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
Based on the novels by Robert Louis Stevenson and directed by Oscar-winning Delbert Mann, this epic, star-studded adventure sees Michael Caine in the role of a Jacobite rebel who befriends an orphan fleeing a life of slavery. A strong drama with a moving score from Roy Budd (and end theme sung by folk legend Mary Hopkin), Kidnapped co-stars Jack Hawkins, Donald Pleasence, Trevor Howard and Gordon Jackson. It is featured here as a brand-new High Definition restoration from original film materials in its original Panavision aspect ratio. 1746: as defeated Jacobite rebels flee government forces in the aftermath of the battle at Culloden, eighteen-year-old orphan David Balfour's attempt to claim his inheritance results in his incarceration on a slaver ship heading for the West Indies. Luckily for David the ship's captain runs afoul of Alan Breck, and both Breck and David make their bloody escape. SPECIAL FEATURES Original theatrical trailer Production featurette A Tale and a Half: 2020 Vivien Heilbron interview Archive Michael Caine interviews Image gallery
Sometimes a day is all it takes. Today Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) metro editor of a New York tabloid has some very big decisions to make. His heavily pregnant wife (Marisa Tomei) is facing urgent deadlines of her own. Henry' boss the managing editor (Glenn Close) is also reaching a crisis in her life and her senior (Robert Duvall) has just discovered he is an extremely sick man. To top it all the paper is in pursuit of a hot story that could expose a major scandal and fre
To protect serve... and entertain. The comic crimebusters are back! An anti-social nut job and his leathered band of pranksters are on the prowl spray-painting the town red and emptying the pockets of anyone sharing the sidewalk. In the wake of this crime wave you might wonder where the educational system went wrong. But then again consider the Police Academy. For when the newly graduated misfits in blue tangle with these pinheaded punkers in Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment the result is an open-and-shut case of nonstop hilarity. Steve Guttenberg George Gaynes and other Police Academy originals return to the roll call facing the formidable Bobcat Goldthwait in the tailor-made role of the wacked-out gangleader. It's a riot - a laugh-riot - in the streets!
BIRDMAN or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton) - famous for portraying an iconic superhero - as he struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family his career and himself
Kyle a talented high-school basketball player has a dream to play for the National Association. Shep a security guard at his school befriends Kyle guiding him down the road to success: a road that seems far too long when Kyle is offered a short cut by teaming up with local gangster Birdie. Blinded by his desire to get out of the ""hood"" Kyle is pulled into a web of crime and deceit...
A Bridge Too Far, Official UK region B release, includes trailers, 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio, widescreen 2:35:1
This direct-to-video feature, which serves as a lead-in to the Disney animated TV series, continues the adventures of Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story films--and introduces the new supporting cast. Buzz battles the evil Emperor Zurg, who steals the "Unimind", a device that enables three-eyed aliens to function as a single intellect. The aliens, referred to as "LGMs" (little green men), form the support crew that keep Star Command running, but as individual thinkers, they're inept. During the course of this tongue-in-cheek adventure, Buzz acquires the sidekicks who form Team Lightyear: Booster, an oversized, overeager alien; XR (short for "Experimental Ranger"), one of the aliens' less successful robot inventions; and the inevitable spunky girl, Princess Mira Nova of the planet Tangeah. The two-dimensional, hand-drawn figure of the three-dimensional, computer-generated Buzz recalls the animated versions of live performers who populated Saturday morning TV during the 1980s. This adventure is typical of current kidvid: it has more special effects and sight gags than the cartoons of 20 years ago did, but the violence-free battles feel very tame. Buzz Lightyear may engage kids who play with the toys, but it won't appeal to the adults who flocked to the brilliant Toy Story features. --Charles Solomon, Amazon.com
This rousing musical, based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, takes place in pre-revolutionary Russia and centres on the life of Tevye (Topol), a milkman who is trying to keep his family's traditions in place while marrying off his three older daughters. Yet, times are changing and the daughters want to make their own matches, breaking free of many of the constricting customs required of them by Judaism. In the background of these events, Russia is on the brink of revolution and Jews are feeling increasingly unwelcome in their villages. Tevye--who expresses his desire for sameness in the opening number, "Tradition"--is trying to keep everyone, and everything, together. The movie is strongly allegorical--Tevye represents the common man--but it does it dextrously, and the resulting film is a stunning work of art. The music is excellent (it won Oscars for the scoring and the sound), with plenty of familiar songs such as "Sunrise, Sunset" and "If I Were a Rich Man," which you'll be humming long after the movie is over. Isaac Stern's violin--he provides the music for the fiddler on the roof--is hauntingly beautiful. And despite the serious subject matter, the film is quite comedic in parts; it also well deserves the Oscar it won for cinematography. --Jenny Brown
Monty Python alumnus Michael Palin writes and stars in this ribald comedy of sex and sensibility. Timid Reverend Charles Fortescue returns to London in 1906 after ten years of service in Africa to start a mission to save the fallen women of Soho. But his dedication to tending to the needs of those in his care soon meets with the disapproval of the church and his patron. Directed by Richard Loncraine (Richard III, Bellman & True), The Missionary is a charming and beautifully detailed comedy which boasts a superb supporting cast that includes Maggie Smith, Trevor Howard, Denholm Elliott, Michael Hordern, Graham Crowden and Neil Innes. This world Blu-ray premiere edition boasts a stunning new 2K restoration from the original negatives, supervised and approved by cinematographer Peter Hannan and director Richard Loncraine, finally enabling the film to be seen in its original 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio for the first time ever on any home video format. Limited Edition Features: New 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films from the original negative, supervised and approved by cinematographer Peter Hannan and director Richard Loncraine Original stereo audio Audio commentary with director Richard Loncraine (2019) Making the Missionary (2019): featuring new and exclusive interviews with stars Michael Palin and Maggie Smith Interview with Shuna Harwood (2019): new interview with the costume designer Interview with Mike Moran (2019): the film's composer discusses his collaborations with HandMade Films Interview with Ken Lintott (2019): new interview with the make-up artist Interview with Tony Jackson (2019): new interview with the sound recordist Rob Deering on ˜The Missionary' (2019): an appreciation by the comedian, musician and writer Theatrical trailer Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by John Oliver, extracts from Michael Palin's diaries on the film's location shooting, archival interviews with Palin, an overview of contemporary critical responses, archival articles, and film credits First ever home video presentation in the film's original 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio World premiere on Blu-ray Limited Edition of 5,000 copies All extras subject to change
They were perfect strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush, and the ruthless killers realise one of them is a police informer. But which one? Critically acclaimed for its raw power and br
BIRDMAN or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton) - famous for portraying an iconic superhero - as he struggles to mount a Broadway play.
On a dark, wet and thundery night in 1934, a family of chancers and greedy money-grabbers gathers at Glencliff Manor for the reading of the will of their deceased uncle - twenty years after his death! It's a perfect weather for the reading of a will that will set every member of the family squabbling - and it also happens to be the same night that a murderous inmate escapes from the local asylum... With a penchant for all things feline, the escapee descends upon the rain-washed manor with his claws sharpened. But is the unwanted visitor behind the series of murders that take place or is the culprit closer to home?
'The criminals and us - we're all in the same business. The difference is our clients pay us to keep one jump ahead of the criminal mind. Diagnosis? Call the police. Prognosis? Call Welbeck 3269.' Meet The Protectors: Ian Souter Robert Shoesmith and their Girl Friday Heather Keys. Their motto: 'We Sell Security'. Their object: to prevent crime. Operating from a smart Marylebone office they form a high-powered private investigation team dedicated to fighting crooks and forestalling crimes of all kinds in the twilight borderland between the underworld and the policeman's beat. This classic ABC adventure series stars former RSC player Andrew Faulds as the fiercely moral Souter a Black Watch officer turned private detective; Michael Atkinson is fellow troubleshooter Shoesmith an ex-policeman with an unnervingly acute understanding of the mind and methods of the criminal; and Ann Morrish is secretary and confidante Heather a former auctioneers' assistant with a sharp eye for art fakes and forgeries. Originally screened in 1964 - predating its ITC namesake by eight years - the complete series is made available here for the first time in any format.
The cult classic about two unemployed actors returns ot the big screens some twenty years after it's debut.
The young D'Artagnan (Michael York) arrives in Paris with dreams of becoming a king's musketeer. He meets and quarrels with three men Athos (Oliver Reed) Porthos (Frank Finlay) and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain) each of whom challenges him to a duel. D'Artagnan finds out that they are musketeers and is invited to join them in their efforts to oppose Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) who wishes to increase his already considerable power over the king. D'Artagnan must also juggle
This is a John Wayne Western double-bill featuring The Comancheros (1961) and The Undefeated (1969). Nobody made a fuss about The Comancheros when it came out, yet it has proved to be among the most enduringly entertaining of John Wayne's later Westerns. The Duke, just beginning to crease and thicken toward Rooster Cogburn proportions, plays a veteran Texas Ranger named Jake Cutter who joins forces with a New Orleans dandy (Stuart Whitman) to subdue rampaging Indians and the evil white men behind their uprising. The Comancheros was the last credit for Michael Curtiz (Casablanca), who, ravaged by cancer, ceded much of the direction to Wayne (uncredited) and action specialist Cliff Lyons. With support from Wayne stalwarts James Edward Grant (co-screenplay) and William Clothier (camera), the first of many rousing Elmer Bernstein scores for a Wayne picture and a big, flavourful cast including Lee Marvin (the once and future Liberty Valance), Nehemiah Persoff, Bruce Cabot, and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams (in his last movie), they made a broad, cheerfully bloodthirsty adventure movie for red-meat-eating audiences of all ages. In The Undefeated Wayne and Rock Hudson each play a Civil War commander who, after the ceasefire, lead a community of folks into Mexico to make a fresh start. Hudson is a Southern gentleman; Wayne commanded the Yankee cavalry at Shiloh, where Hudson's brother died. Nevertheless, Rock, with his extended family, and Duke, with his troop of cowboys and 3,000 horses to sell to Emperor Maximilian, soon join forces to outgun banditos and beam paternally over the budding romance between their respective daughter and son. Lingering North-South animosities are celebrated in an obligatory communal fistfight, and the showdown with both Maximilian's lancers and the rebel Juaristas is disconcertingly perfunctory. --Richard T Jameson
Father Of The Bride: the feel-good smash-hit comedy about the outrageous trials and tribulations of a well-intentioned father going through the - mental and physical - preparations for his only daughter's wedding. The prenuptial pandemonium begins when the bride-to-be announces her engagement setting off on an outrageous chain of events including a chaotic first meeting with the in-laws and a wedding day snowstorm. Starring Steve Martin Diane Keaton and Martin Short this
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover is both adored and detested for its combination of sumptuous beauty and revolting decadence. Few directors polarise audiences in the same way as Peter Greenaway, a filmmaker as influenced by Jacobean revenge tragedy and 17th-century painting as by the French New Wave. A vile, gluttonous thief (Michael Gambon) spews hate and abuse at a restaurant run by a stoic French cook (Richard Bohringer), but under the thief's nose his wife (the ever-sensuous Helen Mirren) conducts an affair with a bookish lover (Alan Howard). Clothing (by avant-garde designer Jean-Paul Gaultier) changes colour as the characters move from room to room. Nudity, torture, rotting meat, and Tim Roth at his sleaziest all contribute the atmosphere of decay and excess. Not for everyone, but for some, essential. --Bret Fetzer
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy