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The Blackadder - The Historic First Series [1983] [DVD]
 
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The Blackadder - The Historic First Series [1983] [DVD]

DVD ~ Rowan Atkinson
4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
RRP: £19.99
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Frequently Bought Together

The Blackadder - The Historic First Series [1983] [DVD] + Blackadder 2 - The Entire Second Series [1986] [DVD] + Blackadder 3 - The Entire Historic Third Series [1987] [DVD]
Total RRP: £59.97
Price For All Three: £17.94

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Blackadder - The Historic First Series [1983] [DVD]
73% buy the item featured on this page:
The Blackadder - The Historic First Series [1983] [DVD] 4.1 out of 5 stars (30)
£5.98
Blackadder - The Complete Collection [DVD]
8% buy
Blackadder - The Complete Collection [DVD] 4.7 out of 5 stars (62)
£29.98
Blackadder 2 - The Entire Second Series [1986] [DVD]
8% buy
Blackadder 2 - The Entire Second Series [1986] [DVD] 4.7 out of 5 stars (20)
£5.98
Blackadder 3 - The Entire Historic Third Series [1987] [DVD]
6% buy
Blackadder 3 - The Entire Historic Third Series [1987] [DVD] 4.9 out of 5 stars (16)
£5.98
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Product details

  • Actors: Rowan Atkinson, Brian Blessed, Elspet Gray, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson
  • Format: Full Screen, PAL
  • Language English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 15
  • Studio: 2 Entertain Video
  • DVD Release Date: 1 Nov 1999
  • Run Time: 196 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004CZS8
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 4,033 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

    Popular in this category:

    #6 in  DVD > Television > TV Series > Black Adder

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
The classic first series of BlackAdder was slightly different to its successors--Ben Elton was not yet part of the writing team, and Shakespearean parody featured prominently. Rowan Atkinson was at his best as a would-be Machiavellian medieval intriguer while Brian Blessed plays his gloriously over the top blustering militarist father.

The episodes collected here are: "The Foretelling", in which Richard III, played by Peter Cook in a brilliant parody of Olivier, wins Bosworth only to get in an unseemly argument about a horse; "Born to be King" in which Edmund, lumbered with providing bearded ladies, morris dancers and eunuchs for a festival, discovers some indiscreet love letters; "The Archbishop" in which after his father has the Archbishop of Canterbury killed, Edmund starts his intrigues again; "The Queen of Spain's Beard" in which Blackadder's father's international schemes call for Edmund to make a dynastic marriage to Miriam Margolyes as the Infanta of Spain, and Jim Broadbent plays a peculiarly irritating interpreter; "Witchsmeller Pursuivant" in which Edmund falls foul of the demonic witchsmeller, played with more gusto than is quite credible by Frank Finlay; and "The Black Seal", wherein Edmund assembles a group of villains as his personal retinue (Rik Mayall plays a mad prisoner).

On the DVD: No extras here at all, aside from subtitles in English, SDH, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, and chapter points within each episode. --Roz Kaveney

Special Features
4:3 Full Frame
DVD 9
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital English
Dolby Digital
Colour Booklet
Danish\Dutch\English\French\Italian\Norwegian\Portuguese\Spanish\Swedish


See all Reviews

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Customer Reviews

30 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (10)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best!!!!!!!!!!!!!, 10 Jun 2006
By M. P. Valentine "theteamster" (Liverpool) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
The first series is somewhat forgotten by many people, but this is simply because of its few repeats. I'm not going to drone-on about the wonderful comedy writing and performances because Blackadder's proven its worth by standing the test of time. What I will say is that this series cost the BBC a shed load of money in production costs and more or less cancelled any chance of a second series. Thank god for the BBC and realising a gem in its infancy. We often forget how wonderful the BBC has been in producing fine comedy that travels the globe. I hope for a Blackadder 5 like most people, but I don't forget how spoilt the first four have made me.
Back to the series: King Richard IV's (Brian Blessed) deliberate misuse of his second son's name of Edmund is a shear joy, (EDNA is a particular favourite).

Love this series for its raw invention. It's the foundation for the wonderful three that followed. A clever Baldrick and a dim-wit Edmund is a refreshing twist. Percy's character is pure genius!

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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Wickedly funny, 16 Feb 2005
By dragondrums "dragondrums" (Ingleby Barwick, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
The first, and the best, series of Blackadder. Starring Rowan AtKinson as Prince Edmund aka 'The Black Adder'. Each hilarious episode sees the hopeless Edmund trying to wrest some power from his father the King (Brian Blessed) and Harry his older brother aided by his two sidekicks Percy and Baldrick.
As usual, the 'cunning plans' backfire on the hapless trio with the usual side splitting consequences. Wickedly funny and well worth watching.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but could be great., 21 Mar 2000
It's wonderful to get the first of the Black Adder series on a single DVD. However, despite this luxury, this could have been incredible if it had contained secondary audio commentary by Rowan Atkinson and/or Richard Curtis commenting on the various scenes or what have you. I look forward anxiously to the other three series on DVD!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Comedy
Although not quite as good as the other three this is still a fantastic series. I think it just slightly lacks the dry sarcasm and wit that Ben Elton brought to the other series... Read more
Published 2 months ago by I. M. Knight

5.0 out of 5 stars The First and Best and least silly
I think this is how I would have liked all the Blackadders to be. Solidly centred on the Middle Ages ,appealing to an intelligent audience,familiar with Skakespeare, it avoids... Read more
Published 7 months ago by E. H. Jenkins

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
It's a well known fact that this series is very different from the other Blackadders, but that doesn't mean its's not funny. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Craig Taylor

4.0 out of 5 stars With many a cunning plan
The original series of the legendary comedy series `Blackadder' was of a very different style to the one that most fans know and love, largely due to the absence of writer Ben... Read more
Published 12 months ago by KPA Lowe

5.0 out of 5 stars STILL AS BRILLIANT AS WHEN I WATCHED IT 25 YEARS AGO
IN MY EYES THIS VERY UNDERATED FIRST SERIES OF BLACKADDER BEATS THE OTHER THREE HANDS DOWN, AND IS STILL AS BRILLIANT AS I FIRST REMEMBER WATCHING IT WAY BACK IN 1983. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mr. R. A. Marriott

5.0 out of 5 stars The Foretelling
The original series of `The Black Adder' is, with the benefit of hindsight, the odd ball of the full series and yet I enjoyed it at the time and enjoy it still but for different... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ian Wood, Author of 'Here's 2 ...

2.0 out of 5 stars It get's two for paving the way
This first series in no way compares to the masterpieces that followed. Blackadder is dull and foolish in this, so there are non of his cunning witty jokes that provide the bulk... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Rob the brilliant

4.0 out of 5 stars Blackadder, Blackadder, you horrid little man
Who knew the War of the Roses was so funny?

Or at least, the first season of "Black Adder" was, as it chronicled an erased era in English history, and the life story... Read more
Published 23 months ago by E. A Solinas

4.0 out of 5 stars The most gripping sitcom since 1380.
This is the first series of Blackadder, and takes place in the Middle Ages. It came out three years before I was born, so obviously, I didn't see it when it was first on. Read more
Published on 6 May 2007 by Jay

3.0 out of 5 stars Best was yet to come
There is a reason why this isn't seen as often. It just wasn't as good as subsequent series. The writing lacked the rapier wit, the central characters were less appealing and... Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2007 by S. Jones

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