British VB Purchasing Guide January-March 2009

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Jan. 27

10 Dead Men MTI prebook now; DVD $24.95 Action: After putting his past behind him, a man is thrust into a world of revenge.

Alexander Fodor’s Hamlet S’MORE/RYKO prebook now; DVD $24.95 Drama: Set in a Kafkaesque nightmare, this film offers the text of the original Shakespeare play, but the characters’ personalities are changed.

The Secret Policeman’s Balls SHOUT! FACTORY prebook now; DVD $39.99 Comedy: This three-disc box set includes Pleasure at Her Majesty’s (1976), The Secret Policeman’s Ball (1979) and The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball (1989).

Feb. 3

Alec Guinness 5-Film Collection LIONSGATE prebook now; DVD $39.98 Drama: This five-disc box set includes The Lavender Hill Mob, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Man in the White Suit, The Captain’s Paradise and The Ladykillers, complete with an Alec Guinness biography.

Peter Sellers 5-Film Collection LIONSGATE prebook now; DVD $39.98 Comedy: This five-disc box set contains I’m All Right, Jack!; The Smallest Show on Earth; Carlton-Browne of the F.O.; Two-Way Stretch and Heavens Above!, complete with a Sellers bio.

Feb. 10

Fakers INDICAN prebook now; DVD $24.99 Drama: A hustler owes money to a crime lord and has no way to pay off his debt until he finds a possible lost sketch by a renowned artist.

Kate Bush: Hounds of Love: A Classic Album Under Review MVD prebook now; DVD $19.95 Music: Includes live and studio versions of every track on the album.

Relative Strangers BFS prebook 1-13; DVD $29.98 Drama: Brenda Fricker stars as a widowed wife and mother who stumbles on a painful secret.

Feb. 17

The F Word: Series One BFS prebook 1-20; DVD $29.98 Reality: Chef Gordon Ramsay brings his brand of nightmarish coaching to amateur chefs competing for a job in his kitchen in this three-disc set.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People FOX prebook 1-21; DVD $27.98 Comedy: Follows the escapades of an aspiring British celebrity journalist (Simon Pegg, “Scotty” in the new Star Trek).

Feb. 24

British Cinema: The Renown Pictures Literary Classics Collection VCI prebook 2-6; DVD $39.99 Drama: Includes The Pickwick Papers, Tom Brown’s Schooldays and Svengali.

The Pickwick Papers VCI prebook 2-6; DVD $19.99 Drama: Based on the book by Charles Dickens, this film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design.

Svengali VCI prebook 2-6; DVD $19.99 Drama: A woman is attracted to two men, one shy and sensitive and the other a sinister hypnotist, in this 1954 adaptation of the book.

Tom Brown’s Schooldays VCI prebook 2-6; DVD $19.99 Drama: Thomas Hughes’ novel of life in a boys’ boarding school in the 1800s comes to life on the screen.

March 10

Morrissey: From Where He Came to Where He Went Unauthorized MVD prebook 2-2; DVD $26.95 Music: This double DVD set includes Morrissey: The Jewel in the Crown and The Smiths: Under Review.

March 17

Wuthering Heights WGBH prebook 2-17; DVD $24.99 Drama: The Masterpiece Theatre presentation of the Emily Bronte novel about the fiery romance between Heathcliff and Cathy.

March 31

Ricky Gervais: Out of England HBO/WARNER prebook 2-24; DVD $19.97 Comedy: The creator of BBC’s The Office presents his stand-up comedy from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The Broken LIONSGATE prebook 3-4; DVD $19.98 Horror: The third installment of the After Dark Horrorfest, this film follows a radiologist whose life spirals out of control when she sees the image of herself driving down a London street.

BBC to delight Dickens fans

BBC Video is ready to satisfy both new and old fans of Charles Dickens this May with its release of a 10-disc collection of adaptations of the novelist’s work, along with a special edition of Bleak House on both DVD and Blu-ray. “The centerpiece of the promotion is Little Dorrit, which is the sequel to Bleak House,” says Burton Cromer, executive VP of consumer products for BBC Worldwide Americas. Both programs will be contained in a five-movie set of Dickens adaptations that also will include 1999’s Great Expectations starring Charlotte Rampling and new productions of Oliver Twist and The Old Curiosity Shop. On TV, BBC “has found a way to make costume dramas more contemporary—by airing the programs as soap operas,” Cromer says. He explains that because Dickens was known for writing serials with cliffhangers, a technique that lent itself well to the modern soap opera concept, the strategy “got a whole new audience.” The success has transferred to DVD as well. The initial release of Bleak House alone sold close to six figures, he reports. —Cindy Spielvogel

May 5

Bleak House: Special Edition BBC/WARNER prebook 3-31; DVD $39.98, BD $49.98 Drama: Gillian Anderson stars as the icily beautiful Lady Dedlock in the 2006 adaptation of Dickens’ novel.

The Charles Dickens Masterworks Collection BBC/WARNER prebook 3-13; DVD $119.98 Drama: The 10-disc set includes Bleak House: Special Edition, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and The Old Curiosity Shop.

Acorn grows its business

Although other DVD genres might be struggling in the current economy, British programming appears to be doing well—at least for specialist Acorn Media. “We’re projecting double-digit growth” in 2008 over 2007, says Don Klees, VP of programming for Acorn Media U.S. “And we’re expecting future growth despite the doom and gloom.” One of Acorn’s big upcoming releases is Midsomer Murders, Set 12. “It’s amazing there’s anyone still left to be murdered” in the English county where the series takes place, he says. Also on board is the complete series collection of Cracker starring Robbie Coltrane, whom Klees says is “a bigger deal now thanks to Harry Potter,” in which Coltrane stars as Hagrid. Also coming from Acorn is the U.K. series Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares with Chef Gordon Ramsay, whom Klees describes as “as strong a personality as you’re going to find.” —C.S.

March 3

Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares: Complete Series One ACORN prebook 2-3; DVD $24.99 Reality: This two-disc set goes behind the scenes at struggling restaurants with Gordon Ramsay, Britain’s most celebrated gourmet chef.

March 10

Cracker: The Complete Collection ACORN prebook 2-10; DVD $119.99 Mystery: Robbie Coltrane stars as the brilliant criminologist in 11 mysteries in this 10-disc collector’s edition.

March 24

Midsomer Murders: Set Twelve ACORN prebook 2-24; DVD $49.99 Mystery: Included on four discs are the mysteries Four Funerals and a Wedding, Country Matters, Death in Chorus and Last Year’s Model.

British VB Purchasing Guide January-March 2009

BBC to delight Dickens fans

Acorn grows its business

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