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Human Remains - Series 1 [2000]


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £4.97 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Written by and starring Rob Brydon and Julia Davis, Human Remains features six different "mockumentaries" with the pair playing couples caught in bizarre, dysfunctional or hopelessly imbalanced relationships. These include an upper-class couple, in which wife openly pines for her first, lost love, whom she has buried on the grounds; a thoroughly homely hubby and wife who run a guest house in the Midlands that features an S&M parlour; and a ghastly pair of God-botherers who live in a state of curtain-twitching loathing of their neighbours.

While the sheer range of characters depicted in Human Remains represents a prodigious feat on the part of both actors, the show has much in common with Brydon's other hit Marion and Geoff. The strangeness or awfulness of each couple's situation generally takes a while to come into focus, the deeper truths conveyed through low-level bickering, cumulatively revealed in deceptively banal interviews to camera. Brydon and Davis are sometimes merciless in their satirical savagery, as with the Alanis Morissette wannabe Fonte Bund; at other times, Human Remains is too bleak to watch. However, the sheer acuity and detail with which these characters are unwittingly realised, coupled with the brilliance of the (semi-improvised) monologues/dialogue means that our encounters with them, although mercifully brief, are both hilarious and touching. This is an exceptional series.

On the DVD: Human Remains features a generous package of extras, including deleted scenes and outtakes, among them an extension of the "healing" scene featured in the episode with the S&M couple, footage of the early rehearsals and improvisations from which the characters took shape, a commentary in which Davis and Brydon recap on the circumstances of the filming, an excerpt of the pair in S&M gear singing "American Pie" in rich Brummie accents and, best of all, the Fonte Bund Band in which the folk-rock duo featured in the series have an added, Spinal Tap-type documentary also starring John Martyn (who supplies the series' theme). --David Stubbs


Very depressing and funny
Review date: 2008-06-14 Rating: 10 out of 10

One particular episode I had to watch in three different parts because it was so depressing.

When you think you're low, this one shows you that there is still way to go

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Reviews


HUMAN REMAINS WAS IMPROVISED
Review date: 2007-09-03 Rating: 4 out of 10

I was the Casting Director on this production and supplied over 300 Support Artists for the six shows - this proved a nightmare as the whole series was improvised by Rob Brydon and Julia Davis on location in East Sussex and the changes to "script" occured hourly, thus the requirements of extra actors and support artists was increased expotentially. However it was great fun to be involved with and Rob and Julia were great fun. Marc Sinclair

Darkly delicious
Review date: 2007-09-02 Rating: 10 out of 10

This mockumentary highlighting the relationship between six mostly profoundly mismatched couples in as many episodes is one of the most disturbingly funny, beautifully shot, and tightly scripted series I have ever seen.

Rob Brydon and Julia Davis both wrote and acted in the series; each portrays a palette of characters which is each convincing and beautifully developed, distinct, and with real depth. If it weren't for its restrained twistedness, you would be convinced these were genuine people- it just looks so documentary. Half the time, you won't know whether you should be laughing or crying as the darkly desperate details of the mundane and mostly banal misery of each couples' lives unfold - I know you're thinking crying is the proper answer, but I was borderline hypoxic much of the time because this dark desperation comes cloaked in brilliant, straight-faced absurdity. The scary thing is, we all know people who are not so far removed from these characters, and the series is like a looking glass into their inner workings.

There is nothing slapstick about Human Remains- this is comedy best watched with your ears more than your eyes- and much of it is subtle. Because of this, you can watch the series time after time, and each time get a slightly different take than the last time. Now, that's value for money. This series is a work of genius and worthy of great respect.

Scary Cynicism
Review date: 2006-01-12 Rating: 8 out of 10

One of the most fantastically cynical comedies you will ever see... Some of the stuff here would give Mike Leigh a good run for his money in the bleak humor sweepstakes. The acting is incredible, Rob Drydon in particular would give the likes of Pacino and DeNiro a good run for their money in the method acting sweepstakes. Putting sundry sweepstakes aside for the moment, it doesn't get the full five stars because at times the writing is a bit too predictable and formulaic; sometimes it's obvious what's coming next. Overall, its a great tonic to the rediculousness of modern life, but be careful, it may end up depressing you.

Very Good
Review date: 2005-02-06 Rating: 8 out of 10

Having really enjoyed Nighty Night and Marion & Geoff this was an obvious purchase as it combines the talents of two of my favorite comic performers of recent years.

The episodes have some great side-splitting moments as you would expect, and some great acting from the support actors as well as Rob Brydon and Julia Davis. And typically there are lots of subtle details that mean you need to pay close attention to get all the jokes.

The DVD is also very generous with plenty of extra material, including the original improv that the actors did to come up with the characters.

The original improv, commentary and outakes are actually some of the funniest (and revealing) material on the DVD. It's almost worth listening to the commentary first to spot all the jokes as some of them are actually too subtle to pick up from the episodes proper.

The only downside is that this series didn't work quite as well as either Marion & Geoff or Nighty Night and there are some quiet periods in some of the episodes. Plus the porn scene is All Over My Glasses is a little too brutal to be funny. Interestingly the actors seem to agree judging by the DVD commentary.

Still it is fascinating to see and hear how Rob Brydon and Julia Davis developed the characters and there are enough funny momments and great performances to make it a worthwhile purchase. It's worth it just for some of the classic lines in "An English Squeak" and "Slither In".

I really wanted to give this 5 stars but I've only given 4 stars because it wasn't quite as well-finished as other programmes that Rob Brydon and Julia Davis have done.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Rob Brydon
Julia Davis

Creators:
Rob Brydon (Primary Contributor)
Julia Davis (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503123024
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Colour, PAL,
Release date: 2003-09-29
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 360 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2002-01-26
Language: English (Original Language)

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