For over two millennia India has been at the centre of world history. But how did India come to be? What is India? These are the big questions behind this intrepid journey around the contemporary subcontinent. In this landmark series historian and acclaimed writer Michael Wood embarks on a dazzling and exciting expedition through today's India looking to the present for clues to her past and to the past for clues to her future. The journey takes the viewer through majestic landscapes and reveals some of the greatest monuments and artistic treasures on Earth. From Buddhism to Bollywood from mathematics to outsourcing Michael Wood discovers India's impact on history - and on us.
It's the summer of 1983 in Italy, and Elio (Timotheé Chalamet), a precocious 17yearold, spends his days in his family's villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading and flirting with his fried Marzia. One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a charming American scholar, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio's father, an eminent professor. Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever. Features: Snapshots of Italy: The Making of Call Me By Your Name featurette In Conversation With Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg & Luca Guadagnino Commentary With Timothée Chalamet & Michael Stuhlbarg Commentary With Luca Guadagnino Mystery of Love by Sufjan Stevens Music Video
For devoted fans and nonfans alike, Spider-Man offers nothing less--and nothing more--than what you'd expect from a superhero blockbuster. Having proven his comic-book savvy with the original Darkman, director Sam Raimi brings ample energy and enthusiasm to Spidey's origin story, nicely establishing high-school nebbish Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as a brainy outcast who reacts with appropriate euphoria--and well-tempered maturity--when a "super-spider" bite transforms him into the amazingly agile, web-shooting Spider-Man. That's all well and good, and so is Kirsten Dunst as Parker's girl-next-door sweetheart. Where Spider-Man falls short is in its hyperactive CGI action sequences, which play like a video game instead of the gravity-defying exploits of a flesh-and-blood superhero. Willem Dafoe is perfectly cast as Spidey's schizoid nemesis, the Green Goblin, and the movie's a lot of fun overall. It's no match for Superman and Batman in bringing a beloved character to the screen, but it places a respectable third. --Jeff Shannon
In Sister Act, Whoopi Goldberg plays a Reno lounge singer who hides out as a nun when her villainous boyfriend (Harvey Keitel) goes gunning for her. Maggie Smith is the mother superior who has to cope with Whoopi's unorthodox behaviour, but the cute script turns the tables and shows the latter energising the stodgy convent with song and attitude. A real crowd-pleaser and a perfect vehicle for Goldberg, this is a happy experience all around. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com Whoopi Goldberg returns in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, a gratuitous, poorly written sequel that contrives a reason to get her character back into Maggie Smith's convent. The "socially conscious" plot finds Goldberg being asked to relate to a bunch of street kids and pull them together into a choir. Since a bad guy is needed, the script grabs that old chestnut about a rich guy (James Coburn) preparing to close down the convent's school, and runs with it. The film is slow and unconvincing from start to finish, although co-stars Mary Wickes and Kathy Najimy get some good laughs, and the music is pretty spirited. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com
Low budget American sci-fi set in New York City. An invading alien army sets about colonising the cities of Earth. As the human population flee from their homes a pair of sibling astronomers realise that the aliens have no immunity against human disease and they come up with a plan to infect the aliens and save civilization from ruin.
An ultimately futile attempt to make lightning strike twice, this so-called spin-off from 1993's blockbuster The Fugitive avoids the label of "sequel" by forging ahead without the first film's star, Harrison Ford. The idea is to showcase the return of Tommy Lee Jones in his Oscar-winning role as tenacious U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard, this time testing his mettle against a covert government operative (Wesley Snipes) accused of murdering two secret service attachés. Unfortunately, Jones and the entire cast have been trapped in a rambling plot, and the underdog status that made Ford such a compelling hero is sacrificed to an evenly matched and eventually tiresome game of cat and mouse, with a villain whose identity is far too predictable. With no dramatic build-up and several superfluous characters to distract its focus, the film's momentum plays out like a rote exercise compared to the high stakes of the earlier film. --Jeff Shannon
Includes Series 1-3 of the BAFTA-winning comedy, plus This Country The Aftermath special Praised as one of the best British comedies in years, this mockumentary hit has catapulted its young writer-performers - Charlie and Daisy May Cooper - to instant star status. Feckless cousins Kerry and Lee Kurtan' Mucklowe live in the picturesque, but depressingly dull, village of in the Cotswolds. As they fritter away their days in the most pointless ways possible, they push their friendship to breaking point by constantly winding each other up. But, whether suffering the indignity of Kerry's house being pelted with plums, or celebrating the death of their old woodwork teacher with a bottle of cheap fizzy booze, these two miscreants always manage to stay loyal to each other. Special Features: Deleted Scenes
When a group of archeology students travel back in time to rescue their professor, they find they must first survive a vicious war between France and England before they can try to make it back to the 21st century.
This massive 1977 adaptation by director Richard Attenborough (Gandhi) of Cornelius Ryan's novel features an all-star cast in an epic rendering of a daring but ultimately disastrous raid behind enemy lines in Holland during the Second World War. A lengthy and exhaustive look at the mechanics of warfare and the price and futility of war, the film is almost too large for its aims but manages to be both picaresque and affecting, particularly in the performance of James Caan. The impressive cast includes Robert Redford, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Dirk Bogarde, Sean Connery, and Liv Ullmann among others. While not a classic war film, it nevertheless manages to be a consistently interesting and exciting adventure. --Robert Lane, Amazon.com
The complete collection of every episode of classic Big Apple sitcom Friends.
Master filmmaker Tim Burton's eerie and enchanting take on the classic Washington Irving tale of terror, starring Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane, an eccentric investigator determined to stop the murderous Headless Horseman. Christina Ricci is Katrina Van Tassel, the beautiful and mysterious girl with secret ties to the supernatural terror. Packed with gothic imagery and thrilling action sequences, the all-star supporting cast includes Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, and Christopher Lee. Product Features Sleepy Hollow - Behind The Legend Reflections on Sleepy Hollow
The origin story continues on GOTHAM: MAD CITY and the stakes are higher than ever, as Super Villains more ambitious and depraved are introduced, and a realignment of alliances shakes up the fight for power in Gotham City. With the Indian Hill escapees on the loose, Jim Gordon (series star BEN McKENZIE) must take matters into his own hands as a bounty hunter in Gotham, making it his mission to find Hugo Strange (recurring guest star BD WONG), the mastermind behind the horrifying Indian Hill experiments, and Fish Mooney (special guest star JADA PINKETT SMITH), one of Strange's subjects. Meanwhile, Gotham City Police Detective Harvey Bullock (series star DONAL LOGUE) and Captain Nathaniel Barnes (series star MICHAEL CHIKLIS) remain at the forefront of the fight against crime in the monster-ridden city. Also, a young Bruce Wayne (series star DAVID MAZOUZ), with the help of his trusted butler and mentor, Alfred Pennyworth (series star SEAN PERTWEE) and former Wayne Enterprises employee, Lucius Fox (series star CHRIS CHALK) discovers there are still more secrets to uncover regarding his parents' murders as he peels back the curtain on the infamous criminal organization known as the Court of Owls. As the city sinks deeper into chaos, GOTHAM continues to follow the evolving stories of the city's most malevolent villains: The Penguin (series star ROBIN LORD TAYLOR), Edward Nygma/The Riddler (series star CORY MICHAEL SMITH), Selina Kyle/the future Catwoman (series star CAMREN BICONDOVA), Barbara Kean (series star ERIN RICHARDS), Tabitha Galavan aka Tigress (series star JESSICA LUCAS), and Butch Gilzean (series star DREW POWELL). The series also catches up with the future Poison Ivy (new series regular MAGGIE GEHA), who, after an Indian Hill encounter, finds herself reborn as a young woman who's harnessed the full power of her charms. In addition, GOTHAM dives into the origin stories of the Tweed Brothers and Jervis Tetch aka Mad Hatter (new series regular BENEDICT SAMUEL), a talented hypnotist, teetering on the edge of madness.
Step into a magical world with superstars Olivia Newton-John (Grease) and Gene Kelly (Singin in the Rain) as they take Xanadu! A beautiful muse is sent from up above to inspire a struggling artist and help motivate him to open a roller-disco. The dazzling soundtrack includes the hit songs Magic, Im Alive, All Over The World, Suddenly and the title song Xanadu. Throw on your roller-skates, turn up the volume and enjoy this out-of-this-world fantasy! Bonus Features Going Back to Xanadu: A retrospective documentary featuring the cast and crew discussing the making of Xanadu and its lasting legacy Theatrical Trailer
The Sopranos is more than just a suburban Godfather, it's a modern-day I, Claudius with all the consanguineous conflict of the Caesars translated to New Jersey. At the beginning of the third series--just as brilliant and compelling as the first two--the Soprano clan are under close surveillance from the FBI; but, as ever, that's the least of their problems. Anthony Jnr is getting into trouble at school, Meadow's romantic liaisons at college are a cause of friction, Carmela is having a crisis of conscience and Tony trades one dangerously neurotic mistress for another. Livia's death does nothing to help Tony's psychological problems, and his relationship with therapist Dr Melfi is increasingly strained, especially after she undergoes a shocking ordeal of her own. There's tension in Tony's other "family", too, as Christopher finally gets made but then chafes at the extra responsibility, much to Paulie's disgust. In one magnificent episode (directed by Steve Buscemi) the two become stranded in the snow-filled woods overnight where all their mutual resentment boils over even as they both freeze. But Tony's real problems emerge from the Aprile family: Jackie Jnr is becoming a dangerous loose cannon, actively encouraged by his borderline psychotic stepfather Ralphie (a marvellous Joe Pantoliano), whose erratic behaviour threatens to ignite a deadly feud ("He disrespected the Bing", says Tony after punching him). When Jackie Jnr and Meadow become an item, both of Tony's dysfunctional families collide with devastating consequences. On the DVD: The Sopranos, Series 3 arrives in a neat fold-out four-disc set, with four episodes on a double-sided first disc and three each on the remainder. The contents are an improvement on previous releases, with three separate episode commentaries, which are all informative and worthwhile: costar and sometime writer Michael Imperioli (Christopher) talks us through his own script for "The Telltale Moozadell"; Steve Buscemi appears on his directorial effort, "Pine Barrens"; and series creator David Chase chooses the penultimate episode, "Amour Fou". In addition there's a tiny three-minute backstage featurette. Picture and sound are up to par as ever. --Mark Walker
Titles Comprise:Martin Chuzzlewit: Martin Chuzzlewit is a wealthy old man. But who will inherit his riches? He has disinherited his grandson, young Martin, suspecting the motives of the young man's love for Mary, Chuzzlewit's nurse and companion. With such a prize to play for, the rest of his family - including the snivelling hypocrite Pecksniff and the fabulously evil Jonas - bring forth all of their cunning, greed and selfishness. With his grandson floundering in America, these increasingly desperate relatives close in on the vulnerable old manOliver Twist: One of the most faithful productions of Dickens' favourite tale - with an authentic and compulsive twist to an old and classic tale. A Christmas Carol: First broadcast in 1977, repeated in 1993 with a stunning cast, the perennial favourite morality tale is vividly brought to life by Michael Hordern as Scrooge, with John le Mesurier and Bernard Lee.A Tale of Two Cities: Two cities intertwined during the French revolution by tyranny and love in this absorbing and heart-rending production. It tells the story of Syney Carton, a man of no consequence, who gives up his life to save Charles Darnay.Great Expectations: Pip is a young orphan who is taken under the protection of a kindly family. He is also brought into contact with Miss Havisham and the aloof Estella who he loves from afar. Miss Havisham becomes his benefactor and he is allowed to grow into a young gentleman, but is haunted by his past, in particular an encounter with Magwitch on the marshes when he was young. He is besotted with Estella but she shows no affection towards him to begin with and teases him by flirting with a number of eligible suitors. The story climaxes with a fire at Miss Havisham's house where old secrets are revealed and Pip and Estella finally realise their love for each other.David Copperfield: Bob Hoskins leads an all-star cast in an adaptation of one of Charles Dickens' most famous novels. Drawing on his own life Dickens tells the tale of David from birth and idyllic upbringing through hardship and adventure leadingto the eventual discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. On his journey David encounters a gallery of Dickens's most memorable characters. Mr Micawber, Uriah Heep & Steerforth are among those who share his development. Pickwick Papers: Nigel Stock stars as Mr. Pickwick in this colourful BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' first and much-loved best-seller about the chaotic and amusing adventures of the Pickwick Club, consisting of Mr. Pickwick and his companions.Our Mutual Friend: From the dark waters of Victorian London, Charles Dickens weaves a tale of crime and compassion. Poor Lizzie and her father eke out a living on the banks of the Thames until one day they recover a body that links them with another world - the world of dinner parties and the household of the Wilfers. As their lives intertwine a complex story of money and love emerges.
Cabaret is one of those film musicals whose cultural and stylistic influence extend well beyond the cinema. It confirmed Bob Fosse's status as one of the boldest choreographers of the 20th century and gave Liza Minnelli an early peak in a film career which would never scale such heights again. Minnelli is both the film's strength--on its own merits her performance is an Oscar-winning tour de force--and weakness. The real Sally Bowles was a third-rate performer and just one of a rich gallery of characters; here, the constant allowances for Minnelli's star turns and mannerisms ultimately throw the story off balance. But the source material is impeccable: Kander and Ebb's stage show, based on the autobiographical stories of Christopher Isherwood, has long since been acknowledged a classic. The songs, augmented by some new numbers in the film, are ageless. Joel Grey from the original Broadway production is the Emcee, the master of ceremonies who, with his Kit Kat Klub girls, provides a depraved Greek chorus satirising the rise of the Nazi regime and the lazy complacency of the 1930s Berlin cabaret-goers. The "divine decadence" tag is only part of the story, though. Cabaret still works a sinister, uncomfortable magic which sets it apart as a uniquely powerful film musical. On the DVD: Cabaret's 30th Anniversary Special Edition is packed with extras which include a scratchy "making of" documentary from 1972 and a retrospective from 1997, the latter featuring reminiscences from the cast. Theres also the original theatrical trailer, though in the absence of the late director Fosse the lack of some kind of commentary is a disappointment. The picture itself, presented in widescreen 16:9 letterbox format with a Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo soundtrack, gleams as sharply, visually and aurally, as it did on its first release. --Piers Ford
Season 10 of TV's highly acclaimed drama, NCIS, Special Agent Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) leads his crew on 24 all-new adrenaline-charged episodes. Serial killers, terrorists-at-large, a downed helicopter and a murder case that hits too close to home are just a few of the explosive cases that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service team are trained to crack. Co-stars Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen and David McCallum shoot to thrill.
NOOMI RAPACE (Prometheus, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) stars in the action-thriller UNLOCKED. Once one of the CIA's top interrogators, Alice Racine's (Rapace) career was sidelined when she failed to unlock a prisoner in time to save the lives of dozens of innocent people from a terrorist attack in Paris. Now leading a quiet life in London as a caseworker, Alice is unexpectedly called back into action when the CIA apprehends a suspect believed to have direct knowledge of another imminent attack. Turning to the few people she can trust as she seeks out the responsible parties as she races against the clock to prevent a deadly biological attack on the citizens of London. Alongside Rapace, the stellar cast of UNLOCKED features ORLANDO BLOOM (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, The Hobbit franchise) as enigmatic war veteran Jack Alcott, two-time Oscar-winner MICHAEL DOUGLAS (Ant-Man, Wall Street) as Alice's mentor Eric Lasch, along with Academy Award® nominees TONI COLLETTE (Little Miss Sunshine, The Sixth Sense) as MI5 Agent Emily Knowles, and JOHN MALKOVICH (Red 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon) as Bob Hunter, the CIA's Director of European Operations. UNLOCKED is directed by BAFTA Award winner MICHAEL APTED (The World Is Not Enough, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the 7 Up series) based on a screenplay by PETER O'BRIEN (Halo: Reach). The film is produced by GEORGINA TOWNSLEY (Diameter of the Bomb), LORENZO DI BONAVENTURA (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Red, G.I. Joe: Retaliation), ERIK HOWSAM (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Kidnap) and CLAUDIA BLUEMHUBER (Under the Skin, The Railway Man)
An irresistible, comic drama from director Alan Parker (Evita, Mississippi Burning), overflowing and alive with passion, humor and music, The Commitments showcases some old R&B standards in a new light. A headstrong, fast-talking, ambitious young Dubliner (Robert Arkins) fancies himself a promoter of talent, and sets about assembling and packaging a local Irish R&B band. His group of self-absorbed, backbiting, but stunningly talented individuals begin to succeed beyond his wildest dreams, until petty jealousies and recrimination threaten to scuttle the whole deal. A moody, vivid and soulful exploration of the Dublin club scene as well as a showcase for some wonderful unknown actors, the film (and its wonderful soundtrack) also features the actual band covering classic soul tunes from the likes of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. It's that combination of soul and soul music that makes The Commitments a special little film. --Robert Lane, Amazon.com --This text refers to the VHS edition of this video
Robson Green stars as detective inspector Creegan a maverick agent in the organised and serial crimes unit an ops team specially created to tackle the growing spectre of serial crime in the UK. Brought to you by acclaimed writers Paul Abbott (Craker) and Russel T Davies (Casanova) this gritty crime series is captured entirely in this complete collection.
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