Documentary

• Kochuu, Japanese Architecture | DVD | (22/02/2010) from £21.58   |  Saving you £-5.59 (-35.00%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Winding its way through visions of the future and traditional concepts nature and concrete gardens and high-tech spaces the film explains how contemporary Japanese architects strive to unite the ways of modern man with the old philosophies in astounding constructions. Kochuu which translates as in the jar refers to the Japanese tradition of constructing small enclosed physical spaces which create the impression of a separate universe. The film illustrates key components of traditional Japanese architecture such as reducing the distinction between outdoors and indoors disrupting the symmetrical building with wooden posts and beams rather than with walls modular construction techniques and its symbiotic relationship with water light and nature. The film illustrates these concepts through remarkable views of the Imperial Katsura Palace the Todai-Ji Temple the Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum the Sony Tower numerous teahouses and gardens as well as examples of the cross-fertilization evidenced in buildings throughout Scandinavia and shows how 'invisible' Japanese traditions are evident even in modern high-tech buildings. Kochuu is a compelling illustration of how the aesthetics of Japanese architecture and design are expressed through simple means and also shows that the best Japanese architecture wherever it appears expresses spiritual qualities that enrich human life.

• Look at Life: Volume Three - Science | DVD | (26/09/2011) from £16.98   |  Saving you £15.00 (100.07%)   |  RRP £29.99

  45 digitally restored films from the landmark documentary series Look at Life was a regular series of short documentary films produced in the 1960s by the Special Features Division of the Rank Organisation and screened in their Odeon and Gaumont cinemas - replacing the circuit’s newsreel, Universal News, which had become largely irrelevant with the advent of television news broadcasts. Marvellously concise and beautifully shot, these slice of life colour featurettes numbering over 500 episodes in total presented cinemagoers with varied aspects of contemporary British life. Digitally restored from the original film elements, this volume presents 45 memorable films offering fascinating insights into varied aspects of scientific progress and innovation that have benefited the British way of life, with many unseen since their first screening.

• Treasure Gardens - The Gardens Of The Treasure Houses Of England | DVD | (31/10/2005) from £9.19   |  Saving you £9.80 (106.64%)   |  RRP £18.99

  In the company of gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh here is a chance to savour the genius of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown the 18th century landscape artist whose legacy includes the gardens and grounds of both Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and the magnificent Chatsworth in Derbyshire. There is the famous lakeside Rhododendron Walk at Harewood House in Yorkshire the ancient woodland treasures of Castle Howard nearby and the riverside delights of the Beaulieu Estate in Hampshire. Ala

• Ultimate Crimes - Murder of the Innocents | DVD | (17/11/2008) from £6.95   |  Saving you £13.04 (65.20%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Over 400 mins long this 3 DVD box set documents the worlds most infamous murders as seen on the History Channel.

• The War On Democracy | DVD | (04/02/2008) from £14.73   |  Saving you £5.26 (35.71%)   |  RRP £19.99

  John Pilger looks at the brutal reality of America's notion of 'spreading democracy' in this documentary.

• Cold Case Files | DVD | (29/10/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A thrilling investigative look into some of the most perplexing murder cases ever known!

• British Transport Films Collection - Vol. 3 - Running A Railway | DVD | (29/05/2006) from £10.99   |  Saving you £9.00 (81.89%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Running a Railway is the third release in bfi Video's digitally re-mastered double-disc DVD series of British Transport Films combining favourites from the much loved and best-selling video series with additional material. This new collection contains four hours of footage including the multi-award-winning Terminus directed by John Schlesinger. Among these rare gems are: Farmer Moving South (1952): The true story of a Yorkshire farmer who decided to sell his land and move his entire stock - cattle pigs and poultry machinery ploughs and tractors - south to Sussex by rail in December on what was the coldest night of the year. I Am A Litter Basket (1959): Every day the people who use railway stations drop hundreds of tons of litter all over the place while me and my mates have to stand by empty and starving. Until one day we get so desperate we go foraging for ourselves. And what happens? Take a look at this film. It makes me weep to think of it. I nearly gave up all hope until - but wait and see! Modelling for the Future (1961) Visions of an earlier Channel Tunnel scheme and a model of the proposed terminal. This film demonstrates a range of facilities and shows the possibilities of an age-old dream - a dry land crossing between England and France. The Third Sam (1962) - Sam Smith is taught to drive an electric locomotive. He learns the new job without difficulty but one day his train breaks down and Sam summons up three sides of his character to deal with the emergency. With narration in typical rhyming monologue by Stanley Holloway this is an original and amusing approach to instructional filmmaking. E For Experimental (1975): An account of the development of British Rail's experimental Advanced Passenger Train (APT) The film explains in simple terms some of the many novel design features of the APT including the tilt mechanism and the hydro-kinetic brake and shows the train in action during its trials. All these films are now preserved in the bfi National Film and Television Archive. The DVDs are a 'must' not only for the transport enthusiast but also for anyone who enjoys historical documentary films. A booklet containing an introduction and film notes by BTF historian Steven Foxon accompanies the discs.

• A Gentleman's Motor Racing Diary Vol.1 | DVD | (02/06/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £18.99

  Motor racing in the 1950s as told and filmed by a man who was at its very heart - John Tate. This fascinating film contains a combination of race footage from early Grand Prix and Le Mans pit lane close ups and even a driver's eye view as Tate takes us round the track.

• Fred Dibnah's Backyard | DVD | (16/11/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Fred Dibnah's Backyard

• Stately Homes And Gardens | DVD | (09/06/2008) from £8.65   |  Saving you £10.34 (119.54%)   |  RRP £18.99

  The 3 DVD Set Featuring The Stately Homes And Gardens Of Chartwell Chatsworth and Sandringham! Chartwell: Visit the family home where Britain's wartime Prime Minister lived for more than 40 years. See the rooms as they were in Churchill's time right down to the daily papers and his famous cigars. A visit to this house and gardens is a must. Chatsworth: When you drive across the surrounding park and see Chatsworth House for the first time a sumptuous pile of yellow stone surrounded by gardens fronted by the River Derwent and backed by a tree-covered hillside it fairly takes your breath away. It is not hard to see why this is the premier tourist attraction of the area. Sandringham: Built in 1870 by the Prince and Princess of Wales later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra Sandringham was once described as 'The most comfortable house in England'.

• El Che And Tracing Che | DVD | (09/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Ernesto 'Che' Guevara de la Serna represents one of the most enduring images of a political leader. His legendary character has been the inspiration for millions of people over the last fifty years.Lawrence Elman a Canadian director went in search of the man behind the myth. He embarked on the journey that gave Che his name. A trip through South America on an old Norton motorcycle. Che chronicled this trip during a break from medical school in a book called 'The Motorcycle Diaries'.Lawrence encounters Che's family and oldest friends who shed light on this true icon of the 20th century. From the cousin who tells of Ernesto's chronic lack of hygiene to the tragedy of being rejected by a woman who is still believed to be his first love.This is a film that discovers humanity passion and the free spirit of a young 22-year-old whose eyes were forced open on a relentless road trip.

• Scotland's Scenic Railways | DVD | (25/07/2022) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  This series travels the length and breadth of Scotland's dramatic landscapes to meet the train crews, the engineers and the volunteers who keep the railways running. Trace the route taken by Queen Victoria as we visit a newly refurbished station. Ride the ˜Hogwarts Express' at it travels across the iconic Glenfinnan viaduct and we meet the steam train crew who delight the thousands of tourists each year who come to follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter, Follow engineers on the Forth Bridge as they carry out essential checks while dangling on ropes underneath one of the world's most famous UNESCO Heritage Sites. Filmed on location from the stunning wilderness of the moors, forests and fields of Scotland.

• A Celebration! 50 Years of Massey Ferguson (Tractors) | DVD | (18/11/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  50 years of Massey Ferguson. From 1958 to the present day. Archive footage.

• Wallander | DVD | (26/12/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Starring Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander a hard-working cop with a strong sense of integrity. Based in the small town of Ystad Sweden these compelling murder mysteries are based on the award-winning and phenomenally popular novels by Henning Mankell.

• Human Body | DVD | (09/07/2012) from £9.45   |  Saving you £2.54 (26.88%)   |  RRP £11.99

  Explore the systems of our magnificent human body—skeletal nervous muscular circulatory urinary respiratory and digestive systems. Experience a thrilling amusement park ride called The Alimentary Canal. An in-depth look at the five senses uses amazing realistic models. Bonus sections include tips for science tests and learning about nutrition exercise and MyPyramid. Meets National Science Education Standards. Approx. 52 min. Grades 4 — 8.

• Nick Broomfield - The Early Works | DVD | (08/05/2006) from £69.90   |  Saving you £-34.91 (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.99

  Their words. His picture. A 6-disc collection of the master documentarian's early forays into the medium. Featuring: 1.Who Cares (18 mins 1970) 2.Proud to Be British (30 mins 1973) 3.Behind the Rent Strike (50 mins 1979) 4.Juvenile Liaison (97 mins 1975) 5.Juvenile Liaison II (87 mins 1990) 6.Tattooed Tears (85 mins 1978) 7.History Reel (70 mins) 8.Driving Me Crazy (85 mins 1988) 9.Monster in a Box (88 mins 1991)

• The Repair Shop: Series 7 Vol 1 | DVD | (10/10/2022) from £14.89   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Roy Shaw - Brute Force | DVD | (25/04/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  This documentary takes a look at unlicensed boxing legend Roy 'Pretty Boy' Shaw one of the hardest blokes in the UK! In addition there are two further documentaries: the first featuring Tony Lambrianou and the second Charlie Bronson. Roy Shaw - Brute Force: Armed robbery murder bare knuckle fighting. From Broadmoor to King of the cobbles Roy Shaw lived his violent life by a merciless code 'Pretty Boy' is Britain's hardest men. Tony Lambrianou - Legend & Gentleman:

• On And Off The Rails - The British Transport Films Collection - Vol. 1 | DVD | (27/06/2005) from £14.99   |  Saving you £5.00 (33.36%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In 1949 the British Transport Commission established a films section to to enable it to use film as a tool for internal training and external promotion. Some of the greatest English creative worked on these documentaries including: Sir John Betjeman Michael Redgrave and John Schlesinger.

• Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans | DVD | (21/03/2016) from £26.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans documents McQueen's obsession to make 'the ultimate racing movie' through present day interviews with his family, including his son Chad McQueen and ex-wife Neile Adams McQueen and key members of the production team, along with a wealth of previously undiscovered, unseen 'behind the scenes' footage filmed on set in 1970. Evoking a special era and bringing this fascinating story to life for the first time, Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans redefines the myth and magic of Steve McQueen the movie star and sheds new light on Steve McQueen the visionary filmmaker.