"Actor: John M"

• Dame Elizabeth Taylor - A Musical Celebration | DVD | (21/06/2004) from £17.25   |  Saving you £-4.26 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Like all the best celebrity tributes, Dame Elizabeth Taylor: A Musical Celebration (2001) combines the essence of its subject--in this case, charity work for HIV and AIDS research and a legendary career in movies, both meriting every ounce of recognition--with the fascination of a spectacular car smash. The highlights are the screenings of trailers for some of her best films, including Giant and Butterfield 8 (she won an Oscar but derided the picture) and an archive interview in which she memorably describes a tiresome gossip columnist as "a frustrated old biddy". The live entertainment is far shakier than the event's inspiration, though. Presented by David Frost and Stephen Fry--an uneasy, fawning partnership-- there is some real quality: Andrea Bocelli (sending the guest of honour into transports of delight), John Barry conducting a couple of his most symphonic Bond themes and Reba McEntire, the powerhouse country and western diva-turned-Broadway actress. On the down side, Marti Pellow's self-congratulatory posing would make Robbie Williams seem a model of modesty, Jay Kay's attempts to jazz up a standard are woeful and Ute Lemper is at her most pretentious for a cacophonic "Mack the Knife". Michael Jackson's mute presence at Taylor's side emphasises the hypnotic strangeness of the whole affair, though the Dame herself takes the entire marvellously lurid spectacle in her stride. On the DVD: Dame Elizabeth Taylor: A Musical Celebration comes to DVD with no extra features. A Taylor filmography would have been useful. Otherwise, the 4:3 video aspect ratio reproduces the television gala feel and for sound quality, you can choose between LPCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.2 and DTS surround sound (best for that authentic, muddy Royal Albert Hall acoustic).--Piers Ford

• McCallum | DVD | (04/07/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  A doctor to die for... Set in the East End of London this series stars John Hannah in the title role of Dr Iain McCallum a motorcycling forensic pathologist like no other! Features all eight episodes from both series and the pilot. The Key To My Heart: When the body of a Vietnamese banker washes up near London's Isle of Dogs McCallum's disturbing forensic findings rattle him and fuel his determination to find the truth. But solving the case becomes more complicated w

• The Great McGonagall | DVD | (09/02/2004) from £7.12   |  Saving you £5.87 (82.44%)   |  RRP £12.99

  William Topaz McGonagall (Milligan) is an unemployed Scottish weaver who decides to devote his life to poetry. Falling in love with Queen Victoria (here played by Peter Sellers) he donates his major poetic works to her and despite many rejections dreams of one day becoming Poet Laureate...

• Sunshine | DVD | (10/04/2013) from £19.39   |  Saving you £0.60 (3.09%)   |  RRP £19.99

  This sprawling family saga follows a Hungarian-Jewish family across three generations, and stars Ralph Fiennes as the father, the son, and the grandson in three distinctly different roles. As a Europudding vehicle for Fiennes and a top-drawer cast (including Jennifer Ehle, Rachel Weisz, Deborah Unger, Miriam Margolyes and William Hurt), Sunshine delivers on all fronts: there's glossy melodrama, high-moral seriousness as history wears the family down like the wind, and leitmotifs--the family elixir called "Sunshine" that founds their fortune, semi-incestuous adulterous liaisons, photographs and faces--that thread the epic three-hour narrative together. Fiennes begins as a stiff Budapest lawyer-cum-officer and judge during the First World War, torn when anti-Semitism raises its head. His son is a champion fencer who denounces the family faith to attain advancement but ends up in the Nazi-run labour camps all the same. The last in the line, a policeman this time, must navigate the Stalinist forces of repression and endures through the 1956 uprising to take back the family name and faith. And yet as a film by director István Szabó (Colonel Redl, Mephisto), it's a bit of a soggy disappointment lacking the bile and spit and visual inventiveness that makes the best of his other works so outstanding. Perhaps the fact that Szabó is directing an all-English speaking cast is the problem, leaving the film feeling strangely old-fashioned and paradoxically lacking a sense of place (despite much of it being filmed in Hungary itself). Although there are some charged emotional beats throughout, pretty costumes, and lots of entertainingly tasteful bonking sequences, the fencing sequences in particular become tooth-pullingly tedious and the whole thing seems to drag, especially as it takes itself so seriously. --Leslie Felperin

• Betjeman - The Collection | DVD | (16/10/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A champion of British heritage, Betjeman worked closely with the BBC to produce many critically acclaimed documentaries. Known for unhesitantly voicing his wry and honest opinions, he travelled to places of great architectural and historical importance and eloquently explained their significance to viewers. He helped to open our eyes to the true value of the buildings and places around us.. To celebrate his legacy, extraordinary work and undeniable passion towards British heritage, this collection brings together three of Betjeman's celebrated BBC documentaries. Each programme displays Betjeman's infectious enthusiasm for architecture, and showcases his enduring appeal. John Betjeman's A Passion for Churches John Betjeman travels around the Diocese of Norwich to visit its various churches of great significance, and offers an honest and affectionate look at the buildings, clergy and parishioners in this eye-opening documentary. It exposes the often-overlooked details within some of our common traditions; from the quirks of great architecture to the allure of bell-ringing and jumble sales. This four-part series includes footage from some of Britain's most stunning and historically fascinating churches, and follows his journey to modern day Jerusalem where he attends Christmas services at the Monastery of St. George. John Betjeman's A Bird's Eye View A three-part series commentated by John Betjeman giving a bird's eye view of various impressive locations important to English history and heritage, filmed entirely from a helicopter. Betjeman's informative travelogues give us a fascinating and revealing look at how Britain has changed over time, from an entirely new top-down perspective. Betjeman gives his wry and honest opinion on places of great importance, giving us a glimpse into the country's deep history in the process. From exploring extraordinary British mansions, gardens and castles, to teaching us the origins of the British seaside holiday. Four with Betjeman - Victorian Architects and Architecture In the 1850s, English architects tried to find a style that would go with steam, glass and cast iron; they chose Gothic. In this four-part series John Betjeman, a founding member of The Victorian Society, celebrates the famous architects associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival and some of their famous constructions; including the Houses of Parliament, All Saints Church, St Pancras railway station, the Natural History Museum, the Albert Memorial, Westminster Abbey, and a variety of country houses.

• Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Triple Play (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy | Blu Ray | (28/11/2011) from £4.74   |  Saving you £23.25 (490.51%)   |  RRP £27.99

  A mysterious event from Earth's past threatens to ignite a war so big that the Transformers alone will not be able to save the planet. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and the Autobots must fight against the darkness to defend our world from the Decepticons all-consuming evil in the smash hit from director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg.

• Bomber Harris | DVD | (04/11/2002) from £17.99   |  Saving you £-5.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  John Thaw stars in this critically acclaimed BBC drama based on the wartime career of Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris the Commander in chief of Bomber Command from 1942-1945.

• Dukes Of Hazzard - Vol. 2 | DVD | (18/08/2003) from £11.65   |  Saving you £2.34 (16.70%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Based around a battle between good old-fashioned family values and comically corrupt authority and always finding time for an action-packed car chase or two, The Dukes of Hazzard was perfect fun-filled family entertainment for its teatime viewing audience. Light on plotting, each episode featured the ongoing feud between the Duke family--lovable rogues Bo and Luke, their sexy cousin Daisy and Uncle Jesse--and the weasly duo of Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane. But the plot was arbitrary really; what audiences really waited for were the scenes involving General Lee--a souped-up Dodge Charger--racing, jumping, skidding and even flying around in hot pursuit of the baddies. That and Daisy Duke's fetching collection of hot pants. The Dukes' theme tune, performed by country music star Waylon Jennings, became another series hallmark. Jennings also provided the cheesy voice-over narration. Taking the same premise for most episodes, this wasn't groundbreaking television but comfortable viewing that gratified its viewers with harmless action, humour and an idyllic view of life in the southern US of A. --Laura Bushell

• Ravenous | DVD | (22/10/2001) from £10.29   |  Saving you £2.70 (26.24%)   |  RRP £12.99

  In 1847, the United States was a land of pioneers, of gold-starved Americans making their way west.

• School For Scoundrels / The Green Man | DVD | (14/04/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  In School for Scoundrels wimpy Ian Carmichael wants to impress girls and get one over on all-round show-off and cad Terry Thomas (playing gloriously to type). Discovering Alastair Simms' unorthodox school Carmichael happily enrols and learns the quaint tricks of the day for securing the admiration of a fair lady. Ultimately as a star pupil he teaches the Master a thing or two about true love when everything turns out just fine in the end. Appealing to all male sensibilities is the idea of a magical set of simple rules for winning someone's affections. Set in the tweed-rich environment of an English boarding school makes this an even quainter notion. To watch this classic comedy is to cock one's snoot at womanisers everywhere while unavoidably making a mental list of anything that might actually work! The three central performances are brilliantly realised, particularly the role reversal between Carmichael and Thomas. Try playing a tennis match after a viewing without calling "hard cheese". -Paul Tonks

• Star Trek Next Generation Series 6 | DVD | (22/05/2006) from £17.98   |  Saving you £19.00 (118.82%)   |  RRP £34.99

  ""Space... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out new life; new civilisations... To boldly go where no one has gone before!"" - Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) The complete sixth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation one of the finest sci-fi shows of all-time. Episodes Comprise: 1. Time's Arrow (Part 2) 2. Realm Of Fear 3. Man of the People 4. Relics 5.

• The Fog | Blu Ray | (04/08/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A thick fog rolls into the sleepy town of Antonio Bay concealing the ghosts of murdered sailors desperate to seek revenge on the descendants of their killers. In one night the inhabitants of this town will pay the ultimate price for their forefathers' murderous greed...

• A Challenge For Robin Hood | DVD | (18/01/2010) from £9.64   |  Saving you £6.35 (65.87%)   |  RRP £15.99

  A Challenge For Robin Hood (Hammer)

• Monty Python - 40th Anniversary Box Set | DVD | (14/09/2009) from £28.24   |  Saving you £-3.25 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Monty Python: 40th Anniversary Box Set

• Tarka The Otter | DVD | (03/12/2001) from £6.44   |  Saving you £3.55 (55.12%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Really good feature films about animals are as rare as hen's teeth. Based on the classic novel by Henry Williamson, Tarka the Otter is one of the very best. This is one of those highly unusual films told almost entirely from an animal's point of view, yet which refrains from Disney-style sentimentality and anthropomorphism. Set in 1920s England, the film simply follows the life of an otter, and shot over a period of two years captures the glory of the English countryside with some magnificent cinematography. Drama comes not just from the daily struggle to survive, but from the ever present threat of human hunters, and from the vicious otter hound, Deadlock. With narration by Peter Ustinov and a screenplay by the naturalist and author Gerald Durrell Tarka the Otter is a British film classic. While a family film, it is a realistic portrayal of the countryside, and as such contains some scenes that young children and animal lovers may find upsetting. The only other notable feature to star an otter is Ring of Bright Water (1969), while The Bear (1988) is another rare movie to tell its tale from the animal's perspective. --Gary S Dalkin

• I Am Wrath | DVD | (16/05/2016) from £7.28   |  Saving you £7.71 (105.91%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Golden Globe winner John Travolta (Face/Off, Pulp Fiction) returns to the action genre with a hard as nails performance as a man with nothing left to lose, seeking bloody vengeance! Unemployed engineer Stanley Hill (Travolta) witnesses the brutal murder of his wife Vivian (Rebecca De Mornay, TV's Jessica Jones) who was attacked by thugs in a parking garage. When Detective Gibson (Sam Trammell, True Blood) and other corrupt police officers are unable and unwilling to bring the killers to justice, Stanley turns to his old friend Dennis (Christopher Meloni, Man of Steel, TVs Law & Order) and decides to take matters into his own hands. It is only then that Stanley and Dennis are found to have a mysterious past that, until now, they kept very well hidden. As they wreak their revenge, those involved in the cover up realise that Stanley and Dennis are more dangerous than they could have ever imagined

• The Artist | Blu Ray | (28/05/2012) from £10.75   |  Saving you £19.24 (178.98%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Hollywood 1927. George Valentin is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career. For extra Peppy Miller, major movie stardom awaits. THE ARTIST tells the story of their interlinked destinies.

• Loot | DVD | (28/08/2017) from £10.35   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  British comedy adaptated from the play by Joe Orton. Two bank robbers, Dennis (Hywel Bennett) and Hal (Roy Holder), are on the run from the police after a successful heist. Needing somewhere to hide the loot, they turn to a funeral parlour where they can stash the cash in Hal's recently-deceased mother's coffin. Taking the coffin, they turn to Hal's father (Milo O'Shea) and hide it in the bathroom of his hotel. Before long the hotel is host to the eccentric Inspector Truscott (Richard Attenborough) as he traces the crooks, and the promiscuous nurse Fay (Lee Remick), who is also on the trail of the stolen money.

• Joint Account | DVD | (05/09/2016) from £39.99   |  Saving you £-10.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  A successful businesswoman wants to give up work, but her house husband likes things the way they are Meet the Braithwaites. Belinda Braithwaite (Hannah Gordon) and David Braithwaite (Peter Egan) enjoy a very unconventional marriage. Belinda works full-time as an outspoken and respected bank manager. David is a stay-at-home-Dad, who takes care of the household, shares coffee mornings and innuendos with their flirty neighbor Louise (Lill Roughley) and volunteers at the Citizens Advice Bureau. Tired of the rat race, and with the kids now at university, Belinda wants to quit her exhausting job for a simpler life as a housewife. But David has other ideas. He doesn't relish the prospect of returning to a full-time job and does everything he can to persuade Belinda to continue wearing the trousers. John Bird stars as Belinda's deputy at the bank who firmly believes a woman's place is in the home. With an eye on the top job he'd love to see her go and makes office life as unpleasant as he can to try and edge her out. Will David find a ˜proper' job? Will Belinda quit the bank? Will Louise ever have her wicked way with David? Stars BAFTA winner Peter Egan (Chariots of Fire) and Hannah Gordon (Upstairs, Downstairs / My Wife Next Door) Directed by Mike Stephens (The Brittas Empire / ˜Allo ˜Allo) Written by Don Webb (Byker Grove)

• Grand Hotel | DVD | (16/02/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Oscar-winning drama with an all-star cast exploring the interwoven relationships of the residents of a plush Berlin hotel...