Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection

Review by James Anthony

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The tale of Fawlty Towers is almost as bizarre as the series itself. It began with the Monty Python crew forced out of a hotel by the appalling manners of their host, John Cleese writing a TV series on the same chap, and the BBC initially rejecting it because it "wouldn't work".

Well, despite the fact that only 12 episodes were made, Fawlty Towers, Watery Fowls, Fatty Owls, Flowery Twats - or whatever other anagram of the title you can come up with - has never been offscreen since it was first shown in 1975.

It is so hugely successful that you can drop the lines "Don't mention the war" or "he's from Barcelona" and, within seconds, the entire room will be cracking up over their favourite part of the series.

For mine it's when Basil takes a tree branch to his clapped-out car and beats it. Even while typing about it there is a huge grin spreading across the old dial.

However, the transfer of Fawlty Towers on to DVD is not a perfect one - with the pictures being very tonally flat. This lack of contrast does initially detract from your enthusiasm to see the shows but, within a very short time, your brain seems to compensate and you just sit there cackling at the episodes. The audio gives you clear pick-up on the actors' lines.

All 12 are here and I can heartily recommend sitting down and watching the mad antics of Basil (Cleese), Cybil (Prunella Scales), Polly (Connie Booth) and Manuel (Andrew Sachs). So go on, sit down and put yourself six hours of savage humour in one of the great hotels of the world.

Episodes
A Touch of Class
The Builders
The Wedding Party
The Hotel Inspectors
The Germans
Gourmet Night
Communication Problems
The Psychiatrist
Waldorf Salad
The Kipper and the Corpse
The Anniversary
Basil The Rat

Conclusion: Movie 80%, Extras 80%

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