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Love Thy Neighbour - The Complete Series 1 Plus Original Pilot Episode [1972]


RRP: £24.99
Our Price: £16.97 (subject to change)

the PC Front Line
Review date: 2008-08-20 Rating: 8 out of 10

Bigoted white socialist gets black next door neighbours in the most un-pc sit-com ever aired on British television.
Still controversial today, 'Love Thy Neighbour' would be indefensible if it wasn't so funny. The writers go to great pains to make sure that the black guy usually gets the upper hand in the juvenile pranks and schemes that 'snowflake' thinks up, but there is an invective uncongeniality to some of the confrontations.
Whether you'll be offended by this depends on whether you think childish phrases like 'nig-nog' and 'white honky' are acceptable in a 'comedy' context.
What's really interesting is; the two protagonists are at each others throats virtually the whole time, except when they're trying to put one over on their wives. If there's a darts competition, a booze-up or a football match on the horizon, and their wives are trying to put the mockers on it, they're suddenly the best of friends. This cynically suggests that the writers are of the depressing (but probably true) opinion that the gap between the races is nowhere near the chasm that exists between the sexes. But that's another series.
In short, 'Love Thy Neighbour' is naïve, archaic, sexist, horrendously stereotypical and rude. It's of it's time (1972 -1976) and rightly or wrongly, commanded huge audiences when it was first broadcast. We used to sit down as a family to watch it, it was all innocent and accepted. But times change, and it was left out in the cold, castigated and reviled as the champion bete noir of the 80's PC brigade.
Now it's 'retro'. We've come full circle, it sneaks out on dvd, rising from the grave like a vampire. (a useful analogy seeing as the movie version was produced by Hammer Films!) We can laugh now, but in an ironic, post-modern sense.
And 'Love Thy Neighbour' is really funny, whichever way you look at it. The white guy is an absolute buffoon (he's a bit proto-Al Bundy, to tell the truth) and the black fella is obviously his better in every sense, but is driven to distraction and despair by his infantile antics.
So if you're after a chuckle, and aren't bothered about the baggage, on you go, but if you're stuck on the politics - leave well alone.



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Reviews


A Damn Good Laugh
Review date: 2008-02-05 Rating: 8 out of 10

Having watched these on t.v years ago, and now seeing them again, I can't see what outrages some people so much. It is clear from the start that Eddie is a bigot and in the minority, we are laughing at him, not with him. For God's sake lighten up PC brigade.Worth having for the theme tune alone, sung by that fantastic singer of the 70's Stuart Gillies, who incidentally is still working.

CLASSIC COMEDY, WHO CARES ABOUT BEEN POLITICALLY CORRECT.. I CERTAINLY DON'T
Review date: 2007-08-29 Rating: 10 out of 10

First of all P. D. gray; the information you have provided re 'SEASON 2 set - All 6 episodes plus first 4 episodes from SEASON 3

SEASON 3 set - LAST 2 episodes from SEASON 3 plus all 8 episodes SEASON 4 (Season 4 had 8 episodes, 7 normal length and one extended...all included here).

So as you can see, if you buy these 3 season sets you are also getting season 4'

I played the disc's and there WAS NO MENTION that some of the episodes were as you have said, it does say at the beginning of every episode, what the series is and what episode it is and as I have said the info you have provided does not tally with what the disc's say.

Secondly: dinnes2112,
Your comment 'I can't believe this has been released. It contains so much overtly racist material that I can scarcely watch it. The premise of the show is basically "there is a black man living next door - shock horror!" I'm really against political correctness in comedy - but that isn't even an issue here - this series is sad, poorly written racist nonsense and should have no place in anyone's DVD collection in the 21st century'

If you feel like this why the hell did you buy it? you obviously must have known what the program was about prior to purchasing it.


At last my review: Sadly this program would most likely not be shown now due to this countries crazy political correctness. Watching it was like a breath of fresh air compared to the crap sterile stuff we have now, this was made when people did not have to watch every word that they said so as not to heaven forbid 'offend someone', this show is full of classic one liners, this is comedy at its best and like I have said it is like a breath of fresh air. A MUST BUY in my opinion.

IMPORTANT INFO ON LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR DVDS - please read
Review date: 2007-04-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

There are currently 3 boxsets of LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR seasons 1...3 released by Pegasus but they have mucked up the amount of episodes on the second and third one to the buyers advantage. Heres the details

SEASON 1 set - All 7 episodes plus bonus unbroadcast pilot episode

SEASON 2 set - All 6 episodes plus first 4 episodes from SEASON 3

SEASON 3 set - LAST 2 episodes from SEASON 3 plus all 8 episodes SEASON 4 (Season 4 had 8 episodes, 7 normal length and one extended...all included here).

So as you can see, if you buy these 3 season sets you are also getting season 4, crazy the way Pegasus has named the sets but I think its because they initially released the first 2 sets and didnt intend a third so bunged some season 3 episodes on the third one. When they realised they were selling well and should do a third set, they called it SEASON 3 but since most of those episodes were put on series 2 as bonus they put all of season 4 on as well.

It NOW makes sense that we are going to get (from a different company I believe) seasons 5 onwards released on dvd....so dont go BUT WHERES SEASON 4 when you look through the amazon listings, its on the season 3 set! hope this info proves useful, it all confused me until I got my facts straight using a comedy reference book.

very non-pc nowadays
Review date: 2007-03-18 Rating: 8 out of 10

this would be very non-pc nowadays, however in the 1970's when this was made there was no such thing as pc. If you can watch it for what it is, a tongue-in-cheek go at racism. Eddie Booth hates the new next door neighbours, not only are the black but he has to work with Bill from next door. To make matters worse Eddie's wife Joan gets on like a house on fire with Bill's wife Barbie. Eddies attempts at getting one over on Bill are thwarted at every turn, in many events being helped along by Eddies own wife. Shows Eddie up for what he is, a colour-prejudiced bigot.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Jack Smethurst
Kate Williams
Nina Baden-Semper
Tommy Godfrey
Rudolph Walker

Creators:
Jack Smethurst (Primary Contributor)
Rudolph Walker (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Pegasus Entertainment
Manufacturer: Pegasus Entertainment
EAN: 5050232700181
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2003-09-09
Number of discs: 4
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Theatrical release date: 1972
Language: English (Original Language)

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