Cheap Black Adder I (DVD) (Rowan Atkinson, Brian Blessed) (Martin Shardlow, Geoff Posner) Price

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Customer Reviews of Black Adder I

THE FIRST SEASON WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEST......
The original "Black Adder" is one of the marvels of contemporary TV comedy (actually, it's now 21 years old). Brimming with imagination, intellect, and that irresistible grotesqueness known as British humor, it has everything going for it. For whatever reason, star Rowan Atkinson decided to quit writing his own material after this series (he relinquished that chore to upstart Ben Elton, whose name--at least in my book--will live in infamy as the man whose scathing 1986 critique of the great Benny Hill helped trigger the demise of the latter's classic sketch series.....it's never good form for one comic to criticize another).

But the present DVD's a wholly different ballgame. The premiere episode in particular is itself worth the price: apart from the title character here being almost as mentally inept as his erstwhile assistant Baldrick, it features the incomparable Peter Cook as a murdered nobleman whose severed head comes back to haunt the twerpish Edmund Blackadder; many series fans are turned off by the visual unbearability of the gory humor. MY constitution's robust enough to withstand it. Indeed, it's an awful pity those cheapos at the BBC cut the series' budget after the first year, forcing all episodes to be videotaped on the same set, episode after episode. Here the combination of interior AND exterior shots provide the necessary variety. (Funny thing--great as British comedy is to many of us Americans, it was ironically their style of TV comedy that led to stateside TV comedy's artistic downfall, with loads of visually stagnant fare.)

Never mind: Here's one of the supreme treasures of boob-tube comedy.

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He has a cunning Medieval Plan
Rowan Atkinson is one of Britain's most beloved comedians, but it is with the tales of the BlackAdder he shines most. This is the first series of tales that start in Medieval times and correct the "mistaken point of history", such as who really killed Richard III. This is the complete Medieval arc with all 6 tales.

The Foretelling tells how Richard III did not really die on Bosworth field, and Edmund Blackadder's father rising to be King. However, three witches mistakenly tell Edmund he will one day be King, so he set off to make this happen.

In the second episode - Born to be King - he plots to expose his brother Harry as being born out of wedlock, believing his father is already dead and he will then be crowned king. Instead, of exposing his brother, he finds out there is a question about his own birth.

In Episode 3 (one of the most hilarious) - The Archbishop - the King decides he need someone as Archbishop to stop people from leaving their worldly wealth to the church. He figures Edmund is just the person to be his handpuppet. Only, two Knights Templar over hear a conversation about Becket and think the King was Edmund killed.

Episode 4 - another riot called - The Queen of Spain's Beard - The king decides Edmund, no longer of use as ex-archbishop, he can marry a foreign princess in order to strengthen England's alliance. She is far from idea in Edmunds eyes and he goes to various extremes trying to rid himself of her.

Episode 5 is called - Witchmeller Pursuivant - The plague is start to rear it's head, and with it the Burning Times. And Edmund instead of being closer to the throne is suddenly accused of witchcraft - and his horse, too.

The series closes with the last episode - The Black Seal - In a last determined effort, Edmund does what he must to be crown king....

They are so funny with a super supporting cast. They are British Comedy at it's best.

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At last! At last!
Finaly its made it to region 1 dvd, after getting a sneak preview of this title from a friend with a region 4 version of this disk i couldnt wait to order the complete set on DVD. Perhaps the funniest, wittiest and blackest comedy to ever hit television in the world!! watch and fall for the charactors who get funnier and funnier with every episode and series (maybe not the last millenium show though!). For all those who havent seen this series. Watch it!! The best thing to come from Britian since fried chips!!