Will & Grace debuted with a controversial splash because one of its two lead characters is gay--but smart writing and topnotch performances, not politics, have...... more

Will & Grace debuted with a controversial splash because one of its two lead characters is gay--but smart writing and topnotch performances, not politics, have made the show a hit. Two neurotic and sharp-tongued urbanites--gay lawyer Will (Eric McCormack) and straight interior designer Grace (Debra Messing)--delight in their volatile but enduring friendship as they share a sumptuous New York apartment. Sweeping into the mix are Will's unapologetically queeny friend Jack (Sean Hayes) and Grace's wildly eccentric assistant Karen (Megan Mullally). Much like Seinfeld, the humour on Will & Grace springs from self-obsession, petty jealousy, and compulsive interfering in each other's lives--basically, the building blocks of human nature. The show's writers apparently feel compelled to keep the lead characters warm and likeable in the usual sitcom mode (which hardly seems necessary, as McCormack and Messing are naturally engaging). As a result, it's Jack and Karen who get free reign to be truly obnoxious and ridiculous--which, of course, makes them incredibly funny and charismatic. Hayes and Mullally rise to the occasion, ripping through absurd situations and arias of narcissistic wit with dazzling panache.Will & Grace's plots routinely center around scenarios that could feature a married couple or two same-sex roommates: Will and Grace bicker over buying a dog, find their relationship tested by apartment renovations, or discover they're both pursuing the same guy--standard sitcom material that the gay factor gives a clever spin. Though their relationship gets in the way of their sex lives, the two take so much pleasure in each other's company that they can't help but stick together--a surprisingly chaste theme for such a culturally groundbreaking show, but one that Will & Grace's addicted audience undoubtedly appreciates. --Bret Fetzer

... less

The OAV Supernatural: The Anime Series (2011) is an anime first: an American live-action show reworked as a Japanese animation series. (The...... more

The OAV Supernatural: The Anime Series (2011) is an anime first: an American live-action show reworked as a Japanese animation series. (The original Supernatural debuted in 2005 on the WB, and continues on the CW.) Sam and Dean Winchester are Hunters--licensed officers who tool around the United States in a classic black Chevy Impala, pursuing demons, ghosts, vampires, and other evil spirits. They're also looking for their father, a Hunter who's chasing the evil entity that killed their mother. Almost all the specters strike attractive young women, and the series soon devolves into a damsel-in-distress formula, with Sam and Dean arriving in the nick of time to dispatch the threat with silver bullets, salt, and fire. Some of the episodes are reworked from the original program; others are new story lines for the characters. But too many of them play like a mash-up of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Hardy Boys. Supernatural: The Anime Series recalls old live-action-based Saturday morning shows like The Karate Kid and Fonz and the Happy Days Gang. The designs for the characters are stiff, and the animation remains minimal, with still drawings accompanying voice-over dialogue. Although there are occasional interesting special effects, the series doesn't really make use of the potential that animation offers. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles repeat their roles as Sam and Dean, and appear in tight T-shirts to introduce each episode. (Not rated; suitable for ages 14 and older: graphic violence, violence against women and children, grotesque imagery, animal cruelty, alcohol use, potentially offensive religious imagery) --Charles Solomon

... less

By the time Seinfeld reached Season 7, it was already firmly established as one of the top shows on TV. But Jerry Seinfeld and series...... more

By the time Seinfeld reached Season 7, it was already firmly established as one of the top shows on TV. But Jerry Seinfeld and series co-creator Larry David still had plenty of stops to pull out to keep the show at the top of its form. This is the season where George--yes, George (Jason Alexander)--gets engaged. Elaine (Julia Louis Dreyfuss) judges her dates to see who is "sponge-worthy." Jerry deals with low-flow showerheads, buys Chinese gum, and tries to date Debra Messing. And Kramer (Michael Richards) solidifies his own essential Kramer-ness by putting a hot tub in his living room, going around town in Josephs Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, buying jeans so tight he cant take them off, and taking advice on court strategy from his caddy. If there is a unifying theme in this season, it would be growing up (or rather, futile attempts to grow up), as Jerry whines to George right off the bat, "What are we doing? What kinds of lives are these? Were like children, were not men." As a result, marriage emerges as a theme, and George proposes to Susan (Heidi Swedburg) in Episode 1. And because George is, well, George, things inevitably go downhill from there.But its not all navel-gazing. After all, this is the season that gave us "The Soup Nazi," and years later, "no soup for you" is a still a pop culture touchstone. Other classics include "The Calzone" where Jerry points out that Elaines boyfriend never asked her out; "The Bottle Deposit," featuring Kramer teaming with Jerrys nemesis, Newman (Wayne Knight), to make millions out of a bottle deposit scheme; and "The Cadillac," where Jerrys gift of a Cadillac to his parents inevitably leads to trouble, to name just a few. In due course through the season, all attempts to grow up inevitably, and hilariously, fail. That seems to be the world of Seinfeldian existentialism. Seven seasons in, who wants to see these characters actually change anyway when its so much more fun to watch them flail in their own skins? --Daniel Vancini, Amazon.com.

... less

Simon Pegg takes centre stage in A Fabulous Fear of Everything, a comedy with an edge to it, that never quite measures up fully to its ideas. Still, there are...... more

Simon Pegg takes centre stage in A Fabulous Fear of Everything, a comedy with an edge to it, that never quite measures up fully to its ideas. Still, there are still things to like here, in an ambitious British production that centres very heavily on its leading star. Pegg stars as a writer, one who is researching his latest piece of work for television. In the process, he becomes more and more interested in Victorian serial killers, to the point where, as the title suggests, fear kicks in very easily. Stylistically interesting, the film never quite builds on that premise, and the back end in particular struggles. But Pegg is on good form here, and A Fantastic Fear of Everything is an interesting enough movie to warrant a viewing or two.The disc comes with a series of interviews, a trailer, and deleted scenes. And then there's a feature length commentary track, which is the finest supplement of the lot. This features Simon Pegg along with co-directors Crispian Mills and Chris Hopewell, and they're engaging company. A Fantastic Fear of Everything may have problems, but it remains an interesting film on an interesting disc. -Jon Foster

... less

The OAV Supernatural: The Anime Series (2011) is an anime first: an American live-action show reworked as a Japanese animation series. (The...... more

The OAV Supernatural: The Anime Series (2011) is an anime first: an American live-action show reworked as a Japanese animation series. (The original Supernatural debuted in 2005 on the WB, and continues on the CW.) Sam and Dean Winchester are Hunters--licensed officers who tool around the United States in a classic black Chevy Impala, pursuing demons, ghosts, vampires, and other evil spirits. They're also looking for their father, a Hunter who's chasing the evil entity that killed their mother. Almost all the specters strike attractive young women, and the series soon devolves into a damsel-in-distress formula, with Sam and Dean arriving in the nick of time to dispatch the threat with silver bullets, salt, and fire. Some of the episodes are reworked from the original program; others are new story lines for the characters. But too many of them play like a mash-up of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Hardy Boys. Supernatural: The Anime Series recalls old live-action-based Saturday morning shows like The Karate Kid and Fonz and the Happy Days Gang. The designs for the characters are stiff, and the animation remains minimal, with still drawings accompanying voice-over dialogue. Although there are occasional interesting special effects, the series doesn't really make use of the potential that animation offers. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles repeat their roles as Sam and Dean, and appear in tight T-shirts to introduce each episode. (Not rated; suitable for ages 14 and older: graphic violence, violence against women and children, grotesque imagery, animal cruelty, alcohol use, potentially offensive religious imagery) --Charles Solomon

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set,...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Oldshaw, 1929; when you could enjoy a night out at the Theatre Royal, a pint in the interval, a hot pie on the way home - and still have change from a shilling. You could also have an argument with a brewer's dray and end up as a client of Jeremiah Unsworth and Co., Undertakers and Monumental Masons... and be given one of the most disastrous funerals inthe long and noble history of undertaking. Thora Hird (Last of the Summer Wine) brings her inimitable humour to the role of Ivy Unsworth in this much-loved comedy series set in a fictional Lancashire mill town. As the widow of funeral director Jeremiah (who dies in the first episode), Ivy is left to run Unsworth and Co. along with her equally accident-prone nephew, Billy (Christopher Beeny - Upstairs Downstairs). In Loving Memory was a huge success for Yorkshire Television and ran for five series between 1979 and 1986; this complete first series, which also features appearances by Richard Wilson, Liz Smith and Joan Sims, was originally screened in 1979. ...In Loving Memory - Complete Series - 5-DVD Set

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Interactive Menu, Scene Access,...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Uncut, SYNOPSIS: Long sought-after by classic television collectors and fans of Robert Louis Stevenson's work, this 13-part adaptation stars David McCallum ( Sapphire and Steel, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) as the rebellious Alan Breck Stewart. This ambitious serial (a co-production between HTV and Germanyís Tele-Munchen) also features a host of British character actors, including Bill Simpson, Patrick Allen, Andrew Keir, Patrick Magee and Frank Windsor. All 13 episodes have been transferred from the original 16mm film elements especially for this DVD release. When young David Balfour arrives at his uncleís bleak Scottish house to claim his inheritance, his relative tries to murder him then has him shipped off to be sold as a slave in the colonies. Luckily for the lad, he strikes up a friendship with Alan Breck Stewart, who is on the run after Bonnie Prince Charlie's defeat at Culloden. When a ship's captain tries to kill Breck for his money the two manage to get to land and set out for Edinburgh, dodging the ruthless Redcoats along the way. ...Kidnapped - Complete Series - 2-DVD Set ( Die Abenteuer des David Balfour ) ( Les aventures de David Balfour )

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS:...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Should your kitchen need repainting or your bathroom require renovation, you certainly wouldn't want to hire the dubious firm of builders that goes by the name of Joe Jones Limited. Geyser, Wobbly Ron and Eric work for Joe because no-one else will employ them. And Joe has to employ Geyser, Wobbly Ron and Eric because no-one else will work for him... Starring Oscar-winning scriptwriter and actor Colin Welland as aptly named plumber Geyser, David Kelly (Robin's Nest, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory) as his terminally confused co-worker, and Roy Kinnear as the boss entirely unburdened by a conscience, this wickedly funny early '80s sitcom was written by Surgical Spirit creator Peter Learmouth and is available here on DVD for the first time. This release comprises the complete first series. ...Cowboys - Complete Series 1 ( Cowboys - Complete First Series ) ( Cow boys - Complete Series One )

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS:...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: This three-part drama sensitively portrays a teenage romance between an English boy and a Swedish girl. A joint Swedish-British production, Annika stars Jesse Birdsall and Christina Rigner alongside Bulman star Don Henderson, and was co-written by Colin Nutley, a multi-award-winning English director now living and working in Sweden. Nutley is highly acclaimed for his insightful treatment of the mores of his adopted country, and several of his films have been chosen to represent Sweden at leading international film festivals and at the Academy Awards. Eighteen-year-old Pete Daniels is spending the summer doing casual work on the Isle of Wight when he meets and falls in love with Annika, a fifteen-year-old language student. Their relationship quickly intensifies - but the time inevitably comes when Annika has to return to her homeland, and Pete makes a life-changing decision. ...Annika - Complete Series

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Alternative Footage, Behind the scenes, Box Set, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Documentary, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: This 6 disc DVD box set contains the complete series 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 of the multi award-winning comedy that follows the inner lives of two very ordinary weirdos, Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb) as they try in vain to find their place in modern culture. Series 1 Mark is in hot pursuit of the love of his life, co-worker Sophie, while Jeremy lives in awe of his idiotic mate Super Hans, and their beautiful but brittle neighbour Toni. Series 2 There's an obstacle in the way of Mark's quest for Sophie's love, in the form of his macho rival, Jeff. Meanwhile, Jeremy has fallen madly in love with confused Californian Christian Nancy and embarks on a visa wedding which he hopes will be the 'happiest administrative procedure or their lives'. Series 3 Jeremy tries to get over his disastrous marriage to Nancy by embarking on a series of ill-fated relationships with women - one of whom is Mark's sister. Mark, meanwhile, has finally managed to start dating Sophie - only to discover she's being relocated to Bristol... Series 4 Mark spends a horrific weekend with Sophie's argumentative parents, tries to get his gym instructor sacked ('he touched me'), and gets involved in a spot of arson. Meanwhile, Jeremy performs some 'handy' work for a male pop star, does something unspeakable to a dog and - worst of all - sleeps with Sophie's mother. Series 5 Mark and Jeremy are entering their 30s with a sense of impending crisis. Time is running out for them to sort out their lives. Mark goes speed d...Peep Show - Series One to Six - 6-DVD Box Set ( Peep Show - Series 1-6 ) ( Peep Show - Series 1 to 6 )

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Italian ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ),...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Italian ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), Italian ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Remastered, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Italian filmmaker Luigi Bazzoni (Giornata Nera per l'Ariete) directed this stylish and surrealistic giallo thriller reminiscent of such paranoid classics of the form as Il Profumo della Signora in Nero and Tutti i Colori del Buio. Florinda Bolkan stars as a translator named Alice Cespi, whose life is falling apart due to strange memories from childhood when she was forced to watch a film called "Footprints on the Moon" involving an unethical experiment in leaving astronauts stranded on the moon's surface. Alice has terrible dreams and begins to become addicted to tranquilizers, desperate to shake surreal visions such as being chased across a beach by fully attired astronauts. The drugs and her deteriorating mental condition cause her to miss work and she is eventually fired, whereupon she travels to a dilapidated former tourist area called Garma after receiving a mysterious postcard. There, she runs into a girl named Paula Burton (Nicoletta Elmi from Profondo Rosso), who tells her that she looks exactly like another woman, Nicole, currently staying at the faded resort. Alice then encounters a series of strange people and circumstances, all leading her closer to unlocking the possibly deadly mystery. Shot by award-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now), the film -- based on Mario Fenelli's novel Las Huerras -- uses its haunting settings and Alice's disorienting visions to create an air of sustained dread. Peter McEnery co-stars with Ida Galli (aka Evelyn Stewart), Klaus Kinski, and Lila Kedrova. Variou...Footprints on the Moon ( Le orme ) ( Primal Impulse )

... less

There were a few moments in the third season of the revived Doctor Who when you begin to wonder if the bubble has burst. A couple of tepid Dalek episodes, and a...... more

There were a few moments in the third season of the revived Doctor Who when you begin to wonder if the bubble has burst. A couple of tepid Dalek episodes, and a handful of forgettable stories, make you begin--perhaps for the first time since the shows revival--whether its already hits its peak. But never underestimate the new Doctor Who. For the back run of series three is as good as anything thats gone before it, with ingenious plotting, the clever layering of elements it casually--nah, crucially--refers to later on, and some quite superb individual episodes. It not only restores any hint of lost faith, it sets the bar even higher. Examples? The stunning single story Blink is extremely clever, genuinely scary and has immense rewatch value. While the equally strong double-header of Human Nature and The Family Of Blood is a two-parter in the traditional Doctor Who way, building up its story in a measured and really effectively creepy way. Then theres the finale. Presenting the Doctor with one of his finest, most ingenious villains makes for quite brilliant television (albeit with a slightly underwhelming concluding episode), as exciting to long-time fans of Doctor Who as it is for the newcomers. And that, ultimately, is the brilliance of Doctor Who. It staggers so many levels of viewer enthusiasm, appeals to an extremely broad age demographic, and woos over fans new and old in a manner that no show currently on television can manage. And while the cliché of hiding behind the sofa may not be as accurate as it once was, Doctor Who season three will undoubtedly leave you gripped to the TV. --Simon Brew

... less

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is the third film in Disney's record-smashing series, and the first to debut in theaters rather than on the Disney...... more

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is the third film in Disney's record-smashing series, and the first to debut in theaters rather than on the Disney Channel, and while many of the elements are the same, the film is at times bigger to accommodate the big screen. All the usual characters are back, but not for long: it's senior year, and the classmates are all facing the prospect of leaving East High in separate directions. Troy (Zac Efron) is ready to play hoops at the University of Albuquerque with best friend Chad (Corbin Bleu), but doesn't want to be a thousand miles away from Stanford-bound Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens). Taylor (Monique Coleman) is headed to Yale, while Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel), and the school's pianist-composer Kelsi (Olesya Rulin) are all in the running for a single scholarship to Juilliard. The showcase for them will be Ms. Darbus' new musical, Senior Year, which will recap the academic careers of the students themselves. (So if the original HSM was a retelling of Grease, HSM3 is more A Chorus Line). There are a few new characters: Sharpay's personal assistant Tiara Gold (Jemma McKenzie-Brown), and Troy's hangers-on, Rocket Man (Matt Prokop) and Donny Dion (Justin Martin), who may give the franchise life beyond its original cast (if they make some headway in the likability department). But it's all about the songs and the dances. Ryan and Sharpay sizzle in a classic-musical tribute "I Want It All"; Troy and Gabriella share a rooftop waltz in "Can I Have This Dance"; and Troy and Chad blow off steam in a salvage yard in "The Boys Are Back". "Now or Never" is this film's "sports song", and Troy and Gabriella have their big duet "Just Wanna Be With You" and their own showcases, in "Scream" and "Walk Away", respectively. If the closing anthem, "High School Musical", seems on the self-congratulatory side, it's a rare misstep in a series that has made a generation of tweens (especially girls) sing and dance and realize they can be whatever they want to be. --David Horiuchi

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 3-DVD Set, Box Set, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Benidorm is a six-part comedy series from Derren Litten, (co-writer of The Catherine Tate Show), which features a strong ensemble cast of some of the finest comedy talent in the UK. Set in the Solana all-inclusive Resort, Benidorm follows regulars and first-time holiday makers on their journeys abroad. Benidorm regulars for twenty years Jacqueline and Donald are enthusiastic middle-ages swingers who rarely leave the hotel. Known as 'The Oracle' because of his computer-like knowledge of trivial facts and figures, Geoff Maltby is on holiday with his mother, or PA as he calls her, but keen to hide the fact. Gavin and Troy are on their first break away together after setting up a successful hair salon. Kate and Martin's marriage is at braking point after only one night in the resort. Then there are The Garveys; a Lancashire family who are on their first holiday abroad. Janice and Mick plus Janice's mother - the sun-worshipping, chain-smoking Madge who can always be guaranteed to have a bad word for everyone. ...Benidorm - Series One & Two - 3-DVD Set

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Cast/Crew...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, SYNOPSIS: The British government's nuclear policy is in for a royal drubbing in the tense BBC-TV miniseries Edge of Darkness. Bob Peck stars as London police detective Ron Craven, whose political-activist daughter is murdered right before his eyes. Meticulously following the trail of clues, Craven uncovers a dark conspiracy involving the government and the powerful American CEO of a nuclear power plant. Joe Don Baker and a young Joanne Whaley-Kilmer co-star. The six-part series became a cult favorite in England, where it originally aired in November and December of 1985. All 307 minutes of Edge of Darkness are currently available on video. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Edge of Darkness

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Interactive Menu,...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, Uncut, SYNOPSIS: This ITC crime drama series, loosely based on Edgar Wallace's novel of 1905, assembles an astonishing array of talent: Jack Hawkins (The Cruel Sea), Richard Conte (The Godfather) and Oscar nominees Vittorio de Sica and Dan Dailey star as the four men chosen to pursue justice and defeat tyranny worldwide; their regular co-stars include Avengers heroine Honor Blackman, as glamorous secretary Nicole, Lisa Gastoni, June Thorburn, and Andrew Keir (Quatermass and the Pit). The series' cosmopolitan flavour and stylish settings paved the way for many later series that combined crime-fighting adventure with the glamour of exotic locations and a touch of romance. The Four Just Men garnered rave reviews from critics and proved a major success for ITC, and is notable for a unique format in which each of the protagonists and their co-stars appeared in turn, in separate episodes and storylines. Judi Dench, Mai Zetterling, Alan Bates, Jane Asher and Patrick Troughton are among the guests making early television appearances in this classic series, first screened in 1959 and 1960, and now available for the first time on DVD. ...The Four Just Men - Complete Series - 5-DVD Set ( The 4 Just Men )

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 3-DVD Set, Interactive Menu,...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 3-DVD Set, Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Jan Francis leads a lively cast in Beiderbecke writer Alan Plater's definitive adaptation of J.B. Priestley s celebrated novel. Charting the rollercoaster fortunes of a struggling concert party, Francis co-stars alongside Bryan Pringle, John Stratton and Moody and Pegg's Judy Cornwell, with guest appearances by Roy Kinnear, Denis Lawson and Nigel Hawthorne. Priestley's defining work and one which established him as a national figure The Good Companions has been a mainstay of English literature since its initial publication in 1929. Jess Oakroyd, discontented with his home, his work and his football team, tears up his Insurance Card and disappears into the night. He intends to go to Nuneaton, but instead finds himself on the ragged edges of show business. We share with him the trials and tribulations of the Good Companions as they tour seaside towns, industrial cities and rural backwaters in their search for success and stardom. ...The Good Companions - Complete Series - 3-DVD Set ( The Good Companions )

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS:...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Written by Johnny Speight, creator of Till Death Us Do Part , and based on an idea by Spike Milligan, Curry & Chips proved to be one of the most controversial situation comedies ever made. Originally screened in 1969, the series featured Milligan as Kevin O'Grady, a man of mixed Asian and Irish descent who has just started his new job at Lillicrap Ltd, manufacturer of cheap novelty items and seaside souvenirs. Inevitably, he soon becomes the butt of jokes from his resoundingly intolerant workmates. Speight's determined attempt at confronting racism with its own conventions polarised critical opinion, although it was extremely popular with the viewing public and ended up in the ITV Top Ten. Co-starring with Milligan was long-term friend, writing partner and comedy legend Eric Sykes as shop foreman Arthur Blenkinsop. Kenny Lynch, Norman Rossington and Geoffrey Hughes played their narrow-minded workmates. Reflecting the widespread and overt prejudices of its time, Curry & Chips attempted to confront bigotry in daily life by caricaturing it. Exploring similar territory to Johnny Speight's earlier and highly successful Till Death Us Do Part, Curry & Chips will inevitably shock modern audiences in its language and single-minded focus on race. Forty years after its initial screening, the series is made available for the first time in DVD format. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Curry & Chips - Complete Series

... less

Simon Pegg takes centre stage in A Fabulous Fear of Everything, a comedy with an edge to it, that never quite measures up fully to its ideas. Still, there are...... more

Simon Pegg takes centre stage in A Fabulous Fear of Everything, a comedy with an edge to it, that never quite measures up fully to its ideas. Still, there are still things to like here, in an ambitious British production that centres very heavily on its leading star. Pegg stars as a writer, one who is researching his latest piece of work for television. In the process, he becomes more and more interested in Victorian serial killers, to the point where, as the title suggests, fear kicks in very easily. Stylistically interesting, the film never quite builds on that premise, and the back end in particular struggles. But Pegg is on good form here, and A Fantastic Fear of Everything is an interesting enough movie to warrant a viewing or two.The disc comes with a series of interviews, a trailer, and deleted scenes. And then there's a feature length commentary track, which is the finest supplement of the lot. This features Simon Pegg along with co-directors Crispian Mills and Chris Hopewell, and they're engaging company. A Fantastic Fear of Everything may have problems, but it remains an interesting film on an interesting disc. -Jon Foster

... less

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL...... more

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Behind the scenes, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Featurette, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Jack Dee stars as Rick Spleen, a successful but world-weary stand-up comedian who spends too much of his time hosting corporate events in the BBC comedy sitcom, Lead Balloon. Rick and Marty, his American co-writer, spend their days arguing, drinking too much coffee, and devising work avoidance strategies. Further distractions are provided by Magda, Rick's home help, his show-biz agent wife Mel, their teenage daughter Sam and her feckless boyfriend Ben. Lead Balloon is co-written by Jack Dee and Pete Sinclair. This DVD includes all six episodes in series 1. Episode 1: "Rubbish" - Rick fronts a lame government TV recycling campaign which backfires spectacularly. He falls out with café-owner Michael over a homemade fruitcake, and has a full-on row with unhinged baby-present shopkeeper Maureen. Episode 2: "Wayne" - A teaspoon crisis in the Spleen household leads Rick to petty theft. Meanwhile, Rick's sleep is disturbed by the paperboy, Wayne, who is very punctual, very noisy and has a brain the size of a walnut. Episode 3: "£5,000" - Rick gets in a punch-up at an awards ceremony and ends up with a black eye. Marty is preparing to pitch a programme to the BBC and Michael is delighted that Rick has accidentally sponsored him a small fortune for his Skipathon. Episode 4: "Allergic" - Rick discovers he may have inadvertently killed one of Britain's best-loved entertainers, but he's preoccupied by a missing shoe-organiser. Meanwhile Rick prepares for upcoming appearance on topical news panel show Bullet in the News. Episode 5: "Pistachio" - Rick buys himself a ...Lead Balloon - Series One - 2-DVD Set ( Lead Balloon - Series 1 )

... less