Black Mirror The Collection DVD: 5 stand alone TV films from Season 1 &
2 of the British dark satire / sci-fi drama miniseries created by Charlie
Brooker.
Showing the dark side of life and technology, Black Mirror has been described
as “a hybrid of The Twilight Zone and Tales of the Unexpected”.
Our grip on reality is shifting…
Over the last ten years, technology has transformed almost every aspect of
our lives before we’ve had time to stop and question it. In every home; on
every desk; in every palm; a plasma screen; a monitor; a Smartphone – a black
mirror of our 21st Century existence. Our grip on reality is shifting. We
worship at the altars of Google and Apple.
Facebook algorithms know us more intimately than our own parents. We have
access to all the information in the world, but no brain space left to absorb
anything longer than a 140 character tweet. Black Mirror is a hybrid of The
Twilight Zone and Tales of the Unexpected which taps into our contemporary
unease about our modern world.
The stand-alone dramas are sharp, suspenseful, satirical tales with a techno
& paranoia bend – all audacious ‘What if’ stories: some comic, some
shocking – but all entirely unlike anything else you’ve ever seen on
television.
- Winner of an Emmy award for TV Movie/Mini-Series, 2 BAFTA nominations.
DISC 1 – SERIES 1
The National Anthem
A twisted parable for the Twitter age, ‘The National Anthem’ looks at how
information is now disseminated so quickly and public opinion now so loud,
powerful and quick to change, that life is very much harder for the rich and
supposedly powerful. It’s a political thriller in which the fictional Prime
Minister Michael Callow (Rory Kinnear) faces a huge and shocking dilemma when
Princess Susannah, a much-loved member of the Royal Family, is kidnapped.
Written by Charlie Brooker, Directed by Otto Bathurst
Cast includes: Rory Kinnear, Lindsay Duncan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Donald Sumpter
and Anna Wilson-Jones
“thrillingly daring and highly intelligent..” Radio Times
“This carefully crafted and compact drama is engrossing, with the tension
rising by degrees as the time moves ever closer for the PM to meet the
kidnapper’s demands. It comes across as being anti-Twitter but also serves
as a cautionary tale about the power of the collective ‘hive mind’ that is
social media. It takes no prisoners..” Independent UK
The Entire History of You
We find ourselves in an alternate reality where everyone has access to a memory
chip style implant which records everything they do, see or hear – a sort of
Sky Plus for the brain. You need never forget a face, a holiday, a meeting or a
night out again … but is that always such a good thing?
Written by Jesse Armstrong, Directed by Brian Welsh
Cast includes Toby Kebbell, Jodie Whittaker and Tom Cullen
“compelling, affecting, and decidedly disturbing viewing…an excellent
piece of decidedly plausible science-fiction.” Iain Stott
“stark, simple and thought-provoking, helped along by some great acting
from its small cast.” denofgeek.com
DISC 2 – SERIES 2
Be Right Back
A young couple move to a remote cottage in the country. When Ash is suddenly
killed in a car accident a friend tells Martha to sign up to a service that
allows her to keep in touch with the deceased. By using all his past online
communications and social media profiles a new “Ash” can be created. Martha,
initially disgusted by the idea, finds herself being drawn in.
Written by Charlie Brooker, Directed by Owen Harris
Cast includes Hayley Atwell, Domhnall Gleeson, Claire Keelan, Sinead
Matthews
“The afterlife in “Be Right Back” may be digitally rendered, but
it’s also hauntingly plausible – it’s really not too much of a stretch
to believe that some e-entrepreneur might one day develop a piece of software
that can take your digital footprint and use it to build a virtual replica of
you. It’s also a chilling premise that really makes you think about how much
of yourself you willingly put out to the world on the likes of Facebook and
Twitter…an impressive return for the show.” SFX.co.uk
“This really is Brooker at his best; I hope that the remaining episodes
are as fascinating and compelling.” TwitchFilm.com
The Waldo Moment
Waldo is an anarchic CGI character on a satirical late-night comedy show. Behind
the scenes, he is voiced and controlled by a failed comedian, Jamie. When the
channel give Waldo his own pilot, for a stunt Jamie finds himself entered into a
political race that quickly gets out of control.
Written by Charlie Brooker, Directed by Bryn Higgins
Cast includes Daniel Rigby, Chloe Pirrie, Jason Flemyng
“Blending thoughtful drama and intelligent comedy is no simple task,
and this concluding episode brings the series to a memorable ending. While it
isn't as subtle or nuanced as the other offerings, this episode is a compelling
and unsettlingly realistic depiction of the present state of politics.”
TwitchFilm.com
White Bear
Victoria wakes and cannot remember anything about her life. Everyone she meets
refuses to communicate with her and enjoys filming her discomfort on their
phones. She discovers a signal is being transmitted that has turned most of the
population into dumb voyeurs allowing the “unaffected” to attack people like
her. Victoria sets out to destroy the transmitter. Will she manage it and will
it be the end of her torment?
Written by Charlie Brooker, Directed by Carl Tibbetts
Cast includes Lenora Chrichlow, Michael Smiley, Tuppence Middleton
“a compelling and thought-provoking drama that keeps your sympathies
shifting constantly as you try to work out what the hell’s going
on…You’ll have to come to your own conclusions, but you will be thinking
about what you’ve just seen. Disturbing but brilliant.” SFX.co.uk
“a biting piece of satire that sets the heart racing and the mind
whirring…While I am not as enamoured with White Bear as I was with Be Right
Back, the film is still superb.” Independent UK