Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders

Rating:
Summary: F&S - Better than S&M!
Review: "Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders" is truly the best of the 4 F&S DVD's. I bought the "Set", and what a bargain! I watched the first three DVD's today, and laughed for hours. If you are looking for some silly, yet witty entertainment I suggest these DVD's. I have begun to refer to F&S as "Monty-Pyfemme. A wonderful addition to my growing BBC DVD library! Make sure to watch the bonus sections - usually they are the best parts.

Rating:
Summary: F&S - Better than S&M!
Review: "Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders" is truly the best of the 4 F&S DVD's. I bought the "Set", and what a bargain! I watched the first three DVD's today, and laughed for hours. If you are looking for some silly, yet witty entertainment I suggest these DVD's. I have begun to refer to F&S as "Monty-Pyfemme. A wonderful addition to my growing BBC DVD library! Make sure to watch the bonus sections - usually they are the best parts.

Rating:
Summary: If you liked Absolutely Fabulous...
Review: ... you'll be thrilled by the compilation of works of this fantastic comedy duo. The question "Is nothing sacred?" is answered here, as French and Saunders poke fun at everything from self-important opera divas, to rambling morning show hosts, to classic movies, like "Gone with the Wind" and "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane". For AbFab fans, there's also the extra treat of the sketch which led to the hit series, with Dawn French playing the part of Saffy.

Rating:
Summary: If you liked Absolutely Fabulous...
Review: ... you'll be thrilled by the compilation of works of this fantastic comedy duo. The question "Is nothing sacred?" is answered here, as French and Saunders poke fun at everything from self-important opera divas, to rambling morning show hosts, to classic movies, like "Gone with the Wind" and "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane". For AbFab fans, there's also the extra treat of the sketch which led to the hit series, with Dawn French playing the part of Saffy.

Rating:
Summary: Har Ar Yew?
Review: Anyone unfamiliar with this long established comedic duo is in for a treat. Their well crafted use of repetitive humour and uncanny 'spoof' techniques make other lesser parody comedians seem trite. Sets and costumes alone are reason enough to invest in this gem of British comedy, but it is the dialogue and nuance which draws one into their world. A world which lies "somewhere between crap and mediocre". We however know the reality!

Rating:
Summary: It's to "AbFab" as "Fawlty Towers" is to "Monty Python."
Review: Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders emerged on the British comedy scene as one of the new crop of performers who began at the "Comic Strip" club. This clan produced great TV comedy throughout the '80s & '90s, much to America's indifference: "The Young Ones (the most successful of the bunch stateside)," "The Comic Strip Presents...," "Bottom," "Filthy, Rich, & Catflap," and "French & Saunders." Then, Jennifer Saunders wrote and starred in a program based on a sketch from a "French & Saunders" show called "Absolutely Fabulous." Of course, it became an worldwide hit and put Saunders on the map. "AbFab" is unquestionably brilliant and Edina Monsoon a fantastic creation but the fact that Yanks love "AbFab" while remaining ignorant of "French & Saunders" is like having people love John Cleese's "Fawlty Towers" while never having seen his work in "Monty Python's Flying Circus." "French & Saunders," being a sketch show, covers a wider range of subjects and humor than "AbFab" and reveals Dawn French as a formidable talent on her own and a perfect compliment to Saunders. Many of the shows parody popular films and musical acts and, while some pieces may be very dry, others are rather vulgar and savage. Personally, I think these shows are greater than "AbFab" in that there is so much more in them - including the full breadth of Saunders talent (both women have an endless stream of diverse characters inside them). Grab this disc and discover what they already know overseas: that French & Saunders are the greatest comedy team of the past 20 years!

Rating:
Summary: Belly-Laughs Galore Parodies of Well-Known Hollywood Scenes!
Review: Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders have no equal in their hilarious way of making fun of Hollywood. Watch them "impersonate" bombshells Marilyn Monroe & Jane Russel, playing "Two Little Girls From Little Rock", or see their version of "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane" (the infamous -lunch is served!- routine we rememebr so well), and many other great comedy skits.

During one particular scene, I actually had to leave to get a drink of water, or else I may have passed out from exhaustion, that's how hard I had to laugh! While Jennifer Saunders (in the role of an entertainment executive) rambled on about new ideas, Dawn French (who at first paced the office, listening to the babble) suddenly grabbing her throat saying in a whisper "...this is all so trivial, it doesn't seem to matter at all... our whole lives are nothing but rubbish!" Quickly Saunders interjects "No, no, no, darling, it does matter, everything we say an do is of utmost importance!" - Instantly French regains her composure, and the two continue the senseless babble about new ideas.--This scene could have ended in the ER for me!

These two British Comedy Wonders are the funniest thing to come across the ocean since Monty Python and Benny Hill! This particular DVD is on the very top of my list of favorites. You will never laugh harder than at French & Saunders' Comedy routines!

Rating:
Summary: Belly-Laughs Galore Parodies of Well-Known Hollywood Scenes!
Review: Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders have no equal in their hilarious way of making fun of Hollywood. Watch them "impersonate" bombshells Marilyn Monroe & Jane Russel, playing "Two Little Girls From Little Rock", or see their version of "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane" (the infamous -lunch is served!- routine we rememebr so well), and many other great comedy skits.

During one particular scene, I actually had to leave to get a drink of water, or else I may have passed out from exhaustion, that's how hard I had to laugh! While Jennifer Saunders (in the role of an entertainment executive) rambled on about new ideas, Dawn French (who at first paced the office, listening to the babble) suddenly grabbing her throat saying in a whisper "...this is all so trivial, it doesn't seem to matter at all... our whole lives are nothing but rubbish!" Quickly Saunders interjects "No, no, no, darling, it does matter, everything we say an do is of utmost importance!" - Instantly French regains her composure, and the two continue the senseless babble about new ideas.--This scene could have ended in the ER for me!

These two British Comedy Wonders are the funniest thing to come across the ocean since Monty Python and Benny Hill! This particular DVD is on the very top of my list of favorites. You will never laugh harder than at French & Saunders' Comedy routines!

Rating:
Summary: These Two Women Are Chameleons
Review: I rate these folks fairly highly because I understand British idiom and humo(u)r. If you are an American, trust that your mileage may vary on how well this tickles your funny bone. It is a good bit more sedate than "Monty Python", that's for sure.

No doubt about it - Saunders and French are chameleons. I suspect a big award goes to the wardrobe and makeup crew who work with them, but we have a somewhat convincing 250 pound Jane Russell (French) doing schtick with a middle-aged Marilyn Monroe (Saunders).

The DVD has sketches, not one running story. In this one, they lampoon opera divas, publishers of utterly worthless "stocking stuffer" books (I am resisting spoiling it and will not post the title of the dreadful book,but it is funny.), boring chat shows (one has the two women chatting earnestly about what the Queen had for "elevenses"), two rustic housewifes bragging about fleecing the yuppies ("She offered me 100 quid for the loo!"), and (my favorite) a couple of dour and indestructible old women in Wellies with two large dogs under the table.

The sketches I did not like were the "Gone With The Wind Sketch" ( Too many "Fiddle-dee-dees" for my taste) and the visit to the friend in jail sketch (I got bored, so sue me.).

Oh, yeah, this DVD also has the sketch that spawned the entire "Absolutely Fabulous".

Rating:
Summary: Sweetie Dahling
Review: I recently purchased this fabulous DVD of "Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders." The reason I say "Sweetie Dahling" is because this one contains the original skit of "Absolutely Fabulous". Warning: don't expect big laughs from this skit on AbFab. You'll be disappointed. J. Saunders is dressed in some funky bohemian outfit as D. French is wearing a very dorky schoolgirl frock, in which the real Saffy wears. It's safe to say that the AbFab episodes have toned down their characters and aren't as haphazardly animated. They've refined it in the AbFab tapes if you can believe that.
Despite the disappointing AbFab skit, the rest of the skits are brilliant. I nearly died laughing when Jennifer and Dawn play two back-up singers for a cheesy recording of Kylie Minogue's "I should be so lucky". They join the real opera diva, Sarah Walker.
There is a hilarious spoof on "The Exorcist". Dawn French plays little Reagan, who sticks her lizard like tongue out at Jennifer during a medical examination.

The best part about this DVD is that it has newer F&S skits that you can't find anywhere else. Don't bother looking for them on their own seperate DVD or VHS. You can however find the skits shown on BBCAmerica from time to time.