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Restored and remastered: Includes 30 minutes of bonus features.

This is a very well-directed film. The great joy of watching a Branagh-directed Shakespeare is the effort put into ensuring that the diction is as clear and natural as possible without losing the strength of the text. The cast is excellent, Derek Jacobi and Kate Winslet in particular; even cameos for which you would perhaps have doubts - such as Robin Williams, who impresses with his characterisation of Osric, and Billy Crystal as the gravedigger - work. Indeed, the repartee between Billy Crystal and Simon Russell-Beale in the graveyard scene is the funniest I have ever witnessed.

The colour and sets are spectacular, all filmed in 70mm, allowing for great richness and definition. Branagh says he wanted to escape the Gothic look of previous Hamlets, "away from the clichés of doublet and hose", so instead Elsinore becomes Blenheim in the nineteenth century. Almost everyone wears glitteringly smart military dress, for it is, after all, a time of war. It's also winter, although the effect is somewhat undermined by the lack of cold air on the breaths of the protagonists. Branagh wanted the look to be sexy and glamorous. He says he wanted, rather than a portrayal of an exact period, more an impression of period. He mentions the Austro-Hungarian Empire and claims the films "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "Mayerling" as influences.

The interior shots were made at Shepperton Studios. Here all is light and brightness, with a focus on the mirrored hall. There are some very long and impressive takes, but you become so engrossed in the action that you barely notice these. I only became aware of them when listening to the interesting commentary by Branagh and Shakespearian scholar and collaborator, Russell Jackson. It is well worth listening to, commenting as it does on both the philosophy and the practicalities behind both the original play and on the filmed production.

This film is long because it includes, more or less, the whole play. There have been some shavings; as mentioned in the commentary, Branagh has kept to the first folio and second quarto editions, so we do not see the scene of Gertrude being informed of Hamlet's return from England that is in the first quarto. The play itself, despite its length, is to some extent made worse by missing scenes, for example where Laertes is told of his father's murder and sister's madness, and draws together his mob to attack the palace. It would have been nice too to have seen how Hamlet returns to Denmark. Branagh tries to provide a detailed backdrop by, for instance, showing him making love to Ophelia, and by the use of cameos such as those of John Gielgud and Judi Dench, so perhaps I should not be too complaining.

It has an intermission between discs but the time passes quite unnoticed as you become involved in the drama, as when Laertes and Claudius conspire Hamlet's death. Indeed, I would say that Claudius is the key to this performance, and Jacobi (for once) is formidable in the role. Claudius now has time to be seen as a more well-rounded character. He is not a purely evil man, and Branagh in his commentary describes him as a "good man gone bad". This means that Hamlet is not so much the solution, but he is the problem to the play, for when he kills Polonius does not he become just as much the murderer as Claudius?

But what of Branagh's portrayal of Hamlet itself? It feels mean of me to criticise a man who has seemingly devoted half his life to the Shakespearian cause, but Branagh's Hamlet in his ravings and rantings in his soliloquies goes over the top. For me, Branagh's rages are seen as overacting, as not true. (Laertes too - played by Michael Moloney - tends to overplay his wrath, but, in a sense, he is Hamlet's mirrored self.) The worst scene in the entire play - just before the intermission - sees Hamlet raging against the universe, and set falsely against a vast winter landscape where Fortinbras's soldiers march across a plain. It is too full of hubris. If Hamlet is the Renaissance man that Branagh claims him to be, then where is his self-control, his healthy scepticism, his calm reasoning? I prefer him not to rage but to be more introverted; more moody; more in touch with his true self; cooler, calmer and more collected. Rage does not suit Hamlet, and it most certainly does not suit Branagh's hamlet.

Having said that, when Hamlet is in company, Branagh is excellent, almost faultless. He is suave, he is playful, he is comic, and he mad. But in all these scenes he is credible. His relationship with Kate Winslet as Ophelia is electric, and the interaction with his mother and uncle profoundly realistic. By the way, in this film Branagh has assumed that Gertrude does not know that the drink intended for Hamlet has been poisoned.

Some things do not work, such as Patrick Doyle's too-sweet score. The ghostly statue of Hamlet's father that is seen to move at the commencement of the play is also lacking, for he is just not scary at all. It is a wooden performance (literally?), for the camerawork here clearly does not portray the statue as great or as frightening as the film pretends him to be; the result is that the awed speeches surrounding the statue's movement are a little ridiculous, because we do not share the fear of the witnesses. On the other hand, Brian Blessed's later reprise of the role of the ghost in the woodland scene does indeed scare, with his whispered incantation and his glowingly dead eyes. It would have been, perhaps, an interesting idea in this scene to have compared Hamlet exuding cold breath from his mouth in the cold night air with the ghost's very lack of breath.

But at the end of the day, after four hours of intense drama, I felt somehow unmoved. Was it because I was numb? Or was the fault to do with the play itself? Is the ending too contrived for this post-Enlightenment viewer? Why did Shakespeare believe that his audience would be persuaded that Claudius would go to such lengths as to create a final fencing match to kill Hamlet, when he had the means to remove him more covertly, just as he had done to Hamlet's father? For me, Hamlet is a wonderful play ruined by the need for ends to be tied-up neatly at the close of the curtain. But as for this film version, there is so much wrong, and yet far more that is so right. I have yet to see a better filmed version.

This film follows the character of Mary Poppins the nanny who's practically perfect in every way. This timeless classic has magical and unforgettable songs for the whole family to enjoy. And this special 40th anniversary edition has some brilliant extras from a new short story with Julie Andrews, cut songs and a documentary of the making of the film.

In one of Walt Disney's classics, Bagheera the panther offers to take Mowgli, a young boy, to the man village before the evil tiger Shere Khan gets to him.

This family adventure is a classic, made so by a beautiful sentimental plot about human emotions, including loyalty, sensitivity and most importantly love. And these human emotions are decoded through the animals of the jungle.

With the enchanting and fun loving actions of Baloo the bear and the honest and hard actions of Bagheera, do audiences get that true feel of the human spirit, and the facts of life, to have fun, but to face the truth as well, which is also reflected in some of the most catchy and enjoyable songs ever created for a Disney picture.

"The Bear Necessities", "Trust in me" and "That's what friends are for" are the brightest gems to have ever been written and are beautifully directed and told through humorous and delightful techniques by the team.

Though the plot can be a little slow at times, the characters are all joys to watch, particularly the bad guys Khan and Kaa, who light up the film in their own dark way. Khan's dialogue is perhaps the best ever written for an animated villain and even in my adult years I find him chilling to watch.

The film explores the depths of the jungle with a keen interest in different animals, which are explored in a comic fashion from the forgettable elephant to the bored vultures, the Jungle Book simply has everything.

From an excellent plot, to the wonderful sing-along songs, it is a true landmark in the animation genre.

9/10

An abosolute stunnah I loved every second of this dvd which is a true heartwarming story of evil,love and final happiness. Cinderella is and incredible story and my 2nd favourite disney film of all time (sleeping beauty being the firstxx) It was stunning...x

Dirty Dancing is a movie that is hyped up to the limit. It is recognised as one of the best chick-flicks and has somehow entered the books as a classic that you simply have to see. With all this in mind I only got around to watching this movie a year ago and have since watched this three times, each time hoping to discover what it is that seems to make this movie special and unique but I am sorry to say that I fail to see what's so great about this movie.

The story is simple. Baby (Jennifer Grey) is on holidays with her parents. She meets local dance teacher Johnny (Patrick Swayze), she learns the passions of dance while also learning a few things about love and life at the same time.

Undoubtedly the best thing about this movie is the music, which is very catchy and the clever dance moves, which by today's standards aren't that dirty but they still are the reason why I am giving this movie 3*.

It loses one star for a fairly dull and predictable story made worse by an even duller script. The story is not exactly terrible but it's not exactly exciting either. Understandably movies about dance rarely have much of a story to them (take the recent Step Up 2 movie) but what little story it does have should at least try to be entertaining.

Secondly another star is lost for the poor acting in particular from the leads. It seems as if Swayze and Grey never did an acting audition for this movie. Once the directors saw that they could dance (which they certainly can) they must have hired them straight away. Luckily for them most of the movie is really a showcase for their dancing skills but still it's impossible not to notice their absence of talent in this area. Grey in particular comes across as very dull and dowdy. Even when she's dancing she still looks relatively shy. Swayze fairs a bit better but still isn't that likable.

To conclude Dirty Dancing is a good movie if you're after some top-tapping numbers (in particular the famous 'Time of your life') and provocative dance moves but certainly not for people looking for an intelligent and original story. Approach with caution ignoring the hype about this movie and you will enjoy it.

This was the first video I ever bought as a child and it's still one of my favourites. It's Disney's best film. The songs are fantastic and the story of Ariel, a mermaid who just wants to be a human and expereince all the things humans do, is brilliant.

17 years on from it's original release and the Little Mermaid is as good as it ever was. A must-see film for everyone!

I had to return my borrowed 'original' VHS tape and I didn't want the DVD (high up in a recent survey of most wanted gadgets: a button on a DVD remote labeled "Just play the goddam film"). When I received the tape I was disappointed to see "DIGITALLY MASTERED FOR SUPERIOR SOUND AND PICTURE QUALITY". Why do they lie like this? Luckily the sound has survived but the picture is awful compared to the very old, much played borrowed tape. The picture has a brownish tinge and soft focus all the way through.
The reason the tape is digitally 'mastered' is presumably the same as with digitally mastered LP's; so as not to show up the limitations of the new CD's and DVD's. However I can remember enough of the borrowed tape to continue to enjoy this wonderful film.

Sinderella is spelt with a c
i think amazon are cant spell good and are maybe polish? cuz polish people are thick as everyone no's.

so i watched this adult movie and i couldnt even get it up
what is that "ERRRRRR", sorry my friend sneezed

just going eat my lasagne outside now boyos, got a nice tent from here