"Actor: Thomas Hanzon"

• Van Veeteren Films - Volume 1 | DVD | (13/05/2013) from £11.46   |  Saving you £8.53 (74.43%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Van Veeteren detective series is based on the best-selling crimes novels by one of Sweden’s most popular mystery writers Håkan Nesser. Set in the fictitious city of Maardam in a made-up country that could be anywhere in Northern Europe the series follows the murder cases of retired chief inspector Van Veeteren and his two crime squad protégés Münster and Moreno. Borkmann’s Point Van Veeteren find that’s retiring from the police force is easier said than done when two decapitated bodies are found in quick succession. The matching MO in the two grisly murders brings the investigation teams of Maardam and Kaalbringen together – a collaboration that is not without its problems especially when those in charge of the case seem a little too eager to make an arrest. In solving the case Van Veeteren learns that it is not always easy to distinguish friend from foe. Münster’s Case When the body of a wealthy wine merchant washes up on a beach with multiple stab wounds police fear a media frenzy. But the quick arrest of the man’s former partner in the face of damning evidence promises a quick resolution to the case. Münster is unconvinced and angers his superiors when he follows up leads that hint at a dark secret in the dead man’s family. Removed from the investigation Münster teams up with Van Veeteren in a deadly race to solve the case. Moreno and the Silence When a girl is murdered soon after leaving a closed religious community Moreno faces a difficult investigation as the community closes ranks and refuses to cooperate. When another girl is abducted and her bloody fingernails mailed to the police tongues begin to loosen. But time is running out as the disturbed killer prepares to carry out another ritual murder – will Moreno be able to crack the case in time?

• Faithless (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (11/04/2022) from £8.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  An aging director conjures a tale of adultery, betrayal and grief, in this powerful meditation on love and art based on a loosely autobiographical script by Ingmar Bergman Directed by Liv Ullmann - Bergman's former muse and actress - Faithless is a lyrical, passionate and enigmatic work of outstanding depth; an emotional mystery story that reflects on the desire and torment of an intense romantic affair. Sensitively depicted via Ullmann's assured direction and featuring a stunning central performance by Lena Endre, this modern classic is presented on Blu-ray for the first time. Product Features Newly recorded audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin Interview with Liv Ullmann (2000, 31 mins): archive interview with the acclaimed actress and director The Guardian Interview: Liv Ullmann (2001, 66 mins): the actress and director in conversation with film critic and writer Shane Danielson In Conversation with Liv Ullman (2018, 60 mins): the actress interviewed on stage by Geoff Andrew at BFI Southbank Original trailer Illustrated booklet including a new essay by Sarah Lutton, and contemporary articles by Philip Strick and Geoffrey Macnab Nominated for Palm d'or (Cannes, 2000) Liv Ullmann to receive an Honorary Oscar this year (2022)

• Van Veeteren Films Vol.2 | DVD | (25/11/2013) from £15.48   |  Saving you £6.50 (48.18%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Van Veeteren detective series is based on the best-selling crimes novels by one of Sweden's most popular mystery writers Håkan Nesser. Set in the fictitious city of Maardam in a made-up country that could be anywhere in Northern Europe the series follows the murder cases of retired chief inspector Van Veeteren and his two crime squad protégés Münster and Moreno. Episodes Comprise: CaramboleFollowing a clandestine meeting with his lover a man kills a young boy in a hit and run but does not escape unseen. The ensuing blackmail drama claims further victims including Van Veeteren's son Erich. Van Veteran's attempts to involve himself in the investigation put his relationship with Münster and Moreno under strain especially as a picture of Erich begins to emerge that Van Veeteren refuses to accept. In the end Van Veeteren has to use himself as bait to lure the killer into the open. The Swallow The Cat The Rose and DeathMünster comes across the strangled body of a young woman in her home and surprises the murderer who is still on the premises. Though the murderer escapes a rare book is found at the scene with a dedication by the killer. When another victim is uncovered Van Veeteren s literary expertise is put to the test as it becomes clear they are dealing with a serial murderer who kills using names taken from 19th century crime novels. Which name will he use for his next victim? Case GVan Veeteren's only unsolved case comes back to haunt him when the daughter of a murdered private detective comes to see him. A brutal wife killer who went into hiding years before has resurfaced under an assumed name or so it seems and Van Veeteren has personal reasons for wanting him caught. Always one step ahead of his friends on the police force Van Veeteren has to face the killer alone in a final twist that surprises even this master detective.

• Faithless | DVD | (20/08/2001) from £5.19   |  Saving you £14.80 (74.00%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Reputedly based on an incident in the life of its screenwriter, Ingmar Bergman, Faithless is a powerful film that investigates the consequences of adultery, betrayal and grief and the long-term implications for everyone involved. Directed by Bergman's former muse and actress-turned-director, Liv Ullman, the story begins when an old man who lives by the sea, just like Bergman himself, ransacks his memories for material for his writing. He conjures up the beautiful Marianne (Lena Endre) who recounts a major turning point in her life: her affair with her husband's best friend. Her story is captured both in flashback and through Marianne's dialogue, as the camera lingers on her expressive face and his rapt, silent countenance. Not surprisingly the story is an intense and convoluted one and what ensues is a tale of guilt, pain and enduring damage as "simple things become complicated". The remote shore-side confessional location adds to the mystery: just what is their relationship? Is Marianne a figment of his imagination? As the film progresses, the truth begins to dawn. Lena Endre gives a vividly emotional performance, particularly during the poignant scenes concerning her beautiful but increasingly withdrawn daughter (luminescently acted by Michelle Gylemo). Without seeming to judge her, Endre brilliantly portrays a woman who knows that what she is doing is wrong, but does it all the same. The rawness of the erupting emotions is reinforced by an almost total lack of background music and the film becomes ever more involving to watch, even if the key characters seem to have brought about their misfortune themselves. If there is a weakness here it is that the performances of the men are somewhat overshadowed. Lover David, enigmatically portrayed by Krister Henrekssen, looks older than his allocated years and his motivations are unclear; Thomas Hanzon, playing Markus the charismatic husband, seems too restrained in his role and the viewer longs for him to do something wrong to justify his wife's affair. When he eventually does, the ramifications are enormous. Faithless is riveting and very much in keeping with the Bergman oeuvre, here expressed through the sensitive, restrained direction of Liv Ullman. --Christina McLoughlin