British Musicals of 1930s - Volume Two: Blossom Time / Over Garden Wall / Mister Cinders / Everthing is Rhythm

From playful romantic comedies to variety extravaganzas, the British musical films of the 1930s offered audiences a source of much-needed escapism throughout the decade haunted by the Great Depression and the growing menace of war. Often adapting much-loved hits of the music hall as well as serving as vehicles for the era's composers, performers and band leaders, they showcased home-grown talent alongside some of Hollywood's most bankable stars.This ongoing, multi-volume collection makes available a wealth of rare gems from the very earliest days of the British talkies, many of which have remained unseen since their original release; each film is presented uncut, in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Blossom Time (1934)World-renowned tenor Richard Tauber features in a dramatisation of the life of Schubert, focusing on the composer's unrequited love for a dance master's daughter. Black and White / 86 mins / 1.33:1 / Mono / EnglishOver The Garden Wall (1934)An aunt objects to the romance between her nephew and a neighbour's niece, and the two aunts step in to put an end to the love affair - with comic consequences...Black and White / 64 mins / 1.33:1 / Mono / EnglishMister Cinders (1934)The Cinderella story is reversed in this light-hearted adaptation, with Cinders a young man who eventually wins the 'princess' - in this case, an oil millionaire's daughter!Black and White / 69 mins / 1.33:1 / Mono / EnglishEverything Is Rhythm (1936)Based on the spectacular rise of bandleader and vaudevillian Harry Roy, this is the comic tale of a Ruritanian princess who elopes with a dance-band leader.Black and White / 69 mins / 1.33:1 / Mono / English

Law and Disorder

Michael Redgrave and Robert Morley head a stellar cast in this marvellous comedy of skulduggery and deception from Ealing Studios lynchpin Charles Crichton and Oscar-winning screenwriter T.E.B. Clarke - best known as the team behind The Lavender Hill Mob. Law and Disorder is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original elements, in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Percy Brand's growing son, Colin, thinks his father is a clergyman, when Percy's real vocation is that of confidence trickster - his frequent spells 'inside' explained away as missionary trips abroad. When Colin studies law and eventually becomes a judge's marshal, his father feels bound to retire to a fishing village. But he cannot keep away from his life of crime, and in no time at all he's getting involved in the local squire's brandy smuggling activities...Special Features:Original Theatrical TrailerImage galleryScript and Promotional PDFs

The Sandwich Man

Original Goon Michael Bentine co-writes and gives a memorable performance as an amiable 'Sandwich Man' in this gentle, whimsical comedy that features a Who's Who? of British talent, including Norman Wisdom, Diana Dors, Harry H. Corbett, Dora Bryan, Bernard Cribbins and Terry-Thomas. The Sandwich Man is featured here as a brand-new High Definition remaster from original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio.

Elizabeth Taylor in London | Sophia Loren in Rome

The Cedar Tree - Seizoen 3 - Compleet

Devised by Upstairs, Downstairs script editor Alfred Shaughnessy, The Cedar Tree chronicles the shifting fortunes of a fictional aristocratic family, the Bournes of Larkfield Manor, through the turbulent years leading up to the Second World War.This third series begins in January 1938, as England stands on the cusp of a metamorphosis. Even for a traditional landowning family, change has taken place: Arthur Bourne's elder daughter Elizabeth is now a qualified doctor with a sharpening awareness of social inequalities; her sister Victoria, studying music at the Royal Academy, is romantically involved with a young German, Klaus von Heynig - offering a stark insight into developments in Central Europe; and the widowed Arthur is facing increasing financial pressure - and even the unthinkable prospect of losing Larkfield...

Those Were The Days

Adapted from Arthur Pinero's relentlessly popular stage farce The Magistrate, Those Were the Days was a perfect early vehicle for the comedic brilliance of Will Hay.Hay's feature-length debut is a typically entertaining study of the upstanding but ineffectual magistrate, Mr Poskett, while a youthful John Mills is the 20-year-old stepson who must pretend to be 15 to preserve the secret of his mother's falsified age; Angela Baddeley and veteran character-comedians Claude Allister, H.F. Maltby and George Graves are among an impressive supporting cast.Presented in a brand-new digital transfer from the original film elements, this rare cinematic gem - directed by former variety star Thomas Bentley - notably includes a wonderful evocation of the atmosphere of a 1890s music hall, with Lily Morris and Harry Bedford among a number of leading acts featured.Special Features:Image GalleryOriginal Script PDF

Home at Seven

Reprising his role in R.C. Sherriff's West End stage hit, Ralph Richardson stars as a staid London bank clerk whose inexplicable amnesia leaves him without an alibi in the aftermath of a murder; Jack Hawkins stars as his doctor, and Margaret Leighton his equally perplexed wife.This 1952 suspense feature saw Richardson heading an outstanding cast, as well as taking on the mantle of director for the first and only time in his career, with Guy Hamilton (best known for Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever) as assistant director; the result is a taut, compelling and very human drama that retains a gripping sense of mystery right up to its conclusion. Home at Seven is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements.When David Preston returns home at seven, his distraught wife tells him that he did not come home at seven - or at any other time - the previous evening. In fact, he has no idea where he could have been; he recalls nothing between the time he left the bank on Monday and his arrival home that following evening. His doctor is inclined at first to treat it lightly, but everything changes when it emerges that during Preston's 'lost day', a murder and robbery have taken place...Special Features:Image GalleryPromotional Material PDFs

What a Crazy World

Joe Brown stars as a likable young dreamer who finds himself with a hit on his hands in this wonderfully endearing musical drama of 1963. Also starring Harry H. Corbett and featuring songs from Joe and his Bruvvers, Marty Wilde, Susan Maughan and Freddie and the Dreamers, What a Crazy World is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Against the background of London's East End is set the story of Alf Hitchins, an unemployed lad whose life revolves around dance halls, amusements arcades and cafés - any place to escape from the family home, where his father, mother and sister are deeply preoccupied with dog racing, bingo, and courting respectively. Alf's cynical but cheerful acceptance of life expresses itself in the song he casually composes one night - and the results take everyone by surprise!Special Features:Image Gallery

The Extra Day

Richard Basehart, Simone Simon, George Baker, Sid James and Joan Hickson are among the stars of this engaging 'portmanteau' feature that takes a comical look at the usually obscure but oddly complicated lives of a group of film extras. Also featuring pop sensation Dennis Lotis and singer (and future Oliver! Star) Shani Wallis in a very early film role, The Extra Day is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.At the end of the final day of filming, one of the studio drivers loses the last can of film. The producer orders his assistant Joe Blake to track down all five extras involved in the last scene, ensuring they are available the following morning for retakes. Joe knows them all: Steven Marlow, ex-Commando officer; Barney West, a broken-down prize fighter; Mr and Mrs Bliss, now retiring after 40 years in the profession; and Toni Howard, a Society girl bored with Society. Visiting each in turn, he has a glimpse into their various private lives and fines comedy, drama and tragedy.Special Features:Original Theatrical TrailerImage GalleryOriginal Promotional Material PDFs

His and Hers

The incomparable Terry-Thomas heads the cast of this rare domestic farce directed by Brian Desmond Hurst – best-known for the 1951 box-office triumph Scrooge. Also starring Carry On legends Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims and Kenneth Connor, with early film roles for Oliver Reed and Francesca Annis, His and Hers is featured here in a new transfer made from original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Author-explorer Reggie Blake takes an unorthodox approach to his craft, apparently finding inspiration in the adventures suggested by his agent Charles Lunton; it matters little that most of his experiences are wildly embellished or even entirely fictitious...Reggie's latest trip, however, has proved a little too authentic. Having lost his way in the desert and subsequently adopted by a remote Bedouin tribe, he has experienced a deep transformation in outlook and personality – and one that drives his loyal wife Fran to despair. When his pomposity and chauvinism reach alarming new heights, she decides immediate, and dramatic, action is called for!Special Feature:Image Gallery

Memoirs of a Survivor

Julie Christie stars in an award-winning adaptation of Doris Lessing's famous dystopian novel of 1974. This complex, haunting science-fiction feature - screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1981 - is presented in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Set in Britain at an unspecified point in the near-future, Memoirs of a Survivor tells the story of 'D', a housewife trying to carry on after a cataclysmic war that has left society in a state of collapse. Rubbish is piled high in the streets among near-derelict buildings covered with graffiti; the electricity supply is variable, and water is now collected from a van. 'D' spends her time examining her relations with authority, with the marauding gangs of brutalised children who roam the streets, and with Emily, the traumatised, orphaned teenager who is delivered into her care.Special Features:Image GalleryPromotional Material PDFS

Dont Bother to Knock

Dambusters legend Richard Todd turned his talents to comedy to play a philandering travel agent with too many girlfriends for his own safety in this delightful romantic romp of 1961. Executive-produced by Todd and co-written by Oscar winner Frederic Raphael, Don't Bother to Knock also features Golden Globe winner and Playboy sensation Elke Sommer, June Thorburn, John Le Mesurier and Nicole Maurey among a high-calibre international cast.The film is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original elements, in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.Bill Ferguson's troubles begin when he mislays the key to his flat, and a friend helpfully presents him with several more with his name and address attached. Sentimentally, he gives one to each of the glamorous girls he meets on a continental holiday - all of whom turn up at his flat, just as he is about to marry his British fiancée!Special Features:Original Theatrical TrailerImage GalleryOriginal Promotional PDF

Charley Moon

Already a phenomenally successful entertainer and stalwart of the London Palladium, in 1956 Max Bygraves headed an accomplished cast in this musical drama charting the rocky road to success for a young comedy hopeful.An early feature for future Goldfinger director Guy Hamilton and double Oscar-winning composer and screenwriter Leslie Bricusse, Charley Moon is presented here in a brand new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.A new career opens for Charley Moon when, during his army service, he is detailed to appear in a unit concert. In doing so, he becomes friendly with Harold Armytage, a peacetime actor of the old school. Hearing that Charley has no job to go to when demobilized, Armytage suggests they team up as stage comics. Things are not easy; jobs are few and far between, and when they can be found they are in the tattiest of theatres, but Charley gains the experience he needs. They then decide to try their luck in London...Special Features:Original Theatrical TrailerImage GalleryOriginal Pressbook PDF

Capital City - The Complete Series

A huge rating success when first broadcast in 1988, Capital City gave a realistic insight into the fast-paced life of working at an international bank. Set in the offices of London-based Shane Longman, the charismatic team of bankers are hired for their blend of style, intelligence and verve. They take risks, and thrive on the pressure of closing the deal. Experience for yourself the highs and lows of being at the top (and sometimes the bottom), working in one of the most dynamic professions in the world.Capital City - The Complete Series stars William Armstrong (Spooks, Hollyoaks), Douglas Hodge (Vanity Fair, Spooks), Rolf Saxon (The Canterville Ghost, Obedience), Joanna Kanska (A Very Peculiar Practice, Casualty) and Jason Isaacs (Blackhawk Down, Harry Potter) and will appeal to all fans of high-octane British dramas.

Fireball XL5 - De Complete Serie

Oké, Venus? Oké, Steve. Oké. Laten we gaan!Het jaar is 2062, en het World Space Patrol schip Fireball XL5 is toegewezen aan sector 25, waar de onverschrokken piloot Steve Zodiac, bijgestaan door dokter Venus en professor Matthew Matic, geconfronteerd wordt met gevaren als planetomische raketten, explosieve gaswolken, ruimte spionnen, en buitenaardse rassen zowel oorlogszuchtig als goedaardig.Deze definitieve editie bevat alle 39 afleveringen van Fireball XL5, samen met de eerste volledige aflevering in kleur, twee gloednieuwe documentaires, een herdenkingsboekje door tv-historicus Andrew Pixley en nog veel, veel meer.Speciale kenmerken:Een Wonderland van Starust: Een gloednieuwe documentaire over het maken van Fireball XL5 met bijdragen van de makers Gerry Anderson en Sylvia Anderson, en talrijke leden van de crew, waaronder David Elliott, Alan Pattillo en Brian Johnson.Getekend in Supermarionatie: Deze nieuwe, exclusieve documentaire vertelt over de stripadaptaties van de vroege AP Films series en bevat bijdragen van directeur merchandising Keith Shackleton en tekenaars Bill Mevin, Mike Noble en Colin Page.Een dag in het leven van een ruimtegeneraal: Een gloednieuwe, ingekleurde editie van Fireball XL5, gemaakt van een nieuwe HD transfer van de originele filmelementen.Bill Mevin's Supercar Home: Film Nog niet eerder vertoonde beelden gefilmd door TV-striptekenaar Bill Mevin tijdens de productie van Supercar.Speciale, Limited Edition verpakkingZoom Ice Lolly AdvertentiesAfbeeldingen GallerijenPDF Materiaal

Sergeant Cork - Series 2

In the melting pot of 1890s London, Sergeant Cork works for Scotland Yard's newly formed Criminal Investigation Department. Astute and years ahead of his time, he enthusiastically employs the pioneering techniques of modern forensic science to investigate crimes born of poverty and deprivation, passion, vengeance and greed, ably assisted by the youthful and equally dedicated Detective Bob Marriott.Devised by Dixon of Dock Green creator Ted Willis, this richly atmospheric and meticulously researched police drama features Z Cars star John Barrie as the eponymous detective and William Gaunt (The Champions) as Marriott. A significant success for ATV during its five year run, this set comprises the eight episodes which formed its second transmitted series. Some of the episodes on this set were previously thought lost from the archive but were found whilst researching this release.

King of the Castle

'I'm the King of the Castle...Macabre, fantastical and a benchmark production for children's television in the 1970s, King of the Castle was created by Doctor Who stalwarts Bob Baker and Dave Martin as one of the run of outstanding children's dramas HTV produced in that decade. Featuring strong direction and a script which expertly melds fantasy and reality, the series boasts solid performances from genre stalwarts Fulton Mackay, Milton Johns and Talfryn Thomas as well as Philip Da Costa as the series' hero, Roland.Recently moved to a crumbling tower block of flats, Roland's cleverness marks him out for rough treatment from the gang who haunt the stairwells. Fleeing from Ripper, the gangleader, he plummets to earth in a lift that should be broken... waking up he finds himself in the grotesque and eerie fantasy world of 'The Castle' - a twisted version of the tower block, filled with gruesome versions of the people he knows. Can Roland find the missing keys he needs to become 'King of the Castle'?One of the most memorable television series of the '70s is available here, for the very first time in any video format. Episode three no longer exists in the archive in any format and the version included on this set is taken from an off-air VHS.

Escape Into Night - De Complete Serie

Zavvi - Het huis van de popcultuurGedwongen om haar eigen amusement te vinden terwijl ze aan bed gekluisterd is na een paardrijongeluk, vult Marianne haar schetsblok met tekeningen van een denkbeeldige plaats. Als ze slaapt droomt ze van haar denkbeeldige wereld en beseft ze dat hoe meer ze tekent in haar wakkere uren, hoe meer ze kan ontdekken als ze slaapt. Ze tekent een huis om te onderzoeken in haar dromen en is geschokt als ze een jongen ziet die naar haar kijkt door een van de ramen...Escape Into Night, een mijlpaal op het gebied van kindertelevisiedrama, werd door Ruth Boswell (Timeslip, The Tomorrow People) bewerkt naar de roman Marianne Dreams van Catherine Storr. De combinatie van Boswell's onderwezen scripts, Richard Bramall's knappe regie en Alan Coleman's productie stelde de jeugdige cast in staat om memorabele en, soms, angstaanjagende prestaties te leveren. Meer experimenteel dan de meeste dramaseries voor kinderen, maakte de surrealistische, duistere toon en het griezelige gevoel van onaardigheid van Escape Into Night een onuitwisbare indruk op het kijkerspubliek en wordt na bijna 40 jaar nog steeds herinnerd, misschien met een gevoel van onbehagen.Escape Into Night, oorspronkelijk gemaakt in kleur, bestaat nu alleen nog als zwart-wit telerecordings gemaakt voor de overzeese verkoop, omdat de originele kleurenvideobanden al vele jaren geleden zijn afgedankt.

Raven - De Complete Serie

Zavvi - Het huis van de popcultuurRaven, een 15-jarige jongen uit Borstal, wordt voorwaardelijk vrijgelaten om te gaan wonen bij professor Young, een archeoloog die zich verdiept in het onderzoek naar de Arthurlegende, en zijn vrouw, een amateur ornithologe. De professor werkt in diepe ondergrondse grotten waarvan de gebeeldhouwde symbolen suggereren dat Koning Arthur ze als schuilplaats gebruikt zou kunnen hebben, en Raven is geïntrigeerd door zijn overtuiging dat Arthur niet één man was, maar een opeenvolging van stamhoofden.Maar het onderzoek van de professor is in gevaar: de regering is van plan een fabriek voor de opwerking van kernafval te bouwen op de oude plaats. Terwijl Raaf wordt meegetrokken in de strijd om het grottenstelsel te redden, begint hij de mysteries ervan te begrijpen - en de felgekleurde vogel die hem op zijn reis heeft vergezeld, bevat de sleutel tot de ontdekking van zijn eigen unieke lot. Toekomstige Quadrophenia- en EastEnders-ster Phil Daniels is Raven, samen met Michael Aldridge (Last of the Summer Wine) en Carry On...-ster Patsy Rowlands, in deze zesdelige fantasyserie waarin occulte en bovennatuurlijke thema's worden verweven met milieuproblemen. Raven werd geschreven door Jeremy Burnham en Trevor Ray, de makers van het baanbrekende Children of the Stones, en kreeg een BAFTA nominatie voor Beste Graphics. De serie, geproduceerd door ATV, werd voor het eerst uitgezonden in 1977 en men heeft lang gedacht dat ze onvolledig was in het archief, maar wij hebben de originele 2' VT tapes opgespoord voor overdracht, speciaal voor deze DVD uitgave.

Flight of the Red Balloon / The Red Balloon

Directed by the internationally acclaimed, award-winning Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao Hsien (Café Lumière, City of Sadness), this exquisite film, inspired by Albert Lamorisse's classic 1953 film The Red Balloon (described by François Truffaut as 'one of the most beautiful colour films ever made'), finds its own place within a continuing tradition of great French cinema.A young boy, Simon (Simon Iteanu) must deal with the increasing fragility of his mother, the loving yet preoccupied puppeteer Suzanne, played by Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Dan in Real Life). Overwhelmed by the demands of her chaotic existence, Suzanne hires Song (Song Fan), a Taiwanese film student, to help care for Simon. With Song, a unique extended family is formed, utterly interdependent yet lost in their separate thoughts and dreams; all this is mirrored by a delicate, shiny red balloon that hovers above the Paris streets.Special Features:'The Red Balloon' - Albert Lamorisse's classic shortOriginal theatrical trailer