"Actor: Maria C"

• The Ultimate Predator Collection - Predator 1 and 2 | DVD | (18/06/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  In the original Predator, Rambo meets Alien in a terrific science fiction thriller directed by John McTiernan just a year before Die Hard made him Hollywood's most sought-after director of action-packed blockbusters. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite squad of US Army commandos to a remote region of South American jungle, where they've been assigned to search for South American officials who've been kidnapped by terrorists. Instead they find a load of skinned corpses hanging from the trees and realise that they're now facing a mysterious and much deadlier threat. As the squad is picked off one by one, Arnold finds himself pitted against a hideous alien creature that's heavily armed and wearing a spacesuit enabling the creature to render itself invisible. The title says it all in describing the relentless, escalating action that follows, maintained by McTiernan with an abundance of visual flair. The film's special effects are still impressive, and stunning locations in the Mexican jungles create a combined atmosphere of verdant beauty and imminent danger. The sequel, Predator 2, suffers from the lack of both original star Schwarzenegger and director McTiernan. Danny Glover does serviceable work as the hard-bitten city cop tracking the near-invisible Predator, who this time has chosen to do a bit of hunting on the streets of LA instead of the jungle. Look out for an Alien skull in the creature's trophy room --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

• Just A Gigolo (Standard Edition) | DVD | (08/11/2021) from £6.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Crisis | DVD | (29/03/2004) from £8.49   |  Saving you £11.50 (57.50%)   |  RRP £19.99

  18 year old Nelly (Inga Landgre) lives a quiet life in a small town with her foster mother. There she makes a living giving piano lessons and letting a room to Ulf (Allan Bohlin) who is in love with her. Despite her financial problems Nelly's foster mother manages to save enough money to buy a new dress to wear at a charity ball. However when Nelly's real mother Jenny (Marianne Lfgren) also buys a dress Nelly wears this instead. Attracted by the glamorous garment and the pr

• A Bullet For The General | DVD | (01/09/2008) from £9.98   |  Saving you £5.01 (50.20%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Klaus Kinski and Lou Castel star in this searing Spaghetti western. A gang of mexican rebels attempts to rob a munitions train in the hope that they can sell the cargo to General Elias a revolutionary determined to bring down the Mexican government. One of the passengers Bill Tate agrees to help the bandits. However his true goal is to kill the General...!

• Bread And Roses | DVD | (13/01/2003) from £19.99   |  Saving you £-10.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A powerful film, "Bread and Roses" sees acclaimed UK director Ken Loach take on the City of Angels in his first US-set effort, based around the true-life janitors strike that hit the city in 1999.

• Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) -- Glyndebourne | DVD | (26/04/2004) from £6.59   |  Saving you £12.66 (237.52%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Funny fast and furious Rossini's masterpiece Il Barbiere di Siviglia is one of the most popular of comic operas with its sparkling and stylish score. John Cox's innovative production for Glyndebourne Festival Opera with good looking authentic designs by William Dudley put plenty of fizz into this old favourite and was a real hit with the critics. The usual Glyndebourne hallmarks of team work and extended rehersal paid handsome dividends in this production filmed in 1982.

• Three | DVD | (10/07/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Thriller starring Billy Zane and Kelly Brook. When wealthy Texas businessman Jack (Zane) takes a trip in his private yacht to the South Seas with his trophy wife Jennifer (Brook), it seems that the couple's happiness is complete. However, when the yacht capsizes Jennifer and hired hand Manuel (Juan Pablo Di Pace) barely make it alive to shore. Upon discovering themselves deserted on the tropical island, the two endeavour to set up camp but it's not long before their animal attractions overwhelm them. When Jack washes up alive on the same beach some time later, the trio must survive not only the elements but each other as tensions turn deadly.

• Superman / Superman 2 | DVD | (24/09/2001) from £8.89   |  Saving you £22.10 (248.59%)   |  RRP £30.99

  Modern blockbuster cinema came of age with the release of three huge science fiction/fantasy extravaganzas in the late 1970s. In 1978 Superman was the last of these, a gigantic hit unfairly overshadowed by Star Wars (1977) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Christopher Reeve is completely convincing as both Superman and mild-mannered alter ego Clarke Kent, sparking real chemistry with Margot Kidder's fellow reporter Lois Lane. Though the tone becomes lighter and introduces comedy as Superman battles arch-nemesis Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) the film succeeds because Donner plays the titular character straight. From Marlon Brando's heavyweight cameo to the surprisingly wrenching finale, Superman unfolds as an epic modern myth, a spiritual fable for a secular age and a fantastic entertainment for the young at heart. With breathtaking production design, special effects, gorgeous cinematography, thrilling set-pieces, wit, romance and John Williams' extraordinarily rich music score, Superman has the power to make you believe a man can fly.Although Superman II is credited to director Richard Lester the film is largely the work of Richard Donner, who shot 70 per cent of the footage back-to-back with Superman at a staggering combined cost of $55 million. Indeed, while each film works perfectly well alone, together they form four-and-a-half hours of the finest fantasy in cinema history. Superman II sees the release of the three super-villains exiled at the beginning of Superman, then without the need to tell Superman's origins offers a full two hours of rip-roaring comic-book action. The villains, led by a marvellously menacing Terrance Stamp, prove stronger adversaries than Lex Luthor, while Clarke's romance with Lois Lane is developed through polished comedy and a serious subplot in which Superman must chose between love and duty. From an atom bomb on the Eiffel Tower to an epic battle amid the skyscrapers of Metropolis (New York) the action and special effects are superb, the characters portrayed with verve and the story delivered with just the right amount of seriousness. A rousing entertainment very nearly as fine as its predecessor, the wirework battles paved the way for Hong Kong's seminal Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain (1983) and ultimately The Matrix (1999).On the DVD: Superman is presented in an extended director's cut which adds eight minutes to the theatrical original. The restored material is so artfully integrated many viewers may not even notice, but it would have been nice to at least have the opportunity to watch the original via seamless branching. The sound has been remixed into extraordinarily powerful Dolby Digital 5.1--the superb main title sequence is worth the price alone--and the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is, except for some unavoidably grainy effects shots, pristine. The commentary by Richard Donner and writer Tom Mankiewicz reveals more about the background than all but the most dedicated fan will ever need to know, while film music aficionados will revel in the opportunity to listen to John Williams' score isolated in Dolby Digital 5.1. On the second side of the disc are a eight alternate John Williams music cues, a selection of deleted scenes and the screen tests of a variety of would-be Lois Lanes, introduced and with optional commentary by casting director Lynn Stalmaster. These are fascinating, and show how right for the part Margot Kidder really was. A DVD-ROM only feature presents the storyboards plus various Web features, while the real highlight is a 90-minute documentary divided into three sections covering pre-production, filming and special effects. The picture quality on all the extras is very good indeed. An enthralling package, DVD doesn't get much better than this. In contrast to the fantastic Superman DVD the Superman II disc is a bare-bones release with the original trailer being the only extra. The anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is absolutely first-rate, but if Superman can be presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound with an isolated score there is absolutely no excuse for the sequel being offered in lacklustre stereo. --Gary S Dalkin

• Call of the Wild | DVD | (02/02/2004) from £12.97   |  Saving you £-6.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  The immortal Jack London classic tale about John Thornton (Charlton Heston) a prospector in the 1897 Klondyke gold rush trying to eke out a living in the harsh conditions of the bitterly cold Yukon region of Alaska and Buck the German Shepherd dog he befriends. Thornton struggles against unscrupulous rivals and natural hazards in the extreme conditions and is greatly helped by Buck who has his own story to tell: he was abducted from a family home and taken north to become a working sled dog. Man and dog forge a true bond of friendship working together to survive life in the treacherous frozen North.

• Cult Spaghetti Westerns Boxset | Blu Ray | (26/07/2021) from £30.62   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Shoeshine | DVD | (25/09/2006) from £49.96   |  Saving you £-29.97 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Directed by Vittorio De Sica Shoeshine (known in its native Italian language as Sciuscia a Sicilian corruption of the English word ""shoe-shiner"") was filmed on location in postwar Rome using non-professional actors. It was inspired by the real stories of those struggling to overcome the oppressive forces of a corrupt and ineffective political system. De Sica's film depicts the troubled lives of two young boys caught up in the chaos of a world plagued by poverty and unemployment. Giuseppe (Rinaldo Smordoni) and Pasquale (Franco Interlenghi) work on the street where they shine the shoes of American troops. They dream of a better life seeking solace in a horse that they ride to escape their harsh reality. When the boys are implicated in a petty crime they are punished by the society that has robbed them of their innocence resulting in tragic consequences. Shoeshine is widely regarded as one of the finest films to have emerged from the Italian neo-realist cinema and became the first foreign language film to receive an Oscar; available for the first time ever on DVD!

• Tetro | DVD | (27/09/2010) from £17.53   |  Saving you £-1.54 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Seventeen year old Italian-American Bennie arrives in Buenos Aires in search of his prodigal brother poet Tetro. On finding him the pair reflect on their troubled past with composer father Carlo.

• The Bible - Mary Magdeline | DVD | (29/11/2010) from £7.79   |  Saving you £0.20 (2.57%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Describe by many as a seductress or witch this magnificent film from 'The Bible' series tells how Mary Magdalene was also a mystic healer and politician. Her life story is graphically depicted as she confronts Herod Herodius the powerful Roman occupiers and eventually a man who is to change her life forever... Mary must choose where her life journey will go as she searches to give love and receive love she finds Jesus.

• Maria Ewing - Dido And Aeneas | DVD | (10/11/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Purcell''s much-loved tragic masterpiece is an intense tale of heroism passion betrayal and ultimate tragedy played out against a backdrop of fiery rituals evil spells and pageantry. This film was first shown on television in 1995 to celebrate the tercentenary of Purcell''s death. The American soprano Maria Ewing stars as Dido with Karl Daymond as Aeneas. They head an excellent British cast including Rebecca Evans as Belinda Sally Burgess as the Sorceress Patricia Rozario as the First Enchantress and James Bowman as the Voice of Mercury. The Collegium Musicum 90 is conducted by Richard Hickox and the film was directed by Peter Maniura. This production of Dido & Aeneas was filmed entirely on location at Hampton Court House in 1995 where spectacular settings were created in the house and grounds by the Dutch designer Niek Kortekaas. Director Peter Maniura said of the production ''Purcell''s masterpiece is a miracle of dramatic compression. Inspired by the paintings of the 17th Century I have tried to recreate a rich filmic world which places a classical love story with its heroes and heroines magic and intrigue in a Baroque setting''.

• Amer | Blu Ray | (31/01/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Three key moments all of them sensual define Ana's life. Her carnal search sways between reality and coloured fantasies becoming more and more oppressive. A black laced hand prevents her from screaming. The wind lifts her dress and caresses her thighs. A razor blade brushes her skin where will this chaotic and carnivorous journey leave her?

• Attila - Arena Di Verona | DVD | (26/09/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  An early Verdi work set in the 5th century Italy during the age of the Huns and the Ostrogoths. It tells the story of the fall of the infamous king of the Huns which proved popular with the Italians in the 1800's. This production was filmed in 1985 with Nello Santi conducting.

• Who Killed Pixote? | DVD | (29/03/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In 1980 impoverished working-class child actor Fernando Ramos da Silva was chosen from 1300 other boys to play the lead role in Hector Babenco's Pixote a film that showed the plight of Rio De Janerio's street urchins forced into criminal lives. The film earned great acclaim and Ramos da Silva received fame and fortune. Unfortunately fate and the rigidity of Brazil's social system had other more tragic plans...

• Macbeth - Verdi | DVD | (29/08/2005) from £4.99   |  Saving you £25.00 (501.00%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Carlos Alvarez takes the title role in the first of Verdi's Shakespearean operas with Maria Guleghina as the manipulative wife whose desire to gain the Scottish throne drives her husband to murder and leaves both with blood on their hands. Bruno Campanella conducts the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu in the 2004 recording of Phyllida Lloyd's powerful production first staged at London's Royal Opera House.

• The Buddy Holly Story | DVD | (25/04/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Buddy Holly laid the foundations for a generation of popular music with his ground-breaking combination of country music and rhythm and blues. This film tells his story from it's explosive beginning to its tragic end with Gary Busey giving an electrifying Oscar nominated performance (Best Actor 1978) as the young genius from Lubbock Texas who changed the tune of rock 'n' roll history. Young Buddy's studious appearance gave no hint of the 'new music' which was about to take the world by storm. His unique brand of rock 'n' roll catapulted him and the Crickets to national stardom in just three short years with hits such as 'That'll Be The Day' and 'Peggy Sue'. Despite opposition from the mainly redneck Texas community his mother who nagged him to get a proper job and his girlfriend who wanted to tame him - by the age of 22 Holly had it all but the trials and tribulations of fame began to take it's toll and his brilliant career ended in tragedy all too quickly. 'The Buddy Holly Story' is one of the best biopics ever produced for the cinema and features 12 of his greatest hit songs as well as winning the 1978 Academy Award for Best Adaptation Score. It's a dynamic tribute to one of the most influential rock 'n' rollers of all time and his legacy.

• Charlotte's Web 2 - Wilbur's Great Adventure | DVD | (02/05/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Wilbur the pig knows how important friendship is - he learned that from a spider named Charlotte. So when Wilbur meets Cardigan an unloved little lamb the pair are set for a great adventure! With colourful new characters four brand-new songs and important messages about friendship and individuality Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure is timeless family entertainment.