TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Russ Abbot - Vol. 1 [1991]
RRP: £10.99
Cheesy, dated and over-produced slapstick, but with flashes of genius
Review date: 2007-03-11 Rating: 8 out of 10
I bought this item second-hand from Amazon and was very impressed with the quality of service; the tape was dispatched quickly (and bearing in mind that it's nearly 20 years old it runs well and is in excellent condition.)
As for the content itself, it hasn't necessarily aged well and in places appears glitzy, over-padded (with a bit too much filler) and a touch self-indulgent (especially the Buddy Holly spoof and the sketch featuring "Ronnie Relph, the Man who Loves Himself.") Also rather than attempt to explore new ground a lot of Russ Abbot material seems to be almost slavishly trying to copy Tommy Cooper (right down to the mannerisms and facial expressions!)
For all these faults, Russ Abbot Volume 1 remains worth watching as although the belly-laughs are sporadic there are touches of pure class, most notably the waiting room sketch where Russ trades head-butts with Les Dennis.
Russ Abbot seems to be at his best during the more slapstick-oriented routines and it's a shame that this compilation focuses too much on the "showbiz" side of his act because the Dracula sketch, some of the "Jimmy" skits and the ones featuring lots of room-trashing (in particular, the 30-stone man in the doctor's surgery and the remote-controlled toy in the office) are guaranteed to crank up the laughter level to the max!
Overall - 5 stars for the customer service experience and 3 stars for the content hence overall this is a "4" rating.
Similar Products
- Russ Abbot - Fishing Madness (1995)
- The Two Ronnies : The Complete BBC Christmas Specials
- Steptoe And Son : Complete BBC Series Box Set Including The Christmas Specials
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Les Dennis
Bella Emberg
Russ Abbot
Sherrie Hewson
Tom Bright
Creators:
Russ Abbot (Primary Contributor)
Bella Emberg (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: BBC Video
Manufacturer: BBC Video
EAN: 5014503466725
Binding: VHS Tape
Number of items: 1
Format: Colour, HiFi Sound, PAL,
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Running time: 69 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)