"Director: John Elliot"

• FIREBALL XL5 - The Complete Series | DVD | (11/03/2013) from £19.98   |  Saving you £62.00 (344.64%)   |  RRP £79.99

  Languishing in the vaults for decades, during which time it became a semi-legendary show among TV fans of a certain age, Fireball XL5 (1962) was Gerry Anderson's second puppet-animation science fiction series, the direct forerunner of Stingray (1963) and Thunderbirds (1964). This is the show on which Anderson established the formula for his later classics: a pseudo-military organisation engaged in desperate Earth-saving adventures against overwhelming odds; superb model work; puppets with very obvious strings but endearing personalities; iconic music by Barry Gray; and absolutely massive explosions. Colonel Steve Zodiac pilots the coolest spaceship then seen on British TV, the titular Fireball XL5, and is joined by medical officer Venus, a forerunner of Lady Penelope voiced by Sylvia Anderson, and comedy relief Prof Matt Matic (David Graham). Along for the ride is Robert the Robot, a thinner version of Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet (1956), a character who would soon turn up in Lost in Space (1965). The plots are ridiculous, with typically Cold War-era aliens routinely bent on planetary destruction for no reason, and there's zero attention to even rudimentary astronomy or anything else approaching actual science. Yet the gadgets, vehicles and puppetry are first-rate and the fast-paced, action-filled episodes are relentlessly entertaining. It's a cult just waiting to be reborn, and essential viewing for all Anderson fans. On the DVD: Fireball XL5 is presented with all 39 episodes (they run 25 minutes each) on five discs. Despite the colourful packaging, the episodes are all black and white, and the 4:3 picture is generally fine, though there are occasional instances of over-compression, which results in artefacting on smooth walls and the like. Some shots look a little soft, but detail is usually strong, making the models and puppets look better than ever. The mono sound is fine, if unremarkable. There are no extras beyond optional subtitles. --Gary S Dalkin

• Laurence Olivier Shakespeare Collection | DVD | (30/07/2007) from £13.99   |  Saving you £66.00 (471.77%)   |  RRP £79.99

  Set Comprises: King Lear Henry V Hamlet Merchant of Venice Richard III As You Like It

• Monteverdi: Vespers Of The Blessed Virgin | DVD | (03/03/2003) from £13.28   |  Saving you £0.71 (5.10%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Monteverdi's 'Vespers Of The Blessed Virgin' performed by the Monteverdi Chior and The English Baroque Soloists. Standing out among the excellent soloists like Ann Monoyious Michael Chance Mark Tucker and Alistaire Miles is the young Bryn Terfel. The archiecture of St. Mark's Venice is used to spectacular advantage with singers and their accompanists isolated at some distance from the main chior and orchestra.

• The Andromeda Anthology | DVD | (24/07/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Comprising the 1961 & 1962 serials A For Andromeda and its sequel The Andromeda Breakthrough both written by Fred Hoyle and John Elliott. A For Andromeda sees the construction of an alien designed computer by scientist John Fleming (Peter Halliday). Once built however the computer secretly kills one of the lab assistants Christine (Julie Christie) then gives detailed instructions for a new biological organism to be created which quickly develops into a full

• Dumbo | DVD | (15/10/2001) from £5.85   |  Saving you £14.14 (241.71%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A Disney "classic" that actually is a classic, Dumbo should be part of your video collection whether or not you have children. The storytelling was never as lean as here, the songs rarely as haunting (or just plain weird), the characters rarely so well-defined. The film pits the "cold, cruel, heartless" world that can't accept abnormality against a plucky, and mute, hero. Jumbo Jr (Dumbo is a mean-spirited nickname) is ostracised from the circus pack shortly after his delivery by the stork because of his big ears. His mother sticks up for him and is shackled. He's jeered by children (an insightful scene has one boy poking fun at Dumbo's ears, even though the youngster's ears are also ungainly), used by the circus folk and demoted to appearing with the clowns. Only the decent Timothy Q. Mouse looks out for the little guy. Concerns about the un-PC "Jim Crow" crows, who mock Dumbo with the wonderful "When I See an Elephant Fly", should be moderated by remembering that the crows are the only social group in the film who act kindly to the little outcast. If you don't mist up during the "Baby Mine" scene, you should be legally pronounced dead. --Keith Simanton, Amazon.com

• Fireball XL5 - The Complete Series - Special Edition | DVD | (29/06/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £59.99

  Set in the year 2063 Fireball XL5 charts the interplanetary adventures of a spacecraft and its crew handsome blonde pilot Steve Zodiac and the glamorous blonde space doctor Venus a maths genius and a robot! Fireball XL5 was part of a World Space Fleet based at Space City an island in the Pacific Ocean run by Commander Zero and Lieutenant Ninety. Its mission to patrol sector 25 of the universe beyond the solar system. The biggest craft of its kind the 300 metre long XL5 had a detatchable nose cone called Fireball Junior used for landings while the mothership was in orbit. Colonel Steve Zodiac the dynamic pilot of Fireball XL5 is ably assisted by Professor Matthew 'Matt' Mattic XL5's bespectacled naviagtor and scientific officier Venus the crew's medical expert and Steve's romantic interest Zoonie a strange looking creature called a Lazoon who is Venus' pet Robert the Robot the transparent mechanical companion and co-pilot to Steve Commander Zero the head of Space City.