"Actor: John C"

• The Hornblower Collection (6 discs) | DVD | (10/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by CS Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series' greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easygoing than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher. --Gary S Dalkin

• Once Upon A Time In China III | DVD | (21/01/2002) from £5.35   |  Saving you £14.64 (273.64%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Set in the era when China was just beginning to establish relations with Europe, Once upon a Time in China 3 is a mixture of politics, intrigue, broad comedy, and kung fu action. Charismatic Jet Li stars once again as Wong Fei-hung, a legendary Chinese hero who is a doctor, a pacifist, and an amazingly skilled martial artist. Like many Hong Kong films, this movie has a woefully complicated plot: in summary, a kung fu competition not only sparks a bitter rivalry between different martial-arts associations, it also becomes the linchpin in an assassination plot. But this leaves out Wong Fei-hung's increasingly romantic relationship with his aunt (played by Rosamund Kwan), the rehabilitation of one of the villain's henchmen, and the introduction of a steam engine to a Chinese factory, among other subplots. Once upon a Time in China 3 is not the strongest in the series--the subtitling is unusually clumsy, the editing is rough, the plot is confusing, and the melodrama is more crudely played than in the other films--but there's still a clear, raw authority to the storytelling that is a hallmark of director-producer Hark Tsui (Peking Opera Blues, Green Snake). Though it seems to have been made in a rush, Once upon a Time in China 3 will still reward devotees of Hong Kong films, and the frequent and wild fight scenes will appeal to action fans. --Bret Fetzer --This text refers to the DVD edition of this video.

• 51 | Blu Ray | (26/09/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  51 chronicles what happens after political pressure from the American public forces the Air Force to provide a few well-known reporters with limited access to the most secretive base on the planet: Area 51. When one of the base's hidden 'long term visitors' exploits this unprecedented visit as a chance to liberate himself and his fellow alien captives Area 51 turns from a secure government base to a horrifying destination of terror.

• Oliver Twist | DVD | (11/10/1999) from £6.51   |  Saving you £3.48 (53.46%)   |  RRP £9.99

  There have been many film and TV adaptations of Oliver Twist but this 1948 production from director David Lean remains the definitive screen interpretation of the Charles Dickens classic. From the ominous symbolism of its opening storm sequence (in which Oliver's pregnant, ill-fated mother struggles to reach shelter before childbirth) to the mob-scene climax that provokes Bill Sikes's dreadful comeuppance, this breathtaking black-and-white film remains loyal to Dickens while distilling the story into its purest cinematic essence.Every detail is perfect--Lean even includes a coffin-shaped snuffbox for the cruel Mr. Sowerberry--and as young Oliver, eight-year-old John Howard Davies (who would later produce Monty Python's Flying Circus for the BBC) perfectly expresses the orphan's boyish wonderment, stern determination and waifish vulnerability. Best of all is Alec Guinness as Fagin, so devious and yet so delightfully appealing under his beak-nosed (and, at the time, highly controversial) make-up. (Many complained that Fagin's huge nose and greedy demeanour presented an anti-Semitic stereotype, even though Lean never identifies Fagin as Jewish; for this reason, the film wasn't shown in the US until three years after its British release.) Likewise, young Anthony Newley is artfully dodgy as Fagin's loyal accomplice, the Artful Dodger. Guinness's performance would later provide strong inspiration for Ron Moody's equally splendid portrayal of Fagin in the Oscar-winning Oliver! and while that 1968 musical remains wonderfully entertaining, it is Lean's film that hews closest to Dickens' vision. The authentic recreation of 19th-century London is marvellous to behold; Guy Green's cinematography is so shadowy and stylised that it almost qualifies as Dickensian film noir. Lean is surprisingly blunt in conveying Dickens's theme of cruelty but his film never loses sight of the warmth and humanity that Oliver embodies. --Jeff Shannon

• King Ralph | DVD | (24/12/2001) from £17.97   |  Saving you £-4.98 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

• The Who - Tommy Live With Special Guests | DVD | (05/06/2006) from £17.69   |  Saving you £-4.70 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  1989 live performance of Tommy filmed at the Universal Amphitheatre in LA during the band's 25th Anniversary Tour. Tracklist: 1. Overture 2. It's A Boy 3. 1921 4. Amazing Journey 5. Sparks 6. Eyesight To The Blind 7. Christmas 8. Cousin Kevin 9. The Acid Queen 10. Pinball Wizard 11. Do You Think It's Alright? 12. Fiddle About 13. There's A Doctor 14. Go To The Mirror! 15. Smash The Mirror 16. Tommy Can You Hear Me? 17. I'm Free 18. Extra Extra/ Miracle Cure 19. Sally Simpson

• Aetbaar | DVD | (07/06/2004) from £14.99   |  Saving you £-8.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £6.99

  When Riya falls in love with Aryan her father Dr Malhotra disapproves. This causes Riya to clash with her protective father. Soon however it is clear that Aryan's love for Riya borders on the obsessive...

• Saturday Morning Pictures - The Best Of The Children's Film Foundation - Vol. 1 | DVD | (30/09/2002) from £20.00   |  Saving you £-10.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Adventures Of Hal 5: Hal 5 is a very old Austin with great character owned by the Hayward family. A wicked garage owner plots to steal the car to sell for a great deal of money but the Hayward children are out to stop him... Egghead's Robot: 'Eggheaed' Wentworth adapts his father's robot to perform the chores but forgets to programme him to stay out of trouble...

• Wodehouse Playhouse - The Smile That Wins | DVD | (11/07/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Classic adaptations of P.G. Wodehouse's short stories. Each story is introduced by the author in one of his last recordings. The stories are based around three general themes: The Mulliners relating to the rather bizarre extended family of Mr. Mulliner; The Oldest Member stories which take place in and around the golf club; and The Drones Club an all male society whose members include Freddy Fitch-Fitch and Adolhus Stiffham.

• Sam - Series 2 - Part 2 | DVD | (11/10/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Stay Single And Live Forever.... Series Two of Sam adapted from the book by John Finch. Mark McManus stars as Sam in this fondly remembered TV series.... Episodes comprise: Stay Single And Live Forever / Credit / Sins Of The Father / The World As It Is

• The Asphyx | DVD | (14/10/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Brilliant Victorian aristocrat and scientist Sir Hugo Cunningham (Robert Stephens) has a morbid fascination with photographing the dead. But when his son's death in a horrific boating accident is caught on film he discovers that a mysterious creature (called the Asphyx) appears at the point of death to consume the soul. Sir Hugo theorises that if he can capture the Asphyx when it appears and lock it away he can achieve immortality. Together with his soon to be son-in-law Giles (Robert Powell) Sir Hugo embarks on a dangerous and all-consuming quest to give his family eternal life. But as his obsession takes over his experiments start to go wrong... The Asphyx has been digitally remastered from the original negatives by BBC Post Production. Special Features: Deleted Scenes Theatrical Trailer Stills Gallery Restoration Featurette

• Lord Peter Wimsey - Five Red Herrings ) | DVD | (27/12/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Based on the series of novels written by Dorothy L Sayers in the 1920s and 30s, Lord Peter Wimsey was dramatised for TV by the BBC between 1972-5. Ian Carmichael, veteran of British film comedy, played the genial, aristocratic sleuth; Glyn Houston was his manservant Bunter. The pair are similar to PG Wodehouse's Jeeves and Bertie Wooster (whom Carmichael played in an earlier TV adaptation) though here the duo are equal in intelligence, breezing about the country together in Wimsey's Bentley and stumbling with morbid regularity upon baffling murder mysteries to test their wits. Those for whom this series forms hazy memories of childhood might be surprised at its somewhat stagy, lingering interior shots, the spartan paucity of music, the miserly attitude towards locations, especially foreign ones, and the rather genteel, leisurely pace of these programmes, besides which Inspector Morse seems like Quentin Tarantino in comparison. It seems that initially the BBC was reluctant to commission the series and ventured on production with a wary eye on the budget. The Britain depicted by Sayers is, by and large, populated by either the upper classes or heavily accented, rum-do-and-no-mistake lower orders, which some might find consoling. However, the acting is generally excellent and the murder mysteries are sophisticated parlour games, the televisual equivalent of a good, absorbing jigsaw puzzle. There were five feature-length adaptations in all. "Five Red Herrings" is the last and perhaps the least of the series, involving a trout fishing holiday interrupted by the death of a local artist. --David Stubbs

• Townes Van Zandt - Be Here To Love Me | DVD | (28/08/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  The ultimate songwriter's songwriter Townes Van Zandt had a profound impact on generations of musicians from Bob Dylan to Norah Jones yet he avoided the commercial success enjoyed by many of his own fans. Be Here To Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt provides an intimate portrait of the legendary artist's haunting music and life. Margaret Brown's critically acclaimed documentary Be Here To Love Me combines interviews with friends and family with never seen footage of Townes Van Zandt from rare performance and interview footage to intimate portraits shot in Van Zandt's own home throughout the years. It also includes appearances by many famous musicians including Willie Nelson Lyle Lovett Kris Kristofferson Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris. Tracklist: 1. What A Song Is All About 2. A Cult Figure 3. A Privileged Youth 4. Wild Crazy Things 5. Houston In The '60's 6. Wandering 7. A Genius 8. Addiction 9. Here For The Music 10. Cutting Records 11. Home And Family 12. Flyin' Shoes 13. If I Needed You 14. Pancho & Lefty 15. Marie 16. Normal Life 17. Rake 18. End Credits

• Coraline -LAIKA Studios Edition | Blu Ray | (31/08/2021) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Live In New Orleans | DVD | (23/03/2009) from £13.65   |  Saving you £-3.04 (N/A%)   |  RRP £10.61

  Spreading the Spirit of Gospel blues & soul. One night in spring 2008 the Blind Boys of Alabama played a sold-out show at the iconic New Orleans's club Tipitina's with special guests Dr. John Susan Tedeschi the Preservation Hall Jazz Band Henry Butler and Marva Wright. The result? The Live in New Orleans DVD is an uplifting fusion of gospel blues and soul from one of the longest-running groups in the world. Their rousing performance included favourites like 'Free at Last' 'Down by the Riverside' 'Amazing Grace' and People Get Ready.The city had been the focus of the band's latest CD the Stellar Award-nominated Down in New Orleans and the packed crowd in the Crescent City went wild while we filmed this unforgettable historic concert for posterity. Tracklisting: 1. Amazing Grace 2. Spirit in the Sky 3. Down in the Hole 4. People Get Ready (with Susan Tedeschi) 5. Free at Last (with Susan Tedeschi) 6 How I Got Over (with Marva Wright) 7. Make a Better World (with Dr. John) 8. You Better Mind 9. Bourbon St Parade (featuring Preservation Hall Jazz Band only - marching in) 10. Uncloudy Day (with Preservation Hall) 11. You Got to Move (with Preservation Hall) 12. If I Could Help Somebody (with Henry Butler) 13. Down by the Riverside (with Henry Butler & Preservation Hall) 14. Look Where He Brought Me From 15. Someone Watching Over Me 16. I'll Fly Away (with Susan Tedeschi Marva Wright & Preservation Hall)

• Midsomer Murders - Dance With the Dead | DVD | (02/04/2007) from £3.74   |  Saving you £13.25 (354.28%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Nothing is as it seems behind the well-trimmed hedges of the picturesque cottages in the idyllic English county of Midsomer. Beneath the tranquil surface of sleepy village life exist dark secrets scandals and downright evil. John Nettles stars as the humorous thoughtful and methodical Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby. Young lovers Simon Bright and Laura Sharp are kissing in the backseat of a Humber car in a disused hanger. The next morning Simon's body is discovered there by Frances Kirby during her morning jog. There is no sign of Laura. Barnaby suspects that Simon may have been involved in a suicide pact however the evidence tells a different story.

• Duets | DVD | (14/05/2001) from £20.28   |  Saving you £-6.29 (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  A musical comedy about six very different people all travelling to Nebraska in the hope of wining a major karaoke competition!

• Rosemary's Baby | Blu Ray | (27/05/2021) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Black Christmas | DVD | (08/12/2003) from £17.99   |  Saving you £-8.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  You may never have heard of Black Christmas, a neglected gem from 1974, but you've probably seen one of its many imitators. Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder star as two residents of a sorority house that is emptying out as Christmas approaches. The atmosphere is jolly and carefree, except for an ongoing series of menacing telephone calls, and, oh yes, we've just seen someone climb into the attic with apparent ill intent. Kidder does some scene-stealing as the bad girl, Hussey illustrates one of the downsides to having beautiful long 70s hair and Keir Dullea does a nice turn as the creepy boyfriend. Director Robert Clark knows that the unseen is far scarier than what can be seen and he ratchets up the tension beautifully, making good use of ominous shadows, and putting in nice touches such as replacing the sound of a distraught woman's scream with the piercing ring of yet another ominous phone call. This is a terrific, well-made little movie that is genuinely sleep-with-the-lights-on scary. Don't miss it. --Ali Davis

• I'm Going Home | DVD | (18/11/2002) from £11.98   |  Saving you £8.01 (66.86%)   |  RRP £19.99

  One of France's greatest screen stars Michel Piccoli plays Gilbert Valence a grand old theatre actor who is given the shocking news that his wife daughter and son-in-law have been tragically killed in a car accident. Some time later and over the worst of his grief Valence busies himself with his daily life in Paris turning down unsuitable roles in low brow television productions and caring for his nine-year old grandson. But when an American filmmaker (John Malkovich) absurdly