Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
Product Description
Following on from the success of 'Pleasure at her Majesty's', this 1979 concert was the second of the Amnesty Balls and, much like the first, features top-notch British comedy from top-notch British comedy stars. These include Peter Cook, John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 60 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Much to my regret, for some odd reason, I don't think I have ever seen a "truly complete" version of any one of these wonderful performances...
When these shows came out on VHS, I found several very annoying differences in regard to the length and 'completeness' of the shows. The PAL videos contained bits and sketches that did not appear on the NTSC videos, entitled under the same name, and vice versa. (This was the case with all of the shows).
Now, finally (!), these shows are available on DVD!!! - and still, I found some missing bits. For instance: Billy Connolly's 'Country & Western' sketch from "The Secret Policeman's Ball" does not appear here. (And the funny thing is, that you can even see his name on the credits...), another missing bit is Lenny Henry's wonderful monologue as Trever Netelford with his 'inquiring mind' (- missing from "The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball") and there are a couple of others... - and these are things that you can get on the videos (and again, it depends on which ones you buy...).
Why can't we ever get a full and complete version of these shows??? Why??? Why??? Why???
Another thing - and this will end my short chain of complaints -If they're going to make a special "Best-of Music Edition" (- which I think is rather silly - because there's nothing "new". You've already got all those musical numbers on the other DVDs in the set - and all you need to do it to skip chapters), why not make a "Best-of Comedy Edition" as well? - for the people who are more interested in the comedy side of these shows?
But, all nitpicking aside, this a really fabulous collection! The transfer may seem not-very-good, but I think that concidering the horrific origional masters, the transfer is fantastic!!
So it's missing a couple of funny bits... big-deal...
... Read more ›34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By hakko
Format:DVD
... at least it was much more than I expected. I only knew about the three shows called 'Ball', 'Other Ball' and 'Third Ball', so I expected a 2 or 3 DVD including these. Boy I was wrong. In my mail a 4 DVD set appeared earlier today, and while I haven't watched everything yet I have browsed some of the known highlights (i.e. the Monty Python and Rowan Atkinson stuff ;) and can just say: I loved every minute of it. The four DVD's include all 7 of Amnesty International's charity shows in London from 1976 to 1991 plus a special compilation of the best music. The complete list is:
1a:Pleasure at her Majesty's (1976)
1b:Mermaid Frolics (1977)
2a:The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
2b:The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981)
3a:The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (1987)
3b:The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball (1989)
4a:Amnesty International's Big 30 - Special Edition (1991)
4b:The Secret Policeman's Balls (Music Edition)
1a:Pleasure at her Majesty's (1976)
1b:Mermaid Frolics (1977)
2a:The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
2b:The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981)
3a:The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (1987)
3b:The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball (1989)
4a:Amnesty International's Big 30 - Special Edition (1991)
4b:The Secret Policeman's Balls (Music Edition)
I have rated this 4 stars, because the transfer is not very good, and partly that can be contributed to bad masters. With a little more work this could have become a great package. Still, it's a fine display of the best british comedy of the 70s and 80s and I doubt that there is any other compilation of the same quality of comedy anywhere.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Samba Pa Ti
Format:DVD
now dont get me wrong, i like this dvd but there are bits missing.
i used to own the VHS set but my jvc recorder chewed one of the casettes up so i got rid of it, this vhs set had a few more acts featured on it and was edited differently (so as to fit it all on the tapes i assume).
billy connolly was one of the missing acts, which is a shame as he was very funny at TSPB, he can be seen on the stage at the end of the 1981 show (right in the middle next to john cleese).
now to whats featured :
Pleasure At Her Majestys - 1976 ~ features : John Cleese, Michael Palin, Peter cook, Dame Edna, Alan Bennett, Tim Brooke Taylor, John Fortune, Graham Chapman, John Bird, Eleanor Bron, Carol Cleveland, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Neil Innes, Bill Oddie, Johnathan Miller.
Mermaid Frollics - 1977 ~ features : Peter Ustinov, John Cleese, Peter Cook, Connie Booth, Terry Jones, Julie Covington, Johnathan Miller, Pete Atkin, Des Jones.
The Secret Policemans Ball - 1979 ~ features : Peter Cook, John Cleese, Clive James, Pete Townshend, Rowan Atkinson, Michael Palin, John Williams, Sylvester Mccoy, Ken Campbell, David Rappaport, Terry Jones, Tom Robinson.
The Secret Policemans Other Ball - 1981 ~ features : Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese, Alexie Sayle, Sting, John Wells (as Denis Thatcher), Phil Collins, Dame Edna, Jasper Carrot, Eric Clapton, Victoria Wood, Boomtown Rats, Michael Palin
The Secret Policemans Third Ball - 1987 ~ features : Ruby Wax, Spitting Image, Kate Bush, Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie, Lenny Henry, Joan Armatrading, Mark Knopfler, Bob Geldof, Nick Kershaw, Robbie Coltrane, Phil Cool,
Duran Duran, John Cleese, Chet Atkins, Emo Phillips, Lou Reed, Ben Elton, Peter Gabriel.... Read more ›
i used to own the VHS set but my jvc recorder chewed one of the casettes up so i got rid of it, this vhs set had a few more acts featured on it and was edited differently (so as to fit it all on the tapes i assume).
billy connolly was one of the missing acts, which is a shame as he was very funny at TSPB, he can be seen on the stage at the end of the 1981 show (right in the middle next to john cleese).
now to whats featured :
Pleasure At Her Majestys - 1976 ~ features : John Cleese, Michael Palin, Peter cook, Dame Edna, Alan Bennett, Tim Brooke Taylor, John Fortune, Graham Chapman, John Bird, Eleanor Bron, Carol Cleveland, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Neil Innes, Bill Oddie, Johnathan Miller.
Mermaid Frollics - 1977 ~ features : Peter Ustinov, John Cleese, Peter Cook, Connie Booth, Terry Jones, Julie Covington, Johnathan Miller, Pete Atkin, Des Jones.
The Secret Policemans Ball - 1979 ~ features : Peter Cook, John Cleese, Clive James, Pete Townshend, Rowan Atkinson, Michael Palin, John Williams, Sylvester Mccoy, Ken Campbell, David Rappaport, Terry Jones, Tom Robinson.
The Secret Policemans Other Ball - 1981 ~ features : Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese, Alexie Sayle, Sting, John Wells (as Denis Thatcher), Phil Collins, Dame Edna, Jasper Carrot, Eric Clapton, Victoria Wood, Boomtown Rats, Michael Palin
The Secret Policemans Third Ball - 1987 ~ features : Ruby Wax, Spitting Image, Kate Bush, Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie, Lenny Henry, Joan Armatrading, Mark Knopfler, Bob Geldof, Nick Kershaw, Robbie Coltrane, Phil Cool,
Duran Duran, John Cleese, Chet Atkins, Emo Phillips, Lou Reed, Ben Elton, Peter Gabriel.... Read more ›
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By S J Buck
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
This wonderful boxed set of the charity comedy concerts from 1976 through to 1991 contains some of the best live comedy/satire ever produced. Everybody will have their favourites, but two or three standout for me.
The four Yorkshire sketch is a masterpiece. Somehow I had never heard the Python original prior to seeing this version. So this remains my favourite. "Our Dad used to slice us in two with bread knife"... etc etc.
However best of all is Peter Cook. We are so lucky that he performed at these shows and in particular that his marvellous skit on the Judges summing up of the Jeremy Thorpe (the then leader of the Liberal Party) related trial is captured on film as well as in sound - "I would like to pay a personal tribute to Mr Thropes husband Miriam...."
Another excellent sketch that Cook contributes to is the one with John Cleese on the park bench. Cook has minutes of tedious dialogue (from his character E L Whisty) during which Cleese is trying to read the paper and getting more and more irratated with Cook. In fact at one point Cleese almost loses it and laughs. In the end Cooks dialogue is rewarded with a classic Cleese rant to which Cook replies "How very interesting!".
Rowan Atkinson makes a number of memorable appearances as previous reviewers have pointed out and many other well known comedians contribute ably to the whole proceedings.
The music DVD is a mixed bag, but there are some great moments. The rarity of seeing Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck performing on stage together on 'Further on up the Road' and Pete Townsend performing 'Pinball Wizard' solo being the highlights for me.
The boxed set is well packaged on four discs and the total running time is 581 mins (9 hours and 41 minutes), so you get a lot for your money.
The four Yorkshire sketch is a masterpiece. Somehow I had never heard the Python original prior to seeing this version. So this remains my favourite. "Our Dad used to slice us in two with bread knife"... etc etc.
However best of all is Peter Cook. We are so lucky that he performed at these shows and in particular that his marvellous skit on the Judges summing up of the Jeremy Thorpe (the then leader of the Liberal Party) related trial is captured on film as well as in sound - "I would like to pay a personal tribute to Mr Thropes husband Miriam...."
Another excellent sketch that Cook contributes to is the one with John Cleese on the park bench. Cook has minutes of tedious dialogue (from his character E L Whisty) during which Cleese is trying to read the paper and getting more and more irratated with Cook. In fact at one point Cleese almost loses it and laughs. In the end Cooks dialogue is rewarded with a classic Cleese rant to which Cook replies "How very interesting!".
Rowan Atkinson makes a number of memorable appearances as previous reviewers have pointed out and many other well known comedians contribute ably to the whole proceedings.
The music DVD is a mixed bag, but there are some great moments. The rarity of seeing Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck performing on stage together on 'Further on up the Road' and Pete Townsend performing 'Pinball Wizard' solo being the highlights for me.
The boxed set is well packaged on four discs and the total running time is 581 mins (9 hours and 41 minutes), so you get a lot for your money.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cream of British Comedians
A collection of "The Secret Of the Policeman's Ball" with the cream of British comedians, acts and stand up of the late 70's to early 80's. Read more
Published 22 months ago by PJ
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious
Just too many funny sketches to mention. If you buy this DVD you will have your favourites that you watch again and again. English humour at it's finest.
Published on 24 Dec 2009 by Terence Bowen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classis humour
Classic humour and music. The best rendition of the parrot sketch there is. Rowan Atkinson's school register. The one legged tarzan sketch and many more. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2005
5.0 out of 5 stars
a great collection
Simply a nice dvdÂ's (4), very recommended to the lover of music and the satire. ItÂ's amazing and great recording from great stars of the music and comedy
Very recommended !!!
Published on 7 Sep 2003 by David Arroyo Fernandez
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
