In a lively book, these are the musings of a man who has thought deeply about his medium of documentaries. Why are they made? Who is in the tribe of documentary filmmakers? Do their films really change the world? Mark Cousins wrote 'When you film a documentary, life comes barrelling at you like a wild bear.' Some 20 years ago Nick Fraser created BBC Storyville, producing films that won Oscars, BAFTAs and Peabody Awards. He found filmmakers from all across the world covering important subjects in documentaries. His book describes the frenzied, intense world of documentary filmmaking, tracing its history back to the early pioneers such as Dziga Vertov and his ground-breaking 'Man with A Movie Camera.' The book deals with the British documentary tradition founded by John Grierson, and discusses the work of American masters such as the Maysles brothers, Frederick Wiseman and D. A. Pennebaker, as well as Europeans such as Marcel Ophuls, Claude Lanzmann, Chris Marker and Verner Herzog. He interviews acclaimed documentary filmmakers and discusses the work of Ken Burns, Errol Morris and Joshua Oppenheimer as well as listing his top 100 documentaries and where readers can watch them. In a world beset with 'fake news', he argues documentaries are better at getting at the verities about life and death, and that the new journalism will come from films made using new technology. Beautifully written and elegantly structured, it is a personal, funny and moving account which has helped the author recover from his 2017 stroke. 400 page large softback, illus.

The story behind the man who brought us The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity and Mildred Pierce, the film noir classics. James M. Cain was a master of the 'hard-boiled' school of writing in the 1930s and 1940s that included Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. His 1937 novel Serenade boldly portrayed its hero as a bisexual man. Before becoming a famous novelist, Cain taught journalism at various colleges in Maryland, wrote editorials for the New York World and was for a brief time Managing Editor at The New Yorker. While his biographer renders Cain's fast-paced life in New York and Hollywood, including his four wives, as he created a great number of short stories, novels, plays and magazine articles, part of the story is David Madden's own story. The long time relationship between the emerging young novelist and the elderly writer in decline enabled Madden to imagine Cain's creative process and throughout the book Madden meshes his own words with Cain's. Cain cooperated intimately and the biography is innovative in style and technique. 'Because I want Cain's own distinctly tough, frank, slangy voice to convey a sense of his life as a storyteller, I have employed three very unorthodox methods. First, I have restructured, pruned, and sometimes rephrased the pages he sent me and blended his words with my own phrases...' 'A second major feature of this biography, an imaginative impression of his creative process as a writer in the very act of writing, both fiction and non-fiction. A third major feature is my use of the technique that I have often used in my own fiction, whereby the point of view is confined strictly to what Cain remembers...' 'The mumps had released him from a six month stretch with Consolidated Gas and Light of Baltimore, secured through his father's connections, performing hateful routine tasks with ledgers. Inspecting roads and writing reports for the Maryland Road Commission had been enjoyable, but getting laid off was humiliating. As Principal of the high school in a little village of Vienna, Maryland, he had learned a few things about teaching.' Other chapters are titled The Butterfly and the Moth, Galatea and Mignon and The Magician's Wife. 300 pages.

Charlie Brown the famous character is depicted as an astronaut in full bright orange space suit with red trimmings and buttons and boots and a big clear globe around his head in this teeny 1½" high enamel lapel brooch pin with secure fastener. CE safety approved and for fans of all ages. A unique and imported item we just love.

A companion to David Bowie Aladdin Sane 91557, we have chosen the iconic Dark Side of the Moon album cover design with black background, transparent prism pyramid with a bright white ray from the left transposing into a rainbow on the right. In big typeface are the words PINK FLOYD BACK STAGE AREA ALL ACCESS in a mottled effect as if on an image of a real poster, now printed as a memento onto an A4 sized tin poster with a tiny hole in each corner to affix.

The provocative story about the making of one of cinema's most iconic films. Plagued by both a reckless ego and nagging self-doubt, Hollywood directing legend Alfred Hitchcock played by Anthony Hopkins becomes obsessed with a grisly murder story that the studios won't back. Determined, he risks his reputation, his home and even the love of his wife Alma (Mirren) as he sets out to make the film. Ultimately Hitch wins Alma over, and the two collaborate to create an enduring masterpiece - Psycho. Also starring Scarlett Johansson, Toni Collette and Jessica Biel. Certificate 12, colour film approx. 94 mins.

All on one disc, two terrific films which includes bonus material of deleted scenes and exclusive documentaries and an audio commentary. The Last King of Scotland stars Forrest Whittaker as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, his story seen through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young Scotsman who becomes the volatile leader's personal physician. Seduced by Amin's charisma and blinded by decadence, Garrigan's dream life becomes a waking nightmare of betrayal and madness from which there is no escape. Inspired by real people and events, this Academy and BAFTA winning film on DVD has an optional commentary by Kevin McDonald. The second film is Walk the Line featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon powerfully portraying Johnny Cash and the greatest love of his life, June Carter. The music alone is absolutely beautiful and the connection between the actors capture the unbridled talent of the musician and the passion for the talented and beautiful woman he was destined to be with, and the path of self. It has it all. Film one 117 minutes and film two 130 minutes, both in colour DVD.

The classic 1932 film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's classic novel stars Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes who won two Oscars and were nominated for two more. It is a classic romantic drama directed by Frank Borzage. Frederick Henry (Cooper) is an American serving as an ambulance driver in World War One. When his friend Captain Ronaldi (played by Adolphe Menjou) introduces him to the beautiful English nurse Catherine Barkley (Hayes), Frederick immediately falls for her. The pair share a brief idyllic interlude together, but the jealous Ronaldi does his best to come between them. Setin war-torn Italy, it provides a stark portrait of the purpose and effect of war on those living through it. 'Let's love tonight' they said. 'There may be no more tomorrow!' One hour 20 min original black and white film on DVD.

Discover the story and the movies which launched screen legends Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and featured actors who are today household names, films which have thrilled and earned cult status. Famous for its blood-curdling creations which brought Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, Zombies and The Mummy to the silver screen, the Hammer production company was responsible for a massive variety of movies including One Million Years BC featuring Raquel Welch in that iconic fur-lined bikini! This fascinating 51 minute film features black and white archive footage and colour film exploring the turbulent history and counts down ten of the most famous, most popular and most terrifying of its creations. It includes legendary directors, producers and writers Roy Ward Baker, Brian Clemens and Jimmy Sangster, key members of the Hammer story who reveal the truth behind the on-screen myth. Learn about the rows over the daring content of The Vampire Lovers and see original storyboard sketches for Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter, and find out why the famous Whitby shipwreck of Bram Stoker's Dracula novel didn't make it to the film adaptation. We are joined by Alan Barnes and Marcus Heam, horror expert and English Gothic author Jonathan Rigby, and Hammer webmaster Robert Simpson whose contributions are complemented by a wealth of rare behind-the-scenes photos and stills from some of the most famous films.

Authorised by Paul Anka himself, this is a biography in film form previously titled Destiny. It is a fascinating portrait of the life and the path of Paul Anka's astonishing five decade career from early number ones like Diana that hit the top of the charts he he was just 16 years old. There are interviews with Paul himself, Donny Osmond, Phil Everley, Frankie Avalon and Burt Baccarach. Paul sings parts of some of his songs from the 120 albums to his name. Our Annie has seen him in concert and he is the writer of some of the most famous songs of our era, many he has given away to become hits and make stars of other entertainers. Enjoy the talent of this great performer and travel with him from his hometown to New York and to the many venues of hopeful young singers and songwriters. 52 minute DVD.

A delightful black and white musical comedy from 1942 with running time approximately 68 minutes on new DVD. Set against the background of World War Two and featuring the music of The Andrews Sisters, the film follows the fortunes of a reluctant army recruit who struggles to adjust to military life until he falls for the charms of a retired officer's daughter. Lots of musical tap-a-long toons, this vintage musical with Harry James and His Orchestra contains The Sisters' original rendition of 'Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree'. 'Even the Jeeps are jivin'' says one character. Running time one hour 15, the dancing sequences are an unforgettable treat.