Reviews

Adapted from a Robert Ludlum potboiler, Sam Peckinpah's demented final movie from 1983 ostensibly centres on TV reporter Rutger Hauer, who, coerced by sinister CIA men Burt Lancaster and John Hurt into selling out old pals, allows them to rig his home with cameras to monitor their weekend reunion. It's soon clear Peckinpah has far more interest in Hurt, brilliant as the betrayed rogue agent whose maniacal plotting drives the film over the edge. A bizarre pile-up of double-triple-crossing, it's almost impossible to follow; but then, confusion and panic are what the film is about.

Susan Hayward won the Oscar for committed scene-trashing in this 1958 movie, which—based on the real-life execution of Barbara Graham, a "goodtime girl" (possibly) framed for murder and sent to the gas chamber in 1955—was very much the Monster of its day. Robert Wise directs as if it were a jazz documentary, taking cues from the great score by Johnny Mandel, itself cooled to within an inch of its life by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet.

Mrs Elvis Costello keeps it (largely) in the family

Second album from folk-country Seattle quintet, again produced by Tucker (Laura Veirs) Martine

Back with a vengeance, the second of Tarantino's Uma-in-yellow action epics gives good dialogue—excerpts included here. The music's deliberately eclectic, built around a spine of appropriated Morricone. Johnny Cash rumbles through "Satisfied Mind", Charlie Feathers chirrups old-time rock'n'roll, and there's a hidden track from Wu-Tang Clan, "Black Mamba". Malcolm McLaren—presumably Quentin admires his media scams—gives us the sultry samples of "About Her".

Scotland's favourite pop-folk troubadour embraces the harsher reality of the '70s with mixed results

Complete '66-'70 works of insanely eclectic LA ensemble beloved of Jimmy Page

Enjoyable, suspenseful thriller starring Angelina Jolie

Curious dreamlike quest for songs, legs and beer

The 1932 and 1941 adaptations of Stevenson's landmark work of horror fiction on one disc. The earlier movie finds director Rouben Mamoulian going heavy on the claustrophobic atmosphere and sexual undercurrents with Frederic Marsh on Oscar-winning form as the doctor and his bestial alter ego. The later version teams Spencer Tracy (transformed via a bad wig and bushy eyebrows) with Ingrid Bergman (putting on an appalling cockney accent). Enough said.