Customer Reviews

Dad's Army - Collection

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The programme content and acting in Dad's Army is superb. What a pity then that BFS Video, Canada, producers of this DVD have once again released a sub-standard product in terms of picture quality.

The video is encoded at only 2-3 mps for the most part, resulting in smearing and blockiness.

I will be cautious in buying any future releases having already been stung with Six Wives of Henry VIII which was also very poor.

Please BFS! Get your act together.

I've had a couple of requests from people to let them know the names of the episodes in this collection. So I thought I'd put them on here. They are:-

The Day The Balloon Went Up - Sons of the Sea - Don't Forget The Diver - Asleep in the Deep - Boots Boots Boots - A Soldier's Farewell - Big Guns - Menace From The Deep - The Bullet Is Not For Firing - Mum's Army - The Armoured Might Of Lance Corporal Jones - Put That Light Out - The Two and a Half Feathers - The Test - Fallen Idol - The Deadly Attachment - If The Cap Fits - The Honourable Man

Delightful, engaging, funny, serene ... - words fail to express the sincere JOY this show gives me. I could probably use all the complimentary words in a thesaurus - and then some. Along with The Prisoner I have my desert island TV sorted. Every character is real. Even if the show was not funny (which it is - hugely), I could still watch this end-to-end and then again just for the characters alone. The BBC made some sublime TV in late 1960's and through the 1970's. Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served etc are all magnificent ... but if push comes to shove this is it. The best TV of all time? Well, that's my opinion and I am entitled to it - but yes, I would augue that this is it.

One criticism though - why oh why can't the BBC/A&E release the whole series IN FULL and in sequence (they've found 2 of the 5 missing episodes from Series 2 so they have enough material to fill that DVD with the "Finding Of.." TV special (from 2000), Message To The Empire, various BBC variety TV appearances, the 1-hour specials etc etc). Now when that's released I would be truly happy.

Fabulous to see some of the old TV programmes beginning to appear on DVD... but why oh why did no-one take time to improve the transfer? It's not as bad as it could be, but it definitely makes a mockery of the advantages of the format.

I was amazed when I saw this advertised - I couldn't believe that the only place such a quintessentially British programme is available is America!

The set consists of 3 DVDs containing 18 episodes, and someone put some real thought into the selection. The first appearance of the armoured car/butcher's van, the introduction of the horrendous ARP warden Hodges.

Each character is so well written, from the unbearably pompous yet brave and loyal Capt Mainwaring, to mummy's-boy Private Pike, to Private Fraser with his predilection for "big strong thighs", to the amazing creation of Lance-Cpl Jones (even 30 years later they still don't like it up 'em)

I defy anyone not to find many hilarious moments on these DVDs.... well worth buying.

Dad's Army is one of the most delightful television comedies of the 20th Century. The cast are supurb and a joy to watch. Created at a time when old school vaudeville acting brought with it the professionalism of English Reparatory theatre and the delights of '70s British TV comedy, Dad's Army will amuse for many years to come.

And please don't panic about the lack of DA on DVD for whilst I haven't viewed this edition (the 5 Stars are for the show) I have the new BBC 'Best of' release containing five episodes purloined from the Australian Broadcastin Corporation's shopping site (search for 'ABC Shop Online'). I believe a second volume is on the way.

You stupid boy...

Watching and rewatching these episodes is therapy. After a day at work Dad's Army always gets me laughing. Arthur Lowe, Clive Dunn and the rest paint a portrait of a place I would like to live in. You get so close to the characters, that when I found out about James Beck's untimely death I felt that I had lost a friend.

I ENJOYED DAD'S ARMY COLLECTION BUT I HAVE SEEN OTHER EPISODES ON PBS AND WAS WONDERING WHEN ARE THE REST OF THE COLLECTION GOING TO BE RELEASED ON DVD??

Wonderful comedy that ran for years and years in the UK. A warming mix of the wartime redtape, the British class system, and beautifully observed comedy. Strangly only available on DVD in North America, but still a welcome addition to any fan of British sit-coms. The tranfer is sadly of quite low quality, but still it's better than having it on VHS. I hope a second colection will follow in the near future...

I first saw Dad's Army on PBS 'way back in the seventies when I was in high school. In the 90's I came across a few episodes at a video store on VHS, and remembered how much I enjoyed it. Therefore, I was delighted to see the DVD set on Amazon.

This was a series running through much of the seventies, one of the Croft classics that made his name. The setting is Walmington-On-Sea, a village on the English coast just across the Channel when the Nazis were in France. The story is about a Home Guard company in the village, headed by Captain Mainwaring, the bank manager. The local butcher, the local undertaker, a couple of retired people, and the local black market expert make up the focal members of this small band. They go through all sorts of adventures and misadventures, replete with British humor. It's certainly comedic, but not goofy a la Hogan's Heroes. This was not a high-budget series, but that's not important when the writing and acting is first-class: remember I Love Lucy?

I've watched the three CD's many times already, and the video quality is top-notch. The price is worth every penny for me, as unlike the old VHS tapes, these will last.

Dad's Army is another proof of how well the British can do comedy series, and the secret is in the writing. As opposed to the army of writers that are recruited for American Sitcoms, the UK sitcoms have always had one or two writers at most..
Like Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and many others, Dad's army is a writers vehicle that is complemented by excellent performances. You can tell by the development of the characters throughtout the series, and you will come to be familiar with each character, and most importantly care about them. a connection builds up between the viewer and the characters..this is crucial and it adds to the many laughs that ensues in every episode.
Dad's army is a gem..
A bunch of civilians playing army, defending the small town of Warmington on sea from invading Nazi paratroopers, you will come to know Mr Mainwaring, the bank manager/Captain..Mr Wilson his assistant and seargent, Mr Jones, the over enthusiatic and accident prone butcher/Corporal, the dramatic undertaker/private Mr Frazier, and the envious and uncouth warden etc..
all these are played with perfection and dedication by all actors.
Though the DVD is of poor quality and no extras at all..yet it is the only DVD available of the series, and it has a good selection of episodes. I just hope the BBC reissues the complete series soon, for it is one that deserves to be in your collection..and in the meantime, let me quote from Mr Jones:
Don't Panic!!!