round up

HEARTLESS SEASON ONE ( DVD, out now) was previously free to stream via All4’ s Walter Presents. Set in a boarding school, this moody Danish series is like Twilight crossed with a Nordic detective drama. It follows twins cursed with the need to suck people’s lifeforce through their mouths or, ahem, naughty bits. Sadly the characters are unlikeable and the story unfolds frustratingly slowly. Under a new showrunner, DA VINCI’S DEMONS SEASON THREE ( out now, Blu- ray/ DVD) is less a Renaissance MacGyver and more a clockworkpunk The Tudors. The Turks have stolen Leo’s designs and turned his weapons against the Italians; can Da Vinci out Da Vinci himself? It’s a little pompous and plodding in places but looks stunning, and boasts some deliciously dark and kinky moments. In ’ 70s schlocker CRAZE ( out now, DVD) an OTT Jack Palance sacrifices victims to an African god because it brings him luck – or does it?! There’s promise here, but director Freddie Francis delivers a largely plodding yarn that almost turns into a standard police- procedural. Finally, a quick mention for the BFI’s Alan Clarke AT THE BBC box set ( 23 May, Blu- ray) featuring 23 dramas by the Scum director. Two are SFXy: Penda’s Fen is getting a separate release ( review next issue), which leaves 1984’ s Stars Of The Roller State Disco. Set in a sort of live- in job centre in an unspecified near- future, it’s like Tucker’s Luck written by George Orwell. Its long takes are hypnotically compelling, the vast set still impresses, and the downbeat ending is just plain shattering...