Two Ruritanian states go to war after somebody calls President Groucho an upstart. Totally irreverent towards patriotism, religion, justice and anything else respectable. Probably the brothers' greatest movie. find out more...

Robert Jordan is an idealist and with his skills as a demolition expert he finds himself with the opportunity to marry both by helping the anti-fascists during the Spanish Civil War. Amongst the band of freedom fighters Robert joins is Maria, an innocent but impassioned and beautiful young woman. As the group draw towards their ultimate mission so Robert and Maria's friendship develops into something far deeper, intensified by their uncertain fate. For The Whom the Bell Tolls was showered with O find out more...

The term 'free cinema' was coined by critic and filmmaker Lindsay Anderson in early 1956 when he, Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson and Lorenza Mazzetti showed a programme of their short films at the National Film Theatre. Although the name was intended only for that screening, it proved so successful that five more programmes were shown under the same banner between 1956 and 1959. find out more...

The two lead characters take dual roles, as a father and son walking thru' a bleak landscape discussing politics and philosophy, and as two disciples of St Francis sent to convert birds to the Christian ideal of universal love. A darkly comic allegory on class conflict with an excellent sound track by Ennio Morricone. find out more...

I Am Cuba is an epic poem to Communist kitsch - a dramatic journey though the decadence of Batista Havana set against the grinding poverty and oppression of the Cuban people. find out more...

Before the student riots up the Champs-Elysee, Sweden came out with this film, which 'Describes the difficulties of a radical in a country with no serious problems'. Random questions asked by a young girl to members of the public compares middle-aged middle-class apathy with the social upheavals of the 60s and, with its added explicit sexual content, it was no wonder it was banned. This dvd also includes Sjoman's follow-up, "I Am Curious Blue", which continues Lena's journey of self discovery. find out more...

In Fellini's sardonically humorous, yet powerfully dramatic, 'Il Bidone' three small-time crooks impersonate priests in Rome to con poor people out of their money. Broderick Crawford is extraordinary as the group's world-weary leader whose chance meeting with his own daughter opens his eyes to his wrongdoing. Too late, he suffers a crisis of conscience in this absorbing tale of hope, desperation and tragedy. find out more...

One of the great horror movies. A doctor discovers what appears to be a case of mass hysteria with several people claiming that members of their family appear to be "different". Is this just a case of paranoia, are people really becoming vegetablised? Or are they all simply communists? Watch this classic to find out. find out more...

A masterpiece of Soviet Socialist Realism. In 1547, Ivan IV (1530-1584), archduke of Moscow, crowns himself Tsar of Russia and sets about reclaiming lost Russian territory. In scenes of his coronation, his wedding to Anastasia, his campaign against the Tartars in Kazan, his illness when all think he will die, recovery, campaigns in the Baltic and Crimea, self-imposed exile in Alexandrov, and the petition of Muscovites that he return, his enemies among the boyars threaten his success. Chief among find out more...

Ivan takes on the boyars in a battle for power in the second part of Eisenstein's projected trilogy. This was not released till 1958 as Stalin sensed its critical nature, especially its depictation of the secret police. Eisenstein's untimely death robbed us of the chance to see the final part. A Classic. find out more...