DVD round-up from The TOMB

'The 'Screen Legends' box sets are the big relases of the week, while 'Escape to Victory' is also out.

Jun  5 2006

This week a very special collection of box sets hit DVD that are essential purchases for any fan of classic cinema.

The 'Screen Legends' series features four of the best from some of the greatest actors of all-time.

Cary Grant, Orson Welles, Bing Crosby, Robert Redford and Fred Astaire all get a box set to themselves, while James Stewart gets two, including a fine collection of westerns.

Featuring 'Destry Rides Again' (which Time Out calls a 'marvellous comedy western'), 'The Man from Laramie' (which Time Out claims is 'magnificent'), 'Two Rode Together' (TO quote – 'a neglected western that repays careful attention'), and 'Shenandoah' (which we haven't reviewed but I can confirm is excellent) it's an unusual collection well worth the very reasonable £24.99 asking price.

Elsewhere, two brilliant films get the special edition treatment in the shape of romantic comedy 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' and French thriller 'La Haine', though we wouldn't recommend watching the pair as a double bill.

As far as new films go, 'MirrorMask' is the best of the week, a visually stunning family fantasy from creative genii Dave McKean and Nail Gaiman.

Finally, my DVD of the week is 'Escape to Victory', for four very important reasons reasons:

1. The World Cup is about to kick off, and I can't get enough of football at the moment.
2. It stars Sylvester Stallone, John Wark, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow and Bobby Moore, which is just plain weird.
3. Ossie Ardiles' flick and Pele's overhead kick, unquestionably the two greatest screen moments in the history of film.
4. The disc includes a free England flag, and obviously there aren't nearly enough of these around at the moment.

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