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Fawlty Towers - The Complete Collection (Remastered) [DVD] [1975]
Purchase options and add-ons
Genre | Television|Comedy |
Format | PAL, Original recording remastered |
Contributor | John Howard Davies, Andrew Sachs, Renee Roberts, Bob Spiers, Brian Hall, Ballard Berkeley, Douglas Argent, Connie Booth, John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Gilly Flower See more |
Language | English |
Number of discs | 3 |
Frequently bought together
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From the manufacturer
The classic BBC comedy comes to Blu-ray for the first time, starring John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Saches and Connie Booth.
Basil Fawlty is a much put-upon, hard-working hotel manager whose life is plagued by dead guests, hotel inspectors and riff-raff. Of course his biggest headache is his ‘little nest of vipers’ - his nagging wife Sibyl. Together they run their hotel, Fawlty Towers, with a little help from the unflappable Polly, and Manuel, the trainee waiter from Barcelona with marginally more intelligence than a monkey. Every episode of the BAFTA-winning sitcom in high definition for the first time ever.
SPECIAL FEATURES • Audio commentaries with John Cleese (Series 1 & 2) • Audio commentary with John Howard Davies (Series 1) • Audio commentary with Bob Spiers (Series 2) • 2009 Interviews • Interviews with John Cleese, Andrew Sachs, Prunella Scales • Torquay Tourist Office • Cheap Tatty Review • Out takes • Bonus booklet • Easter Egg
Product description
Product Description
This Special Edition marks the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest situation comedies British television has ever seen.
Every episode of the BAFTA award winning sitcom has been fantastically remastered and for the first time ever John Cleese provides audio commentaries on all 12 episodes of this comedy classic.
★★SPECIAL FEATURES★★
- Remastered version
- Exclusive commentaries by John Cleese
- 2009 Extended Interviews
- Includes exclusive interview with Connie Booth
- Accompanying booklet
- Interviews with John Cleese, Prunella Scales and Andrew Sachs
- Series 1 director’s commentary by John Howard Davies
- Series 2 director’s commentary by Bob Spiers
- Artist profiles
- Out takes
- Torquay Tourist Guide (short documentary film)
- Cheap Tatty Review
- Audio Description & Navigation Option
Starring John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs and Connie Booth
Series One: Written by John Cleese and Connie Booth. Directed and produced by John Howard Davies.
Series Two: Written by John Cleese and Connie Booth. Directed by Bob Spiers. Produced by Douglas.
ÍøÆغÚÁÏ.co.uk Review
Basil Fawlty, as created and performed by John Cleese, is the rudest, most boorish, most hilariously obnoxious man on the face of the planet. What a natural for a TV sitcom! His screen wife, Sybil (Prunella Scales), put it best in the episode "The Psychiatrist": "You're either crawling all over them, licking their boots, or spitting poison at them like some Benzedrine puff adder." He mockingly replies, "Just trying to enjoy myself, dear." With his gangly frame and contortionist abilities, Cleese brilliantly punctuates Basil's outrageous faux pas with absurd gymnastics and turns Three Stooges-style pokes and kicks into a slapstick ballet. Scales's Sybil is the genial but obliviously chatty voice of reason and Andrew Sachs mangles the English language as the Spanish bellhop Manuel, whose struggles with simple directions results in comic lunacy reminiscent of Robert Benigni. After a six-episode run in 1975, Cleese and co-writer and co-star Connie Booth (who plays Polly, the maid all too often pulled into Basil's ridiculous plans) reunited the cast in 1979 for another six episodes without missing a punch line. Remember to watch the opening credits of each show to spot the creative misspellings on the hotel sign (our favorite: "Fatty Owls"). --Sean Axmaker, ÍøÆغÚÁÏ.com
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Is discontinued by manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 1.35 x 0.15 x 1.9 cm; 0.27 g
- Audio Description: : English, German, French
- Item model number : 5051561027956
- Director : John Howard Davies, Bob Spiers
- Media Format : PAL, Original recording remastered
- Run time : 6 hours and 10 minutes
- Release date : 19 Oct. 2009
- Actors : John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, Ballard Berkeley
- Subtitles: : German, French, English, Dutch
- Language : English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
- Studio : 2entertain
- Producers : John Howard Davies, Douglas Argent
- ASIN : B002KSA3XE
- Country of origin : United Kingdom
- Writers : John Cleese, Connie Booth
- Number of discs : 3
- ÍøÆغÚÁÏ Rank: 35 in DVD & Blu-ray (See Top 100 in DVD & Blu-ray)
- Customer reviews:
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Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 December 2024It’s difficult to believe these episodes first aired almost 50 years ago. They have a timeless quality and each is very skilfully scripted. A few references that may affect the sensibilities of some in this politically correct age where we’re obliged to tiptoe around. It’s also difficult to believe there were only two series, 12 episodes. Each is packed and althoughI’ve seen this on tv numerous times, I’ve bought the dvd, not only to watch at my leisure, but for the extras. Three discs in total, one for each of the two series and a third absolutely packed with extras including audio commentary, bloopers, a guide to Torquay, actor profiles. It’s worth the price for the extras alone and good to see the BBC has included them.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 October 2024What more can you say from a Beeb classic. It is true they don't make them like this anymore, and although the humour and dress style are from the 70s you still cannot help laugh all the way. The series has been watch through several times by the family and we still laugh despite knowing what is going to happen next. Get it and you would have to have your sense of humour removed if you do not laugh at the antic of this poorly run hotel... which is the whole point, only bad thing about it is that they only made two series at the end of the day.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 September 2024This boxset is fantastic. The show is off course amazing, but this set isn't just a cheap money grab. Done the show justice and the price of £8.16 (when I purchased) has to be the best £8.16 you could spend (Unless you play lotto and get the dub) Feels so premium in hand. Highly recommended....might not catch these show in original format for long. Ya know, some humour doesn't hit like it used to, in 2024 onwards. :-)
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 November 2024Item as described .thank you
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 October 2024I am recovering from cancer surgery and bought this cd to cheer myself up. Boy has it done that! Whenever i feel down in the dumps I put Fawlty Towers on an it’s ‘instant relief’. Sooo funny. Definitely NOT for the politically correct brigade though!!
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 March 2023he loved it
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 January 2011Fawlty Towers is the pinnacle of situation comedy. Others have been good but none have been quite as great as the action set at the Fawlty Towers hotel. John Cleese's Basil Fawlty is one of the greatest comedy creations ever conceived. The remastered box set provides a disc for each series plus a disc of bonus material. The quality of the production is excellent with sharp enough visuals and almost no blips.
The remastered version does not do anything with the content - it leaves it in all its brilliance. That brilliance is held together by John Cleese as his Basil Fawlty is a character of such utter genious it is hard to believe there are so few episodes for Fawlty to shine in. The combination of biting commentary, outstanding physical comedy, and regular desperation makes for an utterly extraordinary viewing experience. Fawlty is a rare gem of a character that could easily be the bad guy but is very clearly the one the audience hopes will succeed. His putdowns are withering, his physical abuse especially of Manuel is riotously funny.
It helps Cleese that he has such a large stature. Being 6'6" magnifies all the physical movements. Things carried over from Monty Python like the Silly Walk are clearly long-studied pieces of exhibition but his ability to contort into unexpected shapes and scuttle around is really quite remarkable.
A lot of the physical comedy is performed alongside Andrew Sachs as Manuel. Sachs has an excellent gait and his character almost trots around. Being a foot shorter than Cleese helps their interaction but it is excellent writing that really makes the duo work. What we laugh at is Fawlty hitting Manuel with a frying pan. What is genious is the growth of Manuel's character in his reactions to Fawlty. Earlier gags set up later ones as Manuel attempts to learn from previous examples but uses the lessons inappropriately such as in Communication Problems.
Manuel's accent only really makes sense with a little understanding of the times. Spain is not the country it was when Fawlty Towers was aired. Having not long emerged from Franco's dictatorship, Spain was quite backwards by Western European standards and being a waiter in a hotel abroad was much more common than is the case 30 years after Towers was broadcast. Manuel is a particularly endearing character because he is hapless but bent on self-improvement. His learning English from a book is a catchphrase all Brits should use.
Basil and his wife Sybil are even deeper characters. Sybil begins her existence as a slightly stereotypical irritated wife while Basil's foibles are on show for everyone. However, the depth of her character is revealed over time mainly through Basil's eyes. His muttered aggression towards Sybil becomes rounder as Sybil's distinct lack of work ethic and her incessant and boring gossip conversations on the phone register brilliantly as the anger flares in Basil's features. Sybil really does love Basil with The Anniversary being a great explanation of the couple's love for one another even though positive words are never really said.
Basil is of course the deepest character of the lot as it is his show. Scheming to do things the way he thinks they should be done, his incredibly prejudiced views on class & status, the frustration of a world that isn't as efficient as he is, and the failings of everyone around him including the guests make for the funniest show of anger television has ever produced.
Of the main characters, the least interesting is Polly. Played by Connie Booth she is often Basil's only slightly willing accomplice and doesn't often display character of her own. Aside from her bursts into showtunes as a distraction method, she is not overly distinct from the plot. As a plot device she works well as she picks up Basil's plans instantly, often helping him when all seems doomed.
The minor characters don't get a huge amount of screen time but the weekly victims of Basil's rage are often amusing in their own right. The Major probably deserved more air time as the only episode in which he has a substantial amount of lines is also the very best - The Germans. Probably the single funniest comedy episode every produced, what we remember about The Germans are the catchphrase, the Germans themselves, and Basil's Hitler impression. If it were just these things it would have been excellent, it is so much more. The Major plays a significant role and his interaction with Basil is magnificent as is the physical comedy including surrounding the moose head on the wall. In the same episode, Manuel catches fire. So much was crammed into this one piece of greatness that the total genious of it all should not be underestimated.
The bonus features on the Remastered edition are only ok. The outtakes are very limited and most of the space is given to interviews which are good with Cleese and Sachs but Prunella Scales clearly hasn't got the same love for the show. The interview with Connie Booth is just awkward. Booth clearly has never gotten over splitting up with Cleese and she just looks like she's holding back tears the whole way through. Some of the other notables of British television who made cameos in Fawlty Towers give good comment especially Bernard Cribbins and Nicky Henson.
Fawlty Towers is a thing of pure unadulterated genious. For such a risky show there are so few missed beats. It should be a compulsory part of British education and everyone should own it.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 October 2024Brilliant comedy from times gone by before political correctness .
Top reviews from other countries
- GaryReviewed in Canada on 12 October 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic
Classic. Classic Comedy thats rare these days.
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Stefan BorgReviewed in Sweden on 29 February 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Outslitlig
Förvecklings komedin som fortlever genom generationer. Bra förpackning, som beskrivs av dem.
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Pierre GRIMAUDReviewed in France on 12 January 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Un régal
J'avais vu des extraits sur Youtube et j'ai cherché à voir le reste. Et bien, je ne suis pas déçu. Un vrai régal pour tous les amateurs d'humour décalé. John Cleese et Connie Booth ont créé un monde déjanté dont on regrette plus le nombre limité d'épisodes. Dans la lignée des Monthy Python. A voir.
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MERReviewed in Spain on 1 December 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars DVD en inglés
Me encanta esta serie. La pega: es que la tengo que ver en un ordenador para acceder más fácilmente a las carpetas.
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Michele Di GregorioReviewed in Italy on 18 March 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Don’t mention the war!
La migliore sitcom britannica secondo la critica. A buon diritto devo dire. Cleese ritrova un successo comico stellare dopo Monty Python con queste 12 puntate esilaranti. Da non perdere.