Of course it's an attempt to make you buy the paper. But if the DVD's worth the price of the paper, the paper goes in the bin unless it looks worth reading. Sometimes there is such a thing as a free lunch.


The other thing that is worth doing is checking in the charity shops, because these DVDs often turn up in with the compilation CDs also given out by papers, so you can buy them for 20p or so.

Here's a selection of giveaway DVDs I've picked up over the past few months:

Pelle the Conqueror
Orland
The Return of Martin Guierre
Let Him Have It
The Sky is Falling
Clockwise
How to Get a Head in Advertising
The Go-Between
The Wicker Man
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (The Peter Sellers/Spike Milliogan/Dudley Moore version)
The Madness of King George
Bagdad Cafe
Whuistle Down the Wind
East is East
Brassed Off
Prizzi's Honour
A Handful of Dust
The Millionairess
The Last Emperor
My Life as a Dog
Rebecca
Educating Rita
The Official Story
The Big Sleep
Donnie Darko
Dune
On Golden Pond
A Taste of Honey
Moby Dick
Strictly Ballroom.