DVDpedia : Library : Title : S

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Kids & Family

Duration: 89

Summary: "Follow That Bird" is as much a journey through time as it is a romp past the Sesame Street stop sign. Curiously, the cast members--live ones like Gordon and Maria, not just the Muppets--have the timeless look to them. Only the cameos (by Sandra Bernhard, John Candy, and others) plus a few ill-conceived hairdos clue us in that this feature film was made in 1985. Otherwise, it's all sophisticated Sesame humor and bighearted fun here as Oscar, the Count, and crew set off to rescue Big Bird, who's on the lam from a family of adoptive dodos. Only one conceivable complaint: The latter crop of "Street" viewers may miss Elmo, who hadn't been created when "Bird" first flew into theaters. "--Tammy La Gorce"

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 127

Summary: The most viscerally frightening and disturbing homicidal maniac picture since "The Silence of the Lambs", "Seven" is based on an idea that's both gruesome and ingenious. A serial killer forces each of his victims to die by acting out one of the seven deadly sins. The murder scene is then artfully arranged into a grotesque tableau, a graphic illustration of each mortal vice. From the jittery opening credits to the horrifying (and seemingly inescapable) concluding twist, director David Fincher immerses us in a murky urban twilight where everything seems to be rotting, rusting, or molding; the air is cold and heavy with dread. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt are the detectives who skillfully track down the killer--all the while unaware that he has been closing in on them, as well. Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey are also featured, but it is director Fincher and the ominous, overwhelmingly oppressive atmosphere of doom that he creates that are the real stars of the film. It's a terrific date movie--for vampires. "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio:

Genre: Action & Adventure

Summary: Unanimously hailed as one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of the motion picture, "Seven Samurai" has inspired countless films modeled after its basic premise. But Akira Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set in the 1600s, when the residents of a small Japanese village are seeking protection against repeated attacks by a band of marauding thieves. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a farmer's son desperately seeking glory and acceptance. The samurai get acquainted with but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal. The climactic battle with the raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed. It's poetry in hyperactive motion and one of Kurosawa's crowning cinematic achievements. This is not a film that can be well served by any synopsis; it must be seen to be appreciated (accept nothing less than its complete 203-minute version) and belongs on the short list of any definitive home-video library. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1994

Studio: Castle Rock

Genre: Drama

Duration: 142

Summary: When this popular prison drama was released in 1994, some critics complained that the movie was too long (142 minutes) to sustain its story. Those complaints miss the point, because the passage of time is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a life-long friendship. Only when the film reaches its final, emotionally satisfying scene do you fully understand why writer-director Frank Darabont (adapting a novella by Stephen King) allows the story to unfold at its necessary pace, and the effect is dramatically rewarding. Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who's sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we realize there's reason to believe the banker's crime was justifiable. We also realize that Andy's calm, quiet exterior hides a great reserve of patience and fortitude, and Red comes to admire this mild-mannered man who first struck him as weak and unfit for prison life. So it is that "The Shawshank Redemption" builds considerable impact as a prison drama that defies the conventions of the genre (violence, brutality, riots) to illustrate its theme of faith, friendship, and survival. Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, and Screenplay, it's a remarkable film that signaled the arrival of a promising new filmmaker--a film that many movie lovers count among their all-time favorites. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Touchstone Pictures

Genre: Horror

Duration: 106

Summary: This B movie with noble aspirations is the work of a gifted filmmaker whose storytelling falls short of his considerable stylistic flair. While addressing crises of faith in the framework of an alien-invasion thriller, M. Night Shyamalan (in his follow-up to "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable") favors atmospheric tension over explanatory plotting. He injects subtle humor into expertly spooky scenes, but the story suffers from too many lapses in logic. The film's faults are greatly compensated by the performance of Mel Gibson as a widower whose own crisis of faith coincides with the appearance of mysterious crop circles in his Pennsylvania cornfield... and hundreds of UFOs around the globe. With his brother (Joaquin Phoenix) and two young children (Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin), the lapsed minister perceives this phenomenal occurrence as a series of signs and portents, while Shyamalan pursues a spookfest with "War of the Worlds" overtones. It's effective to a point, but vaguely hollow at its core. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Television

Duration: 394

Summary: America's first family of dysfunction, the Simpsons, appear in all their depraved glory in this wonderful DVD compilation of their show's premiere season. Fans accustomed to the slick appearance of the later episodes will be delighted by the rougher nature of these earlier episodes, when the characters weren't as well defined (Homer isn't quite as dumb as he is in later seasons) and the animation was still evolving. This only adds to the charm of these 13 episodes, which begin with "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," the December 1989 Christmas special in which a down-and-out Simpson family adopt Santa's Little Helper. Throughout the season, familiar faces are introduced, as we catch first glimpses of Smithers, Mr. Burns, the Flanderses, and Patty and Selma. Highlights of the season include "The Crepes of Wrath," in which Bart is sent to France as an exchange student ("Don't mess up France the way you messed up your room"); "Bart the Genius," in which Bart ends up in a school for the gifted; and "Krusty Gets Busted," in which Bart's lifelong animosity with Sideshow Bob begins. "--Jenny Brown"

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Television

Duration: 634

Summary: "A Simpson on a T-shirt. I never thought I'd see the day." So remarks Marge Simpson in "Dancin' Homer," just one of 22 mostly classic episodes that comprise this series' brilliant second season. "The Simpsons" by that time was already a pop culture phenomenon, but instead of suffering a sophomore slump, this iconoclastic animated series was just hitting its stride. Series milestones include: first Oscar®-winning guest voice (an unbilled Dustin Hoffman in "Lisa's Substitute"), first Beatle guest voice (Ringo in "Brush with Greatness"), first "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween episode, first flashback episode ("The Way We Was," in which Homer meets Marge), and the first episode to make me cry (Bart's last frolic with obedience school washout Santa's Little Helper in "Bart's Dog Gets an F"). It's in this season the "The Simpsons" really finds its voice. The writing is sharper, and the upending of sitcom convention more subversive. "Perhaps there is no moral to this story," observes Lisa at the end of "Blood Feud." "Exactly," agrees Homer. "Just a bunch of stuff that happens."
In the first season, Bart was the series' breakout star, but in the second, "The Simpsons" established itself as a true ensemble series. Each character came into their own with career-best episodes. Marge, the family's long-suffering voice of reason, crusades against cartoon violence in "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge." Lisa, the heart and tortured soul of the series, develops an ill-fated crush on her new teacher in "Lisa's Substitute." Bart desperately tries to raise the money to buy Radioactive Man No. 1 in "Three Men and a Comic Book." Homer's stock rises when he grows hair in "Simpson and Delilah." Joining the "Simpsons" roster of scene-stealing supporting characters are Dr. Hibbert ("Bart the Daredevil"), shyster lawyer Lionel Hutz (voiced by the late, great Phil Hartman in "Bart Gets Hit by a Car"), the Ahnold-esque action hero McBain ("The Way We Was"), slobbering aliens Kang and Kodos ("Treehouse of Horror"), and "nutty professor" Frink ("Old Money"). This essential, extras-laden DVD set is illustrative of why "The Simpsons" is, in the parlance of Comic Book Guy, funniest show ever. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 87

Summary: "The Simpsons" had already ruled TV land for many years by the time they finally attempted to conquer the movie world as well. It was never any big secret that a "Simpsons" movie was in the works: Fox registered the domain name "Simpsonsmovie.com" in 1997, a full nine years before the film was finally greenlighted. When creator/producer Matt Groening’s creation finally made it to the big screen in 2007, it only turned out to be the biggest hit of the summer, raking in over $100 million gross in box-office receipts in its first week, before heading on to do over $500 million worldwide, proving that the best joke in the movie was actually played on the audience: "Why pay for something when you can see it for free?" asks Homer at the movie’s start. Naturally, all the trouble starts with him. When he adopts a pig ("Sir Oinks-A-Lot") destined for Krusty’s slaughterhouse, it triggers an environmental catastrophe, forcing the government to seal Springfield into a dome and destroy the city. While the family manages to escape and flee to Alaska, they eventually decide to return and help save the city in more-or-less classic Simpson fashion. As Homer’s joke about the audience shows, Groening and producer Al Jean are keenly aware that their franchise is first and foremost a TV show. Maybe a little too aware, as the movie fails to ever rise above anything more than an extended episode, and not even one of its best episodes at that. True, there are plenty of good jokes; the animation has been kicked up a notch to be particularly sharp and detailed; and there are some truly memorable moments such as Bart’s nude skateboard ride and the "Spider-Pig" song. But when the film finally materialized, the payoff for long years of anticipation turned out to be small as the movie failed to live up to its potential; it’s amusing but not truly funny. "The Simpsons Movie" leaves the impression that maybe the show’s writers and producers had already spent their best ideas on the best years of the TV show. Had it been made years earlier… well, we can only wonder what could have been. "--Daniel Vancini"

Get to Know "The Simpsons"
"Oh, so they have internet on computers now!" -- Homer Simpson
"I'd like to visit that Long Island Place, if only it were real." -- Marge Simpson (drinking a Long Island Iced Tea)
"Aren't we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa." -- Bart Simpson
"If cartoons were meant for adults, they'd put them on in prime time." -- Lisa Simpson
"Daddy" -- Maggie Simpson
> More Simpsons Characters Beyond "The Simpsons Movie"
"The Simpsons" Toys & Games
"The Simpsons" Video Games
"The Simpsons" Books & Comics Store
"The Simpsons" Automotive

More of the "The Simpsons" on DVD
"The Simpsons" TV Series
"The Simpsons Movie" on Blu-Ray
"The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror"
"The Simpsons Christmas"
"The Simpsons Gone Wild"
"The Simpsons Kiss and Tell: The True Story of Their Love"


Stills from "The Simpsons Movie"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 106

Summary: While setting a milestone in the progress of digital filmmaking, "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" resurrects a nostalgic fantasy world derived from a wide variety of vintage inspirations. It's a dazzling dream for anyone who appreciates the look and feel of golden-age sci-fi pulp magazines, drawing its unique, all-digital design from such diverse sources as Howard Hawks adventures, Fritz Lang's "Metropolis", "Buck Rogers", "Blackhawk" comics, "The Third Man", cliffhanger serials, and the action-packed Indiana Jones franchise. Writer-director Kerry Conran's feature debut is also guaranteed to inspire digital dreamers everywhere, suggesting a paradigm shift in the way CGI-dominated movies are made. It's a giddy adventure for the young and young-at-heart, in which ace pilot "Sky Captain" Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) and intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) must save the world from a mad scientist whose vision of the future has tragic implications for all humankind. Angelina Jolie drops in for a glorified cameo, but it's the ultra-fortunate neophyte Conran who's the star here. His clever riff on "The Wizard of Oz" is a marvel to behold, and the method of its creation is nothing less than revolutionary. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 81

Summary: OK, let's get all the disclaimers out of the way first. Despite its colorful (if crude) animation, "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" is in no way meant for kids. It is chock full of profanity that might even make Quentin Tarantino blanch and has blasphemous references to God, Satan, Saddam Hussein (who's sleeping with Satan, literally), and Canada. It's rife with scatological humor, suggestive sexual situations, political incorrectness, and gleeful, rampant vulgarity. And it's probably one of the most brilliant satires ever made. The plot: flatulent Canadian gross "meisters" Terrance and Philip hit the big screen, and the South Park quartet of third graders--Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman--begin repeating their profane one-liners ad infinitum. The parents of South Park, led by Kyle's overbearing mom, form "Mothers Against Canada," blaming their neighbors to the north for their children's corruption and taking Terrance and Philip as war prisoners. It's up to the kids then to rescue their heroes from execution, not mention a brooding Satan, who's planning to take over the world.
To give away any more of the plot would destroy the fun, but this feature-length version of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Comedy Central hit is a dead-on and hilarious send-up of pop culture. And did we mention it's a musical? From the opening production number "Mountain Town" to the cheerful antiprofanity sing-along "It's Easy, MMMKay" to Satan's faux-Disney ballad "Up There," Parker (who wrote or cowrote all the songs) brilliantly shoots down every earnest musical from "Beauty and the Beast" to "Les Misérables". And in advocating free speech and satirizing well-meaning but misguided parental censorship groups (with a special nod to the MPAA), "Bigger, Longer & Uncut" hits home against adult paranoia and hypocrisy with a vengeance. And the jokes, while indeed vulgar and gross, are hysterical; we can't repeat them here, especially the lyrics to Terrance and Philip's hit song, but you'll be rolling on the floor. Don't worry, though--to paraphrase Cartman, this movie won't warp your fragile little mind. Unless you have something against the First Amendment. "--Mark Englehart"

Theatrical: 1957

Studio: Infinity Entertainment Group & SJ2 Entertainment

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 340

Summary: Spike Jones, referred to by many as the "god father of music video mayhem," brought his special brand of notes and nuts to '50s network television. Sneezes, belches, coughs, razberries, tuned cowbells, auto horns, and gun-shots - along with the finest musicianship - made up Spike Jones' "Musical Depreciation Revue." The original bad boys of music directly influenced such musical iconoclasts as Stan Freberg, Ernie Kovacs, Frank Zappa and Weird Al Yankovic. Enjoy the zany antics of Spike Jones (who passed away in 1965) and the City Slickers in four of their most hilarious and memorable NBC television shows in this special four DVD collector's set. Includes the holiday favorite, "All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth," and Jones' million-selling version of "Cocktails for Two."

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Kids & Family

Duration: 69

Summary: Make no mistake, "Clone Wars" is honest-to-goodness authentic "Star Wars". The animated series takes place between "Episode II, Attack of the Clones" and "Episode III, Revenge of the Sith". If the feature films covers the beginning and end of the war, "Clone Wars" depicts the actual battles and events that made heroes into legends. Don't expect too much character development, as the episodes tend to be driven more by flat-out action than by dialogue (which can be a good thing, considering some "Star Wars" dialogue). We see such familiar faces as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Mace Windu in combat, and we meet the elite ARC (Advanced Recon Commandos) clone troopers plus new Jedi--the amphibious Kit Fisto and two women, Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee. We also see a little more development of Anakin--showing off the best pilot skills in the army, defying Obi-Wan, and engaging in a deadly duel with Sith apprentice Asajj Ventress. But just when it's clear that the Separatist droid armies are no match for a Jedi, the tide begins to turn with the introduction of the menacing General Grievous, who plays a crucial part in "Episode III". The cast mostly consists of veteran voice actors, but Anthony Daniels does appear as C-3PO.

"Clone Wars" was created by Genndy Tartakovsky, whose resume includes such stylish series as "Samurai Jack", "Dexter's Laboratory", and "The Powerpuff Girls", and the program won a 2004 Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More). These 20 episodes, which played on the Cartoon Network (and were originally designated seasons 1 and 2), can be viewed as a seamless 69-minute whole or as individual chapters. DVD features include two commentary tracks, a making-of featurette, video game and "Episode III" trailers, and an Xbox playable demo of the stealth game "Republic Commando". If you're a fan who can't wait for "Episode III", "Clone Wars" is essential viewing. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 388

Summary: Was George Lucas's "Star Wars Trilogy", the most anticipated DVD release ever, worth the wait? You bet. It's a must-have for any home theater, looking great, sounding great, and supplemented by generous bonus features.
The Movies
The "Star Wars Trilogy" had the rare distinction of becoming a cultural phenomenon, a defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's story is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi knights, the Force, and droids. Over the course of three films--"A New Hope" (1977), "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), and "Return of the Jedi" (1983)--Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford) join the Rebel alliance in a galactic war against the Empire, the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), and eventually the all-powerful Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). "Empire" is generally considered the best of the films and "Jedi" the most uneven, but all three are vastly superior to the more technologically impressive prequels that followed, "Episode I, The Phantom Menace" (1999) and "Episode II, Attack of the Clones" (2002).
How Are the Picture and Sound?
Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side.
In a word, spectacular. Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side. And at the climactic scene of "A New Hope", see if the Dolby 5.1 EX sound doesn't knock you back in your chair. Other audio options are Dolby 2.0 Surround in English, Spanish, and French. (Sorry, DTS fans, but previous "Star Wars" DVDs didn't have DTS either.) There have been a few quibbles with the audio on "A New Hope", however. A few seconds of Peter Cushing's dialogue ("Then name the system!") are distorted, and the music (but not the sound effects) is reversed in the rear channels. For example, in the final scene, the brass is in the front right channel but the back left channel (from the viewer's perspective), and the strings are in the left front and back right. The result feels like the instruments are crossing through the viewer.
What's Been Changed?
The rumors are true: Lucas made "more" changes to the films for their DVD debut. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) has been added to a scene in "Jedi", Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replaces Clive Revill with slightly revised lines in "Empire", Temuera Morrison has rerecorded Boba Fett's minimal dialogue, and some other small details have been altered. Yes, these changes mean that the "Star Wars" films are no longer the ones you saw 20 years ago, but these brief changes hardly affect the films, and they do make sense in the overall continuity of the two trilogies. It's not like a digitized Ewan McGregor has replaced Alec Guiness's scenes, and the infamous changes made for the 1997 special-edition versions were much more intrusive (of course, those are in the DVD versions as well).
How Are the Bonus Features?
Toplining is "Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy", a 150-minute documentary incorporating not only the usual making-of nuts and bolts but also the political workings of the movie studios and the difficulties Lucas had getting his vision to the screen (for example, after resigning from the Directors' Guild, he lost his first choice for director of "Jedi": Steven Spielberg). It's a little adulatory, but it has plenty to interest any fan. The three substantial featurettes are "The Characters of "Star Wars"" (19 min.), which discusses the development of the characters we all know and love, "The Birth of the Lightsaber" (15 min.), about the creation and evolution of a Jedi's ultimate weapon, and "The Force Is with Them: The Legacy of "Star Wars"" (15 min.), in which filmmakers such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron talk about how they and the industry were affected by the films and Lucas's technological developments in visual effects, sound, and computer animation.
The bonus features are excellent and along the same lines as those created for "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones". Each film has a commentary track, recorded by Lucas, Ben Burtt (sound design), Dennis Muren (visual effects), and Carrie Fisher, with Irvin Kershner joining in on the film he directed, "The Empire Strikes Back". Recorded separately and skillfully edited together (with supertitles to identify who is speaking), the tracks lack the energy of group commentaries, but they're enjoyable and informative, with a nice mix of overall vision (Lucas), technical details (Burtt, Muren, Kershner), and actor's perspective (Fisher). Interestingly, they discuss some of the 1997 changes (Mos Eisley creatures, the new Jabba the Hutt scene) but not those made for the DVDs.
There's also a sampler of the Xbox game "Star Wars: Battlefront", which lets the player reenact classic film scenarios (blast Ewoks in the battle of Endor!); trailers and TV spots from the films' many releases; and a nine-minute preview of the last film in the series, "Episode III, Revenge of the Sith" (here identified by an earlier working title, "The Return of Darth Vader"). Small extra touches include anamorphic widescreen motion menus with dialogue, original poster artwork on the discs, and a whopping 50 chapter stops for each film.
"The Force Is Strong with This One"
The "Star Wars Trilogy" is an outstanding DVD set that lives up to the anticipation. There will always be resentment that the original versions of the films are not available as well, but George Lucas maintains that these are the versions he always wanted to make. If fans are able to put this debate aside, they can enjoy the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han for years to come. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical:

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 99

Summary: One of the earliest britcoms (1962-1974), Steptoe and Son is about a quarrelling father-and-son pair of rag-and-bone men (ie. junk dealers) who barely make ends meet most of the time. It was the habit in the 70s to make a film version of successful britcoms. Sometimes it worked; more often than not it didn't. Steptoe and Son is, at least in my opinion, a shining example of a britcom that made the transition to film beautifully. Subtitled "The Cinema Collection", this dvd contains two 90-minute films, both of which are really well done and contain lots of humorous (and some downright hilarious!) moments. Personally, I enjoyed both equally as well, and a familiarity with the series and characters is not a prerequisite. Also, the quality of the picture is very good--especially considering the films were made over 30 years ago.



For those unfamiliar with the series, I recommend watching the earlier film, Steptoe & Son (1972), first as it illustrates in greater depth the relationship between father and son. In a nutshell, Albert Steptoe is a frail, scrawny, tatty old man with a peg-toothed grin whose humorous appearance is milked to its full comic potential. But he is a wily, selfish old codger and a master at the art of emotional blackmail. His son Harold longs for a life of his own, but for all his frustration with his father's abuses, he really is a victim of his own compassion. He does care about his father and, being incapable of breaking free, is destined to a life of frustration and emotional bondage. This film sees Harold at long last falling in love and getting married, but with a father like Albert, the marriage cannot be anything short of doomed. Indeed, the film opens with Albert and Harold arguing about the reasons for his marriage having failed. The story is then presented in retrospect, coming full circle to end where it begins. I'll say no more, as I don't wish to give the story away. I will just mention (lest anyone be offended or wonder about the suitability for children) that there is a scene with a stripper--whose performance is presented in its entirety. It's probably quite tame by today's standards; still, I thought I ought to mention it.



The second film, Steptoe & Son Ride Again (1973), opens with the Steptoes going through a particularly bad patch financially, but matters only get worse when Harold gets them indebted to a mobster! Hilarity ensues as the Steptoes try one thing after another and end up taking a very extreme (not to mention risky!) measure in order to get themselves out of debt. Frank Thornton (Are You Being Served's Captain Peacock) makes a guest appearance near the end.



In conclusion, these two films (and indeed the entire series) hail back to an England and a way of life that is, sadly, gone forever; moreover, they hail back to an era in British comedy that has, also sadly, long since passed. If you enjoyed the series even a little bit, then this film collection is a must have. Personally, I enjoyed it every bit as much as the series (and perhaps even a little more!). If you're unfamiliar with the series but enjoy the types of comedies that Britain put out in the 70s or are a fan of shows like After Henry or Australia's Mother and Son (which also prominently feature a domineering, emotionally blackmailing parent), I really do recommend giving this one a try. With a mixture of comedy and pathos, these are not gentle, cosy, relaxing films; rather they can be quite loud and abrasive, what with all the bickering, but they are very funny. And if you find you enjoy the film collection, by all means get the episodes from the series that are available on video.



Highly recommended!