DVD round-up from The TOMB

Bond, 'Lost' and 'Glastonbury' all make an appearance in this week's run-down.

Jul 20 2006

Sorry for the lack of DVD updates these past few weeks but thanks to a bug in our system, we've been having trouble with our DVD images. The blog is back however, with a bumper crop of DVDs hitting shelves this week.

First up are the magnificent new special editions of all the James Bond films, from 'Dr No' right up to 'Die Another Day'.

Featuring improved sound and picture (with many of the titles being restored frame-by-frame), the discs also feature a myriad of documentaries, commentaries, photo galleries and never before seen footage from the Bond vaults.

And if you don't want to buy them individually, all 20 films can also be purchased together as part of a mammoth box set, a must-have for any Bond fan in the run up to the release of 'Casino Royale' this Christmas.

It's also a good week for more modern fare, with four very different but equally brilliant films receiving a release.

First up is 'Glastonbury', Julien Temple's attempt to document the life and times of the world's greatest music festival. A hotchpotch of home videos and concert footage, it's a marvellous mess of a musical movie that had me gripped throughout the lengthy running time.

It may leave those who have never attended Glastonbury scratching their heads, but in a year in which the field is fallow, this is a god-send for fans of the fest.

At the other end of the spectrum, 'The Proposition' is a powerful western set in the Australian outback at the turn of the century.

Starring Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone and a quite brilliant Danny Huston, and written by Nick Cave, this sparse, violent tale of murder and redemption doesn't pull any punches, and is without doubt one of the best films released thus far this year.

The same can be said of 'Tsotsi', Gavin Hood's uncompromising account of the effect that the accidental kidnapping of a baby has on the life of a young criminal.

I'd also recommend Mark Wexler's raw and compelling documentary 'Tell Them Who You Are', in which he examines the difficult relationship he has had with his father, the legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler.

Finally, 'Lost Series Two: Part One' is also released this week, and while the show continues to frustrate as much as it thrills, it's still pretty much the best thing on TV at the moment. So if you want to find out just who those pesky 'others' are then make sure you check it out!

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