DVD Releases (UK) November 3, 2008

Simon Schama's The American Future: A History
Simon Schama
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DVD Description
Simon Schama looks to the American past to explain the American present and future: the hopes, and agonies of a great national crisis in the tumultuous year of a Presidential election.In 2008, the people of the United States, beset by troubles, but firm in their faith in an American future, plunged into an intense examination of how they had arrived at this critical crossroads in their history; how their prosperity has run aground; and their pride of place in the world ended up questioned by so many around the globe.

Historian Simon Schama who has spent half his life in the United States takes us on a journey through time and place to discover deep America; an America which in four critical issues - war, immigration, moral fervour and the difficult gap between expectations of plenty and the reality of limited resources -has arrived at a moment of truth. The drama of that moment powers four compelling films and brings to the screen an extraordinary company of Americans, past and present, famous and unknown, the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson alongside contemporary soldiers, pastors, and farmers. Through Schama’s storytelling and breathtaking visuals, it's possible, for once, to feel yourself, not just on the surface of the American surface but deep inside its core. Watch these films and you can taste the real America, captured unforgettably at one of the great moments in its national destiny. Written and Presented by SIMON SCHAMA
Producer/Director: SAM HOBKINSON & RICARDO POLLACK
Series Producer: NICOLAS KENT
Executive Producer for the BBC: EAMON HARDY
Producer: SUSANNAH PRICE
Associate Producer: MATTHEW HILL
Series Assistant Producer: CHARLOTTE SACHER
Production Manager: GLYNIS ROBERTSON
Production Coordinator: HILARY GROVE
Composer: ANDY COWTON
Editors: JAN CHOLAWO, JOE CAREY, PAUL BINNS
An Oxford Film and Television Production for BBC
Simon Schama's The American Future: A History


Silent Running [1972]
Directed by Douglas Trumbull
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Amazon.co.uk Review
After creating many of the innovative special effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Trumbull tried his hand at directing, and 1971's Silent Running marked an impressive debut. (In addition to creating the visual effects for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and directing 1983's Brainstorm, Trumbull later turned to the creation of high-tech cinematic amusement park rides.) One of the best science-fiction films of the 1970s, Silent Running stars Bruce Dern as Freeman Lowell, a nature-loving crewmember aboard the Valley Forge, a gigantic spaceship in a small fleet that carries the last surviving forests of the Earth, which has fallen victim to overpopulation and ecological neglect.

Freeman's name reflects his nonconformist philosophy, which runs counter to the prevailing recklessness of his three ill-fated crewmates, who are eager to jettison their precious payload and return to the bleakness of Earth. Before they can sabotage the forests, Freeman does what he must, and spends the remainder of his mission with three robotic "drones" as his only companions, struggling to maintain his sanity in the vastness of space. Dern is superb in this memorable role, representing the lost soul of humankind as well as the back-to-nature youth movement of the 1960s and the pre-Watergate era. (Appropriately, Joan Baez sings the film's theme song.) A rare science-fiction film that combines bold adventure with passionate social conscience, Silent Running will remain relevant as long as the Earth is threatened by the ravages of human carelessness. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Special Features
English
Region 2

Synopsis
In a grim future, Earth is so overdeveloped plants can no longer survive. Giant greenhouses in orbit carry samples of Earth's dying forests. When the government decides they are too expensive to maintain, one committed crew member will stop at nothing to save them. Screenplay by Steven Bochco and Michael Cimino. Music by Peter 'PDQ Bach' Schickele.

Silent Running [1972]


Zulu [Blu-ray] [1964]
Directed by Cy Endfield
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Synopsis
Narrated by Richard Burton and starring an outstanding Michael Caine in his first starring role, Zulu is a tense and dramatic war film about the Battle of Rorke's Drift in 1879--which was part of the Anglo-Zulu War in South Africa--where approximately 150 British soldiers held off 4,000 Zulu warriors. Zulu is an exceptionally well-made and beautifully shot film from 1964 that demonstrates the bravery of the British troops and also acknowledges the Zulu's bravery. The emotional score of the film was conducted by John Barry. Eleven Victoria Crosses were won in the action, the most in a single battle. Most of the characters in the movie were based on real participants of the battle.
Zulu [Blu-ray] [1964]


Manchester United - The Official History 1878-2008
Manchester United Fc
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DVD Description
“Van der Sar’s saved it, United again. The newly crowned Champions of England are the new Champions of Europe. 2008 is another vintage year”.

One hundred and thirty years since the clubs formation, Manchester United continue to dominate the game of football both at home and abroad. “Sustaining success is so hard, but so so sweet”. Three European Cups, seventeen League Championships and eleven FA Cups define the illustrious history of a club that’s nurtured the most talented players ever to have graced the English game – George Best, Duncan Edwards, Sir Bobby Charlton, Eric Cantona and Ryan Giggs – and perhaps British football’s greatest ever managers – Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson. From humble beginnings, when the workers of the Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway first came together to play the emerging sport of football, Manchester United has acquired a special place in the hearts of supporters everywhere to become the most famous club in the world. Built on the raw talent and fighting spirit of the ‘Busby Babes’, who thrilled crowds all over Europe before tragedy struck in Munich, their spirit and style is still evident today, encouraged by Ferguson and epitomized by the modern day superstars – Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. “Manchester United are still the Kings” For the Reds of Old Trafford, Manchester United will always be the Kings.
Manchester United - The Official History 1878-2008


SpongeBob Complete Season 4 Boxset
Spongebob Squarepants
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Synopsis
Created by former marine biologist Stephen Hillenburg, Nickelodeon's hugely popular cartoon series SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS chronicles the wacky adventures of an overly enthusiastic sea sponge and his oceanic pals in the underwater town of Bikini Bottom. Living in a pineapple home with his meowing, catlike pet snail, Gary, the fry-cook sponge (inimitably voiced by Tom Kenny) happily flips Krabby Patties at a fast food restaurant owned by the moneygrabbing Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown)--that is, when he's not engaging in nautical nonsense with his dimwitted starfish friend, Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke); annoying his tentacled and perennially grouchy neighbor and coworker, Squidward (Rodger Bumpass); visiting the displaced Texan squirrel, Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence); or fending off the megalomanic plans of the evil protozoan, Plankton (Doug Lawrence). Employing a vibrantly colorful animation style that bears the distinct influence of REN & STIMPY, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS has become a veritable pop-culture phenomenon that appeals to children and adults alike with its wholesome, yet slyly subversive, brand of goofy humor (as well as an impossibly catchy theme song). Presented here is every episode of the show's fourth series.
SpongeBob Complete Season 4 Boxset


Frasier - Best Of Christmas
From Paramount Home Entertainment
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Synopsis
Get into the Christmas spirit with radio psychiatrist Dr Frasier Crane and his extended family; priggish brother Niles, live-in health care worker Daphne, producer Roz, father Martin, and pet pooch Eddie. Presented here is a selection of Christmas-themed episodes that are as synonymous with the festive season as eggnog and carols (though, thankfully, there's not a turkey among them!). Will this be the year that Frasier finally finds love under the mistletoe?
Frasier - Best Of Christmas





Desperate Housewives: Seasons 1-4 (Box Set) [2004]
Directed by Larry Shaw, David Grossman
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Synopsis
All the scandal, secrets and sauciness of the first four seasons of one of the most talked about and adored shows on TV--Desperate Housewives--are collected together in this fantastic box set.

Season 1
All is not as it seems on Wisteria Lane, as we learn within the first few minutes of the Desperate Housewives pilot episode, when seemingly sane and happy housewife Mary Alice Young removes a revolver from a drawer and shoots herself in the head. In the process of trying to make sense of her sudden and inexplicable suicide, Mary Alice's friends end up revealing just as many secrets about themselves and their neighbours as they do about her past. Narrated by the spirit of Mary Alice, each episode follows the ups and downs in the lives of bored trophy wife Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), klutzy-yet-charming Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), frustrated stay-at-home-mum Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), and anal-retentive homemaker Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross). As love-struck Susan competes for the attention of new neighbour Mike Delfino (James Denton) with neighbourhood seductress Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan), Gabrielle takes a liking to her hunky 17-year-old gardener. Meanwhile, Bree attempts to fix her problems through obsessive housecleaning and Lynette struggles to control her children while at the same time keeping her sanity. Throughout the course of the show's wildly popular first season, each woman faces her fair share of drama and does her part in helping to uncover a mystery that goes deeper than anyone can imagine.

Season 2
Picking up where the first left off, the show's second season finds each character in a state of turmoil. Having lost her husband, Bree uses white wine as a tool for coping with her conniving son and psychopath suitor. Meanwhile Gabrielle ponders whether or not to have a baby, Lynette shakes up her marital dynamics by going back to work, and Susan attempts to move on from Mike. The season also adds several new characters to the mix, including new Wisteria Lane resident Betty Applewhite (Alfre Woodard). And as everybody knows, new neighbours bring new mysteries. What, for example, are those strange sounds coming from Betty's basement?

Season 3
In the--now Emmy Award-winning--show’s sensational third season, it’s time to air some dirty laundry. The gossip is juicier, the secrets are more scandalous and the revenge is even sweeter. Experience all 23 tantalizing episodes of Season 3, and get the dish on Susan’s new love, Bree’s unsettling marriage to Orson (Kyle MacLachlan) and a dangerous new presence living down Wysteria Lane.

Season 4
Take a trip to the steamy side of suburbia as the acclaimed hit US show Desperate Housewives is hotter, hipper and even more exciting in its sizzling fourth season. Temperatures are rising behind the closed doors of TV's favorite guilty pleasure as the women of Wysteria Lane are back, joined by an old friend (Dana Delany) who brings the simmering neighbourhood to a boil.

Synopsis
All is not as it seems on Wisteria Lane, the pristinely manicured suburban setting of television's hottest prime-time soap. We learn this within the first few minutes of the DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES pilot episode, when seemingly sane and happy housewife Mary Alice Young removes a revolver from a drawer and shoots herself in the head. In the process of trying to make sense of her sudden and inexplicable suicide, Mary Alice's friends end up revealing just as many secrets about themselves and their neighbours as they do about her past. Each episode follows the ups and downs in the lives of bored trophy wife Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), klutzy-yet-charming Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), frustrated stay-at-home-mom Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), anal-retentive homemaker Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross) and man-eater Edie (Nicollette Sheridan). Throughout the 4 series, each woman faces her fair share of drama and does her part in helping to uncover a string of mysteries that go deeper than anyone can imagine.

Desperate Housewives: Seasons 1-4 (Box Set) [2004]


Roy Chubby Brown - Dirty Weekend In Blackpool Live
Roy Chubby Brown
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Synopsis
For all his bad taste, Roy Chubby Brown is undeniably something of a phenomena. For over 20 years, he has built an extremely strong career solely on the basis of his live comedy shows and has done incredibly well at it. Early on, he marketed himself as the UK comedian who would use as much profanity as possible and make the most controversial, lewd, offensive and outrageous remarks. While that choice closed some doors, audiences loved his off colour, common man approach, and, as the legend goes, Chubby has only to post an announcement of an upcoming live performance and, through word of mouth, audiences come in droves.
Roy Chubby Brown - Dirty Weekend In Blackpool Live


The Snowman [1982]
Directed by Dianne Jackson
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Two Raymond Briggs' animated classics, The Snowman and Father Christmas are here sensibly paired for maximum yuletide delight.

Based on Briggs's classic children's book and crafted in a coloured-pencils-on-paper look, like fluffy, hand-drawn illustrations, The Snowman is a gentle fable of friendship and the power of imagination. It's the story of a small boy whose lovingly constructed snowman comes to life and takes him flying over the white-blanketed landscapes, in a beautiful rotoscoped (traced) sequence based on live-action flying footage.

Part of the charm of the film is the gentle, everyday quality of its fantasy adventures: the snowman is invited in to try on clothes and play with the Christmas decorations, then plays host to the boy at a party in the woods, at which his snowy relatives do country dances. --David Chute

In Father Christmas, an irreverent Santa breaks from tradition in many ways. He has no Mrs, owns only four reindeer and decides to convert his sleigh into an airborne motor home for a pre-Christmas holiday. He finds France too snooty, Scotland too cold and Las Vegas just right. Tanned and rested, he returns to the North Pole in time to sort through the mail, pack up the toys and hit the skies. He also narrates his own story (splendidly voiced by Los Angeles stage actor William Dennis Hunt), but fans of the 1973 book will find the animated version far less cranky than the original. Although the book was aimed at children between the ages of 4-8, this may have a wider appeal, depending on how you feel about the children seeing Santa gambling at the casino tables, dreaming of bikini-clad babes and suffering a bout of diarrhoea. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Synopsis
Delightfully animated story describing how a young boy's snowman comes to life at midnight. Introduction by David Bowie. Based on the book by Raymond Briggs.

The Snowman [1982]



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