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From Amazon.co.uk
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, Amazon.com
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3DVD
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
277 of 281 people found the following review helpful
By A. Foxley
Format:DVD
There's little one can say about 'Fawlty Towers' that hasn't been said already - 30+ years later, it is still regarded as one of the finest comedies ever produced, the envy of so many writers and performers, and beloved by millions. The care and attention lavished on the writing of the series by John Cleese and Connie Booth, as well as their fantastic performances (aided and abetted by Prunella Scales and Andrew Sachs) have helped the show achieve its iconic status. The shows are endlessly repeated on TV, and released on video and DVD. So, what makes this new DVD set worth your time and money?
The original DVD release of 'Fawlty Towers' was several years ago, and whilst the overall package was good, the picture and sound quality of the episodes was not as good as it could have been, particularly when it came to the outdoor scenes shot on film. For this new release, the episodes have been given fresh transfers, with both the videotape and film elements sourced from superior materials, and restored where appropriate - all are now completely unedited, including a line (" Is it your legs?") mysteriously absent from earlier DVD releases. In short, this set is a definite improvement on earlier releases, and is probably about as good as the series will ever look on DVD.
All the extras from the previous set are retained here - including cast interviews, commentaries from Series 1 director John Howard Davies and Series 2 director Bob Spiers, out-takes and other bits and pieces - but with the addition of some very exciting new material. Firstly, there are extended versions of the interviews conducted with the cast for the 2009 retrospective documentary 'Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened' (including Connie Booth, not featured in the earlier interviews).... Read more ›
The original DVD release of 'Fawlty Towers' was several years ago, and whilst the overall package was good, the picture and sound quality of the episodes was not as good as it could have been, particularly when it came to the outdoor scenes shot on film. For this new release, the episodes have been given fresh transfers, with both the videotape and film elements sourced from superior materials, and restored where appropriate - all are now completely unedited, including a line (" Is it your legs?") mysteriously absent from earlier DVD releases. In short, this set is a definite improvement on earlier releases, and is probably about as good as the series will ever look on DVD.
All the extras from the previous set are retained here - including cast interviews, commentaries from Series 1 director John Howard Davies and Series 2 director Bob Spiers, out-takes and other bits and pieces - but with the addition of some very exciting new material. Firstly, there are extended versions of the interviews conducted with the cast for the 2009 retrospective documentary 'Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened' (including Connie Booth, not featured in the earlier interviews).... Read more ›
79 of 80 people found the following review helpful
By Jack Daniel
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is something 'Fawlty Towers' fans have been waiting for for a long time: ALL twelve episodes with complete audio commentaries from the genius himself 'John Cleese'
These new audio commentaries are worth the asking price alone as it is just like having John sitting next to you & watching with you. In fact even if you are not a fan of 'audio commentaries' you must make a point of watching 'Basil The Rat' with the Cleese commentary, as John says this is his favourite episode & it does show as his laughter during the episode has to be heard to be believed.
With the new 'Cleese' commentaries it almost like having twelve new episodes of 'Fawlty Towers' to watch as they are so good & as you will hear John is VERY thankful to all the cast & crew who were involved with the show especially: 'Ballard Berkeley'/'The Major' & 'Connie Booth'/'Polly'
In addition the remastered picture & sound is fantastic with some excellent sharp and bright images compared with the previous releases on DVD & videotape.
Finally the interview with Connie Booth/'Polly' is a very welcome addition simply because she has refused to talk publicly about Fawlty Towers or thirty years due to her new career as John explains on one of his audio commentaries, he also says she sends us all her love !
These new audio commentaries are worth the asking price alone as it is just like having John sitting next to you & watching with you. In fact even if you are not a fan of 'audio commentaries' you must make a point of watching 'Basil The Rat' with the Cleese commentary, as John says this is his favourite episode & it does show as his laughter during the episode has to be heard to be believed.
With the new 'Cleese' commentaries it almost like having twelve new episodes of 'Fawlty Towers' to watch as they are so good & as you will hear John is VERY thankful to all the cast & crew who were involved with the show especially: 'Ballard Berkeley'/'The Major' & 'Connie Booth'/'Polly'
In addition the remastered picture & sound is fantastic with some excellent sharp and bright images compared with the previous releases on DVD & videotape.
Finally the interview with Connie Booth/'Polly' is a very welcome addition simply because she has refused to talk publicly about Fawlty Towers or thirty years due to her new career as John explains on one of his audio commentaries, he also says she sends us all her love !
219 of 225 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Perhaps the most striking thing about "Fawlty Towers" is that, with so few episodes, it remains irrepressibly funny. No matter how often you watch, even should you become word perfect in the scripts, the action remains hilarious, not to mention outrageous. John Cleese and Connie Booth produced a masterpiece of comedy. Packaged here in three discs, the two series are accompanied by some less than memorable extras - a couple of interviews and a commentary - but, frankly, you don't buy a package like this for the extras, you buy it for the hours and hours of rib-breaking laughter.
"Fawlty Towers" does more than expose the incompetent, amateurish pomposity and rigid morality which seemed to characterise so many English hotels in the 1970's … particularly those of the seaside variety - 'Kiss Me Quick' hats and saucy postcards, but be back in your room by ten, no hanky panky, and breakfast is at eight!
Basil Fawlty runs his hotel the way some people run a private prison. The patrons are there to do as they are told … unless they can prove a certain social cachet. Cleese satirises the 'Englishness' of the seaside hotelier - racism in his treatment of Manuel and middle class consciousness in his treatment of the Irish labourers, the xenophobia and dreams of imperial glory in his attitude to the Germans, the prim outlook on sex, the cloying efforts to move up the ranks and mix with the upper classes while patronising American money, the horror of illness and death, the sheer terror in the face of psychiatry or even bureaucracy.
The ensemble cast are outrageously funny - incisive wit parallels slapstick comedy and farce in the finest traditions of the English stage.
... Read more ›10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Every episode in crystal clear view. Wonderful. The extras dvd has in depth interviews with the cast, the interviews are a little "Alan Partridge" in tone, but enjoyable. You will never regret buying this, all episodes are just as funny every time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good value and lots of laughs
I bought this for my step-father who has enjoyed every moment of watching this. It was great value for the full set and I'm pleased I bought it for him.
Published 1 day ago by VS
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bought as a present...
A friend who was moving abroad, liked our original copy so much that we gave it to them, and we had to buy a replacement for ourselves!
Published 2 days ago by rondora
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
This is a brilliant Dvd although i'd seen all the episodes before many years ago, i really enjoyed watching them all again, well worth the money.
Published 3 days ago by Ange
5.0 out of 5 stars
sound buy
When price gets this low for such a classic series, that doesnt age, I defy anyone that doesnt buy this to just have in their collection, its a must
Published 6 days ago by Mr. S. Dempster
5.0 out of 5 stars
Basil!!!!
This is such a classic, what is there not to love about it! I grew up with this on the TV, and bought this DVD box set to replace my much loved but slightly ancient VHS box set. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Karen
5.0 out of 5 stars
review of Fawlty Towers
Excellent, is exactly as remembered. I purchased this to have it on DVD. We never tire of watching this and still laugh lots.
It is a tonic!
It is a tonic!
Published 18 days ago by Mary
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another side-splitter
Another great buy, and a must have for any fan's collection. Again, since the withdrawal of short-haul in-flight entertainment, this set provides the answer to Cleese/Robinson... Read more
Published 22 days ago by jaycando
5.0 out of 5 stars
So incredibly funny!!
Funniest thing I have watched in a long time, wish they had made more episodes of this. I thank my Fiance for getting me into it!
Published 1 month ago by Carly
5.0 out of 5 stars
Present
I bought this set for my sister for her birthday as we both love faulty towers.I wish they had made more of them
Published 1 month ago by Anne
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic re-packaged
I haven't watched this all the way through yet - that is, haven't seen the 'extras'. Various interviews with the cast members. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Nicoladeon
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