The tragedy of World War I is redefined in bawdy music-hall terms presented as the ""new attraction"" at the Brighton Amusement Pier complete with syrupy cheer-up songs shooting galleries free prizes and a scoreboard toting up the dead The Story focuses mainly on the members of one family (last name Smith) whose five sons enlist and end up as cannon fodder Much of the action in the movie revolves around the words of the marching songs of the soldiers and many scenes portray some of the more famous (and infamous) incidents of the war including: the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand the Christmas meeting between British and German soldiers in no-mans-land the wiping out by their own side of a force of Irish soldiers The final image is a veddy proper British picnic on a graveyard. Of the many fleeting satiric images parading past the camera one of the most indelible is the sight of several generals playing leapfrog as the world all around them goes to hell in a handbasket.
Mission: Impossible was one of the best action blockbusters of the 1990s, deriving a quality unique amongst its peers from the tension between Brian De Palma's directorial stylisation and the overriding presence of its star and producer, Tom Cruise. Cruise plays Special Forces agent Ethan Hunt, disavowed as a traitor by his own superiors and forced to uncover the true mole to prove his innocence. The original 1960s television series provides not only the wonderful musical motif, but also the layered complexity of false realities and masked identities, which are revealed with the playful conjuring of a Russian doll. This was Cruise's last movie as an angst-ridden youth (next stop was Jerry Maguire and the trials of family life) and he presents Ethan Hunt as caught between his heroic physical prowess and a trusting emotional naïvety that is painfully punctured by the treachery of those around him. Hollywood heavyweights Jon Voight (Heat) and Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction) are both excellent in support, while the remaining cast reads like an identikit of European cinema, including Emanuelle Beart, Kristin Scott Thomas and Jean Reno (Leon). De Palma's trademark set-pieces include a giant exploding fishtank in Prague, a helicopter chase through the Channel Tunnel, and, most notably, a break-in to steal a vital disc from CIA headquarters in Langley. The moment in the latter when, in almost complete silence, Cruise dangles precariously from a cable and just catches a bead of sweat before it triggers the floor alarm is as sublimely exhilarating as any in American movies of the last 10 years. On the DVD: Aside from basic language and chapter selection the disc is devoid of any extras, leaving us to wait for the behind-the-scenes story of the numerous rewrites and wrangling that reportedly beset production. On a more positive note, the picture and sound quality fully realise the film's highly stylised surface beauty and effects-laden kinetic energy. --Steve Napleton
If you're looking for the definitive example of dry wit, look no further than this 1952 version of The Importance of Being Earnest. Of course, it helps to have Oscar Wilde's beloved play as source material, but this exquisite adaptation has a charmed life of its own, with a perfectly matched director and a once-in-a-lifetime cast. Mix these ingredients with Wilde's inimitable repartee, and you've got a comedic soufflé that's cooked to perfection. Opening with a proscenium nod to its theatrical origins, the film turns Wilde's comedy of clever deception and mixed identities into a cinematic treat, and while the 10-member cast is uniformly superb, special credit must be given to Dame Edith Evans, reprising her stage role as the imperiously stuffy Lady Bracknell. To hear her Wilde-ly hilarious inflections and elongated syllables is to witness British comedy in its purest form. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
This box set features the following films: The Wicked Lady (Dir.Leslie Arliss) (1945): The lusty bawdy epic story of England's legendary highwayperson Lady Barbara Skelton who married a nobleman lusted after a highway-man and sought the love of the only man she could never have... Love Story (Dir. Leslie Arliss) (1944): After successful pianist Lissa Campbell is diagnosed with a terminal heart defect she vows to make her last months worth living. She takes a trip to Cornwall where she meets Tom Tanner Kit Firth and Judy Martin. Bank Holiday (Dir. Carol Reed) (1938): Various people set off on an August bank holiday including a raucous Cockney family a would-be beauty queen and two young lovers - whose relationship starts to come apart when one has to deal with a bereavement at the hospital where she works. Give Us The Moon (Dir. Val Guest) (1944): A young man Sascha joins a group call 'The Elephants' whose principle is to abide by a complete disregard for work. However chaos ensues when the group decides to help run the hotel owned by Sascha's father! Highly Dangerous (Dir. Roy Ward Baker) (1950): When British Intelligence discovers that a (mythical) Iron Curtain country is developing insects as weapons they dispatch entomologist Fraces Gray to get into the county and collect specimens. However her cover is almost immediately blown on her arrival and her contact is murdered... The Lady Vanishes (Dir. Alfred Hitchcock) (1938): Intrigue and espionage and the effects on the lives and futures of passengers aboard a Trans-Continental Express emerge when a girl traveller (Margaret Lockwood) returning from a holiday strikes up an acquaintance with a middle-aged English governess who during the journey mysteriously disappears from her compartment. The girl seeking an explanation for the disappearance is accused of hallucinating and is nearly convinced that her new friend does not exist. However further inquiries made among the passengers reveal the curious behaviour of a group of foreign government agents who are also travelling as passengers... Classic Hitchcock!
After a slow beginning, in which the complex tangle of relationships is initially confusing, this BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's last novel, Persuasion, develops into an elegant romantic comedy. Austin combines a subtle dissection of the folly of class with a slow-burning, intensely passionate love story. Anne Elliot (Amanda Root) has loved Captain Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds) ever since she was persuaded to reject him years before. Now he has returned from the Napoleonic wars, but will love be allowed to blossom? Especially when Anne is surrounded by the selfish, petty-minded Mary, misguided by Lady Russell, and burdened by a father obsessed with fairness of countenance above all other considerations. Excepting a basic booklet, on-screen character biographies and a Dolby Digital soundtrack, there is nothing to distinguish this DVD from the video version. The picture is very good, but showing some grain, not exceptional, so unless you have a large television there is little advantage over tape. In any format, what makes this adaptation work is the sharp screenplay by Nick Dear and the naturalistic style of director Roger Mitchell (who joined the A-list with Notting Hill, 1999), together eliciting fine performances from the ensemble cast. Less flamboyant than Pride and Prejudice (1995), this is a civilised treat. --Gary S Dalkin
Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds, namely: who actually created the body of work credited to William Shakespeare?
The Charge of the Light Brigade was an infamous battle in the Crimean War considered one of the greatest military blunders in history and immortalized in the poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson. The ill-conceived expedition to the Crimea was marked by an incredible lack of strategy and planning inadequate weapons camouflage food health care and communications. In the final battle all the soldiers had to protect them was their courage and blind faith. As Tennyson put it: Ours is not to question why/Ours is but to do and die. The film is a classic dissection of the pointlessness of war and the horrors inflicted on the common man who goes to fight in the name of his country. Directed by Tony Richardson and starring Trevor Howard Vanessa Redgrave (Atonement Howards End) and John Gielgud (Murder on the Orient Express Arthur The Charge of the Light Brigade was nominated for 6 BAFTAs.
The new Doctor has landed... Introducing Peter Capaldi as the twelfth Doctor this fantastic new series sees the Doctor and Clara (Jenna Coleman) encounter unimaginable wonders and horrors... The time travellers meet a fleet of Daleks as they attempt to rescue a stranded ship of human survivors face ranks of Cybermen stalking the Earth go back in time and join Robin Hood in a fight with killer robots in Sherwood Forest become bank robbers when they break into the deadliest bank in the cosmos face a Mummy on the Orient Express discover a deadly horror dwelling on the Moon; and come to know the last man standing at the end of the universe. This complete box set contains every explosive episode from Peter Capaldi’s debut series in the role and is also packed full of extras including: DVD Exclusive: Doctor Who - Deep Breath Cinema panel session DVD Exclusive: Audio Commentaries Doctor Who: The Ultimate Time Lord Doctor Who: The Ultimate Companion Doctor Who: Earth Conquest (World Tour Documentary) Doctor Who Cast interviews Doctor Who Behind the Scenes FOXES – Don’t Stop Me Now (Music video from Mummy on the Orient Express) DISC 01: DEEP BREATH Clara is alone in Victorian London with a man she doesn’t know a dinosaur in the Thames and a spate of deadly spontaneous combustions. The Doctor has changed. It’s time you knew him. Written by Steven Moffat. INTO THE DALEK A Dalek fleet surrounds a lone rebel ship and only the Doctor can help them now... Written by Phil Ford and Steven Moffat. ROBOT OF SHERWOOD When Robots threaten Sherwood Forest the Doctor must join forces with Robin Hood to stop the evil reign of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Written by Mark Gatiss. SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary on ‘Into The Dalek’ & ‘Robot Of Sherwood’ DISC 02: LISTEN When ghosts of past and future crowd into their lives the Doctor and Clara are thrown into an adventure that takes them to the very end of the universe. Written by Steven Moffat. TIME HEIST The Doctor turns bank robber when he attempts to break into the most dangerous bank in the Cosmos. Written by Stephen Thompson and Steven Moffat. THE CARETAKER The terrifying Skovox Blitzer is ready to destroy all humanity – and worse any second now Danny Pink and the Doctor are going to meet. Written by Gareth Roberts and Steven Moffat. KILL THE MOON The Doctor and Clara crash land on the Moon to find a world of horror – a mining base full of corpses vicious spider-like creatures poised to attack and a terrible dilemma. Written by Peter Harness. SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary on ‘The Caretaker’ & ‘Kill The Moon’ DISC 03: MUMMY ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS The Doctor and Clara are on the most beautiful train in history but a deadly creature is stalking the passengers. The Doctor must race against the clock to defeat the terrifying Mummy. Written by Jamie Mathieson. FLATLINE Separated from the Doctor Clara discovers a new menace from another dimension. Written by Jamie Mathieson. IN THE FOREST OF THE NIGHT Everywhere in every land a forest has grown overnight and taken back the Earth. It doesn’t take the Doctor long to discover that the final days of humanity have arrived... Written by Frank Cottrell Boyce. SPECIAL FEATURES: Doctor Who: The Ultimate Time Lord DISC 04: DARK WATER In the mysterious world of the Nethersphere plans have been drawn. Missy is about to come face to face with the Doctor and an impossible choice is looming... Written by Steven Moffat. DEATH IN HEAVEN With Cybermen on the streets of London old friends unite against old enemies and the Doctor takes to the air in a startling new role. Written by Steven Moffat SPECIAL FEATURES: Doctor Who: The Ultimate Companion Casting Peter Capaldi Writing the New Series What is Doctor Who? Why Watch Series 8? TARDIS Tour Foxes ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ DISC 05: SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind The Scenes Deep Breath Q&A World Tour Documentary Trailers
Set in Singapore in the early 1950s, this impressive adaptation of Leslie Thomas' best-selling, scandalous novel centres on a group of naïve, young British Army recruits billeted to Malaya who have no experience of either love or war. Both affectionate and affecting in its look at young men in wartime, the film has a wonderful cast which includes Lynn Redgrave (Georgy Girl, The National Health), Hywel Bennett (The Family Way, Twisted Nerve) and Nigel Davenport (The Third Secret, The Mind of Mr. Soames), along with early appearances from Christopher Timothy, Wayne Sleep, James Cosmo and a young David Bowie. Genuine and heartfelt, The Virgin Soldiers is an insightful and hugely underrated British comic drama. INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES: High Definition remaster Original mono audio The Virgin Actors (2019, 29 mins): Roy Holder and Christopher Timothy recall their experiences on location Some Confidence (2019, 8 mins): writer Ian La Frenais discusses his contributions to the screenplay 16mm Location Footage (1967, 14 mins): rare and previously unseen material shot during location scouting Operation Malaya (1953, 67 mins): David MacDonald s acclaimed feature-length docudrama on the Malayan Emergency Original theatrical trailer Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography Isolated music & effects track New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by author Scott Harrison, Leslie Thomas on The Virgin Soldiers, archival profiles of Lynn Redgrave and Tsai Chin, an overview of contemporary critical responses, Anthony Nield on Operation Malaya, and film credits UK premiere on Blu-ray Limited Edition of 3,000 copies
To help his friend to give up a crippling cocaine addiction, Dr Watson (Robert Duvall) introduces world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes to psychiatrist Sigmund Freud. But while under treatment, Holmes embroils himself in a kidnap case and Freud discovers a disturbing secret in his patient's subconscious. As with the later Murder by Decree (1979), The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1977) places Holmes in an adventure with real-life characters. With plenty of twists and turns and some nifty detective work, the ingenious intertwining of the fictional with reality makes for a fascinating romp and a highly original take on Arthur Conan Doyle's greatest creation.
Bramwell: Complete Series 1 - 4 (7 Discs)
An adaptation of Jane Austen's first novella Lady Susan', Love & Friendship follows the beautiful Lady Susan as she attempts to find a husband for herself and her long-suffering daughter Frederica.
Unforgiven is the story of Ruth Slater (Suranne Jones) a woman released from prison on license after serving 15 years for the murder of two policemen. Ruth has spent half of her life imprisoned and now faces the daunting prospect of rebuilding her life whilst being irresistibly drawn to the place that haunts her Upper Hanging Stones Farm. In spite of trying to focus on the future and her new boyfriend Brad (Will Mellor) Ruth is unable to forget her past and the sister Katie who she was forced to leave behind. Outraged to hear that the woman who killed their father has been released Kieran (Jack Deam) and Steve Whelan (Matthew McNulty) are eager to seek revenge. Believing that life should mean life the two brothers decide to take the law into their own hands. But just how far are they capable of going? Can they really do to her what she did to their father? As the details about Ruth's past become known maintaining a job friendship and a relationship become increasingly arduous. Ruth soon realises that the ramifications of her release spread further than she could have imagined with far reaching implications for everyone involved. Unforgiven also stars Peter Davison and Siobhan Finneran as John and Izzie Ingram who now live at Upper Hanging Stones Farm; Faye McKeever as Steve's wife Hannah and Douglas Hodge and Jemma Redgrave as Michael and Rachel Belcombe the adoptive parents of Emily (Flora Spencer-Longhurst) and Ruth's sister Katie who they have renamed Lucy (Emily Beecham).
Tom Cruise ignites the screen in the hit big-screen blockbuster that launched one of today's biggest, and still-growing, action movie franchises. Ethan Hunt (Cruise), is a top secret agent, framed for the deaths of his espionage team. Fleeing from government assassins, breaking into the CIA's most impenetrable vault, clinging to the roof of a speeding bullet train, Hunt races like a burning fuse to stay one step ahead of his pursuers... and draw one step closer to discovering the shocking truth. Directed by Brian De Palma (THE UNTOUCHABLES), this newly remastered Blu-ray celebrates the 25th Anniversary. Extras: Mission: Remarkable - 40 Years of Creating the Impossible Mission: Explosive Exploits Mission: Spies Among Us Mission: Catching the Train Mission: International Spy Museum Mission: Agent Dossiers Mission: Marketing Excellence in Film: Cruise Generation: Cruise Photo Gallery Trailer Gallery HD
Spider is a man with a fragile grip on reality. He is released from psychiatric care into a boarding house near where he grew up and in an attempt to reconstruct his tortured past he returns to his childhood haunts.
He was smart, handsome and single. When her biological clock was running out, he was... the next best thing
Elegant, all-star production, introducing Albert Finney as the first screen Hercule Poirot. A no-good American tycoon lies dead with twelve dagger wounds, but which of the passengers is the guilty party? Includes an Oscar® winning performance from Ingrid Bergman
When Celia (Joan Bennett, Scarlet Street) marries architect Mark Lamphere (Michael Redgrave, The Lady Vanishes) after a whirlwind romance, life seems blissful - but all is not as it appears. Her husband's mansion contains re-creations of rooms in which infamous murders took place and his previous wife died in strange circumstances. Is the young bride's imagination overactive, or do the opulent walls hide a sinister secret - and why is one room always kept locked? Special Feature:Fritz Lang's atmospheric romantic thriller is now available for the first time in a definitive, remastered edition featuring a collector's booklet with film notes and specially-commissioned articles, an extensive stills and poster gallery and rare on-set photographs. Remastered and includes collector's booklet featuring film notes and articles Stills/Poster/Behind-the-Scenes Gallery and Filmographies
Song for Marion is a heartwarming comedic drama following shy grumpy pensioner Arthur as he is reluctantly inspired by his beloved wife Marion to join a highly unconventional local choir. At odds with his son James it is left to charismatic choir director Elizabeth to try and persuade Arthur that he can learn to embrace life. London-set the story follows Arthur as he embarks on a hilarious life-affirming journey of musical self-discovery. The superb British cast in Song For Marion is made up of Academy Award Winner Vanessa Redgrave (Julia Atonement Howard's End) cinema legend Terence Stamp (Billy Budd The Limey The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert) Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace Prince of Persia Tamara Drewe) and Christopher Eccleston (Shallow Grave Elizabeth Doctor Who).
Fine casting, genuinely special effects and a keen combination of whimsy and danger make this Peter Pan the one to beat among all previous adaptations of JM Barrie's classic children's fantasy. The technical advances of CGI make the magic of Barrie's tale come alive and the spectacular effects combined with luminous live action create an action-packed Neverland that's both believable and breathtakingly artificial, like a Maxfield Parrish landscape springing vividly to life before your eyes. More importantly, however, is the fact that director PJ Hogan (whose films include Muriel's Wedding and My Best Friend's Wedding) has taken care to develop a substantial, pre-adolescent affection between the boyish sprite Peter (Jeremy Sumpter) and resourceful London girl Wendy, played by Rachel Hurd-Wood in a marvellous screen debut. This emotional bond--and the mixed blessing of Peter's eternal childhood--is what gives Hogan's Peter Pan it's rich emotional subtext, added to an already bountiful adventure that's equal parts delightful and menacing, especially when the villainous pirate Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs, doubling as Wendy's father) threatens to spoil the fun. With a mischievously dazzling Tinker Bell (played by Swimming Pool's Ludivine Sagnier) and no expense spared on its lavish Australian production, this Peter Pan gets it entirely right by presenting childhood as fun and frightening, in all its wondrous joys and sorrows. --Jeff Shannon
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