, with its strikingly used locations and spooky organ score, it succeeds. Herk Harvey's macabre masterpiece gained a cult following through late-night television and continues to inspire filmmakers today. BONUS FEATURES SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES: New, restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack Selected-scene audio commentary featuring director Herk Harvey and screenwriter John Clifford New interview with comedian and writer Dana Gould New video essay by film critic David Cairns The Movie That Wouldn't Die!, a documentary on the 1989 reunion of the film's cast and crew The Carnival Tour, a 2000 update on the film's locations Excerpts from movies made by the Centron Corporation, an industrial film company based in Lawrence, Kansas, that once employed Harvey and Clifford Deleted scenes Outtakes, accompanied by Gene Moore's organ score History of the Saltair Resort in Salt Lake City, where key scenes in the film were shot Trailer PLUS: An essay by writer and programmer Kier-La Janisse

• The Crimson Field | Blu Ray | (19/05/2014) from £18.98   |  Saving you £8.00 (47.09%)   |  RRP £24.99

  In a British base hospital near the front a team of doctors nurses and VADs are working together to heal the bodies and souls of the men in their care. This hospital on the coast of France is a frontier between two worlds: between the trenches and the home front between the old rules regulations hierarchies class distinctions and a new way of thinking. Written by Sarah Phelps (Great Expectations Oliver Twist) and starring Oona Chaplin (The Hour) Hermione Norris (Spooks) Suranne Jones (Scott and Bailey) Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey) Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave) and Marianne Oldham (WPC 56) this is the story of World War One's front line medics - their love affairs professional triumphs personal tragedies fears and hopes as they fight for the future.

• The Black Demon | Blu Ray | (17/07/2023) from £6.50   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A MYTH BECOMES A KILLER REALITY. THE BLACK DEMON LIVES! Oilman Paul Sturges (Josh Lucas) takes his family out to a Mexican coastal town to visit his pride and joy. An oil rig. But when they arrive the once vibrant town is a shadow of its former self. Word of the town is that the drilling has awakened something, a legend, a myth, a megalodon: The Black Demon! Suspicious of the rumours, Paul takes his family to investigate the rig only to discover he has provided this giant shark with another meal to terrorise and devour.

• Despicable Me 2 | Blu Ray | (25/11/2013) from £36.55   |  Saving you £-6.56 (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Just as Gru starts to adjust to his role as a suburban family man, an ultra-secret organization dedicated to fighting evil around the globe comes knocking. Now, it's up to Gru and his new partner to discover who is responsible for a spectacular crime.

• Fruits Basket: Season 3 | Blu Ray | (26/12/2022) from £24.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  !Every day with the Somas brings new surprises, and Tohru's resilience shines through it all! Her mother's beautiful lessons slowly reach everyone, from Yuki's self-absorbed sibling to a tiny, timid tiger. Even Tohru's childhood friends were changed by the kindness of the Crimson Butterfly. But for Kyo, is any heart big enough to accept his deep dark secret?

• The Bible - The Complete Series | Blu Ray | (26/12/2013) from £59.90   |  Saving you £-29.91 (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Breathtaking in scope and scale The Bible features powerful performances exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through revelation. This historic television event is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family.

• The Thing Limited Edition | Blu Ray | (23/10/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Director John Carpenter and special makeup effects master Rob Bottin teamed up for this 1982 remake of the 1951 science fiction classic The Thing from Another World, and the result is a mixed blessing. It's got moments of highly effective terror and spine-tingling suspense, but it's mostly a showcase for some of the goriest and most horrifically grotesque makeup effects ever created for a movie. With such highlights as a dog that splits open and blossoms into something indescribably gruesome, this is the kind of movie for die-hard horror fans and anyone who slows down to stare at fatal traffic accidents. On those terms, however, it's hard not to be impressed by the movie's wild and wacky freak show. It all begins when scientists at an arctic research station discover an alien spacecraft under the thick ice, and thaw out the alien body found aboard. What they don't know is that the alien can assume any human form, and before long the scientists can't tell who's real and who's a deadly alien threat. Kurt Russell leads the battle against the terrifying intruder, and the supporting cast includes Richard Masur, Richard Dysart, Donald Moffat, and Wilford Brimley. They're all playing standard characters who are neglected by the mechanistic screenplay (based on the classic sci-fi story "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell), but Carpenter's emphasis is clearly on the gross-out effects and escalating tension. If you've got the stomach for it (and let's face it, there's a big audience for eerie gore), this is a thrill ride you won't want to miss. --Jeff Shannon

• Robin Hood at Hammer: Two Tales from Sherwood Forest (Limited Edition) | Blu Ray | (12/09/2022) from £22.13   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Britain's best-loved outlaw gets the Hammer treatment in Robin Hood at Hammer: Two Tales from Sherwood Forest. For 1960's Sword of Sherwood Forest, Richard Greene (The Blood of Fu Manchu, The Castle of Fu Manchu) reprises the role he made famous in the classic television series The Adventures of Robin Hood. Directed by Terence Fisher (The Gorgon, The Revenge of Frankenstein), and starring Peter Cushing (The Devil's Men, Corruption) as the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham, the film sees Robin Hood thwart a plot to assassinate the Archbishop of Canterbury (Jack Gwillm, Jason and the Argonauts, The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb). The film also boasts an uncredited early role for Oliver Reed (The System, The Damned). In 1967's A Challenge for Robin Hood, Barry Ingham (The Day of the Jackal) dons the Lincoln green as he and his merrie men hide out in Sherwood Forest after his cousin (Peter Blythe, Frankenstein Created Woman) frames him for murder. This action-packed adventure features acting support from Gay Hamilton (Barry Lyndon, The Duellists) and Leon Greene (Adventures of a Private Eye, Adventures of a Plumber's Mate). This 2-disc Limited Edition set contains a double-sided poster, an 80-page book, and extensive new and archival extra features, including the much-loved Children's Film Foundation film Robin Hood Junior (1975), starring Keith Chegwin (Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Cheggers Plays Pop) as the diminutive hero. Product Features High Definition remasters of Sword of Sherwood Forest and A Challenge for Robin Hood Original mono audio Audio commentary on Sword of Sherwood Forest with author and critic Kim Newman (2022) Audio commentary on A Challenge for Robin Hood with film historians Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby (2022) The BEHP Interview with Sidney Cole (1987): archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the Sword of Sherwood Forest producer in conversation with Alan Lawson, Arthur Graham and Rodney Giesler The BEHP Interview with C M Pennington-Richards (1990): archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the director of A Challenge for Robin Hood in conversation with Alan Lawson and Colin Moffat Jonathan Rigby on ˜Sword of Sherwood Forest' (2022): appreciation by the author and film historian Kim Newman on Robin Hood (2022): the author and critic surveys the many cinematic portrayals of the world-famous English outlaw Hammer's Women: Vanda Godsell (2022): profile of the British stage and screen performer Hammer's Women: Irene Lamb (2022): profile of the casting director whose career encompassed many Hammer productions, Star Wars, and the films of Sally Potter Appreciations of the Alun Hoddinott and Gary Hughes scores by David Huckvale, author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde Robin Hood Junior (1975): Children's Film Foundation spin on the folk hero starring actor and television presenter Keith Chegwin as the young outlaw Original theatrical trailers Image galleries: on-set and promotional photography New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Frank Collins, archival interviews and articles, Jeff Billington on Robin Hood Junior, an overview of contemporary reviews, and film credits Limited edition exclusive poster UK and world premiere on Blu-ray Limited edition of 5,000 copies for the UK Extras subject to change

• The Brothers Rico (Standard Edition) | Blu Ray | (25/03/2024) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Richard Conte (The Big Combo), Dianne Foster (Gideon's Day), Larry Gates (Underworld U.S.A.), and Kathryn Grant (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) lead the cast of The Brothers Rico, a tough film noir directed by Phil Karlson (5 Against the House, Tight Spot). Eddie Rico (Conte) is a former mobster who has turned straight to run a successful laundry business. When his two brothers disappear following a hit, mafia boss 'Uncle' Sid (Gates) assures him that the Ricos are like his own family... But as Eddie attempts to track down his wayward siblings, he realises that Sid is not the father figure he believed him to be. Based on a novel by Maigret creator Georges Simenon, The Brothers Rico prefigures The Godfather in its exploration of the tensions between familial and criminal bonds within the Mafia. Product Features High Definition remaster Original mono audio Audio commentary with professor and film scholar Jason A Ney (2021) Introduction by Martin Scorsese (2010, 4 mins) A Bracing Brutality (2021, 30 mins): author and critic Nick Pinkerton considers the tough, no-nonsense cinema of director Phil Karlson A Merry Mix-Up (1957, 16 mins): the Three Stooges play three sets of brothers, creating all manner of chaos, confusion, and violent misunderstandings Original theatrical trailer Image gallery: publicity and promotional material New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (25/03/2013) from £6.90   |  Saving you £15.09 (218.70%)   |  RRP £21.99

  Adrenaline-fuelled and packed with never-before-seen stunts and hilarious mayhem Nitro Circus stars athletes from the world famous Nitro Circus under the stewardship of the world's greatest actions sports athlete Travis Pastrana a true Modern Day Evel Knievel who serves as master-of-ceremonies and ringleader to this group of intrepid fearless and inventive band of risk-takers performing a range of death-defying feats which come to life in full 3 Dimensional glory! In Nitro Circus 3D the core group of intrepid thrill-seekers bring their energy to the screen in what can only be described as an 'Action Sports meets 'Jackass'' film experience marrying the gripping rush that is action sports with some of most laughably dumb challenges that 'jackasses' can set for themselves!

• The Bible | Blu Ray | (31/03/2014) from £13.48   |  Saving you £2.51 (18.62%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The greatest stories of the Old Testament are brought to the screen with astounding scope and power in this international film which depicts the first 22 chapters of Genesis. This is the spectacular story of man's creation his fall his survival and his indomitable faith in the future. Matching the epic scale of the production are performances by George C. Scott as Abraham Ava Gardner as Sarah and Peter O'Toole as the haunting presence of the Angel of God. The legendary John Huston directs and delivers a commanding performance as Noah. From the film's opening amidst cosmic chaos to its lingering message of hope and salvation The Bible stands as a monumental motion picture achievement.

• From Hell (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (19/11/2007) from £7.99   |  Saving you £12.00 (150.19%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Adapted from the acclaimed graphic novel this dark film follows the police investigation into the Jack The Ripper killings in Victorian London, with Johnny Depp as Scotland Yard Detective Fredrick Abberlines.

• Gang War in Milan | Blu Ray | (27/11/2023) from £14.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Salvatore Toto Cangemi is a produce purveyor in Milan that also runs a profitable twin business moonlighting as a pimp. The appearance of a ruthless and greedy French gangster called Le Capitaine threatens Toto's livelihood. Le Capitaine wants to unite organised crime in Milan and take a large share of the profits for himself. Toto wants no part in Le Capitaine's plan and wants to continue quietly running his own low-key ring, but no one says no to Le Capitaine. He threatens an all-out war to keep his organisation and reputation intact.Product FeaturesHigh Definition digital transfer from the original camera negative presented with Italian and English audio options Uncompressed mono PCM audio Audio commentary by Andrew Nette Introduction by Mike Malloy A new visual essay on Lenzi's poliziotteschi by Troy Howarth, author of Make Them Die Slowly: The Kinetic Cinema of Umberto Lenzi Reversible sleeve featuring artwork based on original posters New and improved English subtitle translation for Italian audio and English SDH for English audio Limited edition booklet with new writing by Roberto Curti and an archival essay by Mike Malloy Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with limited edition booklet and reversible sleeve

• The End of Civilization: Three Films by Piotr Szulkin | Blu Ray | (04/12/2023) from £44.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Masquerading as both works of science fiction and horror, Piotr Szulkin's satirical, surrealistic apocalypse trilogy is Polish cinema's best-kept secret. These highly imaginative works of fantasy are bound by a preoccupation with the machinations of power and a distinct, visual sensibility. In a radical reworking of the H.G. Wells classic, The War of the Worlds: Next Century, tells the story of Iron Idem (Roman Wilhelmi), a television host, who finds himself contending with a Martian invasion, whose takeover involves collaborating with the state and manipulating the populace through a media apparatus made up entirely of fake news Meanwhile, in O-Bi, O-Ba: The End of Civilization, the survivors of a claustrophobic, subterranean world in ruins are pacified by Soft (Jerzy Stuhr), who engineers a mass collective dream of escape through means of a mythical vessel, The Ark Finally, in the darkly comic Ga, Ga: Glory to the Heroes, Scope (Daniel Olbrychski) must be tried and convicted of a heinous crime for him to participate in a bloody, televised gladiator contest Frequently butting heads with Polish authorities both before and after the collapse of Communism, writer and director Piotr Szulkin remains a unique visual stylist whose parables of power transcend easy genre pigeonholing.Product Features2K restorations of each film presented on three discs, on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK Uncompressed mono PCM audio Audio commentary on Ga-ga: Glory to the Heroes by Daniel Bird (2023) Retrofuturism - Interview featurette with production designer Andrzej Kowalczyk on creating the world of O-Bi, O-Ba (2023) PRL - Polish People's Republic Post-Apocalyptic Parables - a new video essay by Dobrotka Więckiewicz exploring Szulkin's rejection of the science-fiction label (2023) Programme of thematically complementary grotesque and absurdist short films: Labyrinth (Jan Lenica, 1963, 15 mins), Banquet (Zofia Oraczewska, 1977, 8 mins), Cages (Miroslaw Kijowicz, 1967, 8 mins) New and improved English subtitles Reversible sleeves and box art featuring original artworks by celebrated artist Andrzej Pagowski Limited edition 80-page booklet featuring new writing by Michal Oleszczyk, Olga Drenda, Ela Bittencourt, Piotr Kletowski and Daniel Bird

• John Ford at Columbia, 1935-1958 (Limited Edition) | Blu Ray | (27/04/2020) from £51.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A showcase for some of the most unexpected and surprising turns in the great director's prolific career: The Whole Town's Talking is a screwball comedy about a law-abiding man (played by Edward G Robinson) who happens to be the doppelganger of Public Enemy No. 1, ˜Killer' Mannion; The Long Gray Line is a Ford military picture with a difference, focusing its attentions away from the battlefield and onto the fifty-year career of an Irish immigrant who rises through the ranks at West Point; The Last Hurrah is a star-studded political drama boasting the talents of Spencer Tracy, Jeffrey Hunter, Pat O'Brien, Basil Rathbone, Donald Crisp, and John Carradine, and; Gideon's Day takes us on a twenty-four journey in the life of Jack Hawkins' titular London-based detective. All four films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Long Gray Line making its world Blu-ray premiere. This limited edition box set is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units. Extras: THE WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING 4K restoration Original mono audio Introduction by TCM host Ben Mankiewicz (2014) Cymbaline (2020): a new video essay by Tag Gallagher, author of John Ford: The Man and His Films Leonard Maltin on ˜The Whole Town's Talking' (2014): archival appreciation by the film critic and historian Sheldon Hall on ˜The Whole Town's Talking' (2020): new appreciation by the film historian Pamela Hutchinson on Jean Arthur (2020): a look at the life and career of the acclaimed actor Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Farran Smith Nehme, an extract from the W R Burnett's Jail Breaker, Edward G Robinson on The Whole Town's Talking, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits UK premiere on Blu-ray THE LONG GRAY LINE 4k restoration Original mono audio Audio commentary with film historians Diana Drumm, Glenn Kenny and Farran Smith Nehme Living and Dead (2020): a new video essay by Tag Gallagher, author of John Ford: The Man and His Films Leonard Maltin on ˜The Long Gray Line' (2014): archival appreciation by the film critic and historian The Red, White and Blue Line (1955): rare promotional film, featuring the principal cast of The Long Gray Line Original theatrical trailer Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Nick Pinkerton, archival interviews with John Ford, Maureen O'Hara on The Long Gray Line, an overview of contemporary critical responses, Anthony Nield on The Red, White and Blue Line, and film credits World premiere on Blu-ray GIDEON'S DAY 4K restoration Original mono audio Alternative feature presentation with the US Gideon of Scotland Yard titles Audio commentary with film historian Charles Barr (2020) Milk and Sugar (2020): a new video essay by Tag Gallagher, author of John Ford: The Man and His Films Leonard Maltin on ˜Gideon's Day' (2014): archival appreciation by the film critic and historian John Ford's London (2020): new appreciation by Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London Interview with Elaine Schreyeck (2020): the continuity supervisor recollects her work on the set John Ford and Lindsay Anderson at the NFT (1957): rare silent footage of Ford visiting London's National Film Theatre during the production of Gideon's Day Original UK theatrical trailer Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Robert Murphy, an interview with producer Michael Killanin, Jack Hawkins on Gideon's Day, Lindsay Anderson on John Ford, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits UK premiere on Blu-ray THE LAST HURRAH 2K restoration Original mono audio True Blue (2020): a new video essay by Tag Gallagher, author of John Ford: The Man and His Films Leonard Maltin on ˜The Last Hurrah' (2014): archival appreciation by the film critic and historian Super 8 version: original cut-down home cinema presentation Original theatrical trailer Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Imogen Sarah Smith, John Ford on Spencer Tracy and The Last Hurrah, screenwriter Frank S Nugent on John Ford, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits UK premiere on Blu-ray Extras subject to chang

• Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Series 6 | Blu Ray | (06/11/2023) from £13.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Taste of Fear (Standard Edition) | Blu Ray | (19/07/2021) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  During the early sixties, alongside its more famous Gothic horrors, Hammer also produced series of suspense thrillers inspired by the success (and plotlines) of Henri -Georges Clouzot's Les Diaboliques and Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. The first of these was the classic Taste of Fear, written and produced by the prolific Jimmy Sangster. Set on the French Riviera, it concerns a wheelchair-bound heiress plagued by visions of her dead father, and stars American actress Susan Strasberg alongside (by now) Hammer regulars Christopher Lee and Ronald Lewis. The film proved to be a huge success for Hammer, its twisted plot with a tortured heroine becoming a template for their thrillers which followed into the 1970s. Special Features High Definition remaster Original mono audio Two feature presentations: Taste of Fear, with the rarely seen original UK title sequence, and Scream of Fear, with the alternative US titles Audio commentary with Kevin Lyons, editor of The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television Body Horror: Inside ˜Taste of Fear' (2019, 20 mins): Alan Barnes, Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby explore aspects of the film's production Hammer's Women: Ann Todd (2019, 12 mins): profile of the Taste of Fear actor by Melanie Williams, author of Female Stars of British Cinema: The Women in Question The BFI Southbank Interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008, 68 mins): archival audio recording of the celebrated filmmaker and screenwriter in conversation with Marcus Hearn at London's National Film Theatre The BEHP Video interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008, 117 mins): archival video recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Sangster in conversation with Jonathan Rigby The BEHP Interview with Douglas Slocombe, Part Two: From Hammer to Spielberg (1988, 82 mins): archival audio recording featuring the renowned cinematographer in conversation with Sidney Cole Fear Makers (2019, 9 mins): camera operator Desmond Davis and assistant sound editor John Crome recall the making of the film Anxiety and Terror (2019, 25 mins): appreciation of Clifton Parker's score by David Huckvale, author of Hammer Films' Psychological Thrillers, 19501972 Super 8 version of Scream of Fear (20 mins): original cut-down home cinema presentation Original US Scream of Fear theatrical trailer Sam Hamm trailer commentary (2013, 2 mins): short critical appreciation Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials New and improved subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing

• L'Argent | Blu Ray | (08/08/2022) from £15.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A forged banknote leads to a tragic chain of events that culminates in murder, in Robert Bresson's superb swansong. Based on a short story by Tolstoy, L'Argent is Bresson's uncompromising last word on sin, chance and salvation, themes that he explored with such power and force throughout his 40-year career. Shot in the director's imitable austere style, the film won the Best Director prize at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival and is widely regarded as one of his great masterpieces.

• Psycho | Blu Ray | (05/07/2021) from £19.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  One of the most shocking films of all time, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho changed the thriller genre forever. After its original release in 1960, the film was censored for decades until now. Join the Master of Suspense on a chilling journey as an unsuspecting victim (Janet Leigh) visits the Bates Motel and falls prey to one of cinema's most notorious psychopaths - Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). Featuring one of the most iconic scenes in film history - the famous shower scene, Psycho is still terrifying after all these years (Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide). Special Features The Making of Psycho Psycho Sound In The Masters Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy Hitchcock/Truffaut Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho The Shower Scene (with and without music) The Shower Sequence: Storyboards by Saul Bass The Psycho Archives and more...

• The Last Temptation Of Christ (Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD) | Blu Ray | (30/11/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  It isn't difficult to imagine why this 1988 retelling of the Crucifixion story was picketed so vociferously on its release in the US--this Jesus bears little resemblance to the classical Christ, who was not, upon careful review of the Gospels, ever reported to have had sex with Barbara Hershey. Heavily informed by Gnostic reinterpretations of the Passion, The Last Temptation of Christ (based rather strictly on Nikos Kazantzakis's novel of the same name) is surely worth seeing for the controversy and blasphemous content alone. But the "last temptation" of the title is nothing overtly naughty--rather, it's the seduction of the commonplace; the desire to forgo following a "calling" in exchange for domestic security. Willem Dafoe interprets Jesus as spacey, indecisive and none too charismatic (though maybe that's just Dafoe himself), but his Sermon on the Mount is radiant with visionary fire; a bit less successful is method actor Harvey Keitel, who gives the internally conflicted Judas a noticeable Brooklyn accent, and doesn't bring much imagination to a role that demands a revisionist's approach. Despite director Martin Scorsese's penchant for stupid camera tricks, much of the desert footage is simply breathtaking, even on small screen. Ultimately, Last Temptation is not much more historically illuminating than Monty Python's Life of Brian, but hey, if it's authenticity you're after, try Gibbon's. --Miles Bethany