Drama

• Pennies From Heaven | DVD | (31/05/2004) from £19.95   |  Saving you £10.04 (50.33%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Dennis Potter's astonishing six-part miniseries Pennies from Heaven remains one of the edgiest, most audacious things ever conceived for television. The story tells of one Arthur Parker (Bob Hoskins), a sheet-music salesman in 1930s England. Beaten down by economic hard times and the sexual indifference of his proper wife (Gemma Craven), Arthur cannot understand why his life can't be like the beautiful songs he loves. On a sales trip through the Forest of Dean, he meets a virginal rural woman (Cheryl Campbell) he suspects may be his ideal. Ruination follows. Punctuating virtually every scene is a vintage pop song--lip-synched and sometimes danced out by the characters. This startling innovation makes the contrast between Arthur's brutish life and his bourgeois dreams even more dramatic. Potter's dark vision digs into British stoicism, sexual repression, the class system and even the coming of fascism in Europe. But it is especially poignant on the subject of the divide between art and reality. Piers Haggard directs the long piece with deft transitions between songs and story. (It was shot partly on multi-camera video, partly on film.) The cast is fine, especially the extraordinary Cheryl Campbell, who imbues her character with keen intelligence and no small measure of perversity. Bob Hoskins triumphs in his star-making part, bringing a demonic energy to his small-time Cockney, nearly bursting his button-down vests with frustration and appetite. Pennies from Heaven was remade in 1981 for the big screen (with Steve Martin), in an interesting, Potter-scripted adaptation; it's one of the reasons the original has been unavailable on home video for so long. --Robert Horton

• Walkabout | DVD | (03/11/2008) from £24.34   |  Saving you £-14.35 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Very few films achieve subliminal greatness with cross-cultural impact, but Walkabout is one of those films--a visual tone poem that functions more as an allegory than a conventionally plotted adventure. Considered a cult favourite for years, Nicolas Roeg's 1971 film centres upon two British children who are rescued in the Australian outback by a young aborigine. Through exquisite cinematography and a story of subtle human complexity, the film continues to resonate on many thematic and artistic levels. Just as Roeg intended, it is a cautionary morality tale in which the limitations and restrictions of civilisation become painfully clear when the two children (played by Jenny Agutter and Roeg's young son, Lucien John) cannot survive without the aborigine's assistance. They become primitives themselves, if only temporarily, while the young aborigine proves ultimately and tragically unable to join the "family" of civilisation. With its story of two worlds colliding, Walkabout now seems like a film for the ages, hypnotic and open to several compelling levels of interpretation. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

• Mad Max Black and Chrome Edition | Blu Ray | (15/05/2017) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £10.99

  Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

• The Bay: Series 2 | DVD | (01/03/2021) from £20.29   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  From award-winning writer Daragh Carville, beautifully crafted crime drama hit The Bay returns. Series two begins with Lisa Armstrong at a low ebb, forced to do menial police work while she watches Med go from strength to strength. But a new case involving a shocking murder within a loving family brings Lisa unexpectedly back to the front line. Can she get under the skin of this new family and prove her worth - to her colleagues, to her family and to herself?

• I Could Go On Singing | DVD | (03/06/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  She saved the best for last. In her final film, Oscar® winning actress Judy Garland gives the dramatic and show-stopping performance of a lifetime in the role of talented superstar Jenny Bowman. This strong-headed, absent mother turns up in the lives of her ex-lover David (Dirk Bogarde) and their son, rocking the boat in these otherwise still waters. Who can resist a showbiz mum who turns up at boarding school and charms everyone she meets; who sings her way into the heart of a nation. David knows he must, because with the best will in the world, this is a woman strong enough to build a mountain of love and bring it crashing down without looking back. Featuring the powerful title song by Oscar winner Harold Arlen (The Wizard of Oz), as well as unforgettable performances of "By Myself," "It Never Was You," and "Hello, Bluebird", I Could Go On Singing "remains a remarkable achievement...[that] captures the extraordinary excitement and magnetism of Judy Garland." - The Hollywood Reporter.

• Autumn In New York | DVD | (10/12/2007) from £14.22   |  Saving you £-4.23 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A New York restaurant owner falls for a young woman chef. When she reveals a dark secret about herself, their relationship takes on deeper meaning.

• Shakespeare: The Animated Tales | DVD | (28/03/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  This Animated Shakespeare Box Set winner of 2 Emmy awards contains 12 of the bard's plays that were originally broadcast on BBC2 in 1994. The scripts for the 'Animated Tales' have been adapted from the original Shakespeare by Leon Garfield. A reknowed Shakespearean scholar Garfield worked closely with a panel of academic experts to create plays that are masterfully abridged to only 30 minutes yet are faithful to Shakespeare's language and plots. The 12 episodes are : 1.

• Gone | DVD | (13/08/2012) from £6.59   |  Saving you £13.40 (203.34%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When her sister disappears, Jill is convinced the serial killer who kidnapped her two years ago has returned, and she sets out to once again face her abductor.

• Shackles | DVD | (22/08/2005) from £9.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (100.10%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Welcome to the schol of hard knocks. Ben a struggling teacher in his 30s is desperately trying to get his life back in order to win back his ex-wife. After abundant struggle and a haunting past an old friend gets him a teaching position at Riker's Island Prison. Meanwhile Gabriel a 17-year-old drug-dealer is arrested and sent to the same prison. Ben is having terrible luck with his teaching program and is given an ultimatum that he must have more students or the program w

• Bounty | DVD | (12/03/2007) from £8.90   |  Saving you £-2.91 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

• Gilmore Girls - Season 1 | DVD | (02/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £40.99

  Welcome to the picture-perfect New England town of Stars Hollow Connecticut. Founded in 1779. Population 9 973. Home of 32 year old Lorelai and her 16 year old daughter Rory: the Gilmore Girls. Quick-witted Lorelai manager of historic Independence Inn is mother to Rory (Alexis Bledel); her daughter's best friend confidante and mentor who's determined to help her avoid the mistakes that sidetracked Lorelai when she was a teen... Episodes Comprise: 1. Pilot 2. The Lorelais'

• Mistress Of Spices | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £6.95   |  Saving you £13.04 (187.63%)   |  RRP £19.99

  One spice for passion. And one woman who knows its name. Tilo (Aishwarya Rai) an immigrant from India runs a spice shop in Oakland California. While she supplies the ingredients for curries and kormas she also helps her customers to gain a more precious commodity: whatever they most desire. However when she suddenly falls in love with a fine American man her powers begin to wane and leave her with a difficult choice.... Acclaimed director Gurinder Chadha co-wrote the screenplay of this romantic drama with her husband Paul Mayeda Berges adapting the script from the novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

• The Proposition | DVD | (04/07/2016) from £6.98   |  Saving you £9.00 (225.56%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Father Michael McKinnon (Kenneth Branagh) arrives in 1930s Boston from the UK to join the priesthood at St. Jude's, and is oddly intent on avoiding contact with his most prominent parishioners, wealthy lawyer Arthur Barret (William Hurt) and wife Eleanor (Madeleine Stowe), a racy proto-feminist writer. Arthur adores Eleanor, and is devastated when their plans to raise a family are quashed by his infertility. Rejecting adoption because she's determined to experience pregnancy, free-thinking Eleanor suggests drastic action. They will pay law student Roger Martin (Neil Patrick Harris) $25,000 in hush money if he'll agree to impregnate her, then raise the child as their own. Trouble is, during his faux-conjugal visits, Roger falls in love with her for real. The priest also has a crisis of faith and conscience as he too starts to fall for Eleanor. Set against the stunning backdrop of a New England autumn, the colourful plot is grounded by Hurt's reliable dramatic conviction as a man of dignity, reserve and intelligence who is also consumed by great passion and fiery rage.

• Betty Blue | DVD | (25/11/2013) from £8.99   |  Saving you £13.00 (185.98%)   |  RRP £19.99

  One of the most iconic films int he history of French cinema arrives on DVD and Blu-Ray in a deluxe box set. A landmark in French Cinema Jean-Jacques Beineix's erotically charged and visually intoxicating film also heralded the arrival of a new screen icon Beatrice Dalle. Laid-back handyman Zorg spends his time doing odd jobs on beach-front chalets making chilli and harbouring dreams of becoming a writer. His life is turned upside down with the arrival of a beautiful but volatile Betty. They begin a romance fuelled by intense passion but as Betty turns increasingly violent and self-destructive Zorg tries desperately to halt her slide into insanity. Special Features: 'The Making of Betty Blue' - A Second Sight Produced Documentary Featuring new Interviews with Jean-Jacques Beineix Beatrice Dalle Jean Hughes Anglade Claudie Ossard Gabriel Yared Jean-Francois Robin Beatrice Dalle Screen Tests

• The Dark Angel - The Complete Series | DVD | (30/05/2011) from £12.98   |  Saving you £4.00 (36.40%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Arguably the archetypal Gothic thriller The Dark Angel is a sensual and stylish adaptation of Uncle Silas - Sheridan le Fanu's influential Victorian literary masterpiece. Starring Peter O'Toole in a wonderfully rich performance as the dangerous scheming and perhaps quite mad Silas Ruthyn this three-part drama is elegantly directed by cult favourite Peter Hammond (Sherlock Holmes The Avengers) and also features Beatie Edney as the unfortunate Maud Jane Lapotaire as the grotesquely sinsiter Madame de la Rougierre Tim Woodward as the brutal Dudley and Hammer Horror doyenne Barbara Shelley in her final dramatic television role. Sparkling with corrupted elegance its dark brooding atmosphere makes The Dark Angel the definitive adaptation of this literary classic. When her father unexpectedly dies young Maud Ruthyn becomes heiress to a large fortune that is held in trust for her until she comes of age. Romantically obsessed by a youthful Byronic painting of her Uncle Silas she readily agrees to being placed in his care - ignoring warnings of his behaviour as a known rake wastrel and opium fiend. Unfortunately for Maud things are not what they seem and Silas's benevolent demeanour hides a web of deception and terror.

• Stranger in the House (DVD + Blu-ray) (BFI Flipside 037) | Blu Ray | (25/02/2019) from £16.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Once an eminent barrister, cynical drunkard John Sawyer (James Mason) leads a reclusive life, out of touch with the burgeoning youth movement of the mid-1960s. But when his daughter Angela's (Geraldine Chaplin) boyfriend is wrongfully accused of murder, Sawyer decides to confront his demons and the changing world around him in order to defend him. Featuring striking camera work from Academy Award-winner Kenneth Higgins and co-starring music legend Bobby Darin, this intergenerational drama (based on a novel by George Simenon) is a cult British classic ripe for rediscovery. Special Features: Original trailer Other extras TBC Fully illustrated booklet

• The Birth of a Nation | Blu Ray | (17/04/2017) from £8.91   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows the story of Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher (Nate Parker), who leads a fierce rebellion against slavery.

• The Uncle | DVD | (06/07/2015) from £10.85   |  Saving you £-0.86 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  This moving evocative and highly original drama recalls the mystery the doubts and the poetry that is childhood – as seen through the eyes of an isolated little boy whose life is turned upside down by the unwelcome arrival of his unruly nephew. Directed by BAFTA nominee Desmond Davis and featuring powerful performances from an accomplished British cast including Rupert Davies Brenda Bruce and Maurice Denham this rare highly acclaimed film is presented in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements. At just seven years of age Gus has been an uncle all his life. When his quarrelsome unmanageable nephew Tom comes to spend the summer holidays with him however he finds the responsibilities of his position almost too hard to bear... Bonus Features: Image Gallery Promotional Material PDF

• A United Kingdom | Blu Ray | (20/03/2017) from £10.35   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  From Director Amma Asante (Belle), starring David Oyelowo (Selma) and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) and set against the breath-taking backdrops of the African savannah and period London, A United Kingdom celebrates the inspiring real-life romance of Seretse Khama, King of Bechuanaland (modern Botswana), and Ruth Williams, the London office worker he married in 1948 in the face of fierce opposition from their families and the British and South African governments. One of the greatest love stories ever told.

• Boyhood Limited Edition Blu-ray | Blu Ray | (27/03/2023) from £22.09   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  From Richard Linklater, the director of Slacker, Dazed & Confused and Before Sunrise, Boyhood is a ground-breaking cinematic achievement; a fictional drama made with the same group of actors over a 12-year period. At once epic and intimate, it is a one-of-a-kind trip through the exhilaration of childhood, the seismic shifts of modern family life, and the passage of time itself. Dreamy-eyed grade-schooler Mason (Ellar Coltrane) is facing upheaval: his struggling single mom Olivia (Patricia Arquette) has decided to move him and older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) to Houston just as their long-absent father Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke) re-enters their world. Thus begins a decade of constantly unfolding heartbreak and wonder. Against the tide of family moves and controversies, faltering marriages and re-marriages, new schools, first loves, lost loves, good times and scary times that will shape him, Mason emerges to find his own road in life. A remarkable achievement that builds on Linklater's fascination with time, relationships and the ever-changing nature of our lives, Boyhood is a deeply moving experience that found praise from critics around the world and went on to win the award for Best Film at both the Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards in 2015. Product Features High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Lossless DTS HD MA 5.1 audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Without Ambition, One Starts Nothing, a new featurette featuring American poet and critic Dan Chiasson in conversation with his son Louis Chiasson about their shared love and connection to the film In Search of Lost Time, a new visual essay by critic and film-maker Scout Tafoya Before and After Boyhood, a previously unheard interview with Richard Linklater by film critic Rob Stone, author of Walk, Don't Run: The Cinema of Richard Linklater Richard Linklater at the BFI, director Richard Linklater discusses Boyhood and his whole career in this on stage appearance at the British Film Institute Theatrical trailer Image gallery Double-sided fold-out poster 60-page perfect-bound collector's book featuring new writing on the film by film critic Ben Sachs and scholar Rob Stone, author of Walk, Don't Run: The Cinema of Richard Linklater