"Actor: D"

• Exotica | DVD | (01/08/2005) from £12.81   |  Saving you £7.18 (35.90%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In a world of temptation obsession is the deadliest desire. Exotica is a moody psychological study of one man's all-consuming guilt and obsessions. Francis a tax accountant whose wife and child have both died finds himself irresistibly drawn to a local strip joint known as 'Exotica'. Every night he goes there to gaze upon Christina a friend of his deceased daughter whose performance consists of shedding the little-girl costume she wears onstage. But the danc

• The Salton Sea | DVD | (26/05/2003) from £5.38   |  Saving you £8.61 (160.04%)   |  RRP £13.99

  The largest lake in California becomes a symbol of a lost idyll in DJ Caruso's excellent noir-ish thriller The Salton Sea. Val Kilmer is superb as lowlife Danny Parker, or perhaps trumpeter Thomas Van Allen; a man so far over the edge in tragedy, duplicity and drugs he no longer knows or cares who he is. A warped revenge drama occupying similar territory to Memento, The Salton Sea is not as ingenious as that instant classic, but is more elegantly stylised, boasting superb production design, cinematography and music, the latter by Thomas Newman. Along for the ride is Deborah Kara Unger, and those who remember her from The Game will do well to take Kilmer's narration to heart when he says nothing is as it seems. Distinguishing what could have been simply a good thriller are elements not just of humour, but of laugh-out-loud hilarity funnier than most recent comedies; indeed, The Salton Sea is the most striking fusion of laughter and darkness since the admittedly very different An American Werewolf in London (1981). In this respect, Vincent D'Onofrio delivers a side-splitting and audacious performance as drug baron Pooh Bear. Watch out for the rabid badger. On the DVD: The Salton Sea is presented anamorphically enhanced at 1.77:1, with a flawless picture that captures the rich tones and extreme visual contrasts to perfection. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is crystal clear and deeply atmospheric. Extras are the theatrical trailer, plus features on the production design (eight minutes) and cast and crew (nine minutes). More intelligent than the expected Electronic Press Kit material, the running length means they are still fairly perfunctory. --Gary S Dalkin

• Men In Black | Blu Ray | (16/06/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return to save the world all over again in this eagerly awaited blockbusting sequel!

• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer | Blu Ray | (27/10/2014) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Now for the first time on Blu-ray™ for its 50th anniversary… Rudolph visited the Island of Misfit Toys and Santa askedRudolph to guide his sleigh on Christmas Eve? Share themagic of this Original Christmas Classic® told and sung by Burl Ives!

• A Dirty Little Business | DVD | (01/09/2001) from £5.00   |  Saving you £-3.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £1.99

  Alex a Russian Immigrant lands a job in an L.A. factory making sex toys where he soon finds himself in a hilarious offbeat love affair.

• Thumbsucker | DVD | (20/03/2006) from £6.49   |  Saving you £13.50 (67.50%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A teenager tries to break his addiction to his thumb in this quirky comedy / drama.

• Clapboard Jungle | Blu Ray | (12/04/2021) from £16.39   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  IN THE FILM BUSINESS, DREAMS TAKE WORK. Navigating the current film business is more difficult than ever before. Rapidly changing technology and an overcrowded marketplace have led to an industry in which anyone can now make a film, but few can make a living. Following five years in the life and career of independent filmmaker Justin McConnell (Lifechanger), this documentary explores the struggles of financing, attracting the right talent, working with practical effects and selling the finished product in the hope of turning a profit. Featuring interviews with a range of industry luminaries including Guillermo del Toro (Crimson Peak), Sid Haig (Spider Baby), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator), Mick Garris (The Stand), Dick Miller (Matinee), Tom Holland (Fright Night) and George A. Romero (The Crazies), alongside a host of others not only are technical aspects and interpersonal skills discussed but also the emotional stamina and little-known tips needed to survive in the low budget film industry. A warts-and-all exploration of what it takes to get a film made and released, Clapboard Jungle serves as a survival guide for the modern independent filmmaker and offers a fascinating insight into a side of the industry with which few are likely to be familiar. SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentation Original lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Optional Spanish and Catalan subtitles Audio commentary with director Justin McConnell Crew commentary with Justin McConnell, co-producer Darryl Shaw, executive producer Avi Federgreen and editor/associate producer Kevin Burke Guest commentary/panel discussion with Barbara Crampton, Richard Stanley, John McNaughton, Gigi Saul Guerrero and Adam Mason Deleted scenes with optional commentary by Justin McConnell Five hours of extended interviews, featuring Anne-Marie Gélinas, Barbara Crampton, Brian Trenchard-Smith, Brian Yuzna, Charles Band, Corey Moosa, Dean Cundey, Dick Miller, Don Mancini, Frank Henenlotter, Gary Sherman, George A. Romero, George Mihalka, Guillermo Del Toro, John McNaughton, Jon Reiss, Larry Cohen, Larry Fessenden, Lloyd Kaufman, Mette-Marie Kongsved, Michael Biehn & Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, Mick Garris, Paul Schrader, Richard Stanley, Sam Firstenberg, Tom Holland, Tom Savini and Vincenzo Natali Two bonus documentaries from Justin McConnell, Working Class Rock Star (2008) and Skull World (2013), both with optional commentary and new director introductions 13 short films from Justin McConnell, all with optional commentary and new director introduction Trailers, promos, photo gallery and Easter eggs Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing by legendary genre producer/director Brian Yuzna (Re-Animator, Society) * Extras subject to change

• Book Of Shadows - Blair Witch 2 | DVD | (21/10/2002) from £20.00   |  Saving you £-4.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  College students at a Boston college become fascinated by the events of the three missing filmmakers in Maryland, so they decide to go into the same woods and find out what really happened.

• Gugielmo Tell - Rossini | DVD | (23/04/2004) from £17.93   |  Saving you £-4.94 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A performance of Rossini's 'Guglielmo Tell'. Sung in Italian with subtitles.

• Tarzan (1999) Disney - Collector's Edition (2 Disc) | DVD | (04/09/2000) from £12.15   |  Saving you £12.84 (105.68%)   |  RRP £24.99

  After viewing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote to Walt Disney about adapting his novel of an ape-man into a feature animated cartoon. Sixty odd years later, the tale is finally told with brilliant design work that looks unlike any previous animated film. The story is a natural for Disney since the themes of misunderstood central figures have been at the heart of most of its recent hits. Disney's Tarzan doesn't wander far from the familiar story of a shipwrecked baby who is brought up by apes in Africa. What gives the film its zing is its clever use of music (the songs are sung by Phil Collins himself rather than onscreen characters) and the remarkable animation. Deep Canvas, a 3-D technology, was developed for the film, creating a jungle that comes alive as Tarzan swings through the trees, often looking like a modern skateboarder racing down giant tree limbs. The usual foray of sidekicks, including a rambunctious ape voiced by Rosie O'Donnell, should keep the little ones aptly entertained. The two lead voices, Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan and Minnie Driver as Jane, are inspired choices. Their chemistry helps the story through the weakest points (the last third) and makes Tarzan's initial connection with all things human (including Jane) delicious entertainment. Disney still is not taking risks in its animated films, but as cookie-cutter entertainment, Tarzan makes a pretty good treat. On the DVD: It's the dish--mistakes, unused footage, creative differences, embarrassing behind-the-scene stories--that makes collector's editions so much fun. Unfortunately, this goes against the Disney philosophy of picture-perfection, and this two-set disc shows it; only half of the new material is engaging. The other half of this second disc, the "Tarzan Archives," is a slickly produced filler--more publicity fluff than real insight on the development of the film and the animation process. Much better are the three abandoned scenes (with voices and storyboards), including a much fiercer opening and ending, plus dozens of sketches made over the years as the designers pursued the luscious look of the film. The original audio demos Phil Collins made for the film are also intriguing (mostly filled with dummy or place-holding lyrics). The new audio commentary (by the producer and two directors) is a "fireside chat" variety, hardly worth more than one listen. Two side-by-side comparisons of storyboards to final film are a great tool to show youngsters how the animated process works, as is animator Glen Keane's talks on animating Tarzan. Also for kids: a read-along book and trivia game. --Doug Thomas

• Jazz - A Film By Ken Burns | DVD | (08/10/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £79.99

  The BBC, sceptical about the British appetite for extended documentary programmes, edited Ken Burns' epic 17-hour history Jazz back to around 12 hours. That's what's presented in this box set of the series, and while the flow of the original is preserved, so are its idiosyncrasies. The film dwells at length on early jazz, particularly on its origins in New Orleans, and there's a good deal of absorbing history here. On the other hand, in suggesting that the important work of jazz was done by 1975, Burns gives us cause to question how much of his earlier research is awry too. There isn't much here to reflect the brimming vitality of post-1960s jazz, and many listeners and musicians have been enraged by Burns' neglect of such pivotal figures as Joe Zawinul, Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker--all players whose work responds vigorously to the question that Burns thinks nobody can answer: "Where are the modern equivalents of Armstrong, Ellington, Parker and Coltrane?" Armstrong and Ellington are the touchstones of Burns' film, providing the narrative thread around which the stories of other major figures turn, among them Bechet, Basie, Goodman, Parker, Miles Davis and Coltrane. Burns also finds populist mileage in the politicisation of jazz, making dramatic capital out of racial divides that most jazz players, black and white, have ignored. The fact is that almost all jazz players, regardless of race, have felt like outsiders. Despite such distractions, Jazz is the longest jazz documentary yet produced, and it's rich in musical examples and classic, rare and unseen footage. Even when working with simple stills, Burns uses seductive camera work and Keith David's epigrammatic narration to maximum effect. There's plenty to enjoy here, but viewers should be aware, as Joshua Redman points out in Musicians' Views in our Ken Burns' Jazz shop, that Burns' film is an often compelling perspective on jazz, not a definitive study. --Mark Gilbert

• Gang Law | DVD | (20/12/2002) from £4.98   |  Saving you £9.01 (180.92%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Kool finds out the dangers of life in the streets where drugs gangs and a corrupt justice system are a distubing way of life. Kool is a young kid trying to do right in this world of chaos through the disciplines of the martial arts. He is befriended by his mentor ""Master Koyangi"" is deeply in love with his girlfriend Lashawana and his dream of becoming a rap star has guided him positively toward his goal. But when Lashawana is wrongfully charged with the murder of a police office

• Laurin | DVD | (08/09/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Laurin a pretty nine year old girl lives with her young mother in a remote ivy-clad cottage in the middle of a forest. After her mother dies in mysterious circumstances Laurin is plagued by visions of a murderer who haunts the local castle and she sets out to defeat him...

• LX 2048 | Blu Ray | (15/02/2021) from £5.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  In the year 2048, the sun has become so toxic people can no longer leave their houses in daytime, and normal life is conducted mostly inside the virtual realm. Adam is a husband and father who discovers that he has a mysterious heart disease. With no possibility for an organ transplant, he is now scheduled to be replaced by a cloned upgrade an improved version of himself that will be supplied to his estranged wife as part of the Premium 3 government insurance plan. Spiraling out of control, Adam starts living on borrowed time, seeking to find a solution before his replica will be sent to raise his kids and replace his existence across the board.

• Shadow Master | Blu Ray | (30/01/2023) from £16.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Arrested for the massacre of mysterious cultists, the mysterious An is brought into custody to unravel the events that led to it. Hired as a Night Watchman, An started out roaming the halls of an abandoned hospital, supervising the squatters that lived there. But he soon discovers that the squatters are victims of a cult who abuse their social status to kidnap children for their ritualistic purposes. Guided by the spirit of Santa Maria, he attempts to stop the cultists but is soon overwhelmed and left for dead. But An is not ready to give up yet, he strikes a deal with a Death God known as Hanuman where he is given unlimited power and abilities in exchange for a piece of his soul. How far in the darkness will he go, in order to save the children from the Four Horsemen.

• Ja'mie: Private School Girl | DVD | (16/06/2014) from £19.75   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Ja'mie: Private School Girl is the story of Ja'mie King (Chris Lilley) a conniving Year 12 student and Queen Bee of Hillford Girls Grammar. As School Captain and unchallenged diva she stops at nothing to climb her way to the top dissing Boarders and conquering members of the opposite sex. Clothes cars boys parties and a hot-girl entourage... Ja'mie has it all until her quest to win the Hillford Medal triggers a series of outrageous events that change her life forever.

• The Last Line Of Defense | DVD | (24/01/2000) from £2.99   |  Saving you £3.00 (100.33%)   |  RRP £5.99

• Fire in the Sky (Imprint # 26) | Blu Ray | (25/12/2020) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Where The Wild Things Are | Blu Ray | (10/05/2010) from £11.70   |  Saving you £11.29 (96.50%)   |  RRP £22.99

  Maurice Sendak's classic book "Where the Wild Things Are" comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation.

• Dark Silence | DVD | (06/02/2017) from £4.20   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Craig moves with his daughter, Jennifer, into a new home after the death of his wife. It's not long before the pair discover the house is haunted by a dark presence that wants to take over the child. One day Jennifer disappears and Craig must face a terrible truth in order to find his daughter.