"Actor: Al Murray"

• Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man | DVD | (02/08/2004) from £5.99   |  Saving you £14.00 (233.72%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The trials and tribulations of Stephen Dedalus a young man growing up in Ireland in the early part of the 20th century. He starts to feel a stranger in his own land as he starts to understand the nature of art and politics and he has to make a decision whether to accept exile in another land or stay and fight....

• Al Murray - The Pub Landlord - Live - My Gaff My Rules | DVD | (24/11/2003) from £5.43   |  Saving you £14.56 (72.80%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Recorded live in London's Playhouse Theatre, My Gaff, My Rules sees Al Murray's Perrier Award-winning comic creation in top, boisterous ale-swilling form. The Pub Landlord has been compared to the likes of Alf Garnett and Harry Enfield's Loadsamoney character, but that doesn't prepare the viewer for Murray's highly developed and sophisticated lampoon of True Brit values. Since Murray has built up his following largely without the advantage of a TV profile, this represents an indispensable opportunity to see him on-screen. Murray is merciless in coercing audiences into participation, demanding their names and professions, which generally disgust him, particularly those working in IT. One Hector, who abbreviates to "Heckie" is picked out for serial abuse by Murray, as is Jeremy the Australian ("returned to the scene of the crime, have you?") and a young woman whom he suspects of being a feminist: "trousers, job, the whole package". Although Murray's prejudices are predictable--such as a loathing of the French--his reasons for disliking them are much less so ("They've got a town called Brest. And none of 'em think it's funny".) His powers of invention in order to justify his ludicrous bigotry leave you gasping for air. He's expanded the scope of his musings and is now able, ingeniously, to dismiss Sir Isaac Newton as a "timewaster". Meanwhile, both his use of language and onstage physical movement are surprisingly elegant. All of his strengths as a performer come together in a climactic routine in which he lambasts Germans for making everything that they say "come out funny". Murray then "proves" it with a series of Germanic nursery rhyme recitations which is a brilliantly observed virtuoso parody of cinematic Teutonic clichés. Absolutely not for boneheads. --David Stubbs

• Don Giovanni - Mozart | DVD | (23/04/2004) from £9.77   |  Saving you £0.22 (2.20%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A performance of the Mozart opera Don Giovanni.

• God Help the Girl | DVD | (27/10/2014) from £5.99   |  Saving you £9.00 (150.25%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Set in Glasgow, Scotland, the film is about a girl called Eve who is in the hospital dealing with some emotional problems and starts writing songs as a way of getting better. Songwriting becomes her way forward, leading her to the City where she meets James and Cassie, two musicians each at crossroads of their own. What follows is a story of renaissance over the course of a long, dream-like Summer. God Help The Girl is a musical feature film, written and directed by Stuart Murdoch, lead sing.

• Frankie Howerd - The Comic Icons Collection | DVD | (05/02/2007) from £9.99   |  Saving you £6.00 (60.06%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Up Pompeii: A funny thing happens to Lurcio (Frankie Howerd) on the way to the rent-a-vestal-virgin market stall. A mysterious scroll falls into his hands listing the names of all the conspirators plotting to murder Emperor Nero. And when the upstart slave is elected to infiltrate the ringleader's den the comical ups-and-downs lead to total uproar. Up The Chastity Belt: A funny thing happened to Lurkalot serf to Sir Coward de Custard on the way to Custard Castle. Lurkalot sells lusty love potions and rusty chastity belts in the market place but on this day Sir Graggart de Bombast arrives to sack the castle and to get the lovely Lobelia Custard in the sack! Lurkalot must help Custard cream the knight in pining armour...

• An Angel At My Table | DVD | (18/11/2002) from £20.00   |  Saving you £-0.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Originally produced as a three-part miniseries for New Zealand television, this extraordinary film is based on the life of Janet Frame, an introverted, sensitive girl who was later misdiagnosed as schizophrenic and spent eight years in a psychiatric hospital. She would later become one of New Zealand's most celebrated poets and novelists, publishing her first books while she was still confined to a mental ward. She had endured over 200 electroshock treatments and had almost been lobotomized by careless physicians who took no time to understand that she was merely awkward and shy and suffered from little more than routine depression. From a solid screenplayby Laura Jones, director Jane Campion (The Piano) tells this story without soapy melodrama but rather as anexploration of a challenged creative spirit--a journey into a writer's mind, exploring the power of imagination as a mechanism of survival and self-defense. Three talented actors play Janet Frame at different ages throughout the film, with Kerry Fox giving a powerful performance as the young-adult Janet, whose own skill and creative tenacity would prove to be her salvation. Frightening, harrowing and ultimately a source of humanistic enlightenment, An Angel at My Table (titled after Frame's autobiography) is a film you won't soon forget.--Jeff Shannon

• Al Murray's Happy Hour | DVD | (06/10/2008) from £9.69   |  Saving you £16.56 (196.44%)   |  RRP £24.99

  This critically acclaimed comedy series sees Al Murray The Pub Landlord interview more of his favourite stars from the world of entertainment and showbiz (while undoubtedly offering some of his own notorious Common Sense advice). Major music acts are also allowed to perform (well only if they agree to finish the show with a Queen song - The Guv''s favourite band) and expect the usual master class of quick-fire interaction with members of the studio audience.

• Falling For A Dancer | DVD | (01/09/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Set in the breathtakingly beautiful and strictly traditional Ireland of the 1940's Falling For A Dancer is a passionate tale of the loves and challenges of the beautiful and sensitive Elizabeth Sullivan (Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh). The story begins when 19 year old Elizabeth falls pregnant after a brief affair with a dashing actor. Shamed she is forced to marry Neely Scollard (Dermot Crowley) a widower with a large family who lives in the remote Beara Peninsula. Elizabeth has to come to terms with motherhood her brutish husband her mysterious neighbour Mossie Sheehan (Liam Cunningham) her step children and the harsh realities of a rural existence. When a carefree moment at a village dance leads to a violent death a chain of events is unleashed that will change Elizabeth's life forever.

• Coffee And Cigarettes | DVD | (28/02/2005) from £8.06   |  Saving you £11.93 (148.01%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Short stories from Jim Jarmusch that all have coffee and cigarettes in common.

• The Man From U.N.C.L.E. | DVD | (08/09/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £30.99

  Fans of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. felt doubly blessed in 1965. Not only did its second series debut in colour, but there was also the first of several spin-off movies. The Spy with My Face thrilled audiences with "The August Affair", a plot to replace Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) with a look-alike. The movie's only disappointment in this golden year for the show was the inexplicable absence of its catchy theme tune. By the third series the show had strayed too far into the campness of Batman, which also started in 1966. One Spy Too Many demonstrated the rush to cash-in on success before the bubble burst. This second theatrical release actually consists of two TV episodes, and played on US small screens first. This then became the pattern for the later movies, although what played where on international TV in episodic fashion becomes extremely complicated. The Karate Killers features Joan Crawford, Herbert Lom and Telly Savalas in a search for a secret formula (from Series 3). The Helicopter Spies pits Solo and Kuryakin (David McCallum) against two criminal masterminds (culled from Series 4). How to Steal the World is very much a finale, in that it comes from the very last episode. It rather shows, too, with only Leslie Nielsen looking serious about his art. It's no top secret that The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s finest hours came early; the same certainly goes for these movies. Nevertheless, the gadgets are always great, the girls easy on the eye and the two leads superb in their chemistry together. On the DVD: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has survived pretty well for its DVD incarnation. Although there's some grain and artefacts evident in the print, colours are bright and the image is generally sharp. Some work has gone into providing fun fan material, but unfortunately it's all via DVD-ROM and in PDF format. The eight text documents cover series origins, merchandise, the fans themselves and, of course, the movies featured in this box set. --Paul Tonks

• Who Killed Teddy Bear | Blu Ray | (17/09/2018) from £13.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A grim police detective embarks on a one-man crusade to track down a depraved sex maniac when a nightclub dancer receives a disturbing series of obscene phone calls. Finding himself getting far too close to the victim for comfort, the hard-boiled cop must track down the unbalanced pervert before he can carry out his sick threats... Refused certification on its original theatrical release due to its sleazy, taboo-breaking nature, this psychological crime thriller features strong performances from Sal Mineo as a bodybuilding, pornography-addicted bus boy and Juliet Prowse as a victimised nightclub hostess. Showcasing Oscar-nominated cinematographer Joseph Brun's breathtaking imagery of pre-clean-up Times Square and 42nd Street, this forgotten neo-noir masterpiece of American independent cinema still retains the power to shock, and crackles with energy from its smart dialogue, electrifying performances and groovy dance sequences. SPECIAL FEATURES: Trailer Court Martial episode LSD: Insight or Insanity? Stills gallery PDF material

• Tony Hancock Double Bill | DVD | (16/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Punch & Judy Man: Tony Hancock is a melancholy Punch and Judy man trying to establish himself as an important citizen in the seaside town where he works. When his snobbish wife is taught a lesson at an important social event it looks like the British comic genius may just get the new lease of life of which he's always dreamed... (Dir. Jeremy Summers 1963) The Rebel: Tony Hancock portrays a bored city clerk who has ambitions of becoming an artist in France. (Dir. Robert Day 1961)

• Cannon and Ball - The Complete Series 3 - | DVD | (03/10/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Massively successful comedians Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball return in this hilarious third series. Years on the Northern cabaret circuit enabled them to hone their act for this ratings-winning show, making them household names and beloved by millions. A mixture of sketches, spectacular variety entertainment and a wealth of guest stars ensured this highly popular series ran for many years.Enjoy more good-natured comedy capers with the dynamic double act and their guests - including Lulu, Canadian singing star Anne Murray, former Animals band member Alan Price, and pop group Ritz.

• Marilyn Monroe - The Diamond Collection | DVD | (05/08/2002) from £29.95   |  Saving you £50.04 (167.08%)   |  RRP £79.99

  Released to mark the 40th anniversary of her death in 1962, The Diamond Collection brings together all of Marilyn Monroe's films for 20th Century Fox. This handsome box set stands as a salutary reminder of the considerable achievements of an actress who still reigns supreme as the greatest screen goddess of them all. The uninitiated might be surprised at the versatility of someone whose legend is founded so much on her image as a sex symbol. In particular, her touching performance as the abused second-rate bar singer Cherie in Bus Stop (1956) is a rounded study of a woman still capable of dreaming when life has done everything to dull her. The box set as a whole offers plenty of evidence that while she certainly specialised in a unique and complex variation on the blonde bombshell stereotype--embodied in her timeless performances as Lorelei Lee (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) and short-sighted Pola in How to Marry a Millionaire, both 1953--she could certainly diversify. The documentary, Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days, provides a sympathetic take on the troubles and behaviour which led to her being sacked from her final picture, Something's Got to Give. The presentation of the restored footage from that movie is less successful, though, as the glimpses of Monroe's incandescent screen presence, belying her illness and depression, leave a palpable sadness in their wake. Better by far to focus on her earlier work. Whatever the role, her luminous beauty and statuesque figure, combined with an unselfconsciously joyful sexuality and an on-screen vulnerability, were always at their best under the careful guidance of directors like Billy Wilder and Otto Preminger. These qualities continue to give her an enduring appeal. On the DVD: The Diamond Collection has been digitally restored using, for the most part, the original negatives, making this a sumptuous package for any Monroe fan. Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes are both presented in standard 4:3 ratio but the rest--filmed in Cinemascope and presented here in letterbox format--are certainly better-served by widescreen viewing. The colours, like Monroe, come alive. The sound quality is crisp and Monroe's singing--she had limited but genuine musical talent--has polished up well. Multiple extras include before-and-after restoration comparisons, trailers from various countries, stills and posters, and newsreel footage. Eleven discs of Marilyn in one box, this is a veritable feast indeed. --Piers Ford

• The Plane Makers - Volume 1 | DVD | (13/08/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  The prequel to ATV's famous boardroom drama The Power Game, The Plane Makers follows the fortunes of the Scott Furlong airplane development company and its managing director, the ruthless John Wilder (Patrick Wymark). Never previously available in any format, this release contains the first 13 episodes of series two - only one episode still exists from series one and that is included on disc one as a special feature. After months of work, a new passenger airliner, The Sovereign, is almost ready for its first flight. When John Wilder discovers that the Sovereign's French competitor is due for its maiden flight he gives orders to get the plane off the ground in two days, a decision he may come to regret... ? Don't Worry About Me - the only surviving episode from series one ? Image Galleries

• Al Murray's Road To Berlin | DVD | (06/04/2009) from £12.13   |  Saving you £7.86 (39.30%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Road To Berlin is a 10 episode documentary series made for The Discovery Channel sees 'The Pub Landlord'' Al Murray embark on a journey through the last phase of World War II. We see him travel from the beaches of Normandy through to Berlin in a restored Jeep interviewing survivors from the War along the way.

• Robert De Niro | DVD | (23/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Mean Streets: You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it on the streets... 'Mean Streets' heralded Martin Scorsese's arrival as a new filmmaking force - and marked his first historic teaming with Robert De Niro. It's a story Scorsese lived a semi-autobiographical tale of first-generation sons and daughters in New York's Little Italy. Harvey Keitel plays Charlie working his way up the ranks of a local mob. Amy Robinson is Teresa the girlfriend his family deems unsuitable because of her epilepsy. And in the starmaking role that won Best Supporting Actor Awards from the New York and National Society of Film Critics De Niro is Johnny Boy a small-time gambler in big-time debt to the loan sharks... (Dir. Martin Scorsese 1973) Taxi Driver: 'Taxi Driver' provoked fierce controversy when it was released running into censorship problems in America as some of the scenes of violence were described to be 'as gory as Clockwork Orange and Straw Dogs' (Evening News '76). In addition there was outcry at a 13-year-old schoolgirl actress (Jodie Foster) co-starring as a prostitute. (Dir. Martin Scorsese 1976) Casino: Robert De Niro Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci star in Director Martin Scorsese's riveting look at how blind ambition white-hot passion and 24-carat greed toppled an empire. Las Vegas in 1973 is the setting for this fact-based story about the Mob's multi-million dollar casino operation - where fortunes and lives were made and lost with a roll of the dice... (Dir. Matin Scorsese 1995) Sleepers: To four boys growing up on the streets in the mid 1960s Hell's Kitchen was a place of innocence ruled by corruption. The infamous New York City neighbourhood that stretched north from 34th to 56th Street and pushed west from the 8th Avenue to the Hudson River was guided by both priest and gangsters. The children who grew up there shared joyful times but subscribed to a sacred social code-crimes against the neighbourhood were not permitted and when they did occur punishment was severe. Four friends made a mistake that changed their lives forever... (Dir. Barry Levinson 1996) Cape Fear: Sam Bowden has always provided for his family's future. But the past is coming back to haunt them. Master filmmaker Martin Scorsese brings heart - pounding suspense to one of the most acclaimed thrillers of all time. Fourteen years after being imprisoned vicious psychopath Max Cady [Robert De Niro] emerges with a single - minded mission to seek revenge on his attorney Sam Bowden [Nick Nolte]. Cady becomes a terrifying presence as he menancingly circles Bowden's increasingly unstable family. Realising he is legally powerless to protect his beautiful wife [Jessica Lange] and his troubled teenage daughter Danielle [Juliette Lewis] Sam resorts to unorthodox measures which lead to an unforgettable showdown on Cape Fear. Visually stunning images and brilliant performances from a talented cast highlight this roller-coaster ride through relentless psychological torment. (Dir. Martin Scorsese 1991)

• Al Murray - The Pub Landlord - Live - Glass of White Wine for the Lady | DVD | (22/11/2004) from £5.49   |  Saving you £14.50 (264.12%)   |  RRP £19.99

  And A Glass Of White Wine For The Lady! is Al Murray's long awaited live stand-up DVD capturing on film the Pub Landlord's high octane comedy show which won the prestigious Perrier Award and earned him an Olivier Award nomination. So watch him put the record straight and witness a frank and open discussion of opinions and common sense. Back Off Brussels! Don't worry; you're entitled to the Landlord's point of view...

• Wagner: Parsifal | DVD | (14/10/2002) from £18.65   |  Saving you £3.34 (17.91%)   |  RRP £21.99

  A performance of Wagner's opera 'Parsifal' featuring the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Conducted by James Levine. The action takes place in the Middle Ages. At the castle of Monsalvat cut off from the rest of the world the brotherhood of Grail Knights guards the chalice in which the blood of the crucified Saviour had once been caught. In an effort to seize possession of the Grail Klingsor a powerful magician has established his realm at the foot of the mountain peop

• Saboteur | DVD | (17/10/2005) from £8.99   |  Saving you £1.00 (11.12%)   |  RRP £9.99

  This Hitchcock thriller is mainly famous for its climax, which finds the villain (Norman Lloyd) hanging by his sleeve from the torch on the Statue of Liberty as the seam begins to unravel. Otherwise, it's not one of the director's great pictures, though it's still worth a look. Set during the initial stages of World War II, the story concerns a ring of Nazi fifth columnists who plot to weaken American military defences by blowing up a munitions factory, a dam and a battleship. In an early example of Hitchcock's celebrated "wrong man" theme, the hero Barry Kane (Robert Cummings) gets falsely accused of sabotage and becomes a fugitive, hunted from coast to coast. Eventually, he hooks up with the heroine Pat Martin (Priscilla Lane), a super-patriot who takes some convincing of his innocence and plans to turn him in--until the inevitable chemical reaction occurs. It's a highly episodic tale that may put you in mind of Hitchcock's previous The 39 Steps (1935) and his later North by Northwest (1959).The miscellaneous incidents (a shoot-out at a cinema, a bizarre encounter with the freaks in a circus troupe) are often exciting in themselves. The trouble is they just sort of lie there like so-many scattered marbles, never building into a coherent and satisfying whole. The bland dialogue supplied by novice screenwriter Peter Viertel doesn't help matters much. Neither does the casting of the two stars, square, wholesome types, entirely lacking in the perversity and eccentricity one associates with the Hitchcock universe. (It's tedious to hear Lane endlessly mouthing off about the American way, while Cummings must be counted one of the dullest leading men in Hollywood history.) Still, this half-hearted effort by the pot-bellied master of suspense would probably make the reputation of a dozen lesser directors. --Peter Matthews