Description

John Cleese and Connie Booth star in this delightful tale of comic romance based on the short story by Anton Chekhov. On a hot summer's day a musician (Cleese) decides to skinny dip in the royal lake, not knowing that the princess (Booth) has done the same. A passing thief steals both their clothes, and their attempt to return to the castle proves to be a hilarious adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Cleese at his absolute finest
When this aired many years ago I was spending an evening alone, with nothing to do, and bummed out about it. This came on, and so completely turned me around I was smiling for days. John Cleese's absurdity gets its full range here, and his wife at the time, Connie Booth, co-stars. A period piece, Cleese is a bass player, who is quite inept. His big break is to play for the princess' engagement party. Unfortunately he goes for a swim in a nearby lake, and his clothes are stolen. The same theif takes the princess' clothes. Finding each other, stark naked, they must make their way to the castle, retrieve her clothes, and still make his rehearsal for the big event. But it is the small touches, as always, that make this so memorable. It's a wonderful piece. Go for it.

More like 4.5, and 5 stars until the last few minutes
Quite a bit more introspective and delicate than most of Cleese's work (how often have you heard anyone describe a Flying Circus or Fawlty Towers sketch as "delicate"?), this adaptation of a Chekov short story is not likely to be exactly what the typical Python fan is expecting. But it is very successful in doing what it wants to do, and utterly hilarious if you're not locked into misguided expectations. Only at the end does the film lose its grip a bit, and I think this is simply because of the complexity of feeling that has to be communicated utterly without dialogue.

It is especially remarkable to find a film in which the male and female leads spend half the film nude and in each other's company, yet without any but the most subtle of sexual overtones. Booth and Cleese have grasped the fact that the central engine of the story is the social gap between the princess and the musician, a gap so unthinkably vast that neither character could ever contemplate a liason. (They might possibly fantasize about one, but they could never seriously contemplate one.) More impressively, they communicate that gap consistently, powerfully, and without a single explicit reference to it, even (I think) to those with no knowledge of Tsarist Russian social structures. The result is much more reminiscent of the skinny-dipping scene in A Room for a View than of the sex education scene in Meaning of Life -- laugh-out-loud funny, but titillating only for those immovably determined to be titillated.

If you like Meaning of Life for the same reason you like the Farrelly Brothers, and haven't enough range in your comedic palate to enjoy anything with less subtlety than the (admittedly hilarious) Twit of the Year sketch, then you should probably stay away from this film, or at the very least keep your expectations low. If, on the other hand, you like to take an occasional break from your Guiness in order to enjoy a nice crisp Chardonnay, then don't miss it.

That last sentence, by the way, was metaphorical, in case anyone thought I was inexplicably changing the subject. ;-)

A P.S. to parents: though the nudity is as close to asexual as full nudity very well can be, it is still full nudity, both male and female, lasting for the better part of the film.

Funny, naughty, and like an extended "Python" sketch.
This forty minute feature, which appears like an extended
"Python" sketch, but is based on a short story by Chekov, features John Cleese, and the lovely Connie Booth [not sure if they were married to each other at the time] but as a musician and a princess. She goes off to "skinny dip" and so does he.
A thief takes, no wait, you've got to see it. There's a bit of "naughty" bits; which were more naughty than could ever be shown on "Monty Python's Flying Circus". Ms. Booth looked stunning, and Cleese, merely tall, and nakie, but overall, it was funny, or at least mildly amusing, which may not be to everyone's taste (or lack of it). Worth a look.

not what I expected
I was looking forward to this being a good movie because John Cleese is a good actor. Disappointed is what I was. Maybe after watching all the Fawly Towers episodes I expected more. I never even laughed. I don't think I will watch this again. The best thing about the movie was the scenery and I don't mean bare bottoms. I still really like John Cleese, but not this movie.

Comedic genius in czarist Russia.
This film doesn't deserve to be lost in the depths of cinematic memory. Based on a short story by Anton Chekhov, the tale of a Russian musician and a beautiful princess is delightful even after repeated viewings.

While the humor isn't painted with quite so broad a brush as Monty Python or "Fawlty Towers," it certainly captures Cleese's trademark humor. "Romance With a Double Bass" is a charming film, one I recommend highly. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

ALFIE!
Altoghter now..."What's it all about...ALFIE?" This 1966 film directed by LEWIS GILBERT stars MICHAEL CAINE as Alfie, a wonderfully shallow WOMANIZER who is trying to figure out what life is, well, all about! Actually this is an excellent SATIRE of the SWINGING SCENE in England in the SIXTIES! Also featuring SHELLEY WINTERS and DENHOLM ELLIOTT, along with MILLICENT MARTIN, JULIA FOSTER and JANE ASHER as the women left in Alfie's WAKE! Unfortunately, there are NO EXTRAS besides the trailer on this DVD, because this film deserves more than the bare minimum treatment!

The Movie That Launched Michael Caine
Most huge movie stars have a movie which launched them onto a bigger career path where they never had to look back again. "Alfie" was that movie for Michael Caine just as the "The Graduate" did it for Dustin Hoffman in that same '60s era. Caine plays a Cockney philanderer who flits from woman to woman in one night stands. He is not attractive necessarily though to female viewers who will find his lower class bent offputting. His lifestyle will come off as tawdry at best to many of these viewers. Caine's brilliance in this role though is that his way of talking to you the viewer, speaking directly into the camera conversationally throughout the movie, draws you into the character of Alfie, wanting to know what makes him the way he is. ("What's It All About, Alfie?" was its famous song and is the question which occupies the viewer.) Although you do not sympathize with Alfie, you come to be fascinated by him. Shelly Winters also renders a noteworthy performance as a well-to-do woman Alfie dallies with for her money. I've read that Michael Caine himself in real life comes from origins similar to Alfie's and that the Cockney voice he uses throughout was the dialect he grew up with as a boy.

A pointless grim tradgedy, No comedy here. A waste.
Just as the pseudo protagonist wastes his life and those around him, he spreads the misery to the audience. To spend 2 hours with a man that refers to woman as an "it" rather than she wastes 2 hours of your own life. The good performances only serve to highlight the bad writing of the flick.

The enduring sport of pursuing the tenderest prey
Alfie is the quintessential cad. He's so charming and good-looking that foolish birds flutter about him as soon as he speaks. Very few actors have the charisma to effectively pull this kind of magentism off. Michael Caine makes trashing the dreams of his conquests into a veritable science. He knows he doesn't want to have to work for anything these hungry gals will eagerly do for him. He gets good as long as the getting's good--and then he gets out. Of course, this film doesn't let him flit about. He faces danger, terror, and the hurtful side of human existence he's been so desperate to stave off. It gets him like it gets all of us eventually. It is this development that lends Alfie a dash of wisdom to go along with his easy manners and flashy grin. Of course he always had it. It just wasn't useful before. In other words, suffering has allowed him to actually feel like a person. Still, there is no doubt that he's going to give it another go as soon as he sees one he fancies. He isn't reformed. He just went through a rough patch. Birds are his game. Nice suits, decent food, a bit of money. He doesn't have to ever grow up and take responsibility for anything as long as he plays the game the right way. He'll never have to face his Self and what he is really worth. What it means to be alone with nothing to solve it. He's already accepted the emptiness of what he does. His coldness. His fear of their pain. He'll says he's not a wolf, but he devours them just as ravenously as if they were his prey--discarding their carcasses as soon as he's sated his appetite on their white, quivering flesh. Some men were born to be so loved because of not despite their abject cruelty. It is a gift, perhaps.

Vivien Merchant ("The Maids", "Accident", "Frenzy") radiates prim carnality as Lily. She is easily the most "proper" lady in the film--and subsequently saddled with a sick husband and three kids. She's too much for Alfie--and far too hungry. Shelley Winters is a scream as the hostess with the mostest. She commands the screen with as much veracity as Caine. Her fangs prove to be a bit too much for Alfie once they are bared. Denholm Elliot as the abortionist has a few minutes of screentime--but he makes the most of them with a solid, commanding turn.

This is exquisite entertainment. It gets terribly dark in places but such is life. 5/5.

Overall, a fine film.

'Alfie' is one of the best British 60's films
Michael Caine plays the title role to perfection. Alfie is an attractive, sexy, but shallow and obnoxious playboy who goes about his business of womanizing while frequently turning to address the audience with his views, philosophies, justifications, etc., so that you get a sense of shadowing him like an invisible imaginary friend he's always talking to. He has very little respect for women and he's every mother's nightmare of the type of fellow she would not want her daughter involved with. Some may find the film disturbing because Alfie is such a rotten person, but the unfortunate fact is, he is realistic. Almost everyone has known men who behave just like him, just as everyone has known wonderful 'nice guys' like several of the male characters who appear in contrast to Alfie's type.

Alfie seems to be in a constant battle with himself to remain insensitive, uncaring, and focused only on an 'empty sex is everything' point of view. He carries on affairs with married women who yearn to run away with him, and at the same time with single girls who'd do anything to pry a commitment from him, and he makes a few people pregnant along the way. Every female he meets is desperate to get him for a serious partner and he is indifferent to them all. Irony comes when he meets and finally falls for someone, at last wishing to commit himself. The object of his desire is a flashy, worldly older woman (Shelley Winters), and the problem is, she is a female replica of himself who uses men and views them with the exact same disregard he has for women. To her, Alfie, 'the bloke all the other gals are dying for', is just another meaningless piece of sexual action, and thus, he ends up getting a good dose of his own medicine.

The DVD is beautifully clear, almost 3-dimensional. I've never seen it with such clarity! And yes, as someone asked below, the great hit song 'Alfie', sung by Cher, is indeed played with the end credits. I've heard that the British release of the film had it sung by Cilla Black, but the American DVD has Cher's version, as did the American theatres. ... Read more

Description

One of the most popular comedies in BBC history, this wickedly inventive comedy tells the tale of fashion femme fatales Edina (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley), and their endless quest for sex, love and eternal youth. In "Absolutely Fabulous in New York," Edina discovers that her long lost son Serge is shacking up in the city that never sleeps when the degenerate duo head to the Big Apple for a shocking reunion. In "The Last Shout," Edina is thrilled to learn that her sweet but frumpy daughter Saffy is engaged to the suave and wealthy Paolo Carlo. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The sixth Pink Panther comedy was the last to star Peter Sellers (the following film in the series incorporated previously unseen footage), and it was also the last in the series to show any signs of genuine inspiration. It's a weak entry in the Panther pantheon, involving a rather mundane plot about a "French Connection" drug deal that leads Inspector Clouseau--presumed murdered and now sleuthing incognito--to Hong Kong for a brash, slapstick finale that almost compensates for the routine gags that precede it. Sellers and director Blake Edwards are coasting along smoothly here, and some of the gags pay off in well-earned laughs--particularly with a clever nod to Dr. Strangelove when Clouseau dons a Toulouse-Lautrec costume. Another highlight finds Clouseau disguised as an old sea captain, complete with a leaky inflatable parrot (it looks more like a purple puffin) resting limply on his shoulder. But a later attempt to spoof Mafia kingpins is hardly up to snuff for a talent as original as Sellers, and Dyan Cannon lacks the comedic sensibility to make the most of her role as a druglord's vengeful ex-mistress. Some of the physical gags are amazingly elaborate, and it's still a riot to hear Sellers perfecting (or is that murdering?) his hilarious French accent, but while it's adequately enjoyable this movie makes you long for the glory days of the Pink Panther franchise. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Funny film, with a few faults
This movie in the Pink Panther series involves the Mafia, and Clouseau, is once again played by the talented Peter Sellers. This film is sadly, the last Pink Panther film he is actually alive in.

This film hardly has a plot, the only plot is that Dovier, a French buisnessman, wants Clouseau out of the way, just to impress the godfather. They actually think that Clouseau has been killed after a robber(mentioned earlier in the movie)sticks poor Clouseau up and steals his car and clothes. But the robber pays for it by being the the victim of the mafia instead of Clouseau! Oddly enough, Clouseau wants revenge for his murder attempt, and goes for it. This film sounds pretty good doesn't it? Well it's not what you'd call a good film, but a mixed bag. A good amount of the jokes just didn't make me laugh as much as they did in "The Pink Panther Strikes Again". The film lightens up during the chase scenes with Clouseau, Dreyfus, the police, and the mafia! The funniest thing about it is, Dreyfus started it! His main target: Inspector Clouseau! Overall, this film is on the halfway mark between the best Pink Panther film, and the worst.

The craziest, wackiest and most hilarious Clouseau adventure
"The Revenge of the Pink Panther" was the last Pink Panther film to star Peter Sellers, but I got the most laughs out of this one. The salty sea dog costume and inflatable parrot is extremely hilarious. "Naughty birdin afraid of the feug.", he replies. At his fake funeral, Clouseau dsguises himself as a priest, when he goes to the gathering at the churchyard, there is a 21-gun salute. When the rifles go off, he goes, "Ehh". Quite a bit of violence in this one, too. You want to laugh, go ahead and treat yourself to great comedy with this funny-bone tickler!

"Inflatable Goiters? Yes, The Valentine's Day Collection."
I am an enormous Peter Sellers fan, and love the whole "Pink Panther" series, but while still funny, this is not one of my favorite outings. Sellers is back as Jacques Clouseau, and this time is taking on "The French Connection" crime organization in the midst of a huge heroin transaction that takes them from France to Hong Kong. Robert Webber plays Philippe Douvier, chief of the organization, and while he is smooth, the interactions are more forced and formulaic than in the other "Panther" films. This time the beautiful vixen is played by Dyan Cannon (as Simone Legree), and series stalwart Burt Kwouk returns as the always helpful Cato (who starts his own business for a new twist...)

Also returning (somehow) is the wonderful Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus, although some suspension of belief is needed for the continuity to work inasmuch as he was last seen in "Strikes Again" being atomized by the doomsday machine. Notwithstanding that continuity gaffe, Lom gives the best performance of the film, and in fact single-handedly rescues this installment from a three star rating by virtue of the sublime funeral scene in which he has to give the giggling eulogy for "Clouseau" in what must be one of the funniest scenes ever caught on film.

Here the plot seems very contrived and the screenplay devolves frequently to only modestly amusing puns. Clouseau's disguise designer, for instance, is named "Auguste Balls", and you can see the hilarity that can result. Pretty grade school level, I'm afraid. Also devolving into tedium is the seemingly eternal chase scene at the close of the film, which looks like something the Three Stooges would have done, and set to extremely repetitive, annoying, whistle-laden vaudeville slapstick music. I remember seeing this a long time ago and thinking this scene lasted too long, but this time I actually started thumbing through a magazine to pass the time until it was over.

This movie is funny, and I do recommend it, with a couple of caveats. First, it is recommended only to people who are already fans of the series, and second, it is recommended only to those with patience to muddle through a bit more tedium than is typical of the rest of the "Pink Panther" films.

Watchable but flawed
"Revenge of the Pink Panther" is probably the weakest of the original five Panther movies. Considering it was the fifth installment in the franchise, it simply may have been too much. This time around, the story finds Inspector Clouseau in the sights of a drug lord named Philippe Douvier. Douvier wants to prove to his American counterparts how tough he still is and this is how he wants to do it: by killing Clouseau!! After several failed attempts (which include a bomb and sending out a superhuman assassin) Douvier and his goons think they have succeeded and the entire world thinks Clouseau is dead (upon hearing this news, Dreyfuss regains his sanity!!). But Clouseau is actually alive and is now sneaking around incognito in the hopes of finding his "killers" and bringing them to justice. There are quite a few problems in this film. First off, the writing in "Revenge of the Pink Panther" is inferior to the previous films. I mean, there isn't much of a plot; Douvier just wants to prove he's still strong. This wasn't a problem in the other entries which all had decent story lines that kept things a bit interesting. I think the writers would have done well to have made a better head bad guy as well; Douvier wasn't particularly engaging or interesting. And one more thing. I mentioned Dreyfuss is in the film. Wasn't he incinerated in "The Pink Panther Strikes Again"? I guess they chose to ignore that movie (makes sense considering it was so bizzare). But on comic side of things, you can still get a few decent laughs out of this one. Clouseau dons some pretty wacky disguises here, some of which include a peg-legged Swedish pirate (thar she blows!!), dwarf painter Toulouse Lautrec, and even a godfather disguise. There are some other scenes you'll like but I won't spoil them for you here. When all is said and done, "Revenge of the Pink Panther" isn't bad but it still falls short of its predecessors. I'll give this 2.5 stars. See it if you like but don't expect this reach the heights of the previous "Pink Panther" films.

Montezuma got his revenge. Now it's the Pink Panther's turn!
While I enjoyed this movie, I felt it just wasn't as strong as the previous ones. Maybe the series was running out of gas, as I felt it just didn't have the same level of hilarity as the previous movies, but a half funny Pink Panther movie is still funnier than most. Anyway, this one involves the inspector going up against the French connection. In a effort to show that they still have muscle, the syndicate decides to assasinate Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau. To do this, they hire a sort of martial artist super assasin. I would have liked to seen more done with this part of the story, as they seemed to set it up really well, but the follow through just didn't seem that strong. Well, the assasin is unable to complete his mission, and the French syndicate tries another method. In a comic mishap, they end up killing the wrong man, and, thought to be dead, Chief Inspector Clouseau goes underground to try and flush out his would be killers. My favorite scene in this movie is when Chief Inspector Clouseau goes back to his apartment after he was thought to be dead, only to find that his manservant, Cato, has turned it into a 'Chinese nookie factory'. His 'meeting' with Lotus Eater Tanya, played by Valerie Leon, was really funny. A side note, Valerie Leon can also be seen in such movies as Never Say Never Again, The Spy Who Loved Me, Queen Kong, and Blood From The Mummy's Tomb...whotta babe! Anyway, Chief Inspector Clouseau eventually trails the French syndicate to Hong Kong with the movie basically culminating in a fireworks factory. Herbert Lom is also back, playing Chief Inspector Dreyfus. On hearing that Clouseau is dead, he makes a miraculous recovery and is released from the asylum. He is given is old position back as chief inspector and tasked to find and arrest Clouseau's killer, but given their past relationship, he would like nothing better than to thank them. There are a number of funny scenes where he sees Clouseau, who is presumed to be dead, and thinks he is having a relapse. One of my biggest perceived flaws with this movie was Dyan Cannon. While she is very attractive, and a capable actress, I just felt like she didn't fit in properly with the movie. She plays Simone Le Gree, one time secretary and lover to the head of the French connection. She gets mixed up with Clouseau when the French syndicate decides she's more of a liability alive with her intimate knowledge of their operation. Again, this was another storyline that could have been expanded more, but was glossed over. So, in closing, while not the best in the series, it certainly provided a number of laughs. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
When I watch BlackAdder I, I say this is the Best of the BA series. Then I watch BlackAdder II, and I say this is the Best of the BA series!

So I once again say, this is the best of the BA series! And I REALLY mean that! I think III is just a cut above the rest, because not only is Rowan Atkinson at his best, Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent is an equal match so you have the two of them pushing each other.

In Dish and Dishonesty - Edmund see his chance to make the move from Prince's Butler to a MP by staging the elections. The episode is sidesplitting.

Ink and Incapability - Edmund wants to become a writer, but runs afoul of the first English dictionary

Nob and Nobility - The French are revolting - no they ARE really revolting and it sets the Stage for of lot of master of disguises

Sense and Senility - The Prince regent becomes enthralled of acting and pulls the whole household into it, having Edmund to recruit two actors to be the Prince's coach.

Aim and Amiability - the Prince Regent has over spent again, so Edmund must play matchmaker to find the prince a rich bride, only both sides are hiding things

Duel and Duality - The Price makes a mistake of romancing the Duke of Wellington's daughter and now it's 20 paces at dawn...unless Edmund can think of something to stop it.

Baldrick is back and Edmund's dogsbody and manage to steal the scenes! Look out for the Turnip!

The Heart of the Blackadder Series
As very much not a fan of Rowan Atkinson, I am always surprised how incredibly hilarious this series is. Black Adder III, however, is the cream of the crop for only one reason: Hugh Laurie. The man is a genius; I can say no more, watch an episode and see. From squirrel-hating transvestites to a puerile adolescent Prime Minister, there's something strangely believable about the absurdities in this Black Adder. And for anyone who knows English history and literature, there are tons of little jokes that you can will enjoy understanding when no one else does.

Screamingly funny
One of the funniest things I have ever seen on the screen. Taking place in a more recent historical context and having been a history major helped me "get" some of the jokes that only those in the UK might have appreciated in the earlier series'. Much better than Blackadder 1 and the equal of Blackadder II in that Rowan Atkinson's wit is honed to a razor sharp edge throughout all the episodes. I leant this to a friend of mine and she literally threw up laughing. It's too bad most American still think British humor ended with Monty Python and quote it ad nauseum when Blackadder lurks in the corridors.
"Look behind you, Mr. Caesar!!!"

"Sod off."
I have only seen episodes from this and the first Black Adder series. I must say that I think this is much funnier and more light-hearted than the first series. The first series (1983) does have it's moments but suffers from unfunny serious moments and an ultimately unlikeable and annoyingly voiced Black Adder (Rowan Atkinson). It does grow on you though, especially if you love British humor. You may want to own the entire series; if not for the consistent laughs, then for the originality. Anyway, this, the third series (1987), set in England (1768-1815) finds Edmund Black Adder as the butler of George, the Prince Regent. Baldrick again plays servant to Black Adder. This series, like the other three, consists of 6 episodes. The episodes you get here are "Dish & Dishonesty", "Ink and Incapability", "Nob & Nobility", "Sense & Senility", "Amy & Amiability", and "Duel & Duality". DVD is the best way to own this collection (but you already knew that, right?). The set of 4 DVDs can be bought individually or as part of a 5 DVD set including a special, "Black Adder: Back & Forth" (aired in 2000), interviews, and other goodies. I am not sure if "Black Adder's Christmas Carol" (1987) is included on this DVD, but it is in the boxed set. One of my favorite episodes in this volume is "Ink & Incapability" where the Prince decides to "partonize" Dr. Johnson's dictionary, which took him 10 years to complete. Baldrick accidentally uses it as kindling and Black Adder feels he must try to rewrite it all in one night. One of the best aspects of this series is the witty dialogue. This is from the aforementioned episode:

Black Adder: "Baldrick, believe me, eternity in the company of Beezlebub and all his instruments of death will be a picnic compared to five minutes with me - and this pencil..."

At your service
Black Adder stars Rowan Atkinson, an absolute comic genius who is also the star of Mr. Bean. The screenplays were written by Richard Curtis (Mr. Bean, Not the nine o'clock news) and Ben Elton - possibly one of the funniest modern writers.

In the third series, Rowan Atkinson plays a bitter, frustrated butler to the stupidest man in England - which is saying a lot since Baldrick is still around.

The six episodes in the series are:

1. Dish and Dishonesty - Edmund proves that politicians don't have to rely on issues when the lone voter can tragically cut his head off while shaving

2. Ink and Incapability - Black Adder is forced to re author the first English dictionary over the week end to avoid being skewered by a man whose sword is as mighty as his pen

3. Nob and Nobility - the French revolution is on and Mrs Miggins is busy serving suspiciously shaped sausages

4. Sense and Senility - the Prince Regent decides to be an actor, but Edmund pulls the curtain on his plans

5. Aim and Amiability - in order to keep his master, and thereby himself, in the lifestyle to which they have been born, Black Adder tries to secure his boorish boss a new, wealthy bride.

6. Duel and Duality - after a brief tryst with the Duke of Wellington's daughters, the prince regent may have finally gone too far

Series II and III are definitely the best of Black Adder. The others are funny, but these truly shine ... Read more

Amazon.com

By the late 1970s, Monty Python's resident animator and occasional performer, Terry Gilliam, was ready to direct a feature film on his own (he codirected Monty Python and the Holy Grail two years earlier). Returning to the medieval muck and monstrosities that served as a backdrop for Holy Grail, Gilliam chose a darker satire for this erratic but funny outing. The result was a witty, modernist fable about an unprepared hero (Michael Palin) pushed through a heroic journey by uncontrollable forces of destiny, propelling him into a duel with a fearsome, man-eating dragon called Jabberwock. Raunchy, irreverent, and borderline cynical, Jabberwocky reveals a lot of Gilliam's flaws as a first-time solo filmmaker, but it also serves as a map of his obsessions and extravagant sense of art direction--elements of his artistry that certainly flourished in subsequent works. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Unsteady "Jabberwocky"
Anyone who has read Lewis Carroll's classic children's tales will remember "Jabberwocky," the screwball poem about a young man slaying the fearsome Jabberwock. While there are some likable moments in "Jabberwocky," it never really pulls itself together.

Dennis Cooper (Michael Palin) is disinherited by his about-to-die father, penniless, and inexplicably in love with the obese, potato-crunching, none-too-pleasant Griselda Fishfinger. So Dennis heads off to the city, only to learn that the fearsome Jabberwock, a horrendous monster that devours everything except the head and bones of its victims, is attacking the city.

King Bruno (Max Wall) has promised his romantic-minded daughter's hand to the one who slays the Jabberwock, and the princess duly falls in love with the hapless Dennis. So somehow this "beamish boy" ends up being sent out against the Jabberwock in a horrific wasteland.

It's hard to tell what the vision behind "Jabberwocky" was, but it came across as a limp spinoff of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." It has the same grimy, icky medieval look, klunky knights and abundance of filthy beggars, but it doesn't manage to be similarly hilarious. Is it a farce? A dark fairy-tale? The evil twin of "Holy Grail"? I was never really sure, and sometimes I wasn't sure if Gilliam was either. He flipflops through all three.

The Jabberwock is pretty good; though nobody could say it looks real, it's entertaining. The jokes are often either stretched out to the breaking point, or repeated over and over (like the urination joke). And while the tale of Dennis is engaging, there's no twist or offbeat quirk to make it really engaging. It proceeds and ends just as you'd expect it to.

Michael Palin is the saving grace of the movie. He's wonderfully bewildered as events spin out of his control, especially when the princess greets him stark naked. Max Wall gives a pleasantly offbeat performance as King Bruno,

So take up your vorpal blade, head off through the Tulgey Wood, and burble your way over to one of Gilliam's more cohesive works. This isn't one of them, unless you're a die-hard fan of Palin.

Should NOT be rated PG!
I saw this at a store one time and was intrigued because it shared the name of a classic Lewis Carroll poem, which I have memorized. The Monty Python name worried me (you know how British humor is), but it was rated PG. I asked my mom if we could buy it or buy it when I would be getting my tonsils out. Boy, am I glad we didn't buy it!

So we rented it, although I was the only one who watched it- really, half watched it.

The first scene was violent, and all throughout was potty humor and a glimpse or two of a male backside without clothes. Oh, well, I thought.
About halfway through the movie there was one particular scene. It showed the full nude back (from head to ankles) of a woman. She then started to turn around. No, I thought, they wouldn't show nudity in a PG movie. I could see her full nude side. I then put my hands about two feet away from my eyes, blocking the screen, but what I could still see was that she was continuing to turn, which meant that there was full frontal nudity of a woman. It wasn't long before she was dressed again, but I didn't care. I turned it off and didn't even watch the rest.
So you've probably figured by now I'm a prude, but I know I'm not the only one who will be offended so I thought I'd warn you.

What is it?
I'm a great fan of the Pythons, and this was the first "independent" film of theirs that I've seen. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I also found it confusing. It has some wonderfully funny moments, but it also has some serious moments. It is a comedy, and it is dark, but it is not a dark comedy. It's as if the movie can't decide which to be. The result is that you want to care about the characters, but you also want bad things to happen to them, because it would be funny. This is confusing, and ulimately annoying.

Sub-Python, and also not Python
When I went to see this in the late 1970s, I assumed it was another Python spin-off. After all, any film containing Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Michale Palin has to be at least half-Python. But as a comedy, the film left me strangely dissatisfied.

It is only now, browsing the DVD packaging some 25 years later, that I realise why I was so disappointed. The problem is that the writers were Terry Gilliam and (mainly) Charles Alverson. Much as I like Gilliam's animations, I have to admit that he was, at best, a minor contributor to Python's classic sketches. I hadn't heard of Alverson before, but according to the amazon site, he is largely the compiler of out-of-print joke books.

Whereas 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' contains many sketches (e.g. the autonomous collective peasants scene and the witch scene), there is nothing here that could stand on its own as a sketch. There are many amusing moments in 'Jabberwocky', but nothing that builds up, through Python's relentless pursuit of the logic of the ridiculous, into a self-contained sketch. Where the script tries to imitate the Python style -- e.g. the king's decision to kill the herald -- it often falls flat, or at best elicits a mild chuckle.

Watch this for its atmosphere, for the much-improved sound quality, for the strength of the supporting cast (e.g. John Bird and Graham Crowden in minor roles) and for its pointers to Gilliam's future directorial career. Just don't expect the humour to be at Python's level.

I'd pay full price to see this at the movies.
I normally don't see movies or check out videos because I don't really find anything that I really want to see. Everything is a a variation of a tired theme. Jabberwocky is anything but that. I really liked the fact that it wasn't predictable, there was a story to it, and I could laugh at it. Don't expect "Holy Grail" or "Meaning of Life" slapstick. The humor is often more subtle, punctuated by the really absurd moments. Although there is certainly social commentary in there, you can also see the movie as a movie for its own sake, which is the sign of a truly great film. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Brilliant and Hilarious Dark Comedy, English Style!
If dark comedy is your forte, do not miss this witty and outrageously funny offering from Hand Made Films! Richard E. Grant portrays Dennis Bagley, a brilliant young advertising executive whose downfall is caused by his latest glamorous account: pimple cream. He desperately needs a clever new ad campaign, but his mind is one big blank. Despite support from his lovely wife (Rachel Ward), Dennis cracks. His unblemished career is about to break out in chaos, just like the annoying pimple that has broken out on the side of his neck. To save his sanity, Dennis quits his job. But his neuroses, like his strange pimple, keep growing. Soon, what ensues is a hilarious chain of events that has the viewer wondering who's really in charge of Dennis' life! This movie is one of many by this-then relatively obscure English film company, that is as well made and it is well cast, as it is outrageously funny! Not to be missed by fans of dark comedy, this film is sure to find it's way into your private library. An excellent comedy, you can enjoy over and over again! Don't miss it!

Brilliant and Darkly Hilarious English Comedy!
If dark comedy is your forte, do not miss this witty and outrageously funny offering from Hand Made Films! Richard E. Grant portrays Dennis Bagley, a brilliant young advertising executive whose downfall is caused by his latest glamorous account: pimple cream. He desperately needs a clever new ad campaign, but his mind is one big blank. Despite support from his lovely wife (Rachel Ward), Dennis cracks. His unblemished career is about to break out in chaos, just like the annoying pimple that has broken out on the side of his neck. To save his sanity, Dennis quits his job. But his neuroses, like his strange pimple, keep growing. Soon, what ensues is a hilarious chain of events that has the viewer wondering who's really in charge of Dennis' life! This movie is one of many by this-then relatively obscure English film company, that is as well made and it is well cast, as it is outrageously funny! Not to be missed by fans of dark comedy, this film is sure to find it's way into your private library. An excellent comedy, you can enjoy over and over again! Don't miss it!

Hilariously bitter comedy
Bruce Robinson, made a hit with with this movie. A pimple will be more than a simple headache of an important executive who falls on disgrace. Slowly this pimple will grow and grow till...
With this film England goes ahead once more with the black comedy, a genre not so cultivated as past decades.
The situations obviously are not under control of this authoritative and methodic manager. The chaos and neuroses will be his fellow friends in this funny tale.
Please, don't miss by any circunstance of watching this film.
To be true, the meaning of life of Monty Phyton, and Brazil of Gilliam were too, another unforgettable films in that decade, but due its own originality, how to get ... deserves a worthy place in the story of the great english black films in any time.

Brilliant and Inspired
Well Bruce Robinson has done it again. After engaging us with classic 'Withnail and I' he has produced a prophetic film that says more about the way we live and those that cynically take advantage of the consumerist treadmill than 'Fight Club'. The passionate dialogues in the screenplay give an insight into Robinson himself and his view of where the global society is headed.

The performance of Grant as Bagnel, the schizophrenic advertising executive, is a masterpiece. Rachel Ward's performance is a little wooden but the rest of the cast are able to carry her along with them convincingly enough.

Let me warn you. Don't watch this if you're not prepared for it to make a lasting and life changing impact on your psyche. You'll never view an advertisement the same after seeing this picture. You may even find yourself with your head in a cardboard box making a video on global warming and carbon sinks -just like Bagnel. Get the local school to do a amateur production or even a rock eisteddfod on 'How to Get Ahead..'.

Considering this was made in 1989 the messages are brilliantly insightful and more relevant given recent global events. A modern classic.

Good vs. Evil?
How To Get Ahead in Advertising is a very interesting film based on human dualism. Denis Dimbleby Bagley (Robert E. Grant), the main character, is a rather successful business man in the world of advertising where he gladly walks over corpses in order to reach goals. The film begins at the crossroads where Mr. Bagley is coming in contact with his righteous qualities and wants to resign from his well-paid job. Meanwhile there is a malevolent trait lurking in his subconscious trying to get out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Peter Greenaway's 8-1/2 Women (1999), a woman's death propelsa bereavedwidower and his son into carnal questing, via a harem of idiosyncraticladies. Similarly, 1985's A Zed and Two Noughts follows the Deuce brothers,zoologists and former Siamese twins, who lose their wives in a bizarrecollision--a great swan crashes into a car driven down Swann's Way by oneAlba Bewick (translates as "white swan"). The brothers become obsessed with photographing and measuring decay ("by degrees of grief"), from Apple toZebra, and equally obsessed with voluptuous Alba, who, having lost one leg inthe wreck, later has the other removed... perhaps for the sake of symmetry.Greenaway's funny, gruesome, gorgeous "zoo" also features hooker Venus diMilo, arbiter of the monetary value of everything; an amputation-happysurgeon who'd like to make Alba fit into a Vermeer painting; a sinisterPhantom of the Zoo who offs black-and-white animals; and other assorted,often twinned, exotics.

Sacha Vierny, who shot Resnais's Last Year at Marienbad andBuñuel's Belle deJour, visualizes Zed in richly erotic detail, every frame a feast for theeyes. Evoking melancholy pavane or stately funeral march, Michael Nyman'smusic marks the inexorable progression of a fever dream celebrating the powerof artifice and nature. Trained as a painter, educated in linguistics andphilosophy, Greenaway deftly weaves an exquisite pattern of puns, colors,images, words, ideas, and music into a cinematic meditation on life, death, andsex. Weird to the max, mesmerizing, and some kind of masterpiece. --Kathleen Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Origins of Life, Vermeer, symmetry. ZOO.... and OOZe
Everytime I see A Zed and Two Noughts I catch a phrase that I missed the double meaning on the previous time I watched it. Perhaps the fascination of watching bodies decay clouds my perceptions. Perhaps the beauty of the photographic images by Sacha Vierny, The arresting music by Michael Nyman, or the insistent guiding hand of Director Peter Greenaway (who is creating his own cinematic alphabet here, later to be explored in his subsequent films, and drawing upon his wonderful short films and early opus The Falls) is too much for one viewing to contain! Or perhaps it is getting wrapped up in the same mystery that consumes the twin zoologists. Why death, and why a car accident involving a pregnant Swan on Swann's way, no less??!! Speaking of doubles, you have the twin brothers, their two dead wives, the two legless lovers, the doctor who is a descendant of the master forger (a great faker must be praised I guess!) Van Meegeren, himself a double (dubious) of the painter Vermeer,or the fact that there are Vermeers in the film, and they are doubled on camera in certain shots, and more and more...
Is this a waste of film? DEFINITELY NOT. You go into a film with the knowledge you have up to that point, and sometimes a film challenges you to rise to the occasion as opposed to talking down to an audience. This is not for people who think watching a movie means some quiet time and maybe a laugh or two. This is a film where you are constantly challenged to make observations and opinions based on what you are shown. There is a thesis here, and I am not sure whether it is an artistic thesis, a scientific thesis, a moral and ethical thesis, or all or none of the above, but what I do know is that this is one of the most challenging pieces of moving image I have ever seen (I have only seen about 1,600 films in my life, so I admit I have not seen that much), and it is easier to walk away from it then to stay and appreciate the rich complexities of knowledge this film draws from. The choice is yours but I highly recommend it for knowledge seekers.
The DVD is of great quality, and except for the lack of extras (I would have LOVED to have seen the trailer for this film), it is a worthy purchase.

A must see
The very first time I watched this film was not in a theatre but on a small black and white TV (at the time I was about 17 and still living with my parents, so what do you expect :-). It made a tremendous impression on me then and it's still my favorite film ever. The plot is rich and weird, the music addictive and the dialogues are both odd and witty. As you might expect of one of the early films by Greenaway, the alphabet plays a big part in this film. A film about the beginnings of life, birth, life itself, death and decay. Excellent usage of clips of natural history films with the distinctive voice of David Attenborough. There are many storylines in this film and there's a kind of character development you don't see to often in these modern times. Greenaway created an atmosphere I had never seen before in films and very few films are even coming close to it.

All in all, as you might have noticed, I'm a sucker for this film. I can recommend it to anyone. And hey, if you don't like the pictures, you can still play the DVD and not watch it, but enjoy the soundtrack.

Get the BFI Version
If you have a European or multi-region DVD player, get the BFI edition of this movie, which includes a director's commentary and introduction, trailers for this and The Draughtsman's Contract and extracts from a "making of" documentary.

The film itself? Brilliant, arch, beautifully photographed and probably Greenaway's most accessible work.

A dark celebration by the simetry
This film is an intelligent puzzle. You must be building the story , the clues are given ironically, tragicaly and above all subrepticiously.
Two twins married with two sisters , a swan , murder, guilty the same lover, the one and the couple are engaged, come together , and become unending laberynth of borgian proportions. A man dreams that another guy dreams. This story is just fascinatong
The archetipes are precisely defined. Oparin makes his own web.
The feelings involved around a common tragedy, just having the zoo as a huge frame where the life begins and ends, without any pain, with natural precision. The speling music of Nyman, Sacha Vierny and his amazing photography, the dark poetry supports the dialogues, the desperation seems even not forced but she assumes slowly its place in the play.
Greenaway is a brilliant director with a unpleasant life's view. What it realy is amazing is the total absence of feelings in every one of the depicted characters. ou won't see a teardrop, even in the worst of one situation.
The homagge to Vermeer makes the film still more interesting, arrestong and provocative, in a style who reminds us to Luis Buñuel but without the religious ethics underlayed of the spanish director.
Certainly the multiple readings that Zoo and two noughts offer us walk around the biology, the huge affection of Greenaway by the insects, worms and all that little universe who survives under our indiferent behavior.
This trilogy of films together with the bely of an architect and drowning by numbers, allows us to traduce the universe of this excentric and irreverent film maker.
Don't miss this film.

Pointless
Like many of Peter Greenaway's movies, this one suffers from several problems. The most critical of these is that his opening scenes never emotionally tie you to any of the characters, resulting in you watching 2 hours of film without really caring. Secondly, his filming technique is basically more appropriate for a play - all the scenes look like they were specifically made as movie sets rather than as natural surroundings, and his direction of the lighting makes it obvious that everything is artificially lit. Thirdly, his subject matter. always bizarre, just isn't interesting. Why can't he pick the bizarre and the interesting? If you like film noir, then this isn't it. Having sat through 113 minutes of this, all I was left with was how pointless and a waste of film this was. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Greenfingers - Excellent!
I have seen this film twice at the cinema, and have hired the video so many times, I think the video store is going to give me visitation rights!

I thouroughly enjoyed this movie, and seeing so many talented actors in one film makes the viewing so much more enjoyable! David Kelly, (Waking Ned Devine, Robin's Nest: 1970's british sit-com) is an absolute delight! Clive Owen and Helen Mirren,(Gosford Park)were absolutely wonderful! I know people as flamboyant as 'Georgina Woodhouse,' and I can say that Helen Mirren plays them all in the one character!

You laugh, you cry. Every emotion is there! This is a must see!

Lovely...
The first word that comes to mind when I think of this British film is "lovely." It's a wonderful comedy with a touch of drama and romance -- a perfectly lovely combination, if you ask me...

The story, which is based on true events, revolves around Colin (Clive Owen), a prison inmate who's transferred to an experimental prison called Edgefield. There, inmates live with more freedom. There aren't any high fences or armed guards. And each inmate gets to do a job that will give him the experience he needs to get hired once he's released.

Colin is a somewhat anti-social prisoner who won't talk to anyone -- not even his friendly old roommate, Fergus (David Kelly). But when Fergus gives Colin a package of violet seeds for Christmas, everything starts to change. The violets bloom in the spring, and they give Colin his own personal calling. After the warden finds out about the violets, he appoints Colin and Fergus (along with three other inmates) to create a garden for the prison.

Greenfingers is a light-hearted feel-good movie that's guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It's got the same light-but-potent humor as Waking Ned Divine (in which David Kelly played Michael O'Sullivan) -- and it's absolutely perfect for winding down from a long week on a casual Friday night.

Great
I love British romantic comedy, and of all the movies in the genre, this one is my absolute favorite. Not only is the plotline funny, it's smart; that is, there's plot besides boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. The movie also succeeds at being touching without dipping into sappiness--the Colin/Fergus friendship brings me to tears.

The quirky off-plot tidbits make me laugh aloud. Look for the great big guy playing in the dirt.

The cinematography is beautiful, as is the sexual chemistry between Colin and Primrose. Clive Owen is a fantastically sexy man, and one of my favorite things about British romantic comedy is that the women are enticing without looking like they belong in a magazine.

There are few movies I'd watch over and over again, but this is one of them.

Greenfingers
Yet another brilliant British film. Inspired by a true story.

Slight but sweet, sentiment without sentimentality
Rottentomatoes.com, netflix, and Amazon reviews have taught me something astonishing: literate users of the latter services usually have better and more reliable taste than the professional critics collected on Rotten Tomatoes. Case in point: GREENFINGERS. Less than half the critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a favorable rating, but Amazon & netflix reviewers give it 4 ½ stars. Apparently we appreciate its typically British understatement, mild humor, and a story which may be slight of plot but which doesn't slight its characters. (Hmmm...these are qualities which fans of LOST IN TRANSLATION claim to find in that movie. Perhaps if GREENFINGERS' director were named Coppola instead of Hershman, then he would be up for an Oscar, along with Clive Owen, Helen Mirren, and the rest of the cast and crew.)

If you liked WAKING NED DEVINE or LOCAL HERO or any of a number of small, well-crafted British films about the character of ordinary people, you will probably enjoy this movie. It lacks gratuitous nudity, violence and profanity, graphic sex, special effects wizardry, and cheap shots at other cultures, but these omissions just make it better. The film is technically as self-effacing as the performances - - all in the service of story, rather than for calling attention to the makers' cleverness, or hipness, or at least what masquerades as such among the unenlightened.

This is a movie about growth and transformation, not about stasis. It is about people with the character to make the most of their situation in life, no matter how apparently bleak. It is about the heroism of daily struggle to find meaning and value in the small things of everyday life, about simple faith, about making a difference, about love, forgiveness, and redemption, and ultimately about what it is to be human. Four stars. ... Read more

Reviews (129)

Bravo Madonna!
This is a good movie, and Madonna doesn't give a wooden performance, she actually puts more emotion into her acting. I don't know why everyone said it was so bad, this is interesting and has a heartbreaking ending. I'm glad i bought the DVD, not just because I'm a Madonna fan. Good job Madonna!!!;)

I HAVE SEEN A LOT WORSE
OKAY I HAVE TO ADMIT I HAVE BEEN A MADONNA FAN FROM THE BEGINNING.BUT LETS FACE IT THIS FILM WAS GONNA GET SLATED BEFORE IT WAS EVEN STARTED,AS CRITICS ,AND THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME WHO NEVER EVEN WATCHED IT,WILL SLATE EVERYTHING MADONNA IS IN.IT WAS NOT THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE WORSE AND THEY GET OSCAR NOMINATED AND RAVE REVIEWS(I HATED 8 MILE TOTAL AND UTTER BOREDOM).IM GLAD I BOUGHT THIS FILM,IT WAS ENTERTAINING,GREAT LOCATION,MADONNA LOOKED FAB AND WAS MONEY WELL SPENT.IF ONLY PEOPLE WOULD MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS AND FORGET ABOUT CRITICS.

Didn't push me over the Borderline...
I have to say that all film critics need lay off Madonna! There are plenty of actors out there that revered when they shouldn't be. This wasn't as bad as they made it out to be. This movie wasn't great, but not terrible. It was sort of middle-of-the-road. Madonna's acting can be, at times, wooden and rehearsed, but come off it--this is just a movie, not Shakespeare. This wasn't meant to be an overly dramatic masterpiece. This is not a big Hollywood film; it's nice and small and entertaining. The script, well it could have been a lot better. But it is funny at times, as well as cute (like when they played charades). The pace of the film sometimes feels inconsistent though but not too badly. 'Swept Away' looks wonderful on DVD. It makes me want to take a trip to Malta--it's very beautiful. The 5.1 Dolby is pretty decent, but nothing spectacular. The extras are pretty good: director commentary, 16 deleted scenes with or without commentary, the making of 'Swept Away' (which originally aired on MTV, I think), cast bios, and trailers. This also has a French language track and subtitles in English and French. Overall, it wasn't a bad film--I've seen plenty worse! But it wasn't fantastic; just a good, little entertaining movie. I enjoyed it more than the terribly long and sappy 'Cast Away'.

Don't Listen to the Critics!!
I just finished watching this movie. It is excellent. The critics never gave the movie a chance since Madonna was in it. This movie made me laugh out loud at times, cringe in uncomfort at other parts and feel sadness and pain for the characters at the same time. It is just a great movie that doesn't sell out at all. It doesn't fit the typical movie formula which is a WONDERFUL thing. We need more movies that break the molds instead of getting moldy! Buy this movie with confidence. It will be an emotional experience!

Such a comfort movie!
Madonna working the designer outfits is more than enough reason to get ur hands on this....and Madonna fans will go nuts for her fantasy sequence in an acid yellow Versace dress.....she camps it up...and is hilarious....

The MTV behind the scenes special is incredibly cute....if u want sumthin' to get u outta' those Valentine's Day blues....

GET THIS MOVIE! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The babes of boozeland are back and drunker than ever in the fourth season of the Britcom Absolutely Fabulous. Even after a five-year hiatus, the main characters are unchanged, and the only giveaway that things are different is Eddy's defection from Lacroix to Burberry. Devoted fans will appreciate that this season (which also has the usual dieting, drinking, and manhunting) goes where no Pats and Edina have gone before, from a PR gig with Twiggy to menopause. What's more frightening: Patsy going through "the change" or the two dames dressed to the nines... for a night of moshing at a Marilyn Manson concert? If you're new to the series, have no fears; it won't take long to figure out that Edina (Jennifer Saunders) is the queen of excess, an extraordinary drinker and dieter but horrific mother. (Her daughter, Saffron--played by Julia Sawalha--is the levelheaded one, although as a young adult, her character has less purpose than in previous years.) Patsy (Joanna Lumley) is Eddy's sidekick, with a figure to die for--or at least paralyze for, as her experiences with youth-enhancing Parralox show. This is not a series to miss. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (41)

AbFab back with a vengeance
It's been seven years since Jennifer Saunders penned the third and supposedly final batch of six episodes telling the saga of Edina Monsoon, her dipsomaniac pal Patsy Stone, her long suffering daughter Saffron, and her ever patient Mother. The final outing for the AbFab crew was meant to be the 1996 two-part special "The last shout," but after a five year break from the show, Jennifer dipped her pen in the acid once more and produced this new batch of six episodes. I only wish she hadn't. It's not that these episodes are bad, or particularly less funny than what went before, they're not, it's just that I personally would have liked the series to have been left alone. A glorious memory of wonderful stuff that can be relived over and over, preserving the joy of the show just as it was (as with Fawlty Towers, BlackAdder and Dinnerladies, all of whom knew when to quit). Sadly, this return to her former glories doesn't work on the same level as the original. The characters should have moved on, but haven't. Eddie and Patsy no longer seem to live in the same world. Saffy has gone from being the straight laced voice of reason in a world of madness, to being just as nasty and unacceptable as her mother. Witness her slapping her best friend and knocking her glasses off in episode one. Eddie's mother seems to have gone completely off the rails too, slipping further into senility. Many jokes are rehashes from earlier scripts, and many more strands are pulled from the ill-fated Mirrorball, a one-off sitcom featuring the same cast, which is included here as an extra on disc 2. It's all subjective. I know many who are delighted to see the show back in production, but I'm simply not one of them. The discs are presented in letterbox, widescreen format, and the picture and sound is very good quality. For some reason episodes 1-4 are on a separate disc to 5&6, which are coupled on disc 2 with the extras. There's some early stuff with French & Saunders and Joanna Lumley, some great outtakes, and Mirrorball. I would have liked to have seen The Last Shout also included, but I guess that will have a separate release sometime in the future. The highlight is undoubtedly Jennifer Saunders' own commentary, together with Producer Jon Plowman. This does give a real insight into the thoughts behind each episode, and helps to explain some of the rather disjointed scenes. It's all fun stuff, but it just doesn't do it for me in the same way as the older episodes.

Six More Episodes And A Bunch Of Extras, Sweetie Darling...
Although all six episodes in this series are good, only three are really exceptional and will go down in "AbFab" history as classics. They are: "Paris" (the girls go on a vacation to Paris- Edina and Saffy actually bond, if you can believe that! It's very touching, almost!); "Small Openings" (Saffy writes a "Mommie Dearest"-esque play that Edina and Pats initially object to, but then later become friends with the people that play them! Patsy, incidentally, is played by a man!); and "Menopause" (Patsy's bones become very brittle and start breaking. Edina and Saffy's reactions when Patsy gives herself a shot of pain medication is BRILLIANTLY HILARIOUS!).

Lots of extras here: the "Mirrorball" special that features all of the main "AbFab" actors in different roles (not as funny as "AbFab" but still well worth your time); great commentary from Jennifer Saunders; photo gallery; outtakes/bloopers, etc. My only complaint, and it's minor, is that the "Who's Who Guide to the stars of AbFab" is a bit hard to read. It looks like handwriting on a piece of graph paper- and even on my gigantic television, it was a bit hard to make all of the writing out. They should have just used a font that was easier to read.

The DVD's come packaged in a plastic case, unlike the last set that came in a cardboard case. The plastic is a lot better and durable than the cardboard, so this is good! The design elements of the case are the same as the last set (it's just a different color), so at least the two sets basically match when they sit on a shelf together. It's so annoying when things in a series aren't designed likewise, so it's nice to see that Warner Bros./BBC Video did this correctly!

Oddity: all of the extras appear on both DVD's. This is not a complaint, I just thought it was sort of strange that they are repeated within the same set.

And no... "The Last Shout" does not appear on this DVD set. The rights to that are owned by a different company, hence the reason why that's not out on DVD yet.

Edina, Patsy, and Saffy are just as fab as ever! Hopefully there will be another series of episodes soon!

AbFab at its best
I realize I may be in the minority, but I love series 4, so much so, actually, that I'm tempted to call it my favourite series (but then I remember some of the too-brilliant-for-words earlier episodes and just can't make up my mind).

The truth is, if you are expecting AbFab to pick up exactly from where it left, you'll be better off not getting your hands on series 4, because half a decade has passed and the world just isn't the same anymore. What was cool, fashionable and modern before, is now old and dated, at least for the likes of Edina who only live to keep up with the latest trends. There definitely is a huge visual contrast to what the show used to look like, but don't let that get on the way. Edina and Patsy are still at it, crazier (and also more desperate) than ever; experimenting with parralox, dieting with detox, popping pills, going after men, all the while trying to avoid getting old.

All I can say is give it a go and see what you think. I think it's absolutely fabulous.

WHY DOES AMERICA MISS OUT?
You need to see this - it's crass, rude, sarcastic, blatant, disgusting and above all, one of the funniest things on this planet. This series marks the comeback from the original series and it's better than ever. If you've ever seen the series, you know what to expect. But if you don't want to buy the boxset just yet, start with this. It will give you a great foundation of this show and what to expect from these two hilarious actresses/characters. Want to laugh your butt off? This show basically is what you wish your mom would be like.

Fabulous Daaaaaling...Just Faaabulous
This is British humour at one of its best. It was so nice to see that after watching this show on television for so many years that it finally came on to DVD. This comedic duo is hilarious and they poke fun at many stereotypes and turn many of the ordinary, everyday things into a comidcal adventure. There is something so unique and delightful about English humor, this is a classic example of how "absolutely fabulous" it can get! ... Read more

Amazon.com

More "humorous vignettes and spoofs" from the second groundbreakingseason of Monty Python's Flying Circus. This set contains episodes 20 through 26, available for the first time on DVD in chronological order. Included are signature sketches that were adapted for the Pythons' first film, And Now for Something Completely Different, such as How Not to Be Seen, Conrad Poohs and His Dancing Teeth, the camped-up military drill, and the alleged English-Hungarian phrasebook (the Hungarian phrase meaning "Can you direct me to the station?" is translated by the English phrase "Please fondle my bum"). Also on the menu are such tasty classics as Spam; the Lifeboat and Undertaker cannibalism sketches and spam; spam, spam, the Man Who Says Things in a Very Roundabout Way and spam; Spam, spam, the Hospital for Over-Acting and spam; spam, The Exploding Version of the Blue Danube and spam; The Death of Mary Queen of Scots and spam. "And, of course, there's sport." Not content with forgoing traditional punch lines, Monty Python further subverted television convention with these episodes. In Episode 23, for example, the credits don't appear until midway through. They further demonstrate why Entertainment Weekly ranked Monty Python No. 77 (only 77th?) among the top 100 entertainers of the last half of the 20th century. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A great DVD
There are two kinds of people: those who have seen Mo nty Python and liked it, and those who have seen Monty Python and disliked it, and those who...

There are three kinds of people: those who have seen Monty Python and liked it, those who have seen Monty Python and disliked it, those who haven't seen Monty Python, and those in comas...Four kinds of People

Amongst people, there are those have seen Monty...

Oh never mind, just see the bloody DVD

Object in the Strongest Possible Terms
Dear Sir,

I wish to protest in thr strongest possible terms your inclusion of this DVD by this Monty Python chap. It is well known that he is considered quite silly and is rumored to have attempted to offend every one on the planet!

And another thing -- why can't you cover the good things on the Internet, like many of the wonderful sites containing the poems of Carlton Vladivostok?

Yours, etc. Brigadier General Sir Charles Uppington Smythe (Mrs.)

A sometimes Funny, sometimes Annoying Collection!
Monty Python's Flying Circus has two sides: one being outrageously funny, and two being some of the most un-funny Skits I've ever seen! On this collection my ABSOLUETE favorites are(in order of Funny): The Killer Cars, The Death of Mary Queen of Scots, An Exploding Penquin on the Telly, and Spam. Don't even look at the others! There so rediculously stupid it almost make me cry! Buy it for the great ones, hate for EVERYTHIN ELSE!!

Monty Python is simply the best!!!
You can't get much better than Monty Python the kings of sketch comedy. Yes some British humor is hard to get as an American but for the most part it is histerical. This set is just as good as the others and I recomend purchasing them all. I love Monty Python so much I named all my pets Eric.

The best comedy show ever made!
This 2-disc DVD contains some of the best moments in Monty Python (Spam, How Not To Be Seen, Atilla the Hun Show, Hungarian Phrase Book) as well as some that are lesser known (Communist Quiz, Poofy Judges, Crackprot Religions, The Idiot). The menus are very clever. They are a little tough to navigate through, but it's a change from other DVD menus. The extras are enormous! You get Lumberjack Kareoke, BBC sketches, quizes with video rewards, two Hollywood Bowl sketches, image gallery and tons more. However the only part that seems to suffer on this disc is the picture quality. There are tons of noticable fragements and rainbows. The VHS tapes might be a smarter buy in terms of quality, but for everlastingness (is that even a word?) choose the DVDs. So grab this DVD and order in some Egg and Spam, Egg Bacon and Spam, Egg Bacon Sausage and Spam, Spam Eggs Spam Spam and Spam, Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Baked Beans Spam Spam Spam and Spam. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It's tame in hindsight, but A Touch of Class brought much-needed prestige to the romantic-comedy trend of the early and mid 1970s. Glenda Jackson won an Oscar® for her performance as a savvy London divorcée who falls in love with married insurance agent George Segal, and the film surprised critics by earning a Best Picture nomination as well. Chemistry's the key, with Jackson and Segal equally adept at bickering and making up (and she even has a gay male friend, long before that became a genre cliché). What begins as a routine affair--complicated by a wide spectrum of lightly comedic pitfalls--ends with mutual love and the dilemma it creates. Writer-director Melvin Frank keeps the dialogue briskly intelligent, and while he can't match Neil Simon word for word, Touch mines the same romantic territory that was perfected in Simon's later hit The Goodbye Girl. Consider them a fine double bill, with A Touch of Class ranking a respectable second. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Should've Been on the AFI's list of "Top 100 Romantic Films"
I saw this movie when it first came out in the 70's and have seen it many times on and off for years.

The movie is funny, but what makes it work is the two stars. George Segal (who never looked better) is in fine comedic form, and he and Glenda Jackson complement each other perfectly. She was especially singled out for critical acclaim -- some people compared her to Katharine Hepburn in Hepburn's comedic roles.

The movie also affords a look at London in the early 70's.

Because the actors work so well together, I would've liked a different (happier) ending for the movie. Still, after thirty years, "A Touch of Class" remains very watchable and poignant -- largely because of the two stars.

creepy and disturbing
I did not like this movie. I know that times have changed and it would be revisionist to hold this movie to millennium standards of sexual conduct and infidelity. Nonetheless, I found it very disturbing: his lack of concern for his wife and children, how the wife was unsympathetic and one dimensional, and how absolutely de rigueur it was in the sixties for married men to have "a bit on the side." And what about her kids? apart from the first scene we never see them again; she instead seems to spend all her time cooking and keeping house for a married man. I'm not a prude, really, but this film left a bad taste in my mouth.

One of the funniest, sexiest, smartest movies I've ever seen
...and I'm not easy to please. It's strange when you realize just how sexy George Segal was. But the movie is wonderfully written, sharp, smart and incredibly funny. I saw another reviewer liked The Goodbye Girl better. I prefered this...Sharper, more biting, less sentimental. That doesn't mean it's heartless or even cynical, just that it's lacking in syrup. George Segal and Glenda Jackson have the all the chemistry and the comedic chops (and then some) needed to make this movie work. This movie made me laugh a lot, was sexy enough to warm any cold night and smart enough to make me feel like the people who made it figured I had at least a high school education. How come comedic movies this smart don't get made by the major studios anymore?

A great movie that will one day be remade
Glenda Jackson and George Segal tear up the screen and nearly each other in this frothy 1973 Oscar-winning comedy. The relationship is the key here and the two leads almost define screen chemistry. Shot in London and Malaga, Spain, it's also a fun date film. The DVD transfer is pretty decent considering the age. Whatever your tastes in film, this is a pretty tough one not to like.

With Hollywood remaking classics like "Charade," this one seems a solid bet. Who would they pick today? Oh, probably Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

How come it's unavailable???
Extremely funny, light-hearted movie. Whether it was worthy of a best actress oscar is debateable, but nonetheless: HOW CAN AN OSCAR WINNING FILM NOT BE AVAILABLE IN THIS DAY & AGE?????? ... Read more