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Friday 11th October 2019 |
We've another great sale to share with you this week: relative newcomer to the DVD/Blu-ray scene Powerhouse Films is offering a 10% discount on all of its 2019 releases, when you buy two or more. There are 5 comedies - including The Virgin Soldiers and Michael Palin's The Missionary - available under the offer, plus a selection of cult classics and box sets such as Hammer Horror films.
Coming soon
Meet Me Tonight
A wealth of British talent enlivens this Noël Coward omnibus of three slices of life told with his trademark blend of incisive wit and affectionate observation. From music hall mayhem to suburban suffering and a romp on the Riviera, each playlet features a top-notch cast whose exuberant performances bring the everyday situations to life.
In the first of the playlets, Ted Ray and Kay Walsh are a washed up musical hall act who have had one rinse too many! In the second, Stanley Holloway is a hen-pecked husband who has the last laugh on his loathsome family.
In the third, based in the South of France, Nigel Patrick and Valerie Hobson star as a couple who are hoping that Jack Warner is the answer to their gambling problems!
Worzel Gummidge - Christmas Special: A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake
Double-length musical Christmas special, first broadcast in December 1980, now fully restored and remastered from the original film negative - a huge improvement on previous released versions, and a must-own for fans, that hopefully precedes a new Blu-ray edition in future.
It's Christmas Eve, a most important day for scarecrows as they must stand in position to guide Santa Claus back to the North Pole. Worzel Gummidge, however, deserts his post to enjoy the delights of the season, jeopardising his chances of attending the Scarecrow Ball.
The Vicar Of Dibley - The Immaculate Collection
A new box set of key episodes from the classic BBC comedy starring Dawn French and written by Richard Curtis.
Geraldine Granger is not your run-of-the-mill village vicar. She is a bubbly, young reverend overseeing an eccentric congregation in a rural community. She and her off-the-wall parishioners bring us unconventional laughs in the internationally successful, award-winning divine comedy.
Includes the original three series, plus the Easter Special (1996) and Christmas Specials (1996 & 1997).
John Bishop - How To Grow Old
Whether he likes it or not, John is getting older. His hair is greying, it's getting that much harder to stay fit, and the potential to become something of embarrassment is ever increasing. But hope is not lost. How To Grow Old is John's offering to the world.
With sage advice on how to avoid the common pitfalls of age, intimate confessions and spit-your-dentures-out hilarious commentary on his own advancing years, this is his observational comic writing at its very best. If you were concerned about how not to be boring or how to get rid of your should-be-old-enough-to-manage kids, this book has the answers.
Sick Note - Series One
Sky comedy starring Rupert Grint (Harry Potter), Nick Frost (Fighting With My Family) and Don Johnson (Django Unchained).
Just when he thinks things couldn't get worse, Daniel (Grint), a compulsive liar stuck in a failing relationship and a dead-end job, is diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. Things start to look up, however, when everyone starts to treat him better in the wake of the news, and he finds his zeal for life renewed.
Unfortunately, he's got the most incompetent oncologist in the world - Dr. Iain Glennis (Frost) - and finds out the diagnosis is a mistake. Now he's faced with the moral dilemma of coming clean and returning to his mundane and tiresome existence or milking the original diagnosis for all it's worth...
Fawlty Towers - The Complete Collection
Every episode of the classic BBC BAFTA-winning sitcom, remastered and upscaled to high definition for the first time ever.
Basil Fawlty is a much put-upon, hard-working hotel manager whose life is plagued by dead guests, hotel inspectors and riff-raff. Of course his biggest headache is his 'little nest of vipers' - his nagging wife Sibyl. Together they run their hotel, Fawlty Towers, with a little help from the unflappable Polly, and Manuel, the trainee waiter from Barcelona with marginally more intelligence than a monkey.
The Old Devils - The Complete Series
Kingsley Amis's classic novel, about a group of university friends reunited in retirement, was adapted into a critically acclaimed comedy drama by Andrew Davies and originally broadcast on the BBC in 1992. It's a turbulent story of ageing, friendship, lust, nostalgia and nationalism.
Alun Weaver (John Stride) has found success as a celebrated London-based writer. After returning home to Wales with his alluring wife Rhiannon (Sheila Allen) he reunites with university friends who chose to remain in the valleys. Long dormant romances are rekindled and rivalries are resurrected, posing a threat to marriages and friendships. Not long after the old friends are reunited Alun kicks the bucket, leaving the rest of the group to deal with the fallout. Coming to terms with their loss, they reminisce, whinge and above all, drink.
This brilliantly written comedy drama is brought to life by an all-star cast that includes Ray Smith (with a BAFTA-winning performance), Elizabeth Morgen, Bernard Hepton and James Grout.
Monty Python's Flying Circus - Complete Series 1
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of a genuinely iconic series, Monty Python's Flying Circus is released for the very first time as nature intended!
This ground-up restoration has been produced from the best available materials, painstakingly restored frame-by-frame. Previously edited sketches have been returned to their original length while filmed sketch sequences and Terry Gilliam's animations have been newly scanned in high definition, adding unimaginable depth and clarity to some classic moments. From the archive come genuine rarities including previously unseen studio out-takes and extended versions of filmed sketch material, making this the ultimate in television restoration and a must-have for every generation of Python fan. Series 2 to 4 follow in 2020.
Yesterday
Yesterday, everyone knew The Beatles. Today, only Jack remembers their songs. He's about to become a very big deal.
From Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle and writer Richard Curtis comes a rock 'n' roll comedy about music, dreams, friendship, and the long and winding road that leads to the love of your life. Jack Malik (Himesh Patel, Damned) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James, Downton Abbey). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed...and he finds himself with a very complicated problem indeed.
Anna And The Apocalypse
It's Christmas time and the sleepy Scottish town of Little Haven is under threat from a zombie apocalypse, forcing Anna (Ella Hunt) and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But even zombies can't stop the teen drama: will Anna's best friend John (Malcolm Cumming) reveal his true feelings for her, or will her smug ex Nick (Ben Wiggins) win back her affections? And will she be able to repair her rocky relationship with dad Tony (Mark Benton) before it's too late?
This rollocking Christmas romantic-comedy zombie musical (yes, really) is released on Blu-ray in December, jam-packed with extra features in this deluxe 2-disc, region free set. Pre-order your copy now.
Doc Martin - Complete Series Nine
Martin Clunes and co return with the latest, complete ninth series of the smash-hit comedy drama set in Cornwall.
For more, see our full list of new releases and products coming soon.
Out now
Monty Python's Big Red Book
Monty Python's Big Red Book is a humour book comprising mostly material derived and reworked from the first two series of Monty Python's Flying Circus. The silliness includes the manifesto for The Silly Party, the Bing Tiddle Tiddle Bong Song and The Lumberjack Song - and lots of illustrations.
Talk About Jacqueline / St. Martin's Lane
Two classic comedies: Talk About Jacqueline (starring Hugh Williams and Carla Lehmann) and St. Martin's Lane (starring Charles Laughton and Vivien Leigh).
Talk About Jacqueline (1942)
A woman tries to conceal her questionable past from her new husband.
St. Martin's Lane (1938)
Romantic drama of London's theatreland and the tragic love of a busker for a young girl down on her luck who becomes a big star.
Man About The House - The Complete Collection
Created by sitcom legends Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke, Man About The House was one of the major sitcoms hits of the 1970s, ultimately spinning off into two equally successful sequels: George & Mildred and Robin's Nest. Man About The House When bachelor girls Chrissy and Jo need a third girl to share their apartment they find the answer asleep in their bathtub. His name is Robin Tripp... George & Mildred When Robin and the girls finally move out, their ex-landlords George and Mildred move up the social ladder and into suburbia. Mildred is in her element, playing up to her posh neighbours, but George is mightily unimpressed with the whole thing! Robin's Nest Robin, meanwhile, tries to make a go of his career as a qualified chef and sets up a little Fulham bistro with his girlfriend Vicky. But Vicky's father owns both the bistro and...
Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing - The Complete Second Series
We follow Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse once again as they fish side by side in some of the most stunningly beautiful locations in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Across six episodes, cameras look-on as they dissect life & death against a backdrop of some of the prettiest places in the British countryside. Bob is still a keen apprentice and eager to learn how to catch fish while experienced angler Paul once again has his patience tested as he tries to teach Bob the rules of the river.
Monty Python Sings (Again) - 50th Anniversary Edition
To celebrate 50 years since Monty Python's Flying Circus first aired on TV, UMC and Virgin EMI are reissuing Monty Python's seminal album Monty Python Sings (Again) for the first time on vinyl. The 2LP release comes in a double-gatefold sleeve with new packaging design overseen by Terry Gilliam himself. The album, originally released as Monty Python Sings in 1989 - and then re-released in 2014 on CD and digital download - is made up of 32 classic songs from across Monty Python's illustrious career, and now also includes Stephen Hawking's 2015 version of Galaxy Song. The sleeve includes a wide-spine and new artwork on the two printed inner sleeves, as well as a die-cut image on the front of the sleeve, allowing for interchangeable artwork from the four sides.
Taskmaster The Board Game
A board game based on Dave's number one entertainment show, hosted by the mountainous Greg Davies and his assistant Little Alex Horne. Compete with your friends and family in a series of ludicrous tasks to be crowned Taskmaster Champion. Can you draw what the Taskmaster is thinking? Find out! Includes video tasks from Alex Horne himself. Suitable for 3 or more players.
The Goodies - The Complete Collection
In 1970, The Goodies unleashed their legendary blend of surreal storylines, strikingly topical satire, slapstick and general lunacy on an unsuspecting viewing public. Capturing the irreverent and rebellious flavour of the decade, this phenomenally popular, award-winning series spread its mischief over twelve years - making household names of creators, writers and performers Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor.
This new box set contains all the episodes that the terrific trio made for television, collected together for the very first time, anywhere, ever: from both the BBC and LWT archives. From a giant white fluffy kitten called Twinkle to a slippery climb up a giant beanstalk, and from the ancient Lancastrian art of Ecky Thump to fighting a ban on fun instigated by an all-too-real puppet government, this is 70s television comedy at its undeniable best.
Double Date
Independently produced British comedy horror.
While Jim attempts to lose his virginity before he turns 30, he and his friend Alex meet two beautiful sisters, Kitty and Lulu, who seduce them as part of their plan of virgin sacrifice. It stars Danny Morgan (creator and co-writer), with Michael Socha, Georgia Groome and Kelly Wenham. The supporting cast includes Dexter Fletcher, Rosie Cavaliero, Dougie Poynter and Big Narstie, appearing as himself.
Richard Ayoade - Ayoade On Top
At last, the definitive book about perhaps the best cabin crew dramedy ever filmed: View From the Top starring Gwyneth Paltrow.
In Ayoade On Top, Richard Ayoade, perhaps one of the most 'insubstantial' people of our age, takes us on a journey from Peckham to Paris by way of Nevada and other places we don't care about. It's a journey deep within, in a way that's respectful and non-invasive; a journey for which we will all pay a heavy price, even if you've waited for the smaller paperback edition. Ayoade argues for the canonisation of this brutal masterpiece, a film that celebrates capitalism in all its victimless glory; one we might imagine Donald Trump himself half-watching on his private jet's gold-plated flat screen while his other puffy eye scans the cabin for fresh, young prey.
The Missionary
Monty Python alumnus Michael Palin writes and stars in this ribald comedy of sex and sensibility, released in 1983.
Timid Reverend Charles Fortescue returns to London in 1906 after ten years of service in Africa to start a mission to save the fallen women of Soho. But his dedication to tending to the needs of those in his care soon meets with the disapproval of the church and his patron. Directed by Richard Loncraine, The Missionary is a charming and beautifully detailed comedy that boasts a superb supporting cast, including Maggie Smith, Trevor Howard, Denholm Elliott, Michael Hordern, Graham Crowden and Neil Innes.
This Blu-ray world premiere boasts a stunning new 2K restoration from the original negatives, supervised and approved by cinematographer Peter Hannan and director Loncraine, finally enabling the film to be seen in its original 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio for the first time, alongside a veritable banquet of extra features.
For more, see our full list of new releases and products coming soon.
Thanks for reading
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