"Actor: Ben Vereen"

• All That Jazz | DVD | (30/06/2003) from £8.10   |  Saving you £-2.11 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Choreographer-turned-director Bob Fosse turns the camera on himself in All That Jazz, a nervy, sometimes unnerving 1979 feature, a nakedly autobiographical piece that veers from gritty drama to razzle-dazzle musical, allegory to satire. It's an indication of his bravura, and possibly his self-absorption, that Fosse (who also co-wrote the script) literally opens alter ego Joe Gideon's heart in a key scene--an unflinching glimpse of cardiac surgery, shot during an actual open-heart procedure. Roy Scheider makes a brave and largely successful leap out of his usual romantic lead roles to step into Gideon's dancing pumps and supplies a plausible sketch of an extravagant, self-destructive, self-loathing creative dynamo, while Jessica Lange serves as a largely allegorical Muse, one of the various women that the philandering Gideon pursues (and usually abandons). Gideon's other romantic partners include Fosse's own protégé (and a major keeper of his choreographic style since his death) Ann Reinking, whose leggy grace is seductive both "onstage" and off. Fosse/Gideon's collision course with mortality, as well as his priapic obsession with the opposite sex, may offer insights into the libidinal core of the choreographer's dynamic, sexualised style of dance, but musical aficionados will be forgiven for fast-forwarding to cut out the self-analysis and focus on the music, period. At its best--as in the knockout opening, scored to George Benson's strutting version of "On Broadway", which fuses music, dance and dazzling camera work into a paean to Fosse's hoofer nation--All That Jazz offers a sequence of classic Fosse numbers--hard-edged, caustic and joyously physical. --Sam Sutherland

• Time Out of Mind | DVD | (14/03/2016) from £4.42   |  Saving you £8.57 (193.89%)   |  RRP £12.99

  An increasingly desperate man, George (Richard Gere), finds himself homeless on the unforgiving streets of New York City. When he seeks refuge at Bellevue Hospital, Manhattan's largest intake center for homeless men, he befriends a seasoned shelter-dweller (Ben Vereen) and begins to find hope of repairing his relationship with his estranged daughter (Jena Malone). With a successful career spanning four decades, TIME OUT OF MIND sees Gere immerse himself in the role of George - navigating the bureaucratic troubles of shelters in New York City, providing additional insight into urban poverty, challenging our perception of the homeless and bringing compassion to a group of people who are often neglected by society.

• Roots - Original Series - 25th Anniversary Edition | DVD | (23/12/2002) from £13.66   |  Saving you £7.33 (53.66%)   |  RRP £20.99

  Based on Alex Haley's bestseller, the 1977 TV mini-series Roots told the harrowing story of one man's ancestors, commencing with African warrior Kunta Kinte, captured, transported to America, stripped of his dignity, his rights, and even his name. He tries but fails to escape before accepting he can never return to Africa. He marries and bears a daughter, Kizzy, who is callously sold, then raped by her new "master". However, her son, Chicken George, a resourceful dab hand with gamecocks, lives long enough to see his own children attain a liberty of sorts following the Civil War. Roots is told in the same, accessible televisual language as The Waltons or Bonanza, yet it is never bland or evasive. It leaves no doubt as to the torment and abuse suffered by blacks, and although the series' conclusion is fictionally satisfying, for many of the black characters their only hope lies in generations yet unborn. It is sturdy enough drama but its greatest, most revolutionary effects were social. It persuaded American audiences to regard their history from a black perspective, and to see how--against odds far more desperate than those the pilgrims faced--Africans laid claim to their status as free African-Americans. Roots was massively popular, triggering a craze for genealogy and paving the way for series like 1979's Holocaust, which similarly raised the public's awareness of the slaughter of the Jews under Hitler. Most importantly, Roots changed forever the way black people were depicted on American TV. On the DVD: Roots is presented in 1:33:1 format and is visually extremely well-preserved. Extra features include a "Roots Family Tree", a copious, informative audio commentary featuring members of cast and crew, and a documentary, "Remembering Roots". Although this consists only of interviews, these convey the extraordinary emotional grip this project had on those who took part in it.--David Stubbs

• Once Upon A Forest | DVD | (06/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A magical animated world based on the story by Rae Lambert which follows the antics of Abigail the Woodmouse Edgar the Mole and Russell the Hedgehog.

• Funny Girl / Funny Lady | DVD | (04/03/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Like giant monuments to good old-fashioned star quality, Funny Girl (1968) and Funny Lady (1975) hark back to the golden days of American vaudeville, while essentially celebrating one of the great, egotistical show-business talents of all time. Viewed end to end, these two films, which tell the story of Ziegfeld comedienne Fanny Brice, run for almost five hours. That's a lot of biopic. But with the greatest of respect to Brice, undoubtedly a formidable star of her time, the talent really in the spotlight here belongs to Barbra Streisand. Streisand created the role of Fanny Brice in the 1964 Broadway stage musical and her performance for the big screen is a tour de force, fully deserving the Best Actress Oscar which she received. As a biopic, Funny Girl is superior fare, full of sumptuous production numbers. Brice's glory days are explored against the background of her turbulent private life with her flawed playboy husband Nicky Arnstein (a sympathetic performance from Omar Sharif) with considerable attention to the details of her inner turmoil. More rambling and less cohesive, Funny Lady finds Fanny divorced but still in love with Arnstein (Sharif also revisiting his role), drifting into marriage number two with uncouth songwriter and impresario Billy Rose (the excellent James Caan), her successful career again juxtaposed with a less than happy personal life. Combined, both films measure Streisand's rise to greatness. In Funny Girl, the bravura of the performance as a whole masks occasional gaucheness, while if Funny Lady is the less impressive picture overall, it still marks how far she has developed as a screen actress. The rough edges are gone, replaced by a sophisticated poise and the sense of a talent that has come to terms with itself. And of course throughout she is superb in the musical numbers, which include her theme song "People" and the classic belter "Don't Rain on my Parade", as well as Brice's classic torch song, "My Man". On the DVD: this package of tremendous, old-fashioned entertainment takes the viewer back to pre-multiplex days when going to the cinema was an event you might dress up for. Funny Lady's soundtrack includes a pre-picture "Overture" to give you time to unwrap the chocolates. You really need some plush velvet curtains to swing back across the television screen. Then, guaranteeing a twinge of nostalgia, there's an intermission break. Both films are presented in their original widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Dolby Digital 5.0 (Funny Girl) and LCR (Funny Lady) soundtracks do justice to Streisand's lung power. The first disc offers the most interesting extras, including a couple of featurettes about Streisand. Both discs provide standard filmographies and song highlights so Streisand addicts can skip between numbers to their hearts' content.--Piers Ford

• Fosse | DVD | (04/08/2003) from £12.96   |  Saving you £5.02 (50.35%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Fosse was the Broadway hit of 1999, celebrating the genius of legendary film-and-stage choreographer Bob Fosse in a rich, fiery homage with the very best of his work. This performance, recorded towards the end of a run that lasted more than two years, captures perfectly the energy and commitment of the dancers in bringing the extraordinary shapes and angles of his choreography to life. The presence of Fosse's protégés, cochoreographer Ann Reinking and that most fluid of dancers Ben Vereen, ensures that the spirit and dedication at the heart of Fosse's work are preserved intact. This is no opportunist "best-of" compilation. The numbers merge seamlessly into a glorious patchwork of movements and moods. Fosse took up the reigns of musical theatre dance from Astaire, Kelly and Balanchine and, thanks to the changing times and material--Sweet Charity, Chicago and Cabaret loom large--was able to inject a new, raw sexuality which these dancers seize with relish. It's a resolutely ensemble piece. Musical buffs may be disappointed by the lack of big solo numbers--Vereen's poignant "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries" aside--but in many ways this is also a long overdue celebration of the chorus line. Fosse treated his dancers as individuals, each with a contribution to make. That attention to detail makes for moments of terrific intensity amongst the full-blooded company numbers. On the DVD: Fosse makes a lavish televisual production, presented in 16:9 format--great for covering the width of the stage--and a choice of stereo or surround-sound audio. Some multiple viewing angles would have been nice, if only to get a different perspective on the complex moves. The only extra is a short interview with Ann Reinking, Ben Vereen and Dana Moore in which all three testify to the importance of Fosse both to their own careers and as an all-time giant talent of musical theatre. --Piers Ford

• Gas-s-s-s | Blu Ray | (04/01/2016) from £18.75   |  Saving you £1.24 (6.61%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When the US military accidentally release a noxious substance that causes 'death from instant old age', everyone over twenty-five dies and the youth of America are left to their own devices to invent a new world order. Fresh from bringing the late-60s counter-cultural explosion to the screen in The Trip, Roger Corman delivers his most ambitious and anarchic take on the 'Love Generation' yet - a free-wheeling blend of acid rock, far-out humour and psychedelic excess that faithfully captures the revolutionary spirit of its time. High Definition transfer The Guardian Interview with Roger Corman (1970, audio only): archival interview held at the NFT Original theatrical trailer

• Intruders | DVD | (08/11/2004) from £14.98   |  Saving you £1.01 (6.74%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Women all over America are living through diabolical nightmares as time and again they share in the same hideous dream. Despite the fact that none of the women have ever met they all tell the same disturbing story! When an acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Chase (Crenna) uses regressive hypnosis on some of his patients he discovers a strange common ground; similarities that cannot be put down to the power of the imagination or to the supernatural. He uncovers a sinister truth a truth that proves that alien life on earth could be a reality!

• Gas-s-s-s | DVD | (04/01/2016) from £11.49   |  Saving you £8.50 (73.98%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When the US military accidentally release a noxious substance that causes 'death from instant old age', everyone over twenty-five dies and the youth of America are left to their own devices to invent a new world order. Fresh from bringing the late-60s counter-cultural explosion to the screen in The Trip, Roger Corman delivers his most ambitious and anarchic take on the 'Love Generation' yet - a free-wheeling blend of acid rock, far-out humour and psychedelic excess that faithfully captures the revolutionary spirit of its time. The Guardian Interview with Roger Corman (1970, audio only): archival interview held at the NFT Original theatrical trailer

• All That Jazz | DVD | (31/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Part tragic part comic this outrageous look at life in the fast lane is the Academy Award-winning musical about Bob Fosse's excessive life in show business (here played by an Oscar-nominated Roy Scheider). Dazzlingly presented this electrifying story about the perils of pushing yourself too hard is filled with Fosse's legendary song-and-dance choreography. Bonus CD Tracklisting: 1. Main Title (Instrumental) 2. On Broadway (George Benson) 3. Michelle 4. Take Off With Us 5. Vivaldi Concert In G (Instrumental) 6. Ponte Vecchio (Instrumental) 7. Everything Old Is New Again 8. South MT Sinai Parade (Instrumental) 9. After You've Gone (Leland Palmer) 10. There Will Be Some Changes Made (Ann Reinking) 11. Who's Sorry Now? 12. Some Of These Days 13. Going Home Now (Instrumental) 14. Bye Bye Love (Ben Vereen & Ray Scheider)

• All That Jazz | DVD | (23/04/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Part tragic part comic this outrageous look at life in the fast lane is the Academy Award-winning musical about Bob Fosse's excessive life in show business (here played by an Oscar-nominated Roy Scheider). Dazzlingly presented this electrifying story about the perils of pushing yourself too hard is filled with Fosse's legendary song-and-dance choreography.

• Holistic Wellness For The Hip Hop Generation | DVD | (31/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  This film is dedicated to all of those who are willing to thug ride and freedom fight against the mind body and soul sickness that we have internalised. This film is represented in three parts; mind body and spirit/soul. Each being a vessel to motivate and inform the youth about the importance of liberating their minds cells and stomachs from the clutches of disease. Before we cahnge and affect the world we must first affect and change ourselves.