"Actor: Ran D"

• Welcome To Death Row | DVD | (08/10/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Welcome to Death Row tells the unauthorised history of the most notorious rap label ever. And what a story it is, with enough blood and betrayal to satiate the Borgias and machinations that would make Machiavelli proud. The rise and fall of Death Row and its power-hungry CEO, Marion "Suge" Knight, makes The Godfather look like a bedtime story. The film centres on the testimony of Michael Harris--also known as "Harry O", as in octopus, because he had his business fingers in so many pies--who provided Suge Knight with the seed money to set up Death Row, and assigned his lawyer David Kenner to oversee the label's business affairs. The film traces the entire controversial history of the label, which at its height was turning over $500 million a year, and the impact it had on not only the music industry but American culture. "It was like working in a prison", says Doug Young, the label's record promoter, of Suge Knight's predilection for hiring gangsters and ex-felons. The film also details the relationship between Death Row and its biggest star, Tupac Shakur, and the effect that Shakur's sudden death in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting had on the label's fortunes (a story told in greater depth in Savidge's film Thug Immortal).Although none of the major players in this drama are represented on tape--Dr Dre and Interscope Records heads Jimmy Iovine and Ted Fields are as conspicuous by their absence as lawyer David Kenner and Suge Knight, the villains of the piece--the producers have unearthed an alarming number of believable behind-the-scenes sources including record promoters, managers, private investigators and former associates and employees of the label. Director Savidge wisely uses talking heads to tell his story, weaving into it a wealth of archive material and previously unseen home-video footage. The epic narrative is split into discrete chapters but, with so much information and opinion flying about, at times the chronology of events becomes confused. Yet this does little to spoil a documentary that goes a long way to revealing the intimate connection between the music industry and organised crime, and the desire for power and glory that drives them both.On the DVD: As if there wasn't enough information to digest in the documentary (which is presented in a clean 1:85.1 anamorphic format), the extra features on the DVD provide even more supplementary evidence. There are outtakes from the interviews used in the main feature, as well as additional interview footage of Snoop Dogg and Harry O. There is uncensored security camera footage of a fight in the lobby of the MGM Grand involving the Death Row entourage that preceded the death of Tupac Shakur by minutes, a music video for "Deep Cover" (the song that launched Snoop Dogg) and a fascinating audio commentary by director Savidge and producers Jeff Scheftel and Stephen A Housden, in which they relate the difficulties encountered in obtaining the trust of those they interviewed and the factors they took into consideration when constructing the film. Savidge recalls that the model they had in mind was the fractured, multi-perspective narrative of Kurosawa's Rashomon. --Chris Campion

• Sinister | DVD | (11/02/2013) from £5.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Aenigma | DVD | (19/05/2003) from £22.76   |  Saving you £-6.77 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Ugly and awkward Kathy is the victim of a cruel trick played by snobbish students at her school. She runs away not seeing the car approaching. In a coma at the local hospital Kathy's body lies dying but her spirit is determined to get revenge in the most horrific way...

• Inspector Gadget - Volume 1 | DVD | (31/05/2004) from £12.15   |  Saving you £-9.16 (-306.40%)   |  RRP £2.99

  After slipping on a banana peel and injuring himself the Inspector was put together again with special gadgets that aid him in his bid to stop Dr Claw and his MAD agency taking over the world. Episodes comprise: Monster Lake / Down On The Farm / Gadget At The Circus / Amazon / Health Spa

• Pervirella | DVD | (27/05/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

• The Rise of the Shadow Warrior | Blu Ray | (29/07/2013) from £4.99   |  Saving you £15.00 (300.60%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A ruthless elven bounty huntress shoots down the dragon ridden by the fugitive orc shaman, Fangtor Bloodmoon. When Fangtor refuses to surrender quietly, the huntress must battle for her own life against the dangerous villain, and comes away with more than just his head.

• Mystics In Bali | DVD | (24/03/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  A bizarre Indonesian horror movie concerning the dangerous research an Australian woman undertakes when looking into black magic practices in the Caribbean...

• Sky Kids | DVD | (25/05/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  On September 28 2004 two twelve year old boys landed a twin engine airplane on Highway 89 approximately thirty miles east of Cooper Arizona. The details of how Jason McIntyre and Kyle Barrett came to be alone on the aircraft were never fully confirmed. What happened to the boys after the police returned them to their homes is unbelievable...

• Marlon Brando Collection - The Early Years | DVD | (20/11/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Contains some of Brando's finest but lesser known performances: Burn The Formula Bedtime Story The Men One Eyed Jacks (also directed by Brando). Burn (Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo 1969): (English - Dolby Digital (1.0) Mono / Fullscreen) Manipulative English mercenary Sir William Walker (Marlon Brando) is posted to a Portuguese colony in the Caribbean. Once there he uses his skills to engineer a slave revolt as part of his calculated plans for the English to seize control of t

• 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!

• Elvis Presley Box Set (Volume 1) | DVD | (30/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £40.99

  Includes Jailhouse Rock Trouble With Girls Spinout and Double Trouble. Jailhouse Rock: Elvis stars as Vince Everett a small-time convict introduced to the music business by his cellmate a former country music singer who also teaches Vince the guitar. On his release Vince tastes success as a performer but becomes disillusioned by the record industry until he is advised to set up his own label. He is a sensation but now that he is a superstar will he forget the people who

• CSI: Miami - Complete Season 1 (Amazon.co.uk Exclusive) | DVD | (21/02/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £59.99

  As Lt. Horatio Caine (David Caruso) notes in episode 4 ("Just One Kiss"), "The evidence, as always, will speak for itself." In other words, CSI: Miami follows the same super-successful formula as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Fortunately, this instantly popular spin-off established its own unique identity from the start. Like CSI, the Dade County criminalists of CSI: Miami solve murders using forensic science. Unlike the Vegas crew, however, they're cops with the power to arrest, their coroner (Alexx Woods) talks to dead people, and almost everybody speaks Spanish. Sometimes their crime scene is a swamp, sometimes a resort hotel. Either way, the skies are always sunny, the 'gators always biting. Real-life Florida resident Caruso is joined by Khandi Alexander (NewsRadio) as Woods, Emily Procter (The West Wing) as ballistics expert Calleigh Duquesne, Adam Rodriguez (Roswell) as underwater recovery expert Eric Delko, and featured player Rory Cochrane as Tim "Speed" Speedle. Cochrane (Dazed and Confused) wouldn't become a full-fledged cast member until the 12th episode ("Entrance Wound"). Meanwhile, Kim Delaney (Caruso's former NYPD Blue cast mate) wouldn't join until the first ("Golden Parachute"), but left after the 10th ("A Horrible Mind"), reportedly due to a lack of chemistry with Caruso. Just as CSI has made the most of its location with stories about showgirls and casino owners, so has CSI: Miami exploited its surroundings for all they're worth. Pilot episode "Cross-Jurisdictions" (a crossover with CSI), for instance, was loosely based on the murder of Miami-based designer Gianni Versace. Other notable episodes include "Camp Fear" with Joan of Arcadia's Amber Tamblyn as a detention camp cadet and "Dead Woman Walking" with Karen Sillas (Under Suspicion) as a victim of radiation poisoning. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

• Mozart 22 - Le Nozze Di Figaro - Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Ann Netrebko | DVD | (11/06/2007) from £19.05   |  Saving you £2.94 (15.43%)   |  RRP £21.99

  Le Nozze Di Figaro - Acts 1 - 4: This new, excitingly original production of Mozart's most popular opera was the sensation of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.

• Exotica | DVD | (01/08/2005) from £12.81   |  Saving you £7.18 (35.90%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In a world of temptation obsession is the deadliest desire. Exotica is a moody psychological study of one man's all-consuming guilt and obsessions. Francis a tax accountant whose wife and child have both died finds himself irresistibly drawn to a local strip joint known as 'Exotica'. Every night he goes there to gaze upon Christina a friend of his deceased daughter whose performance consists of shedding the little-girl costume she wears onstage. But the danc

• Clapboard Jungle | Blu Ray | (12/04/2021) from £10.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  IN THE FILM BUSINESS, DREAMS TAKE WORK. Navigating the current film business is more difficult than ever before. Rapidly changing technology and an overcrowded marketplace have led to an industry in which anyone can now make a film, but few can make a living. Following five years in the life and career of independent filmmaker Justin McConnell (Lifechanger), this documentary explores the struggles of financing, attracting the right talent, working with practical effects and selling the finished product in the hope of turning a profit. Featuring interviews with a range of industry luminaries including Guillermo del Toro (Crimson Peak), Sid Haig (Spider Baby), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator), Mick Garris (The Stand), Dick Miller (Matinee), Tom Holland (Fright Night) and George A. Romero (The Crazies), alongside a host of others not only are technical aspects and interpersonal skills discussed but also the emotional stamina and little-known tips needed to survive in the low budget film industry. A warts-and-all exploration of what it takes to get a film made and released, Clapboard Jungle serves as a survival guide for the modern independent filmmaker and offers a fascinating insight into a side of the industry with which few are likely to be familiar. SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentation Original lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Optional Spanish and Catalan subtitles Audio commentary with director Justin McConnell Crew commentary with Justin McConnell, co-producer Darryl Shaw, executive producer Avi Federgreen and editor/associate producer Kevin Burke Guest commentary/panel discussion with Barbara Crampton, Richard Stanley, John McNaughton, Gigi Saul Guerrero and Adam Mason Deleted scenes with optional commentary by Justin McConnell Five hours of extended interviews, featuring Anne-Marie Gélinas, Barbara Crampton, Brian Trenchard-Smith, Brian Yuzna, Charles Band, Corey Moosa, Dean Cundey, Dick Miller, Don Mancini, Frank Henenlotter, Gary Sherman, George A. Romero, George Mihalka, Guillermo Del Toro, John McNaughton, Jon Reiss, Larry Cohen, Larry Fessenden, Lloyd Kaufman, Mette-Marie Kongsved, Michael Biehn & Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, Mick Garris, Paul Schrader, Richard Stanley, Sam Firstenberg, Tom Holland, Tom Savini and Vincenzo Natali Two bonus documentaries from Justin McConnell, Working Class Rock Star (2008) and Skull World (2013), both with optional commentary and new director introductions 13 short films from Justin McConnell, all with optional commentary and new director introduction Trailers, promos, photo gallery and Easter eggs Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing by legendary genre producer/director Brian Yuzna (Re-Animator, Society) * Extras subject to change

• Jazz - A Film By Ken Burns | DVD | (08/10/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £79.99

  The BBC, sceptical about the British appetite for extended documentary programmes, edited Ken Burns' epic 17-hour history Jazz back to around 12 hours. That's what's presented in this box set of the series, and while the flow of the original is preserved, so are its idiosyncrasies. The film dwells at length on early jazz, particularly on its origins in New Orleans, and there's a good deal of absorbing history here. On the other hand, in suggesting that the important work of jazz was done by 1975, Burns gives us cause to question how much of his earlier research is awry too. There isn't much here to reflect the brimming vitality of post-1960s jazz, and many listeners and musicians have been enraged by Burns' neglect of such pivotal figures as Joe Zawinul, Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker--all players whose work responds vigorously to the question that Burns thinks nobody can answer: "Where are the modern equivalents of Armstrong, Ellington, Parker and Coltrane?" Armstrong and Ellington are the touchstones of Burns' film, providing the narrative thread around which the stories of other major figures turn, among them Bechet, Basie, Goodman, Parker, Miles Davis and Coltrane. Burns also finds populist mileage in the politicisation of jazz, making dramatic capital out of racial divides that most jazz players, black and white, have ignored. The fact is that almost all jazz players, regardless of race, have felt like outsiders. Despite such distractions, Jazz is the longest jazz documentary yet produced, and it's rich in musical examples and classic, rare and unseen footage. Even when working with simple stills, Burns uses seductive camera work and Keith David's epigrammatic narration to maximum effect. There's plenty to enjoy here, but viewers should be aware, as Joshua Redman points out in Musicians' Views in our Ken Burns' Jazz shop, that Burns' film is an often compelling perspective on jazz, not a definitive study. --Mark Gilbert

• Verdi - Falstaff / Graham Vick, Bernard Haitink, Royal Opera House | DVD | (10/10/2001) from £24.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The Graham Vicks production of Falstaff opened the new Covent Garden Royal Opera House, and was not to everybody's taste; the garish primary colours of the costumes, especially Falstaff's unusually hideous get-ups, go several steps beyond the Breughelian effect Vicks intended. The staging is effective--the complicated counterpoint of the ensembles is reflected in unobtrusive blocking that keeps the vocal lines clear and separate, especially in the final fugue. Bryn Terfel's Falstaff is a memorable creation, self-mocking and self-aggrandising at the same time--so much so, in fact, that he almost does not need the vast prosthetic body he has to wear for the part. Desiree Rancatore is an admirably sweet-toned Nanetta; Bernadette Manca di Nissa an appropriately sardonic Mistress Quickly; Roberto Frontali as Ford, in his Act 2 scena, perfectly distils and parodies every jealousy aria ever written, including Verdi's own. Haitink's conducting is exemplary in the lyrical passages, gets almost everything out of the fast and furious comic sections. --Roz Kaveney On the DVD: The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is powerful and filled with detail, capturing the excitement of the performance and the atmosphere of the Royal Opera House superbly. The anamorphically enhanced 1.77:1 widesceen image is very clear, and while given the source inevitably not up to the highest feature film standards, is among the best live classical titles yet released on DVD. The bold colours are particularly well realised, though the red lighting of the Garter Inn scenes causes the image to falter a little. There are optional subtitles in English, French and German. These are presented directly over the picture and would be easier to read had they been a little larger, or outlined in some way. The special features consist of a brief synopsis by James Naughtie, taken directly from the original television broadcast, a minute-long "comment" by conductor Bernard Haitink and short but interesting interviews with Bryn Terfel and director Graham Vick. Finally there is a nine-minute episode from the series of short BBC films, Covent Garden Tales on the 1999 modernisation of the Royal Opera House. --Gary S Dalkin

• Revelation | DVD | (28/07/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  A relic has been fought over by the forces of light and darkness for two thousand years. Missing for centuries, the sacred artefact turns up in the back of a camper van in 2001. A powerful secret society is slaughtering innocents to get hold of it. M

• Bad Boy Street | DVD | (22/10/2012) from £8.48   |  Saving you £7.51 (47.00%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Two men embark on an unconventional romance in Todd Verow's sexy Parisian-set drama. Claude finds a young man passed out in the street and, taking pity on him, decides to take him to his apartment to safely sleep. Awakening the next morning, the sexy stranger soon makes a play for his forty-something host, kick-starting a passionate romance. But will the chance meeting develop into more than just lust or will the pair's differences drive them apart? An accomplished, serious and very modern g...

• Handel - Agrippina (Malgoire, Grande Ecurie, Chambre Du Roy) | DVD | (12/07/2004) from £27.29   |  Saving you £-2.30 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Agrippina was staged for the first time in late December 1709 - or possibly at the beginning of 1710 - at Venice's Teatro San Grisostomo and met with enormous success as testified by twenty-seven following performances a record number even for 18th-century standards. Agrippina's triumph sanctioned Handel's definitive investiture as an operatic composer. After nearly 300 years this opera appears as a masterpiece of 18th-century music and an innovative work considering that when Handel composed it he was just twenty-four years old. The composer's melodic creativity and sense of theatre are quite remarkable. The cast conducted by Jean-Claude Malgoire includes Vronique Gens in the title role.