"Actor: Paul Bates"

• Coming To America | DVD | (07/05/2001) from £4.95   |  Saving you £11.04 (223.03%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Eddie Murphy's 1988 vehicle Coming to America was probably the point at which his status as a mainstream big-screen comedian finally gelled, following the highly successful 48 Hours pairing with Nick Nolte. Never mind the hackneyed storyline: under John Landis's tight direction, he turns in a star performance (and several brilliant cameos) that is disciplined and extremely funny. Murphy plays an African prince who comes to New York officially to sow his wild oats. Privately, he is seeking a bride he can marry for love rather than one chosen by his parents. With his companion (Arsenio Hall, who pushes Murphy all the way in the comedy stakes), he settles in the borough of Queens and takes a job in a hamburger joint. A succession of hilarious satire-barbed adventures ensue, plus the required romantic conclusion. The script is crammed with ripe one-liners , but "Freeze, you diseased rhinoceros pizzle" has to be the most devastating hold-up line of all time. Film buffs will appreciate a brief appearance by Don Ameche as a down-and-out, but this is Murphy's film and he generates warmth enough to convert the most ambivalent viewer. On the DVD: The only--rather pointless--extra on offer is the original theatrical trailer which adds nothing apart from a rapid recap of the story. But the 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation (the picture quality is diamond sharp) and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack recreate the original authentic cinematic experience. The choreography of 1980s pop diva Paula Abdul in the lavish wedding scenes and Nile Rodgers' pounding musical score are the main beneficiaries. --Piers Ford

• Coming to America 1 & 2 | DVD | (07/03/2022) from £7.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Coming to America: Join EDDIE MURPHY (Norbit, Dreamgirls) on an unforgettable comic quest to the New World. As an African prince, it's time for him to find a princess... and the mission leads him and his most loyal friend (ARSENIO HALL) to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince relishes the chance to test his mettle in the urban wilderness. Keep an eye out for both Murphy and Hall in some unforgettable cameo roles! Coming 2 America: Akeem and Semmi are back! Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York where it all began. Returning to their original roles in this long-awaited sequel are James Earl Jones, John Amos, Louie Anderson, and Shari Headley, alongside new characters from Wesley Snipes, Tracy Morgan, and Leslie Jones.

• Instinct | DVD | (22/01/2001) from £5.68   |  Saving you £9.31 (163.91%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Within the brilliant mind of primatologist Ethan Powell (Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins) lies an ominous secret

• Coming to America 1 & 2 | Blu Ray | (07/03/2022) from £13.79   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Coming to America: Join EDDIE MURPHY (Norbit, Dreamgirls) on an unforgettable comic quest to the New World. As an African prince, it's time for him to find a princess... and the mission leads him and his most loyal friend (ARSENIO HALL) to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince relishes the chance to test his mettle in the urban wilderness. Keep an eye out for both Murphy and Hall in some unforgettable cameo roles! Coming 2 America: Akeem and Semmi are back! Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York where it all began. Returning to their original roles in this long-awaited sequel are James Earl Jones, John Amos, Louie Anderson, and Shari Headley, alongside new characters from Wesley Snipes, Tracy Morgan, and Leslie Jones. Product Features Commentary By Director Craig Brewer From Queens To Zamunda Trailer Gallery

• American Horror Story - Freak Show | Blu Ray | (26/10/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.99

  AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW begins its tale in the quiet sleepy hamlet of Jupiter Florida. The year is 1952. A troupe of curiosities has just arrived to town coinciding with the strange emergence of a dark entity that savagely threatens the lives of townsfolk and freaks alike. This is the story of the performers and their desperate journey of survival amidst the dying world of the American carny experience

• Ultimate Hammer Box Set | DVD | (30/10/2006) from £87.09   |  Saving you £62.90 (72.22%)   |  RRP £149.99

  20 of the greatest British films ever produced by the world renowned Hammer film studio! Includes: 1. Blood From The Mummy's Tomb (Dir. Seth Holt 1971) 2. Demons Of The Mind (Dir. Peter Sykes 1972) 3. The Devil Rides Out (Dir. Terence Fisher 1968) 4. Viking Queen (Dir. Don Chaffey 1967) 5. Dracula Prince Of Darkness (Dir. Terence Fisher 1966) 6. Fear In The Night (Dir. Jimmy Sangster 1972) 7. Frankenstein Created Women (Dir. Terence Fisher 1967) 8. The Horror Of Frankenstein (Dir. Jimmy Sangster 1970) 9. The Nanny (Dir. Seth Holt 1965) 10. One Million Years BC (Dir. Don Chaffey 1966) 11. Plague Of The Zombies (Dir. John Gilling 1966) 12. Quatermass And The Pit (Dir. Roy Ward Baker 1967) 13. Rasputin The Mad Monk (Dir. Don Sharp 1966) 14. The Reptile (Dir. John Gilling 1966) 15. The Scars of Dracula (Dir. Roy Ward Baker 1970) 16. SHE (Dir. Robert Day 1965) 17. Slave Girls (Dir. Michael Carreras 1967) 18. To The Devil A Daughter (Dir. Peter Sykes 1967) 19. The Vengeance Of SHE (Dir. Cliff Owen 1968) 20. The Witches (Dir. Cyril Frankel 1966)

• 29th Street | DVD | (09/02/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Frank Pesce Jr. is one hell of a lucky guy except when it comes to his family! Growing up in a tough New York Neighbourhood he has a gift for finding himself in the worst possible jams... and always getting out of them. Then he lands himself the jackpot and becomes the first New York Lottery Winner. Based on a true story this is a moving portait about family love and that little thing called luck!

• Jennifer 8 | DVD | (18/03/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Written and directed by Bruce Robinson (Withnail and I), this fast-moving potboiler finds its creator getting about as far from Withnail's fine wines and London and Lake District settings as it's possible to get, and into the world of bloody homicides, narrative red herrings and emotionally damaged policemen. John Berlin (Andy Garcia) is a big-city cop and, yes, that means he drinks a lot of coffee and has a terrible personal life (in this case, signified by a wife who just can't stop cheating on him). Leaving town to visit his understanding brother-in law and fellow detective Freddy Ross (Lance Henriksen), he promptly finds himself embroiled in the hunt for a serial killer with a grisly modus operandi for murdering blind women. As you might expect, it's not long before he's bumbling his way into a number of confrontations with the hick cops around him and an affair with Helena (Uma Thurman), the blind room-mate of one of the killer's victims. Slick and pacey, Jennifer 8 throws out so many plot that it eventually winds up falling over them in its haste to get to the overblown climax. Nothing here makes a great deal of sense and yet, despite its inherent cosmic silliness, Robinson handles the suspense-and-relief routine with a flashy aplomb, and the cast do well in the face of the material's shortcomings. (John Malkovich's brief appearance is a redemptive highlight, even if you do have to wait almost 90 minutes for it). --Danny Leigh

• American Horror Story - Freak Show | DVD | (26/10/2015) from £14.22   |  Saving you £15.77 (110.90%)   |  RRP £29.99

  AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW begins its tale in the quiet sleepy hamlet of Jupiter Florida. The year is 1952. A troupe of curiosities has just arrived to town coinciding with the strange emergence of a dark entity that savagely threatens the lives of townsfolk and freaks alike. This is the story of the performers and their desperate journey of survival amidst the dying world of the American carny experience.

• The Preacher's Wife | DVD | (12/02/2001) from £4.75   |  Saving you £10.24 (215.58%)   |  RRP £14.99

  This tedious remake of the classic Christmas movie The Bishop's Wife falls on its face by significantly altering the careful design of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert E Sherwood's story for the original film. In Sherwood's version, a rather wooden, inept bishop and his lonely wife unknowingly take into their lives a heaven-sent angel who aids the former and ends up falling in love with the latter. In this unnecessary update, an inner-city preacher (Courtney B. Vance) and his estranged spouse (Whitney Houston) are visited by a celestial goof (Denzel Washington), whose unsolicited offer of help is enough to galvanise Vance's character to fix his own problems. What that means is this: by the second act, there's no reason to have Washington's angel in the story. Even his infatuation with the missus isn't enough to warrant his hanging around this movie; the change is a colossal blunder by director Penny Marshall. Vance ends up stealing the film from Washington, but it's a Pyrrhic victory; for the most part this movie just seems like a series of random scenes between opportunities for Houston to belt out songs. --Tom Keogh

• Eddie Murphy Box Set - Trading Places / Coming To America | DVD | (20/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Eddie Murphy's 1988 vehicle Coming to America was probably the point at which his status as a mainstream big-screen comedian finally gelled, following the highly successful 48 Hours pairing with Nick Nolte. Never mind the hackneyed storyline: under John Landis's tight direction, he turns in a star performance (and several brilliant cameos) that is disciplined and extremely funny. Murphy plays an African prince who comes to New York officially to sow his wild oats. Privately, he is seeking a bride he can marry for love rather than one chosen by his parents. With his companion (Arsenio Hall, who pushes Murphy all the way in the comedy stakes), he settles in the borough of Queens and takes a job in a hamburger joint. A succession of hilarious satire-barbed adventures ensue, plus the required romantic conclusion. The script is crammed with ripe one-liners , but "Freeze, you diseased rhinoceros pizzle" has to be the most devastating hold-up line of all time. Film buffs will appreciate a brief appearance by Don Ameche as a down-and-out, but this is Murphy's film and he generates warmth enough to convert the most ambivalent viewer. On the DVD: The only--rather pointless--extra on offer is the original theatrical trailer which adds nothing apart from a rapid recap of the story. But the 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation (the picture quality is diamond sharp) and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack recreate the original authentic cinematic experience. The choreography of 1980s pop diva Paula Abdul in the lavish wedding scenes and Nile Rodgers' pounding musical score are the main beneficiaries. --Piers Ford

• The Good Life - Series 3 | DVD | (12/07/2004) from £14.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (66.71%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The third series of the self-reliance sitcom. Episodes comprise: 1. The Early Birds 2. The Happy Event 3. A Tug Of The Forelock 4. I Talk To The Trees 5. Whos Fleas Are These? 6. The Last Posh Frock

• If These Walls Could Talk 2 | DVD | (24/02/2003) from £15.51   |  Saving you £-1.52 (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  A look at the lesbian experience over different decades and social climates in America told through three stories of love. An elderly woman 'widowed' when her companion of 50 years dies in 1961; a feminist co-ed discovering her attraction to an outsider in 1972; a loving couple eager to experience parenthood in 2000: three couples three different decades. 'If These Walls Could Talk 2' is an honest portrayal of women in three very different times all searching for love and acceptance.

• Poldark - Series 2 - Part 1 | DVD | (15/09/2003) from £3.44   |  Saving you £14.55 (422.96%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Welcome to Cornwall England's westernmost county. The year is 1780 and the political and social atmosphere is as stormy as the sea that pounds the rocky shores. Into this landscape Captain Ross Poldark (Robin Ellis) returns from the American war to take up his inheritance and take up with his beloved Elizabeth (Jill Townsend).

• The Male of The Species | DVD | (19/03/2012) from £11.98   |  Saving you £3.00 (30.03%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Featuring rare television performances from Sean Connery Michael Caine and Paul Scofield and with Anna Calder-Marshall as the increasingly savvy Mary MacNeil this trilogy of plays narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier forms a dramatic and controversial study in male behaviour. Part of ITV s celebrated anthology series Saturday Night Theatre Male of the Species was written by Oscar-nominated playwright Alun Owen and originally screened in 1969 to great acclaim earning Primetime Emmy Awards for both Paul Scofield and Anna Calder-Marshall. Never trust a man whoever he is. This is the bitter lesson learned by Mary MacNeil in her relationships with three different men: her father a mendacious womaniser; a smooth-talking office flirt Cornelius; and an elderly barrister Emlyn who is enchanted by Mary s youthful vitality and charm. Only one of these men will win her heart in the end...

• Blizzard | DVD | (14/11/2005) from £5.70   |  Saving you £14.29 (250.70%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When ten-year-old Jess's very best friend Bobby moves away she is inconsolable in her grief. Her eccentric Aunt Millie decides the best medicine is to tell her a story about another ten year-old girl Katie from another time and place who wanted only one thing... to ice-skate. While practicing on an outdoor rink near her home Katie is befriended by Otto Brewer a former Olympic skating champion who offers to teach her proper skating and under Otto's tutelage Katie blossoms into a magnificent skater. However Katie's father loses his job and the family is forced to move to the big city Katie is devastated. Meanwhile in the North Pole Santa and his elves are celebrating the birth of Blizzard a baby reindeer born to Blitzen and Delphi. It quickly becomes apparent that Blizzard possesses all three magical reindeer gifts: the ability to fly the power to make herself invisible and the gift of empathic navigation - being able to see with her heart. Using her empathic ability Blizzard feels Katie's sadness and flies to Katie's home to investigate. Despite the rigid rules of the North Pole Blizzard helps Katie learn that the value of true friendships is that they never truly go away. However by breaking these rules Blizzard must face the possibility of banishment at the hands of Archimedes Santa's strict head elf. Only true friendship can save her now...

• All Or Nothing | DVD | (28/04/2003) from £6.85   |  Saving you £13.14 (191.82%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A 2002 Mike Leigh drama, All or Nothing is at times almost unbearably bleak and poignant, yet funny, truthful and richly rewarding. The film's revolves around Timothy Spall's mini-cab driver, his family and the various characters and acquaintances on the South-east London estate where he lives. It's perhaps even better than Secrets and Lies, in which Spall also starred, which was marred a little by some of the tearful excesses of Brenda Blethyn's bravura performance. It's evidence that Leigh has matured and improved with age, rather than mellowed and softened. He's developed into a highly distinctive but rounded and humane filmmaker. Spall's cabbie is too gentle and thoughtful to be described as a slob, but his lack of even the most basic ambition and stoic non-resistance to life has created an unspoken rift between him and wife Penny (Lesley Manville). Working on a supermarket checkout, she must cook dinner and fend off insults from her fat, frustrated, obnoxious 18-year-old son Rory. She receives only passive sympathy from her older daughter Rachel. Only when Rory is taken ill is Phil snapped out of his torpor as the family pull together. A host of minor characters also feature; fatuous cabbie Ron (Paul Jesson) his alcoholic wife and sluttish daughter, as well as the wonderfully good-humoured and resilient Maureen, Penny's best friend, concerned at her daughter's relationship with a violent boyfriend. Once accused of caricaturing his "lower class" characters, here Leigh (with the collaborative assistance of his actors) exhibits them in all their authentic complexity, neither idealising nor sentimentalising them. On the DVD: All or Nothing's extras include the original trailer, as well as interviews with several members of the cast. Timothy Spall is interesting on the unnerving process of collaboration favoured by Leigh, whereby characters are "built from zero" by the actors. The smart and rather posh Lesley Manville strikes quite a contrast in real life with her mousey, put-upon character. There's also a meticulous and absorbing commentary from Mike Leigh, who talks about filming in Greenwich and how he has moved away from some of the more dogmatic ideas about filmmaking of his earlier, avant-garde days. --David Stubbs

• Hot Pursuit | DVD | (24/09/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  John Cusack stars as Danny an all round nice guy who plans to spend some quality time in the Caribbean with his girlfriend Lori (Wendy Gazelle). But although they've been planning their trip for months it only takes a few minutes for it all to go wrong! To start Danny misses his plane. Then for all his attempts to catch up with Lori he finds himself in ever more bizarre situations. From jailbreaks and jungles to hurricanes and hijacking his only companion is roguish old sea dog Captain MacLaren (Robert Loggia). She promised him ten days together in paradise. He never dreamed how far he'd have to go!

• Crazy People | DVD | (16/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  'Crazy People' is a sharp and satirical film about the fickle world of advertising starring Dudley Moore as Emory an advertising executive who believes honesty is the best approach for his new advertising campaign. In a bid to 'recover' from his loss of perspective Emory is sent to a clinic by his bosses. The fine line between certified insanity and what society accepts as normal is expertly developed when Emory's world collides with the lives of the clinic's patients. Emory

• Hot Pursuit | DVD | (14/06/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  The one film in John Cusack's filmography he'd probably like us all to forget, this 80s-style preppy-in-peril film (compare and contrast with After Hours and Something Wild) casts him as a college student who gets mixed up with pirates and drug runners around the Caribbean. The wannabe screwball comedy falls flatter with each gag but Cusack's hang-dog sweetness and knack with one-liners carries it through and at the very least it's worth catching if only for a glimpse of Ben Stiller in his pre-There's Something About Mary fame days, in a double act here with his real-life father Jerry Stiller. --Leslie Felperin