"Actor: Frances Adams"

• Wonder Boys | DVD | (03/09/2001) from £5.99   |  Saving you £4.00 (66.78%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Michael Douglas stars as a feckless middle aged literary professor struggling to live up to his own successful past and sort out his chaotic present in this ensemble comedy that also stars Tobey Maguire, Frances McDormand and Robert Downey Jr.

• Blood Simple | Blu Ray | (30/10/2017) from £7.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The debut film of director Joel Coen and his brother-producer Ethan Coen, 1983's Blood Simple is grisly comic noir that marries the feverish toughness of pulp thrillers with the ghoulishness of even pulpier horror. (Imagine the novels of Jim Thompson somehow fused with the comic tabloid Weird Tales and you get the idea.) The story concerns a Texas bar owner (Dan Hedaya) who hires a seedy private detective (M Emmett Walsh) to follow his cheating wife (Frances McDormand in her first film appearance) and then kill her and her lover (John Getz). The gumshoe turns the tables on his client and suddenly a bad situation gets much, much worse, with some violent goings-on that are as elemental as they are shocking. (A scene in which a character who has been buried alive suddenly emerges from his own grave instantly becomes an archetypal nightmare.) Shot by Barry Sonnenfeld before he became an A-list director in Hollywood, Blood Simple established the hyperreal look and feel of the Coens' productions (undoubtedly inspired a bit by filmmaker Sam Raimi, whose The Evil Dead had just been coedited by Joel). Sections of the film have proved to be an endurance test for art-house movie fans, particularly an extended climax that involves one shock after another but ends with a laugh at the absurdity of criminal ambition. This is definitely one of the triumphs of the 1980s and the American independent film scene in general. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

• Blood Simple | DVD | (30/10/2017) from £5.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The debut film of director Joel Coen and his brother-producer Ethan Coen, 1983's Blood Simple is grisly comic noir that marries the feverish toughness of pulp thrillers with the ghoulishness of even pulpier horror. (Imagine the novels of Jim Thompson somehow fused with the comic tabloid Weird Tales and you get the idea.) The story concerns a Texas bar owner (Dan Hedaya) who hires a seedy private detective (M Emmett Walsh) to follow his cheating wife (Frances McDormand in her first film appearance) and then kill her and her lover (John Getz). The gumshoe turns the tables on his client and suddenly a bad situation gets much, much worse, with some violent goings-on that are as elemental as they are shocking. (A scene in which a character who has been buried alive suddenly emerges from his own grave instantly becomes an archetypal nightmare.) Shot by Barry Sonnenfeld before he became an A-list director in Hollywood, Blood Simple established the hyperreal look and feel of the Coens' productions (undoubtedly inspired a bit by filmmaker Sam Raimi, whose The Evil Dead had just been coedited by Joel). Sections of the film have proved to be an endurance test for art-house movie fans, particularly an extended climax that involves one shock after another but ends with a laugh at the absurdity of criminal ambition. This is definitely one of the triumphs of the 1980s and the American independent film scene in general. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

• Blood Simple | DVD | (01/01/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The debut film of director Joel Coen and his brother-producer Ethan Coen, 1983's Blood Simple is grisly comic noir that marries the feverish toughness of pulp thrillers with the ghoulishness of even pulpier horror. (Imagine the novels of Jim Thompson somehow fused with the comic tabloid Weird Tales and you get the idea.) The story concerns a Texas bar owner (Dan Hedaya) who hires a seedy private detective (M Emmett Walsh) to follow his cheating wife (Frances McDormand in her first film appearance) and then kill her and her lover (John Getz). The gumshoe turns the tables on his client, and suddenly a bad situation gets much, much worse, with some violent goings-on that are as elemental as they are shocking. (A scene in which a character who has been buried alive suddenly emerges from his own grave instantly becomes an archetypal nightmare.) Shot by Barry Sonnenfeld before he became an A-list director in Hollywood, Blood Simple established the hyperreal look and feel of the Coens' productions (undoubtedly inspired a bit by filmmaker Sam Raimi, whose The Evil Dead had just been coedited by Joel). Sections of the film have proved to be an endurance test for art-house movie fans, particularly an extended climax that involves one shock after another but ends with a laugh at the absurdity of criminal ambition. This is definitely one of the triumphs of the 1980s and the American independent film scene in general. --Tom Keogh

• Manchild - Series 1 | DVD | (31/03/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Stockbroker Terry orthodontist James art dealer Patrick and decking king Gary are friends from schooldays. Except for Gary who is still married there is nothing to stop the boys as they indulge what they believe is their last chance to recapture their youth. Their efforts to bring back their heady carefree bachelor days mostly make them look absurd. They have the money for the hip clothes motorbikes and beautiful young girlfriends but these things really are the domain of much younger men. And although they'd never admit it there are worries about health impotence ex-wives and children that will not go away.

• Blood Simple: Director's Cut | DVD | (15/04/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Breaking up is hard. Deep in the heart of Texas a jealous bar owner hires a private eye to kill his wife and her lover. The sleazy hitman double-crosses the husband killing him instead and pocketing the cash. The perfect crime or so it seems but disposing of the corpse is not so simple.... Blood Simple uncoils its film noir plot with audacious style dense atmosphere and blood-curdling twists. The razor-sharp debut of Oscar-nominated Joel and Ethan Coen will have you on the very edge of your seat!

• Bagpipe Teacher | DVD | (08/12/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Enjoy this entertaining television film about the incredible success of the bagpipe around the world. Featuring some great musicians including Alasdair Gillies Jim MacGillvrey Donald Lindsay Capercaillie and the voice of Isla St Clair. Step 1: Learn to play the Practice Chanter.You don't need to read music.Learn at your own pace.Any age can learn using this method.The method of instruction developed by Invermark At Home is the easy way to learn the Practice Chanter and you will be able to play a simple folk tune after your first lesson.The program is hosted by Donald Lindsay Director of the Invermark College of Piping who explains each lesson in detail giving you a clear demonstration of all fingering techniques. Each lesson ends with a musical demonstration by Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies or Frances Adams.Play this DVD on your computer or television its like having your own private instructor at home. You will even learn to maintain your reed and chanter. Follow his easy method and you can learn to play Amazing Grace by the end of the program.