Black Adder III
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.94 You Save: $14.04 (70%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.98 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Black Adder III
Movie Review: At your service
Summary: 5 Stars
Black Adder stars Rowan Atkinson, an absolute comic genius who is also the star of Mr. Bean. The screenplays were written by Richard Curtis (Mr. Bean, Not the nine o'clock news) and Ben Elton - possibly one of the funniest modern writers.In the third series, Rowan Atkinson plays a bitter, frustrated butler to the stupidest man in England - which is saying a lot since Baldrick is still around.
The six episodes in the series are:
1. Dish and Dishonesty - Edmund proves that politicians don't have to rely on issues when the lone voter can tragically cut his head off while shaving
2. Ink and Incapability - Black Adder is forced to re author the first English dictionary over the week end to avoid being skewered by a man whose sword is as mighty as his pen
3. Nob and Nobility - the French revolution is on and Mrs Miggins is busy serving suspiciously shaped sausages
4. Sense and Senility - the Prince Regent decides to be an actor, but Edmund pulls the curtain on his plans
5. Aim and Amiability - in order to keep his master, and thereby himself, in the lifestyle to which they have been born, Black Adder tries to secure his boorish boss a new, wealthy bride.
6. Duel and Duality - after a brief tryst with the Duke of Wellington's daughters, the prince regent may have finally gone too far
Series II and III are definitely the best of Black Adder. The others are funny, but these truly shine
Movie Review: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I watch BlackAdder I, I say this is the Best of the BA series. Then I watch BlackAdder II, and I say this is the Best of the BA series!So I once again say, this is the best of the BA series! And I REALLY mean that! I think III is just a cut above the rest, because not only is Rowan Atkinson at his best, Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent is an equal match so you have the two of them pushing each other.
In Dish and Dishonesty - Edmund see his chance to make the move from Prince's Butler to a MP by staging the elections. The episode is sidesplitting.
Ink and Incapability - Edmund wants to become a writer, but runs afoul of the first English dictionary
Nob and Nobility - The French are revolting - no they ARE really revolting and it sets the Stage for of lot of master of disguises
Sense and Senility - The Prince regent becomes enthralled of acting and pulls the whole household into it, having Edmund to recruit two actors to be the Prince's coach.
Aim and Amiability - the Prince Regent has over spent again, so Edmund must play matchmaker to find the prince a rich bride, only both sides are hiding things
Duel and Duality - The Price makes a mistake of romancing the Duke of Wellington's daughter and now it's 20 paces at dawn...unless Edmund can think of something to stop it.
Baldrick is back and Edmund's dogsbody and manage to steal the scenes! Look out for the Turnip!
Movie Review: As funny and refined as ... a highly amusing powdery thing
Summary: 5 Stars
In the late '80s I happened upon a copy of 3 episodes of Blackadder III in a public library and took a chance. Fate was smiling on me that day as I was introduced to a new world of comedy. While many of these actors seemed familiar to me, I had not known their genius until that day.
Now Hugh Laurie and Rowan Atkinson are household names, but then, they were a British sensation that hadn't quite yet hit our shores. The supporting cast was no less amazing.
Edmund Blackadder of the 18th century is the best realized incarnation of our antihero. He schemes for power not just for the usual banal selfishness, but because fate has reversed roles in a most cruel way: from son of Richard the Lionheart, his dynasty has been reduced to manservant for the foppish, idiotic, ineffective prince regent George (while his father is off to marry a rose bush). He is the only intelligent being surrounded by a maddening bevy of squirrel-brained turnip fetishists. While he is characteristically self-serving, he is positively humble compared to Lord Wellington, Dr. Johnson, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley and other delightful caricatures from British history. Viewers end up rooting for him despite themselves.
If you want to introduce yourself to the world of Blackadder, this is my recommendation for where to start.
Movie Review: Best series of Blackadder
Summary: 5 Stars
Man I loved Blackadder since I was 6 or 7. I'm 28 now and I have never tired of it, especially series 3. Blackadder is more cunning and sarcastic than ever and Hugh Laurie is brilliant as the idiotic Prince Regent. So many great lines throughout. It's just hysterical. I can't say much more. Added bonus on this dvd is the inclusion of Blackadder's Christmas Carol, another hilarious episode. Whereas some of the recent Blackadder specials have been dismal, this one was filmed just after series 3 when the writers were at the peak of their powers. Set in Victorian times, the twist here is that Blackadder's descendant has become kind and caring but after being visited by the Christmas ghosts, he becomes the Blackadder we know and love. My favourite line is the put down of his screeching niece "I don't expect you to understand blessed as you are with a head that is emptier than a hermit's address book" and telling Baldrick the only way he's going to get a wet kiss at Christmas is to make a pass at a water closet. They don't write them like that anymore! 10/10Movie Review: The Top of the Line in British Comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
Atkinson before Bean and Laurie before House. All of the BlackAdder seasons are great, but III is the best because it shows the hapless butler at his most frantic and most irritated.
Atkinson is brilliant in his portrayal of Edmund Blackadder, the frustrated and snippy butler to Hugh's moronic Prince Regent. In each episode Atkinson's frustration reaches new heights as he tries to deal with the infuriating situation of being supremely more intelligent than his superior (Laurie as the prince).
Dish and Dishonesty is probably my favorite as Blackadder takes political corruption to hilarious extremes. But there is not a weak link in the bunch - the entire disk is fantastic.
Even if you've never seen a Blackadder feel free to start with III. It won't take too long to figure out the premise, and it will take even less time to burst into laughter - especially if the site of man with a huge turnip shoved in his mouth is funny to you.