Circus is a modern crime thriller of cross, double cross and triple cross.
Norman Wisdom reprises his best-loved character, the comically inept Pitkin, in 1965's The Early Bird, ably supported once again by Edward Chapman in his final appearance as Mr Grimsdale. This time around Wisdom is the only milkman working for Grimsdale's Dairy, a small business threatened by a menacing large corporation in the shape of Consolidated Dairies and their electric milk floats. Grimsdale and Pitkin must evoke the Dunkirk spirit to save their family firm from the grasp of the faceless giant. Of course, the wafer-thin plot is the merest excuse for a series of calamitous set pieces in which Wisdom wreaks havoc in his trademark bumbling manner. The best bits involve a disastrous game of golf, the usual shenanigans with a fire hose and a virtuoso tour de force opening sequence as the household struggles to wake up in the morning, all set to Ron Goodwin's tongue-in-cheek music score. --Mark Walker In Press for Time Norman Wisdom offered his version of the crusading reporter movie, though by 1966 time was running out for Norman's style of big-screen comedy. Perhaps a sign of his growing frustration with the formulaic nature of his pictures was that he stretched himself to play not just his usual underdog hero, but also his own mother and his grandfather, the Prime Minister. Wisdom also cowrote the movie in which, as a reporter in a small seaside town, he causes chaos for the council, organises a beauty parade and dresses as a suffragette. Though now nearing the end of his years as a movie star, Wisdom shows himself to still be as polished as ever at his own brand of good-natured slapstick. --Gary S Dalkin
1951 crime drama from renowned Hammer director John Gilling with acclaimed cinematography sees Jane Hylton confronted by her past. Jane Foster, the former wife of a criminal, moves to a coastal town and takes over the running of a bar known as 'The Quiet Woman'. Initially she's outraged when she learns that the previous owner had allowed an amiable local artist, and part-time smuggler, Duncan McLeod (Derek Bond) to use the inn as a base. In spite of her resentment she becomes romantically i...
Thriller/horror set during World War II. A group of German soldiers in the Ardennes in 1944 take refuge from the advancing Allied troops in an underground bunker system. However during the night a series of strange and horrifying events occur.
John Nettles stars as Chief Inspector Barnaby in this feature-length episode of the acclaimed crime series. When a portrait of Jonathan Lowrie a wealthy royalist who was killed by a Roundhead musketeer is slashed at the Aspern Tallow museum Barnaby and Sergeant Troy are called in to investigate. A series of strange events follows and soon the detectives are investigating much more than an act of vandalism.
Sumptuous in every way, visually magnificent, with grandiose sets, panoramic Spanish vistas and intricately detailed costumes, possessor of one of cinema's greatest music scores, boasting vast and astonishingly kinetic battles, and breathing heroic virtue in every scene, El Cid is the very epitome of epic. For this reworking of the medieval legend of the Cid (Arabic for "Lord") who united warring factions and saved 11th-century Spain from invasion, producer Samuel Bronston and director Anthony Mann insisted every set had to be created from scratch, every costume specially made for this movie alone; they also shot entirely on location in La Mancha and along the Mediterranean coast of Spain to enhance the film's authenticity. The cinematography is saturated with the burnished hues of the Spanish landscape, as are the palatial sets and rich costumes; Miklos Rozsa's resplendent score is also the result of painstaking research into medieval Spanish sources. The screenplay is imbued with knightly gravitas and more than a little salvation imagery, from the opening scene of the young Rodrigo rescuing a cross from a burning church, to the movie's indelible finale as The Cid rides "out of the gates of history into legend". Charlton Heston is at his most indomitable as Rodrigo, "The Cid", a natural leader of men and the embodiment of every manly virtue (note that he fathers twins--a sure token of his virility); Sophie Loren is ravishing as Chimene, the woman whose love for Rodrigo conflicts with her filial instincts after he kills her father, the king's champion, over a point of honour. Their scenes together create a humane warmth at the heart of this vast movie: the moment when Chimene finally declares her love (beneath a shrine of three crosses--more symbolism) to the exiled Rodrigo forms a pivotal and very intimate centrepiece. Shortly thereafter he must rise from their rural marriage bed to lead his followers into battle, and the tension between his public and private lives adds a piquancy to the film's stunning battle sequences. The international supporting cast sometimes look like makeweights, especially when chewing on the occasionally stilted dialogue, but any such faults are easily forgiven as the scale and spectacle of El Cid carries the viewer away on a tide of chivalry. --Mark Walker
The Land Before Time: In a long-ago age of rumbling volcanoes and perilous earthquakes a young bracheosaurus named Little Foot suddenly finds himself on his own. Setting to find the lush feeding grounds of the legendary Great Valley he meets up with four other young dinosaurs who agree to join his quest. On their daring trek across a landscape filled with excitement and danger the brave little band encounters hungry predators and daunting challenges as they discover new lessons in life and the importance of teamwork. Presented by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas with direction by Don Bluth The Land Before Time is a brilliantly imaginative delightfully animated tale of friendship loyalty and love certain to capture the hearts of viewers young and old. (Dir. Don Bluth 1988) Land Before Time 2: The Great Valley Adventure Everybody's favourite prehistoric pals are back! Join Littlefoot Cera Spike Ducky and Petrie in this delightful all-new feature-length movie. It's an exciting treat filled with original songs brilliant animation and the beloved dinosaurs from the family classic The Land Before Time. The enchanting tale continues in the beautiful peaceful Great Valley where Littlefoot and his plant-eating friends live and play under the watchful eyes of their parents. But when mischievous Cera coaxes the group into the forbidden 'Mysterious Beyond' they soon find themselves in big trouble! The excitement begins when they encounter two egg-snatching struthiomimuses named Ozzie and Strut a thundering landslide a pair of ferocious Sharpteeth and most amazing at all a mysterious egg that's just about to hatch! In the course of their surprising adventure Littlefoot and company learn just how hard it is to be a grown up - and how nice it is to be a kid! - in this captivating story of hope love and trust. (Dir. Roy Allen Smith 1994) The Land Before Time 3: The Time Of The Great Giving Join your favourite prehistoric pals Littlefoot Cera Ducky Spike and Petrie - plus three mischievous new dinosaurs - for another exciting adventure in The Land Before Time. This heartwarming tale features dazzling animation sparkling new songs written by Amanda McBroom (The Rose) and Michelle Brourman and a memorable message about cooperation and team spirit. A huge meteorite has plunged into the Great Valley cutting off the water supply and causing tension among the once-peaceful dinosaurs. Eager to help Littlefoot and his friends search for more water and find a large pool trapped between the Great Valley and the 'Mysterious Beyond' home of the dreaded Sharpteeth! The adventure unfolds as the youngsters tangle with neighbour dinosaur bullies dodge a fierce fire and encounter angry velociraptors. Even though danger seems close at hand Littlefoot learns together with family and friends that when you work together you can move mountains. This colorful song-filled story will charm children and grown-ups alike with its hopeful upbeat theme of sharing and caring set against the lush backdrop of a fantastic primeval world. (Dir. Roy Allen Smith 1995)
World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber Match: Undertaker vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. Rey Mysterio vs. R-Truth vs. Chris Jericho Intercontinental Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. Kane WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match: Sheamus vs. John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Kofi Kingston Divas Championship Match: Gail Kim vs. Maryse
Strangler's Wood is a gruesomely enjoyable entry in the darkly witty Midsomer Murders series. Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby is on the case again, this time in pursuit of a serial murderer who has apparently resurfaced after nearly a decade of quiet. The story is a thoroughly absorbing one, full of nasty crawling secrets that come out when Barnaby begins poking below the village's surface, and the solution is genuinely satisfying. As in other programmes in the series, Strangler's Wood also pays realistic attention to the way Barnaby's job affects his home life, making his tenacity at pursuing a case exasperating without getting melodramatic. Fans of Daniel Casey's Sergeant Troy will be pleased to see him prominently featured in the episode as well. This is a terrific, stand-alone chapter in an excellent series. --Ali Davis
Follow the Blues on their journey to the 2005 Carling Cup final! This DVD features the final in its entirety including extra time cup presentation and post-match celebrations plus highlights from each round on the road to Cardiff with exclusive interviews with Jose Mourinho Frank Lampard and John Terry.
Gillies MacKinnon's highly praised adaptation of Pat Barker's novel is a moving and powerful study of war and its devastating effects. Set in a military hospital during World War I the film tells of a real life encounter between army psychologist Dr William Rivers and the poet Siegfried Sassoon who has been institutionalised in an attempt to undermine his public disapproval of the war. It also concerns young poet Wilfred Owen who whith support from Sassoon begins to write his great war poems. Rivers whose duty it is to return shell-shocked officers to the trenches is tormented by the morality of what is being done in the name of medicine especially the treatment of working-class officer Billy Prior who has been struck dumb by the carnage he has witnessed.
In this fun crime caper movie, a small-town bank robbery is botched in the most ironic of ways.
7 DVDs featuring all your favourite WWE Superstars from Raw and SmackDown across almost 17 hours of unforgettable matches and moments. The Best of Raw & SmackDown 2011: For the WWE Universe, there are 4 hours of appointment television every week, as Raw on Monday nights and SmackDown on Friday nights continue to offer the most shocking, surprising, athletic, humorous, and dramatic moments on television. Now for the first time ever, the best of Raw and SmackDown are offered in one rele...
Class distinction exists in most countries but that has never stopped Cinderella from meeting her Prince. The universal appeal of rich-man-falling-for-working-class-girl is the theme of this hit comedy series starring Lorraine Chase and John Standing - leads whose own backgrounds mirror those of their characters. The Other 'Arf was conceived by Terence Howard (who had worked on the celebrated Campari ad campaign which launched the TV career of model Lorraine Chase) and developed by legendary comedy writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (Porridge Auf Wiedersehen Pet); originally screened in 1980 this first series also stars Patricia Hodge Natalie Forbes and in an early TV appearance Caroline Quentin. Sir Galahad comes in many guises and in the case of beautiful model Lorraine Watts he's in the form of Charles Latimer a Tory MP who saves her from the unwelcome attentions of a lecherous photographer. While Charles is an aristocrat and Lorraine is a Cockney born and bred the difference in their social stations fails to put the brake on their express dash into romance... although it promises to be a bumpy journey!
Two examples of British Second World War films, We Dive at Dawn (1943) and Reach for the Sky (1956), are here stylishly packaged as a World War II Classics pack. We Dive at Dawn tells of the encounter between a British submarine and a German warship in the Baltic Sea. John Mills gives a dependable performance as the submarine commander, with Eric Portman the pick of a strong supporting cast. Director Anthony Asquith finds the balance between action sequences and "in situ" dialogue, and there's an evocative score from Louis Levy. The movie was an underrated film that deserves reappraisal, whereas Reach for the Sky (1956) was a box-office hit and remains a fondly regarded classic. Kenneth More is ideally cast as Douglas Bader, the gifted pilot who loses both legs in a pre-war air crash, only to play a major role in the Battle of Britain, rise to the rank of Group Captain and become a war hero. Based on Paul Brickhill's biography, this is an "official" history maybe, but Lewis Gilbert's screenplay and direction are historically accurate and informed by that very British humour of which More was a natural. The film is graced by a decent supporting cast, and a typically "widescreen" score from John Addison. On the DVD: The black and white prints look and sound excellent. Whereas We Dive at Dawn has 4:3 video aspect ratio, 15 chapter points and no subtitles, the later Reach for the Sky has vivid 16:9 anamorphic reproduction, 20 chapter points, subtitles and detailed biographies of More, Gilbert and Barder. The original theatrical trailer is included, but it would also have made sense to include an interview or documentary footage of Bader himself. Even so, this is an excellent starting-point for investigating a key area of British cinema.--Richard Whitehouse
A female writer of mystery stories decides to rent a spooky house unaware of the frightening events to come...
Frasier returns with Season 10 of the smash hit comedy! Emmy Award-winner Kelsey Grammer is Frasier - the hilarious psychiatrist first seen on TV's Cheers and subsequently the star of this smash-hit comedy series.
Successful New York advertising executive Bill Templeton and his wife Janice are living a happy existence with their daughter 11-year-old Ivy. However Janice and Bill begin to notice a strange man has been closely observing Ivy when she walks to school. They eventually find out he is Elliot Hoover (Hopkins) a man who says that he lost his wife and daughter in a car crash and that Ivy is really his daughter Audrey Rose reincarnated. They refuse to believe him until one night whils
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