DVD Collectors Online

Tipping the Velvet, a review by Tom

Title: Tipping the Velvet
Year: 2002
Director:
Rating: 15
Length: 175 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Rachael Stirling
Keeley Hawes
Sally Hawkins
Jodhi May
Hugh Bonneville

Plot:
Set in England in the 1890s, Tipping the Velvet is a colourful, passionate and entertaining love story, which follows our heroine's growth into womanhood.

EPISODE 1

The glamorous world of the 19th -century music hall provides the backdrop for Nan's first love affair with Kitty Butler, a popular male impersonator. When Kitty is offered the chance to perform in London, a delighted Nan accompanies her as a dresser, but true success doesn't happen until Nan becomes part of the act.

EPISODE 2

Alone and devastated by her betrayal, Nan cannot return to her family in Whitstable so takes to the streets to survive. In her guise as a male impersonator, she finds a niche in the Victorian sexual underworld and is also drawn into the web of a rich Sapphic, society widow who offers sex, excitement and luxury but at a perilous price.

EPISODE 3

Diana throws out Nan and Blake and Blake disappears with all of the money leaving a totally destitute Nan. The only person she can think to turn to ends up unwelcoming to her. So begins a very different phase for Nan, which leads ultimately to her making the most important decision of her life

Extras:
Interviews
Photo Gallery
Scene Access

This mini series is based on another novel by the same author, whom provided the source for "Fingersmith", the other mini series I reviewed recently. And I liked this adaption just as much, if not more, as "Fingersmith".
I am surprised, with what you can get away with in a BBC series. If it had been an American series, it would have to be at least HBO (or something similar), to be able to show this. Of course here in Germany it wouldn't have any trouble to be on normal prime time

Rating:

(From Lesbian Movie Marathon on April 29th, 2009)

Sweet Sixteen, a review by Rich

Sweet Sixteen



Using a cast of unknown actors and newcomers, Ken Loach fashions another gritty social drama in SWEET SIXTEEN. In his acting debut, Martin Crampston plays Liam, whose mother is about to be released from prison on his 16th birthday. Liam recognises that the only chance for the pair of them to escape the poverty of their surroundings is to move away from the Greenock council estate they live on. However, to realise this dream he will need to get hold of some money. Roping in his friends to help, he sets out on a series of increasingly dangerous schemes to raise cash and soon finds himself out of his depth.

Typical Loach, gritty, at times depressing, a severely harsh look at modern society and it's youth stuck at the bottom of the pile. Incredibly difficult to follow some of the strong Scottish accents, to consider these were unknown actors the Director used is amazing as generally they were superb, especially Martin Compston in the lead role.
Completely unforgiving film, where the message that hope is futile and a better life does not exist for some of our society, is incredibly powerful and thought provoking. Not for the easily offended due to the continual coarse language and graphic violence, it is perhaps a film that should be seen as it is so raw and real.
 
 

(From Riches Random Reviews on April 24th, 2009)

Angel Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

20. War Zone
Original Air Date: 5/9/2000
While working a blackmail case, Angel encounters Charles Gunn, the leader of a gang of street kids battling a nest of vampires who've settled in their neighborhood.

Guest Stars:
Michele Kelly
Maurice Compte
Mick Murray
Joe Basile
David Herman
J. August Richards

My Thoughts:
And we finally meet Charles Gunn... who becomes part of the main cast in season 2. Until I watched this episode again this morning I forgot that Gunn had a sister and what happened to her. This is a good strong episode. I enjoyed it.

My Rating:

(From Angel Marathon on February 28th, 2010)