Half Baked

Parsons Dance Company, The

David Parsons is one of the golden boys of American dance, combining great popular appeal with quality and integrity of ideas and execution. As artistic director, choreographer and dancer, he has transferred to his own troupe, The Parsons Dance Company - eight exceptionally polished and energetic dancers - the charm, virtuosity and physical power that made him a star of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. A witty terseness and probing intelligence mark his choreography, which conceals its difficulty behind a silky casualness. Many of his pieces have been absorbed into the repertoires of leading ballet companies including the Paris Opera Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre, and he continues to develop his work, demonstrating a true commitment to real, satisfying, dancing. Parsons's work is featured in three studio recordings, which demonstrate the diversity of his influences and his mastery of a wide range of styles. Versatility excites him and, with each piece he creates, he explores a new vocabulary of movement, searches for a fresh emotional colour, often working with a different design team. The music he chooses ranges from Mozart and Rossini to Robert Fripp and specially-commissioned scores. Lighting designs by Howell Binkley enhance all the stagings. David Parsons introduces each of the seven pieces presented in these programmes and it is easy to see why his charm, energy and integrity have won him such a considerable following.

Way Ahead, The

This film was originally intended as a training film and shows the experiences of a group of raw recruits during World War II.

No Mercy

Richard Gere plays the Chicago cop whose partner is brutally killed. Desperate for revenge he tracks the killers down to Louisiana where he meets his love interest in the sultry form of Kim Basinger.

In The Footsteps Of Alexander The Great

Michael Wood follows in the footsteps of Alexander's army in an epic 20,000 mile journey from Europe to India in search of the truth behind one of history's greatest stories. Michael travels by bus, steam train, ancient sail boat and camel train through Egypt, the Khyber Pass, Pakistan's Indus River and the Makran Desert meeting people who claim descent from Alexander's army. The history and myths of one of the world's most powerful men are fully explored revealing why he was such a great man.

Pot O' Gold

Special edition with an introduction by Tony Curtis and features the original theatrical trailer for James Stewart's 'How The West Was Won'. Stewart plays Jimmy Haskell, a music-loving, harmonica playing man who becomes interested in a band who practice on the rooftop of a neighbouring boarding house. He decides to approach the band with an offer of promoting them.