Flying Scotsman Comes Home DVD

Advantages: Fantastic, professional footage
Disadvantages: None!

...Whenever I hear the musical sting used by Green Umbrella I know I am going to be in for a real treat. Be it there historical DVDs or their train DVDs. This one is no exception. The beginning is atmospheric and somewhat moody. They know how to choose the right music at Green Umbrella! And the Flying Scotsman makes a variety of sounds. Yes, of course it chuffs. That's what steam trains do, after all! But it purrs whilst running at speed, and it makes a sort of little whistling noise, too. (No, not the steam whistle! If you see this video, you'll see what I mean. In 1999, the Flying Scotsman had been refurbished at the astounding cost of £2.25m rather a lot of money. And this DVD shows how she earns her corn by operating excursion runs in her fine LNER green livery. She was originally built in Doncaster in 1923 at the LNER locomotive... Read review

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Advantages: Good original story; conveys the period the story covers very well
Disadvantages: Comic bad guy; moments when it's hard to suspend disbelief

...of fun! That only some bearings from a washing machine were used in the bike out of sheer necessity was unimportant, and the fallacy that his entire bike was made from a washing machine coming to define Obree's efforts, and whole career, in his home country clouded the fact that here was an expert engineer who had approached the problem from a different angle to devastating effect. In between the action is the simple story of how Obree's wife copes with everything, how life can seem so normal at times, and how things can come crashing down so easily and without provocation. The cycling scenes can at time be a little 'forced', though not to a Sly Stallone goalkeeper extreme, and scenes showing crowds of people back in Scotland watching the Cycling World Championships enraptured in the local pub raise the incredulity level (Cycling... Read review

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Advantages: Diversion from other films, comedy
Disadvantages: Somewhat dated.

...peachy in the end and the film is wrapped up nicely for Star Trek V. In a way a completely different film from those that have come before or since, The Voyage Home is a joy from start to finish. From the arrival of Spock on the Klingon ship where it is obvious that he hasn't yet returned to his normal self ("Excuse me doctor but I am receving a number of distress signals" "I don't doubt it") to Chekov's interrogation on the 20th Century USS Enterprise ("If you mess with me then we're through" "We are? Can I go then?") the comedy comes thick and fast. Although the story revolves around Kirk and Spock all the cast members get their turn in the sun for the only time in the film series and never has the bickering but mutual respect between Spock and McCoy been so well used. The storyline really was ripped out of today's headlines, so to speak... Read review

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