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United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Showcasing the talent and versatility of its star Rik Mayall, this collection comprises six episodes of dark humour spread over two series, where he plays such diverse roles as a paranoid TV show host, an uncontrollable liar who pretends to be a gangster and a man on a date who is trapped in a cycle of escalating comic violence! Heightening the manically marvellous mix of mirth and mayhem is a star-studded cast including Amanda Donohoe, Helena Bonham Carter, Nick Hancock and Lee Evans to name a few. Accompanied by quality writing and superb direction, this is British comedy at its very best. Episodes Comprise: 1. Micky Love (1993) 2. Briefest Encounter (1993) 3. Dancing (1993) 4. The Big One (1995) 5. Dirty Old Town (1995) 6. Clair De Lune (1995) ...Rik Mayall Presents - Complete Series - 2-DVD Set ( Micky Love / Briefest Encounter / Dancing Queen / The Big One / Dirty Old Town / Clair de Lune ) ( Rik Mayall Presents Micky Love / Rik Mayall Presents Briefest Encounter / Rik Mayall Pres
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I have to confess that I bought this collection purely to get a good copy of Dancing Queen. I originally recorded it straight from TV but wore it out!
I honestly regard this as the best film HBC has ever made, but Rik Mayall is surprisingly good in a romantic leading role. The only flaw with this film is that it feels as if there are chunks missing - and it seems there are. I remember reading somewhere that there was sufficient footage shot to make a 90 minute film, but it had to be savagely cut to meet the demanded format. I also heard that it was planned to release a full-length version at some point, but it was then discovered that the excised footage had been accidentally losy or discarded.
This leaves us with an ending that looks hurried or careless, but it still doesn't spoil my overall enjoyment. What really makes it is the acting, with a bit of a tour-de-force from Bonham-Carter, which is almost the total opposite of the roles she is best known for. The soundtrack is well chosen too and both Nellie The Elephant and Come Up And See Me (Make Me Smile) will always bring a smile to my face every time I hear them from now on.
The ending is as corny as hell, but sometimes you simply need a film that simply leaves you with a warm glow. This is that film.
As for the others in the series. Micky Love is a barely disguised portrayal of Hughie Green - very good actually, but I don't feel the need to return to it. Brief Encounter was far more vicious than I remember it from the TV.
As for the rest, well I've had the DVD for about a year now and still haven't got round to watching them again.
I bought this DVD at full price and thought it well worth it for that one episode. It is now obviously a bargain.
I honestly regard this as the best film HBC has ever made, but Rik Mayall is surprisingly good in a romantic leading role. The only flaw with this film is that it feels as if there are chunks missing - and it seems there are. I remember reading somewhere that there was sufficient footage shot to make a 90 minute film, but it had to be savagely cut to meet the demanded format. I also heard that it was planned to release a full-length version at some point, but it was then discovered that the excised footage had been accidentally losy or discarded.
This leaves us with an ending that looks hurried or careless, but it still doesn't spoil my overall enjoyment. What really makes it is the acting, with a bit of a tour-de-force from Bonham-Carter, which is almost the total opposite of the roles she is best known for. The soundtrack is well chosen too and both Nellie The Elephant and Come Up And See Me (Make Me Smile) will always bring a smile to my face every time I hear them from now on.
The ending is as corny as hell, but sometimes you simply need a film that simply leaves you with a warm glow. This is that film.
As for the others in the series. Micky Love is a barely disguised portrayal of Hughie Green - very good actually, but I don't feel the need to return to it. Brief Encounter was far more vicious than I remember it from the TV.
As for the rest, well I've had the DVD for about a year now and still haven't got round to watching them again.
I bought this DVD at full price and thought it well worth it for that one episode. It is now obviously a bargain.
39 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
These 50-odd minute plays provide a wide range of material for Rik Mayall to get his teeth into, the the results are (perhaps predictably) rather mixed.
'Micky Love' is in a class of it's own here, and is easily the best of all six plays, matching an incredible script with the vivid title character, an over the hill northern light entertainer heading for a fall. Disaster piles on disaster as an overheard conversation leads ultimately to the downfall of a TV quiz show king - this is both by turns hilarious and gripping drama.
'Briefest Encounter' is tells the story of two strangers meeting at a party then going home together for a disasterous 'date'. The most blatantly comedic play in the series, this might have been excellent pared down to a 30 minute short, but this situation is so over-extended that the characters end up turning into complete insanity by the half-way point, and the piece drifts off into the realms of the ridiculous.
'Dancing Queen' is a slight romantic tale as a groom has his wedding day disrupted by his best man's over-enthusiastic celebrations and ends up becoming attached to the stripper hired for his batchelors night. A little obvious perhaps, but a nicely played and gorgeously shot piece.
'The Big One' tells the tale of an incorrigable liar who ends up in fear of his life after impersonating a dead man - a reasonably diverting twisty plot-line but the play seems to stumble a little between knowing whether it's a comedy film or a gangster thriller.
'Dirty Old Town' has a suicidal tramp mistaken for a movie scrpt-writer with fairly predictable results. Not bad, just a rather obvious 'trading places' scenario that sorely lacks a punchline.
Finally 'Claire De Lune' has a taxi driver getting involved with a woman on the run, a pleasant aimiable story.
All in all most of these plays lean towards drama over comedy, but the results lack the cutting bite of Rik's work with 'The Comic Strip Presents...', being more obviously aimed at early evening ITV mainstream audience. A mixed bunch but well worth a look for 'Micky Love' if nothing else...
'Micky Love' is in a class of it's own here, and is easily the best of all six plays, matching an incredible script with the vivid title character, an over the hill northern light entertainer heading for a fall. Disaster piles on disaster as an overheard conversation leads ultimately to the downfall of a TV quiz show king - this is both by turns hilarious and gripping drama.
'Briefest Encounter' is tells the story of two strangers meeting at a party then going home together for a disasterous 'date'. The most blatantly comedic play in the series, this might have been excellent pared down to a 30 minute short, but this situation is so over-extended that the characters end up turning into complete insanity by the half-way point, and the piece drifts off into the realms of the ridiculous.
'Dancing Queen' is a slight romantic tale as a groom has his wedding day disrupted by his best man's over-enthusiastic celebrations and ends up becoming attached to the stripper hired for his batchelors night. A little obvious perhaps, but a nicely played and gorgeously shot piece.
'The Big One' tells the tale of an incorrigable liar who ends up in fear of his life after impersonating a dead man - a reasonably diverting twisty plot-line but the play seems to stumble a little between knowing whether it's a comedy film or a gangster thriller.
'Dirty Old Town' has a suicidal tramp mistaken for a movie scrpt-writer with fairly predictable results. Not bad, just a rather obvious 'trading places' scenario that sorely lacks a punchline.
Finally 'Claire De Lune' has a taxi driver getting involved with a woman on the run, a pleasant aimiable story.
All in all most of these plays lean towards drama over comedy, but the results lack the cutting bite of Rik's work with 'The Comic Strip Presents...', being more obviously aimed at early evening ITV mainstream audience. A mixed bunch but well worth a look for 'Micky Love' if nothing else...
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I remember this series being fairly well hyped when it was originally broadcast, so I knew that the background to it was a series of standalone plays, of the darkly comic nature, featuring Rik Mayall and various established or up-and-coming actors.
However, the only episode I actually saw at the time of transmission was Clair de Lune and it was only because of a sudden and inexplicable itch to see it again 15 years later that I bought this collection.
And am I glad that I did! Although Clair de Lune still remains my favourite, I soon discovered there are some real gems in here and they really showcase Mayall's range. At the other end of the spectrum from Clair de Lune (both literally and figuratively) the first episode, Micky Love, is the least of my favourites; it was all a little too contrived for my liking, without being particularly bad as such. However, Briefest Encounter was superb and although you do have to be prepared to accept a bit of gratuitous violence, there are some deeply funny moments and I suspect it'll improve with time.
Series One ends with Dancing Queen - it was the most hyped of all the original broadcasts, and perhaps why I was expecting rather more out of it than I got - but it took a little longer for me to get involved with this one, although two-thirds of the way through I think I finally 'got' it and suspect it's one of those rarities that will improve enormously upon repeated viewings.
Series Two was pretty much faultless and there is not a bad episode; The Big One, Dirty Old Town and, my favourite of the lot of course, Clair de Lune, are all brilliant and left me wishing for more. Maybe it's just me, I also felt that both series captured the 1990s in a way I'm not sure I can explain - perhaps this was down to the direction and photography, but they all created a bit of an atmosphere that had me wanting to go back to my college days.
However, the only episode I actually saw at the time of transmission was Clair de Lune and it was only because of a sudden and inexplicable itch to see it again 15 years later that I bought this collection.
And am I glad that I did! Although Clair de Lune still remains my favourite, I soon discovered there are some real gems in here and they really showcase Mayall's range. At the other end of the spectrum from Clair de Lune (both literally and figuratively) the first episode, Micky Love, is the least of my favourites; it was all a little too contrived for my liking, without being particularly bad as such. However, Briefest Encounter was superb and although you do have to be prepared to accept a bit of gratuitous violence, there are some deeply funny moments and I suspect it'll improve with time.
Series One ends with Dancing Queen - it was the most hyped of all the original broadcasts, and perhaps why I was expecting rather more out of it than I got - but it took a little longer for me to get involved with this one, although two-thirds of the way through I think I finally 'got' it and suspect it's one of those rarities that will improve enormously upon repeated viewings.
Series Two was pretty much faultless and there is not a bad episode; The Big One, Dirty Old Town and, my favourite of the lot of course, Clair de Lune, are all brilliant and left me wishing for more. Maybe it's just me, I also felt that both series captured the 1990s in a way I'm not sure I can explain - perhaps this was down to the direction and photography, but they all created a bit of an atmosphere that had me wanting to go back to my college days.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Mayall is Brilliant!
I loved this, excellent value all round! Mayall is just brilliant along with a host of other great actors! Brought back a lot of memories, especially Dancing queen, wonderful!
Published 3 months ago by paul newton
Disappointed!
Perhaps it's a bit early to review this 2 DVD set, because so far I have only watched ONE particular show in the set. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Charlie
A new insight
I bought this DVD for two reasons: one, I am a massive fan of Rik Mayall and feel like I have a duty to buy everything he's ever in. Read more
Published 10 months ago by S. Clarkson
Rik Mayall Presents: The Complete Series [DVD]
Only Purchased for Dancing Queen, well worth the cost and bonus I still have the rest of the series to watch!
Published 12 months ago by A Cookk
RIK MAYALL REVIEW
I LOVED THIS SERIES OF PLAYS WHEN THEY FIRST AIRED. I AM AN AVID RIK MAYALL FAN AND I FOUND THESE PLAYS GAVE HIM THE CHANCE TO SHOW OFF DIFFERENT PERSONAS AND DEVELOP HIS ACTING... Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2009 by Ms. S. Parnell
amazing
If you're a fan of Rik Mayall you'll love these dvds, and if you're not, you can become a fan! The plays aren't like the normal things you'd expect from him, but they show what a... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2008 by amy melody
I thought this man was intelligent, but.....
has he learned nothing from John Lennon's faux pas? What a stupid title, guaranteed to minimise sales.
Published on 15 Nov 2007 by Noel Jealous
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