Fawlty Towers - The Complete Collection (Remastered) [DVD] [1975]

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Basil Fawlty is a much put-upon, hard-working hotel manager whose life is plagued by dead guests, hotel inspectors and riff-raff. The Out Takes are a bit disappointing, in my opinion; there are only eight or so, none of which are as good as you might hope. It is a fair bet that anyone reading this is a fan of the show and probably has the twelve episodes on video cassette, either taped off the telly, or the BBC videos that have been released. One of the main reasons most people will have opted for the DVD box set, or bought it even if they have the videos, is the third Special Feature disc. Many of these extras are holdovers from the previous DVD set, which "Fawlty Towers" fans will already be familiar with: the audio commentaries on all episodes by John Howard Davies (Season One) and Bob Spiers (Season Two), Interviews with John Cleese (52:49), Andrew Sachs (24:57) and Prunella Scales (7:49), "Torquay Tourist Office" (11:38), the Cheap Tatty Review (0:58), Outtakes (1:33), and "Helpful Staff"/"Guest Registry", which lead to amusingly outdated narrated filmographies.

DVDs and software discs often have what is known as an "Easter Egg": a hidden extra concealed somewhere on the disc. However, a couple of years later, I bought the DVD set to finally see the whole series, and it was a markedly different experience. Whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster release, a TV series you want to binge, or a classic film - you'll find what you need in our categories. Comedy about a hotel and its owner, a man of infinite rudeness with a rabid dislike of almost all guests. Most of the other episodes follow a pattern, in which Basil is trying to hide some sort of disaster from someone else (his hotel's inadequacy, a drunk chef, racetrack winnings, etc.Cast to perfection the series found Cleese playing much put-upon Torquay hotel owner Basil Fawlty, Prunella Scales as his domineering wife Sybil, Connie Booth as Polly, the dependable maid and Andrew Sachs in the role of Manuel, the non-comprehending, tyrannized waiter from Barcelona. I don't know how long ago it was, but I have a vague memory of watching the sixth episode of "Fawlty Towers". I feel this booklet could have been much better, it's a bit short but I suppose the extras on the third disc make up for it a bit. Since I'm already late on this review, I'm not going to go into detail, other than to say that the interviews are fairly good and the commentaries aren't (unless you like dead air).

Also included are text biographies of all the leads and the guest stars, a short background featurette on Torquay and the hotel owner who is said to have inspired Basil, a very short blooper reel of out-takes and a brief teaser with Cleese in character entitled Cheap Tatty Review. Nov 2009: The complete series has now been remastered and rereleased with commentary by John Cleese and a new interview with Connie Booth who had until recently refused to discuss her work on Fawlty Towers. In 'Waldorf Salad', some newly-arrived American guests' request for transatlantic cuisine does not go down well with Basil in the kitchen. The two other interviews are shorter: the Andrew Sachs interview is around 15 minutes and the interview with Prunella is even shorter. Each of the series discs also has the option of a commentary by the director (series one: John Howard Davies, series two: Bob Spiers).

Certain items can take longer to source than the estimated week, particularly during busy trading periods and may take longer to arrive at our warehouse. Remember to watch the opening credits of each show to spot the creative misspellings on the hotel sign (our favorite: "Fatty Owls"). The other first impression is that the box set and inner box is made of cardboard (albeit rigid and laminated) so might get a bit tatty after a while — especially if yours is going to get a lot of handling — a rigid plastic case would have been much better. This Special Edition marks the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest situation comedies British television has ever seen. Products labelled '*item fulfilled by Exertis on behalf of hmv' will be supplied to you directly by Exertis via their approved couriers.