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The League Of Gentlemen [1999]

RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £3.44 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Critically acclaimed and rapidly breeding a cult following, the bizarre BBC television series The League of Gentlemen is to sitcoms like The Good Life or even Friends what David Lynch's films are to Frank Capra movies. Instead of the usual one-family-in-suburbia or group-of-pals set-up, Gentlemen centres on the whole town of Royston Vasey. A Northern village of, to say the least, eccentric characters, the weird people of Royston Vasey (actually, the real name of lewd northern comic Roy Chubby Brown) look like they've been intermarrying for too long and are suffering from a particularly demented variety of xenophobia that drives them to extremes of tetchiness and psychosis. There are the local shopkeepers Edward and Tubbs, who go to murderous lengths to ensure their shop remains for local people only; the Denton family, toad-breeders obsessed with maintaining their household rituals at all costs; inept veterinary surgeon Dr Chinnery, who's never yet saved a patient; Barbara, the local transsexual taxi driver (one of the show's more well adjusted characters); Pauline the demonic Restart Officer at the local Job Centre; and Lance, the sadistic owner of Lance's Joke Shop which sells poisonous sweets and the ever-popular finger in a matchbox (with a real finger), among many others. Most of the characters are performed by the three core members of the group, sporting a disturbing variety of prosthetic demi-masks and latex make-up, who started the concept off with a stage show and then transferred it to radio before taking it on TV, which may explain why The League of Gentlemen seems blithely oblivious of normal sitcom conventions and has a stately air of surrealism that feels like The Archers as written by playwright Eugene Ionesco. Brilliant stuff. --Leslie Felperin

On the DVD: Join the cast and co-writer Jeremy Dyson as they indulge in some "Local gossip" on the audio commentary, happily reminiscing about making this first series and discussing the origins of the innumerable characters and sketches, as well as pointing out hidden jokes and movie references galore. Also on this excellently produced disc are entertaining character biographies (Pop's favourite lunch from Greggs is "Chicken & Mushroom Pie", the sinister Denton twins are happiest when "Courting the Lords of Misrule"), an archive of the show's theatrical origins, and a treasure-trove of deleted scenes. But remember, if you're not local you can't get it in. --Mark Walker

Premier League!
Review date: 2005-09-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

There was a time when the'sketch show' was running out of ideas. It looked like a genre that was slowly dying out due to a lack of any originality.

Step forward The League Of Gentlmen (Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss & Jeremy Dyson). They took the 'sketch show' & turned the whole concept on its head. No longer are we subject to the same sketch week after week with the characters story moving absolutely nowhere. Each (well, most) of The Leagues characters have their own story that you can follow throughout the series. In a funny way, it works more like a soap opera than a sketch!

Coronation Street has Weatherfield, Eastenders has Walford & The League Of Gentlemen has Royston Vasey. The idea of having a specific place where everything happens is a brilliant & original. It makes you feel like you can believe there is a Royston Vasey & that all these wierd & wonderful "people" live there.

The word 'genius' is used far too often these days & is often applied to people or things that are anything but genius. However, The League Of Gentlemen are in a minority of true geniuses that deserve all the plaudits they get.

This, their first outing on television, more than proves it. It's dark, wierd & often grotesque but most importantly it is side-splittingly funny.

This really is a must-buy DVD although I must warn you, should you decide to purchase this first series then you WILL be hooked & you WILL want to get everything else The League Of Gentlemen have ever done &, seeing as they are getting better & better all the time, it may cost you a lot of money. My opinion? It's worth every penny!

Reviews

EXCELLENT!!!!!! IT'S A MUST BUY
Review date: 2005-05-13 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is Fab!!!! & so funny if u luv dark/weird humour then this is for you it makes u laugh so much.
The Characters are well thought of & the comedians are fantastic to produce such a brill series.
GO & BUY IT NOW!!!!!!

Sharp and darkly humourous.
Review date: 2004-09-01 Rating: 10 out of 10

The League of Gentlemen could certainly never be accused of being cutesy. It's the antithesis of such shows as Friends, whose inoffensive brand of comedy is tiresome. From the moment we see Royston Vasey, we know that we're not in for a light comedy.
A comedy it is though - but a comedy with an amazing depth in its characters. You will grow to love Edward and Tubbs, despite yourself. You will never like any of the characters; without exception, they are a collection of hideous freaks that will disgust, anger and, above all, amuse you. Definate highlights are the conflict between Pauline and Ross and the saga of the Local Shop.
For all its monstrous characters and disconcerting imagery, there is something all too real about Royston Vasey. We've all been into a Local Shop and been met with uncomfortable looks, we've all had an encounter with somebody like Pauline.
The League of Gentlemen is something out of an uncomfortable, feverish nightmare. Distorted faces and discomfiting atmospheres echo experiences from our own lives. For all its nightmarish imagery, The League of Gentlemen is comic genius. You will be amused, often to fits of laughter, just as much as you'll be made to feel uncomfortable.
Thoroughly enjoyable.

and now for something completely darker
Review date: 2004-07-11 Rating: 10 out of 10

Hving picked up the scripts book while in smiths earlier and reading the cut out of a review from the 'daily mail' on the first page which the reviwer said they sat though the first episode without laughing in any way (which shows this person is seriously wrong inside or it is an outright lie) and afterseeing some fool (this is proved not only by his dislike of this but also father ted the best 2 comedies of the late ninties if not the last 10-15 years or so) give it 1 star i felt compelled to write a review and appease my anger(or pity
for i feel sorry if you cant enjoy this at least a little)

This was originally a stage show then a radio series before coming to television and it is astonishing how many scenes they have lifted from the radio series (the deantons, moaw moaw, barbera, pauline among others) but they also got rid of jokes only possible on the radio and the weaker aspects of the series which gives it an while adding in new aspects(tubbs and edward, the special stuff, the road and in the second series herr lip and most importantly papa lazarou (49th most important person in rock aaccording to keranggg and rightly so) this only improves on the series.

the reason i give this 5 stars not only for the excellence of the script and performances but for its importance in terms of comedy itself because as comedy series go this was for tv at least completely new dark comedy had never been done in a purely comic series (well i have never heard of any) it took everything down a darker path and showed not only could it be done but it could be very good at the same time, this is undisputedly a groundbreaking possibly iconinc series and along with father ted, im alan partridge and maybe one or two others showed sitcoms had not completely stagnated like vicar of dibley, freinds and numerous others that would make it seem it had done(im not saying these were not in anyway funny but they offered nothing new,genuinly brilliant or interesting (who watched the last friends because they were really interested in the comedy and story not just because it was the last friends))
This is quite simply a brilliant series that everyone should watch as one of the league said"watch it once you may be frightened twice you will be interested and the third time we'll have you" it can change your ideas about comedy

But it is really worth watching because it is extremely funny.

A local review for local people!
Review date: 2004-05-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is the most funniest DVD I have ever seen!!!
It is all set in a town called Royston Vasey (you'll never leave!)
When a person called benjamin vists his Aunt and Uncle. You are greeted by the useless vet. Mr. H Briss(Mmmmm...Specail stuff)
Pop, Pauline, Mickey and ross + many more!!!!!!
But my favourite characters are Tubbs and Edward who run the local shop!!! This seris is a mixture of a soap opera, comday, horror and skechs. I HOPE YOU BUY THIS AS IT IS EXELLENT

Product Details/Specifications

Actor(s):
Corrie Greenop

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014501007425
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2000-11-13
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 180 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2000-06-19
Language: English (Original Language)

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The League Of Gentlemen [1999]

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