Adrian (James Fleet) is an unmarried unworldly and somewhat unstable dairy farmer who has spent most of his adult life on a farm in Wiltshire looking after his elderly slightly quirky mother Lucy. Upon finding his mother dead Adrian then has to deal with the arrival of his two sisters Harriet (Francesca Annis) and Virginia (Dawn French) his uncle his mother's lover and her closest friend Veronica (Phyllida Law). They all want a piece of Lucy they all have conflicting plans for
There's something inescapably appealing about Krull, a camp Star Wars-meets-The Lord of the Rings knock-off, that encourages the viewer to overlook it's very many silly shortcomings and simply enjoy the fun. James Horner's rollicking music score--written soon after his similarly memorable contribution to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan--certainly helps, as does the epic-scale CinemaScope photography of the breathtaking Italian landscapes. The costumes and extravagant production design are also great to look at, and much of Derek Meddings' visual effects work still looks striking if not exactly state-of-the-art. Of the cast, Freddie Jones stands head and shoulders above all others as the Obi Wan Kenobi-meets-Gandalf character Ynyr: his trip to the centre of the spider's web is both genuinely scary and genuinely touching. The two romantic leads, Ken Marshall as the Luke Skywalker-meets-King Arthur clone Prince Colwyn and Lysette Anthony (with an overdubbed American voice) as his Leia-Guinevere Princess Lyssa, are mere formalities on which to hang the plot. Ironic fun can be had with the all-British supporting cast, which includes Todd Carty of Eastenders fame and Carry On's Bernard Bresslaw, as well as Robbie Coltrane, Liam Neeson and the gorgeous Francesca Annis. On the DVD: Krull comes to DVD in an anamorphic widescreen print, preserving the luscious CinemaScope look of the theatrical release. The Dolby 5.1 sound lives up to the picture. There are two commentary tracks: on the first, director Peter Yates talks through the movie, with contributions from other crew members and leads Ken Marshall and Lysette Anthony. Oddly, the second audio track is just a reading of an article that originally appeared in the November 1982 issue of Cinefantastique magazine. There's also a half-hour "making-of" featurette originally produced to promote the movie at the time, the usual trailer, stills gallery and three talent profiles. --Mark Walker
A television adaptation of Michael Frayn's celebrated and award-winning stage play about the meeting between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in 1941 Copenhagen. At this time the young Heisenberg was leading a faltering German research program into nuclear energy, while the middle-aged and apparently isolated Bohr was in contact with allied agents, and still held a position of great influence in the nuclear physics research community. After the meeting the two men put different interpretations or impressions of why Heisenberg requested the meeting, and what he hoped to gain from it, a theme which mirrors the ambiguity of the 'Copenhagen' interpretation widely used in quantum physics. Did Heisenberg go to the avuncular Bohr to seek his blessing for his role in nuclear research? Why did Heisenberg concentrate on the development of a nuclear reactor, and not perform the calculations which would show that a bomb could be made to work via a fast-neutron reaction in Uranium 235?
This BBC dramatisation of three of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels captures the small absurdities and tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford a small rural Cheshire town inhabited largely by women. This is a community that runs on cooperation and gossip at the very heart of which are the daughters of the former rector: Miss Deborah Jenkyns and her sister Miss Matty. But domestic peace is constantly threatened in the form of financial disaster imagined burglaries tragic accidents and the reapparance of long-lost relatives.
Andrew Davies' 1999 adaptation of Mrs Gaskell's Wives and Daughters was hailed as the rediscovery of a "forgotten" classic novel and found the BBC on the crest of a wave with costume dramas--led by Pride and Prejudice. Handsome and beautifully filmed, if anything, it surpassed the quality of even that highly praised landmark production. "We should all look pretty strange under a microscope," botanist Robert Hamley tells our heroine Molly Gibson and of course Mrs Gaskell places all her characters under intense scrutiny, with affection but without judgement. Davies' screenplay peals back the layers, giving full vent to the comedy, tragedy and satire that drive this tale of provincial life to its highly satisfactory conclusion. Justine Waddell imbues Molly with an increasingly exasperated but remarkably forbearing intelligence, while Francesca Annis, as the outrageously self-absorbed step-mother Hyacinth, paints a wonderful portrait of affectation without ever totally alienating our sympathy. Michael Gambon's immensely touching Squire Hamley won him a Best Actor BAFTA, but all the performances are uniformly excellent, contributing immeasurably to five hours of television drama of the highest calibre. On the DVD: Presented in 16:9 format with a Dolby Digital stereo soundtrack, this two-disc presentation retains all the hallmarks of the original BBC viewing experience. The picture quality is lush--the production lighting is excellent--and the sound quality sharp. The only gripe is with the extras: the Omnibus documentary "Who the Dickens is Mrs Gaskell?" is brutally truncated, cutting off talking heads like novelists Fay Weldon and Margaret Drabble in their prime and giving limited insight into how the production was made. As an audio bonus, there is also 30 minutes of John Keane's music.--Piers Ford
A Place Beyond Your Dreams. A Movie Beyond Your Imagination. Following a notorious aborted attempt by Alejandro Jodorowsky in the 1970s, Frank Herbert's bestselling sci-fi epic Dune finally made it to the big screen as the third film by emerging surrealist wunderkind David Lynch, featuring an all-star cast that includes several of Lynch's regular collaborators. The year is 10,191, and four planets are embroiled in a secret plot to wrest control of the Spice Melange, the most precious substance in the universe and found only on the planet Arrakis. A feud between two powerful dynasties, House Atreides and House Harkonnen, is manipulated from afar by ruling powers that conspire to keep their grip on the spice. As the two families clash on Arrakis, Duke Atreides' son Paul (Kyle MacLachlan, in his screen debut) finds himself at the centre of an intergalactic war and an ancient prophecy that could change the galaxy forever. Though its initial reception ensured that Lynch largely eschewed mainstream filmmaking for the rest of his career, Dune has since been rightly re-evaluated as one of the most startlingly original and visionary science fiction films of the 1980s. Its astonishing production design and visual effects can now be appreciated anew in this spellbinding 4K restoration, accompanied by hours of comprehensive bonus features. Special Features: Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative 60-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the film by Andrew Nette, Christian McCrea and Charlie Brigden, an American Cinematographer interview with sound designer Alan Splet from 1984, excerpts from an interview with the director from Chris Rodley's book Lynch on Lynch and a Dune Terminology glossary from the original release Large fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor DISC ONE - FEATURE & EXTRAS (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY) 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray⢠presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Brand new audio commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon Brand new audio commentary by Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast Impressions of Dune, a 2003 documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with star Kyle MacLachlan, producer Raffaella de Laurentiis, cinematographer Freddie Francis, editor Antony Gibbs and many others Designing Dune, a 2005 featurette looking back at the work of production designer Anthony Masters Dune FX, a 2005 featurette exploring the special effects in the film Dune Models & Miniatures, a 2005 featurette focusing on the model effects in the film Dune Costumes, a 2005 featurette looking at the elaborate costume designs seen in the film Thirteen deleted scenes from the film, with a 2005 introduction by Raffaella de Laurentiis Destination Dune, a 1983 featurette originally produced to promote the film at conventions and publicity events Theatrical trailers and TV spots Extensive image galleries, including hundreds of still photos DISC TWO BONUS DISC (BLU-RAY) The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune, a brand new feature-length documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures exploring the making of the film, featuring dozens of new and archive interviews with cast and crew Beyond Imagination: Merchandising Dune, a brand new featurette exploring the merchandise created to promote the film, featuring toy collector/producer Brian Sillman (The Toys That Made Us) Prophecy Fulfilled: Scoring Dune, a brand new featurette on the film's music score, featuring interviews with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro, and film music historian Tim Greiving Brand new interview with make-up effects artist Giannetto de Rossi, filmed in 2020 Archive interview with production coordinator Golda Offenheim, filmed in 2003 Archive interview with star Paul Smith, filmed in 2008 Archive interview with make-up effects artist Christopher Tucker *** EXTRAS STILL IN PRODUCTION AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***
Prince takes on his first director's job and provides the score! Two brothers from Miami on holiday in the Mediterranian are enjoying life by scamming money off of rich women. One day they read about a young woman set to inherit $50 million from her father. At first Tricky (Jerome Benton) has Christopher Tracy (Prince) talked into romancing her for her money but as he gets to know her Christopher falls in love with her. This love comes between the brothers and Tricky tells all
Elliot Goldner directs this British horror following a team of specialists from the Vatican who are drawn to a remote West Country church by reports of mysterious occurrences in the area. Though Father Crellick (Luke Neal) has video footage of items apparently being moved around inside the church by supernatural forces, Deacon (Gordon Kennedy) and Father Mark Amidon (Aidan McArdle) are sceptics by nature and want more conclusive evidence. They duly set up more cameras inside the ancient build...
Music royalty Prince displays his one-of-a-kind showmanship, songs and style as he steps in front of (and behind) the camera in his only three narrative films, now all on Blu-rayâ¢. Making his electrifying film debut in the Grammy®- and Academy Award®-winning* Purple Rain newly remastered for this collection with dramatically improved video and audio Prince went on to direct and star in Under the Cherry Moon, a black-and-white musical drama (the film debut of Oscar®-nominated** actress Kristin Scott Thomas), and Graffiti Bridge, the sequel to Purple Rain. Celebrate the movie life through the eyes of a rock-and-roll icon.
The acclaimed 1967 BBC adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, Great Expectations is now available to own on DVD for the first time. Starring BAFTA-winner Francesca Annis (Home Fires), Gary Bond (Zulu), Hannah Gordon (The Elephant Man) and BAFTA-nominee Peter Vaughan (Game of Thrones) Young Philip Pirrip (Christopher Guard) universally known as Pip encounters escaped convict Magwitch (John Tate) in a deserted graveyard, and helps him find food and escape his shackles. When his kindness is later rewarded by an unexpected inheritance, the adult Pip (Gary Bond), surrounded by home comforts, grows mean and arrogant and smitten with the aloof Estella (Francesca Annis).Maxine Audley plays vindictive recluse Miss Havisham, who has raised Estella to distrust all men. Written by acclaimed playwright Hugh Leonard, who adapted many of Dickens books for TV and the stage, this is a delightful cautionary tale of the power of wealth to corrupt and betray.
Roman Polanski imbues his unflinchingly violent adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy of ruthless ambition and murder in medieval Scotland with grit and dramatic intensity. Jon Finch and Francesca Annis give performances charged with fury and sex appeal as a decorated warrior rising through the ranks and his driven wife, scheming together to take the throne by any means. Co-adapted by Polanski and the great theatre critic and dramaturge Kenneth Tynan, and shot against a series of stunning, stark British Isle landscapes, this version of Macbeth is among the most atmospheric and authentic of all Shakespeare films.
A Place Beyobd Your Dreams. A Movie Beyond Your Imagination. Following a notorious aborted attempt by Alejandro Jodorowsky in the 1970s, Frank Herbert's bestselling sci-fi epic Dune finally made it to the big screen as the third film by emerging surrealist wunderkind David Lynch, featuring an all-star cast that includes several of Lynch's regular collaborators. The year is 10,191, and four planets are embroiled in a secret plot to wrest control of the Spice Melange, the most precious substance in the universe and found only on the planet Arrakis. A feud between two powerful dynasties, House Atreides and House Harkonnen, is manipulated from afar by ruling powers that conspire to keep their grip on the spice. As the two families clash on Arrakis, Duke Atreides' son Paul (Kyle MacLachlan, in his screen debut) finds himself at the centre of an intergalactic war and an ancient prophecy that could change the galaxy forever. Though its initial reception ensured that Lynch largely eschewed mainstream filmmaking for the rest of his career, Dune has since been rightly re-evaluated as one of the most startlingly original and visionary science fiction films of the 1980s. Its astonishing production design and visual effects can now be appreciated anew in this spellbinding 4K restoration, accompanied by hours of comprehensive bonus features. Special Features: Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative 60-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the film by Andrew Nette, Christian McCrea and Charlie Brigden, an American Cinematographer interview with sound designer Alan Splet from 1984, excerpts from an interview with the director from Chris Rodley's book Lynch on Lynch and a Dune Terminology glossary from the original release Large fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor Disc 1 High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray⢠presentation Original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Brand new audio commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon Brand new audio commentary by Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast Impressions of Dune, a 2003 documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with star Kyle MacLachlan, producer Raffaella de Laurentiis, cinematographer Freddie Francis, editor Antony Gibbs and many others Designing Dune, a 2005 featurette looking back at the work of production designer Anthony Masters Dune FX, a 2005 featurette exploring the special effects in the film Dune Models & Miniatures, a 2005 featurette focusing on the model effects in the film Dune Costumes, a 2005 featurette looking at the elaborate costume designs seen in the film Thirteen deleted scenes from the film, with a 2005 introduction by Raffaella de Laurentiis Destination Dune, a 1983 featurette originally produced to promote the film at conventions and publicity events Theatrical trailers and TV spots Extensive image galleries, including hundreds of still photos Disc 2 BONUS DISC The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune, a brand new feature-length documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures exploring the making of the film, featuring dozens of new and archive interviews with cast and crew Beyond Imagination: Merchandising Dune, a brand new featurette exploring the merchandise created to promote the film, featuring toy collector/producer Brian Sillman (The Toys That Made Us) Prophecy Fulfilled: Scoring Dune, a brand new featurette on the film's music score, featuring interviews with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro, and film music historian Tim Greiving Brand new interview with make-up effects artist Giannetto de Rossi, filmed in 2020 Archive interview with production coordinator Golda Offenheim, filmed in 2003 Archive interview with star Paul Smith, filmed in 2008 Archive interview with make-up effects artist Christopher Tucker *** EXTRAS STILL IN PRODUCTION AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***
Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime, presents this star studded, captivating trio of murder mysteries. The Pale Horse pits a young man with an eye for danger against a perilous coven of conniving and black magic. Sparkling Cyanide revels in the coincidence of money, manipulation and murder, uncovered by Colonel Reece and Dr. Catherine Kendall. Why Didn't They Ask Evans? is the question to hand when Bobby Jones comes across a dying man with links to the Bassington-ffrench estate and a world of all-too tempting inheritances.
This BBC dramatisation of three of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels captures the small absurdities and tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford a small rural Cheshire town inhabited largely by women. This is a community that runs on cooperation and gossip at the very heart of which are the daughters of the former rector: Miss Deborah Jenkyns and her sister Miss Matty. But domestic peace is constantly threatened in the form of financial disaster imagined burglaries tragic accidents and the reapparance of long-lost relatives.
Roger Moore is Simon Templar better known as The Saint. The Saint out-swindles the swindlers for the good of the little guy: he's handsome charming suave and sophisticated! This monolith of a box set contains every colour episode ever made from 1966 to 1969. Majestic stuff! Disc 1: 1. The Russian Prisoner 2. The House of Dragon's Rock 3. The Convenient Monster 4. The Helpful Pirate Disc 2: 1. The Angel's Eye 2. Queen's Ransom 3. The Reluctant Revolution 4. Int
From the Queen of Crime Agatha Christie comes a tale of murder mystery and mistaken identity. When Bobby Jones comes across a dying man and the photograph of a beautiful young woman his interest is snared; especially when the photograph is later switched for one of someone else. With the help of his good friend Lady Frances Derwant Bobby investigates. Following a trail of clues and setting up an elaborate charade in order to insinuate themselves into the Bassington-French household their trail leads them into a world of morphine addiction psychiatric clinics and enticing inheritances and of course murder. But who is the mysterious trembling young wife of the hard-edged Dr. Nicholson; why is someone out to silence Bobby Jones; and what is the meaning of the dead man's dying words...Why didn't they ask Evans? Special Features: Agatha Christie Biography and Bibliography Photo Gallery Cast Filmographies Subtitles
Triple bill of films featuring the pop star Prince. In the semi-autobiographical musical 'Purple Rain' (1984), Prince plays an ambitious young musician struggling to win love and musical recognition in Minneapolis. 'Graffiti Bridge' (1990) is Prince's vehicle for his album of the same name. Also set in Minneapolis, the film stars Prince as The Kid, a nightclub owner who must fight his rival, Morris Day (played by himself), for the love of the beautiful Aura (Ingrid Chavez). In 'Under the Cherry Moon' (1986), Prince plays Christopher Tracy, an American playboy on the lookout for rich women on the French Riviera. Shot in black and white to evoke a 1940s feeling, the film follows the young musician as he finds true love with Mary Sharon (Kristin Scott Thomas in her debut film role), and so ends his wild days and nights of philandering.
First broadcast in the early 1980s, Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime stars James Warwick and Francesca Annis as the husband-and-wife team of detectives Tommy and "Tuppence" Beresford. Together they zoom around 1920's England in a very posh car and solve all kinds of high-society crimes, from forgery at an exclusive nightclub to the mysterious disappearance of an Arctic explorer's fiancée. The show benefits from two charming lead performances and some wonderful period details--Annis seems to change her hat and her dress every 30 seconds--but it is at best only moderately entertaining. The years have not been kind to this type of mystery, in which murder is the equivalent of an especially tricky crossword puzzle, offering the amateur sleuths an opportunity to avoid boredom and have a terribly thrilling time. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple survive both in print and on film, because the central characters are interesting enough to make us forgive weak plotting and a lack of depth, but Tommy and Tuppence don't have the staying power of Christie's more famous creations. Their adventures are fun in small doses, and if you're in the mood for some witty repartee, but otherwise this series is little more than a quaint relic of a bygone age. --Simon Leake
Based on Eran Creevy's teenage experiences, and boasting convincing performances from a cast of rising stars, "Shifty" sees two friends coming to terms with their divergent lives
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