"Actor: John S"

• 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

• Land Of The Dead Blu-Ray | Blu Ray | (15/02/2021) from £14.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  It has been two decades since master filmmaker George A. Romero's zombies have scared audiances around the globe. For years, fans have been eagerly awaiting his return. And now the day is here. An all-new chapter of horror has arrived. Now that zombies have taken over the world, the living have built a walled-in city to keep the dead out. But all's not well where it's most safe, as a revolution plans to overthrow the city's leadership, and the zombies are turning into more advanced creatures. George A. Romero's Land of the Dead is the acclaimed director's long awaited return to the genre he invented. BE SCARED Bonus Features Disc 1 Cholo's Reckoning: An Interview with Actor John Leguizamo Charlie's Story: An Interview with Actor Robert Joy The Pillsbury Actor: An Interview with Actor Pedro Miguel Arce Four of the Apocalypse: An Interview with Actors Eugene Clark, Jennifer Baxter, Boyd Banks and Jasmin Geljo Theatrical Trailer Dream of the Dead Documentary Dream of the Dead with Audio Commentary by Director Roy Frumkes Deleted Scenes from Dream of the Dead Disc 2 Unrated Version of the Feature Feature Commentary with Director George A. Romero, Producer Peter Grunwald and Editor Michael Doherty Feature Commentary with Zombie Performers Matt Blazi, Glena Chao, Michael Felsher and Rob Mayr When Shaun Met George Bringing the Dead to Life Scenes of Carnage Zombie Effects: From Green Screen to Finished Scene Scream Tests: Zombie Casting Call Bringing the Storyboards to Life Undead Again : The Making of Land of the Dead A Day with the Living Dead Reversible Sleeve All New Artwork by Graham Humphreys

• The Farthest | Blu Ray | (06/11/2017) from £9.45   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  It is one of humankind s greatest achievements. More than twelve billion miles away a tiny spaceship is leaving our Solar System and entering the void of deep space the first human-made object ever to do so. Slowly dying within its heart is a nuclear generator that will beat for perhaps another decade before the lights on Voyager finally go out. But this little craft will travel on for millions of years, carrying a Golden Record bearing recordings and images of life on Earth. In all likelihood Voyager will outlive humanity. From Crossing The Line Productions, The Farthest celebrates these magnificent machines, the men and women who built them and the vision that propelled them farther than anyone could ever have hoped.

• Maggie And The Ferocious Beast - Pack Up Your Troubles | DVD | (02/04/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Maggie lives in Nowhere Land where she has drawn a map to explore with her friends The Ferocious Beast (an oversized cuddly yellow creature with red polka dots) and Hamilton Hocks (a fussy little pig with endearing talents). Are you ready to explore 12 colourful episodes with them? Episodes Comprise: 1. Pack Up Your Troubles 2. Rub-A Dub-Dub 3. The Big Carrot 4. My One And Only Box 5. Spot The Spot 6. Recipe For Trouble 7. The Lemonade Stand 8. Walk The Walk 9. What's In A Lu

• Only Fools & Horses: Series 6 | DVD | (22/09/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  You'll need no incentive to watch Series 6 of Only Fools and Horses beyond the knowledge that the very first episode of the six herein is the one in which Del takes that legendary pratfall when leaning against a non-existent bar counter. This is without doubt one of the greatest moments in British TV comedy. Other than that, what do we get? Well, this is the series in which Rodney first takes up with Cassandra. Gwyneth Strong's deftly underplayed, near-deadpan approach to the role of Rodney's soulmate is perhaps one of the most underrated elements in the show's entire run, even if the writers rather ran out of things to do with her almost at once. Ironically, then, despite her introduction, this isn't the strongest of Only Fools collections. Nevertheless, there are enough gems to remind you just why this show was such a success, among them the Spanish holiday episode in which Rodney has to pretend to be 14 and the propane-filled blow-up dolls episode, which really doesn't need a punchline. On the DVD: Only Fools and Horses, Series 6 two-disc set is presented in standard TV 4:3 ratio, with no special features--unless you count the injunctions on each disc's menu to insert the other disc if you want to watch the other episodes, "... you plonker!". --Roger Thomas

• The Colditz Story | DVD | (18/04/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  During the Second World War the Germans put many of the Allied prisoners-of-war (POWs) who had proved consistent escapees together in a maximum security fortress, the very name of which became a legend. Based on the book by Colditz escapee Major Pat Reid, The Colditz Story (1957) documents the further, sometimes successful, escape attempts of these extraordinarily brave, resourceful and indomitable men. Starring John Mills, Eric Portman, Bryan Forbes and Anton Diffring, and co-written and directed by Guy Hamilton, who later made The Battle of Britain (1969), this is a sober, even-handed account, that is gripping and informative, yet not without humour. Sterling performances from the cast of stalwart actors adds up to a British cinema classic. Such is the fascination of Colditz that in 1972-3 the BBC made a very successful drama series staring Jack Hedley, Bernard Hempton, Robert Wagner and David McCallum, while in 2000 Channel 4 offered a superb three-part documentary, Escape from Colditz. In contrast to the semi-documentary feel of The Colditz Story David Lean's classic The Bridge on the River Kwai, from the same year, is an epic and powerful account of POW life in barbaric Japanese prison camps. --Gary S. Dalkin

• Car Trouble | DVD | (02/02/2004) from £16.98   |  Saving you £-13.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  In the throes of a midlife crisis a man buys a new Jaguar and it immediately becomes his new love. What he doesn't know is that his wife is as attracted to the Jaguar salesman as he is to the car.

• An Ideal Husband | DVD | (10/04/2000) from £7.09   |  Saving you £5.90 (83.22%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Devoted womaniser and tireless party-goer Arthur Goring (Rupert Everett) is famed throughout London for his elegance, repartee and refusal to take anything seriously.

• The Pajama Game | DVD | (12/07/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  A truly joyous tale starring Doris Day as the union leader in a clothing factory. From the novel 'Seven And A Half Cents' by Richard Bissell and adapted into a successful musical which the french director Jean Luc Goddard called the first left wing operetta!

• The Incredible Shrinking Man | DVD | (06/02/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A fascinating adventure into the unknown! When an ordinary businessman encounters a mysterious radioactive mist during a boating trip his life takes a bizarre and frightening twist. Soon he finds he is shrinking and within weeks he's just two inches tall battling cats and spiders.

• The Fast Lady | DVD | (02/02/2004) from £9.48   |  Saving you £0.51 (5.38%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Murdoch Troon (Baxter) attempts to woo the daughter (Christie) of wealthy businessman Charles Chingford by impressing her with a vintage Bentley known as 'The Fast Lady'...

• The Proposition (2-Disc Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (11/04/2022) from £15.09   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  In the harsh, unforgiving landscape of the Outback, Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) is presented with an impossible proposition by local law enforcer Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone). To save his younger brother Mikey from the gallows he must track down and kill Arthur (Danny Huston), his psychotic older brother. While Charlie is forced to choose between revenge, loyalty and his own conscience, Stanley, having given up a civilised life in England, is determined to impose law and order and shield his innocent wife Martha (Emily Watson) from the brutalities of their new surroundings. A palpable sense of foreboding festers against the oppressive heat, as each character takes on their punishing moral dilemmas and the inevitable cycle of violence reaches its bloody conclusion.

• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room | DVD | (09/09/2007) from £4.90   |  Saving you £15.09 (307.96%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The inside story of one of history's greatest business scandals.

• Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan - The Complete Series | Blu Ray | (15/04/2024) from £68.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan The Complete Series includes all 4 seasons of the explosive TV drama starring four-time Emmy® Award nominee John Krasinski (A Quiet Place) as CIA analyst Jack Ryan. Follow Jack as he is thrust into dangerous field assignments in different countries across the globe. From uncovering patterns in terrorist communications and networks in the Middle East, to tracking suspicious cargo tied to far-reaching conspiracies in South America and crisscrossing Europe to prevent the cascade of destabilizing conflict and global catastrophe, Jack will stop at nothing to protect the country he loves and her allies. The stakes could not be higher. The thrilling series also stars Wendell Pierce (The Wire), Nina Hoss (The Contractor), Betty Gabriel (Get Out), Emmy Award nominee Michael Kelly (House of Cards), Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Abbie Cornish (Limitless), and Michael Peña (Cesar Chavez). This 8-disc Blu-ray collection includes every adrenaline-fueled episode plus exclusive deleted scenes.

• Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (The Criterion Collection) | Blu Ray | (17/11/2020) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• For Your Eyes Only | DVD | (03/11/2003) from £4.89   |  Saving you £15.10 (308.79%)   |  RRP £19.99

  After the lavish, effects-heavy splash of Moonraker, the twelfth Bond film and the seventh with Roger Moore concentrates more on core car-chase-and-crumpet values, evoking an almost retro feel that harks back to the first pressings of the Bond vintage in the 1960s. Starting to look a little wrinkly around the edges by this point, Roger Moore toughens his usually smarmy act up here with a gratuitous bit of killing, casually kicking a baddie and his car over a precipice, reviving memories of the ruthless streak with which Sean Connery made his name. Good old-fashioned Cold War politics lie at the heart of the plot, concerning a weapons system hijacked in the Mediterranean Bond must rescue. He's assisted by the exquisite Carole Bouquet, the only actress in history who can claim to have been both a 'Bond girl' and the star of a Luis Buñuel movie (That Obscure Object of Desire). Sadly, this is the first film to lack Bernard Lee's spymaster M, the actor having died beforehand, although British comedienne Janet Brown is on hand for an amusing Margaret Thatcher impersonation. --Leslie FelperinOn the DVD: The first audio commentary here is another one of those edited selections of interviews with sundry cast and crew members, tied together by an over-earnest host. Producer Michael G Wilson and others provide a somewhat more illuminating second commentary track. Once again the best extra feature is the "making of" documentary, which gives an almost scene-by-scene breakdown of the movie. The animated storyboard sequences will appeal to filmmaking aficionados. Avoid, if at all possible, the Sheena Easton video of arguably the most forgettable Bond song of all time (both song and score were perpetrated by series newcomer Bill Conti, not the estimable John Barry). --Mark Walker

• Whoops Apocalypse | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £5.39   |  Saving you £4.60 (85.34%)   |  RRP £9.99

  What do yo get if you mix warped British humour with political intrigue Royal kidnaps hostile invasions nuclear bombs British Task Forces mad international terrorists and the SAS? Total mayhem!

• Murphy's Law - Series 1-5 - Complete | DVD | (15/10/2007) from £28.19   |  Saving you £-3.58 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.61

  James Nesbitt plays Detective Sergeant Tommy Murphy a maverick cop with a dark past. After failing a psychiatric assessment he is given one last chance by his boss and given a dangerous undercover assignment. Murphy is a loner with little to lose and deals with everything on his own terms...

• Grudge, The (2020) | DVD | (01/06/2020) from £6.87   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Producer Sam Raimi brings us a twisted new take of the horror classic .Directed by Nicolas Pesce, THE GRUDGE stars Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin with Lin Shaye and Jacki Weaver. With a screenplay by Nicolas Pesce and a story by Nicolas Pesce and Jeff Buhler, THE GRUDGE is based on the film Ju-On: The Grudge written and directed by Takashi Shimizu. THE GRUDGE is produced by Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Taka Ichise and is executive produced by Nathan Kahane, Erin Westerman, Brady Fujikawa, Andrew Pfeffer, Roy Lee, Doug Davison, John Powers Middleton and Schuyler Weiss.

• Raising Helen | DVD | (27/12/2004) from £5.32   |  Saving you £10.67 (200.56%)   |  RRP £15.99

  When her sister and brother-in-law die in a car accident, Kate Hudson's young modeling agency assistant takes on the role as guardian of their three children.