"Actor: Jo Hook"

• The Old Grey Whistle Test -- Two Disc Set | DVD | (17/09/2001) from £9.35   |  Saving you £15.64 (167.27%)   |  RRP £24.99

  For better and for worse, The Old Grey Whistle Test was probably the most resolutely serious music programme ever broadcast on television. During its 16-year run it showcased only the most earnest exponents of whichever musical style was currently popular, and given that the programme's heyday coincided with the early 70s, some of the footage included here will provide mirth as exquisite as only unintentional comedy can. The absurd prog noodlings of The Edgar Winter Group and the belief-beggaringly awful Focus now seem as unfathomable in retrospect as trench warfare or child labour. However, the good stuff collected here is very good, both in terms of performance (Tom Petty snarling "American Girl", a pre-irony U2 whooping up "I Will Follow") and historical interest, notably a shockingly youthful Elton John crooning "Tiny Dancer" and reminding us, in the process, of a time when he was regarded as a cool and hip singer-songwriter, rather than understudy to the Queen Mother. --Andrew Mueller On the DVD: Wonderful performances all captured in remarkably pristine picture and extraordinarily vivid sound, regardless of vintage (it doesn't even crackle during "Hocus Pocus"!). However, the menu is pretty clunky and won't allow direct access to the individual songs (other than selecting the "Random play" option). Instead, you can only jump into the programme year by year, not song by song. The track listing itself is unhelpfully hidden behind the discs in the gatefold packaging. --Mark Walker

• Various Artists - Shadowplayers | DVD | (21/08/2006) from £13.09   |  Saving you £-1.10 (N/A%)   |  RRP £11.99

  Various Artists - Shadowplayers

• Market Garden Collection - Arnhem Part 1 | DVD | (02/04/2012) from £12.16   |  Saving you £4.83 (39.72%)   |  RRP £16.99

  The Battle of Arnhem, fought in the early autumn of 1944, remains without a doubt the most hotly debated battle of the North West European Campaign, both then and now. From its inception in the sixteen cancelled airborne operations during August, we will chart the problems, many of which were ignored by men desperate to get into battle, the compromises and mistakes that pitched lightly armed and ill equipped paratroopers and glider infantry into an unequal struggle against an SS panzer troops. We follow the eight mile route that 2 Para took to reach the bridge at Arnhem, slipping through the German defences.

• The Old Grey Whistle Test 2 | DVD | (13/10/2003) from £7.07   |  Saving you £12.92 (182.74%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In some ways The Old Grey Whistle Test Volume 2 is more interesting than its predecessor, as it covers the show's enjoyably uncomfortable period of transition from beard-rock to punk/new wave. Hence, the music ranges across the likes of Loggins and Messina (the frightful "The House at Pooh Corner"), the Who, Judee Sill, Argent (doing "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You", which all Bill and Ted fans probably think is a Kiss original), Roy Harper, the Adverts, the Undertones (not playing "Teenage Kicks", sadly), Patti Smith and Siouxie and the Banshees. There's also some arty stuff that doesn't really fit into either camp, including Kevin Ayers and Roxy Music at their uncommercially weirdest. There are a few nicely revelatory moments, too, such as the realisation that Thomas Dolby's "Hyperactive" was in fact a nu-jazz masterpiece born 20 years too soon and that Robbie Williams should cover Aztec Camera's wonderful "Walk Out to Winter" immediately. This is an enjoyable and diverse collection of music from a fairly fraught period in the history of more-or-less popular music, so it's good to be reminded just how much good stuff was actually happening amidst the melée. On the DVD: The Old Grey Whistle Test 2 comes on only one disc (the first was a two-disc set), but you still get 30 or so excellent tracks plus all the trimmings, so that's hardly a fault. The layout features the same kind of horribly overdesigned menus as its predecessor: there's no obvious chapter sub-menu, believe it or not; instead, you have to access individual tracks through the artists' gallery in the extras section! Aargh! Other extras include contributor profiles, additional linking material and the wonderful Old Grey Squirrel Test animation, which mere words would only spoil for those who have yet to see it. --Roger Thomas

• Arnhem: Battle of the Woods - Market Garden Collection | DVD | (31/08/2012) from £19.76   |  Saving you £-2.77 (-16.30%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Jumping in to Drop Zones eight to ten miles from Arnhem on the second day of Operation Market Garden was always going to be difficult for Brigadier Shan Hackett's 4th British Parachute Brigade. With little information on how 1 Para Brigade's battle went the day before or what faced them on the ground the stage was set for an epic battle. Author John Waddy, veteran company commander in 156 Para Battalion and a team of some of the best Arnhem experts take the viewer to the ground where 4 Para Brigade tangled with the SS troopers of the Hohenstaufen Panzer Division in the woods to the west of Arnhem in what was to be an unequal but heroic battle; the result of a flawed concept and plan.

• Market Garden Collection - Hell's Highway | DVD | (21/06/2012) from £20.85   |  Saving you £-3.86 (-22.70%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Montgomery’s brainchild, Operation Market Garden, was designed to end the war by Christmas 1944 and clear away Hitler’s V weapons from the North Sea Coast. Following the collapse of the German Army in Normandy and its flight back across northern France, it seemed that a bold move to seize the three major and numerous other waterways across Holland would place the Second British Army beyond the Rhine. This would deliver Germany’s powerhouse the Ruhr, put the Allies on the North German Plain and the road to Berlin. The Allies had, however, outran their supplies and the Germans were staging an amazing strategic recovery. The BHTV team, made up of leading historians and battlefield guides, probe the controversial background to Operation Market Garden. Early afternoon on 17 September 1944 the 101st US Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles), who parachuted onto Drop Zones dictated by the air planners wish to avoid ‘unnecessary casualties from flak’ around Eindhoven, had been denied a coup de main against the first significant canal bridge at Son. With plenty of warning of the approach of the US paratroopers, the Germans blew the bridge arguably dealing Market Garden a potentially mortal blow. Meanwhile, XXX Corps were having trouble of their own after a start at 1430 hours. A mixture of SS and Fallschirmjger troops despite a bombardment halted the breakout of the Guards Armoured Division in its tracks! However, by nightfall the Irish Guards were through the German defences and had reached Valkensward 10 miles along the 60 mile route to Arnhem. The delay in reaching and bridging the canal at Son was significant but German resistance was hardening as troops were rushed to attack the airborne carpet and single route the British intended to use across Holland. With the bridging operation complete the Grenadier Guards Group covered the next 30 miles to Nijmegen in little over three hour. Market Garden looked as if it were back on schedule despite the setbacks and Arnhem was only ten miles further on. It was one thing to reach Nijmegen in forty hours but for the American Paratroopers holding the route open proved to be a different matter! The road north across Holland quickly earned the well deserved nick name ‘Hell’s Highway’. The paratroopers had to constantly fend of the growing number of enemy troops who were mounting increasingly strong attacks from east and west. Lacking numbers on the ground and transport it was an unequal battle to keep the road open. The Germans only had to get within firing range of the road elevated across the surrounding flat terrain to effectively close the vital highway and starve the troops fighting to reach Arnhem of all kinds of combat supplies. The team will examine successes and failures on Hell’s Highway to find out whether the reasons for failure can be found on here or was it soldiers of two nations fighting alongside each other to execute a fatally flawed plan?

• Nijmegen - Market Garden Collection | DVD | (19/07/2012) from £15.18   |  Saving you £1.81 (11.92%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Documentary which looks at the attempts by allied forces in WWII to gain control over a bridge in Nijmegen. With the help of archive footage as well as newly filmed re-enactments, the film gives a detailed account of the battle, drawing on information from historians and an eyewitness account from Lord Peter Carrington who crossed the Nijmegen bridge with British tanks.

• New Order - A Collection / New Order Story | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  The New Order Story: A collection of 21 clips interspersed with interviews with the band and with many of their celebrity friends including Bono from U2. It takes you through New Order's journey from the early days of Joy Division up to the release of Republic taking in all the stories characters and ideas that have played a part in the making of the band along the way. A Collection: 'A Collection' features all of New Order's groundbreaking videos including 'Bizarre Love Triangle' 'Blue Monday' and 'True Faith' plus alternate versions and brand new videos for 'Temptation' and 'Ceremony' created just for this compilation. It also includes the latest video from their current album - the title track 'Waiting For The Sirens Call'. Tracklist: 1. Ceremony 2. Confusion 3. The Perfect Kiss 4. Shellshock 5. State Of The Nation 6. Temptation 7. Bizarre Love Triangle 8. True Faith 9. Touched By The Hand Of God 10. Blue Monday '88 11. Fine Time 12. Round & Round 13. Run 14. World In Motion 15. Regret 16. Ruined In A Day 17. World 18. Spooky 19. 1963 20. Crystal 21. 60 Miles An Hour 22. Here To Stay 23. Krafty 24. Jetstream 25. Waiting For The Sirens' Call

• Various Artists - the Spirit of Woodstock | DVD | (04/10/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £33.99

  Tracklisting:DVD 1 - The Peace Persuasion:1. Introduction2. You've Made Me So Very Happy - Blood Sweat & Tears3. Fingertips - Stevie Wonder4. Blowin' In The Wind - Bob Dylan5. You Really Got Me - The Kinks6. Baby Let Me Take You Home - The Animals7. Sunshine Of Your Love - The Cream8. Iko Iko - Grateful Dead9. Back Door Man - The Doors10. Sylvia's Mother - Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show11. Tears On My Pillow - Sha Na Na12. What Have They Done To My Song Ma - Melanie13. Quite Rightly So - Procol Harum14. Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo - Johnny Winter15. Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds16. Happy Jack - The Who17. Albatross - Fleetwood Mac18. The Peace Persuasion - The Peace GenerationDVD 2 - The First Step Is The Hardest:1. Introduction2. The Wind Cries Mary - Jimmy Hendrix3. You Wear It Well - Rod Stewart4. Black Night - Deep Purple5. Vincent - Don McLean6. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag - James Brown7. Black Crow Flying - Joni Mitchell8. Help Me - Van Morrison9. Someday Soon - Judy Collins10. See Emily Play - Pink Floyd11. White Room - The Cream12. On The Road Again - Canned Heat13. Mellow Yellow - Donavan14. Need Your Love So Bad - Fleetwood Mac15. You're A Lady - Peter Skellern16. Almost Sorry - Blood Sweat & Tears17. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - The Temptations18. The First Step Is The Hardest - The Peace GenerationDVD 3 - The Glory Of Happiness:1. Introduction2. A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum3. School's Out (For Summer) - Alice Cooper4. A Piece Of My Heart - Janis Joplin5. The Weight - The All Star Band Featuring Levon Helm & Rick Danko6. Respect - Aretha Franklin7. Paranoid - Black Sabbath8. Delta Lady - Leon Russell9. Crossroads - The Cream10. Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel11. Daydream - Lovin' Spoonful12. River Deep Mountain High - Ike & Tina Turner13. Inner Crisis - Blood Sweat & Tears14. Five To One - The Doors15. Brand New Key - Melanie16. Stranger Blues - Johnny Winter17. Playing In The Band - Grateful Dead18. The Glory Of Happyness - The Peace Generation