In The Shadow Of The Moon

In The Shadow Of The Moon [DVD] [2007]
Directed by David Sington

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£4.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis

America's quest to put a man on the moon, while both fascinating and inspiring, has been well-covered on film, perhaps most notably in "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Apollo 13". Add to that a space program that by the early 2000s ranked near "Abscam" in terms of public interest, and it's easy to see why the documentary In The Shadow Of The Moon might be a tough sell. Yet this simple, stylish look at the Apollo space program is a quietly powerful rumination on the nature of patriotism, heroism, and humanity.

In In The Shadow Of The Moon, director David Sington utilises a narrator-less structure which intercuts stunning stock footage with insightful commentary from the surviving astronauts who walked on the moon. There are no experts, no voiceovers, and no recreations; it's a style that works quite well, recalling the work of Errol Morris. While the space shots and behind-the-scenes footage of NASA operations are fascinating, the astronauts--including Buzz Aldrin, Dave Scott and Alan Bean--are a revelation. Variously witty, heartfelt, modest and humbled when discussing their journeys into space, it's easy to understand why these men were heroes to a generation. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the documentary is the way in which the viewer is reminded of how genuinely stunning the Apollo mission was--not only for the United States, but for the whole world. One need not be reminded that 1969 was a tumultuous year for Earth, and that Neil Armstrong's famous one small step for man literally united the planet, giving true credence to the latter half of his famous statement. The Shadow Of The Moon expertly recreates that moon-landing moment, without a shred of excess patriotism, pretence or sentiment.

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Grumpy Old Men

Grumpy Old Men [DVD] [2003]
From 2 Entertain Video

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£2.97 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
A humourous series featuring the grumpiest people in Britain - 35-54 year olds. Celebrities including Bill Nighy, Bob Geldof, Rick Wakeman, Michael Grade and John Peel vent their spleens on a range of topics that make them grumpy. The DVD includes all four episodes from the series plus the Christmas Special.

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Religulous

Religulous [DVD] [2008]
Directed by Larry Charles

Price:

£4.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Bill Maher travels to Israel, England, the Netherlands, Vatican City, and across America, speaking to people about faith and religion in the very funny documentary RELIGULOUS. Maher, a stand-up comedian who has hosted the talk shows POLITICALLY INCORRECT on ABC and REAL TIME on HBO and has written such bestsellers as DOES ANYBODY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT? and WHEN YOU RIDE ALONE, YOU RIDE WITH BIN LADEN, reaches out to religious leaders as well as regular folk on the street, discussing the existence of God and the importance of organised religion.
Maher makes it clear from the start that he is not a fan of religion and does not believe in God, and he has fun skewering people who do--including Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Mormons, rabbis, priests, politicians, scientists, evangelical ministers, and even a preacher whose church is a converted truck. He also visits such places as the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida, where he interviews the actor who plays Jesus in a live show there, and the Red Light District in Amsterdam, notorious for its legalised drugs and prostitution. As he has done on his television programs and in his books, Maher questions literal interpretations of the Bible, seeing it more as a collection of fairy tales.
Director Larry Charles (BORAT, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM) intersperses clips from Hollywood films about religion to punctuate Maher's points, often to hilarious effect. The soundtrack is also used effectively, including such songs as the Doobie Brothers' 'Jesus Is Just Alright', Ben Folds's 'Jesusland', and Billy Bragg and Wilco's 'Christ For President'. Like such Michael Moore documentaries as FAHRENHEIT 9/11 and BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE, Maher's RELIGULOUS uses humour--and lots of cynicism and sarcasm--to examine controversial theories and topics that people feel very strongly about, no matter what side of the fence they are on. In addition to making audiences laugh, RELIGULOUS will make them think.

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Jesus of Nazareth Special Edition

Jesus of Nazareth Special Edition [DVD] [1977]
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli

Price:

£5.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Originally made for TV in 1977, this in-depth version of Jesus' life opens with a very thorough depiction of the story of his birth. The film doesn't skimp on some of the other landmark events of this famous story either. Director Franco Zeffirelli gives ample screen time each to the Last Supper and the Crucifixion. Passages of the Bible are quoted verbatim, the locations have a Palestine-like authenticity, and, aside from some of the principals (Robert Powell as Jesus, Olivia Hussey as Mary, and Stacy Keach as Barabbas), many of the non-Roman characters are actually played by Semitic-looking actors. Zeffirelli diligently provides the socio-political background that gave rise to Jesus' following and the crisis in belief it caused for the people of Israel (and one or two Romans). --Kimberly Heinrichs, Amazon.com

DVD Description
Jesus of Nazareth Synopsis

This full un-edited version is a compelling portrayal of the life and death of Jesus (Robert Powell) traced from birth, through to childhood, his baptism by John the Baptist (Michael York) and the miracles; culminating in his crucifixion and resurrection.

Four years in the making, this powerful epic has been critically acclaimed by religious leaders worldwide for its sensitivity and passion. Directed by Oscar ™ nominee, Franco Zeffirelli, this internationally acclaimed and award-winning screen version of the life of Jesus is a captivating production coupled with historical and religious accuracy.

Robert Powell stars as Jesus and a star studded international cast ads depth and humanity to the roles of the saints, sinners and ordinary people who walked in the footsteps of the Lord. The all star cast includes Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Valentina Cortese, James Farentino, James Earl Jones, Stacy Keach, Tony Lo Bianco, James Mason, Ian McShane, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn, Fernando Rey, Rod Steiger, Peter Ustinov, Michael York and Olivia Hussey as Mary.

Contains 2 hrs of additional running time

Synopsis
This epic chronicle of Christ begins with the arrangements of the wedding between Joseph and Mary, proceeds through Jesus' birth, his encounter with John the Baptist, and all the way to the grueling, transfigurative end. The all-star cast includes Anne Bancroft, Laurence Olivier, Michael York, James Mason, Rod Steiger, and Robert Powell as Jesus. As the beautiful locations, superb performances, and reverent portrayals reveal, Franco Zeffirelli (OTELLO, HAMLET) directed this six-hour-plus television miniseries with palpable passion.

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Exit Through The Gift Shop

Exit Through The Gift Shop [Blu-ray] [2010]
From Revolver Entertainment

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£11.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover
The world’s first street art disaster movie.

Exit Through The Gift Shop is the groundbreaking film from Banksy – the world’s most famous graffiti artist; a global phenomenon with a fiercely guarded anonymity.

Capturing the exhilarating behind-the-scenes world of graffiti art, an eccentric Frenchman tries to film and befriend Banksy, only for the artist to turn the camera back on its owner with spectacular results.

Featuring exclusive footage of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Invader and many more of the world's most infamous graffiti artists at work, Exit Through The Gift Shop is the hilarious true story of low-level criminality, companionship and incompetence.

The story of how one man set out to film the un-filmable. And failed

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Carrington

Carrington [DVD] [1995]
Directed by Christopher Hampton

Price:

£3.43 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Emma Thompson stars as young, boyish and vivacious painter Dora Carrington, with Jonathan Pryce as writer and conscientious objector Lytton Strachey, the unobtainably gay man, that she loves passionately. Directed by Christopher Hampton (DANGEROUS LIAISONS) this unorthodox love-story is based on the real events in Dora's life surrounding the bohemian Bloomsbury art group where her attraction for the bearded bon vivant Strachey began. Having found her intellectual soul mate, she finds herself indulging in sexual escapades with many young attractive men to drown her undying love for the distinguished author, whose physical love she will never win. Starring San West, Rufus Sewell and Steven Waddington as the men she hopes will save her from the spell Strachey unwittingly has over her. Michael Nyman's sumptuous and yearning score is utterly beautiful and fittingly heartbreaking. The film won the 1996 Special Jury Prize at Cannes.

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Around The World In 80 Gardens

Around The World In 80 Gardens : Complete BBC Series [DVD]
From Warner Home Video

Price:

£9.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

DVD Description
Around the World in 80 Gardens is a BBC series that follows broadcaster Monty Don as he travels all over the planet searching for world-class gardens – ancient and modern, large and small, grand and humble. In total, exactly eighty gardens are featured during his 10 journeys, and include the Alhambra, the gardens of the Taj Mahal in India, the gardens of the Villa D’Este in Italy and many important botanic and royal gardens from Thailand to Bali, from New Zealand to Europe and from China to Mexico.

Written and presented by Monty Don, the author of numerous gardening books and articles and the UK's leading gardening broadcaster, Around the World in 80 Gardens is much more than a gardening series, since Monty believes that "..gardens are a really good way to understand a culture". Each programme in this landmark documentary series combines history, natural history and travel and appeals to a wide audience. Each programme traces a personal journey for Monty as he exposes himself to new experiences and to cultures he has never previously encountered, leading him to question his ideas of what a garden actually is. With its intimate and engaging tone, we see how Monty’s own assumptions evolve as he learns from all he encounters…

Synopsis
In the BBC series AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 GARDENS, Monty Don takes you on a virtual tour of some of the world's finest gardens. From ancient to modern, large to small, and grand to humble, each offering boasts its own unique worldly flavour. The first programme gets off to a tranquil start in Mexico City--which is home to the ancient Floating Gardens of Xochimilco--before heading east to the organic allotments and market gardens of Havana. Other locations featured in this series include: Australia and New Zealand, India, South America, The United States of America, China and Japan, The Mediterranean, South Africa, Northern Europe, and South-East Asia.

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London Ink - The Complete Series Two

London Ink - The Complete Series Two [DVD] [2008]
From Revelation Films Ltd

Price:

£9.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
From the makers of MIAMI INK, LONDON INK brings tattooing home and offers an in depth look into the colourful and often painful world of tattoo art. In the first series Louis Molloy moved from his base in Manchester, down to London to set up 'the most talked about tattoo studio in Britain'. This release, featuring the entire second series, follows his progress in the capital.

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Paris Is Burning

Paris Is Burning [DVD] [1990]
Directed by Jennie Livingston

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£7.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
An unblinking, behind-the-scenes story of the young men of Harlem who originated 'voguing' and turned these stylized dance competitions into a glittering expression of fierce personal pride.

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Look Back On 70's Telly - Issue 2

Look Back On 70's Telly - Issue 2 [DVD] [1970]
From Network

Price:

£8.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
This wonderful compilation features the best of pre-school television programming from the 1970s, including: TIMESLIP, FOLLYFOOT, YOU MUST BE JOKING, FOUR IDLE HANDS, THE PAPER LADS, THE ADVENTURES OF BLACK BEAUTY, ROBERT'S ROBOTS, GET IT TOGETHER, MAGPIE and any more.

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Deepak Chopra - The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success

Deepak Chopra - The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success [2007] [DVD]
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

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£4.97 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Author Deepak Chopra explores more of the mind-body-spirit collection in THE SEVEN SPIRITUAL LAWS OF SUCCESS, based on his bestselling book. Through this philosophy, Chopra offers insight into attaining one's goals and enjoying life to the fullest. Olivia Newton-John (GREASE) tells her story of triumph over hardship and also contributes new music to the film's soundtrack. Bill Duke (X-MEN: THE LAST STAND) also makes an appearance to discuss the effects of Chopra's ideas on his life.

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Superbike School - The Complete Series

Superbike School - The Complete Series [DVD]
From Odeon Entertainment

Price:

£5.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Customer Reviews

super cool dvd4
had a good look at this dvd and it has some good track riding tips it's not as detailed as the callifornian superbike school but still good a bit light harted and is a real insite in to what you could expect from a track day here in the uk have fun easy ridding

It's good but, it's no Keith Code...4
I got this DVD hoping that I could learn something from it to help my riding and hopefully go a bit quicker on the road.
This DVD is good in showing you how to be smooth, picking the turning points and using good throttle control.
James Whitham shows these 3 guys how to get faster around this selected circuit and it makes you think that you could do with him at every track you go to for trackdays... and you can because I've seen him instructing at "Focused Events trackdays."
He does get them going quicker with his advice and techniques, and the 3 riders are at different levels of riding for you to relate to. James is good but I don't think his explanation of techniques and what he wants them to do is very well translated. That meaning, that when he's describing something he relates to "go like this, and do this" in a broad Yorkshire accent. Hence it's not like Keith Codes Twist of the wrist DVD which teaches you the technologies of riding and you input effects handling, suspension, balance & grip, thus making you quicker. Don't get me wrong I'd love to have James's one on one teachings at a track but that side of it doesn't come across in this film. Maybe if he does another film it will. Enjoy.

Dont expect to learn a great deal3
Worth watchin but doesnt often go into the techniques of riding a superbike. This more follows three students and there riding progresson

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Privilege [BFI FLIPSIDE 007]

Privilege [BFI FLIPSIDE 007] [DVD] [1967]
Directed by Peter Watkins

Price:

£10.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
After directing several extraordinary documentaries for the BBC, including the award-winning THE WAR GAME and CULLODEN, Peter Watkins made his first dramatic feature with this flawed but striking film about Steven Shorter (Paul Jones), a pop singer in a future society--where entertainment is controlled by a totalitarian government--who is packaged to unite the masses and offer sanitized rebellion. Shorter's music and image are used to channel the impulses of rebellious youth; in one concert sequence, the crowd watches him sing a plaintive plea for love and understanding while locked in a cage surrounded by police officers armed with clubs. While Shorter is remarkably popular, he's also living a life created for him by the government, which Steven knows is a sham. When Shorter's handlers decide to revamp his image into that of an obedient, religious boy, he rebels, to his peril. Model Jean Shrimpton made her film debut here as an artist commissioned to paint a portrait of Shorter.PRIVILEGE later became something of a cult film; one of the film's admirers was rock poet Patti Smith, who recorded one of 'Steven Shorter''s songs, 'Set Me Free', on her 1978 album EASTER.


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This Is Elvis

This Is Elvis (2-Disc Special Edition) [1981] [DVD]
Directed by Andrew Solt, Malcolm Leo

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£5.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

DVD Description
Warner Home Video commemorates the 30th anniversary of "The King’s" passing with a collector’s Limited Edition 11-Disc box set and several Special and Deluxe Edition DVD releases, one of which is the fascinating documentary This Is Elvis.

An intimate, behind-the-scenes portrait, This Is Elvis draws on interviews with the people who knew Presley best – family, friends, employees and mentor/manager Colonel Tom Parker – and includes some rare footage, such as home movies, newsreels and several key TV appearances. It traces the life of Elvis from his early days in Tupelo and Memphis and his audition for Sam Phillips at Sun records, through to his early TV appearances, his army years and his first meeting with Pricilla, then his time in movies, his 1968 comeback and touring years in the 1970s, up to his death in 1977. The film is digitally re-mastered with exceptional sound and includes bonus features.

Synopsis
An authorised biography of Elvis Presley from his poverty-ridden childhood in Tupelo, to stardom and his tragic untimely death.

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Lords Of The Mafia (Boxed Set)

Lords Of The Mafia (Boxed Set) [DVD]
Lords of the Mafia

Price:	£7.47 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #18236 in DVD
* Released on: 2007-03-26
* Rating: Exempt
* Aspect ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
* Formats: Box set, PAL
* Original language: English
* Number of discs: 5
* Running time: 598 minutes

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Documentary which considers the impact of organised crime on the world.

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River Cottage - Catch And Cook

River Cottage - Catch And Cook [DVD] [2010]
From River Cottage

Price:

£10.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Join Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the team at Channel 4's popular series RIVER COTTAGE, as they take to the high seas in search of a good catch. The programme offers advice and instruction in preparing your fresh fish from scratch; plus a great selection recipes and ideas, from mackerel sashimi to sea bass baked in a salt crust.

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The Keith Floyd Cookery Collection

The Keith Floyd Cookery Collection (TV Chef, Travel) [DVD]
Keith Floyd

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£36.47 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Highly acclaimed chef and self-titled 'gastronaut' Keith Floyd, takes you on a culinary journey through the restaurants, bars and celebrated sights of Italy, Spain, Africa and around the Mediterranean in this great collection of FLOYD ON... titles. Also includes FAR FLUNG FLOYD, a series exploring the exotic dishes of the Far East, FLOYD UNCORKED which travels to the wine regions of France, and FLOYD'S FJORD FIESTA, featuring Norway's majestic fjords.

From the Back Cover
Subtitles: None

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Cinema 16 - World Short Films

Cinema 16 - World Short Films [2008] [DVD]
Directed by Guillermo del Toro;Alfonso Cuaron;Guy Maddin;Alexander Sokurov;Taika Waititi;Sylvain Chomet;Jane Campion;Ousmane Sembene;Andrea Arnold

Price:

£12.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Proof that the best things really do come in small packages, CINEMA 16 - WORLD SHORT FILMS is a collection of inspired shorts, and a must-have for any self-respecting film fan. It features the works of some of the world's most gifted directors (Guillermo Del Toro, Sylvain Chomet, Guy Maddin, Alfonso Cuaron, and Jane Campion), who demonstrate their adroitness at conveying their artistic visions simply and succinctly. But it's not just established directors who are celebrated here; a new generation of filmmaking talent is represented by the likes of Andrea Arnolds' Oscar winner WASP, 2008 Oscar nominee MADAME TUTLI PUTLI, and 2008 Sundance winner ON THE ICE (SIKUMI)

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Deadliest Catch - Series 1

Deadliest Catch - Series 1 [DVD] [2006]
From Go Entertain

ere.
Customer Reviews

Utterly gripping - genuine reality TV5
At last! a documentary in which the real-life people are just that - people doing their job and not being 'personalities' for the camera. This show demonstrates great filming (how the *!* did they do it??), great leadership and very brave men and women on the Bering Sea. It's just about the only show I make an effort to watch 'live', and at last it's come to the UK on Ch4 too!

Great for watching whilst huddled up indoors with a mug of hot chocolate: makes you realise how your own job is not really that taxing after all...

The best5
Not the type of tv show a 15 year old girl should be into really. But with 40 foot waves, freezing cold temperatures and almost always 100% injury rate the Deadliest Catch series has taken me personally be heart. If you enjoy eating crab, then i suggest you buy now and see how much it takes to put it on your plate. The best TV show out there.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE WATCH5
ok, ill be the first to admit that i though this wassomething completely differnt when i saw it on the tv listings. I mean, how interesting can a show about fishermen be!!! Prepare to be amazed by an entertaining look at the drama behind crab fishing. sounds boring i know, but trust me , its really addictive!!

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Have I Got News For You - Best Of The Guests

Have I Got News For You - Best Of The Guests - Vol. 2 [DVD] [1990]
Directed by Ben Fuller, John L. Spencer

Price:

£14.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
A second helping of the topical news quiz show with special guest presenters.

DVD Description
Another dose of the topical news quiz, fronted by special guests with the usual panel pairing of messers Merton and Hislop. This special compilation focus on the best guests of the recent series including Ronnie Corbett, William Hague, Louis Theroux, Jeremy Clarkson, Neil Kinnock and the one and only Boris Johnson. In fact the set includes a whole separate bonus disc devoted just to Boris and his peculiar ramblings/insightful commentaries. There’s also plenty from the various guest presenters, as well as Merton and Hislop, with tons of jokes and deleted sequences never before seen on TV.

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Free Cinema

Free Cinema [1956] [DVD]
From Bfi Video

Price:

£12.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Customer Reviews

A Gem of a Collection5
I'm about half way through watching this three disk BFI collection, but I'm inspired already to post my first ever internet review. The Free Cinema movement will no doubt be known to many people who frequent this site, but for those of you don't know it, a few details. Free Cinema was a term coined by Linsay Anderson, who founded the movement back in the mid-1950s. The idea was to bring together, and create a space for, the work of a group of young film and documentary makers who were doing similar things. Basically, this group-initially working independently of one another-were making shortish films and documentaries that focused on working class life in Britain which explicitly tried to get away from the 'gawd blimey, luv a duck' or doth your cap 'yes, mester' portrayal of working class people that characterised much of British cinema up until then, and the slightly patronising if well intentioned work, of earlier documentary makers like John Grierson.

The collection is largely comprised of documentaries, including-for example-the quite famous 'We are the Lambeth Boys', but there are also a few film contributions here. My personal favourite so far is a little gem of a film called Together by an Italian director named Lorenza Mazzetti, who apparently was a co-founder (with Anderson and Tony Richarson), but who I had never heard of before. So far I've watched maybe half the documentaries and, without exception, they're great as both social history and a historical archive (documenting a world that has now pretty much been re-developed to oblivion) and in their own right......really enjoyable stuff. I am not entirely sure how far it's possible to chart a direct lineage between these films/docs and the British social realism of the 1960s, but in the little booklet that accompanies the collection, they are described as 'precusors' and the general trajectory is certainly evident. It's impossible to watch these shorts without images and scenes from fantastic films like Taste of Honey, Billy Liar and Kes coming to mind.......not to mention contemporary British film makers like Lynne Ramsey (in Ratcatcher mode) and Shane Meadows.

The asking price might seem a bit steep if you like to buy your films in order to watch at leisure and have a budget. But there is 320 or so minutes of material on the three disks, so actually it's a real bargain. To wet your appetite a little more, along with the above mentioned, there are also contributions from the likes of Polanski and Traffaut too. If you're a fan of social realism stuff or documentary, you should certainly rent this.......I'd say it's an essential for your collection.

British Cinema at it's best!5
Messrs Anderson, Reisz, Richardson and co,
Delivering a vision of Britain at a time of transition and captured in this excellent compilation of films. The true essence of the "Free Cinema" movement is evident, from Lyndsay Anderson's "O'Dreamland" (1953)which features an amusement park in Margate and has a magpie quality, taking the Richard Hoggart tone to it's subject critiquing the erosion of the traditional working class values. I also enjoyed Anderson's "Every Day Except Christmas" (1957) which observes the tradition and honest endeavours of the workers at the Covent Garden Market. "We are the Lambeth Boys" (1959) (Reisz) is also a favourite as the film explores the positive side of Youth Culture and the role of the community youth Club in South London. I would recommend anyone with an interest in the development of British Cinema in a historical or documentary context to buy this excellent product!

free cinema (1956)5
A very interesting collection of short documentary films from 1956. Every film was a glimps into our past history . Highly recommended for any one interested in social history. A rare gem.


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The 11th Hour

The 11th Hour [DVD] [2007]
From Warner Home Video

Price:

£4.97 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
The 11th Hour may not have enjoyed the profile of the last major documentary to tackle the issues and challenges of climate change (that’d be Al Gore’s engrossing Oscar-winner An Inconvenient Truth), but it’s no less compelling, and proves to be a thought-provoking feature in its own right.

Producer and narrator Leonardo Di Caprio, who also shares a writing credit, is the glue that holds The 11th Hour together, and this diligent documentary presents a lot of information. What’s more, it balances its subject matter a little more accessibly than An Inconvenient Truth. The latter appeared to rush through the segment where it addressed the things we can do to help fight climate change, but The 11th Hour--in among some very hard-hitting material--makes sure that it devotes enough of its focus to the what-happens-next.

To top it off, it’s attracted some heavyweight world figures to stand before the camera. Some you will have heard of (Professor Stephen Hawking and Mikhail Gorbachev, for instance), and others are less known, but the cumulative effect of their contributions gives The 11th Hour a gravity and power that is hard to ignore. And while occasionally you can’t help but feel it slips into being a little too preachy, it tackles a serious subject exceptionally well. A documentary absolutely not to be missed, for more than one reason. --Jon Foster

Synopsis
Leonardo DiCaprio (THE DEPARTED, TITANIC) presents this thought-provoking documentary about the fragile state of our planet's ecosystems and the dangers we face. We've all seen the devastating effects of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, and now scientists and experts from around the world believe that unless we act immediately to cut carbon emissions and switch to renewable energy sources, humankind is in very real danger of becoming extinct. The film explores how we arrived at this unfortunate predicament, blaming industrial civilisation for much of the damage and world leaders for allowing it to happen. It's not all doom and gloom though; if we reduce the human footprint on Earth by a wide enough margin, we can effectively change the course of our planet's future. THE 11TH HOUR gathers an impressive list of supporters, including former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey, and over 50 leading scientists.

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Who Killed The Electric Car?

Who Killed The Electric Car? [DVD] [2006]
Directed by Chris Paine

Price:

£3.98 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk
It begins with a solemn funeral…for a car. By the end of Chris Paine's lively and informative documentary, the idea doesn't seem quite so strange. As narrator Martin Sheen notes, "They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust and ran without gasoline." Paine proceeds to show how this unique vehicle came into being and why General Motors ended up reclaiming its once-prized creation less than a decade later. He begins 100 years ago with the original electric car. By the 1920s, the internal-combustion engine had rendered it obsolete. By the 1980s, however, car companies started exploring alternative energy sources, like solar power. This, in turn, led to the late, great battery-powered EV1. Throughout, Paine deftly translates hard science and complex politics, such as California's Zero-Emission Vehicle Mandate, into lay person's terms (director Alex Gibney, Oscar-nominated for Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, served as consulting producer). And everyone gets the chance to have their say: engineers, politicians, protesters, and petroleum spokespeople--even celebrity drivers, like Peter Horton, Alexandra Paul, and a wild man beard-sporting Mel Gibson. But the most persuasive participant is former Saturn employee Chelsea Sexton. Promoting the benefits of the EV1 was more than a job to her, and she continues to lobby for more environmentally friendly options. Who Killed the Electric Car? is, otherwise, a tremendously sobering experience. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Synopsis
In the 1990s, following California's passing of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, American car companies began producing electric cars for mainstream consumption. GM's EV1, which was by all accounts quiet, fast, and capable of driving up to 80 miles on one charge, used no gasoline and quickly developed an intensely devoted following in California. But even as its popularity grew, car manufacturers were fighting the mandate; it was overturned, and by 2005 just about every single EV1 had been recalled, crushed, and shredded. GM put its resources into the Hummer instead. WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? looks at the tangled web of interests behind the car's untimely demise, laying out convincing cases against the auto industry, big oil, corrupt federal and state governments, and consumers themselves. Chris Paine's directorial debut is not especially stylish, but it is effective. He leads viewers through the twisty maze of politics and profit that surrounds the main story, taking time to dwell on the passionate attachment that many of the cars' drivers still feel for them. Appropriately, the film is narrated by Martin Sheen--the embodiment for many Americans of socially conscious leadership, thanks to his many years on THE WEST WING--and features interviews with a motley array of celebrities from Mel Gibson to Ed Begley, Jr., but the real star of the movie is the doomed car itself and all that it stands for. The film is not especially fair or balanced; very little screen time is devoted to criticism of electric cars, and the only person on camera defending the oil companies is a singularly slimy and unappealing spokesperson from whom most viewers would be unwilling to buy a used car of any variety. But it certainly succeeds as a rousing, if occasionally depressing, call to awareness and action.

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Joanna Lumley - Catwoman

Joanna Lumley - Catwoman [DVD] [2009]
From ITV Studios Home Entertainment

Price:

£11.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Actress and animal lover Joanna Lumley is turning cat detective, to explore the unique relationship we have with our feline friends in a brand new, two-part series. Joanna embarks on a unique journey around the world to uncover the history of the cat. Her travels include Egypt, Japan, Namibia, North America, Belize, Mexico, Belgium and the UK as she seeks to find out why cats stir such different responses in different cultures. Along the way she meets many people who have unique relationships with cats, both domestic and wild. From encounters with actress and sanctuary owner Tippi Hedren and ex-model and cat rescuer Celia Hammond, to a Munchkin cat breeder and the London woman who keeps 21 cats, Joanna is on a mission to find out exactly what bewitches us about the cat. She explores how such an unlikely partnership first began, why cats stir such conflicting emotions in us and how one of nature’s most efficient killers ended up as our favourite fireside companion.

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Crimson Wing [Blu-ray]

Crimson Wing [Blu-ray] [2009]
Directed by Matthew Aeberhard, Leander Ward

Price:

£12.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Harking back to the nature films that regularly used to inhabit video rental shops, Crimson Wing sees Disney revisiting a successful strand of its past. Under the Disney Nature banner, the documentary focuses on Lake Natron in northern Tanzania. There, directors Matthew Aeberhard and Leander Ward point their cameras at a real sight of natural beauty: flamingos. Lots and lots of flamingos.

The film traces the life cycle of flamingos in a measured, absorbing, non-flashy manner, and that helps make Crimson Wing such a fascinating watch. And inevitably, it really comes into its own on Blu-ray. There’s a mixture of photography styles employed by the film, and the stunning, often-packed shots look simply superb with the aid of the 1080p transfer on offer. It’s the kind of disc that easily reminds you why you forked out for a high definition television in the first place.

Don’t write off the audio, either. While Crimson Wing features a fine voiceover narration track, it also boasts some suitably enchanting music that the uncompressed audio on the disc greedily makes the most of. It’s an involving piece of work, and the surround sound track aids that in a subtle but definite way.

Best of all though, Crimson Wing shines a light on creatures that don’t often feature in the limelight. And this fascinating glimpse into the lives of flamingos deserves to be watched time and time again. --Jon Foster

DVD Description
One lake, a million birds, an incredible story...

In a remote and forgotten wilderness, one of nature's last great mysteries unfolds: the birth, life and death of a million crimson-winged flamingos. Against a dramatic backdrop of never-before filmed landscapes, these secretive birds struggle to survive and prevail over danger and fate. This inspiring story, set in the extraordinary 'otherworld' of Lake Natrona in northern Tanzania, the cradle of humankind, reminds us: here on earth is a universe waiting to be discovered.

Extras

Lake Natron Diaries - Behind The Crimson Wing:

* Life at the Camp
* Life of the Flamingo
* Making of
* Lake Natron
* Music

Only on the Blu-ray

* Living Planet: Educational information about the places featured in the film.
* Crimson Wing Screensaver: This dynamically edited piece, set to the fantastic score of the film, will provide a loop on your HD Television, providing an artistic look at the landscape and beauty of the film.
* Filmmaker Annotations: These in-movie pop-ups provide an expanded experience of the film from the filmmaker’s point of view. Through interesting facts and quotes from the directors themselves, this extra layer of knowledge enhances the viewing experience by providing an inside look at the creation The Crimson Wing.

Synopsis
Disney Nature presents this stunning film from renowned nature filmmakers Matthew Aeberhard and Leander Ward. This documentary explores the world of Tanzania's crimson-winged flamingos, beautiful creatures whose lives--as well as their species as a whole--are threatened by the world around them.

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Priceless Antiques Roadshow

Priceless Antiques Roadshow [DVD] [2009]
From Acorn Media UK Ltd

Price:

£11.63 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Fiona Bruce presents this selection of highlights from THE ANTIQUES ROADSHOW. Each episode finds an expert presenting their three favourite finds and the one thing that they wish they had found.

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The Universe - Complete Season 4

The Universe - Complete Season 4 [Blu-ray]
From History Channel

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£17.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

DVD Description
Journey back to the beginning of history on a mind-blowing adventure through space and time.

Using stunning HD graphics, The Universe returns in Season Four to transport viewers past the wonders of our own solar system and out to the bizarre far-flung reaches of the cosmos. From death stars to ringed planets, star clusters to space wars, The Universe uses new discoveries and more advanced CGI to help explain the mysteries of outer space. From wormholes to transporters, examine which elements from popular sci-fi movies could really exist; and discover how the universe is awash in all sorts of strange liquids, from oceans of methane to blobs of alcohol floating in space, and even iron rain. Watch and marvel as experts cook up ten ways to destroy the Earth, including blowing it up with anti-matter, hurling it into the Sun, and colliding with another galaxy.

• This top-rated series is the number 1 bestselling HISTORY™ series on DVD.
• Shot in hi-definition and packed with state-of-the-art CGI technology and authentic NASA footage, HISTORY™ takes viewers on a stunning journey through the deepest reaches of space – including stars and galaxies just discovered last year!
• This 3-disc set features all 12 episodes from Season Four plus additional never-aired segments.
• Blu-ray’s hi definition displays the programme to its best effect.

Episodes:
Death Stars - Explore the threats to Earth from supernovas, gamma ray bursts, and stars that collide.

The Day the Moon Was Gone - Everyone knows that the Moon controls our tides, but did you know that if the moon disappeared, Earth would spin much faster, giving us a shorter day, winds would blow stronger and longer, and life on our planet would be doomed?

It Fell from Space - Every year, dozens of objects, both natural and manmade, plummet through our atmosphere and crash into the Earth. These messengers from the sky provide scientists with amazing insights into the natural phenomena of the cosmos. Explore the mystery of these objects, some of which have turned out to be pieces of Mars.

Biggest Blasts - The universe is full of explosions that both create and destroy. This is a countdown of the biggest, most powerful blasts to rock the cosmos.

The Hunt for Ringed Planets - What are the physics that form the amazing phenomenon of planetary rings? From Saturn to Neptune (a little known fact: it has rings that were only recently discovered) and out into the realm of extrasolar planets, we explore the science behind the most beautiful planets in the sky.

10 Ways to Destroy The Earth - Our experts cook up ten ways you could destroy the Earth including: swallowing it with a microscopic black hole, blowing it up with anti-matter, hurling it into the Sun, and colliding with another galaxy.

The Search for Cosmic Clusters - They are some of the largest structures in the universe, huge gatherings of millions, or even billions, of stars in either globular or open clusters. But how are these clusters born? What keeps them together? And, what could tear them apart?

Space Wars - The first shots of World War III will likely be fired in outer space. How will the physics beyond our atmosphere govern the future of warfare? Will lasers and phasers replace machine guns and missiles? And are rival nations already waging battles in space, targeting each other’s satellites, and using low earth orbit as a way to deliver warheads?

Liquid Universe - On alien planets, they rain from the sky as scalding iron. On distant moons, even at hundreds of degrees below zero, they slosh around in pristine lakes of methane. They can cover entire planets in miles-deep oceans of electrified hydrogen metal. Or erupt on alien worlds through miles-high geysers. They churn in the interiors of dead stars and even our own planet. They're so rare in the universe, they almost don't exist, but these are the magical liquids of our Liquid Universe.

Pulsars & Quasars - They sort of sound like the same phenomenon, but Pulsars and Quasars are very different. Pulsars are tiny--only a few miles across--but they spin as fast as a kitchen blender and sweep the sky with beacons of radiation that make them appear to flash on and off. They have unbelievably strong magnetic fields, are more accurate than atomic clocks...and they can even tell aliens just where to find the Earth! Quasars are at the other end of the spectrum. Quasars are huge cores of galaxies with black holes that are called "monsters" and which spit lobes of radiating gas called "DRAGNs."

Science Fiction / Science Fact - Warp speed, transporters, wormholes and lasers--they are all staples of science fiction books, movies, and TV shows. While scientists have long mocked Hollywood's visions of warp speed and faster-than-light travel as prohibited by Einstein's laws, a new generation of physicists continues to rewrite the fundamental rules of the universe. Is there a way around the cosmic speed limit?

Extreme Energy - Ours is a universe of energy, from powerful jets ejected from black holes to the raw nuclear fury of our Sun. But, the total amount of energy in the universe maintains perfect equilibrium--no more can be added or taken away. Because of this, there are enormous amounts of energy being transferred...electric, thermal, kinetic and magnetic energy are just a few that keep our universe balanced--and create awesome cosmic events and stellar displays.


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Gardens Of The National Trust

Gardens Of The National Trust [DVD]
From Fastforward Music

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£7.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
This collection includes all three volumes of the GARDENS OF THE NATIONAL TRUST series presented by Alan Titchmarsh; VOL.1 features the rhododendron displays at Killerton in Devon, Gertrude Jekyll's Barrington Court garden in Somerset, the informal Dunham Massey with Elizabethan moat, and much more, VOL.2 features six more National Trust gardens including Anglesey Abbey with statuary and tree-lined avenues, Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire, the mild climate garden of Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland and Knightshayes in Devon which boasts topiary and unusual trees, and VOL.3 includes Powis Castle's hanging terraces, rhododendrons of Stourhead, the rare specimens at Rowallane in County Down and the spectacular views of Stowe Landscape Gardens.

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Digital Video Essentials

Digital Video Essentials [DVD] [2003]
Artist Not Provided

Price:

£11.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Special Features
English
Region 0

Synopsis
Used to be your TV was a box that plugged in and maybe you had to fiddle with the antennae a little to get the picture right. Now digital TV systems - plasma screens, high definition TV and home theater systems, etc. - offer such a wealth of options and extras, it almost seems you have to have an advanced degree in technology to run them properly. DIGITAL VIDEO ESSENTIALS breaks it all down into a comprehensive, step-by-step instructional package that you can play on your screen as you properly calibrate and set up your system. Why bother sinking money into your system if you, for example, can't properly balance colors on the screen

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Natural World Collection

Natural World Collection [Blu-ray]
From 2 Entertain Video

Price:

£15.93 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
This collection brings together four of the BBC's memorable nature documentaries and presents them in stunning High Definition. This set includes: THE WILD PLACES OF ESSEX, BIRDS OF PARADISE, FOREST ELEPHANTS and ANDREA – QUEEN OF MANTAS.

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Blue Planet : Complete BBC Series (Special Edition 4 Disc Box Set) [DVD] Blue Planet : Complete BBC Series (Special Edition 4 Disc Box Set)

Blue Planet : Complete BBC Series (Special Edition 4 Disc Box Set) [DVD]
David Attenborough

Price:

£8.97 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
It’s hard to rain too many superlatives on The Blue Planet, surely one of the finest and most fascinating nature documentaries ever made. But nonetheless, we’re going to try.

Long in the making, the idea behind the show was to, using some cutting-edge technology, film previously unseen areas of the ocean, and to investigate life beneath the waves. And in doing so, it pretty much encompasses the full spectrum of creature size. From the staggering, gigantic whale of the first episode, through the miniscule life that’s documented as the programme progresses, it’s a jaw-dropping experience.

It’s also a very, very accessible one. Thanks to a diligent, warm narrative from Sir David Attenborough, there’s plenty of fact married up to the sheer spectacle of The Blue Planet, although in many ways the stunning photography almost needs no accompaniment. It’s timeless work, too, with immense rewatch value, uncovering both life that’s never been photographed previously while charting the habits of the more familiar. Icing The Blue Planet’s cake is a series of short pieces documenting just how some of the incredible pictures were captured, and these are almost as interesting as the main feature.

Enough of those superlatives, though. Because The Blue Planet simply demands to be seen and enjoyed. Prepare, like many before you, to be mesmerised. --Simon Brew

DVD Description
This definitive natural history of the world's oceans covers everything from popular shores and teeming shallows to the mysterious open depths. Two-thirds of the planet is covered by the oceans and yet they remain largely unexplored and certainly under-filmed. The TV series Blue Planet changes all that and subsequently changes our views of the deep. Advances in underwater photography have opened the doors to unknown territories never before explored.

Includes 3 new programmes: The Abyss, Dive To Shark Volcano & Amazon Abyss

From The Studio
This definitive natural history of the world's oceans covers everything from popular shores and teeming shallows to the mysterious open depths. Two-thirds of the planet is covered by the oceans and yet they remain largely unexplored and certainly under-filmed. The TV series Blue Planet changes all that and subsequently changes our views of the deep. Advances in underwater photography have opened the doors to unknown territories never before explored.

Includes 3 new programmes: The Abyss, Dive To Shark Volcano & Amazon Abyss

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Life [DVD] [2009]

Life [DVD] [2009]
From 2 Entertain Video

Price:

£20.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

DVD Description
Discover the glorious variety of life on Earth and the innovative, intelligent and sometimes bizarre tactics animals and plants employ in order to survive. More than four years in the making, taking full advantage of the latest advances in filming technology, this breathtaking ten-part blockbuster reveals the natural world’s most remarkable behaviour in unprecedented depth and detail.

Full of amazing filming ‘firsts’ on every continent and in every habitat – from 250 six foot Humboldt squid hunting as a pack to Komodo dragons (the world’s largest venomous animal) stalking buffalo and cheetahs (notorious lone hunters) working cooperatively to hunt prey twice their size – this is evolution in front of your eyes. Yet this astonishing series is not simply about revelation, it is also about entertainment. With sequences that inspire awe, wonder, sadness and humour, Life allows us to truly relate to the animals and their endeavours, and to understand and appreciate them as never before.

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