"Actor: Ken Ward"

• Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas--Special Edition | DVD | (17/11/2003) from £4.25   |  Saving you £7.74 (182.12%)   |  RRP £11.99

  For those who never thought Disney would release a film in which Santa Claus is kidnapped and tortured, well, here it is. The full title is Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which should give you an idea of the tone of this stop-action animated musical/fantasy/horror/comedy. It is based on characters created by Burton, the former Disney animator best known as the director of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and the first two Batman movies. His benignly scary-funny sensibility dominates the story of Halloweentown resident Jack Skellington (voice by Danny Elfman, who also wrote the songs), who stumbles on a bizarre and fascinating alternative universe called ... Christmastown! Directed by Henry Selick (who later made the delightful James and the Giant Peach), this PG-rated picture has a reassuringly light touch. As Roger Ebert noted in his review, "some of the Halloween creatures might be a tad scary for smaller children, but this is the kind of movie older kids will eat up; it has the kind of offbeat, subversive energy that tells them wonderful things are likely to happen." --Jim EmersonOn the DVD:This Special edition is a must for all Burton fans with the biggest gem to be found on a DVD release--"Tim Burtons Early Films" which holds his first two works. Vincent is clear predecessor of Nightmare before Christmas using the same stop-animation style and voiced superbly by Vincent Price himself; and Frankenweenie--a B&W live-action flick--takes you back to early B-movie territory seen through the eyes of a boy. Added to these films is a great special-features menu including a short documentary offering an interview with Burton, which exposes the inspiration for this magical animation and presents the three-year task of making the "Nightmare". On top of this is an in-depth commentary by director Henry Selick and Art director Pete Kozachik and layer upon layer of "character development" offering an insight into the intensity of thought that went into making these animated figures real. You also get a great selection of storyboards along with the sequences they manifest into, deleted storyboards and an animated sequence with a surprise alternative ending. The menu is beautifully animated in keeping with the style of artwork in the film. With a 1.66:1 widescreen format and Dolby digital transfer this charming DVD is perfect for Halloween, Christmas and beyond! --Nikki Disney

• Dreamer | DVD | (13/02/2006) from £4.78   |  Saving you £16.47 (467.90%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning star in this equestrian family drama.

• Dallas - Season 14 | DVD | (21/03/2011) from £25.63   |  Saving you £-0.64 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The 14th and final season of Dallas finds ruthless oil executive J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) escaping from a mental institution then resuming his Herculean efforts to wrest control of Ewing Oil from his brother Bobby (Patrick Duffy). Episodes Comprise: 1. April in Paris 2. Charade 3. One Last Kiss 4. Terminus 5. Tunnel of Love 6. Heart and Soul 7. The Fabulous Ewing Boys 8. The Odessa File 9. Sail On 10. Lock Stock and Jock 11. 'S' Is for Seduction 12. Designing Women 13. 90265 14. Smooth Operator 15. Win Some Lose Some 16. Fathers and Sons and Fathers and Sons 17. When the Wind Blows 18. Those Darned Ewings 19. Farewell My Lovely 20. Some Leave Some Get Carried Out 21. The Decline and Fall of the Ewing Empire 22. Conundrum

• The Horse Soldiers | DVD | (01/03/2004) from £12.01   |  Saving you £0.98 (8.16%)   |  RRP £12.99

  John Wayne teams with William Holden and eminent western director John Ford for this frontier actioner. Written by John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin this faithful representation of one of the most daring cavalry exploits in history is both a moving tribute to the men who fought and died in that bloody war and a powerful action-packed drama. Based on an actual Civil War incident The Horse Soldiers tells the rousing tale of a troop of Union Soldiers who force their way deep into Sou

• Joe Dirt | DVD | (05/11/2001) from £20.00   |  Saving you £-0.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Former "Saturday Night Live" star David Spade stars as Joe Dirt, an idiot who works as an oil weller who is on the search for his parents who abandoned him when he was a baby at the grand canyon.

• Carry On Don't Lose Your Head | DVD | (17/02/2003) from £6.64   |  Saving you £6.35 (95.63%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Carry On Don't Lose Your Head parodies the adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel, with crinkly cackling Sid James as master of disguise the Black Fingernail and Jim Dale as his assistant Lord Darcy. He must rescue preposterously effete aristocrat Charles Hawtrey from the clutches of Kenneth Williams' fiendish Citizen Camembert and his sidekick Citizen Bidet (Peter Butterworth). The Black Fingernail is assisted in his efforts to thwart the birth of the burgeoning republic by the almost supernatural stupidity of his opponents, who fail to recognise the frankly undisguisable Sid James even when dressed as a flirty young woman. What with an executioner who is tricked into beheading himself in order to prove the efficacy of his own guillotine, it's all a little too easy. As usual, no groan-worthy pun is left unturned, or unheralded by the soundtrack strains of a long whistle or wah-wah trumpet. This is pretty silly stuff even by Carry On standards, with most of the cast barely required to come out of first gear and an overlong climactic swordfight sequence hardly raising the dramatic stakes. Most of the humour here resides neither in the script nor the characterisation but in the endlessly watchable Williams' whooping, nasal delivery (occasionally lapsing into broad Cockney) and the jowl movements of the always-underrated Butterworth. --David Stubbs

• Naked Gun 33. 1/3 - The Final Insult | DVD | (09/04/2001) from £6.24   |  Saving you £9.75 (156.25%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Oscar night. Who will win? Who will lose? And will someone please kick that numbskull offstage? Wait! That's no ordinary numbskull. That's Lt Frank Drebin crashing the ceremonies to stop a terrorist plot that could mean curtains for him - or will a simple window shade be enough? Yes back with a hilarious three-peat and a state-of-the art advance in sequel numbering are the filmmakers you love the returning stars you adore plus others getting Naked for the first time: Fred Ward

• Rambo | DVD | (23/06/2008) from £4.98   |  Saving you £15.01 (301.41%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In Thailand, John Rambo (Stallone) assembles a group of mercenaries and leads them up the Salween River to a Burmese village where a group of Christian Aid workers are being held hostage.

• The Thorn Birds: Series 1 | DVD | (01/11/2004) from £13.24   |  Saving you £7.75 (58.53%)   |  RRP £20.99

  The second most-watched mini-series (after Roots) of all time, The Thorn Birds was originally broadcast in 1983 and captivated viewers with its story of a lifelong conflict between the spirit and the flesh. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Colleen McCullough, the production stars Richard Chamberlain as a Catholic priest named Ralph de Bricassart, whose life in Australia between 1920 and 1962 is one long torment as he pines for his lover, Meggie Carson (Rachel Ward), while seeking advancement in his clergyman career. The passion and the guilt make for compelling drama, but a stellar cast of supporting players adds muscle to the proceedings: Barbara Stanwyck (who won an Emmy for her work as Meggie's tough grandmother), Jean Simmons, Richard Kiley, Christopher Plummer, Bryan Brown, and Mare Winningham. Chamberlain, who was something of the king of the miniseries form at the time, is very good in the lead, as is the often-underrated Ward. Their affair is indeed irresistible to watch, which proves to be true, too, of the story's thick weave of church politics, forbidden desire, social change over decades, and family secrets. --Tom Keogh

• Messiah - The First Killings / The Reckoning | DVD | (27/01/2003) from £6.68   |  Saving you £9.31 (139.37%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The on-screen infatuation with serial killers continues with Messiah, an absorbing, intelligent two-part BBC TV film that's a close cousin to David Fincher's Seven. Based on the novel by Boris Starling (who also co-wrote the screenplay), Messiah follows Detective Chief Inspector Red Metcalfe (Ken Stott) in tracking down someone with a Christ complex in a murder-case involving 12 "Apostles". A fine line is trod in presenting enough horror so as to intrigue, but not so much as to repel. Decapitations, cut out tongues and flayed skin are all masked in shadow or reflection. More attractive to the eye is a strong cast including Edward Woodward as the case's religious consultant and the keeper of Metcalfe's wayward brother and Michelle Forbes as his deaf wife (the actress learnt sign language in six days for the part). Other notables are Ron Berglas as the unemotional expositional pathologist and Gillian Taylforth as the beleaguered wife of corruptible copper Duncan (Neil Dudgeon). With fine supporting work from Frances Grey, Jamie Draven, Art Malik and 25,000 flies, you'll be racking your brains to spot the killer. Expect to jump several times along the way. On the DVD: a 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary interviews all the key cast members on their thoughts of grisly imagery and working with one another. The producers have plenty to say on the original script and use of red herrings to distract us. Writer Boris Starling is comically talked to while in make-up as one of the victims. A few (wisely) deleted scenes, text biographies of cast and crew and a gallery of 12 photos round out the extras package. --Paul Tonks

• The Net | DVD | (01/08/2005) from £10.76   |  Saving you £-1.78 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  The Net, the first of Hollywood's big cyber-thrillers of the mid-1990s, was also the most successful, thanks in large part to the natural appeal of star Sandra Bullock. Still riding high from Speed and While You Were Sleeping, Bullock plays a computer expert victimised by sinister cyber-forces who steal her identity for reasons unknown. It's a clever combination of high-tech paranoia and Hitchcockian references (including Jeremy Northam as a romantic stranger named Devlin, after Cary Grant in Notorious). Film historians may look back someday on films like this--Roger Ebert calls them "hacksploitation"--to see what they reveal about our society's reaction to the increasing role of technology in our lives, just as we now study the fears of Communism and the atom bomb reflected in films of the 1950s. Dennis Miller and Diane Baker co-star. --Jim Emerson, Amazon.com

• Lassie | DVD | (10/04/2006) from £6.75   |  Saving you £13.24 (196.15%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Lassie has to try and make her way home in time for Christmas in this charming family movie.

• The Net | DVD | (09/09/2002) from £7.40   |  Saving you £5.59 (75.54%)   |  RRP £12.99

  For a while The Net looked like it was going to be quickly outdated by the technology it showcased. But now we know that anyone can personalise their systems and Internet search engines, so the colourful displays endlessly intercut on Sandra Bullock's screens look perfectly contemporary. As a movie, the concept was already outdated by the time of its 1995 release, however. The plot takes pains to emulate the style and formula of a Hitchcock chase thriller. There's a computer disc "McGuffin" being sought after by conspiratorial baddies; while the lonely hero on the run is eminently sympathetic yet attractively flawed. Bullock, though, was perfectly cast at a point well before her star status took over. Although some of the suspense contrivances may seem simplistically predictable, there's an undeniable fascination in the theme of losing one's identity. Everywhere Bullock turns she's faced with either a bald reflection or mirroring metaphor of how the computer age strips us of individuality. And, indeed, privacy. Sooner or later, the technology will become outdated of course. Until then, be careful how you surf. On the DVD: The Net comes to disc in Dolby 5.1 sound and widescreen 1.85:1. It's hard to choose between the two commentaries included. Both the Writer's and the joint talk from the Director and Producer are crammed with anecdotal reference (with a little overlap). Then there are two documentaries of about 20 minutes each, but here the newest is by far the most interesting. Trailers and filmographies fill out the package. --Paul Tonks

• Dawn Of The Dead | DVD | (04/10/1999) from £17.00   |  Saving you £0.99 (5.82%)   |  RRP £17.99

  George Romero's 1978 follow-up to his classic Night of the Living Dead is quite terrifying and gory (those zombies do like the taste of living flesh). But in its own way, it is just as comically satiric as the first film in its take on contemporary values. This time, we follow the fortunes of four people who lock themselves inside a shopping mall to get away from the marauding dead and who then immerse themselves in unabashed consumerism, taking what they want from an array of clothing and jewellery shops, making gourmet meals, etc. It is Romero's take on Louis XVI in the modern world: keep the starving masses at bay and crank up the insulated indulgence. Still, this is a horror film when all is said and done and even some of Romero's best visual jokes (a Hare Krishna turned blue-skinned zombie) can make you sweat. --Tom Keogh

• At First Sight | DVD | (01/02/2000) from £9.43   |  Saving you £6.56 (69.57%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The tagline states, "Only love can bring you to your senses." Well, your senses have to be pretty dulled to love At First Sight. On paper the story--based on the writings of medical writer extraordinaire Oliver Sacks (Awakenings)--is intriguing: a blind man regains sight after surgery yet can never connect with what he sees, including a lovely new girlfriend. Indeed, maybe blind was better. From such interesting stuff (and a talented cast) comes a tepid love story and an unconvincing drama. Val Kilmer plays Virgil, a serene resort worker who plays hockey in the dark and is the best masseur this side of the Catskills. Onto his table comes Amy, a bone-weary NYC architect (Mira Sorvino) who cries the first time Virgil does his magic. Instead of a voyage into the world of blindness, Amy's first instinct is to take Virgil to an eye doctor who can restore sight (Bruce Davison). Virgil receives sight, crumbling the trust between him and Amy. The clichés start building up and by the time Amy is wooed by her ex-husband (Steven Weber), her boss no less, one's patience wears thin. The medical curiosities of the story--Virgil can see an item but can't grasp what it is until he touches it--do not translate well on screen. The film's liveliest character is Nathan Lane as a teacher of the blind. A scene with Virgil that gets to the heart of his ailment is so filled with spontaneity, one wonders if it was scripted or simply Lane's own extemporaneous dialogue. After an admirable start as a director (Guilty by Suspicion), Oscar-winning producer Irwin Winkler has not been able to put cinematic highs or believable angst into his films (The Net, Night in the City). At First Sight may look good but it is blind where it counts. --Doug Thomas

• Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult | Blu Ray | (10/09/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Oscar night. Who will win? Who will lose? And will someone please kick that numbskull off stage? Wait! That's no ordinary numbskull. That's Lt. Frank Drebin, crashing the ceremonies to stop a terrorist plot that could mean curtains for him - or will a simple window shade be enough? Yes, back for a hilarious threepeat and a state-of-the-art advance in sequel numbering are the filmmakers you love, the returning stars you adore, plus others getting Naked for the first time: Fred Ward, Anna Nicol...

• Dawn Of The Dead - Uncut | DVD | (14/04/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The quite terrifying and gory Dawn of the Dead was George Romero's 1978 follow-up to his classic 1968 Night of the Living Dead. But it is also just as comically satiric as the first film in its take on contemporary values. This time, we follow the fortunes of four people who lock themselves inside a shopping centre to get away from the marauding dead and who then immerse themselves in unabashed consumerism, taking what they want from an array of clothing and jewellery shops, making gourmet meals and so on. It is Romero's take on Louis XVI in the modern world: keep the starving masses at bay and crank up the insulated indulgence. Still, this is a horror film after all and even some of Romero's best visual jokes (a Hare Krishna turned blue-skinned zombie) can make you sweat. --Tom Keogh

• Carry On Screaming | DVD | (27/08/2001) from £9.35   |  Saving you £6.64 (71.02%)   |  RRP £15.99

  One of the funniest Carry Ons ever! Who is stealing virgins and turning them into shop-window mannequins? What is the meaning of the gigantic hairy finger found at the scene of the latest crime? What clues can the mad professor or his deathly pale and impossibly buxom sister provide to the hopeless Detective Bung?

• Charlotte's Web/Lassie/Paulie | DVD | (06/10/2008) from £10.78   |  Saving you £2.21 (20.50%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Titles Comprise: Charlotte's Web: Wilbur the pig is scared of the end of the season because he knows that come that time he will end up on the dinner table. He hatches a plan with Charlotte a spider that lives in his pen to ensure that this will never happen. Lassie: Based on Eric Knight's 1938 novel about the most trustworthy of pooches Lassie Come Home the film is set on the eve of World War II in a Yorkshire mining town in northern England. The Carraclough family fall on hard times and have to sell Lassie to the Duke of Rudling (Peter O'Toole). Transported to the Duke's remote castle in the north of Scotland Lassie is determined to escape from the clutches of the Duke and his evil trainer in an effort to make her way home for Christmas and return to the family she loves... Paulie: When a little bird with a big personality sets out to find the loving girl who raised him he discovers his way with words has a way of landing him in big trouble. But as fast as he can talk himself into a fix he finds his gift of gab a heart full of hope and an odd menagerie of human friends can help him realize his most important dream - to be home at last!

• Crossing Jordan - Complete Series | DVD | (24/02/2020) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A