Film Comici n Italiano

Shadows of Progress is a landmark collection, bringing together for the first time over 14 hours of film material preserved in the BFI National Archive, telling the previously untold story of British documentary filmmaking through the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

It's time once again for film noir fans rejoice with 9 additional major studio film noirs, this time from the period 1954-1956: "Bait" (1954), "The Crooked Web" (1955), "The Night Holds Terror" (1955), "Footsteps in the Fog" (1955), "Cell 2455, Death Row" (1955), "5 Against the House" (1955), "New Orleans Uncensored"(1955), "Spin a Dark Web" (1955), "Rumble on the Docks" (1956)

Charlie Chaplin joined Mack Sennett’s Keystone Film Company in late 1913 after being seen in Fred Karno’s touring vaudeville troupe. After a few initial uneasy steps, his rise was meteoric — making 35 films in a single year, directing more than half of them, and developing his much-loved persona, the Tramp.

Legendary filmmaker Peter Whitehead was at the heart of Swinging London, chronicling the youth explosion, the burgeoning popular music scene and the counterculture of the 1960s. In March the National Film Theatre hosted a comprehensive retrospective of his work. This DVD features two of his films; Wholly Communion (1965) and Benefit of the Doubt (1967), coupled with a new interview with Peter and additional rare footage. With over three hours of material, Peter Whitehead and the Sixties is a fascinating document of the radical, experimental, literary and theatrical scenes of 60s London.

Established in 1946, the Central Office of Information (COI) was a successor to the wartime Ministry of Information and was responsible for producing thousands of films which celebrated Britain, its people and their achievements.

The Central Office of Information (COI) was established in April 1946 and has produced thousands of films that reflected the culture and concerns of the nation. Volume one of the COI collection tackles crime, juvenile delinquency, policing and the justice system. A variety of styles and genres – story documentary, drama, public information shorts – are employed to deliver crime prevention messages and bolster recruitment in this area. The wonderful selection of films on this two disc set have been newly transferred to high definition from the original film elements. An accompanying booklet provides comprehensive notes and essays from academics and film historians.

In December 1914, the great Charlie Chaplin signed a one year contract with the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company for what was then an unprecedented salary. Shooting in both their California and Chicago studios he went on to make 15 films that firmly established him as the world’s favourite screen comedian.
Unlike other screen stars of the time, Chaplin retained complete creative control over his films, from writing and directing, to choosing his cast members. While this led to his relationship with Essanay growing increasingly strained, this fruitful period of his career saw him evolve his style, resulting in seminal works such as The Tramp, The Bank and The Champion.
The result of a 12 year project, led by Lobster Films and the Cineteca di Bologna, this comprehensive 2 disc Blu-ray collection features 15 films, fully restored, presented alongside exclusive special features – never before released in the UK.

Three young Dutch amateur dirt bike motorcycle racers each fall in love with a young woman who, with her brother, works at a concession stand at the races. Everyone is looking for a better life. The young woman wants out of the business and away from her brother. The motocross racers want to make their marks as professional racers, like their hero, Gerrit Witkamp (Rutger Hauer).

Charlie Chaplin joined Mack Sennett’s Keystone Film Company in late 1913 after being seen in Fred Karno’s touring vaudeville troupe. After a few initial uneasy steps, his rise was meteoric — making 35 films in a single year, directing more than half of them, and developing his much-loved persona, the Tramp.

"The Unknown Soldier," a documentary by Michael Verhoeven, takes on one of the comforting myths of postwar Germany: the idea that ordinary German soldiers were for the most part unaware of and uninvolved in the worst crimes of the Nazi regime. In a version of history held by many Germans, the SS and other specialized organizations conceived and carried out policies of extermination against civilians, while the Wehrmacht rank and file went about the usual business of fighting the enemy. It was thus possible, after the war, to commemorate the service of fathers and grandfathers, and even to treat them with a measure of sentimental reverence, without condoning the atrocities of the Third Reich.