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Brass Eye - Series And Special [1997]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Chris Morris' Brass Eye is a brilliantly funny spoof on current affairs media that carries on where his previous The Day Today left off. The show ran for one single, contentious series in 1997, to be followed by an even more controversial one-off in 2001. While these episodes might cause offence to those not versed in Morris' satirical methods, and while one occasionally suspects his work is informed by a dark seam of malice and loathing rather than a desire to educate, Brass Eye remains vital satire, magnificently hilarious and, in its own way, fiercely moral viewing.

Brass Eye satirises a media far too interested in generating dramatic heat and urgency for its own sake than in shedding light on serious issues. Morris mimics perfectly the house style of programmes such as Newsnight and Crimewatch, with their spurious props and love of gimmickry. Meanwhile his presenter--an uncanny composite of Jeremy Paxman, Michael Buerk and Richard Madeley among others--delivers absurd items about man-fighting weasels in the East End and Lear-esque lines such as "the twisted brain wrong of a one-off man mental" with preposterously solemn authority. Much as the media itself is wont to do, each programme works itself up into a ridiculous fever of moral panic. Most telling is the "drugs" episode, in which, as ever, real-life celebrities, including Jimmy Greaves and Sir Bernard Ingham, are persuaded to lend their name to a campaign against a new drug from Eastern Europe entitled Cake. The satirist's aim here isn't to trivialise concern about drugs but to point up the media's lack of attention to content.

A response to the ill-conceived News of the World witch-hunt, in the wake of the Sarah Payne affair, the 2001 "paedophilia" special was the most supremely controversial of the series. It followed the usual formula--duping celebs such as Phil Collins into endorsing a campaign entitled "Nonce Sense", urging parents to send their children to football stadiums for the night for their own safety and mooting the possibility of "roboplegic" paedophiles--and prompted the sort of hysterical and predictable Pavlovian response from the media that Brass Eye lampoons so tellingly.

On the DVD: Brass Eye on DVD includes brief outtakes, such as "David Jatt" interviewing celebrities about breeding hippos for domestic purposes, an hilarious exchange with Jeffrey Archer's PA ("He's a very wicked little man") as well as trailers for the paedophilia special.--David Stubbs


Best comedy satire series ever
Review date: 2007-12-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

Controversial, 'near the mark', sick...... Sound familliar to many other Channel 4 programmes broadcast over the channel's history? Well Brasseye is no different. Chris Morris' dark wit, coupled with a few unsuspecting celebrities, has created one of the deepest and cleverest satire TV shows in recent history.
In a time with 24hour news channels and shows such as crimewatch that try to scare the veiwer into believing some of the most ridiculous things; brasseye comes as a welcome break. Chris Morris, having outdone himself in the series, has inexplicably managed to point the finger at an overimaginative media and an oversensitive public alike. Takling issues such as Animal Cruelty, Drugs, Science, Decline and Sex, the programme immediately lends itself to very 'sensitive' issues. The 2001 special on paedophiles - in my opinion is the best. Following soon after the murder of sarah payne, an over vigilant public had started accusing anyone of being a paedophile. On one occasion a peadeotrician had 'PAEDO' graffittid on to her car! The public and media both needed putting back in their place.

Channel 4 and Morris you have out done yourself. more programmes of this calibre need to be made.

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Reviews


Perfect
Review date: 2007-08-29 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is Morris's highpoint, and absolute perfection.

There will never be anything funnier than this. Maybe AS funny, but not funnier....



america couldn't even come close to something this smart and edgy
Review date: 2007-07-11 Rating: 10 out of 10

being a yank, that's my intro. there really is no comparison to u.s./u.k. comedy. seeing as how my farovite shows have been british all my life, from pre-teen to teen (the young ones/monty python), till the stuff i've found as of late. anyway. the episodes are all great. sadly with the sex episode, despite the mindblowing intro and great line "why were you gobbling your gun like a c*ck", was pretty good. still, to have this as a show i could just turn on the telly and watch, i couldn't be so lucky.

the special was one of the best things i've ever seen, the rap was awesome with the doll attached to his crotch (amazing).

Genius
Review date: 2007-04-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

Chris Morris's brain must be permanently set to RANDOM to produce in this, and The Day Today, 2 of the funniest programs of the 90's on British television. This is totally random and you must appreciate that kind of humour if you're to appreciate this. It is also totally offensive and will offend you if you find ANYTHING offensive.

In particular, the "infamous" paedophiles episode, which incidentally was done many years after the original series. This episode was created as a response to the Paedo-fear-mongering that was throughout the country at the time, and boy did it hit a nerve.

Humiliating "celebrities", getting fake drugs mentioned in the commons, and fooling people into thinking that Noel Edmonds had killed Clive Anderson are only the tip of the iceberg of this dark, disturbing and deeply funny series.

I found this funny as a 15 year old who had stumbled across all the dark humour he could ever want, and again, years later, as a 24 year old. But this time, I can appreciate it even more with regards to the way it is shot, ridiculous camera angles/editing and the ludicrous things which happen within.

Buy this now!

Morris the genius
Review date: 2007-04-03 Rating: 10 out of 10

Chris Morris is the most under-rated British comedian out there. The series Brass Eye pushed the boundaries again, basically continuing from where The Day Today left off. It satirises the medias attitude towards issues such as drugs, animal welfare and most controversially paedophilia, which was a one-off special in 2001.

The special caused uproar at the time and many newspapers got on their high horse about it. Heres a fairly typical quote from part of an article called "The Brass Neck of Brass Eye" which appeared in one Daily paper.

"The supposed satire, presented by Chris Morris, was almost universally condemned and provoked a record 3,000 complaints when it was shown in July and controversially repeated a day later. Among those disgusted by it were Home Secretary David Blunkett, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Home Office minister Beverley Hughes - who branded it 'unspeakably sick'"

Well I can only thank the newspapers and politians for alerting me to somebody producing some worthwhile TV. You immediately know that anything that makes politicians comment is probably going to a little bit more interesting than "Big Brother" or "I'm a celebrity pay me more money". Just like Beyond The Fringe in the 60's, Monty Python in the 70's and few series over the last 2 decades, Brass Eye points the finger back at the media and indeed other television programs and says "are you sure about that". In fact I didn't see the show at the time and bought the DVD several years later, but I had made a mental note that this was one to get!

Numerous celebrities were duped into appearing on these shows, and if you have a particular celebrity you hate you will love seeing him or her being made a complete fool of. However this is an area where I have some sympathy, as at heart most of us are fairly gullable, and in fairness to them they were trying to help (and of course gain media exposure at the same time).

So the contents of this DVD is going to upset some people, and maybe I am in the minority, but I strongly recommend it.






Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Chris Morris

Creators:
Chris Morris (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014138069322
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Full Screen, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2002-05-06
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 167 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1997
Language: English (Original Language)

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