"Actor: Dave Adams"

• The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy | DVD | (28/01/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The original BBC radio adventures of Arthur Dent (an ape-descendant whose anger at the apparently inexplicable destruction of his home planet Earth, situated in an obscure corner of the outer spiral arm of the galaxy, is expressed in frequent irritation at friendly automatic doors and vending machines) and his travelling companions, Ford Prefect (an itinerant towel-carrying hitch-hiker originally from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse), Zaphod Beeblebrox (the notorious ex-Galactic President and patron of Eccentrica Galumbits, the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon Six) and Marvin the Paranoid Android (who's still suffering from that terrible pain in all the diodes down his left side) proved to be such a success for the BBC that its transition to TV was (almost) inevitable. In 1981 several key members of the radio cast made the move to the small screen. Simon Jones' bewildered Arthur Dent remains the central character, shambling around in his dressing gown (a fact easy to forget on radio); Mark Wing-Davey's Zaphod Beeblebrox is the same as his boastful radio persona, even if the second head utterly fails to convince. Unfortunately, newcomers David Dixon (as Ford Prefect) and the irritating Sandra Dickinson (as Trillian) are no match for their radio predecessors.The problem here is not so much the low-budget look as the script itself, which is lovingly faithful to the radio series in a way that Douglas Adams' novels aren't. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was a lucid, satirical, occasionally profound, utterly unique comic invention on radio. As such, it has nothing to gain from TV. The script needs no visual elaboration--that's best left to the listener's own imagination. Only the animated renditions of the Guide itself enhance Peter Jones' wonderfully dry narration; otherwise--paradoxically, perhaps--by supplying images the concept is oddly diminished here.On the DVD: A suitably eclectic not to say eccentric collection of extra features makes this a wholly satisfying two-disc set, neatly packaged in a fold-out slipcase. On the second disc there's an hour-long "making of" documentary from 1992 featuring contributions from the cast and crew, including Douglas Adams; and then there's even more in a 20-minute section entitled "Don't Panic!". A fascinating behind-the-scenes peek at filming as the clock runs out on studio time and a look at the recording of the original radio series complete the first part. Then navigate to the "Outer Planets" to find outtakes, a deleted scene, Zaphod's animatronic second head on Tomorrow's World and Peter Jones's witty and shambolic introduction to the first episode, plus more besides. The series itself is presented in standard 4:3 ratio and Dolby stereo. --Mark Walker

• Creature from the Black Lagoon: Complete Legacy Collection | DVD | (10/06/2019) from £27.09   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The original Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of the silver screen's most unforgettable characters and, along with the other Universal Classic Monsters, defined the Hollywood horror genre. The Creature from the Black Lagoon: Complete Legacy Collection includes all 3 films from the original legacy including the gripping classic and the sequels that followed. These landmark motion pictures perfectly blended Universal's classic monster heritage with the science-fiction explosion of the 1950s and continue to inspire remakes and adaptations that strengthen the legend of the Creature from the Black Lagoon to this day. Bonus Features: Back to the Black Lagoon Documentary 3 Feature Commentaries Production Photographs Theatrical Trailers

• Pirates Of Tortuga | DVD | (03/07/2006) from £3.96   |  Saving you £9.03 (228.03%)   |  RRP £12.99

  In this high-seas adventure set in the 1600s a British sea captain must go undercover join a pirate band and capture the notorious Captain Henry Morgan. But Morgan is on to the ruse and is well prepared when the sea captain makes his move. As the two engage in mortal combat they are knocked unconscious and dragged to the governor of Tortuga who prepares to hang them both as pirates. Fortunately a stowaway aboard the pirate vessel steps forward and reveals their true identities...

• Billy The Kid's Smoking Guns / Trapped | DVD | (29/07/2013) from £6.48   |  Saving you £6.51 (50.10%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Smoking Guns: A murderous doctor and a crooked sheriff team up and prey on local ranchers. Billy the Kid (Crabbe) and his sidekicks help the townsfolk take a stand against the land grabbers. Trapped: Outlaw gang leader Stanton (Glen Strange) stages a jailbreak for Billy the Kid and his sidekicks Fuzzy and Jeff. But Stanton has a hidden agenda. He and his gang embark on a series of bank robberies and hold ups, impersonating the threesome.

• Juju: Live In Trance | DVD | (27/01/2014) from £3.08   |  Saving you £16.17 (888.46%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Heirs to both Western rock culture and the traditional music of the African griots, the musicians of JUJU (Justin Adams and Judeh Camara) sweep us into a joyous communal trance when they play. Recorded at the festival Escales de Saint-Nazaire in 2013, this inspiring concert blends a mix of traditional African violins and electric guitars to form a seductive fusion of blues and African music. JUJU was formed by Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara in spring 2011. Their frenzied live performa...

• Chopper Chicks In Zombietown | DVD | (20/11/2000) from £12.98   |  Saving you £-7.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  With a title like Chopper Chicks in Zombietown, you'd be excused from any great expectations here--but you'd also be missing out on one of trash-cinema's great pleasures: catching one of Hollywoood's A-list in their pre-fame days. In this case, the catch is Billy Bob Thornton, in a brief appearance as one of the Chopper Chicks' ex-husbands. It may be a guilty pleasure, but seeing this good 'ol boy playing dumb-as-a-doorknob long before Sling Blade (or A Simple Plan) and paying his dues is still, however strangely, gratifying. As for the film itself, Chopper Chicks is no Hell Comes to Frogtown, but it comes with all of the Troma hallmarks. The requisite beheadings and low-grade effects are all present and correct, along with the so-bad-it's-really-bad dialogue (except for the occasional so-bad-it's-good one-liner). The acting is wooden, the story negligible (cycle sluts come to town, kill zombies, save a schoolbus full of blind kids), and even the appearances by Thornton and original MTV (US) VJ Martha Quinn provide only occasional relief. The DVD extras include a photo gallery of screen-stills and the original trailer. --Randy Silver