Filmed in the beautiful heartlands of England, this out-standing production is a vivid portayal of George Eliot's compelling story of love, rejection and reconciliation. Driven by passion, intelligence and imagination, Maggie Tulliver is a rare free spirit in the convention-bound world of Victorian rural society. Despite the fierce love between her and her stolid brother Tom, who is incapable of understanding Maggie's waywardly emotional nature, she turns to others for the companionship she craves. Denied the friendship of Philip Wakem, the son of her father's implacable enemy, she meets and is drawn irresistibly towards the young and handsome Stephen Guest. Torn between love and devotion to her family, she is rejected by Tom and only an act of supreme courage can effect a final but tragic reconciliation.
Newly remastered by the BFI National Archive and available in high definition for the very first time this is the definitive version of the classic British science fiction thriller. When the USA and Russia simultaneously test atomic bombs the earth is knocked off its axis and set on a collision course with the sun. As the planet inexorably heats up and society slowly breaks down Peter Stenning (Edward Judd) a washed-up Daily Express reporter breaks the story and sets about investigating the government cover-up. Made at a time when the nuclear threat of the Cold War loomed large The Day the Earth Caught Fire is an expertly crafted British science fiction film that boasts a BAFTA winning screenplay gritty characters and a vision of end-of-days London that really burns. Also Starring Leo McKern (Rumpole of the Bailey) and Janet Munro and directed by veteran Val Guest (The Quatermass Xperiment). Bonus Features: Brand new 4 K High Definition digital restoration by the BFI national archive. The H-bomb (David Villiers 1956 21 mins): Civil defence film showing by diagrams and demonstrations the damage that might be expected from a ten megaton bomb. Operation Hurricane (Ronald Stark 1952 33 mins): The work involved in and the research behind Britain’s first atomic bomb tests. The Hole in the Ground (David Cobham 1962 30 mins): A dramatisation of nuclear attack demonstrating of the operation of Britain's warning system for atomic war. The Day the Earth Caught Fire: An Audio Appreciation by Graeme Hobbs (9 mins) Original trailer Stills gallery
Directed with consummate skill by Terence Young, From Russia With Love, the second James Bond spy thriller, is considered by many fans to be the best of them all. Certainly Sean Connery was never better as the dashing Agent 007, whose mission takes him to Istanbul to retrieve a top-secret Russian decoding machine. His efforts are thwarted when he gets romantically distracted by a sexy Russian double agent (Daniela Bianchi), and is tracked by an assassin (Lotte Lenya) with switchblade shoes, and by a crazed killer (Robert Shaw), who clashes with Bond during the film's dazzling climax aboard the Orient Express. From Russia with Love is classic James Bond, before the gadgets, pyrotechnics and Roger Moore steered the movies away from the more realistic tone of the books by Ian Fleming. --Jeff ShannonOn the DVD: The "making of" documentary details the many problems that beset this production: actor Pedro Armendariz (Kerim Bey) was diagnosed with terminal cancer halfway through shooting so all his scenes had to be done before he became too ill to work (he died shortly afterwards); a helicopter carrying the director and designer crashed into a lake, but despite being narrowly rescued from drowning Young was shooting half an hour later; and Italian actress-model Daniela Bianchi's car crashed en route to location. Key scenes had to be reshot after the production had wrapped, and because of script problems and rewrites, much of the film's structure was assembled in the editing room. The audio commentary is another montage of interviews from cast and crew that is alternately absorbing and irritating (exhaustive biogs of every player too often run over key scenes that would have benefited from analysis). An appreciation of flamboyant co-producer Harry Saltzman, trailers and stills complete the package. --Mark Walker
18 months have passed since the events of Day 4. With the exception of David Palmer Tony Almeida Michelle Dessler and Chloe O'Brian the world believes that Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is dead... Jack is in fact living under the name of Frank Flynn and conceals his identity by taking a manual job on an oil rig. However when President Logan is placed at the centre of a labyrinthine conspiracy involving the signing of a vital U.S. - Russian arms treaty Jack is forced back into action!
The Wrong Arm of the Law is a 1963 British comedy directed by Cliff Owen and starring Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins, Lionel Jeffries, John Le Mesurier and Bill Kerr. In London, a gang of criminals from Australia led by Jack Coombes (Bill Kerr) impersonate policemen to carry out robberies. Local gang leader Pearly Gates (Sellers), who operates from the cover of a French couturier, finds his takings cut severely, and blames rival crook Nervous O'Toole (Bernard Cribbins). When it emerges they are both being scammed by the same gang, they join forces, along with Lionel Jeffries' Police Inspector Nosey Parker, to bring the so-called I.P.O. mob (I.P.O. - Impersonating a Police Officer) to justice.Product FeaturesThe Long Arm of the Screenwriter - John Antrobus Remembers The Wrong Arm of The Law Behind the Scenes stills gallery Original Trailer
Peter Mayle's best-seller is brought wonderfully to life in this BBC adaptation now available for the first time in its complete unedited version as originally broadcast over 12 episodes. Leaving their jobs and the rat race behind them the Mayles head off to the South of France seduced by the prospect of an idyllic rural life in the sun. They soon discover the reality to be somewhat different however as one outlandish comic situation follows another and a succession of colourful characters constantly interrupt their plan for a quiet life.
Such a simple idea--yet so fiendishly complex in the execution. 24, as surely everyone knows by now, is a thriller that takes place over 24 hours, midnight to midnight, in 24 one-hour episodes (well, 45-minute episodes if you extract the ad breaks). Everything to take place in real time--on-screen and off-screen time the same--which means no flash-backs, no flash-forwards, no nice handy time-dissolves. Every strand of the plot has to be dovetailed and interlocked to make sure that things happen just when they should, in the right amount of time. Not that easy. Creator Robert Cochran and his team of writers and directors have done a pretty impressive job in putting the jigsaw together and keeping the tension ratcheted up high, as Federal Agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) hares around LA trying to stall an assassination attempt on a black Presidential candidate and rescue his wife and daughter from the clutches of the Balkan baddies. Twists, turns, revelations and cliffhangers are tossed at us with satisfying regularity. Its not perfect: we get some hokey plot devices (instant amnesia, anybody?) and the final twist, once you start thinking back, makes no sense whatsoever. There are altogether too many huggy family moments ("I love you, Dad." "I love you, son"); and as for überbaddie Dennis Hoppers "Serbian" accent Even so, this is undeniably mould-breaking TV. Sutherland, rescuing his career from the doldrums in one heroic leap, fully deserves his Golden Globe. Sets and locations are artfully deployed--we gain a real sense of LAs splayed-out geography--and Sean Callerys score is a powerful, brooding presence. Like Murder One and The Sopranos, 24 is one of those series future TV thrillers will have to measure themselves against. On the DVDs: 24 is released in a six-disc box set. On discs 1- 5 there are no extras, but disc 6 includes the "alternative" ending and a preview of Series 2, presented by an urbane Kiefer Sutherland, that tells us precisely nothing. The transfer, in 16x9 widescreen and 2.0 Dolby Digital sound, does the high production values of the original every justice.--Philip Kemp
David Tennant is back in his role as the Doctor in the fourth series of the hit sci-fi show! Award-winning comedienne Catherine Tate returns as the Doctor's new companion, reviving her role as Donna Noble. Also on hand to help the Doctor are some familiar faces as he has the New Dalek Empire to stop!
Writer Peter Mayle's autobiographical adventurous account of the first year he and his wife spent in Provence is brought wonderfully to life in this BBC adaptation starring John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan. Having decided to leave their jobs London and the rat race behind them the Mayles head of to the South of France seduced by the prospect of the idyllic countryside the simple rural way of life great food fine wines and sun. However everything is not quite as they imagined it to be and one comic situation follows another as they brave mistral winds truffle season and mafia involvement while a succession of colourful characters constantly interrupt their plan for a quiet life...
Richard Attenborough's award-winning epic recounts the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi. In South Africa a young Indian lawyer is booted off a train for refusing to ride second-class. Upon his return to his native India and fed up with the unjust political system he joins the Indian Congress Party which encourages social change through passive resistance. When his ""subversive"" activities land him in jail masses of low-skilled workers strike to support his non-violent yet revolutionary position. Back in India Gandhi renounces the Western way of life and struggles to organize Indian labor against British colonialism. A strike costs many British soldiers their lives so the crown responds by slaughtering 1 500 Indians. Enraged the ascetic spiritual leader continues to preach pacifism until he has lead India out from under the tyranny of British imperialism.
Dry as ice, dripping with deadpan witticisms, only Sean Connery's Bond would dare to disparage the Beatles, that other 1964 phenomenon. No one but Connery can believably seduce women so effortlessly, kill with almost as much ease, and then pull another bottle of Dom Perignon 53 out of the fridge. Goldfinger contains many of the most memorable scenes in the Bond series: gorgeous Shirley Eaton (as Jill Masterson) coated in gold paint by evil Auric Goldfinger and deposited in Bond's bed; silent Oddjob, flipping a razor-sharp bowler like a Frisbee to sever heads; our hero spread-eagled on a table while a laser beam moves threateningly toward his crotch. Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore is the prototype for the series' rash of man-hating supermodels. And Desmond Llewelyn reprises his role as Q, giving Bond what is still his most impressive car, a snazzy little number that fires off smoke screens, punctures the tyres of vehicles on the chase, and boasts a handy ejector seat. Goldfinger's two climaxes, inside Fort Knox and aboard a private plane, have to be seen to be believed.--Raphael Shargel, Amazon.com-- On the DVD: Featuring interviews with Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton, the late Desmond Llewelyn and most of the surviving core cast and crew members, great on-set footage (Blackman and Connery look like they clearly had the hots for each other even when the camera weren't rolling) and a strong argument about how this firmed up the gadget-orientated, thrills-and-spills formula for the franchise, John Cork's "making of" featurette for this DVD is one of the most rewarding in this series. The two commentary tracks have moderately interesting observations by director Guy Hamilton, the cast and crew (many of their comments recycled from the documentary), and on both Bond superfan-and-author Lee Pfeiffer filling in blanks and explaining in exhaustive detail the history of the Aston Martin DB5 that first appeared in this film. Also included is an open-ended 1964 interview with Sean Connery, designed so that American radio disc jockeys could pretend they had an exclusive interview with the star, in which he extols the series' "sadism for the family" among other things. --Leslie Felperin
Filmed in the beautiful heartlands of England this out-standing production is a vivid portayal of George Eliot's compelling story of love rejection and reconciliation. Driven by passion intelligence and imagination Maggie Tulliver is a rare free spirit in the convention-bound world of Victorian rural society. Despite the fierce love between her and her stolid brother Tom who is incapable of understanding Maggie's waywardly emotional nature she turns to others for the companion
A BRAND NEW RESTORATION Directed by Leslie Norman (The Long, The Short And The Tall), starring John Mills (Ice Cold In Alex, Goodbye Mr Chips, Great Expectations) Richard Attenborough (Brighton Rock, The Great Escape) and a cast featuring actual army officers, DUNKIRK is one of the most authentic representations of conflict during World War II. DUNKIRK follows the dramatic events leading up to Operation Dynamo, where upon the British Army attempted to rescue fellow soldiers and Allied troops from Nazi occupied France. Seen from the dual perspectives of a jaded journalist in search of propaganda and a weary soldier desperately trying to give his troop some hope, DUNKIRK never shies away from the brutality of war and the bravery of its soldiers.
When the theatrical release of James Cameron's Titanic was delayed from July to December of 1997, media pundits speculated that Cameron's $200 million disaster epic would cause the director's downfall, signal the end of the blockbuster era and sink Paramount Studios as quickly as the ill-fated luxury liner had sunk on that fateful night of April 14, 1912. Some studio executives were confident, others horrified, but the clarity of hindsight turned Cameron into an Oscar-winning genius, a shrewd businessman and one of the most successful directors in the history of motion pictures. Titanic would surpass the $1 billion mark in global box-office receipts (largely due to multiple viewings, the majority by teenage girls), win 11 Academy Awards including best picture and director, produce the bestselling movie soundtrack of all time and make a global superstar of Leonardo DiCaprio. A bona fide pop-cultural phenomenon, the film has all the ingredients of a blockbuster (romance, passion, luxury, grand scale, a snidely villain and an epic, life-threatening crisis), but Cameron's alchemy of these ingredients proved more popular than anyone could have predicted. His stroke of genius was to combine absolute authenticity with a pair of fictional lovers whose tragic fate would draw viewers into the heart-wrenching reality of the Titanic disaster. As starving artist Jack Dawson and soon-to-be-married socialite Rose DeWitt Bukater, DiCaprio and Kate Winslet won the hearts of viewers around the world and their brief but never-forgotten love affair provides the humanity that Cameron needed to turn Titanic into an emotional experience. Present-day framing scenes (featuring Gloria Stuart as the 101-year-old Rose) add additional resonance to the story and, although some viewers proved vehemently immune to Cameron's manipulations, few can deny the production's impressive achievements. Although some of the computer-generated visual effects look artificial, others--such as the sunset silhouette of Titanic during its first evening at sea, or the climactic splitting of the ship's sinking hull--are state-of-the-art marvels. In terms of sets and costumes alone, the film is never less than astounding. More than anything else, however, the film's overwhelming popularity speaks for itself. Titanic is an event film and a monument to Cameron's risk-taking audacity, blending the tragic irony of the Titanic disaster with just enough narrative invention to give the historical event its fullest and most timeless dramatic impact. Titanic is an epic love story on par with Gone with the Wind, and, like that earlier box-office phenomenon, it's a film for the ages. --Jeff Shannon
It is the early years of World War II and the Royal Navy must fight a desperate battle to stop Germany's best battleship, the Admiral Graf Spee, from sailing to the South Atlantic.
Crown Court was a much-loved courtroom drama which although the cases were fictional used 'real' jurors chosen from members of the public. Multiple endings were prepared for each story dependent on whether the accused were found guilty or acquitted of the charges giving each story a strength and energy which raised it far above that of normal courtroom dramas. This volume contains a further twelve stories (in production order) and features compelling cases which cover a wide spectrum of what would come before a courtroom - from muggings to murder from shoplifting to arson. Episodes Comprise: The Mugging of Arthur Simmons Love Thy Neighbour - Regina v Thornton and Thornton The Death of Dracula - Regina v Mattson Wise Child Beware of the Dog - Regina v Page Theft by Necessity - Regina v Burton The Gilded Cage - Regina v Scard Credibility Gap - Stevens v Porton Construction The Long-Haired Leftie - Regina v Dowd There Was a Little Girl - Regina v Grey A View to Matrimony - Regina v McNeill A Score Settled - Regina v Bates Patch's Patch - Regina v Patch
Noel Coward's great British war film made at the height of World War II in 1942 tells the story of a naval destroyer and its crew as they fight for their lives in a life raft after their ship is sunk.
Nothing's Impossible. The story of an advanced Jewish girl named Yentl who used to study the Torah (the Jewish bible) when no woman could do it. After losing her father she decides to go to a Yeshiva the Jewish school for priests. The big problem is that only boys are allowed to study there. Therefore Yentl decides to undercover herself as as a boy. Everything is fine until she falls in love with a study friend. Babra's magnum opus was nominated for a plethora of Academy
Shot down over occupied Holland, the crew of a Wellington bomber must navigate their way to safety through enemy territory, in this Second World War classic. Written, produced and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (The Red Shoes, A Matter of Life and Death), One of Our Aircraft is Missing is an intense and suspenseful tale of wartime valour and heroism.An early success for the directing duo, this Academy Award-nominated drama stars a medley of British acting icons, including Eric Portman, Bernard Miles and Googie Withers, appearing in one of her first major film roles.A true landmark of 1940s British cinema that helped cement Powell and Pressburger's burgeoning reputations (as well as that of the film's editor David Lean), One of Our Aircraft is Missing arrives on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.ExtrasPresented in High DefinitionLimited edition (4,000 units): packaged with a re-production of the original storybook based on the film by Emeric PressburgerNewly recorded audio commentary by film scholar Ian ChristieAn Airman's Letter to His Mother (1941, 5mins): Michael Powell's powerful propaganda short, narrated by John GielgudThe Volunteer (1944, 44 mins): an entertaining look at the Fleet Air Arm, directed by Powell & Pressburger and starring the legendary Ralph RichardsonTarget for Tonight (1941, 50mins): a record of a Wellington bomber's mission over GermanyThe Biter Bit (1943, 14mins): a glowing tribute to the Allied bombing campaign, narrated by Ralph RichardsonImage galleryNewly commissioned sleeve art by Jennifer Dionisio**FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Fully illustrated booklet with new essays by Ian Christie and Professor and Sarah Street, writing on the extras by Alex Prideaux and full film credits
Includes all the Doctor Who Specials from 2009! Episodes Comprise: The Next Doctor: It's Christmas Eve in 1851 in The Next Doctor and Cybermen stalk the snow of Victorian London. When the Doctor arrives and starts to investigate a spate of mysterious deaths he's surprised to meet another Doctor (David Morrissey) and soon the two must combine forces to defeat the ruthless Miss Hartigan (Dervla Kirwan). But are two Doctors enough to stop the rise of the CyberKing? Planet of the Dead: Starring Michelle Ryan and Lee Evans Planet Of The Dead was the first of this year's specials. When a London bus takes a detour to an alien world the Doctor must join forces with the extraordinary Lady Christina. But the mysterious planet holds terrifying secrets hidden in the sand. And time is running out as the deadly Swarm gets closer... The Waters of Mars: The Waters of Mars welcomes Lindsay Duncan as the Doctor's cleverest and most strong-minded companion. The Waters of Mars is a dark scary thriller that sees the Doctor land on the planet Mars at a base in peril. A creeping infection beneath the Martian surface threatens not only the human race but also the Doctor's most fundamental beliefs. Together with Adelaide Brooke - the base's commander - the Doctor must stop a seemingly unstoppable menace before it can reach Earth and wipe out mankind. The End of Time: Part One: Join the Tenth Doctor for his final journey in The End of Time Parts One and Two when his psychotic nemesis the Master has been reborn on Christmas Eve. With both determined to cheat death the battle ranges from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate while the alien Ood warn of an even greater danger approaching as a terrible shadow falls across the entire Universe. The End of Time: Part Two: The Doctor faces the end of his life as the Master's plans hurtle out of control. With the sound of drums growing louder and an ancient trap closing around the Earth the Doctor and Wilf must fight alone. But sacrifices must be made and the deadly prophecy warns: He will knock four times.
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