"Actor: John McLaughlin"

• The Lavender Hill Mob | DVD | (21/06/2004) from £7.99   |  Saving you £9.00 (112.64%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Directed by Charles Crichton, who would much later direct John Cleese in A Fish Called Wanda (1988), 1951's The Lavender Hill Mob is the most ruefully thrilling of the Ealing Comedies. Alec Guinness plays a bowler-hatted escort of bullion to the refineries. His seeming timidity, weak 'r's and punctiliousness mask a typically Guinness-like patient cunning. "I was aware I was widiculed but that was pwecisely the effect I was stwiving to achieve". He's actually plotting a heist. With more conventionally cockney villains Sid James and Alfie Bass in tow, as well as the respectable but ruined Stanley Holloway, Guinness' perfect criminal plan works in exquisite detail, then unravels just as exquisitely, culminating in a nail-biting police car chase in which you can't help rooting for the villains. The Lavender Hill Mob depicts a London still up to its knees in rubble from World War II, a world of new hope but continued austerity, a budding new order in which everything seems up for grabs; as such it could be regarded as a lighter hearted cinematic cousin to Carol Reed's 1949 masterpiece The Third Man. The Lavender Hill Mob also sees the first, fleeting on-screen appearance of Audrey Hepburn in the opening sequence. --David Stubbs

• Ealing Comedy DVD Collection - The Ladykillers/Kind Hearts and Coronets/The Lavender Hill Mob/The Man in the White Suit | DVD | (02/09/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Four of the British film industry's best-loved comedies in one box set makes The Ealing Comedy Collection absolutely essential for anyone who has any passion at all for movies. The set contains Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Man in the White Suit (1951) and The Ladykillers (1955). Ealing's greatest comedies captured the essence of post-war Britain, both in their evocation of a land once blighted by war but now rising doggedly and optimistically again from the ashes, and in their mordant yet graceful humour. They portray a country with an antiquated class system whose crumbling conventions are being undermined by a new spirit of individual opportunism. In the delightfully wicked Kind Hearts and Coronets, a serial killer politely murders his way into the peerage; in The Lavender Hill Mob a put-upon bank clerk schemes to rob his employers; The Man in the White Suit is a harshly satirical depiction of idealism crushed by the status quo; while The Ladykillers mocks both the criminals and the authorities with its unlikely octogenarian heroine Mrs "lop-sided" Wilberforce. Many factors contribute to the success of these films--including fine music scores from composers such as Benjamin Frankel (Man in the White Suit) and Tristram Cary (The Ladykillers); positively symphonic sound effects (White Suit); marvellously evocative locations (the environs of King's Cross in Ladykillers, for example); and writing that always displays Ealing's unique perspective on British social mores ("All the exuberance of Chaucer without, happily, any of the concomitant crudities of his period")--yet arguably their greatest asset is Alec Guinness, whose multifaceted performances are the keystone upon which Ealing built its biting, often macabre, yet always elegant comedy. On the DVD: The Ealing Comedy Collection presents the four discs in a fold-out package with postcards of the original poster artwork for each. Aside from theatrical trailers on each disc there are no extra features, which is a pity given the importance of these films. The Ladykillers is in muted Technicolor and presented in 1.66:1 ratio, the three earlier films are all black and white 1.33:1. Sound is perfectly adequate mono throughout. --Mark Walker

• Oliver Twist -- Special Edition | DVD | (26/09/2008) from £12.98   |  Saving you £3.01 (23.19%)   |  RRP £15.99

  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

• Fame Academy | DVD | (13/01/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  Fame Academy the Extended Remix tells the whole story of Fame Academy from the Auditions to final live showdown and the winner getting their amazing prize. See the students arrive at the Academy Carrie's first dressing down Kevin working them hard the first expulsion David's arrival. You'll see everything warts and all - the highs and lows the tears the romance and of course the amazing music. With footage of the live final including backstage stuff you won't have seen before the masterclasses singing for survival and the highlights of the fantastic live final this is an unmissable treat for all Fame Academy fanatics!!

• Oliver Twist | DVD | (11/10/1999) from £6.47   |  Saving you £3.52 (54.40%)   |  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

• Meeting Of The Spirits | DVD | (24/03/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Recorded live at London's Royal Albert Hall the tape includes guitarists from Masters of the Flamenco Classical and Contemporary Jazz Schools. Tracks include: Entres Dos Aguas / Lotus Feet / Morning Of The Carnival / Meeting Of The Spirits / Guardian Angels

• John McLaughlin And The 4th Dimension - Live At Belgrade | DVD | (21/04/2009) from £17.15   |  Saving you £-4.38 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.77

  Guitar legend and composer John McLaughlin has appeared on some of the most important jazz fusion albums in the last 40 years from Tony Williams Lifetime and Miles Davis's early electric albums to his own ground-breaking outfits the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti. In May 2008 he brought his 4th Dimension band to the Barbican for a sold-out concert. Jack Massarik' review in the Evening Standard said: His talent of course is intergalactic. Using a simple Strat-like black solid-body guitar he was in searing form on numbers old (Senor CS The Unknown Dissident) and new (Maharina Five Peace Band). No less dazzling in support were Hounslow's drum hero Mark Mondesir Leeds's ultra-versatile drum/keyboard wizard Gary Husband and Dominique Di Piazza a French bass-guitar virtuoso as blindingly fast as Johnnie Mac himself. This 104 minute DVD is the first complete McLaughlin concert ever presented on DVD. Filmed at a concert in Belgrade from the same tour it features a remarkable concert from the band performing an exciting set of tunes from McLaughlin's past repertoire. Tracklist: 1. Senor CS 2. Little Miss Valley 3. Nostalgia 4. Raju 5. Sully 6. Maharina 7. Hijacked 8. The Unknown Dissident 9. Five Peace Band / Mother Tongues

• Fame Academy - Live | DVD | (22/09/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  All 12 Fame Academy students are featured in this live Wembley concert filmed in front of 10 000 screaming fans!

• John Mclaughlin - Remember Shakti | DVD | (28/04/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The way of beauty is:A 60 minutes documentary film 'Shakti Timeless' which tells the story of the Indo-western music group Shakti. Formed in 1975 the group pioneered a groundbreaking and highly influential music East-meets-West approach. In the 70s the group whose name means creative intelligence beauty and power consisted of legendary British jazz guitarist John McLaughlin North Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain and violinist L. Shankar and ghatam [percussion] player T.H. 'Vikku' Vinayakram both of whom hail from South India. Together they created a fluid and organic sound that managed to successfully combine seemingly incompatible traditions. After a number of very successful live concerts and albums they disbanded.The group was reformed in 1997 under the name 'Remember Shakti' with new talents from India like V. Selvanganesh who replaced his father 'Vikku' and the young prodigy 'Mandolin' U. Shrinivas who replaced L. Shankar. In 2000 the young Indian Classical singer Shankar Mahadevan joined the group as the first vocal element in the group.Through interviews with the original founding members John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain the film uncovers the quest for breaking new musical ground that led to the creation of their own brand of music.These interviews are interwoven with rare and exclusive historical footage of the group from the 70s to the present day. The film also introduces the younger generation of Shakti and their views on its ever-evolving music.A 45 minutes live coverage film called 'Sound check' shot at a Remember Shakti concert in Paris (New Morning Club) in 2004 featuring a behind the scenes look at the group.A 55 minutes live concert in Bombay in 2000 called 'Saturday Night in Bombay'.Two live concert videos of the group shot in Montreux Jazz Festival in 1976 and 2004.

• Fame Academy - The Winner's Story | DVD | (20/01/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  David Sneddon was the super talented winner of Fame Academy and this is the extraordinary story of his journey from obscurity to super stardom! David's story reveals the blossoming of an unknown talent and follows him from his very first audition right through to the final live showdown watched by over 8 million people. Packed with footage unseen on BBC1 live performances exclusive interviews rehearsals and acoustic sessions David's Story documents all the tears excitement and laughs that happened on his amazing journey.

• Best Of Jazz Open 1998 | DVD | (20/04/2001) from £21.58   |  Saving you £-1.59 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Best of Jazz Open 1998 is not, as the title suggests, highlights from the entire "jazzopen" music festival which took place in Stuttgart in July 1998, but performances taken from the closing evening concert dedicated to the so-called "pope of jazz", presenter, festival organiser and producer Joachim-Ernst Berendt. The musicians were chosen in collaboration with Berendt, resulting in some remarkable music-making from the haunting solo trombone of Albert Mangelsdorff, to the breathtaking duel/duet between Robert Majewski's trumpet and Hendryk Miskiewicz's saxophone which forms the climax of "Night Time Day Time-Requiem". Though obviously improvised one might argue whether the virtuoso digitally processed performance by Urszula Dudziak is jazz at all, while saxophonist John Handy joins forces with traditional Indian musicians the Maharaj Brothers moving eloquently in the world/fusion/crossover territory more famously explored by John McLaughlin. Appropriately they give way to the John McLaughlin Group itself, "Social Climate" offering an atmospheric mood piece for Gary Thomas' fine flute playing, leading to a rousing electric guitar climax by McLaughlin. A mixed bag from which some tracks will appeal more than others, it is regrettable that the complete concert was not included; this 57-minute collection looks as if it was originally edited to fill a one-hour TV slot. On the DVD: There are no special features except two trailers for classical DVDs. The programme is presented in standard TV 4:3 and is sharp and detailed, though there are occasional compression artefacts. The sound is stereo and while full and clear the mixes sometimes so favour the lead instrument that other details such as cymbal hits can be seen but barely heard. --Gary S. Dalkin

• Music To Get Excited By - Vol. 1 | DVD | (19/09/2005) from £10.78   |  Saving you £-2.79 (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Tracklist: 1. Little Man - Art Blakey And Jazz Messengers 2. Gypsy Folk Tales - Art Blakey And Jazz Messengers 3. Birks Works - Dizzy Gillespie 4. Morning Of The Carnival - John Laughlin 5. Sotto Il Tiglio - Angelo Branduardi 6. Hightown Fair - Angelo Branduardi 7. La Pulce D'Aqua - Angelo Branduardi

• Music To Get Excited By - Vol. 2 | DVD | (19/09/2005) from £10.78   |  Saving you £-2.79 (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Tracklist: 1. Men Are Like Streetcars - Bonnie Koloc 2. There's A Space In The Place - Bonnie Koloc 3. It Ain't Easy - Long John Baldrey 4. Everyday I Have The Blues - Long John Baldry 5. Entres Dos Aguas - John McLaughlin Paco Da Lucia & Larry Coryell 6. Lotus Feet - John McLaughlin Paco Da Lucia & Larry Coryell 7. Dust My Broom - David Bromberg 8. Chump Man Blues - David Bromberg 9. I'll Never Be Your Fools - David Bromberg