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    The Best of French And Saunders

    BBC/Roadshow Entertainment . R4 . COLOR . 102 mins . Roadshow Entertainment . PAL

      Feature
    Contract

    You're seeing the best, so forget the rest..... here is the greatest television comic duo since the golden days of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

    Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French, after appearing in such groundbreaking British comedy series as The Comic Strip (featuring such blissful episodes as Five Go Mad in Dorset and The Famous Five on Mescalin), teamed officially as a duo in 1978 in the first series of 'French and Saunders'.

    While the two have parted from time to time for solo work (Jennifer Saunders to create 'Absolutely Fabulous' and Dawn French to star in 'The Vicar of Dibley'), they continue to reunite under the French and Saunders banner -- and in fact, a new series was filmed in England in July 2004.

    Region One shoppers can choose from four compilations of French and Saunders on DVD. Here we can choose from just one, which restricts choice somewhat .... but The Best of French and Saunders really is a choice selection indeed.

    It's crammed with wild and wonderful goodies, including snippets from Hollywood (featuring Dawn French's immaculate take-off of Elizabeth Taylor flogging cheap perfume, and Jennifer Saunder's brilliantly vicious assasination of Liza Minelli), as well as taking us through the average Day in the Life of a Ballerina, and an unforgettable School Trip.

    Watch for French and Saunders' absolutely immaculate take-off of one of the drippiest British 'drama' series ever foisted upon an uncritical audience, 'The House of Elliot', here renamed 'The House of Idiot'. Then watch again. And again.

    In fact, by the time the DVD has reached its end, it's time to start watching the whole lot again. Saunders and French's scriptwriting is packed with nuances, as are their character impersonation and comic acting. This is British comedy at its absolute highest pitch. These ladies are just too much.

      Video
    Contract

    The image quality of this television material never varies from excellent, although it is drawn from material assembled over many years.

    This is better-than-broadcast quality which, while not anamorphic widescreen, is certainly as good as we're ever likely to see this material.

      Audio
    Contract

    The material here is of course heavily dialogue-oriented and the basic mono sound does a great job of delivering every pointed, witty word with absolute clarity.

      Extras
    Contract

    There are no extra features. And with French and Saunders, none are needed.....

      Overall  
    Contract

    Buy it and keep it, to enjoy over and over again. And remember that four more volumes of French and Saunders are available over on Region One, if this single volume just whets your appetite. There are some repeats, but not enough to stop you getting the lot.


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      And I quote...
    "Totally brilliant. Best comic duo since Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. You're seeing the best; forget the rest...."
    - Anthony Clarke
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