Comedy Greats: Peter Cook and Dudley Moore [VHS]

For many people, including the majority of contemporary comedians (including Billy Connolly), Peter Cook was quite simply the funniest man they'd ever met. A fine comedian who had conquered Broadway, the West End and British television by the time he was twenty eight.

This video gathers together the treasures of Cook and Moore's comic career. A must have for any fan of comedy, satire or plain good writing. If Cook had been less funny, he may well of been the Pinter of his day

Watching this video forty years later, one is struck also by the exceptionally fine production values. The sets and costumes are fully realized. A satiric version of a serious play like Murder in the Cathedral, for example, looks like a real BBC production, until one listens to the words and discovers that the mournful dialogue being acted consists entirely of lyrics from popular songs, with the ecclesiastical characters talking about being "all shook up" and wanting to "twist again." In the famous "Bo Dudley" sketch, Moore puts his musical talent on display as he sings and rocks, while deconstructing the meaning of "Mama's Got A Brand New Bag."

Additional sketches feature the story of "Bargo," a predatory actress under contract to Louis B. Maybe. A stuffy British father gives a lecture on the facts of life to his 18-year-old son. A classic scene of "can you top this" involves Cook claiming that Betty Grable called him in the middle of the night, but he turned her down.

Fully choreographed and sometimes employing a full orchestra, "The Best of What's Left Of..." showcases Dudley Moore and Peter Cook when they dominated sixties satire. Though this video may not include the best sketches they ever produced in Not Only, but Also, most of which have been destroyed, what's left is pretty darn good. Mary Whipple

For many people, including the majority of contemporary comedians (including Billy Connolly), Peter Cook was quite simply the funniest man they'd ever met. A fine comedian who had conquered Broadway, the West End and British television by the time he was twenty eight.

This video gathers together the treasures of Cook and Moore's comic career. A must have for any fan of comedy, satire or plain good writing. If Cook had been less funny, he may well of been the Pinter of his day.