Basil Brush - Sports Spectacular DVD

Advantages: Hilarious episodes; Superb acting by Cleese et al
Disadvantages: Not many extras

...perceptions get the better of him; he believes he knows who the inspector is. However, Basil is horrified when the person he thought was an inspector is really a spoon salesman. Gourmet Night - Basil holds an up-market 'Gourmet Night' at the hotel, with an extravagant menu planned. His hopes are dashed though, as the chef gets drunk and is unable to cook. The Germans - Basil gets concussed and mentions the war-in front of a party of German tourists. The extras on this DVD are neat without being spectacular. They include interviews with John Cleese and Prunella Scales, and a director's commentary. In summary, this DVD contains six fantastic episodes of the most hilarious slapstick comedy. Highly recommended!... Read review

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Advantages: The sickest puutes you will ever see!
Disadvantages: Does drag in places

...This was Peter Jackson’s (writer /director of Meet the feebles, Brain Dead, Valley of The Stereos and currently working on Lord Of The Rings) second major film. Originally titled ‘The Muppets On Drugs’ it is a clear ripe off of the Muppet show just with a lot more sex, violence and drugs! From the opening scene (a walrus and a small cat being caught in the act) you know it ain’t going to be normal. The best scenes to watch out for….. The nasal sex, Basil Brush singing ‘Sodomy its so good for me’ and a gun toting hippo. Once again this was a Jackson project that ran over time, the crew only had twelve weeks to make it, so had to break into the studio after the dead line to finish it.... Read review

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Advantages: Entertaining
Disadvantages: Not a Conan Doyle plot

.../actors I do quite like Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. He is madly irritating and patronising at times, but then this is exactly how Conan Doyle portrayed him. His hair, brushed forward, annoyed me, but was probably the fashion of the day in 1942! Give me Jeremy Brett any day, but Rathbone does a good enough job. Interestingly, Basil Rathbone was born in South Africa, but moved to the UK at a young age and eventually took an interest in the acting profession. He is best known for his role as Sherlock Holmes, and starred in 14 films in this role. Poor Dr Watson. Nigel Bruce, of whom I am very fond as an actor, takes the role to extremes and Dr Watson becomes more of an idiot than anything else. He adds a comedy role to the film, which is probably the intention, but I would have preferred that he had stuck to the more traditional view... Read review

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