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Review Universal Studios / Possession [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Aaron Eckhart
  • Jennifer Ehle
  • Gwyneth Paltrow
  • Lena Headey
  • Neil LaBute
  • Jeremy Northam
Release date: 2003-02-11
Run time: 102 min.
Creator: David Henry Hwang
Price: £5.54

Review Possession [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Universal Studios:

With its complex twists and turns, AS Byatt's doorstopper of a novel Possession is hardly the kind of tale that translates easily to film, even though its switches in time across more than a century are intrinsically filmic. In this adaptation the basic story revolves around two modern-day academics, Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow, a class act, all ice and severe hair) and the young American Roland Michell (the charmingly diffident Aaron Eckhart). They find themselves thrown together as they track a secret love affair between two fictional Victorian poets, Randolph Henry Ash and Christable LaMotte (Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle, both of them eminently convincing costume-drama veterans). As our two modern-day sleuths uncover the truth they (surprise, surprise) find themselves falling for one another. Director Neil LaBute may have strayed from familiar territory (Nurse Betty) but he's managed to translate book to screen with compelling directness, and much credit should go not only to the four leads, but also to Lena Headey, who plays the tragic Blanche Glover, LaMotte's rejected lover. Overall it's a very lyrical movie, visually a treat for the eye, with the period detail beautifully caught and much beautiful scenery to be had. And the score itself, by Gabriel Yared, seems to encapsulate England in its pastoral beauty. Yes, of course the intricacies of the novel are much simplified, with some characters written out altogether, but its central spirit is retained and it makes for an ultimately compelling experience. On the DVD: Possession has a pleasingly sharp and well-defined picture quality that makes the most of the fabulous visuals. However, extras are limited. [+]
As well as a list of cast and crew and the usual scene selections and theatrical trailer there's the option of watching the film accompanied by LaBute's commentary, which is enlightening first time around but probably not for repeated viewing. -Harriet Smith.

Review MGM / Moulin Rouge [1952] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Suzanne Flon
  • Zsa Zsa Gabor
  • John Huston
  • Katherine Kath
  • José Ferrer
  • Claude Nollier
Release date: 2004-06-15
Run time: 119 min.
Creator: Anthony Veiller
Price: £3.59

Review Moulin Rouge [1952] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / MGM:


Review 20th Century Fox / The Adventures of Ociee Nash [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Kristen McGary
  • Anthony P. Rodriguez
  • Keith Carradine
  • Charles Nuckols IV
  • Bill Butler
  • Skyler Day
Release date: 2005-08-23
Run time: 87 min.
Creator: Milam McGraw Propst
Price: £3.51

Review The Adventures of Ociee Nash [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / 20th Century Fox:


Review Fox Lorber / Elvira Madigan [1967]
Actors & Directors
  • Lennart Malmer
  • Bo Widerberg
  • Pia Degermark
  • Thommy Berggren
  • Yvonne Ingdal
  • Cleo Jensen
Release date: 1999-03-30
Run time: 91 min.
Creator: Noelle Gilmour

Review Elvira Madigan [1967] / Fox Lorber:


Review Quantum Leap / The Taming Of The Shrew [1983]
Actors & Directors
  • Larry Drake
  • Franklyn Seales
  • John Allison
  • Bruce Davison
  • Karen Austin
Release date: 2002-07-22
Run time: 105 min.
RRP: £19.99
Price: £9.95

Review The Taming Of The Shrew [1983] / Quantum Leap:


Review Velocity / ThinkFilm / Fateless [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Áron Dimény
  • Marcell Nagy
  • Péter Fancsikai
  • Lajos Koltai
  • Béla Dóra
  • Bálint Péntek
Release date: 2006-05-09
Run time: 140 min.
Price: £3.40

Review Fateless [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Velocity / ThinkFilm:


Review Cinema Club / Dancing At Lughnasa [1998]
Actors & Directors
  • Catherine McCormack
  • Kathy Burke
  • Gerard McSorley
  • Michael Gambon
  • Meryl Streep
  • Pat O'Connor
Release date: 2001-03-19
Run time: 90 min.
Creator: William Butler Yeats
RRP: £5.99
Price: £4.98

Review Dancing At Lughnasa [1998] / Cinema Club:

This affecting, bittersweet tale-adapted from BrianFriel's semi-autobiographical Tony Award-winning play-examines the emotional lives of the five unmarried Mundy sisters in 1936 rural Ireland. In their mutual care is 8-year-old Michael (sweetly understated Darrell Johnston), the illegitimate son of youngest sister Christina (Braveheart's Catherine McCormack). A voice-over from the adult Michael recalls that significant summer, in the month of August, during the feast of Lughnasa. The bolder town folk dance around a fire to Lugh, an ancient god of light. Yes, this is fiercely Roman Catholic Ireland and Lugh a pagan god but that irony is at the core of the film: the hypocrisy of tradition. The dramatic change in the richly metaphoric movie comes with the arrival of two men: eldest sibling-and only Mundy brother-Jack (Michael Gambon), a priest returning from many years in Africa, now addled, and Christine's long-absent lover and Michael's father, the charmingly flighty Gerry (Rhys Ifans). Beautiful music and excellent performances highlight the film, which also features gorgeous cinematography of the Irish countryside. Meryl Streep is stern eldest sister Kate; Kathy Burke is lively Maggie; Brid Brennan (who appeared in the stage play) is thoughtful caretaker Agnes; and Sophie Thompson is simple sweet Rose. It's a quiet film but one filled with ironic and haunting meaning. Dancing at Lughnasa was directed by Circle of Friends Pat O'Connor. [+]
-N. F. Mendoza This affecting, bittersweet tale-adapted from Brian Friel's semi-autobiographical Tony Award-winning play-examines the emotional lives of the five unmarried Mundy sisters in 1936 rural Ireland. In their mutual care is eight-year-old Michael (sweetly understated Darrell Johnston), the illegitimate son of youngest sister Christina (Braveheart's Catherine McCormack). A voice-over from the adult Michael recalls that significant summer, in the month of August, during the feast of Lughnasa. The bolder townsfolk dance around a fire to Lugh, an ancient god of light. Yes, this is fiercely Roman Catholic Ireland and Lugh a pagan god, but that irony is at the core of the film: the hypocrisy of tradition. The dramatic change in the richly metaphoric movie comes with the arrival of two men: eldest sibling-and only Mundy brother-Jack (Michael Gambon), a priest returning from many years in Africa, now addled, and Christine's long-absent lover and Michael's father, the charmingly flighty Gerry (Rhys Ifans). Beautiful music and excellent performances highlight the film, which also features gorgeous cinematography of the Irish countryside. Meryl Streep is stern eldest sister Kate; Kathy Burke is lively Maggie; Brid Brennan (who appeared in the stage play) is thoughtful caretaker Agnes; and Sophie Thompson is simple sweet Rose. It's a quiet film, but one filled with ironic and haunting meaning. Directed by Pat O'Connor (Circle of Friends). -N. F. Mendoza, Amazon. com.

Review Warner Home Video / The Waltons: The Foundling [1972] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Ronnie Claire Edwards
  • Fielder Cook
  • Robert Donner
  • Nora Marlowe
Release date: 2004-06-08
Run time: 50 min.
Creator: Gordon Cornell Layne
Price: £4.93

Review The Waltons: The Foundling [1972] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Warner Home Video:


Review MGM / The Playboys [1992] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Aidan Quinn
  • Alan Devlin
  • Gillies MacKinnon
  • Milo O'Shea
  • Robin Wright Penn
  • Albert Finney
Release date: 2004-04-20
Run time: 117 min.
Creator: William P. Cartlidge
Price: £5.02

Review The Playboys [1992] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / MGM:


Review Platinum Disc / Harry Tracy [1982] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Gordon Lightfoot
  • Bruce Dern
  • William A. Graham
  • Michael C. Gwynne
  • Jacques Hubert
  • Helen Shaver
Release date: 2003-10-07
Run time: 107 min.
Creator: Patricia Johnson
Price: £19.99

Review Harry Tracy [1982] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Platinum Disc:


Review Columbia TriStar / Legends of the Fall [1995] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Edward Zwick
  • Henry Thomas
  • Anthony Hopkins
  • Brad Pitt
  • Aidan Quinn
  • Julia Ormond
Release date: 2000-10-17
Run time: 133 min.
Creator: Jim Harrison
Price: £6.02

Review Legends of the Fall [1995] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Columbia TriStar:

A box-office hit when released in 1994, this sprawling, frequently overwrought familial melodrama may get sillier as its plot progresses, but it's the kind of lusty, character-based epic that Hollywood should attempt more often. It's also an unabashedly flattering star vehicle for Brad Pitt as Tristan-the rebellious middle son of a fiercely independent Montana rancher and military veteran (Anthony Hopkins)-who is routinely at odds with his more responsible older brother, Alfred (Aidan Quinn), and younger brother, Samuel (Henry Thomas). From the battlefields of World War I to his adventures as an oceangoing sailor, Tristan's life is full of personal torment, especially when he returns to Montana and finds himself competing with Alfred over Samuel's beautiful widow (Julia Ormond), whose passion for Tristan disrupts the already turbulent Ludlow clan. Under the wide-open canopy of Big Sky country, this operatic tale unfolds with all the bloodlust, tragedy, and scenery-chewing performances you'd expect to find in a hokey bestselling novel (in fact, it's based on the acclaimed novella by Jim Harrison), but it's a potent mix that's highly entertaining. Not surprisingly, John Toll won an Academy Award for his breathtaking outdoor cinematography. -Jeff Shannon.

Review Platinum Disc / The Old Curiosity Shop [1994] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Kevin Connor
  • Peter Ustinov
  • W.A. Conner
  • Tom Courtenay
  • Sally Walsh
Release date: 2005-06-07
Run time: 188 min.
Creator: Barry Peters
Price: £2.20

Review The Old Curiosity Shop [1994] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Platinum Disc:


Review Cinema Club / Anna Karenina [2000]
Actors & Directors
  • David Blair
  • Amanda Root
  • Kevin McKidd
  • Douglas Henshall
  • Helen McCrory
  • Mark Strong
Release date: 2003-05-12
Run time: 240 min.
Creator: Leo Tolstoy
Price: £9.99

Review Anna Karenina [2000] / Cinema Club:


Review Warner Home Video / Home at the End of the World [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Colin Farrell
  • Robin Wright Penn
  • Sissy Spacek
  • Dallas Roberts
  • Michael Mayer
  • Andrew Chalmers
Release date: 2004-11-02
Run time: 97 min.
Creator: John Hart
Price: £5.72

Review Home at the End of the World [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Warner Home Video:


Review Warner Vision International / The Fortunes And Misfortunes Of Moll Flanders [1996]
Actors & Directors
  • Nicola Kingston
  • Lucy Evans
  • Alex Kingston
  • Geoffrey Beevers
  • David Attwood
  • James Bowers
Release date: 1996-12-10
Run time: 196 min.
Creator: Daniel Defoe
RRP: £19.99
Price: £8.86

Review The Fortunes And Misfortunes Of Moll Flanders [1996] / Warner Vision International:


Review Acorn Media / The Irish R.M. - Series 2
Actors & Directors
  • Marie Conmee
  • Gabrielle Keenan
  • Christopher Casson
  • Stanley Illsley
  • Eamon Morrissey
Release date: 1999-05-03
Run time: 305 min.
Creator: Barry Blackmore
RRP: £16.99
Price: £9.98

Review The Irish R.M. - Series 2 / Acorn Media:


Review Universal Studios / Disappearances [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Geneviève Bujold
  • John Griesemer
  • Lothaire Bluteau
  • William Sanderson
  • Gary Farmer
Release date: 2007-07-03
Run time: 103 min.
Creator: Judy Hyman
Price: £11.96

Review Disappearances [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Universal Studios:


Review Universal Studios / The Good Shepherd [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Robert De Niro
  • Tammy Blanchard
  • Robert De Niro
  • Matt Damon
  • Alec Baldwin
  • Angelina Jolie
Release date: 2007-04-03
Run time: 167 min.
Creator: Eric Roth
Price: £2.83

Review The Good Shepherd [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Universal Studios:


Review Warner Home Video / The Betsy [1978] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Jane Alexander
  • Tommy Lee Jones
  • Robert Duvall
  • Daniel Petrie
  • Katharine Ross
  • Laurence Olivier
Release date: 2006-04-25
Run time: 125 min.
Creator: William Bast
Price: £3.19

Review The Betsy [1978] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Warner Home Video:


Review Warner Home Video / King of Texas [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Actors & Directors
  • Lauren Holly
  • Roy Scheider
  • David Alan Grier
  • Uli Edel
  • Patrick Stewart
  • Marcia Gay Harden
Release date: 2002-12-10
Run time: 95 min.
Creator: William Shakespeare
Price: £6.32

Review King of Texas [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Warner Home Video:


Models & Brands:
Possession [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Moulin Rouge [1952] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Adventures of Ociee Nash [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Elvira Madigan [1967], The Taming Of The Shrew [1983], Fateless [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Dancing At Lughnasa [1998], The Waltons: The Foundling [1972] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Playboys [1992] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Harry Tracy [1982] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Legends of the Fall [1995] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Old Curiosity Shop [1994] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Anna Karenina [2000], Home at the End of the World [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Fortunes And Misfortunes Of Moll Flanders [1996], The Irish R.M. - Series 2, Disappearances [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Good Shepherd [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Betsy [1978] (REGION 1) (NTSC), King of Texas [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

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