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Amazon.co.uk Review
Often hailed as the greatest ever British sitcom, Fawlty Towers is closer to the more elaborate tradition of farce. Comprising two series made in 1975 and 1979, the total of just 12 episodes were painstakingly constructed by writers John Cleese and Connie Booth. Unlike most British farce, however, Fawlty Towers deals with the big themes--death, psychology, xenophobia and even sex-o-phobia (Basil's marriage to Sybil is the most sterile ever depicted in a sitcom). Basil's contempt for his guests is, of course, legendary. It takes little from patrons to unleash his sledgehammer sarcasm: "Rosewood, mahogany, teak? Sorry, I was wondering what you'd like your breakfast tray made out of", he sneers at a guest who dares to request breakfast in bed. Like every Englishman, he wants to be king of his own castle and resents having to take in lodgers to maintain the place, especially the open-necked younger generation, whom he regards as sub-human. Mostly, though, Fawlty Towers is comedy of exasperation--who can forget the "damn good thrashing" Basil gives his clapped-out car, or the nervous breakdowns he almost suffers trying to make himself understood to Manuel? It's also comedy of embarrassment. The very fear of losing his dignity generally leads Basil into the most spectacularly undignified of predicaments. His inevitable misery is our sheer delight. -- David Stubbs
On the DVD: each six-episode season is given its own disc with a commentary track from John Howard Davies and Bob Spiers, directors of Season 1 and Season 2 respectively. The third disc has all the additional material, the best of which are new interviews with John Cleese, Andrew Sachs and Prunella Scales. Also included are text biographies of all the leads and the guest stars, a short background featurette on Torquay and the hotel owner who is said to have inspired Basil, a very short blooper reel of outtakes and a brief teaser with Cleese in character entitled "Cheap Tatty Review". Much of this extra material was comfortably fitted onto the individually available Season 1 and 2 discs, so it's a bit of a mystery why a third disc was deemed necessary for the box set. --Mark Walker
DVD Description
Contains all twelve episodes from both series of Fawlty Towers:
Disc One – Series One:
- A Touch Of Class
- The Builders
- The Wedding Party
- The Hotel Inspectors
- Gourmet Night
- The Germans
- The Builders
Disc Two – Series Two:
- Communication Problems
- The Psychiatrist
- Waldorf Salad
- The Kipper And The Corpse
- The Anniversary
- Basil The Rat
- The Psychiatrist
Disc Three – DVD Special Features
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Firstly my reveiw is based on the actual episodes and not the DVD as an item. I actually own the series on VHS and "Fawlty Towers" is probably the best example of how not to overkill an idea. The fact that there are only 12 Episodes over 2 series filmed 4 years apart (1975 & 1979) probably speaks volumes for the methodology in the creative genius of co-writers John Cleese & Connie Booth. So often we have sitcoms & comedy shows (more often American than British) that don't know when to kill a tired idea, often running it out to the point of boredom. That's not the case here. Each episode contains lines that have become part of everyday language (when have we not quoted certain "Fawlty" moments to our friends, loved ones or even ourselves?) - e.g "don't mention the war", "Que?", "Ohh I Knooww!", "you can see the sea, it's over there between the land & the sky!", "Basil!", "Which horse, Nitwit or Dragonfly?", "Just checking the walls", "Fawlty - what's wrong with him?", "why do they call you sister, is it a term of endearment?" etc ad infinitum. I find it difficult to watch any episode and not recite it virtually word for word.
It's not easy to pick a favorite episode. "The Builders", "Mrs. Richards", "The Hotel Inspectors", "The Germans", "Basil The Rat", "The Kipper & The Corpse", "The Wedding Party", "The Psychiatrists" & "Gourmet Night"... what the heck all of them have wonderfully absurd moments that just stick in the brain and stay there forever. From Basil finding bricks instead of valuables in a guest's briefcase, to him thrashing his car and not finding a duck in the trifle, to Mrs. Richards' "the hotel guest from hell", to Manuel serenading his "Filigree Siberian hamster", to Polly & Sybil entertaining on Gourmet Night, not to mention "Basil The Rat" in the biscuit tin. Care for some Sino-Scandinavian veal perhaps? Try cancelling your fruit salad (it's a bit difficult, chef's just opened the tin!)
Get the point? As I stated at the start I've concentrated on the show itself...after all, in this case, who really cares about the little extras. Buy it just for these 12 brilliant episodes because nothing else matters.
It's not easy to pick a favorite episode. "The Builders", "Mrs. Richards", "The Hotel Inspectors", "The Germans", "Basil The Rat", "The Kipper & The Corpse", "The Wedding Party", "The Psychiatrists" & "Gourmet Night"... what the heck all of them have wonderfully absurd moments that just stick in the brain and stay there forever. From Basil finding bricks instead of valuables in a guest's briefcase, to him thrashing his car and not finding a duck in the trifle, to Mrs. Richards' "the hotel guest from hell", to Manuel serenading his "Filigree Siberian hamster", to Polly & Sybil entertaining on Gourmet Night, not to mention "Basil The Rat" in the biscuit tin. Care for some Sino-Scandinavian veal perhaps? Try cancelling your fruit salad (it's a bit difficult, chef's just opened the tin!)
Get the point? As I stated at the start I've concentrated on the show itself...after all, in this case, who really cares about the little extras. Buy it just for these 12 brilliant episodes because nothing else matters.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
At long last - the complaete Fawlty Towers in one place - and on DVD too. This is British comedy at its best, proving that well written comedy never shows its age. Having watched Fawlty Towers over and over again for the lat twenty years i suspected that buying this set would just be a case of replacing my well worn VHS set. This was not the case as the newly remastered DVD's have added a whole new dimension to my viewing pleasure. Long live Basil Fawlty!!!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Manuel!!!!!
There is not one video in this collection that cannot be watched over and over again!! From start to finish you'll be rolling around the floor with the quality dry wit and humour displayed by the cast
A must buy on anyone's comedy list
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brighten up your weekends
A beautifully scripted timeless classic that you never grow tired of. Fawlty Towers is the sort of series you can pop into your machine on a rainy sunday afternoon and it will... Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2007 by V. Lydon
the best comedy ever
you can watch somethings over and over again but they get boring, fawlty towers however is not one of these, simply put the greatest british comedy ever
Published on 22 July 2006 by Mr. Andrew J. Macpherson
Best comedy anywhere
Sight comedy is usually just slap-stick. Fawlty raises the bar to entirely new levels and does so show after show. There are none better.
Published on 8 Jan 2006
My desert island disc
What else to say? Absolutely hilarious, if I had a day to live I could spend it just watching the 2 episodes that comprise this greatest of comedic masterworks, still brings me to... Read more
Published on 19 July 2005 by John C. Beam
THE MOST AMUSING HOTEL
Cleese at his very best, he is of course the king of the show. Excellent supporting cast and everyone, including the biscuit eater RAT...ehem,...HAMSTER from Manuel. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2005 by Josep Parareda Saderra
Buy the individual series
Brilliant comedy but do not buy this box set. It looks a good deal but save money and buy the individual series.
Published on 4 Nov 2004 by Mr. P. D. Nicholson
One of the greatest tv series ever
The 1970's is rightly regarded as the golden age of British comedy. During this period Porridge, Rising Damp, Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads, and of course Fawlty Towers, all... Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2004 by D. Evans
Classic British Comedy
It's such a shame they only produced 12 episodes of this program. It could quite easily have lasted at least as long as Porridge. Read more
Published on 15 July 2004 by Brains
5 Star Plus!!!
Fawlty Towers Is The Best British Comedy Ever Next To Only Fools And Horses, Chewin' The Fat, Still Game, Keeping Up Appearances And One Foot In The Grave. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2004
BRITAINS GREATEST SITCOM!
Fawlty towers Can be summed up in one word : Amazing!!!!
Without a shadow of a doubt it is the greatest sitcom ever made. Read more
Without a shadow of a doubt it is the greatest sitcom ever made. Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2004 by "matthewd_carr"
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