Customer Reviews

Candid Camera: 5 Decades of Smiles

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Don't be fooled by the number of discs provided in this collection. It seems on the surface you are in for hours and hours of entertainment. However, once you discover the "dirty little secret" you realize you've been had. That "secret" is that throughout the DVDs in this set you will view the exact same footage of the same stunts/gags over and over again. Some stunts are repeated four, even five times over the course of viewing. Many of your favorite segments from the best era of Candid Camera, the 1960's, are included however there are many more that are not in this set. Trust me; you will be very disappointed with the overall content in this collection. It is not worth the cost.

Unlike alot of TV DVDs , this show has material that hasn't been seen in eons and boy was it nice to see it again. Ashton Kutcher and Jamie Kennedy aren't fit to take Allen Funt's drive-thru order! Talking Mailbox, Woody Allen dictating a love letter, The Car That Splits in Half, The Guy Sneezing Through the phone. It just doesn't get any funnier. Allen Funt knew that you didn't have to be out and out mean to people to get funny reactions from them, just a little mischievious. The two best examples of this are the guy who steals tips off of a diner counter and the guy who "hitches a ride" under people's umbrellas. The people in these films are just subtly messed with and the results are hysterical.
Of course the classic black and white shows are still the best but the later periods are good too and it's interesting to see how the show lasted through all the ups and downs of life (and TV).
And hey, you do a show that lasts fifty years and tell me how many discs you think you deserve!

Some reviewers are complaining about getting complete episodes instead of just the good bits, but I'm glad they released them this way. Releasing just the best parts certainly wouldn't fit 10 discs.

The anniversary specials do duplicate parts of other episodes, but they are an extra feature, not the main selling point.

A better ballance between classic episodes and modern ones (i.e., more classics) would have been appreciated though. But overall it's a good set and worth the buy.

Disc One: "Greatest Moments"
130 minutes from the Candid Camera hall of fame,
hosted by Peter Funt.

Disc Two: NBC Premiere Episode
Broadcast on May 29, 1949

Disc Three: Best of the 60's, Vol. 1
Episode 001 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Arthur Godfrey)
Episode 041 (Dorothy Collins joins hosts Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Episode 045 (Dorothy Collins joins hosts Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Episode 107 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby; with Chester Morris)
Episode 161 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Episode 209 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)

Disc Four: Best of the 60's, Vol. 2

Episode 042 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Candid Camera's controversial show devoted entirely to Allen Funt's trip with hidden cameras to the Soviet Union.
Episode 060 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Episode 103 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Episode 141 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Episode 178 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Durwood Kirby)
Episode 238 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Bess Myerson)

Disc Five: Best of the 70's, Vol. 1

25th Anniversary Special: Broadcast on ABC-TV.
Episode 1005 (Hosts: Allen Funt and John Bartholomew Tucker)
Episode 1032 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Phyllis George)
Episode 1068 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Joann Pflug)
Episode 1117 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Joann Pflug)

Disc Six: Best of the 70's, Vol. 2

Episode 1017 (Hosts: Allen Funt and John Bartholomew Tucker)
Episode 1029 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Phyllis George)
Episode 1034 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Phyllis George)
Episode 1069 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Joann Pflug)
Episode 1076 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Joann Pflug)
Episode 1121 (Hosts: Allen Funt and Joann Pflug)

Disc Seven: Best of the 80's, Vol. 1

40th Anniversary Special
Allen Funt celebrates 40 years of smiles in this CBS special from 1987.
Candid Camera Goes to the Doctor (Hosts: Peter Funt, Victoria Jackson)
Candid Kids (Hosts: Allen Funt and Nancy McKeon)
Funny Money (Hosts: Allen Funt and Peter Funt)
The Sporting Life (Hosts: Peter Funt and "Downtown" Julie Brown)

Disc Eight: Best of the 90's, Vol. 1

Candid Camera Looks at Love (Hosts: Peter Funt and Lorraine Crook)
Candid Camera Across America (Hosts: Peter Funt and Lorraine Crook)
Battle of the Sexes (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)

Disc Nine: Best of Today, Vol. 1

Episode 2002 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2012 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2029 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2049 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2096 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Dina Eastwood)
Episode 2099 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Dina Eastwood)

Disc Ten: Best of Today, Vol. 2

Episode 2007 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2009 (All-twins episode hosted by Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2023 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2044 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Suzanne Somers)
Episode 2092 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Dina Eastwood)
Episode 2118 (Hosts: Peter Funt and Dina Eastwood)

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The 5 Decades of Smiles is lots of fun but there are SO many duplicative episodes! Save your self a lot of money and just buy the "Best of Candid Camera."

I remember watching several funny clips while the show was a regular broadcast in TV.

Hoping to see them again, I spent around $ 100 to buy this DVD set. Unfortunately most of the shows I enjoyed were missing in this package.

I was very disappointed. Sold the DVD set back to someone else through Amazon.com's used DVD sale.

It's no secret Allen Funt liked the sound of his own voice and loved seeing himself on TV -- and that's mostly what you get with this stingy Candid Camera box set: Funt's endless explanations of what you are about to see and why it's funny. His son Peter is easier to take but if you've got good footage, why do you need a host at all? You'll find yourself fast-forwarding past all the tiresome chatter (Pam Dawber expounding on why she likes Candid Camera, for instance) for only a handful of clips. This box set is a waste of time and money. I recommend the newer generation Candid Camera called Just Kidding (no hosts, no long set-ups, more gags per minute).

There are a lot of repeating segments in this set. Don't be fooled by the good reviews. This series is put together in a poor manner. I never bought something where the same material is shown several times.

This collection is outstanding! Definately a must have for true Candid Camera fans.

For years I have been searching video stores and online for any Candid Camera videos and have found very few releases. Finally the VERY complete collection is available.

I love the way they have full episodes broken down in decades 60's 70's etc. Also they take the very best of all the decades and put into a Best of DVD. I use the best of DVD when I want to share my favorites with company for a quick laugh. I love watching the full episodes so I see the skits not included on the best of DVD.

Again a must have for true Candid Camera fans worth every penney! Enjoy!

Bought this as a gift and she has really enjoyed it. Got it because I knew it was one of her favorite shows.