"Actor: Paul Copley"

• Ken Loach at the BBC | DVD | (05/09/2011) from £19.99   |  Saving you £-0.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.00

  1965 saw Ken Loach working as one of the in house directors of the groundbreaking The Wednesday Play series at The BBC which included Three Clear Sundays Up the Junction and The End of Arthur's Marriage. Of these plays Up The Junction had the most impact telling the story of three young women factory workers in their work and home lives focusing on Rube as she meets her first boyfriend and chronicles the significant life changing events that follow including an illegal abortion. Not only controversial at the time Loach's inter-cutting of real life interviews mixed in with drama became a signpost for his future directing style striving for naturalism and realism. 1966 saw Ken Loach's breakthrough piece Cathy Come Home. The play follows the lives of young sweethearts Cathy (Carol White fresh from Up The Junction) and Reg (Ray Brooks) starting out as a newly married couple moving into a new place and having children. Reg then suffers an accident which means he is unable to work and they end up being evicted and separated. With Cathy homeless but still looking after the children she faces having her children taken away from her by Social Services. This is perhaps the play that has had more impact than any other on television highlighting the very real problem of homelessness. Even some forty years later the power of Cathy Come Home remains undiminished. In Two Minds charts the turbulent life of a young woman who endures a difficult family life and after throwing a kitchen knife at her mother is diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Much like Cathy Come Home the realistic documentary style helps provide veracity to the story. Written by Jim Allen The Big Flame is a story of striking Liverpool dock workers who decide that to safeguard their futures they must control the port themselves. This was the first of several Ken Loach / Jim Allen collaborations - many of which would be starkly political. The BAFTA nominated Days of Hope was Jim Allen's tale of a working-class family in the period from 1916 to 1926 taking in the First World War events in Ireland and the General Strike of 1926. Running to well over six hours the series tells an epic story particularly in the light of the parlous state of the economy and labour relations in Britain at the time. A radical series in every sense Jim Allen was able create real parallels in Days of Hope that resonated with the working class of the mid 1970's and the political climate at that time. Loach returned to the BBC with The Price of Coal (written by Kes author Barry Hines) a film which depicted the lives of those living in a coalfield community. The first part subtitled Meet The People is a comic tale surrounding the story of a colliery community in preparation for a visit by Prince Charles and the efforts being put on by the management to make the pit fit for a future king involving grassing over an unsightly coal slag heap and whitewashing everything in site. The second part Back To Reality is completely different in tone when the colliery suffers a sudden underground explosion trapping killing and injuring the miners and as the rescue team work frantically to rescue those trapped those above ground argue about who is to blame. The Rank and File which completes the collection again written by Jim Allen is a story based around the strike by the Pilkington Glass workers. This beautifully packaged collection displays some of Loach's very best work and gives a real insight into working class life in the 60's and 70's. The collection also features an interview with Ken Loach a documentary entitled Housing Problems and a commentary track for Cathy Come Home.

• The Hornblower Collection (8 discs) | DVD | (13/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £59.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by CS Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films, the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easy-going than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher. --Gary S Dalkin

• Johnny And The Bomb | DVD | (04/09/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Based on the book by Terry Pratchett Johnny And The Bomb is a time-slip adventure that takes Johnny Maxwell and his pals back into the Second World War. Johnny just happens to be on hand when time-travelling Mrs Tachyon is blown quite literally from 1941 to 2005 landing in a heap almost at Johnny's feet. While poor Mrs T is in hospital Johnny inherits her shopping trolley and its unusual cargo - the Bags of Time. Everything revolves around the 21 May 1941 when the small Pennine town of Blackbury suffered its only air raid of the Second World War. Along with Mrs Tachyon Johnny's Gran and Grandad were there - of course they were only teenagers at the time - but they fell in love when Grandad Tom Maxwell made his epic bike ride to raise the alarm and saved the residents of Paradise Street (including his future bride the pretty young Rose Bushell) from the horrors of the Blitz. Tom and Rose survived to get married and the rest is history - at least it was until young Johnny started messing with the Bags of Time! Johnny and his friends slip back to the Second World War and with the best of intentions start 'bumping into things'. And this is where Terry Pratchett asks the big question - if you could go back in time would your actions make any difference or is history already written? In the world of Pratchett everything makes a difference... maybe not a big difference but a difference. This edition blend all 3 episodes together to create one full-length movie.

• Hornblower - The Examination For Lieutenant | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by CS Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easy going than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher. Firmly settled on HMS Indefatigable and mentored by Captain Pellew (an excellent Robert Lindsay), "The Examination for Lieutenant" finds Spain entering the war in an adventure involving both the Black Death and a lethal fireship.--Gary S Dalkin

• Zulu Dawn | DVD | (05/01/2004) from £9.99   |  Saving you £4.00 (40.04%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Cy Endfield cowrote the epic prequel Zulu Dawn 15 years after his enormously popular Zulu. Set in 1879, this film depicts the catastrophic Battle of Isandhlwana, which remains the worst defeat of the British army by natives--the British contingent was outnumbered 16-to-1 by the Zulu tribesmen. The film's opinion of events is made immediately clear in its title sequence: ebullient African village life presided over by King Cetshwayo is contrasted with aristocratic artifice under the arrogant eye of General Lord Chelmsford (Peter O'Toole). Chelmsford is at the heart of all that goes wrong, initiating the catastrophic battle with an ultimatum made seemingly for the sake of giving his troops something to do. His detached manner leads to one mistake after another and this is wryly illustrated in a moment when neither he nor his officers can be bothered to pronounce the name of the land they're in. That it's a beautiful land none the less is made clear by the superb cinematography, which drinks in the massive open spaces that shrink the British army to a line of red ants. Splendidly stiff-upper-lipped support comes from a heroic Burt Lancaster and a fluffy, yet gruff, Bob Hoskins. Although the story is less focused and inevitably more diffuse than the concentrated events of Rorke's Drift that followed soon after, Zulu Dawn is an unflinchingly honest depiction of British Imperial diplomacy. --Paul Tonks

• Hornblower Complete Collection | DVD | (16/10/2006) from £39.99   |  Saving you £20.00 (50.01%)   |  RRP £59.99

  The complete collection of Horatio Hornblower's (Ioan Gruffudd) hi-jinks on the high seas!

• Alfie Darling | Blu Ray | (09/03/2020) from £15.19   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Sixties icon Alfie Elkins makes a ribald return appearance in this sequel to the classic comedy-drama that shot Michael Caine to stardom. Alan Price stars as the Jack-the-Lad with an over-active libido alongside Jill Townsend, Hannah Gordon, Rula Lenska and Joan Collins. Alfie Darling is presented here as a brand-new High Definition transfer from the original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio. Alfie makes a good living driving huge trucks across Europe, with a girl hidden away in every place he visits - as well as some along the way! Then he meets cool, aloof Abby, who resists his charms - but Alfie was never one to shy away from a challenge! Special Feature: Image gallery

• Hornblower - The Frogs And The Lobsters | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £7.97   |  Saving you £5.01 (100.60%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by C.S. Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easy going than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher. "The Frogs and the Lobsters" provides a tough, complex and surprisingly violent drama concerning an attempt to mount a royalist counter-offensive against Revolutionary France.--Gary S Dalkin

• Alice Darling | DVD | (23/07/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The Cockney Casanova is back. From the bedrooms of Bordeaux to the boardrooms of magazine editors trucker Alfie travels across Europe driving the French girls wild..... until tragedy strikes.....

• Hornblower - The Even Chance | DVD | (15/07/2002) from £8.54   |  Saving you £4.44 (80.00%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by CS Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series' greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easygoing than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher. Beginning in 1794 with the 17-year-old midshipman joining the fleet at Portsmouth, "The Even Chance" offers a rather rushed introduction. --Gary S Dalkin

• Hornblower - Retribution | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £7.98   |  Saving you £2.01 (20.10%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by C. Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easy going than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher.--Gary S Dalkin

• Hornblower - The Duchess And The Devil | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £6.95   |  Saving you £3.04 (30.40%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Based freely on the classic novels by C.S. Forester, Hornblower is a series of TV films following the progress of a young officer through the ranks of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The series greatest asset is the handsome and charismatic Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role, surely a major star in the making. For television films the production values are very good, though as Titanic, Waterworld and The Perfect Storm demonstrated, filming an aquatic adventure is a very expensive business, and it is clear that the Hornblower dramas simply make the best of comparatively small budgets. No more faithful to Forester's books than the 1951 Gregory Peck classic Captain Horatio Hornblower, the real inspiration seems to have come from the success of Sharpe, starring Sean Bean, which likewise featured a British hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Nevertheless, while rather more easy going than the real British navy of the time, the Hornblower saga delivers an entertaining adventure, greatly enhanced by the presence of such guest stars as Denis Lawson, Cheri Lunghi, Ronald Pickup and Anthony Sher. "The Duchess and the Devil" has Hornblower and his men taken prisoners of war.--Gary S Dalkin

• Hornblower Vol.1 | DVD | (15/07/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

• Hornblower - Mutiny | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £5.24   |  Saving you £4.75 (90.65%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Horatio Hornblower has been serving on the HMS Renown under Captain Sawyer. There is only one problem Sawyer appears to be going mad. His repeated unprovoked punishment of midshipman Wellard is not only unjust but also distracts him from the job in hand and endangers The Renown. Hornblower's ingenuity saves the ship from disaster but both the ship and Hornblower himself are in constant danger from Sawyer's irrational behaviour. The four lieutenants plan to remove Sawyer of command but despite a nasty accident Sawyer refuses to be budged. The Renown is once again endangered by Sawyer's actions when it comes under heavy fire from the Spanish fort. Once more Hornblower comes to the rescue in an act of astonishing bravery forcing Sawyer into the safety of his cabin. But now Hornblower finds himself languishing in a prison cell charged with mutiny facing an almost certain guilty verdict. The prospect: death...

• Alfie Darling | DVD | (24/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Cockney Casanova is back. From the bedrooms of Bordeaux to the boardrooms of magazine editors trucker Alfie travels across Europe driving the French girls wild..... until tragedy strikes.....