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From Amazon.co.uk
Originally shown in 1998, Big Train was the eagerly awaited follow-up to Father Ted from writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews. Resisting the pressure to make another sitcom, Big Train is, instead, a sketch show in the best Monty Python tradition, updated with influences from arch-surrealist Chris Morris as well as the contemporary The Fast Show. The sketches can be joyously odd--Pythonesque firefighting showjumpers, the evil hypnotist, and the outrageous onanistic office workers, for example--but the show never neglects to keep the punchlines coming thick and fast (though the animated staring contest does rather drag after a while). The cast comprises some of the best new names in comedy, including Kevin Eldon, Simon Pegg, Mark Heap, Julia Davis and Amelia Bullmore (who went on to become Alan Partridge's Ukrainian girlfriend).
Series 2 didn't pull into the platform until 2002, by which time Graham Linehan was absent writing Black Books. But Arthur Matthews maintains the quality of the first series on the whole--the man with oversized hands, the creepy cult questionnaire, the zookeeper's recruitment agency--adding some spot-on French art house cinema spoofs and other movie-style take offs somewhat in the manner of Spaced, which Pegg and Heap had gone on to make. That duo return here for more silliness along with new cast members Rebecca Front (The Day Today, Knowing Me, Knowing You) and Tracey-Ann Oberman (better known now as Chrissie Watts in Eastenders).
On the DVD: Big Train belatedly arrives on DVD in a two-disc set which includes a plethora of deleted scenes for both Series 1 and 2. There are cast biogs plus three of the sketches as performed on a German TV sketch show. Commentary on the first series is by both writers, though happily Pegg, Heap and Eldon gatecrash halfway through. Matthews and Eldon join director and producer for the somewhat more straight-faced commentary on the second disc. Menu options thankfully include the treasurable "Play all" facility. --Mark Walker
Product Description
Big Train steams out of the comedy tunnel as realism meets utter stupidity in a cavalcade of daft sketches performed by some of Britain's top-notch comedy actors including Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Spaced), Julia Davis (Nighty Night, Human Remains) and Catherine Tate (The Catherine Tate Show; Wild West). Written by Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, the acclaimed writers of Father Ted, this brilliant comedy sketch series was the winner of the Bronze Rose at Montreux after the first series was transmitted in 1998. The much anticipated second series transmitted in 2002 to critical acclaim and the fans delight. The show twists everyday occurrences and mundane situations into daft sketches and improbable scenarios such as the world premiere of the influential film classic, Alfred Hitchock's The Working Class – the stuff of nightmares; the pros and cons of having huge hands when using today’s micro technology; shy policemen, confused Ministers, ducks in danger and hens in armed combat. This hugely popular series makes its debut onto DVD and the extras on this double disc set feature a commentary (on both discs) with Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, Kevin Eldon, Mark Heap, Simon Pegg, Phil Clarke (Producer), Jonathan Gershfield (Director) and Jo Hunter (Production Manager). There are also deleted scenes and some Easter Egg surprises.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Mr AI
Format:DVD
If you're a fan of modern British comedy this show is a highlight of the last decade.
You have Simon Pegg and Hark Heap, just before they went off to make the incredible Spaced. Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews just after Father Ted and before Linehan made Black Books, Kevin Eldon fresh from Brass Eye, and Catherine Tate before her (imo) underwhelming solo series.
The sheer comedy talent is eye watering and the first series is absoltely hilarious (second series drops to merely mortal standard, it has to be said). Highlights like the Evil Hypnotist, the Artist formally knows as Prince, and the no masturbation in the office sketch are sheer genius. In my opinion this is Linehan and Matthews at their best, getting to show off a massive range of ideas.
I find it hard to sympathise with reviewers who loved Spaced but hated this: to me Big Train is so perfect because it is a concentrated and distilled mix of everything (and almost everyone) that has been wonderful in British comedy for the last decade.
It still stands up as containing the cleverest, most surreal sketches we've seen. Later series like Smack the Pony softened the format a lot, while Little Britain went for less intelligent (but more accessible) writing. Big Train is the best of the bunch as far as I'm concerned, and even if you aren't blown away by the humour, it stands as a great early ensemble piece from an inimitable bunch of comedians who can (and have) now commanded their own solo series.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Big Train represents an early Graham Linehan/Arthur Matthews (Father Ted) entry into TV comedy genre and it's certainly distinctive. The overall format - Fast Show-esque skit/sketch comedy - is benign enough, but the content takes a highly surreal slant. At the time it was, if not revolutionary, at least a step in a fairly new direction and probably did not get mainstream attention. Thus we have firefighting show jumpers, Jesus and Satan in an office-feud setting and Chairman Mao doing Roxy Music's Virginia Plain. Probably the best sketches are the recurring (and genuinely wonderful) "World Stare-out Championships" animation and the Gunfight at the OK Corral (played by the Bee Gees and Chaka Khan).
This package holds both of the two series and the first was by far the best. Even when it's not jaw achingly sidesplitting (jockeys and the Artis Known as Prince), it's odd enough to be engaging and Mark Heap (Green Wing), Amelia Bullimore, Simon Pegg (Spaced), Julia Davis (Nighty Night)and Kevin Eldon take the Linehan/Matthews material and make it their own. The second series was not as good, and in the five episodes there is probably enough material to make up one episode as good as the first series (having said that the birth mother reunion sketch in S2E1 nearly killed me). So...
Series 1 *****
Series 2 ***
Both discs come with a fair few deleted scenes - unused sketches that are actually nearly as good as the released stuff.
This is an important milestone in British TV comedy sketch shows and one that's surrealism has never been surpassed. It's an essential part of any collection
This package holds both of the two series and the first was by far the best. Even when it's not jaw achingly sidesplitting (jockeys and the Artis Known as Prince), it's odd enough to be engaging and Mark Heap (Green Wing), Amelia Bullimore, Simon Pegg (Spaced), Julia Davis (Nighty Night)and Kevin Eldon take the Linehan/Matthews material and make it their own. The second series was not as good, and in the five episodes there is probably enough material to make up one episode as good as the first series (having said that the birth mother reunion sketch in S2E1 nearly killed me). So...
Series 1 *****
Series 2 ***
Both discs come with a fair few deleted scenes - unused sketches that are actually nearly as good as the released stuff.
This is an important milestone in British TV comedy sketch shows and one that's surrealism has never been surpassed. It's an essential part of any collection
28 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Okay Okay, so i am writing this before the DVD is released, but people, there is no need to wait for then, no need to delay clicking 'add to basket' for one moment longer....
Big Train is one of the best ever comedy series. The range of Characters are fantastic, and some scenes really are comedy gold - the jockeys being chased by the artist formally known as prince.. ..Ming the Merciless at home doing the hoovering.. the show jumpers who yearned to be firemen..and last but not least the supurb World Staring Championships, commentated on by Barry Davies. When you consider that it was written by the men behind 'Father Ted' and starred top comic actors such as Simon Pegg, Mark Heap and Kevin Eldon, the only question is why have we had to wait so long for the DVD??
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4.1 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marmite?
I enjoyed both series of Big Train when transmitted and still enjoy it now - as with pretty much any show that consist of unrelated gags there are things that I can skip now that I... Read more
Published 27 days ago by WileyC
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious
The quintessential Big Train.
I cannot explain the genius of this. It is just pure comedy. Anarchic and revolutionary with no boundaries.
I cannot explain the genius of this. It is just pure comedy. Anarchic and revolutionary with no boundaries.
Published 1 month ago by T. Lane
5.0 out of 5 stars
Linehan and Matthews -
At their best. Following the fantastic Father Ted. These guys deliver, with an all star cast. Each member a legend in British Comedy. Great surreal sketches with class. Read more
Published 1 month ago by C M French
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big Fan
All the clips from Big Train probably one of the funniest and surrealist comedy shows from TV. The disc are fantastic and always good when you're feeling a bit low and want a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ms. R. Fryer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bonkers!
Weird - in a good way! Great to see all the characters from the various sketches again. Really enjoyed watching it.
Published 2 months ago by ssim67
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big Train: Awesome
No problems with the product overall, timely delivery, packaged well and looks good what I wanted and what else can you say?
Published 4 months ago by Russell Corbyn
3.0 out of 5 stars
strange but okay
repetitive clips, some of which are funny and some of which are quite random. i find about half of it very funn y and the other half not at all funny
Published 4 months ago by pylonics
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surreal comedy
This 2 series sketch show was unique when it first came out.
Eldon, Heap and Pegg play some great characters. Read more
Eldon, Heap and Pegg play some great characters. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. S. J. Bracken
3.0 out of 5 stars
Promises, but many sketches lose their way
Found this a bit underwhelming. The big-name cast hinted at a classic set of sketches, but I found that on the whole the show fell short.
Published 5 months ago by Mr. Anthony J. Paterson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really funny - a great discovery for me.
Living away from the UK this came as a complete and pleasurable surprise. Really funny sketches. Amongst the best for me was the group of nerds in hunting pink helping the firemen... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Dr. B. A. Juby
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