Black Adder (Remastered Ultimate Edition)
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DVD details
Actor: Brian Blessed, Elspet Gray, Patrick Allen, Rowan Atkinson, Tim McInnernyBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Original recording remastered, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 833 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-10-20
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Worldwide
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- Box set; Color; DVD; Full Screen; Original recording remastered; Subtitled; NTSC
DVD Reviews of Black Adder (Remastered Ultimate Edition)
DVD Review: A few things you should know about 'Blackadder'
Summary: 4 Stars
Here is a run down on each series:
THE BLACKADDER
It's a long time since I saw the first series of Blackadder, which I remembered as being somewhat dull compared to subsequent ones. On re-watching, however, it proved to be funnier than I expected. The best episode is probably 'The Queen of Spain's Beard', which deals with Blackadder's attempts to get out of marrying an extremely ugly Spanish princess. Worth mentioning is Brain Blessed, who is hilarious as the fictional King Richard IV.
'The Blackadder' has surprisingly high production values and special effects compared to later series. Another key difference is Blackadder himself, who is far less intelligent than his descendants. Baldrick, on the other hand, is more intelligent...indeed he is almost normal! One of the best things about watching the series' sequentially is seeing the lead character's cunning and sarcasm develop, just as his social status goes down from Prince to Captain.
While still the least effective of Blackadder's various incarnations, this opening series is definitely worth watching, and if you are new to Blackadder you should probably watch it first, as it sets the scene for much of what follows.
BLACKADDER II
In this second series Edmund Blackadder really came into his own as a character. Instead of the rather snivelling Edmund of the first series, we are presented with the amoral, selfish and cynical (but brilliantly witty) Blackadder we all know and love. Baldrick, who was almost intelligent in the first series, now reveals himself as a turnip-obsessed dimwit who would become even stupider as time went on.
The most memorable thing about 'Blackadder 2', however, is Miranda Richardson, who is unforgettable as the psychotic Queen ("Oh Edmund, I love it when you get angry...sometimes I think about having you executed, just to see the look on your face..."). Patsy Byrne is great as the Queen's old nurse ("A sad old woman with an udder fixation," as Edmund calls her), and Stephen Fry is on top form as Lord Melchitt, a man as Machiavellian and calculating as Blackadder, but with less self esteem.
There are some great cameos, too, notably from Tom 'Dr. Who' Baker as a demented sea captain, and Rik Mayall as the womanising Lord Flashheart (he would reprise this role to even greater effect in the fourth series).
Probably the funniest episode is 'Beer', when Blackadder's fanatical puritan relatives the Whiteadders come round for tea, but Blackadder forgets he had also arranged a debauched drinking session for the same night. He then has to keep the two events running concurrently without the Whiteadders suspecting what is going on, which leads to hilarity as he tries to come up with explanations for the drunken roars emerging from the next room.
Another great episode is 'Head', where Blackadder is made Lord High Executioner, but then changes the execution schedule to give himself half a week off. This leads to the premature execution of a nobleman, whose wife then gains permission from the Queen to visit him. Blackadder and his companions must try and impersonate the dead man, somehow keeping up the pretence that he is alive.
Other good episodes include 'Chains', where Blackadder and Melchitt are taken hostage by a crazed German, and 'Money' where Blackadder is pursued by the baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells to collect a debt he owes to the Black Monks.
BLACKADDER III
In this series Blackadder has declined in status since the Elizabethan days of series two and is now a mere butler to the Prince Regent (during the French Revolution/Napoleonic era). 'Blackadder 3' is worth watching just for Hugh Laurie's hilarious performance as the air-headed Prince George (he would also appear as the equally air-headed Lieutenant George in series four).
Perhaps the funniest episode is 'Duel and Duality', in which the Prince and Blackadder swap roles, and the highly aggressive Duke of Wellington (Stephen Fry) proceeds to beat the Prince senseless for talking back to his betters. Those who like sadistic slapstick comedy in the British tradition will find this is up there with Basil Fawlty's treatment of Manuel in 'Fawlty Towers'.
Another standout episode is 'Ink and Incapability' where Robbie Coltrane guest stars as Samuel Johnson (who anachronistically is also friends with Byron, Shelley and Coleridge). When Baldrick admits he threw the only copy of Johnson's 'Dictionary' on the fire, Blackadder must rewrite the whole thing from scratch.
'Dish and Dishonesty' is another really funny one, concerning Blackadder's attempts to influence the outcome of a British election, in order to defeat Pitt the Younger (and his brother Pitt the Even Younger). Unfortunately Baldrick spends all the bribe money on a gigantic turnip.
'Blackadder 3' is one of the best Blackadder seasons, and is almost on a par with the superlative fourth series. Hours of laughter guaranteed.
BLACKADDER GOES FORTH
This is the last and greatest series of a brilliant British comedy. Set in the trenches of World War One, it features everything that made the first three seasons so great, but refines things to a new level of hilarity.
Nearly all the regular actors from earlier seasons crop up. Besides the obvious - Blackadder (now a Captain), and Baldrick (a private) - Melchett reappears as a General, and Tim McInnery who played Percy in the second series crops up as the obnoxious Captain Darling. Hugh Laurie reprises his role as the dimwitted George (now a Lieutenant) and is even funnier than in series three. Miranda Richardson plays a nurse, and even Rik Mayall makes a hilarious comeback as conceited fighter ace Lord Flashheart (with Adrian Edmundson playing his rival the Red Baron).
All the episodes are good, with standouts being 'Corporal Punishment', where Blackadder is court-martialled for shooting General Melchett's favourite pidgeon; 'Major Star', where George is convinced to go drag as the 'leading lady' in a variety show, which presents problems when the General develops a crush on him/her; and Private Plane, where the aforementioned Rik Mayall appears as the outrageous Lord Flashheart.
The final episode 'Goodbyeee' goes beyond comedy in its ending, giving a poignant reminder of the utter waste of World War One, a fratricidal conflict that should never have happened. Blackadder's character has developed to the point that, even though he is a selfish prick, we feel genuinely sorry for him when he is ordered 'over the top' by the bureaucrats in charge of the war.
'Blackadder Goes Forth' is the perfect ending to a classic comedy, which far from making fun of British and European history, actually pays tribute to it, and in a most entertaining way.
BLACKADDER'S CHRISTMAS CAROL
'Blackadder's Christmas Carol' is a one off special, and not really up there with the four series proper. It does have an interesting premise, though. Ebenezer Blackadder undergoes a reverse transformation to that of Ebenezer Scrooge in the Dickens story 'A Christmas Carol'. Blackadder, the nicest man in England, is so nice that everyone takes advantage of him. Then he is visited by the Spirit of Christmas (Robbie Coltrane), who shows him what lies in store for his descendents if they continue to be nice. As a result, Blackadder becomes a sarcastic rogue like his ancestors. Unfortunately for him, this leads to the loss of a peerage and a large sum of money. So maybe the 'moral' is: don't be too nice, but don't be too bad either!
THE CAVALIER YEARS
This is a 15 minute sketch filmed for charity, and is comparable in quality to series two and three. Amusingly, Stephen Fry plays King Charles I as a send-up of the modern day Prince Charles.
BLACKADDER: BACK AND FORTH
As the title implies, this special (sometimes referred to as 'Blackadder 5') involves a great deal of time travel, as a contemporary Edmund tries to impress his friends by building a time machine and bringing back historical artifacts, but also causes a few unfortunate changes to history in the process. It features most of the Blackadder regulars like Tim McInnery, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Miranda Richardson. Rik Mayall also reprises his Lord Flashheart role, this time as Robin Hood. Amusing in parts, but not as good as classic Blackadder.
You may also enjoy Time Struggle 1: The Wolves of Odin (Volume 1).
Description of Black Adder (Remastered Ultimate Edition)
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